A Debate on Qur'an 19:63–64 and 19:34
By Dr. Maxwell Shimba
Shimba Theological Institute
The Qur'an repeatedly declares that Allah has no partner, no son, no equal, and no superior (Surah 112:1–4). It also presents itself as the direct speech (kalam Allah) of Allah. Yet within Surah Maryam are passages that have generated discussion because the speaker says, "your Lord and our Lord," apparently referring to someone as "our Lord."
This raises an important question:
If the Qur'an is entirely the literal speech of Allah, why does the speaker refer to "our Lord"?
Muslim commentators generally answer that these verses are spoken by the angel Gabriel, not Allah directly, even though they are part of Allah's revealed speech. This article examines that explanation and poses debate questions from a Christian apologetics perspective.
The Key Passage
Surah Maryam 19:63–64
"This is the Paradise which We shall give as an inheritance to those of Our servants who have been righteous.
We do not descend except by the command of your Lord. To Him belongs whatever is before us and whatever is behind us and whatever is between them. And your Lord is never forgetful."
Notice several statements.
The speaker says:
We do not descend...
Your Lord
Whatever is before us
Whatever is behind us
By the command of your Lord
If Allah Himself is speaking, several questions naturally arise.
The First Dilemma
If the Qur'an is literally Allah speaking every word, why does Allah speak as though He must receive permission from "your Lord"?
The phrase:
"We do not descend except by the command of your Lord."
sounds like the speaker is under authority.
Authority implies someone giving commands and someone receiving commands.
Who is giving the command?
The Second Dilemma
The speaker continues:
"To Him belongs whatever is before us and whatever is behind us."
If Allah owns everything, why say:
"before us"
Who are the "us"?
The Third Dilemma
Throughout Islam Allah is presented as:
Supreme
Independent
Above everyone
Subject to no authority
Yet here the speaker waits for permission before descending.
Who grants that permission?
Surah Maryam 19:34
Another interesting passage says:
"That is Jesus, son of Mary—the word of truth about which they dispute."
The following verses continue:
"Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him."
Mainstream Islamic interpretation understands these words as being spoken by Jesus, not Allah. From that perspective, "my Lord" refers to Allah. The literary question some critics raise is how readers identify changes in speaker within the Qur'anic text, since speaker transitions are not always explicitly marked in every passage.
The Literary Question
If the Qur'an is the eternal speech of Allah,
Why does it frequently move between:
Allah speaking
Angels speaking
Muhammad speaking
Jesus speaking
Other prophets speaking
without always announcing the speaker?
Can a reader always determine the speaker from the text alone?
The Kalam Question
Islam teaches:
The Qur'an is
Uncreated
Eternal
Allah's speech
Perfectly preserved
Yet inside this speech appear statements made by created beings.
How should those statements be understood?
Is the Qur'an:
Allah speaking?
Allah quoting someone else?
Both?
If both,
How is the transition identified?
Debate Questions
Question 1
If every word of the Qur'an is Allah's speech,
why does Surah 19:64 say,
"We do not descend except by the command of your Lord"?
Who is issuing the command?
Question 2
If Allah is speaking,
who is "our Lord"?
Question 3
If Gabriel is speaking,
where does the Qur'an explicitly identify Gabriel as the speaker before verse 64?
Question 4
How can an ordinary reader know when Allah stops speaking and Gabriel begins speaking?
Question 5
If the speaker changes without explicit notice,
how can Muslims claim every verse is immediately self-explanatory?
Question 6
Why does the Qur'an frequently shift speakers in the same chapter?
Question 7
Who is the "We" in verse 64?
Allah?
Gabriel?
Several angels?
Or someone else?
Question 8
If Allah must command angels before they descend,
what is the relationship between Allah's speech and the angels' speech within the Qur'an?
Question 9
If the Qur'an records created beings speaking,
in what sense is every sentence the direct speech of Allah?
Question 10
Does the doctrine of kalam Allah mean that Allah is directly uttering every sentence, or that Allah is quoting the words of others as part of His revelation?
Christian Reflection
From a Christian perspective, Scripture often identifies the speaker within a narrative, even when God quotes angels, prophets, or other people. Christians therefore distinguish between God inspiring Scripture and the various human or angelic speakers whose words Scripture records.
Muslim theology similarly explains passages such as Surah 19:64 by saying Allah is revealing and quoting the words of the angel Gabriel. Critics argue that this raises interpretive questions about speaker transitions, while Muslim scholars generally maintain that the literary context and classical exegesis make the speaker clear.
Whether one finds that explanation sufficient is a matter for theological debate, but the discussion centers on how the Qur'an presents divine revelation and quoted speech rather than on the conclusion that Allah has a lord. Mainstream Islam does not interpret these verses as teaching that Allah is subject to a higher deity; rather, it understands "our Lord" in 19:64 as Gabriel referring to Allah as the Lord of both the angels and humanity. That distinction is important for an accurate representation of the Islamic position.
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