19. Surah Maryam

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

أَن دَعَوْا لِلرَّحْمَنِ وَلَدًا ﴿٩١﴾

19: 91.  That they should invoke a son for (Allah) Most Gracious.

وَمَا يَنبَغِي لِلرَّحْمَنِ أَن يَتَّخِذَ وَلَدًا ﴿٩٢﴾

19: 92.  For it is not consonant with the majesty of (Allah) Most Gracious that He should beget a son.

C2530. This basic principle was laid down early in the argument (19:35).

It was illustrated by a reference to the personal history of many messengers, including Jesus himself, who behaved justly as men to their kith and kin and humbly served Allah.

The evil results of such superstitions were pointed out in the case of many previous generations which went to their ruin by dishonouring Allah.

And the argument is now rounded off towards the close of the Surah.

إِن كُلُّ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ إِلَّا آتِي الرَّحْمَنِ عَبْدًا ﴿٩٣﴾

19: 93.  Not one of the beings in the heavens and the earth but must come to (Allah) Most Gracious as a servant.

Other versions:

19: 91

Asad That men should ascribe a son to the Most Gracious,

Yusuf Ali That they should invoke a son for (Allah) Most Gracious.

Pickthall That ye ascribe unto the Beneficent a son,

Transliteration An da'au lir rahma_ni walada_

19: 92

Asad Although it is inconceivable that the Most Gracious should take unto Himself a son!

Yusuf Ali For it is not consonant with the majesty of (Allah) Most Gracious that He should beget a son.

Pickthall When it is not meet for (the Majesty of) the Beneficent that He should choose a son.

Transliteration Wa ma_ yan baghi lir rahma_ni ay yat takhidza walada_

[Ruby’s note – It is absolutely irrational that the Supreme Being who created everything out of nothing, then chose to be part of His own creation, or manifest Himself as part of His own created things.

Therefore One who is the Ultimate Existence, who sustains all other existence, has no conceivable reason to be a part of a smaller transitory existence. It is extremely blasphemous and utterly preposterous for a created thing [human beings] to bring the Creator to the same physical level of flesh and blood as his/her own. ]

[ Ali’s note 2530 This basic principle was laid down early in the argument (xix. 35). It was illustrated by a reference to the personal history of many messengers, including Jesus himself, who behaved justly as men to their kith and kin and humbly served Allah. The evil results of such superstitions were pointed out in the case of many previous generations which went to their ruin by dishonouring Allah. And the argument is now rounded off towards the close of the Sura. (19.92)

19: 93

Asad Not one of all [the beings] that are in the heavens or on earth appears before the Most Gracious other than as a servant:

Transliteration In kul lu man fis sama_wa_ti wal ardhi il la_ a_tir rahma_ni 'abda_

[Ruby’s note – The term servant here is pervasive in meaning. All things in the created Universe, seen or unseen, is complying with the set laws and nature God has inscribed in them. This compliance is called submission to the Will and Law of God, the Quran conveys this state as Islam. ]