Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Anbya Verse 26

Mufti Taqi Usmani

They said, “The RaHmān (the All-Merciful, Allah) has taken children for Himself.” Pure is He (from having children). They are but (His) honored servants.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

And they say, “The Most Compassionate has offspring!”[[ Some pagans claimed that the angels are Allah’s daughters.]] Glory be to Him! In fact, those ˹angels˺ are only ˹His˺ honoured servants,

Ruwwad Translation Center

They say, “The Most Compassionate has begotten offspring!” Glory be to Him! In fact, those [angels] are His honored slaves.

A. J. Arberry

They say:' 'The All-merciful has taken to Him a son.' Glory be to Him! Nay, but they are honoured servants

Abdul Haleem

And they say, ‘The Lord of Mercy has taken offspring for Himself.’ May He be exalted! No! They are only His honoured servants:

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And they say; the Compaionate hath taken a son. Hallowed be He! aye! they are bondmen honoured.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And they say; "(Allah) Most Gracious has begotten offspring." Glory to Him! they are (but) servants raised to honour.

Abul Ala Maududi

They say: "The Most Compassionate Lord has taken to Himself a son." Glory be to Him! Those whom they so designate are only His honoured servants.

Ahmed Ali

And yet they say: "Ar-Rahman has begotten a son." Too exalted is He! In fact, those (they call His sons) were His honoured votaries.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And they said, “The Most Gracious has chosen a son – Purity is to Him! In fact they are honourable bondmen.”

Ali Quli Qarai

They say, ‘The All-beneficent has taken offsprings.’ Immaculate is He! Indeed, they are [His] honoured servants.

Ali Ünal

Yet some say, "The All-Merciful has taken to Himself a child." All-Glorified He is (in that He is absolutely above doing such things). Rather, those (the angels, whom they regard as God’s offspring) are but His honored servants.

Amatul Rahman Omar

And they say, `The Most Gracious (God) has taken to Himself a son.´ Holy is He. Rather they (whom they so designate) are (only His) honoured servants.

English Literal

And they said: "The merciful took/received a child (son) His praise/glory but honoured worshippers/slaves."

Faridul Haque

And they said, “The Most Gracious has chosen a son” - Purity is to Him! In fact they are honourable bondmen.

Hamid S. Aziz

We have not sent any messenger before you, but We inspired him that, "There is no god but Me, so serve you Me."

Hilali & Khan

And they say: "The Most Beneficent (Allah) has begotten a son (or children)." Glory to Him! They [those whom they call children of Allah i.e. the angels, 'Iesa (Jesus) son of Maryam (Mary), 'Uzair (Ezra), etc.], are but honoured slaves.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And We sent no messenger before thee but We revealed to him that there is no God but Me, so serve Me.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And they say: The Beneficent Allah has taken to Himself a son. Glory be to Him. Nay! they are honored servants

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And they say: The Beneficent hath taken unto Himself a son. Be He Glorified! Nay, but (those whom they call sons) are honoured slaves;

Muhammad Sarwar

They said, "The Beneficent God has given birth to a son. He is too Exalted to give birth to a son." (Those whom they think are God's sons) are only His honorable servants.

Qaribullah & Darwish

They say 'The Merciful has taken a son' Exaltations to Him! No, they are only His honored worshipers,

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And they say: "The Most Gracious has begotten children." Glory to Him! They are but honored servants.

Wahiduddin Khan

They say, "The All Merciful has taken a son!" Glory be to Him! They are only His honoured servants:

Talal Itani

And they say, “The Most Merciful has taken to himself a son.” Be He glorified; they are but honored servants.

Tafsir jalalayn

And they say, `The Compassionate One has taken a son', from the angels. Glory be to Him! Nay, but they are [merely] servants who are honoured, in His presence; for [the very] servitude [of all creatures to Him] is inconsistent with [the attribution of any of them as] progeny [of His].

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Refutation of Those Who claim that the Angels are the Daughters of Allah; description of their Deeds and Status

Allah says;

وَقَالُوا اتَّخَذَ الرَّحْمَنُ وَلَدًا

And they say;"The Most Gracious has begotten children."

Here Allah refutes those who claim that He has offspring among the angels -- exalted and sanctified be He. Some of the Arabs believed that the angels were the daughters of Allah, but Allah says;

سُبْحَانَهُ بَلْ عِبَادٌ مُّكْرَمُونَ



Glory to Him! They are but honored servants.

meaning, the angels are servants of Allah who are honored by Him and who hold high positions of noble status. They obey Him to the utmost in all their words and deeds.

لَاا يَسْبِقُونَهُ بِالْقَوْلِ وَهُم بِأَمْرِهِ يَعْمَلُونَ