Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Ma'idah Verse 116

Mufti Taqi Usmani

And when Allah said, “O ‘Īsā, son of Maryam, did you say to the people: ‘Take me and my mother as gods beside Allah?” He said, “Pure are You, it does not behoove me to say what is not right for me. Had I said it, You would have known it. You know what is in my heart, and I do not know what is in Your’s. You alone have full knowledge of all that is unseen.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

And ˹on Judgment Day˺ Allah will say, “O Jesus, son of Mary! Did you ever ask the people to worship you and your mother as gods besides Allah?” He will answer, “Glory be to You! How could I ever say what I had no right to say? If I had said such a thing, you would have certainly known it. You know what is ˹hidden˺ within me, but I do not know what is within You. Indeed, You ˹alone˺ are the Knower of all unseen.

Ruwwad Translation Center

When Allah will say, “O Jesus, son of Mary, did you tell people, “Take me and my mother as gods besides Allah?” He wills say, “Glory be to You! It is not for me to say what I have no right. Had I said so, You would have surely known it. You know what is within myself, whereas I do not know what is within Yourself. Indeed, You are the All-Knower of all unseen.

A. J. Arberry

And when God said, 'O Jesus son of Mary, didst thou say unto men, "Take me and my mother as gods, apart from God"?' He said, 'To Thee be glory! It is not mine to say what I have no right to. If I indeed said it, Thou knowest it, knowing what is within my soul, and I know not what is within Thy soul; Thou knowest the things unseen

Abdul Haleem

When God says, ‘Jesus, son of Mary, did you say to people, “Take me and my mother as two gods alongside God”?’ he will say, ‘May You be exalted! I would never say what I had no right to say- if I had said such a thing You would have known it: You know all that is within me, though I do not know what is within You, You alone have full knowledge of things unseen-

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And call to mind what time Allah will say: O 'Isa, son of Maryam! was it thou who said to the people: take me and my mother as two god beside Allah! 'Isa will say: hallowed be Thou! it was not for me to say that to which had no right; had I said it, Thou would have surely known it; Thou knowest that which is in my mind and know not that which is in Thy mind. Verily Thou! Thou art the Great Knower of the things hidden.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And behold! Allah will say; "O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah'?" He will say; "Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden.

Abul Ala Maududi

And imagine when thereafter Allah will say: 'Jesus, son of Mary, did you say to people: "Take me and my mother for gods beside Allah?" and he will answer: "Glory to You! It was not for me to say what I had no right to. Had I said so, You would surely have known it. You know all what is within my mind whereas I do not know what is within Yours. You, indeed You, know fully all that is beyond the reach of human perception.

Ahmed Ali

And when God will ask: "O Jesus, son of Mary, did you say to mankind: 'Worship me and my mother as two deities apart from God?' (Jesus) will answer: "Halleluja. Could I say what I knew I had no right (to say)? Had I said it You would surely have known, for You know what is in my heart though I know not what You have. You alone know the secrets unknown.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And when Allah will say, “O Eisa, the son of Maryam! Did you say to the people, ‘Appoint me and my mother as two Gods, besides Allah’?” He will submit, “Purity is to You! It is not proper for me to say something for which I do not have a right; if I have said it, then surely You know it; You know what lies in my heart, and I do not know what is in Your knowledge; indeed You only know all the hidden.”

Ali Quli Qarai

And when Allah will say, ‘O Jesus son of Mary! Was it you who said to the people, ‘‘Take me and my mother for gods besides Allah’’?’ He will say, ‘Immaculate are You! It does not behoove me to say what I have no right to [say]. Had I said it, You would certainly have known it: You know whatever is in my self, and I do not know what is in Your Self. Indeed, You are knower of all that is Unseen.

Ali Ünal

And (remember) when God will say: "Jesus, son of Mary, is it you who said to people: ‘Take me and my mother for deities beside God?" and he will answer: "All-Glorified You are (in that You are absolutely above having a partner, as having any need or deficiency whatever)! It is not for me to say what I had no right to! Had I said it, You would already have known it. You know all that is within myself, whereas I do not know what is within Yourself. Surely You and You alone have knowledge of the Unseen (of all that lies beyond the reach of any created being’s perception).

Amatul Rahman Omar

And when Allâh said, `O Jesus, son of Mary! did you say to the people, "Take me and my mother for two gods beside Allâh?"´ He (-Jesus) replied, `Glory to You! it was not possible and proper for me to say thing to which I had no right. If I had said, You would indeed have known it, (for) You know all that is in my mind but I do not know what is in Yours. It is You alone Who truly know all things unseen.

English Literal

And when God said: "You Jesus Mary`s son, did you say to the people `Take me and my mother (as) two gods from other than God?` He (Jesus) said: `Your praise/glory, (it) is not to be for me that I say what is not for me with (a) right/truth, if I was (had) said it, so You had known it, You know what (is) in my self, and I do not know what (is) in Your self, that You, You (are) all knower (of) the unseens/hidden (unknown).`"

Faridul Haque

And when Allah will say, “O Eisa, the son of Maryam! Did you say to the people, ‘Appoint me and my mother as two Gods, besides Allah’?” He will submit, “Purity is to You! It is not proper for me to say something for which I do not have a right; if I have said it, then surely You know it; You know what lies in my heart, and I do not know what is in Your knowledge; indeed You only know all the hidden.”

Hamid S. Aziz

"I never told them save that which Thou didst command me (John7:16), ´Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord,´ and I was a witness of them so long as I was amongst them (see John17:6); but when Thou didst take me away to Thyself Thou wert the Watcher over them, for Thou art Witness over all.

Hilali & Khan

And (remember) when Allah will say (on the Day of Resurrection): "O 'Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)! Did you say unto men: 'Worship me and my mother as two gods besides Allah?' " He will say: "Glory be to You! It was not for me to say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, You would surely have known it. You know what is in my inner-self though I do not know what is in Yours, truly, You, only You, are the All-Knower of all that is hidden and unseen.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Allah said: Surely I will send it down to you, but whoever disbelieves afterwards from among you, I will chastise him with a chastisement with which I will not chastise any one among the nations.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And when Allah will say: O Isa son of Marium! did you say to men, Take me and my mother for two gods besides Allah he will say: Glory be to Thee, it did not befit me that I should say what I had no right to (say); if I had said it, Thou wouldst indeed have known it; Thou knowest what is in my mind, and I do not know what is in Thy mind, surely Thou art the great Knower of the unseen things.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And when Allah saith: O Jesus, son of Mary! Didst thou say unto mankind: Take me and my mother for two gods beside Allah? he saith: Be glorified! It was not mine to utter that to which I had no right. If I used to say it, then Thou knewest it. Thou knowest what is in my mind, and I know not what is in Thy Mind. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Knower of Things Hidden?

Muhammad Sarwar

When God asked Jesus, son of Mary "Did you tell men to consider you and your mother as their gods besides God?" he replied, "Glory be to you! How could I say what I have no right to say? Had I ever said it, You would have certainly known about it. You know what is in my soul, but I do not know what is in Yours. It is You who has absolute knowledge of the unseen.

Qaribullah & Darwish

And when Allah said: '(Prophet) Jesus, son of Mary, did you ever say to the people: "Take me and my mother for two gods, other than Allah?" 'Exaltations to You' he said, 'how could I say that to which I have no right? If I had said that, You would have surely known. You know what is in my self, but I do not know what is in Yours. Indeed, You are the Knowledgeable of the unseen.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And (remember) when Allah will say (on the Day of Resurrection): "O `Isa, son of Maryam! Did you say unto men: `Worship me and my mother as two gods besides Allah"' He will say: "Glory be to You! It was not for me to say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, You would surely have known it. You know what is in my inner self though I do not know what is in Yours, truly, You, only You, are the Knower of all that is hidden and unseen."

Wahiduddin Khan

When God says, "Jesus, son of Mary, did you say to people, "Take me and my mother as two deities besides God"?" He will answer, "Glory be to You! How could I ever say that to which I have no right? If I had ever said so, You would surely have known it. You know what is in my mind, while I do not know anything that is within Yours. You alone are the knower of unseen things --

Talal Itani

And God will say, “O Jesus son of Mary, did you say to the people, `Take me and my mother as gods rather than God?'“ He will say, “Glory be to You! It is not for me to say what I have no right to. Had I said it, You would have known it. You know what is in my soul, and I do not know what is in your soul. You are the Knower of the hidden.

Tafsir jalalayn

And, mention, when God says, that is, when God will say, to Jesus at the Resurrection in rebuke of his followers; `O Jesus, son of Mary, did you say to mankind, "Take me and my mother as gods, besides God"?' He, Jesus, says, shuddering; `Glory be to You!, exalted be You above all that does not befit You, such as [having] a partner and so on. It is not mine, it is unjustified [for me], to say what I have no right to (bi- haqq, `right to', is the predicate of laysa, `not'; l, `mine', is explicative). If I indeed had said it, You would have known it. You know what is, hidden by me, in my self, but I do not know what is within Your Self, that is, what You keep hidden of Your knowledge; You are the Knower of things unseen.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

`Isa Rejects Shirk and Affirms Tawhid

Allah says;

وَإِذْ قَالَ اللّهُ يَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ أَأَنتَ قُلتَ لِلنَّاسِ

And (remember) when Allah will say (on the Day of Resurrection);

Allah will also speak to His servant and Messenger, `Isa son of Maryam, peace be upon him, saying to him on the Day of Resurrection in the presence of those who worshipped `Isa and his mother as gods besides Allah,

يَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ أَأَنتَ قُلتَ لِلنَّاسِ اتَّخِذُونِي وَأُمِّيَ إِلَـهَيْنِ مِن دُونِ اللّهِ

O `Isa, son of Maryam! Did you say unto men;`Worship me and my mother as two gods besides Allah!'

This is a threat and a warning to Christians, chastising them in public, as Qatadah and others said, and Qatadah mentioned this Ayah as evidence,

هَذَا يَوْمُ يَنفَعُ الصَّادِقِينَ صِدْقُهُمْ


"This is a Day on which the truthful will profit from their truth." (5;119)

Allah's statement,

قَالَ سُبْحَانَكَ مَا يَكُونُ لِي أَنْ أَقُولَ مَا لَيْسَ لِي بِحَقٍّ

He will say;"Glory be to You! It was not for me to say what I had no right (to say)...

contains Allah's direction for `Isa to utter the perfect answer.

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said,

"`Isa will be taught his argument in reply to what Allah will ask him,
وَإِذْ قَالَ اللّهُ

يَاعِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ أَأَنتَ قُلتَ لِلنَّاسِ اتَّخِذُونِي وَأُمِّيَ إِلَـهَيْنِ مِن دُونِ اللّهِ
(And (remember) when Allah will say (on the Day of Resurrection);"O `Isa, son of Maryam! Did you say unto men;`Worship me and my mother as two gods besides Allah!')."

Abu Hurayrah then narrated that the Prophet said that Allah taught `Isa to say,

سُبْحَانَكَ مَا يَكُونُ لِي أَنْ أَقُولَ مَا لَيْسَ لِي بِحَقٍّ

Glory be to You! It was not for me to say what I had no right (to say)...

Ath-Thawri narrated this Hadith from Ma`mar from Ibn Tawus from Tawus.

`Isa's statement,

إِن كُنتُ قُلْتُهُ فَقَدْ عَلِمْتَهُ

Had I said such a thing, You would surely have known it.

means, had I said it, You, my Lord, would have known it, for nothing escapes Your knowledge. Rather, I have not said these words nor did the thought even cross my mind, this why he said,

تَعْلَمُ مَا فِي نَفْسِي وَلَا أَعْلَمُ مَا فِي نَفْسِكَ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ عَلَّمُ الْغُيُوبِ