Will you explain Jews and Christians’ attributing children to Allah by imitating aberrant people in the past mentioned in verse 30 of the chapter of at-Tawba?

- Who are the people that have this belief?

Dear Brother / Sister,

The verse in question is as follows:

"The Jews call ‘Uzair a son of Allah’, and the Christians call Christ ‘the son of Allah’. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah´s curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth!" (at-Tawba, 9/30)

The following explanations were made related to the phrase "they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say":

Their resembling to the polytheists by saying "Angels are Allah's daughters".

The Christians and Jews of that period repeating the words of their ancestors: During the period when the Prophet (pbuh) lived, the Christians and Jews repeated those wrong words by following their ancestors. The following verses indicate this fact: " We found our fathers following a certain religion..." (az-Zukhruf, 43/22-23)

"Egyptians, Greeks, Romans and Persians were the nations that deviated into unbelief before them. Jews and Christians were so influenced by the philosophies, superstitions and images of those ancient nations that they made the same mistakes as those nations did. 

It is seen that children and helpers are attributed to deities in general in all wrong beliefs. They regard their kings as the reflections of their deities in the world.

The individuals and nations that have all kinds of words and beliefs that express polytheism (shirk) are included within the scope of that verse.

(For references, see Tabari, Tafsir VI/112; Kur’an Yolu Tefsiri, III/35; Elmalılı Tefsiri, the interpretation of the verse in question)

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