Interpretation of Sura Maryam (Mary) - Verses 88-89

88. " And they say: 'The Beneficent (Allah) has taken (unto Himself) a son'."

89. " Indeed you have put forth something hideous!"

Commentary

This verse refers to many groups of people in relation to their belief, including the followings:

A. Polytheists: those who believed in angels as God's daughters. The Qur'an says: "…and (for Himself) taken daughters from among the angels…" 85

B. The Jews: those who imagined Ezra ('Uzayr) as God's son. The Qur'an says: "And the Jews say: 'Ezra is the son of God'…" 86

C. The Christians: those who considered Messiah as God's Child. The Qur'an says: "…and the Christians say: 'The Messiah is the son of God'. …" 87

Therefore, at the end of this discussion, the Qur'an points to one the subdivisions of polytheism, i.e., the belief in the existence of offspring for Allah, and emphasizes on this statement with the utmost emphasis. It says:

" And they say: 'The Beneficent (Allah) has taken (unto Himself) a son'."

Not only the Christians believed that Jesus (a.s.) was the real child of Allah, but also the Jews believed like that about Ezra, and polytheists had such an idea about the angels and believed in angels as Allah's daughters.

Then, the Qur'an, with a beating tone, says:

" Indeed you have put forth something hideous!"

However, the Arabic term /'idd/ originally means an ugly noise which is usually heard from a camel as a result of the sharp turning sound in its throat. Then it has been applied for the ugly and horrible deeds.

Notes:

85. Sura Al-'Isra', No. 17, verse 40

86. Sura At-Taubah, No. 9, verse 30

87. Ibid

Adopted from the book : "The Light of the Holy Qur'an; Interpretation of Surah Maryam" by : "Sayyid Kamal Faghih Imani and a Group of Muslim Scholars"