Sermon's Title: Allah Has Not Taken a Son
Themes of the Sermon:
1- The gravest falsehood: attributing a son to Allah
2- Which nations fabricated this claim
3- Proofs of the falsehood of attributing a son to Allah
4- The fate of the liars on the Day of Resurrection
5- The prohibition of celebrating the festivals of the polytheists
All praise is due to Allah, the One, the Unique, the Self-Sufficient, who has not taken a son and has no equal whatsoever. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger ﷺ.
To proceed: fear Allah, servants of Allah, with true fear of Him, and be mindful of Him in private and in public.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ
“O you who believe, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims.” [Āl ʿImrān: 102]
Servants of Allah:
A scene from the scenes of honor: Jaʿfar ibn Abī Ṭālib, may Allah be pleased with him, stands along with a group of the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ who had migrated to Abyssinia to protect their religion from the harm of the polytheists. In the same gathering stand ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ and ʿAbd Allah ibn Abī Rabīʿah—both polytheists at that time—who had come on a mission from the leaders of the disbelievers of Quraysh to eliminate the Muslim emigrants. Between them stands al-Najāshī, the king of Abyssinia, a just ruler under whom no one is wronged.
Jaʿfar, may Allah be pleased with him, presents the religion of Islam—the religion of monotheism and justice—clarifying its virtues and exposing the ugliness, filth, and injustice of ignorance. At that moment, al-Najāshī declares that this is the same religion that Mūsā came with.
At this, ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ becomes enraged and returns the next day to present to the king what he believes will eradicate the Muslims, saying: “O King, they say something grave concerning ʿĪsā ibn Maryam. Send for them and ask them what they say about him.” So he sent for them and asked them about it. Jaʿfar, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “We say about him what our Prophet brought: he is the servant of Allah, His Messenger, His spirit, and His word which He cast to Maryam, the pure virgin.” Al-Najāshī struck the ground with his hand, picked up a stick, and said: “ʿĪsā ibn Maryam did not exceed what you said by even this stick.” His bishops murmured angrily around him, so he said: “Even if you murmur, by Allah—go, for you are secure in my land.” Reported by Aḥmad.
Do you know what is the greatest falsehood and the vilest insult ever uttered against Allah?
It is when they attributed a son to Allah.
Muʿādh ibn Jabal, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “Allah, exalted, has imposed upon them humiliating disgrace because they insulted Allah with an insult that no one before them had uttered.” Reported by al-Ḥarbī.
This heinous and repugnant falsehood was named by Allah Himself as an insult to Him, as stated in the divine narration: “The son of Ādam denied Me, and he had no right to do so. He insulted Me, and he had no right to do so. As for his denial of Me, it is his claim that I am unable to resurrect him as he was. As for his insult of Me, it is his saying that I have a son. Glorified am I above taking a companion or a son.” Reported by al-Bukhārī.
Because of the enormity of this falsehood, the heavens almost collapse from it, the earth splits apart, and the mountains crumble into ruin.
Have you not heard the statement of the Mighty and Exalted:
وَقَالُوا اتَّخَذَ الرَّحْمَنُ وَلَدًا * لَقَدْ جِئْتُمْ شَيْئًا إِدًّا * تَكَادُ السَّمَاوَاتُ يَتَفَطَّرْنَ مِنْهُ وَتَنْشَقُّ الْأَرْضُ وَتَخِرُّ الْجِبَالُ هَدًّا * أَنْ دَعَوْا لِلرَّحْمَنِ وَلَدًا * وَمَا يَنْبَغِي لِلرَّحْمَنِ أَنْ يَتَّخِذَ وَلَدًا * إِنْ كُلُّ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ إِلَّا آتِي الرَّحْمَنِ عَبْدًا
“They say: the Most Merciful has taken a son. You have indeed brought forth something monstrous. The heavens almost rupture from it, the earth splits open, and the mountains collapse in devastation—because they attribute a son to the Most Merciful. It is not fitting for the Most Merciful to take a son. There is no one in the heavens and the earth except that he comes to the Most Merciful as a servant.” [Sūrat Maryam: 88–93]?
This lie was dared upon by the forgers among the Jews, the Christians, and the Arab polytheists. Did they conspire upon it? Rather, they are liars, criminals, and fabricators. May Allah destroy them—how they are deluded. He said:
وَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ عُزَيْرٌ ابْنُ اللَّهِ وَقَالَتِ النَّصَارَى الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ اللَّهِ ذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُمْ بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ يُضَاهِئُونَ قَوْلَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ قَبْلُ قَاتَلَهُمُ اللَّهُ أَنَّى يُؤْفَكُونَ
“The Jews say: ʿUzayr is the son of Allah, and the Christians say: the Messiah is the son of Allah. That is their statement from their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before. May Allah destroy them—how they are turned away.” [Sūrat al-Tawbah: 30]
And He said concerning the Arab idolaters who claimed that the angels are daughters of Allah:
فَاسْتَفْتِهِمْ أَلِرَبِّكَ الْبَنَاتُ وَلَهُمُ الْبَنُونَ * أَمْ خَلَقْنَا الْمَلَائِكَةَ إِنَاثًا وَهُمْ شَاهِدُونَ * أَلَا إِنَّهُمْ مِنْ إِفْكِهِمْ لَيَقُولُونَ * وَلَدَ اللَّهُ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ
“So ask them: does your Lord have daughters while they have sons? Or did We create the angels as females while they were witnesses? Indeed, it is of their falsehood that they say: Allah has begotten—and they are surely liars.” [Sūrat al-Ṣāffāt: 149–152]
Servants of Allah:
Despite the fact that this claim is among the most false of falsehoods and the most hideous of lies, Allah, exalted, established proofs of its invalidity in His Book in order to establish the argument against His servants. He, exalted, said:
“They say: Allah has taken a son. Glorified is He. Rather, to Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth; all are devoutly obedient to Him.” [Sūrat al-Baqarah: 116]
Everything besides Allah among creation belongs to Him and is His servant, obedient to Him willingly or unwillingly. How then can a owned servant be a son of Allah? Exalted is Allah far above what they say. And He said:
وَقَالُوا اتَّخَذَ اللَّهُ وَلَدًا سُبْحَانَهُ بَلْ لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ كُلٌّ لَهُ قَانِتُونَ
“They say: Allah has taken a son. Glorified is He; He is the Self-Sufficient. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth.” [Sūrat Yūnus: 68]
Allah is absolutely free of need in every respect. He does not require a son. A human seeks a child due to need—seeking support in weakness, companionship in loneliness, and succession after death. As for the Lord of the worlds, He possesses perfect self-sufficiency. He is the First and the Last. Everything will perish except His Face.
Moreover, this belief is disbelief and a fabrication against Allah, a statement about Him without knowledge. What proof or authority do you have for this claim of yours? Therefore, the verses continue in refutation of them:
إِنْ عِنْدَكُمْ مِنْ سُلْطَانٍ بِهَذَا أَتَقُولُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ * قُلْ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ لَا يُفْلِحُونَ * مَتَاعٌ فِي الدُّنْيَا ثُمَّ إِلَيْنَا مَرْجِعُهُمْ ثُمَّ نُذِيقُهُمُ الْعَذَابَ الشَّدِيدَ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْفُرُونَ
“Do you have any authority for this? Do you say about Allah what you do not know? Say: indeed, those who fabricate lies against Allah will not succeed. A brief enjoyment in this world, then to Us is their return; then We will make them taste the severe punishment because they used to disbelieve.” [Sūrat Yūnus: 68–70]
And He, exalted, says:
وَجَعَلُوا لِلَّهِ شُرَكَاءَ الْجِنَّ وَخَلَقَهُمْ وَخَرَقُوا لَهُ بَنِينَ وَبَنَاتٍ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ * بَدِيعُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ أَنَّى يَكُونُ لَهُ وَلَدٌ وَلَمْ تَكُنْ لَهُ صَاحِبَةٌ وَخَلَقَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
“They have made the jinn partners with Allah, though He created them, and they have fabricated for Him sons and daughters without knowledge. Glorified and exalted is He above what they describe. The Originator of the heavens and the earth—how could He have a son when He has no consort? He created everything, and He is Knowing of all things.” [Sūrat al-Anʿām: 100–101]
Allah invalidated their fabrication by clarifying that, according to the law of causes, a child can only come from two origins: an active cause and a receptive subject. Allah is exalted and transcendent above having a consort. He is the One without equal, and everything besides Him is created—He, exalted, is the One who brought it into existence and created it.
Furthermore, the One who knows everything has informed us about Himself that He has no son and has not taken a son. Is there a son of Allah that He Himself does not know of? Far exalted and transcendent is He above what the wrongdoers say.
And if you are astonished by the creation of ʿĪsā, peace be upon him, without a father, then the One who created him is the Originator of the heavens and the earth, who created them in their vastness and with all the manifest signs within them without any prior example. Would He then be incapable of creating ʿĪsā without a father, just as He created Ādam from dust without a mother or a father?
Moreover, the true deity has no equal. If He had a son, then He would have an equal; and if He had an equal, then He would have a partner. And Allah has no partner. He, exalted, says:
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ * اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ * لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ * وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ
“Say: He is Allah, One. Allah, the Self-Sufficient. He neither begets nor is born. And there is none comparable to Him.”
Indeed, Allah, exalted, is One in His essence and in His attributes. He has no equal and no counterpart. He is the Self-Sufficient, who has no cavity, and from His self-sufficiency is that He does not divide or fragment so that any part of Him would be in something else. For this reason, He, exalted, says in the divine narration:
“The son of Ādam denied Me, and he had no right to do so. He insulted Me, and he had no right to do so. As for his denial of Me, it is his statement: He will not resurrect me as He began me—while the first creation is no easier for Me than its repetition. As for his insult of Me, it is his statement: Allah has taken a son—while I am the One, the Self-Sufficient. I neither beget nor am I begotten, and there is none comparable to Me.” Reported by al-Bukhārī.
May Allah bless me and you through the Great Qur’an, and benefit me and you through its verses and wise reminder. I seek forgiveness from Allah for myself and for you, so seek His forgiveness. Indeed, He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
The Second Sermon:
All praise is due to Allah, and prayers and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah, upon his family, his companions, and those who follow him. To proceed:
Servants of Allah:
Indeed, those who lied and fabricated against Allah by claiming that He has a son will tumble into Hell thirsty, abiding therein forever, as our Prophet ﷺ informed us:
“On the Day of Resurrection, a caller will call out: Let every people go to what they used to worship. So the people of the cross will go with their cross, the people of idols will go with their idols, and the people of every deity will go with their deities, until there remains those who used to worship Allah, whether righteous or sinful, and remnants from the People of the Book. Then Hell will be brought forth, displayed as if it were a mirage. It will be said to the Jews: What did you used to worship? They will say: We used to worship ʿUzayr, the son of Allah. It will be said: You have lied—Allah has neither consort nor son. What do you want? They will say: We want You to give us drink. It will be said: Drink! And they will fall into Hell. Then it will be said to the Christians: What did you used to worship? They will say: We used to worship the Messiah, the son of Allah. It will be said: You have lied—Allah has neither consort nor son. What do you want? They will say: We want You to give us drink. It will be said: Drink! And they will fall into Hell.” Reported by al-Bukhārī and Muslim.
Servants of Allah:
In the midst of attempts by criminals and falsifiers to invalidate the creed of Tawḥīd—by making Muslims dissolve and assimilate into deviant beliefs, and merge with Judaism and Christianity in the fabricated and falsified so-called Abrahamic amalgam—there come the festivals of the Christians who claimed that Allah has a son who was killed, crucified, and resurrected. We then see many Muslims participating with them in the festivals of insulting the Lord of the worlds, under the pretext of humanity and coexistence.
Indeed, the believer takes pride in his religion and creed, stands independent with his values and identity, believes in Allah—the One, the Only—becomes angered for His sake, declares Him free of deficiency and evil, disavows himself to Him from shirk and its people, denounces statements of disbelief and rejects them, and does not participate with the polytheists in their falsehood and their festivals—neither celebration nor congratulation. They have their false religion, and we have our true religion:
وَإِنْ كَذَّبُوكَ فَقُلْ لِي عَمَلِي وَلَكُمْ عَمَلُكُمْ أَنْتُمْ بَرِيئُونَ مِمَّا أَعْمَلُ وَأَنَا بَرِيءٌ مِمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ
“And if they deny you, then say: For me is my deed, and for you are your deeds. You are disassociated from what I do, and I am disassociated from what you do.” [Sūrat Yūnus: 41]
And we—the Muslims—are more entitled to ʿĪsā, the servant of Allah and His Messenger, than they are, as our Prophet ﷺ said:
“I am the closest of people to ʿĪsā ibn Maryam in this world and the Hereafter. The prophets are paternal brothers; their mothers are different, but their religion is one.” Reported by al-Bukhārī and Muslim.
O Allah, grant victory to Islam and honor the Muslims, and destroy the criminals. O Allah, send down tranquility into the hearts of those who strive in Your path, rescue Your oppressed servants, and raise the banner of the religion—by Your power, O Strong, O Mighty.
O Allah, forgive the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and believing women, the living among them and the dead. O Allah, grant success to our leader in what You love and are pleased with, and take his forelock to righteousness and piety. Our Lord, grant us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.
Servants of Allah:
Remember Allah much, and glorify Him morning and evening. And the last of our supplications is that all praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
