Surah 112 · Al-Ikhlas

Ayah 3 of 4

He has never had offspring, nor was He born

1 Tafseer Commentary

Tafsir of "Lam Yalid wa Lam Yulad" — 20:43

"He does not beget, nor was He begotten." This is a direct negation of the questions the Quraysh and others asked about who is this Lord: "Give us His lineage — who are His ancestors? Who are His children?" Allah negates both: "Lam yalid" — He does not have any children. "Wa lam yulad" — nor was He born of another.

Allah says in the Quran: "How can He have a child when there is no companion?" In order to have a child, there must be a second — but there is no second to Allah, no companion, no partner. He is Al-Ahad. And "Lam yulad" — He is the First (Al-Awwal), with no beginning, and the Last (Al-Akhir), with no ending.

Allah says elsewhere: "And they say Ar-Rahman has taken a child. You have brought forth a monstrosity (shay'an idda). It is so monstrous that the heavens are about to crack, the earth split open, and the mountains collapse — that they ascribe a child to Ar-Rahman. It is not befitting for Ar-Rahman to take a child. There is none in the heavens and the earth but that it comes to Ar-Rahman as a servant."