Say, "If the Most Merciful has a son, and this is proven and established with a sound proof that you present and a clear argument that you bring forth, then I am the first to honor that son and the foremost among you in obeying him and submitting to him." [[Mawood said: "Its meaning is that if a decisive proof is established, then I am the first to honor that son and the foremost among you in obeying him and submitting to him... etc." Ahmad said: "He has greatly dared and ventured into a perilous situation by likening that to the words of one who called him just: If Allah is the creator of disbelief in hearts and punishing for it, then I am the first to say that he is a devil and not a god. Let him be reproached for that by the words of the one who said: It has been established conclusively, both rationally and religiously, that He, the Exalted, is the creator of that in hearts just as He created faith, fulfilling the requirement of the rational evidence that indicates that there is no creator except Allah, and confirming the content of His saying, "Is there any creator other than Allah?" and His saying, "Allah is the creator of all things." And if this premise is established rationally and textually, it necessitates that he should be punished for his blasphemy, as he has committed an irreverent act against Allah that no one among His disbelieving servants has led him to, nor has any rebellious spirit dared to do so. And whoever disagrees regarding the disbelief of the Qadarites has agreed to the disbelief of the one who dared to say this statement and ventured into this misguidance without a doubt, for he has explicitly stated a word of disbelief in the ugliest of forms and the most heinous of aspects: and Allah is the one we ask to protect us, and He is sufficient for us and the best disposer of affairs.]] Just as a man honors the son of a king in honor of his father, this statement is made as a hypothetical and illustrative purpose, which is to emphasize the denial of the son and elaborate on it, so that the speaker leaves no doubt except that it is dissolved while expressing his steadfastness in the matter of monotheism. This is because he has linked worship to the existence of a son, which is impossible in itself, so what is linked to it is also impossible. Thus, it is in the form of affirming the existence and worship, while in meaning it denies them in the most eloquent and strongest manner. An example of this is that the just one might say to the compeller [[The phrase "An example of this is that the just one might say to the compeller" means: one of the Mu'tazilites to one of the Ahl al-Sunnah, and in this analogy there is a lack of respect for Him, the Exalted, that is not hidden. (A)]]: If Allah, the Exalted, is the creator of disbelief in hearts and punishing for it eternally, then I am the first to say: He is a devil and not a god. The meaning of this statement and the purpose of its structure and arrangement is to deny that Allah, the Exalted, is the creator of disbelief, and to purify Him from that and sanctify Him, but in a manner of exaggeration in the way we mentioned, while indicating the ugliness of the doctrine and the misguidance of the one who follows it, and the conclusive testimony to its impossibility and the declaration of oneself's innocence from it, and the utmost aversion and disgust from committing it. An example of this method is the saying of Said ibn Jubair, may Allah have mercy on him, to Al-Hajjaj when he said to him: "By Allah, I will replace you with a blazing fire in this world": If I had known that it was up to you, I would not have worshipped any god other than you. People have strained themselves with what they have derived from this noble style, filled with insights and benefits, independently affirming monotheism in the most eloquent ways. It was said: If the Most Merciful has a son in your claim, then I am the first of the worshippers who affirm the oneness of Allah, denying your claim of attributing a son to Him. It was said: If the Most Merciful has a son in your claim, then I am the first to be disgusted by the idea that He has a son from a servant who worships: if his nose is raised, he is a servant and a worshipper. Some read it as: the two worshippers. It was said: It is a negation, meaning: the Most Merciful does not have a son, so I am the first to say this and worship and affirm His oneness. It has been narrated that Al-Nadr ibn Abd al-Dar ibn Qusay said: The angels are the daughters of Allah, and it was revealed. Al-Nadr said: Do you not see that he has spoken the truth? Al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah said to him: He has not spoken the truth, but he said: The Most Merciful does not have a son, so I am the first of the monotheists from the people of Mecca: that He has no son. And it was read: son, with the waw being pronounced. Then He purified His essence, described with the lordship of the heavens and the earth and the Throne, from taking a son, to indicate that it is a characteristic of bodies. If He were a body, He would not be able to create this world and manage its affairs.