Al-Anbiya (The Prophets): (26 - 29) And they say the Most Merciful has taken...

It is known that when the Almighty, Glorified be He, established through clear proofs His transcendence from having a partner, an opponent, or an equal, He followed that by declaring His absolute purity from taking a son, saying: {And they say the Most Merciful has taken a son}.

This verse was revealed concerning the tribe of Khuza'ah, who claimed that the angels were the daughters of God, and they further attributed to Him that He intermarried with the Jinn, as God recounts about them: {And they have made between Him and the Jinn a lineage} (Al-Saffat: 158).

Then, the Almighty purified Himself from this by stating that if God had a son, that son would necessarily resemble the parent in some aspects, and yet differ in others. The aspect of similarity and the aspect of distinction would result in composition within the essence of the Almighty. Every composite entity is contingent (possible). Therefore, His taking a son would imply that He is contingent and not necessary, which removes Him from the rank of divinity and places Him in the rank of servitude. This is why He purified Himself from it.

As for His saying: {Nay, they are honored servants}, know that after purifying Himself from having a son, He informed us about them (the angels) that they are servants. Servitude negates parenthood. However, they are honored and preferred over all other servants.

It has also been recited: {Honored servants * who do not precede Him in speech}. The meaning is that they follow Him in what He says and do not utter anything until He says it, so their speech never precedes His speech. Just as their speech follows His speech, their actions are also based on His command; they do not perform any action unless commanded to do so.

Then, the Almighty mentioned what serves as the reason for this obedience: {He knows what is before them and what is behind them}.

The meaning is that since they know that He is Knower of all knowables, they know that He knows their external appearances and their internal secrets. This knowledge was a call for them to reach the utmost humility and the perfection of servitude.

The commentators mentioned several interpretations regarding this:

1. Ibn Abbas said: He knows what they have presented (of past deeds) and what they have left behind (of future deeds).
2. Another view: What is before them is the Hereafter, and what is behind them is this world. It is also said the opposite is true.
3. Muqatil said: He knows what was before He created them and what will be after their creation.

The essence of the meaning is that they move under His power in His dominion, and He encompasses them. If this is their state, how can they deserve worship? And how can they stand before God to intercede for someone whom God has not permitted?

Then He clarified this meaning, saying: {Nor do they intercede except for one whom He has approved}, meaning one who is pleasing to God. {And they are fearful of Him}, meaning fearful of Him. The verbal noun (masdar) is attributed to the object (maf'ul), and mushfiqūn means fearful. They are not secure from His plotting. It is narrated from the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) that he saw Gabriel (peace be upon him) on the Night of Ascension fallen like a worn-out piece of cloth due to the fear of God Almighty. This is similar to His saying: {They will not speak except for whom the Most Merciful has given permission} (An-Nisa: 38).

As for His saying: {And whoever among them says, 'Indeed, I am a god besides Him,' then that We shall recompense him with Hell}.

The meaning is that whoever among the angels says this statement, We shall recompense that speaker with this recompense. This does not imply that they actually said it or did not say it. It is close to His saying: {If you associate others [with God], your work will surely be worthless} (Az-Zumar: 65).

Here are several issues:

1. Since they have reached the extreme limit of obedience, not speaking or acting except by His command, these are attributes of slaves, not attributes of sons.
2. Since God knows the secrets of the angels, while they do not know the secrets of God, it is obligatory that the God deserving of worship is He, not these angels. This evidence is the same as what Jesus (peace be upon him) mentioned in his saying: {You know what is within myself, while I do not know what is within Your Self} (Al-Ma'idah: 116).
3. They do not intercede except for one whom He has approved. A god or the son of a god would not be in this state.
4. They are at the peak of apprehension and awe, which are only attributes of slaves.
5. The Almighty, by saying: {And whoever among them says, 'Indeed, I am a god besides Him,' then that We shall recompense him with Hell}, indicates that their state is the state of all accountable servants regarding promise and threat. How then can it be correct for them to be gods?

The Answer: Ibn Abbas (may God be pleased with them both) and Ad-Dahhak said: {Except for one whom He has approved} means for one who says Lā ilāha illā Allāh (There is no god but God).

Know that this verse is one of the strongest proofs for us in establishing intercession for major sinners. The reasoning is that whoever says Lā ilāha illā Allāh, God has approved him in that declaration. Once it is established that God has approved him in that, it is established that God has approved him, because if a composite statement is true, then every one of its components must necessarily be true. Once it is established that God has approved him, it is obligatory that he falls under the scope of this verse. Thus, based on the reasoning mentioned, this verse is one of the strongest proofs for us regarding what Ibn Abbas (may God be pleased with him) established.

1. It indicates that the angels are accountable, based on His saying: {who do not precede Him in speech, and they act by His command} and {And they are fearful of Him}, and based on the threat of punishment.
2. It also indicates that the angels are infallible (protected from sin), because He said: {And they act by His command}.
3. Al-Qadi Abd al-Jabbar said: His saying: {Thus We recompense the wrongdoers} indicates that every wrongdoer will be recompensed by God with Hell, just as He threatened the angels. This necessitates certainty that God will not forgive major sinners in the Hereafter.

The Answer: The most that can be derived is that this generality suggests a threat, but this is counterbalanced by general verses concerning threats.

7 < { Have those who disbelieve not considered that the heavens and the earth were a joined entity, and We separated them, and We made from water every living thing? Then will they not believe? * And We placed within the earth firmly set mountains, lest it should sway with them, and We placed therein broad pathways that they may be guided * And We made the heaven a protected ceiling, yet they are turning away from its signs * And it is He who created the night and the day and the sun and the moon; all [three] in an orbit are swimming. } > 7 !