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The Jews and Christians, both of them, say: 'We are the sons of Allahu ta’ālā, that is, [we are] like his sons in terms of closeness and rank, and He is like a father to us in terms of compassion and care, and His beloved ones'. Say, to them, O Muhammad "sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam" : 'Why then does He chastise you for your sins? if what you say is true. For, the father does not punish his son, nor the loving his beloved; but He has punished you, and therefore you are saying lies. Nay; you are mortals from among, all, those, mortals, He created, you shall be rewarded as they are rewarded and you shall be requited as they are requited. He forgives, him for, whom He wills, forgiveness, and He chastises, him for, whom He wills', chastisement, and there can be no objection thereto. For to Allahu ta’ālā belongs the dominion of the heavens and of the earth, and all that is between them; to Him is the journey's end, the [final] return.