Mary and a spirit from Him, and He commanded them to believe in Allah and His messengers. He thus made it clear that Jesus is His messenger and forbade them to say, “Three,” saying:

“Desist—it is better for you” ⦗al-Nisāʾ 4:171⦘

and

“Allah is only one God” ⦗al-Nisāʾ 4:171⦘.

This flatly refutes their claim that the Messiah is “true God from true God, of one essence with the Father.”

Then He said:

“Glory be to Him—far above having a son!” ⦗al-Nisāʾ 4:171⦘,

thereby declaring His transcendence and majesty above having a son, as the Christians allege.

Next He said:

“To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth” ⦗al-Nisāʾ 4:171⦘,

informing us that all of it is His dominion and that nothing within it forms part of His very being.

Then He said:

“The Messiah would never disdain to be a servant of Allah, nor would the angels who are brought near” ⦗al-Nisāʾ 4:172⦘—

meaning that neither Jesus nor the nearest angels disdain being servants of Allah, blessed and exalted.

With such clear and manifest explanation, could anyone suppose that by saying “and His word” He meant that Jesus is a creating deity, or that he is an attribute of Allah subsisting in Him? Or that His words

“and a spirit from Him” ⦗al-Nisāʾ 4:171⦘

mean that Jesus is Allah’s very life, or that His spirit is separate from His Essence?

We add: as for His words “and His word,” He has already explained that He created him with the command “Be!” In the Arabic language in which the Quran was revealed, it is customary to name the object with the verbal-noun: the created being is called “creation,” as in His statement, “This is the creation of Allah.” Likewise one says, “A dirham of the prince’s striking,” meaning “struck by the prince.” For this reason what is commanded is called “a command,” what is decreed “power” or “decree,” what is known “knowledge,” and that through which mercy is shown “mercy,” as in His words:

“The command of Allah is a decree decreed” ⦗al-Aḥzāb 33:38⦘.