Tafsir of Surah Ash-Shura - Verse 49

Allah tells us that He is the Creator, Sovereign and Controller of the heavens and the earth.

Whatever he wills happens, and whatever He does not will does not happen. He gives to whomsoever He wills and withholds from whomsoever he wills; none can withhold what He gives, and none can give what He withholds, and He creates whatever He wills.

يَهَبُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ إِنَـثاً

(He bestows female upon whom He wills.) means, He gives them daughters only. Al-Baghawi said, "And among them (those who were given daughters only) was Lut, peace be upon him."

وَيَهَبُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ الذُّكُورَ

(and bestows male upon whom He wills.) means, He gives them sons only. Al-Baghawi said, "Like Ibrahim Al-Khalil, peace be upon him, who did not have any daughters."

أَوْ يُزَوِّجُهُمْ ذُكْرَاناً وَإِنَـثاً

(Or He bestows both males and females,) means, He gives to whomsoever He wills both males and females, sons and daughters. Al-Baghawi said, "Like Muhammad ."

وَيَجْعَلُ مَن يَشَآءُ عَقِيماً

(and He renders barren whom He wills. ) means, so that he has no children at all. Al-Baghawi said, "Like Yahya and `Isa, peace be upon them." So people are divided into four categories: some are given daughters, some are given sons, some are given both sons and daughters, and some are not given either sons or daughters, but they are rendered barren, with no offspring.

إِنَّهُ عَلِيمٌ

(Verily, He is the All-Knower) means, He knows who deserves to be in which of these categories.

قَدِيرٌ

(and is Able (to do all things).) means, to do whatever He wills and to differentiate between people in this manner. This issue is similar to that referred to in the Ayah where Allah says of `Isa, peace be upon him:

وَلِنَجْعَلَهُ ءَايَةً لِّلْنَّاسِ

(And (We wish) to appoint him as a sign to mankind) (19:21): i.e., proof for them of His power, for He created people in four different ways. Adam, peace be upon him, was created from clay, from neither a male nor a female. Hawwa', peace be upon her, was created from a male without a female. All other people, besides `Isa, peace be upon him, were created from male and female, and this sign of Allah was completed with the creation of `Isa bin Maryam, may peace be upon them both, who was created from a female without a male. Allah says:

وَلِنَجْعَلَهُ ءَايَةً لِّلْنَّاسِ

(And (We wish) to appoint him as a sign to mankind) (19: 21). This issue has to do with parents, whilst the previous issue has to do with children, and in each case there are four categories. Glory be to the All-Knower Who is Able to do all things.

Commentary

The earlier three of the above verses state the end of those people who, as against the virtuous Muslims, remained desirous of the delights and luxuries of this world, instead of caring about the Hereafter. Then in verse 47, they have been advised to repent and embrace faith before the scourge of Doomsday comes upon them. Thereafter, in verse 48, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been comforted and assured that if these people do not come to their senses, despite your preaching again and again, and despite your tireless efforts, then you should not worry: فَإِنْ أَعْرَ‌ضُوا فَمَا أَرْ‌سَلْنَاكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَفِيظًا "So, if they turn away, then We did not send you as a supervisor over them. You are not responsible but for conveying the message" - 48.

Verses 49 and 50 state the absolute power and perfect wisdom of Allah Ta’ ala in the creation of this universe in which He has no partner, and then mankind has been called to believe in the Oneness of Allah. In this regard, after stating the creation of the earth and the heavens, Allah Almighty has stated a fact about His power in verse 49, خْلُقُ مَا يَشَاءُ (He creates what He wills.) to indicate that He has absolute Power to create anything small or big. He creates whatever He wills whenever He wills. In this context, creation of mankind has been mentioned by saying, "He grants females to whom He wills, and grants males to whom He wills. Or He combines for them couples, both males and females, and makes whom He wills barren. Surely He is All-Knowing, Very Powerful. (49-50) " It means that nobody's intention or authority has anything to do in the creation of a human being, nor does anybody have its knowledge. What to say of anybody else, even the intention or choice of the parents, who are the apparent agents of the creation of a human beings, does not have any bearing on the child's creation. Let alone having a say in the child's creation, the mother does not even know before the child is born as to what is being formed in her womb, and how it is being processed.

It is Allah Ta’ ala alone who grants female children to whom He wills, and male children to whom He wills; to some He grants both male and female children, and He renders some females barren who do not have any children.

While stating the sex of children in this verse, Allah Ta’ ala has mentioned females first, and males later. Taking a hint from this verse, Sayyidna Wathilah Ibn Asqa' ؓ has said that blessed is the woman who gives birth to a daughter first. (Qurtubi)

Religion is based on the concept that every kind of power in the universe resides in the one and only God. Apart from Him, nobody else has any powers—whether these powers relate to managing the systems of heaven and earth or granting children to a human being. Whatever a man receives is at His behest and He alone may take it away whenever He wishes. It is only this belief about God which develops in man that right type of feeling which is known as submissiveness, and it is this attitude towards God which compels a man to adopt in life that behaviour which is commanded by the divine code of conduct.