Az-Zukhruf (Ornaments of gold)

81. [O Prophet (S)] say: “If the Most Gracious [Allah] had a child, then I am the first of Allah’s worshippers [to respect that child].

82. Glorified is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, the Lord of the Throne! Exalted is He from all that they ascribe [to Him].

The Creator of the world is needless of children and whenever there is any word concerning any possible defect of Him, we are supposed to glorify Him. In the preceding Verses, particularly the opening Ones, mention was made of Arab polytheists who reckoned angels as Allah’s daughters and the foregoing Verses included accounts of Jesus (as) and his Call to people concerning Divine Unity and obedience to Him.

The blessed Verses in question negate these false beliefs from another viewpoint saying:

“If the Most Gracious [Allah] had a child, then I am the first of Allah’s worshippers [and I were the first person to respect the child and to obey him].”

The theme of Verse 81 is intricate to a number of Qur’anic exegets as a consequence of which they have resorted to different justifications some of which sound quite queer; nonetheless, the Verse is by no means intricate.

It is a method of interest employed in confronting obdurate people.

An instance of employing the method would be when someone falsely claims that a certain individual is a man of knowledge but he is not so, we might say that had he been knowledgeable, we would have been the first people to follow him so that he may reflect upon his false claim and make attempts at finding an argument to substantiate it and when he fails to produce such argument, he may be awakened from his neglect.

It is also worthy of note that

“serve” (‘a-b-d) is not employed everywhere in the sense of “worship” and at times it is used in the senses of “obey; respect” and it is used ad hoc in the latter sense.

Verse 82 clearly rejects these false claims saying:

“Glorified is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, the Lord of the Throne! Exalted is He from all that they ascribe [to Him].”

The Creator and Possessor of the heavens and the earth is the Lord of the Great Throne is needless of children since His Existence is Infinite, Embracing all the world of being. He is the Creator of the world of creation.

Children are required by those who die and beget children to continue their progeny. Children are needed by those who need aid and company at the time of incapacity and solitude. Finally, children indicate corporeality and contingence. The Creator of the Throne, the heaven and the earth has no need for children.

“Lord of the Throne” (rabb al-’arsh)

follows

“Lord of the heaven and the earth” (rabb al-samawat wa ‘l-ard)

is an instance of enumeration of the general following the specific, since

“Divine Throne”

implies the world of existence which is ruled by God Almighty.

It is also possible that

“the Throne”

alludes to the metaphysical world as the opposite of

“the heavens and the earth.”