Level 3

Lesson 12

A Form of Shirk: Claiming That Allah Has a Son

Peace be upon you, dear brothers. I hope you are doing well.

In the previous lesson, we talked about the meaning of Shirk (associating partners with Allah). Today, Allah willing, we will talk about one of the forms of Shirk, which is claiming that Allah has a son.

One of the gravest forms of Shirk is claiming that Allah Almighty has a son.

Allah Almighty says:

﴿وَقَالُواْ ٱتَّخَذَ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُ وَلَدٗا ۝ لَّقَدۡ جِئۡتُمۡ شَيۡـًٔا إِدّٗا﴾

“And they say, ‘The Most Merciful has taken a son.’ You have certainly made an outrageous claim.”

[Maryam: 88–89]

This means that they claimed that the Most Merciful has taken a son, and Allah described this statement as a grave and terrible claim.

Christians have claimed that Allah has a son. According to Islam, this belief is false. Allah is completely independent of all His creation and has no need for a son. Having offspring is a characteristic of created beings, and Allah is far above that.

Allah Almighty says:

﴿قُلۡ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ ۝ ٱللَّهُ ٱلصَّمَدُ ۝ لَمۡ يَلِدۡ وَلَمۡ يُولَدۡ ۝ وَلَمۡ يَكُن لَّهُۥ كُفُوًا أَحَدُۢ﴾

“Say, ‘He is Allah, the One. Allah, the Self-Sufficient. He neither begets nor is born. And there is none comparable to Him.’”

[Al-Ikhlas: 1–4]

This means that Allah is One and has no partner. He is the Self-Sufficient, upon whom all creation depends, while He needs none of them. He neither begets nor is born, and there is nothing equal or comparable to Him.

The belief in multiple gods also contradicts the Oneness of Allah. Allah Almighty says:

﴿لَوۡ كَانَ فِيهِمَآ ءَالِهَةٌ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ لَفَسَدَتَاۚ فَسُبۡحَٰنَ ٱللَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَرۡشِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ﴾

“Had there been within the heavens and earth gods besides Allah, they both would have been ruined. So exalted is Allah, Lord of the Throne, above what they describe.”

[Al-Anbiya’: 22]

This means that if there were multiple gods besides Allah in the heavens and the earth, their order would have been corrupted. Allah is One without partner and is far above what the polytheists attribute to Him.

Another form of Shirk is worshipping other than Allah, such as worshipping idols, trees, stones, cows, or other created beings. This contradicts both Tawhid and sound reason, because a person should not worship another created being or something made by human hands.

Another form of Shirk is worshipping those in graves, calling upon them instead of Allah, or circumambulating graves as an act of worship directed toward their occupants.

Worship belongs to Allah alone, and no act of worship may be directed to anyone other than Him.

All praise is due to Allah. The lesson is complete.

Lesson Question

Claiming that Allah has a son is a form of Shirk.

True or False?