Allah refutes the lying idolators who claim, may the curse of Allah be upon them, that the angels are the daughters of Allah. They made the angels, who are the servants of Ar-Rahman (the Most Beneficent), females, and called them daughters of Allah, then they worshipped them. They were gravely wrong on all three counts. Allah says, denouncing them:

[أَفَأَصْفَـكُمْ رَبُّكُم بِالْبَنِينَ]

(Has then your Lord preferred for you sons,) meaning, has He given only you sons

[وَاتَّخَذَ مِنَ الْمَلَـئِكَةِ إِنَاثًا]

(and taken for Himself from among the angels daughters) meaning, has He chosen for Himself, as you claim, daughters Then Allah denounces them even more severely, and says:

[إِنَّكُمْ لَتَقُولُونَ قَوْلاً عَظِيمًا]

(Verily, you indeed utter an awful saying.) meaning, in your claim that Allah has children, then you say that His children are female, which you do not like for yourselves and may even kill them by burying them alive. That is indeed a division most unfair! Allah says:

[وَقَالُواْ اتَّخَذَ الرَّحْمَـنُ وَلَداً - لَقَدْ جِئْتُمْ شَيْئاً إِدّاً - تَكَادُ السَّمَـوَتُ يَتَفَطَّرْنَ مِنْهُ وَتَنشَقُّ الاٌّرْضُ وَتَخِرُّ الْجِبَالُ هَدّاً - أَن دَعَوْا لِلرَّحْمَـنِ وَلَداً - وَمَا يَنبَغِى لِلرَّحْمَـنِ أَن يَتَّخِذَ وَلَداً - إِن كُلُّ مَن فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ إِلاَّ آتِى الرَّحْمَـنِ عَبْداً - لَّقَدْ أَحْصَـهُمْ وَعَدَّهُمْ عَدّاً - وَكُلُّهُمْ ءَاتِيهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ فَرْداً ]

(And they say: "The Most Beneficent (Allah) has begotten a child.'' Indeed you have brought forth (said) a terrible evil thing. Whereby the heavens are almost torn, and the earth split asunder, and the mountains fall in ruins. That they ascribe a son child to the Most Beneficent. But it is not suitable for (the majesty of) the Most Beneficent that he should beget a child. There is none in the heavens and the earth but comes unto the Most Beneficent as a servant. Verily, He knows each one of them, and has counted them a full counting. And every one of them will come to Him alone on the Day of Resurrection.) (19:88-95)

[وَلَقَدْ صَرَّفْنَا فِى هَـذَا الْقُرْءَانِ لِيَذَّكَّرُواْ وَمَا يَزِيدُهُمْ إِلاَّ نُفُورًا ]

(41. And surely, We have explained in this Qur'an that they may take heed, but it increases them in naught save aversion.) Allah says:

[وَلَقَدْ صَرَّفْنَا فِى هَـذَا الْقُرْءَانِ]

(And surely, We have explained in this Qur'an) meaning, `We have explained Our warni- ngs so that they may remember the proof, evidence and exhorta- tions contained there- in, and be prevented from Shirk, wrong- doing and scandal.'

[وَمَا يَزِيدُهُمْ]

(but it increases them in naught) the wrong- doers among them

[إِلاَّ نُفُورًا]

(save aversion.) aversion towards the truth; they go further away from it.

[قُلْ لَّوْ كَانَ مَعَهُ ءَالِهَةٌ كَمَا يَقُولُونَ إِذًا لاَّبْتَغَوْاْ إِلَى ذِى الْعَرْشِ سَبِيلاً - سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ عُلُوًّا كَبِيرًا ]

(42. Say: "If there had been other gods along with Him as they assert, then they would certainly have sought out a way to the Lord of the Throne.) (43. Glorified and Exalted is He high above what they say!) Allah says: `Say, O Muhammad, to these idolators who claim that Allah has a partner among His creation, and who worship others besides Him that they may bring them nearer to Him: if the matter is as you say, and there is another god besides Him whom you worship in order to draw closer to Him and so that he will intercede for you with Him, then those whom you worship would themselves worship Him and seek means to draw closer to Him. So worship Him alone, just as those on whom you call besides Him worship Him. You have no need of a deity to be an intermediary between you and Him, for He does not like or accept that, rather He hates it and rejects it, and has forbidden that through all of His Messengers and Prophets.' Then He glorifies and sanctifies Himself far above all that, and says:

[سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ]

(Glorified and Exalted is He high above what they say!) meaning these idolators who transgress and do wrong when they claim that there are other gods besides Him.

[عُلُوّاً كَبِيراً]

(high above) means, far above. He is Allah, the One, the Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need. He begets not, nor was He begotten, and there is none comparable or coequal unto Him.

[تُسَبِّحُ لَهُ السَّمَـوَتُ السَّبْعُ وَالاٌّرْضُ وَمَن فِيهِنَّ وَإِن مِّن شَىْءٍ إِلاَّ يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدَهِ وَلَـكِن لاَّ تَفْقَهُونَ تَسْبِيحَهُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ حَلِيمًا غَفُورًا ]

(44. The seven heavens and the earth and all that is therein, glorify Him and there is not a thing but glorifies His praise. But you understand not their glorification. Truly, He is Ever Forbearing, Oft-Forgiving.)