al-Isrāʾ 17:40-43

A-fa-aṣfākum rabbukum bi'l-banīna wa'ttakhadha mina'l-malāʾikati ināthā, innakum la-taqūlūna qawlan ʿaẓīmā · Wa laqad ṣarrafnā fī hādha'l-qurʾāni li-yadhdhakkarū wa mā yazīduhum illā nufūrā · Qul law kāna maʿahu ālihatun kamā yaqūlūna idhan la'btaghaw ilā dhi'l-ʿarshi sabīlā · Subḥānahu wa taʿālā ʿammā yaqūlūna ʿuluwwan kabīrā

"Has your Lord singled you out for sons, and taken for Himself daughters from among the angels? You are surely uttering a monstrous word. We have turned this Qurʾān about, over and over, that they might take heed; but it only increases their aversion. Say: 'Had there been other gods with Him, as they say, they would then have sought a way to the Lord of the Throne.' Glory to Him, and He is far exalted above what they say."

The root ص-ف-و: to be clear, to be free of sediment. Ṣafwa — the purest part of a thing. Form IV (aṣfā): to pick out the best and set it apart.

The choice of verb must be recorded, and this is an observation about the structure: the verse turns the claim back upon the logic of those who make it. In their understanding a son is superior and a daughter is not. The verse does not accept that valuation — it shows that the claim is inconsistent within itself.

The same objection was treated in detail at 53/21-22 in al-Najm (a-lakumu'l-dhakaru wa lahu'l-unthā · tilka idhan qismatun ḍīzā), and this verse (al-Isrāʾ 17/40) had already been named there. I rely on that treatment. And the same claim was taken up once more at 43/16-19 in al-Zukhruf.

A record required by the method: no value judgement about women and men is drawn from these verses. The verse reports the value-ranking of those addressed and uses that ranking to show a contradiction. The same record was entered in al-Najm.

The root ص-ر-ف: to turn, to change the direction of. Form II conveys repetition and variation. The root was treated at 46/27 in al-Aḥqāf (wa ṣarrafna'l-āyāt). I do not repeat it here.

The verb occurs twice in this sūra: 41 and 89. The end of both occurrences faces the same way:

The same verb, at the two ends of the sūra, with two different negative outcomes. This is a repetition that can be verified within the sūra.

نُفُور — root ن-ف-ر: to take fright and flee. The root was treated at 35/42 in Fāṭir, and it was recorded there: the warning does not fail to take effect; it takes effect in the opposite direction. And the same word occurred at 25/60 in al-Furqān (wa zādahum nufūrā). I rely on that treatment.

The verse builds an argument in logic, and the form of the argument is worth recording.

The sentence says this: if there were other gods, they would seek a way to the Lord of the Throne.

The lexicographers differ over what the sentence says, and two readings are transmitted:

Both readings are transmitted; I do not impose a preference.

But both readings arrive at the same conclusion, and this can be verified from the text: in either case the alleged gods are not the equals of the Lord of the Throne. In one they are rivals, in the other they are in need.

And a similar argument is found at 21/22 in al-Anbiyāʾ (law kāna fīhimā ālihatun illa'llāhu la-fasadatā); but in the index that sūra at present covers the range 21/1-9. The comparison will be made when its turn comes.