وَجَعَلوا لَهُ مِن عِبادِهِ جُزءًا ۚ إِنَّ الإِنسانَ لَكَفورٌ مُبينٌ

They ascribe to Him offspring from among His servants! Man is indeed a manifest ingrate.

EXEGESIS

According to Rāghib, jaʿalū (they ascribe), the singular of which is jaʿala, has five meanings.^{‎[1]Raghib, p. 196.} In this context, it means to give a verdict (ḥukm),^{‎[2]Tabrisi, 9/64.} to affirm and say something^{‎[3]Razi, 27/623.} but without any evidence or backing. This would be similar to fashioning something by hand, which was called jaʿl.^{‎[4]Ibn Ashur, 25/225.} This usage can also be seen in 6:136, 15:91, and 16:57.
Juzʾ usually means a part or portion of something,^{‎[5]Ibn Ashur, 25/225.} but in this verse it means offspring. Children are considered as derivatives from their parents, as if they are a part that has been separated from them.^{‎[6]Mizan, 18/89.}

Since the polytheists believed that the angels were daughters of God (verse 19), some exegetes opine that perhaps in classical Arabic the word juzʾ actually meant ‘female’, and to support this claim, some lines of poetry are brought forth. Others reject this claim whilst maintaining that the aforesaid poetry is a later fabrication and does not reflect the language of the early Arabs.^{‎[7]Razi, 27/623; Zamakhshari, 4/241; Muhit, 9/363.} Those who support the claim have stated that perhaps this usage was based on the belief that since Eve was created from a part of Adam (a), thereafter every female was referred to as juzʾ (part).^{‎[8]Alusi, 13/69.}

Kafūr (ingrate) is derived from the infinitive kufr which literally means to hide or cover something. The night is termed kāfir because it covers or hides people in darkness; a farmer is also termed as kāfir (57:20) because he hides seeds in the ground. Ungratefulness is described as kufrān as it connotes hiding a bounty by not showing appreciation and gratitude. As for the active participle kāfir, it is most frequently used in the Quran when referring to disbelievers, as their disbelief is akin to hiding the truth. It can also be used to refer to an ungrateful person.^{‎[9]Raghib, p. 714.}
According to most exegetes, in this verse the hyperbolic kafūr means being excessively ungrateful.^{‎[10] Amthal, 16/26; Tibyan, 9/187; Safi, 4/386; Maraghi, 25/76.} However, some have suggested that it could also mean extreme in disbelief, that man disbelieves in the reality of the one true God who does not have any parts or offspring.^{‎[11] Fadlallah, 20/220; Munyah, 25/173.}
The use of the accusative participle inna (indeed), the emphatic prefix lām in lakafūr, as well as conjugation of the infinitive kufr in the hyperbolic form kafūr, are all rhetorical tools to show the extent of man’s ingratitude.
The term mubīn denotes something that is manifest, apparent, or clear. When applied to the context of ingratitude, it signifies that an individual’s lack of gratitude is not concealed but rather openly displayed and easily perceived by others.^{‎[12] Tibyan, 9/187.}

EXPOSITION

Having explored the signs of Allah’s unity and sovereignty in the world in the previous verses, the subsequent verses shift focus, repudiating polytheism and idolatry. In this context, many exegetes view these verses as an extension of verse 9, with verses 10-14 providing supplementary insights. This section emphasises the importance of remaining steadfast in worshiping Allah alone and addresses the consequences of deviating from the path of monotheism.^{‎[13] Zamakhshari, 4/241; Ibn Ashur, 25/224.}

This verse addresses the erroneous belief held by the polytheists of Mecca, who claimed that angels were God’s offspring and thus deserving of worship (6:100, 16:57, 16:62, 17:40, 37:149-153, 53:21, 53:27; see also 34:40-41). By employing the term juzʾ, the verse highlights the polytheists’ misconception that angels were God’s children and consequently worthy of worship due to their perceived divine lineage. This verse seeks to refute such claims and emphasise the importance of worshipping Allah alone.^{‎[14] Amthal, 16/26.}

In this verse, offspring are described as juzʾ (part) to emphasise the implausibility of the polytheists’ belief. This characterisation implies that the idea of God having offspring is inherently contradictory, as a part can only exist within a composite entity, whereas God is entirely simple. Consequently, just as it is impossible for God to possess a part, it is equally unfeasible for Him to have offspring.^{‎[15] Mizan, 18/89; Daqaiq, 12/42.}

The verse concludes by drawing a contrast between the abundance of God’s blessings, exemplified by the six mentioned in the preceding verses, and mankind’s tendency to stray from worshipping Allah. Despite being encompassed by divine benevolence, humans often choose the path of disbelief and direct their worship towards God’s creations rather than acknowledging the true source of their blessings.

It is clear that the use of Man in this verse does not encompass all of humanity. Rather, it specifically refers to those who subscribe to the previously mentioned beliefs, namely the erroneous notion that angels are God’s offspring and are therefore deserving of worship. This distinction is important in understanding the intended scope of the verse’s message.^{‎[16] Jalalayn, 1/493; Muhit, 9/363.}

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

Some have suggested that this verse is referring to the practice of the polytheists of setting aside a portion of their livestock and produce for Allah, and thus juzʾ does not mean offspring but refers to that portion of their wealth as indicated in 6:136, They dedicate to Allah out of what He has created of the crops and cattle a portion, and say: ‘This is for Allah,’ so do they maintain, ‘and this is for our partners.’ But what is for their partners does not reach Allah, and what is for Allah reaches their partners. Evil is the judgement that they make.^{‎[17] Tabrisi, 9/64; Ibn Kathir, 7/204.}

However, such a meaning is farfetched since it would require an implicit term such as māl (wealth), in which case the meaning would be: They ascribe to Him a portion from among the wealth of His servants.

Some commentators interpret the reference to man’s ingratitude as pertaining specifically to the neglect of intellectual blessings. According to this interpretation, espousing beliefs such as angels being Allah’s offspring demonstrates a profound misuse of the intellect – a gift bestowed upon humans by Allah. This misguided reasoning is thus seen as a clear indication of man’s ingratitude for the intellectual faculties with which they have been endowed.^{‎[18] Furqan, 26/285.}

Some exegetes have suggested that this verse, by implication, indicates that it is permissible to report false theological beliefs if they are presented along with its refutation.^{‎[19] Qaraati, 8/441.}

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

1. Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has [l]not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind.^{‎[20] Colossians 2:18.}

[1] Raghib, p. 196.
[2] Tabrisi, 9/64.
[3] Razi, 27/623.
[4] Ibn Ashur, 25/225.
[5] Ibn Ashur, 25/225.
[6] Mizan, 18/89.
[7] Razi, 27/623; Zamakhshari, 4/241; Muhit, 9/363.
[8] Alusi, 13/69.
[9] Raghib, p. 714.
[10] Amthal, 16/26; Tibyan, 9/187; Safi, 4/386; Maraghi, 25/76.
[11] Fadlallah, 20/220; Munyah, 25/173.
[12] Tibyan, 9/187.
[13] Zamakhshari, 4/241; Ibn Ashur, 25/224.
[14] Amthal, 16/26.
[15] Mizan, 18/89; Daqaiq, 12/42.
[16] Jalalayn, 1/493; Muhit, 9/363.
[17] Tabrisi, 9/64; Ibn Kathir, 7/204.
[18] Furqan, 26/285.
[19] Qaraati, 8/441.
[20] Colossians 2:18.