Surah 37

Surah 37:151

"Is it not a fact that out of their own lie they indeed say,"
Refutation of Those Who attribute Children to Allah and say that the Angels are His Daughters Verses 37:149-160
Show Full Scripture Context (37:149-160) — 12 Verses
Verse 149

فَٱسۡتَفۡتِهِمۡ أَلِرَبِّكَ ٱلۡبَنَاتُ وَلَهُمُ ٱلۡبَنُونَ

Ask them for a pronouncement: ‘Does your Lord have daughters while they have sons?

Verse 150

أَمۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓئِكَةَ إِنَٰثٗا وَهُمۡ شَٰهِدُونَ

Or did We create the angels female while they were witnesses?’

Verse 151

أَلَآ إِنَّهُم مِّنۡ إِفۡكِهِمۡ لَيَقُولُونَ

Is it not a fact that out of their own lie they indeed say,

Verse 152

وَلَدَ ٱللَّهُ وَإِنَّهُمۡ لَكَٰذِبُونَ

‘God has begotten’? Surely they are liars indeed!

Verse 153

أَصۡطَفَى ٱلۡبَنَاتِ عَلَى ٱلۡبَنِينَ

Has He chosen daughters over sons?

Verse 154

مَا لَكُمۡ كَيۡفَ تَحۡكُمُونَ

What is (the matter) with you? How do you judge?

Verse 155

أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ

Will you not take heed?

Verse 156

أَمۡ لَكُمۡ سُلۡطَٰنٞ مُّبِينٞ

Or do you have any clear authority?

Verse 157

فَأۡتُواْ بِكِتَٰبِكُمۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَ

Bring your Book, if you are truthful.

Verse 158

وَجَعَلُواْ بَيۡنَهُۥ وَبَيۡنَ ٱلۡجِنَّةِ نَسَبٗاۚ وَلَقَدۡ عَلِمَتِ ٱلۡجِنَّةُ إِنَّهُمۡ لَمُحۡضَرُونَ

They have fabricated an affiliation between Him and the jinn. Yet certainly the jinn know that they will indeed be brought forward (to the punishment)

Verse 159

سُبۡحَٰنَ ٱللَّهِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ

– glory to God above what they allege! –

Verse 160

إِلَّا عِبَادَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلۡمُخۡلَصِينَ

except for the devoted servants of God.

Allah denounces those idolators who attribute daughters to Allah - exalted be He above that - and attributed to themselves what they desired, i.e., they wanted male offspring to themselves. And when the news of (the birth of) a female (child) is brought to any of them, his face becomes dark, and he is filled with inward grief., i.e., that upsets him, and he would only choose sons for himself. Allah says: 'Then how can they attribute to Allah the share that they would not choose for themselves?' Allah says: "Now ask them" means, quiz them by way of denunciation, "Has He (then) chosen daughters rather than sons?" meaning, what would make Him choose daughters rather than sons? This is like the Ayah, Has then your Lord preferred for you sons, and taken for Himself from among the angels daughters? Verily, you indeed utter an awful saying. Allah says: "What is the matter with you? How do you decide?" meaning, 'what kind of reasoning makes you say that?' "Will you not then remember? Or is there for you a plain authority?" means, 'evidence to prove what you say.' "Then bring your Book if you are truthful!" means, 'produce evidence for that derived from a Book revealed from heaven by Allah, to prove that He has taken what you say (i.e., offspring). What you say is totally irrational.' "And they have invented a kinship between Him and the Jinn," Mujahid said, "The idolaters said that the angels were the daughters of Allah. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said, 'Then who are their mothers?' They said. 'The daughters of the leaders of the Jinn.'" Qatadah and Ibn Zayd also said this. Allah - may He be blessed and exalted - says: "Glorified be Allah! (He is free) from what they attribute unto Him! Except the servants of Allah, whom He chooses."

About this Source & Scholarly Authority (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Universal Sunni Consensus: Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim by Hafiz Ibn Kathir (701–774 AH / 1301–1373 AD) is universally regarded across all major schools of Sunni Islam (traditional, Salafi, Ash'ari) as the most authoritative classical exegesis. It is prized because it relies on Tafsir bil-Ma'thur—interpreting the Quran using the Quran itself, authentic Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad, and recorded statements of the early Companions (Sahabah).

Standard English Edition: This text is from the standard 10-volume English abridgment published by Dar-us-Salam Publications (supervised by Shaykh Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri), which is the official, most widely distributed English Quranic commentary in mosques and Islamic libraries worldwide today.