Refuting the Claim of the Idolators that the Angels are Allah's Daughters
Ayahs Covered
Common Words
Other Scholars on These Ayahs
Truly those who do not believe in the Hereafter give the angels the names of females for they say ‘They are God’s daughters’.
But they do not have any knowledge thereof of this claim. They follow in this respect nothing but conjecture which they have conjured up and indeed conjecture can never substitute for the truth that i...
So shun him who turns away from Our Remembrance that is from the Qur’ān and desires nothing but the life of this world — this was revealed before the command to struggle against the disbelievers.
That namely the desire of this world is the full extent of their knowledge that is the limit of their knowledge namely that they have preferred this life to that of the Hereafter. Truly your Lord know...
Related Hadiths
"Whoever lives in the desert, he becomes hard-hearted, and whoever follows game becomes preoccupied with it (and neglectful toward other duties), and whoever follows the ruler will put himself through...
Angels do not accompany the travellers who have with them a dog and a bell.
he who summons others to party-spirit does not belong to us; and he who dies upholding party spirit does not belong to us.’
“The one who takes back his gift is like the dog that goes back to its vomit.”
Angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or a picture.
Ibn Kathir Commentary
Related Tafsir
Refuting the Claim of the Idolators that the Angels are Allah's Daughters
Allah the Exalted admonishes the idolators for calling the angels female names and claiming that they are Allah's daughters. Allah is far removed from what they ascribe to Him. Allah the Exalted said in another Ayah,
وَجَعَلُواْ الْمَلَـئِكَةَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ عِبَادُ الرَّحْمَـنِ إِنَـثاً أَشَهِدُواْ خَلْقَهُمْ سَتُكْتَبُ شَهَـدَتُهُمْ وَيُسْـَلُونَ
(And they make females the angels, who themselves are servants of the Most Gracious. Did they witness their creation Their testimony will be recorded, and they will be questioned!)(43:19) Allah's statement here,
وَمَا لَهُم بِهِ مِنْ عِلْمٍ
(But they have no knowledge thereof.) meaning, they have no correct knowledge testifying to their statements. What they say is all lies, falsehood, fake and utter atheism,
إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلاَّ الظَّنَّ وَإِنَّ الظَّنَّ لاَ يُغْنِى مِنَ الْحَقِّ شَيْئاً
(They follow but conjecture, and verily, conjecture is no substitute for the truth.) meaning, conjecture is of no benefit and never takes the place of truth. In a Hadith recorded in the Sahih, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
«إِيَّاكُمْ وَالظَّنَّ، فَإِنَّ الظَّنَّ أَكْذَبُ الْحَدِيث»
(Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the most lying speech.)
The Necessity of turning away from the People of Misguidance
Allah's statement,
فَأَعْرِضْ عَن مَّن تَوَلَّى عَن ذِكْرِنَا
(Therefore withdraw from him who turns away from Our Reminder), means, stay away from those who turn away from the Truth and shun them,
وَلَمْ يُرِدْ إِلاَّ الْحَيَوةَ الدُّنْيَا
(and desires nothing but the life of this world.) meaning, whose aim and knowledge are concentrated on this life; this is the goal of those who have no goodness in them,
ذَلِكَ مَبْلَغُهُمْ مِّنَ الْعِلْمِ
(That is what they could reach of knowledge.) meaning, seeking this life and striving hard in its affairs is the best knowledge they have acquired. There is also the reported supplication:
«اللْهُمَّ لَا تَجْعَلِ الدُّنْيَا أَكْبَرَ هَمِّنَا، وَلَا مَبْلَغَ عِلْمِنَا»
(O Allah! Make not this life the greatest of our concerns nor the best knowledge that we can attain.) Allah's statement,
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ اهْتَدَى
(Verily, your Lord is He, Who knows best him who goes astray from His path, and He knows best him who receives guidance.) meaning, He is the Creator of all creatures and He knows whatever benefits His servants. Allah is the One Who guides whom He wills and misguides whom He wills, and all of this indicates His power, knowledge and wisdom. Certainly, He is Just and never legislates or decrees unjustly.