Quran Universe
5:17

لَّقَدۡ كَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلۡمَسِيحُ ٱبۡنُ مَرۡيَمَۚ قُلۡ فَمَن يَمۡلِكُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ شَيۡـًٔا إِنۡ أَرَادَ أَن يُهۡلِكَ ٱلۡمَسِيحَ ٱبۡنَ مَرۡيَمَ وَأُمَّهُۥ وَمَن فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ جَمِيعٗاۗ وَلِلَّهِ مُلۡكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَاۚ يَخۡلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ قَدِيرٞ

Laqad kafara allatheena qaloo inna Allaha huwa almaseehu ibnu maryama qul faman yamliku mina Allahi shayan in arada an yuhlika almaseeha ibna maryama waommahu waman fee alardi jameeAAan walillahi mulku alssamawati waalardi wama baynahuma yakhluqu ma yashao waAllahu AAala kulli shayin qadeerun

They have certainly disbelieved who say that Allah is Christ, the son of Mary. Say, "Then who could prevent Allah at all if He had intended to destroy Christ, the son of Mary, or his mother or everyone on the earth?" And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them. He creates what He wills, and Allah is over all things competent.

Word by word
  1. لَّقَدۡCertainly
  2. كَفَرَdisbelieved
  3. ٱلَّذِينَthose who
  4. قَالُوٓاْsaid
  5. إِنَّIndeed
  6. ٱللَّهَAllah
  7. هُوَHe
  8. ٱلۡمَسِيحُ(is) the Messiah
  9. ٱبۡنُson
  10. مَرۡيَمَۚ(of) Maryam
  11. قُلۡSay
  12. فَمَنThen who
  13. يَمۡلِكُhas power
  14. مِنَagainst
  15. ٱللَّهِAllah
  16. شَيۡـًٔا(in) anything
  17. إِنۡif
  18. أَرَادَHe intends
  19. أَنto
  20. يُهۡلِكَdestroy
  21. ٱلۡمَسِيحَthe Messiah
  22. ٱبۡنَson
  23. مَرۡيَمَ(of) Maryam
  24. وَأُمَّهُۥand his mother
  25. وَمَنand whoever
  26. فِي(is) in
  27. ٱلۡأَرۡضِthe earth
  28. جَمِيعٗاۗall
  29. وَلِلَّهِAnd for Allah
  30. مُلۡكُ(is the) dominion
  31. ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ(of) the heavens
  32. وَٱلۡأَرۡضِand the earth
  33. وَمَاand what
  34. بَيۡنَهُمَاۚ(is) between both of them
  35. يَخۡلُقُHe creates
  36. مَاwhat
  37. يَشَآءُۚHe wills
  38. وَٱللَّهُand Allah
  39. عَلَىٰ(is) on
  40. كُلِّevery
  41. شَيۡءٖthing
  42. قَدِيرٞAll-Powerful
Al-Ma'idah · 5:17Madinah

Everything in the heavens and earth belongs to Him alone.

No created being shares the Creator's place

The question asked
the Messiaha servant
his mothera servant
all on earthservants
all under
Allah's dominionHe creates what He wills
Who is worshipped
a created beinghowever honored
the Creator aloneowner of all

The verse answers a claim about Isa, son of Maryam. Ibn Kathir explains it by reminding of Allah's perfect power over everything. Who could stop Him? All things in existence are His property and creation.

A favorite scholar, a parent, a doctor, a celebrity. You may never call anyone a god, but you can still hang your whole heart on a person. The verse puts every creature, however loved, under His dominion.

The people I admire most could never let me down.

Every person I admire is a creation of Allah, and He alone holds everything.

Try this

Think of one person you depend on too much. Ask Allah directly for what you usually ask them.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Surely, in disbelief are they who say that Allah is the Messiah, son of Maryam. Say: "Who then has the least power against Allah, if He were to destroy the Messiah, son of Maryam, his mother, and all those who are on the earth together?" And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them. He creates what He wills. And Allah is able to do all things (17)And the Jews and the Christians say: "We are the children of Allah and His loved ones." Say: "Why then does He punish you for your sins?" Nay, you are but human beings of those He has created, He forgives whom He wills and He punishes whom He wills. And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them; and to Him is the return (of all (18)

The Polytheism and Disbelief of the Christians

Allah states that the Christians are disbelievers because of their claim that 'Isa, son of Maryam, one of Allah's servants and creatures, is Allah. Allah is holier than what they attribute to Him. Allah then reminds them of His perfect ability over everything and that everything is under His complete control and power,

قُلْ فَمَن يَمْلِكُ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا إِنْ أَرَادَ أَن يُهْلِكَ الْمَسِيحَ ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَأُمَّهُ وَمَن فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا

(Say: "Who then has the least power against Allah, if He were to destroy the Messiah, son of Maryam, his mother, and all those who are on the earth together?")

Therefore, if Allah wills to do that, who would be able to stop Him or prevent Him from doing it? Allah then said,

وَلِلَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاءُ

(And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them. He creates what He wills.)

All things in existence are Allah's property and creation and He is able to do everything. He is never asked about what He does with His power, domain, justice and greatness so this refutes the Christian creed, may Allah's continued curses be upon them until the Day of Resurrection.

Refuting the People of the Book's Claim that they are Allah's Children

Allah then refutes the Christians' and Jews' false claims and lies,

وَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ وَالنَّصَارَىٰ نَحْنُ أَبْنَاءُ اللَّهِ وَأَحِبَّاؤُهُ

(And the Jews and the Christians say, "We are the children of Allah and His loved ones.")

They claim: "We are the followers of Allah's Prophets, who are His children, whom He takes care of. He also loves us." The People of the Book claim in their Book that Allah said to His servant Isra'il, "You are my firstborn." But they explained this statement in an improper manner and altered its meaning. Some of the People of the Book who later became Muslims refuted this false statement saying, "This statement only indicates honor and respect, as is common in their speech at that time." The Christians claim that 'Isa said to them, "I will go back to my father and your father," meaning, my Lord and your Lord. It is a fact that the Christians did not claim that they too are Allah's sons as they claimed about 'Isa. Rather this statement by 'Isa only meant to indicate a closeness with Allah. This is why when they said that they are Allah's children and loved ones, Allah refuted their claim,

قُلْ فَلِمَ يُعَذِّبُكُم بِذُنُوبِكُم

(Say, "Why then does He punish you for your sins?") meaning, if you were truly as you claim, Allah's children and loved ones, then why did He prepare the Fire because of your disbelief, lies and false claims?

بَلْ أَنتُم بَشَرٌ مِّمَّنْ خَلَقَ

(Nay, you are but human beings, of those He has created,) Allah states: you are just like the rest of the children of Adam, and Allah is the Lord of all His creation,

يَغْفِرُ لِمَن يَشَاءُ وَيُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَاءُ

(He forgives whom He wills and punishes whom He wills.) Allah does what He wills, there is none who can escape His judgement, and He is swift in reckoning.

وَلِلَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا

(And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them;) Therefore, everything is Allah's property and under His power and control,

وَإِلَيْهِ الْمَصِيرُ

(and to Him is the return.) In the end, the return will be to Allah and He will judge between His servants as He will, and He is the Most Just Who is never wrong in His judgment.