Tafsir for verse: 42:50
أَوۡ يُزَوِّجُهُمۡ ذُكۡرَانٗا وَإِنَٰثٗاۖ وَيَجۡعَلُ مَن يَشَآءُ عَقِيمًاۚ إِنَّهُۥ عَلِيمٞ قَدِيرٞ ٥٠ ﴿50
50Or He combines for them couples, both males and females, and makes whom He wills barren. Surely, He is All-Knowing, Very-Powerful.
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Commentary

And when he finished with the first two divisions, he turned to them with a third division for them. This indicates that he divided by 'or.' He said: ﴿or He marries them﴾ meaning the children by making them pairs, that is, two kinds while they are ﴿males and females﴾ together in one womb and separate as granted to Muhammad, blessings and peace be upon him. He arranged them here according to the original to indicate that he did not act otherwise in what has passed except for great wisdoms that must be sought. He expressed in the mention with what is more eloquent in abundance, encouraging the asking of Him and submission to Him in hopes of receiving His bounty.

And when he finished with the divisions of the three who are gifted, he turned to the favor of the gift, taking away that. He said it is appropriate to say, for example: And He does not give anything of that to whom He wills: ﴿And He makes whom He wills barren﴾ meaning no offspring is born to him like Yahya ibn Zakariya, blessings and peace be upon them - so they said. The apparent meaning is that it is not correct as an example, for he did not marry. Ibn Maylaq said, and the essence of barren is dryness that prevents the ability to be affected by what is supposed to affect. The disease of barrenness is that which does not accept healing - this is the end. So this which he mentioned is clearer in intent for the sake of mentioning barrenness, and it indicates the ability because it includes one who has the power of copulation and ejaculation, lest it be thought that the lack of offspring is due to not engaging in its causes. They mentioned in this division 'Isa, blessings and peace be upon him. And it is not correct because it has been reported that he will marry after his descent and offspring will be born to him. This fourfold division in the origins is like the fourfold division in the branches. Some of them are neither male nor female like Adam, blessings and peace be upon him. Some of them are from a male only like Hawwa, peace be upon her. Some of them are from a female only like 'Isa, peace be upon him. And some of them are from both male and female, which is the majority of people. Thus, the indication is complete that whatever He wills happens and there is no repeller for it, and whatever He does not will does not happen, and there is no creator for it nor a preventer who gives nor a giver for what He has prevented.

And when this witnessing evidence indicated what the verse is based upon from affirming the ownership for Him alone, along with what it has increased by the nature of the context and the sweetness of the words and the precision of the doubt and the miracle of the arrangement and composition, the result is certainly a refutation of their associating with Him, casting doubt on His uniqueness in ownership, presenting in it the description which is the greatest of the conditions of ownership: ﴿Indeed, He is All-Knowing﴾ meaning He has profound knowledge of the interests of the servants and others ﴿All-Powerful﴾ encompassing the ability to create whatever He wills.

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