Surah An-Najm 53:28

Refuting the Claim of the Idolators that the Angels are Allah's Daughters

Allah the Exalted admonishes the idolators for calling the angels female names and claiming that they are Allah's daughters. Allah is far removed from what they ascribe to Him. Allah the Exalted said in another Ayah,

وَجَعَلُواْ الْمَلَـئِكَةَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ عِبَادُ الرَّحْمَـنِ إِنَـثاً أَشَهِدُواْ خَلْقَهُمْ سَتُكْتَبُ شَهَـدَتُهُمْ وَيُسْـَلُونَ

(And they make females the angels, who themselves are servants of the Most Gracious. Did they witness their creation Their testimony will be recorded, and they will be questioned!)(43:19) Allah's statement here,

وَمَا لَهُم بِهِ مِنْ عِلْمٍ

(But they have no knowledge thereof.) meaning, they have no correct knowledge testifying to their statements. What they say is all lies, falsehood, fake and utter atheism,

إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلاَّ الظَّنَّ وَإِنَّ الظَّنَّ لاَ يُغْنِى مِنَ الْحَقِّ شَيْئاً

(They follow but conjecture, and verily, conjecture is no substitute for the truth.) meaning, conjecture is of no benefit and never takes the place of truth. In a Hadith recorded in the Sahih, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«إِيَّاكُمْ وَالظَّنَّ، فَإِنَّ الظَّنَّ أَكْذَبُ الْحَدِيث»

(Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the most lying speech.)

The Necessity of turning away from the People of Misguidance

Allah's statement,

فَأَعْرِضْ عَن مَّن تَوَلَّى عَن ذِكْرِنَا

(Therefore withdraw from him who turns away from Our Reminder), means, stay away from those who turn away from the Truth and shun them,

وَلَمْ يُرِدْ إِلاَّ الْحَيَوةَ الدُّنْيَا

(and desires nothing but the life of this world.) meaning, whose aim and knowledge are concentrated on this life; this is the goal of those who have no goodness in them,

ذَلِكَ مَبْلَغُهُمْ مِّنَ الْعِلْمِ

(That is what they could reach of knowledge.) meaning, seeking this life and striving hard in its affairs is the best knowledge they have acquired. There is also the reported supplication:

«اللْهُمَّ لَا تَجْعَلِ الدُّنْيَا أَكْبَرَ هَمِّنَا، وَلَا مَبْلَغَ عِلْمِنَا»

(O Allah! Make not this life the greatest of our concerns nor the best knowledge that we can attain.) Allah's statement,

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ اهْتَدَى

(Verily, your Lord is He, Who knows best him who goes astray from His path, and He knows best him who receives guidance.) meaning, He is the Creator of all creatures and He knows whatever benefits His servants. Allah is the One Who guides whom He wills and misguides whom He wills, and all of this indicates His power, knowledge and wisdom. Certainly, He is Just and never legislates or decrees unjustly.

Ayat ini menjelaskan bahwa perkataan yang demikian itu adalah suatu tanda bahwa mereka tidak mendapat petujuk Tuhan berupa pengetahuan yang membawa mereka ke jalan benar yang menyebabkan mereka mengatakan seperti itu. Mereka hanya terpengaruh oleh prasangka yang menjauhkan mereka dari kebenaran. Sesungguhnya suatu pengetahuan yang benar haruslah berdasarkan keyakinan, bukan hanya perkiraan atau persangkaan. Adapun orang musyrik itu hanyalah mengikuti persangkaan dalam menamakan malaikat sebagai anak perempuan Tuhan, bukan dengan analisa ilmiah. Dalam hadis sahih dikatakan bahwa Rasulullah saw bersabda: ) "Jauhilah prasangka buruk, sesungguhnya prasangka buruk adalah perkataan yang paling dusta." (Riwayat al-Bukhari dan Muslim)

Dalam ayat yang sama artinya Allah berfirman:

Dan mereka menjadikan malaikat-malaikat hamba-hamba (Allah) Yang Maha Pengasih itu sebagai jenis perempuan. Apakah mereka menyaksikan penciptaan (malaikat-malaikat itu)? Kelak akan dituliskan kesaksian mereka dan akan dimintakan pertanggungjawaban. (az-Zukhruf/43: 19)

Tegasnya bahwa suatu hal yang berhubungan dengan iktikad hendaklah berdasarkan pemikiran yang sehat yang dapat diterima oleh akal dan tidak bertentangan dengan wahyu.