Transliteration:( Wa qaalatil Yahoodu wan Nasaaraa nahnu abnaaa'ul laahi wa ahibbaaa'uh; qul falima yu'azzibukum bizunoobikum bal antum basharum mimman khalaq; yaghfiru limai yashaaa'u wa yu'azzibu mai yashaaa'; wa lillaahi mulkus samaawaati wal ardi wa maa bainahumaa wa ilaihil maseer )
And the Yahud and the Nasara say: "We are the children of Allah and His dear ones" [75]. Please declare: "Why does He torment you for your sins?" [76] You are but mortal human beings among those whom He has created. He forgives whom He pleases [77]. And to Allah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them, and unto Him is the (final) destination.
(Kanzul Imaan Translation)
A group from the People of the Book (Ahle Kitab) approached the Holy Prophet ﷺ when he invited them to Islam and warned them of divine punishment.
In response, they arrogantly claimed:
"We are the sons of Allah" — not in the literal sense, but in the sense that Allah would not punish us just as a father would not punish his own son no matter his wrongdoings.
This verse was revealed to refute their false sense of entitlement and to clarify that their status does not exempt them from accountability.
Their belief encouraged neglect of righteous deeds, assuming they were already beloved and immune. A similar false assurance is observed today in those who profess love for the Ahl al-Bayt or Sufi saints while neglecting righteous action—such beliefs, when held in defiance of required obedience, can lead to apostasy.
The Qur’an consistently pairs true faith (Iman) with righteous deeds (A'mal-e-Salihah) to define salvation.
The verse rebuts the claim of being Allah’s chosen ones by asking:
"If you are truly His sons and beloved, why then does He punish you for your sins?"
The Yahud believed their punishment would last only 40 days, equivalent to the time they worshipped the golden calf.
The verse exposes the contradiction: If they were truly close to Allah, they wouldn’t be punished at all. Their claim is nullified by the reality of divine retribution they themselves acknowledge.
It emphasizes that no one is immune from divine justice, and accountability applies to all.
"He forgives whom He pleases" signifies Allah’s absolute sovereignty in rewarding and punishing.
However, His mercy is not arbitrary or unjust. It is based on wisdom, justice, and the deserving nature of the individual.
The notion that Allah could punish the innocent or pardon the guilty without cause is a misinterpretation, like the view of Dayanand Saraswati (as cited), which contradicts clear Qur’anic principles.
Allah affirms in Surah An-Nisa (4:40):
"Indeed, Allah does not do injustice even to the weight of an atom."
This verse reminds that every soul is answerable, and Allah’s justice is perfect.
The tafsir of Surah Maidah verse 18 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Maidah ayat 17 which provides the complete commentary from verse 17 through 18.
(5:18) The Jews and the Christians say: ‘We are Allah’s children and His beloved ones.’ Ask them: ‘Why, then, does He chastise you for your sins?’ You are the same as other men He has created. He forgives whom He wills and chastises whom He wills. And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them. To Him is the eventual return.
There is no commentary by Abul Maududi available for this verse.
For a faster and smoother experience,
install our mobile app now.
Related Ayat(Verses)/Topics