Tafseer Ibn Kathir of ASH SHAAFFAAT [149]

149. Now ask them: ”Are there (only) daughters for your Lord and sons for them'' 150. Or did We create the angels female while they were witnesses 151. Verily, it is of their falsehood that they say: 152. ”Allah has begotten.'' And, verily, they are liars! 153. Has He (then) chosen daughters rather than sons 154. What is the matter with you How do you decide 155. Will you not then remember 156. Or is there for you a plain authority 157. Then bring your Book if you are truthful! 158. And they have invented a kinship between Him and the Jinn, but the Jinn know well that they have indeed to appear (before Him). 159. Glorified be Allah! (He is free) from what they attribute unto Him! 160. Except the servants of Allah, whom He chooses. Allah denounces those idolators who attribute daughters to Allah -- exalted be He above that -- and attributed to themselves what they desired, i.e., they wanted male offspring to themselves.

(And when the news of (the birth of) a female (child) is brought to any of them, his face becomes dark, and he is filled with inward grief!) (16:58), i.e., that upsets him, and he would only choose sons for himself. Allah says: `Then how can they attribute to Allah the share that they would not choose for themselves' Allah says:

(Now ask them) means, quiz them by way of denunciation,

(Are there (only) daughters for your Lord and sons for them) This is like the Ayah:

(Is it for you the males and for Him the females That indeed is a division most unfair!) (53:21-22).

(Or did We create the angels female while they were witnesses) means, how did they decide that the angels are female when they did not witness their creation This is like the Ayah:

(And they make the angels females who themselves are servants of the Most Gracious. Did they witness their creation Their testimony will be recorded, and they will be questioned!) (43:19), which means, they will be questioned about that on the Day of Resurrection.

(Verily, it is of their falsehood) means, it is a part of the lies they tell.

(that they say: ”Allah has begotten.'') meaning, that offspring have been born to Him.

(And verily, they are liars!) Allah mentions three of the things they said about the angels, which formed the utmost disbelief and falsehood. They said that they were the daughters of Allah and that Allah had offspring -- exalted and sanctified be He above that. Then they made these offspring female, then they worshipped them instead of Allah, exalted and sanctified be He -- any of which on its own would be sufficient to condemn them to spend eternity in Hell. Then Allah says, denouncing them:

(Has He (then) chosen daughters rather than sons) meaning, what would make Him choose daughters rather than sons This is like the Ayah,

(Has then your Lord preferred for you sons, and taken for Himself from among the angels daughters Verily, you indeed utter an awful saying.) (17:40) Allah says:

(What is the matter with you How do you decide) meaning, `what kind of reasoning makes you say that'

(Will you not then remember Or is there for you a plain authority) means, `evidence to prove what you say.'

(Then bring your Book if you are truthful!) means, `produce evidence for that derived from a Book revealed from heaven by Allah, to prove that He has taken what you say (i.e., offspring). What you say is totally irrational.'

(And they have invented a kinship between Him and the Jinn,) Mujahid said, ”The idolators said that the angels were the daughters of Allah. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said, `Then who are their mothers' They said, `The daughters of the leaders of the Jinn.''' Qatadah and Ibn Zayd also said this. Allah -- may He be blessed and exalted -- says:

(but the jinn know) meaning, those to whom this is attributed

(know well that they have indeed to appear (before Him).) means, that those who say that will be brought forth for punishment on the Day of Reckoning, because of the lies and falsehood that they uttered without knowledge.

(Glorified be Allah! (He is free) from what they attribute unto Him!) means, exalted, sanctified and glorified be He far above having any offspring and far above what the wrongdoers and heretics attribute to Him.

(Except the servants of Allah, whom He chooses.) The pronoun in the verb translated as ”they attribute'' refers to all of mankind, then He excludes those whom He chooses, who are the ones who follow the truth revealed to every Prophet who was sent.