Context from Tafheem: These verses continue the theological discourse, directly refuting core Christian doctrines that had begun to circulate or be debated in the milieu of Medina. After addressing Jewish exclusivism and errors, the Quran now corrects a fundamental Christian misconception about the nature of God and creation, reasserting pure monotheism (Tawhid).

---

سورة البقرة (Surah Al-Baqarah)

آية 116

القرآن: وَقَالُوا اتَّخَذَ اللَّهُ وَلَدًا ۗ سُبْحَانَهُ ۖ بَل لَّهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۖ كُلٌّ لَّهُ قَانِتُونَ
Translation: And they say, “Allah has taken a son.” Exalted is He! Rather, to Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. All are devoutly obedient to Him.

Explanation (Tafheemul Quran):
Maududi explains that this verse primarily addresses the Christian claim of Jesus being the “Son of God,” but also encompasses the pre-Islamic Arab polytheists who believed angels were God’s daughters.

· The Blasphemous Claim: The statement “Allah has taken a son” is presented as a grave absurdity attributed to others.
· Divine Transcendence: The immediate response, “Exalted is He! (Subhanahu)”, is a declaration of God’s absolute perfection and transcendence above any such human-like relationships or needs. The very notion is incompatible with His majesty.
· The True Relationship – Ownership and Obedience: The Quranic rebuttal establishes the correct relationship: Everything in the universe belongs to Allah as its Creator and Master. All creatures are “devoutly obedient (Qanitun)” to Him—subservient by their very nature and design. The relationship is one of Sovereign and subject, Creator and creation, not one of physical progeny. A “son” implies a partner or an heir, which negates God’s absolute oneness and self-sufficiency.

آية 117

القرآن: بَدِيعُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۖ وَإِذَا قَضَىٰ أَمْرًا فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ
Translation: The Originator of the heavens and the earth. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, “Be,” and it is.

Explanation:
This verse provides the positive, Islamic conception of creation that utterly negates the need for a “son.”

· “The Originator (Badi’)”: Maududi emphasizes that this term means the One who brings things into being from non-existence, without any model or precedent. He is the absolute, sole Inventor.
· The Mechanism of Creation: God’s creative act is described with supreme power and simplicity. There is no process, no helper, no intermediary. His decree (“When He decrees a matter”) is executed instantly by His will alone. The command “Be” (Kun) and its consequence “and it is” (fa-yakun) demonstrate an absolute, effortless power that requires no assistance, partnership, or offspring.
· Theological Implication: If God can create the entire universe merely by saying “Be,” then why would He need a son to assist Him, to be a partner in divinity, or to be a savior? The creative power itself proves His absolute oneness and self-sufficiency. The creation of Jesus without a father is, within this framework, simply another manifestation of this same power (“Be,” and he was), not evidence of divine sonship but evidence of divine creative power.

---

Summary from Tafheemul Quran Perspective (Verses 116-117):

Maududi’s commentary highlights that these two verses form a concise but powerful theological unit:

1. Rejection of Anthropomorphism: They reject any human-like attributes (like having children) being ascribed to God, declaring Him exalted above such notions.
2. Affirmation of True Lordship: They assert the correct relationship: God is the Owner and Master of all existence, and all creation is in a state of inherent submission to Him.
3. The Power of Kun: They establish the doctrine of creation by divine fiat as the ultimate proof of God’s absolute, unshared power. This makes the concept of a mediating “son” not just blasphemous but logically superfluous.
4. Completing the Critique: Just as previous verses corrected Jewish errors (exclusivism, covenant-breaking, killing prophets), these verses now correct a central Christian error regarding the nature of God and Christ, thereby completing the purification of the concept of monotheism for the new Muslim community.