21. Surah Al Anbiya'

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَقَالُوا اتَّخَذَ الرَّحْمَنُ وَلَدًا...  

21:26.  And they say: "(Allah) Most Gracious has begotten offspring."

C2686. This refers both to the Trinitarian superstition that Allah has begotten a son, and to the Arab superstition that the angels were daughters of Allah. All such superstitions are derogatory to the glory of Allah.

The prophets and the angels are no more than servants of Allah: they are raised high in honour, and therefore they deserve our highest respect, but not our worship.

...سُبْحَانَهُ...

Glory to Him!

...بَلْ عِبَادٌ مُّكْرَمُونَ ﴿٢٦﴾

they are (but) servants raised to honor.

لَا يَسْبِقُونَهُ بِالْقَوْلِ ...

21:27.  They speak not before He speaks,

C2687. They never say anything before they receive Allah's command to say it, and their acts are similarly conditioned.

This is also the teaching of Jesus as reported in the Gospel of St. John (12:49-50):

"For I have not spoken of myself: but the Father which sent me, He gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that His commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak."

If rightly understood, "Father" has the same meaning as our "Rabb", Sustainer and Cherisher, not Begetter or Progenitor.

... وَهُم بِأَمْرِهِ يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿٢٧﴾

and they act (in all things) by His command.

يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ...  

21:28.  He knows what is before them, and what is behind them,

...وَلَا يَشْفَعُونَ إِلَّا لِمَنِ ارْتَضَى...

and they offer no intercession except for those who are acceptable,

C2688. Cf. 20:109. Those who have conformed to the Will of Allah and obeyed His Law, thus winning the stamp of His approval.

...وَهُم مِّنْ خَشْيَتِهِ مُشْفِقُونَ ﴿٢٨﴾

and they stand in awe and reverence of His (glory).

C2689. They: the usual interpretation refers the pronoun to the servants of Allah who intercede:

it may also refer to those on whose behalf intercession is made: they do not take it as a matter of course, but stand in due awe and reverence of Allah's great glory and mercy.

Asad’s Version:

21:26

And [yet,) some say, "The Most Gracious has taken unto Himself a son"! Limitless is He in His glory!" Nay, [those whom they regard as God's "offspring"" are but His] honoured servants:

(21:27) they speak not until He has spoken unto them, 35 and [whenever they act,] they act at His behest.

21:28

He knows all that lies open before them and all that is hidden from them:" hence, they cannot intercede for any but those whom He has [already) graced with His goodly acceptance, 37 since they themselves stand in reverent awe of Him.