What's the different between 'ibn' and 'walad'?

Started by IjazAhmad, August 16, 2015, 06:21:59 PM

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IjazAhmad

As-salaamu 'alaikum br. Joseph & friends!

What's the difference between ibn and walad?

The Jews said: "Ezra is the son of God," and the Nazarenes said: "The Messiah is the son of God." Such is their utterances with their mouths, they imitate the sayings of those who rejected before them. God will fight them. They are deluded from the truth!

وقالت اليهود عزير ابن الله وقالت النصارى المسيح ابن الله ذلك قولهم بأفواههم يضاهئون قول الذين كفروا من قبل قاتلهم الله أنى يؤفكون
(9:30)

And to warn those who say, "God has begotten a son."

وَيُنذِرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا اتَّخَذَ اللَّـهُ وَلَدًا
(18:4)

Assertion by a Christian:

I have shown many times these verses refer to heretical groups, not mainstream Christianity. No Christian believes God had sex with Mary. 'Ibn' (ابْنِ) is the broader term which often can have a figurative, non-biological meaning, as in "sons of the road" (ibn-alssabeeli, ابْنِ السَّبِيلِ, Qur'ān 2:215). This is the correct Arabic translation of the concept "Son" used of Jesus in the Bible ('υἱός'), related to the Hebrew word "bin, בּן."

'Walad' (وَلَد) denotes a son born of sexual relations, rather like the English term "offspring." This term is utterly inappropriate as a description of Jesus' relationship to God (God forbid!).

Now let us look at the verses in the Qur'ān which deal with this topic:

"And they say: "(Allah) Most Gracious has begotten offspring (وَلَد, walad)." Glory to Him! they are (but) servants raised to honour." (Sura Anbiya 21:26)
"Had Allah wished to take to Himself a son (وَلَد, walad), He could have chosen whom He pleased out of those whom He doth create: but Glory be to Him! (He is above such things.) He is Allah, the One, the Irresistible." (Sura Zumar 39:4)

"And Exalted is the Majesty of our Lord: He has taken neither a wife nor a son (وَلَد, walad)." (Sura Jinn 72:3)

"To Him is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth: How can He have a son (وَلَد, walad) when He hath no consort? He created all things, and He hath full knowledge of all things." (An'am 6:101, 2:116, 10:68, 17:11, 18:4, 19:35,88,91-92; 23:91; 25:2,)

Wa as-salaam!