(88–95) “They say, ‘The Most Merciful has taken a son.’ You have indeed put forth a monstrous claim, at which the heavens nearly rupture, the earth splits apart, and the mountains collapse in devastation, because they attribute a son to the Most Merciful. It is not befitting for the Most Merciful to take a son. There is no one in the heavens or on earth who will not come before the Most Merciful as a servant. He has certainly encompassed them and counted them precisely, and each of them will come before Him alone on the Day of Resurrection.”

This condemns and denounces the claim of the obstinate deniers who alleged that the Most Merciful had taken a son, as when the Christians say, “The Messiah is the son of Allah”; the Jews, “Ezra is the son of Allah”; and the polytheists, “The angels are the daughters of Allah.” Exalted is Allah far above what they say.

“You have indeed put forth a monstrous claim”—that is, something immensely grave and dreadful.

So grave is this claim that “the heavens,” despite their immensity and solidity, “nearly rupture at it”—that is, because of this statement—“the earth splits apart” because of it, meaning that it cracks and bursts open, “and the mountains collapse in devastation”—that is, the mountains are crushed.

“Because they attribute to the Most Merciful”—that is, because of this vile claim, these created things nearly suffer what has been described. Yet “it is not befitting”—that is, it is neither fitting nor possible—“for the Most Merciful to take a son.” This is because taking a son would imply deficiency and need, whereas He is the Self-Sufficient, the Praiseworthy. A child is also of the same kind as his father, while Allah Most High has no likeness, equal, or namesake.

“There is no one in the heavens or on earth who will not come before the Most Merciful as a servant”—that is, humbled and submissive, unable to disobey or resist. The angels, human beings, jinn, and all others are His possessions and subject to His disposal. They possess no sovereignty whatsoever and have no share in governing affairs. How, then, could He have a son when this is His state and such is the greatness of His dominion?

“He has certainly encompassed them and counted them precisely”—that is, His knowledge encompasses every created being in the heavens and on earth. He has enumerated them and recorded all their deeds; He neither errs nor forgets, and nothing whatsoever is hidden from Him.

“And each of them will come before Him alone on the Day of Resurrection”—that is, without children, wealth, or supporters. He will have nothing with him except his deeds, for which Allah will recompense him and settle his account in full: if they were good, the outcome will be good; and if they were evil, it will be evil. As Allah Most High says, “You have certainly come before Us one by one, just as We created you the first time.”