SURAH (37) AL-SAFFAT (AYA 01 to 120)
فَبَشَّرْنَاهُ بِغُلَامٍ حَلِيمٍ {37:101}
[Q37:101] Fabashsharnaahu
bighulaamin haleem.
[Q37:101] So We gave him the good news of a boy, possessing forbearance.
[Q37:101] So We gave him the good news of a boy, possessing forbearance.
[Q37:101] Lalu Kami berikan kepadanya
berita yang menggembirakan, bahawa dia akan beroleh seorang anak yang
penyabar.
Halim
means "ready to suffer and forbear."
The quality
of forbearance has been mentioned
specially to distinguish Ibrahim and
his son Ismail, the ancestors of the
Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma
sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad).
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(37:101) (In response to this prayer) We gave him the
good news of a prudent boy; *57
*57 From this
one should not understand that this good news was given him immediately
following his prayer. In the Qur'an itself, at another place, this saying of
the Prophet Abraham has been related: "All praise be to Allah Who has
given me sons like Ishmael and Isaac in my old age." (Ibrahim: 39). This
proves that there was an interval of many years between the prayer and this
good news. The " Bible says that at the birth of the Prophet Ishmael, the
Prophet Abraham was 86 years old (Gen. 16: 16) and at the birth of the Prophet
Isaac a hundred years. (Gen. 21: 5).
فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ السَّعْيَ قَالَ يَا بُنَيَّ
إِنِّي أَرَىٰ فِي الْمَنَامِ أَنِّي أَذْبَحُكَ فَانْظُرْ مَاذَا تَرَىٰ ۚ قَالَ
يَا أَبَتِ افْعَلْ مَا تُؤْمَرُ ۖ سَتَجِدُنِي إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مِنَ
الصَّابِرِينَ {37:102}
[Q37:102] Falamma balagha ma'a hus
sa'ya qaala yaa buniya inneee araa fil manaami anneee azbahuka fanzur maazaa
taraa; qaala yaaa abatif 'al maa tu'maru satajidunee in shaaa'aLLaahu minas Saabireen.
[Q37:102] And when he attained to working with him, he said: O my son! Surely I have seen in a dream that I should sacrifice you; consider then what you see. He said: O my father! Do what you are commanded; if ALLAH (SWT) please, you will find me of the patient ones.
[Q37:102] And when he attained to working with him, he said: O my son! Surely I have seen in a dream that I should sacrifice you; consider then what you see. He said: O my father! Do what you are commanded; if ALLAH (SWT) please, you will find me of the patient ones.
[Q37:102] Maka ketika anaknya itu sampai
(ke peringkat umur yang membolehkan dia) berusaha bersama-sama dengannya, Nabi
Ibrahim berkata: Wahai anak kesayanganku! Sesungguhnya aku melihat dalam mimpi
bahawa aku akan menyembelihmu; maka fikirkanlah apa pendapatmu? Anaknya
menjawab: Wahai ayah, jalankanlah apa yang diperintahkan kepadamu; Insya ALLAH
(SwT), ayah akan mendapati daku dari orang-orang yang sabar.
ACCORDING
TO IMAM JAFAR BIN MUHAMMAD AS SADIQ, PROPHET ISHAQ was born to sara
after five years of the birth of ismail to
hajira.
ALTHOUGH Sara had herself presented Hajira to her husband, BUT after her giving birth to Ismail, she could not tolerate Hajira
with her son Ismail remaining in the
same place.
ß
Under these circumstances, IBRAHIM HAD TO
BRING HAJIRA AND HIS SON ISMAIL TO MAKKA AND LEFT THEM THERE
ENTRUSTING THE MOTHER AND CHILD TO ALLAH (SWT) (see commentary of Baqarah 2:124
to 129).
·
When Ibrahim
revisited Hajira, his son Ismail was
thirteen years old.
IBRAHIM SAW IN A DREAM THAT HE WAS SACRIFICING ISMAIL.
It was on the 8th of Dhilhajj, known as yawm al tariwiyah (i.e., the day of seeing the
first vision). Next day he saw the
same dream again, known as Arafat i.e., the day of knowledge; and was convinced that it is
a command of ALLAH (SWT) and decided to act as he was asked by the Lord. Ibrahim told Hajira to prepare Ismail
for a journey to a friend's place and provide him with a rope and a knife.
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(37:102) and when he was old enough to go about and work
with him, (one day) Abraham said to him: “My son, I see in my dream that I am
slaughtering you. *58 So consider (and tell me) what you
think.” *59 He said: “Do as you are bidden. *60 You
will find me, if Allah so wills, among the steadfast.”
*58 One should
note that the Prophet Abraham had dreamt that he was sacrificing his son and
not that he had sacrificed him. Although at that time he understood the dream
to mean that he should sacrifice his son and on that very basis, he became
ready to sacrifice him, with a cool mind, yet the fine point that Allah had in
view in making him see the dream has been explained by Himself in verse 105
below.
*59 The object of asking this of the son was not that he would carry out Allah's Command only if he agreed, otherwise not, but the Prophet Abraham, in fact, wanted to find out how righteous, in actual reality, was his child for whom he had prayed to Allah. If the son himself was found to be ready to lay down his life for the sake of Allah's approval and pleasure, it would mean that the prayer had been fully granted, and the son was not his offspring in the natural way only but was morally aad spiritually also a true son.
*60 The words clearly tell that the son had not taken the dream of his Prophet father to be a mere dream but a Command from Allah. Had it not been a Command actually, it was necessary that Allah should have explicitly or implicitly stated that the son of Abraham had mistaken it for a command. But the whole context is without any such allusion. On this very basis, there is the Islamic belief that the dream of the Prophets is never a mere dream it is also a kind of Revelation. Obviously, if a thing, which could become such a fundamental principle in the Divine Shari'ah, had not been based on reality, but had been a mere misunderstanding, it was not possible that Allah should not have refuted it. It is impossible for the one who believes the Qur'an to be Allah's Word, to accept that such an error and omission could emanate from Allah also.
*59 The object of asking this of the son was not that he would carry out Allah's Command only if he agreed, otherwise not, but the Prophet Abraham, in fact, wanted to find out how righteous, in actual reality, was his child for whom he had prayed to Allah. If the son himself was found to be ready to lay down his life for the sake of Allah's approval and pleasure, it would mean that the prayer had been fully granted, and the son was not his offspring in the natural way only but was morally aad spiritually also a true son.
*60 The words clearly tell that the son had not taken the dream of his Prophet father to be a mere dream but a Command from Allah. Had it not been a Command actually, it was necessary that Allah should have explicitly or implicitly stated that the son of Abraham had mistaken it for a command. But the whole context is without any such allusion. On this very basis, there is the Islamic belief that the dream of the Prophets is never a mere dream it is also a kind of Revelation. Obviously, if a thing, which could become such a fundamental principle in the Divine Shari'ah, had not been based on reality, but had been a mere misunderstanding, it was not possible that Allah should not have refuted it. It is impossible for the one who believes the Qur'an to be Allah's Word, to accept that such an error and omission could emanate from Allah also.
فَلَمَّا أَسْلَمَا وَتَلَّهُ لِلْجَبِينِ {37:103}
[Q37:103] Falammaaa
aslamaa wa tallahoo liljabeen,
[Q37:103] So when they both submitted and he threw him down upon his forehead,
[Q37:103] So when they both submitted and he threw him down upon his forehead,
[Q37:103] Setelah keduanya berserah
bulat-bulat (menjunjung perintah ALLAH (SwT) itu) dan Nabi Ibrahim merebahkan
anaknya dengan meletakkan iringan mukanya di atas tompok tanah, (Kami sifatkan
Ibrahim dengan kesungguhan azamnya itu telah menjalankan perintah Kami),
BEFORE laying his son on
the ground to fulfill what he had been commanded in the vision to do, Isma-il asked his father to tie his
hands and legs tight, and blindfold himself by a bandage on his eyes and to
girdle his cloak. Ibrahim asked Isma-il the reason for the suggestion
and if he was afraid and unwilling. Ismai-il
said that when his throat would be cut, though wholly resigned to the will of
the Lord, he might naturally feel the pains and get restless and struggle,
which sight might naturally disturb Ibrahim
while acting to fulfill only the will of the Lord, HENCE he suggested his hands
and legs to be tied.
SINCE THE PATERNAL LOVE might not naturally bear the sight of his own
son being cut in the throat and might cause some mental agony to his father,
disturbing his concentration on the fulfillment of the divine command, the
device to blindfold the eyes was suggested.
AND THE SUGGESTION to
girdle his cloak was to see that it was not soiled or stained by his blood so
that his mother Hajira might not see
the stains of the blood of her own son. Ibrahim tied the hands and legs of his
son, laid him on the ground and blind-folded himself as suggested by Isma-il.
TAKING the knife, Ibrahim passed it several cutting
object under the weapon and by doing so, he had faithfully enacted what he had
seen in the dream and thus carried out the command of the Lord. BUT WHEN Ibrahim removed
the fold from his eyes, to his surprise he found his son Isma-il standing safe by his side and in his stead, a ram lay slain
by him.
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(37:103) When both surrendered (to Allah’s command) and
Abraham flung the son down on his forehead, *61
*61 That is,
"The Prophet Abraham did not make his son lit flat on his back but made
him lie prostrate lest while slaughtering him the sight of his face should
arouse compassion and lout and make him shaky. Therefore, he wanted to use the
knife from under the throat".
وَنَادَيْنَاهُ أَنْ يَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ {37:104}
[Q37:104] Wa
naadainaahu ai yaaaa Ibraheem.
[Q37:104] And We called out to him saying: O Ibrahim!
[Q37:104] And We called out to him saying: O Ibrahim!
ANY ORDINARY FATHER WOULD HAVE REJOICED AT HIS SON ESCAPING DEATH BUT Ibrahim stood disappointed, apprehending if his sacrifice
had been rejected by ALLAH (SWT).
Ä A
voice from above said:
"O Ibrahim you have
fulfilled the dream. Thus do We recompense those who do good."
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(37:104) We cried out: *62 “O
Abraham,
*62 One section
of the grammarians says that here "and" has been use to mean
"then"; thus, the sentence would be: "When the two had submitted
themselves (to Allah) and Abraham had flung his son down on his brow, then We
called out. . . " But another section of them says that here the answer to
the word "when" has been omitted and left for the listener to fill;
for it was better w leave such an indescribable thing to the imagination
instead of expressing it in words. When Allah amight have seen that the old
father who had got a son after long earnest prayers, has become ready to
sacrifice him only for His pleasure and approval; and the son also had became
ready to get slaughtered, His infinite Mercy might have been aroused at the
sight, and the Master might have felt great love for the father and son. All
this can only be imagined. No words would ever describe the scene adequately.
قَدْ صَدَّقْتَ الرُّؤْيَا ۚ إِنَّا كَذَٰلِكَ
نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ {37:105}
[Q37:105] Qad
saddaqtar ru'yaa; innaa kazaalika najzil Muhsineen.
[Q37:105] You have indeed shown the truth of the vision; surely thus do We reward the doers of good:
[Q37:105] You have indeed shown the truth of the vision; surely thus do We reward the doers of good:
[Q37:105] Engkau telah menyempurnakan
maksud mimpi yang engkau lihat itu. Demikianlah sebenarnya Kami membalas
orang-orang yang berusaha mengerjakan kebaikan.
(see
commentary for verse 104)
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(37:105) you have indeed fulfilled your dream. *63 Thus
do We reward the good-doers.” *64
*63 That is,
"We did not make you see in the dream that you had actually slaughtered
your son and he had died, but that you were slaughtering him. That Vision you
have fulfilled. Now, it is not Our will w take the life of your child: the actual
object of the vision has been fulfilled by your submission and preparation to
sacrifice him for Our sake."
*64 That is, "We do not subject the people who adopt the righteous way to trials in order to involve them in trouble and distress and affliction just for the sake of it, but these trials are meant to bring out their excellencies and to exalt them to high ranks, and then We deliver them also safe and sound from the dilemma in which We place them for the sake of the trial. Thus, your willingness and preparation to sacrifice yow son is enough to entitle you to be exalted to the rank that could be attained only by the one who would actually have slaughtered his son for Our approval and pleasure. Thus, We have saved the life of yow child as well as exalted you to this high rank. "
*64 That is, "We do not subject the people who adopt the righteous way to trials in order to involve them in trouble and distress and affliction just for the sake of it, but these trials are meant to bring out their excellencies and to exalt them to high ranks, and then We deliver them also safe and sound from the dilemma in which We place them for the sake of the trial. Thus, your willingness and preparation to sacrifice yow son is enough to entitle you to be exalted to the rank that could be attained only by the one who would actually have slaughtered his son for Our approval and pleasure. Thus, We have saved the life of yow child as well as exalted you to this high rank. "
إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَهُوَ الْبَلَاءُ الْمُبِينُ {37:106}
[Q37:106] Inna
haazaa lahuwal balaaa'ul mubeen.
[Q37:106] Most surely this is a manifest trial.
[Q37:106] Most surely this is a manifest trial.
This was a manifest trial to prove THE CALIBRE OF IBRAHIM AND ISMAIL AND THE
HIGH DEGREE OF THEIR FAITH IN ALLAH (SWT) and THE EXTENT
OF THEIR SUBMISSION TO THE WILL OF THEIR LORD.
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(37:106) This was indeed a plain trial. *65
*65 That is,
"The object was not to get yow son slaughtered through you but to test you
to see that you did not hold anything of the world dearer than Us.
وَفَدَيْنَاهُ بِذِبْحٍ عَظِيمٍ {37:107}
[Q37:107] Wa
fadainaahu bizibhin 'azeem;
[Q37:107] And We ransomed him with a Feat sacrifice.
[Q37:107] And We ransomed him with a Feat sacrifice.
‘Fadaina’ means, ransoming---which demands a
similar thing in the place of the one spared. The quality of the sacrifice of Isma-il was spared, in termed by ALLAH
(SWT) Himself as ‘Azeem’, i.e., Great.
What ALLAH (SWT) the Greatest Being Himself terms as ‘Great’ must naturally be something Great in an absolute or in an
extraordinary degree.
In the FIRST place an ordinary sheep can by no
means and in no sense whatsoever be sensibly termed to be Great. SECONDLY, to term a sheep as great, in comparison to the godly son
of the great apostle of ALLAH (SWT), who was also ALLAH (SWT)’s apostle, would
be nothing BUT illogical BUT also degrading Isma-il. A RANSOM should essentially be of a preferably
greater value, OTHRWISE the offer for substitution would never be just and
reasonable.
THE OCCASION WAS A GREAT AND A HIGHLY
MOMENTOUS ONE, when two godly souls, resigned totally to the will of the Lord,
had jointly determined to act ---one to sacrifice his life-interest in his only
issue AND the other to sacrifice himself, BOTH JUST TO PLEASE their Lord by
executing His will which none on earth could ever be ordinarily expected to do.
The commutation of the great sacrifice by a ram or else, anything in the
individual’s opinion might be greater, BUT it was ALLAH (SWT) the Greatest who
commutes it. The
question involved in this event is, not
concerned with the blood or the flesh of any physical body BUT THE DEGREE OF DEVOTION AND SURRENDER WHICH ALLAH (SWT)
DECLARED, WOULD MAKE IT MANIFEST IN A GREATER AND A MORE ADVANCED DEGREE, than that demonstrated by Ibrahim and Isma-il. This was done
later BUT in the seed of Ibrahim and Isma-il SO THAT the credit of
the greater sacrifice might also revert to them both.
Ages afterwards in 60 A.H. THE PROMISED SACRIFICE WAS OFFERED AT
KARBALA BY THE HOLY PROPHET MUHAMMAD (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), the magnitude of which is incomparable to
any other sacrifice in the world. THE GREAT
OFFERING AT KARBALA consisted of
not the martyrdom of any one individual, BUT of
several godly ones, the event is sealed with the
greatest of the sacrifices ever offered on earth since the start of life on it.
It was nothing but the fulfillment of the divine plan and this is proved
not only from the prophecies of the HOLY PROPHET MUHAMMAD (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali
Muhammad)
but also from the ancient scriptures. See Old Testament---Jeremiah 46:10:“For this is the day of the Lord ALLAH (SWT) of hosts, a day of
vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall
devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood: for the Lord ALLAH
(SWT) of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.”
The ransom promised by ALLAH
(SWT), must essentially be [1] more pure, [2] holy and [3] free from all
impurities, [4] imperfections as were Ibrahim and Isma-il. HUSAIN WAS ONE
OF THOSE WHO OWNED THE PURITY AFFECTED BY ALLAH (SWT) HIMSELF in verse 33:33, i.e.,
Aye-e-Tathir.
THE GREATEST OF THE SACRIFICE IS JUDGED [1] by the gravity of the
situation OR [2] the uniqueness of the
circumstances in which it occurs AND
[3] extent to which it serves
the purpose of ALLAH (SWT). ***When Husain faced death and destruction, it was a
critical state in which the religion, Islam, the natural religion prescribed by
ALLAH (SWT), was involved. It was the question of life and death of the faith
and the rescue of the faith lay in the sacrifice, offered by Husain. ***Ibrahim,
if had offered his sacrifice, it would have the surrender of one self, i.e., Isma-il, ***BUT the martyrdom of Husain has along with it, the surrender of his Seventy-Two godly
souls. The sacrifices offered by Husain at Karbala, consists of men of all
ages, even a baby which was said to be not more than six months old. What a
great sacrifice it must be which Husain offered, that none, not even the worst
of the despotic monarchs did ever again think of demanding any allegiance from
any of the Holy Imams, thereafter.
v THE HOLY PROPHET MUHAMMAD (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali
Muhammad) FELT
FOR THE SUFFERINGS OF HIS GRANDSON EVEN BEFORE THE TRAGEDY TOOK PLACE. It is said that ALLAH
(SWT) asked Ibrahim as to who among the whole of His creation did he love the
most, to which he replied: “In the
creation O’ Lord! I love the most, Muhammad the Last of Thy Apostles.” The
Lord asked, “If he loves his own soul the most
or that of Muhammad”---Ibrahim submitted, “Muhammad’s
soul”---Then “Muhammad’s
son.” The Lord asked “whether he
would be grieved more at the death of his son or at the merciless slaughter of
Muhammad’s son by his enemies without any fault on his part.” Ibrahim
submitted, “The death of Muhammad’s son would
grieve me more.” The Lord said “O’ Ibrahim! Certainly people would profess to be
the followers of my Last Apostle Muhammad and after he quits his earthly abode,
these people would slaughter his son Husain along with the band of his faithful
devotees. They shall be entitled to My
chastisement and I shall reward everyone who grieves for Husain.”
Ibrahim was grieved to hear about the great
gruesome and heart-rending tragedy. It was with this great
sacrifice that Isma-il was ransomed
and had the sacrifice of Isma-il by Ibrahim not been substituted by
ransoming it with this great sacrifice which was prevalent in the ancient days
among the different people in the various parts of the world, would have been
perpetuated and moreover it had taken effect at the hands of the great apostle Ibrahim, it would have become a
religious duty prescribed and solemnized by the tradition set up by the Great
Prophet.
Since great sacrifice,
with which the sacrifice of Isma-il
was ransomed, was also in the seed of both Ibrahim
and Isma-il, there was no cause for Ibrahim to feel any disappointment at
their own sacrifice not having taken place, for the substituted one also had to
be from their seed only.
The HOLY PROPHET MUHAMMAD (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala
ali Muhammad) use
to say:
“I am the son of
‘Zabihain’ the two sacrifices, i.e., [1] Isma-il rescured by the
reason and [2] Abdullah (the father of the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma
sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad)) who was also to be sacrificed BUT saved
by offering of a ransom of a hundred camels.”
§ A
perusal of the basic outlines of the Great Sacrifice at
Karbala and the knowledge of its background and the everlasting effects,
the great event has created, would only make one realise the truth about the
tragedy, and would bring home to the sincere students of the Holy Qur’an, the
value, the significance and the greatness of the Great Sacrifice, referred to
in this verse.
§ The
greatness of the unique sacrifice offered at Karbala is recognised not by one
or a few BUT unanimously at all hands, in the Islamic folds, and generally by
the great scholars of the world.
§ The
books on the traditions (Hadith) are full with
what the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali
Muhammad) himself during his life-time, even prior to its
actual happening, prophesied the great sacrifice of Husain at Karbala.
[Edward
Gibbon in his renowned work ‘The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire’
states: “In the distant age and climate the
tragic scene of the death of Husain, will awaken the sympathy of the coldest
heart.”]
NO DOUBT THAT THE HEAVENLY SHEEP CANNOT STAND AS A SACRIFICED IN THE
PLACED OF ISMA-IL.
1.
It undoubtedly refers to the matchless sacrifice of Husain at Karbala.
The traditionists and the historians have asserted this fact---Ref. Sirrush
Shahadatan Shah Waliullah. BUT the moral
purpose of Ibrahim being ordered to sacrifice Isma-il was just to train this
lineage for the sacrifice of their life in the way of ALLAH (SWT).
2.
Similar to this effort Abdul Muttalib renewed the same training for the sacrifice which, Abu Talib followed,
by training his son Ali in particular, and other members of his family in
general, to give their lives for the cause of Islam.
3.
The sacrifice did not stop with Husain BUT CONTINUED till the
disappearance of the Last Imam and after that till now the devotees of the
Ahlul-Bait---and IMAMAT SUITS ONLY THOSE WHO SACRIFICE THEIR ALL IN THE INTEREST OF THE
PEOPLE, NOT THOSE WHO SACRIFICE THE PEOPLE IN THEIR PERSONAL OR PRIVATE
INTEREST. Also refer to commentary
of verse
76:7-9.
See also my note in the
commentary of verses
83 to 113 of this Surah.
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(37:107) And We ransomed him with a mighty sacrifice, *66
*66 "A
great sacrifice": A ram, as mentioned in the Bible and the Islamic
traditions, that Allah's angel presented at the time before the Prophet
Abraham, so that he should sacrifice it instead of his son. This has been
called "a great sacrifice" because it was to serve as a ransom from a
faithful servant like Abraham for a patient and obedient son like Ishmael, and
Allah made it a means of fulfilling the intention of an unprecedented
sacrifice. Another reason for calling it "a great" sacrifice is that
AIlah made it a tradition till the Day of Resurrection that all the believers
should offer animal sacrifice on the same date in the entire world so as to
keep fresh the memory of the great and unique event signifying faithfulness and
devotion."
وَتَرَكْنَا عَلَيْهِ فِي الْآخِرِينَ {37:108}
[Q37:108] Wa
taraknaa 'alaihi fil aakhireen;
[Q37:108] And We perpetuated (praise) to him among the later generations.
[Q37:108] And We perpetuated (praise) to him among the later generations.
[Q37:108] Dan Kami kekalkan baginya (nama
yang harum) dalam kalangan orang-orang yang datang kemudian:
Five years after he [1] received the glad
tidings about the birth of Isma-il, Ibrahim was given [2] the glad tidings about
the birth of Isaac when he was about a 100 years of age.
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(37:108) and We preserved for him a good
name among posterity.
سَلَامٌ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ {37:109}
[Q37:109] Salaamun
'alaaa Ibraaheem.
[Q37:109] Peace be on Ibrahim.
[Q37:109] Peace be on Ibrahim.
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(37:109) Peace
be upon Abraham.
كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ {37:110}
[Q37:110] Kazaalika
najzil muhsineen.
[Q37:110] Thus do We reward the doers of good.
[Q37:110] Thus do We reward the doers of good.
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(37:110) Thus
do We reward the good-doers.
إِنَّهُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا الْمُؤْمِنِينَ {37:111}
[Q37:111] Innahoo
min 'ibaadinal Mu’mineen.
[Q37:111] Surely he was one of Our believing servants.
[Q37:111] Surely he was one of Our believing servants.
[Q37:111] Sesungguhnya Nabi Ibrahim itu
dari hamba-hamba Kami yang beriman.
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(37:111) Surely
he was one of Our believing servants.
وَبَشَّرْنَاهُ بِإِسْحَاقَ نَبِيًّا مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ {37:112}
[Q37:112] Wa bashsharnaahu bi Ishaaqa Nabiyayam minas Saaliheen.
[Q37:112] And We gave him the good news of Ishaq, a prophet among the good ones.
[Q37:112] And We gave him the good news of Ishaq, a prophet among the good ones.
[Q37:112] Dan Kami pula berikan kepadanya
berita yang menggembirakan, bahawa dia akan beroleh (seorang anak): Ishak, yang
akan menjadi Nabi, yang terhitung dari orang-orang yang soleh.
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(37:112) And
We gave him the good news of Isaac, *67 a Prophet and among the righteous
ones. *68
*67 Here,
the question arises: Who was the son whom the Prophet Abraham had got ready to
offer as a sacrifice, and who had willingly offered himself to be slaughtered
as a sacrifice? The first
answer to
this question is given by the Bible; and it is this: "And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt
Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: . . . Take now thy son thine only son
Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him
there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee
of." (Gen.
22: 1-2). In this statement, on the one
hand, it is being said that Allah had asked for the offering of the Prophet
Isaac, and on the other, that he was Abraham's only son, whereas the Bible
itself, at other places, conclusively states that the Prophet Isaac was not the
only son of the Prophet Abraham.Consider the following statements of the Bible:
"Now Sarai, Abram's wife bore him no children: and she had an handmaid, an
Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said unto Abraham, Behold now, the
Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may
be that I may obtain children by her. And Abraham hearkened to the voice of
Sarai. And Sarai Abraham's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abraham
had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her husband Abram to be his
wife. And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived." (Gen .16: 1-4)
"And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Behold thou art with child, and
shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael." (16: 11) "And
Abraham was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bore Ishmael to
Abraham." (16: 16). "And God said unto Abraham, `As for Sarai thy wife,
..... I will bless her and give thee a
son also of her: . . . . . and thou shalt call his name Isaac . . .. . . which
Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year And Abraham took
Ishmael his son and ......every male among the men of Abraham's house; and . ..
. . circumcised the flesh of their
foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him. And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised
in the flesh of his foreskin. And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when
he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. " (Gen. 17: 15-25). "And Abraham was an hundred years old,
when his son Isaac was born unto him. "
(Gen. 21: 5). This brings out the contradictions of the Bible. It is
evident that for 14 years the Prophet Ishmael was the only son of the Prophet
Abraham. NOW IF THE OFFERING HAD BEEN ASKED OF THE ONLY SON, IT WAS NOT
OF ISAAC BUT OF ISHMAEL, FOR HE ALONE WAS THE ONLY SON; AND IF THE OFFERING OF
ISAAC HAD BEEN ASKED, IT WOULD BE WRONG TO SAY THAT THE OFFERING OF THE ONLY
SON HAD BEEN ASKED. Now
let us consider the Islamic traditions, and they
contain great differences. *****According
to traditions cited by the commentators from the Companions and their immediate
followers, one group of them is of the opinion that the son was the Prophet
Isaac, and this group contains the following names: Hadrat `Umar, `Hadrat
`Abdullah bin Mas'ud, Hadrat `Abbas bin `Abdul Muttalib, Hadrat `Abdullah bin
`Abbas, Hadrat Abu Hurairah, Qatadah, `Ikrimah, Hasan Basri, Said bin Jubair,
Mujahid, Sha`bi, Masruq, Makhul, Zuhri, `Ata, Muqatil, Suddi, Ka'b Ahbar, Zaid
bin Aslam, and others. The other group says that it was the Prophet Ishmael,
and this group contains the names of the following authorities: Hadrat Abu
Bakr, Hadrat 'Ali, Hadrat `Abdullah bin `Umar, Hadrat 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas,
Hadrat Abu Hurairah, Hadrat Mu'awiyah, `Ikrimah, Mujahid, Yusuf bin Mahran,
Hasan Basri, Muhammad bin Ka`b al-Qurzi, Sha`bi, Said bin al-Musayyab, Dahhak,
Muhammad bin 'Ali bin Husain (Muhammad alBaqir), Rabi` bin Anas, Ahmed bin
Hanbal, and others. When compared, the two lists will be seen to contain
several common names: this is due to the reason that from the same person
two different views have been reported. For example, from Hadrat 'Abdullah bin
`Abbas, `Ikrimiah has related the saying that the son was the Prophet Isaac,
but from him again `Ata' bin Abi Rabah relates: "The Jews claim that it
was Isaac, but the Jews tell a tie." Likewise, from Hadrat Hasan Basri,
one tradition is to the effect that the Prophet Isaac was the son meant to be
made the offering, but `Umar bin `Ubaid says that Hasan Basri had no doubt
regarding that the son whom the Prophet Abraham had been commanded to offer as
a sacrifice was the Prophet Ishmael (peace be upon him). This diversity of
tradition has resulted in the diversity of opinion among the scholars of Islam.
Some of them e.g. Ibn Jarir and Qadi `Iyad, have expressed the firm opinion
that the son was the Prophet Isaac. Others, like Ibn Kathir have given the
verdict that it were the Prophet Ishmael. There ware others who are un-certain
and wavering, e.g. Jalaluddin Suyuti. However, a deep inquiry into the question
establishes the fact that the son intended to be offered as a sacrifice was the
Prophet Ishmael. The following are the arguments: (1) As stated by
the Qur'an above, at the time of his emigration from the country, the Prophet
Abraham had prayed for a righteous son and in answer to it, Allah had given him
the good news of a clement boy. The context shows that this prayer was made at
a time when he was childless, and the boy whose good news was given was his
first-born child. Then, this also becomes obvious froth the Qur'anic story that
when the child grew up to boyhood, he was inspired to offer him as an offering.
Now, it is established beyond any doubt that the Prophet Abraham's first-born
son was the Prophet Ishmael and not the Prophet Isaac. The Qur'an itself has
stated the order between the two sons, thus: "All praise be to Allah Who
has given me sons like Ishmael and Isaac in my old age." (Ibrahim: 39). (2) The words
used in the Qur'an with regard to the Prophet Isaac while giving the good news
of his birth are: "And they gave him the good news of the birth of a son,
possessing knowledge, ('alim)." (AdhDhariyat: 28 "Do not be afraid:
we give you the good news of a son, possessing knowledge." (AI-Hijr: 53).
But the son, the good news of whose birth has been given here; has been called
a clement (halim) son. This shows that the two sons had distinctive qualities,
and the offering had been asked of the clement son and not of the son
possessing knowledge. (3) Along with
giving the good news of the birth of the Prophet Isaac in the Qur'an, the good
news of the birth of a grandson like Jacob was also given: 'Then We gave her
the good news of Isaac, and after Isaac of Jacob." (Hud: 71). Now
obviously, if about the son along with the news of whose birth the news of a
worthy son to be born to him had also been given, the Prophet Abraham was shown
a vision that he was sacrificing him, he would never have understood that he
was being inspired to offer that very son as an offering. 'Allama Ibn Jarir
contends that the Prophet Abraham might have been shown this vision at a time
when Jacob had already been born to the Prophet Isaac. But this is, in. fact, a
very weak reply to the argument. The Qur'an says: 'When the boy became able to
work with his father," then he was shown the vision anyone who reads these
words with an unbiased mind will have the image of an 8 to 10 years lad beforc
him. No one can imagine that these words had been used about a young man having
children. (4) Allah, at
the end of the story, says: "We gave him the good news of Isaac, a Prophet
among the righteous." This clearly shows that it was not the same son,
whom he had been inspired to offer as a sacrifice; but before this the good
news of some other son had been given; then when he grew up and became able to
work with his father, it was commanded to sacrifice him. Afterwards, when the
Prophet Abraham came through this test successfully, he was given the good news
of the birth of another son, the Prophet Isaac (may peace be upon him). This
order of the events conclusively proves that the son whom the Prophet Abraham
had been commanded to sacrifice was not Isaac but another son who had been born
several years beforc him, 'Allama Ibn Jarir rejects this express argument,
saying that in the beginning only the good news of the birth of the Prophet
Isaac had been given. Then, when he became ready to be scarificed for the sake of
Allah's approval and pleasure, it was rewarded in the form of the good news of
his Prophethood. But this reply to the argument is weaker still. If it had
really been so, AIlah would not have said: °We gavc him the good news of Isaac,
a Prophet among the righteous," but "We gave him the good news that
this same son of yours would be a Prophet among the righteous." (5) Authentic traditions confirm that
the horns of the ram which was slaughtered as a ransom for the Prophet Ishmael
remained preserved in the Holy Ka'bah till the time of Hadrat 'Abdullah bin
Zubair. Afterwards when Hajjaj bin Yusuf besieged Ibn Zubair in the Ka'bah and
demolished the Kab'bah, the horns also were destroyed. Both Ibn 'Abbas and
'Amir Sha'bi; testify that they had seen the horns in the Ka'bah. (Ibn Kathir).
This is a proof of the fact that the event of the sacrifice had taken place in
Makkah and not in Syria, and concerned the Prophet Ishmael. That is why a relic
of it had been preserved in the Holy Ka'bah built by the Prophets Abraham and
Ishmael. (6) The Arab traditions
confirmed that this event of the sacrifice had taken place in Mina (near Makkah),
and it was not only a tradition but practically also it had been a part of the
Hajj rites for centuries. Even until the time of the Holy Prophet people used
to offer the animal sacrifice in Mina at the place where the Prophet Abraham
had offered the sacrifice. Afterwards when the Holy Prophet was raised as a
Prophet, he also maintained and continued the same tradition; so that even till
today sacrifices are offcrcd in Mina on the 10th of Dhil-Hajj. This continual
practice of 4,500 years or so is an undeniable proof of the fact that the heirs
to the tradition of sacrifice made by the Prophet Abraham have been the
descendents of the Prophet Ishmael and not of the Prophet Isaac. There has
never been any such tradition among the descendents of the Prophet Isaac
according to which the whole community might have offered the sacrifice at one
and the same time and regarded it as a continuation of the sacrifice made by
the Prophet Abraham. In the face of such arguments it appears strange how the
idea of the Prophet Isaac's being the son offered as the sacrifice spread among
the Muslim community itself. If the Jews might have tried to attribute the
honour to their ancestor, the Prophet Isaac, by depriving the Prophet Ishmael
of it, it would be understandable. But the question is: How did a large number
of the Muslims come to accept this wrong notion? A very satisfactory answer to
this question has been given by 'Allama Ibn Kathir in his commentary. He says:
"The reality is known to Allah alone but it appears that all the sayings
(in which the Prophet Isaac has been mentioned as the son offered as a
sacrifice) are related from Ka`b Ahbar. This man, when he became a Muslim in
the time of Hadrat 'Umar, used to relate before him the contents of the ancient
Jewish and Christian scriptures, and Hadrat 'Umar would hear them. On this
basis, the other people also began to listen to him, andstarted relating every
mixture of the truth and falsehood that they heard from him, whereas this Ummah
did not stand in need of anything whatever from the store of his knowledge and
information.' This thing is further explained by a tradition from Muhammad bin
Ka'b al-Kurzi He says that once during his presence the question whether the
son offered as a sacrifice was the Prophet Isaac or the Prophet Ishmael arose
before Hadrat 'Umar bin 'Abdul `Aziz. Among them at that time was a person who
had been a Jewish scholar but had become a sincere Muslim afterwards. He said,
"O Commander of the Faithful! By God it was Ishmael, and the Jews know it,
but claim on account of their jealousy of the Arabs that it was the Prophet
Isaac." (Ibn Jarir). When the two things are put side by side, it becomes
evident that actuaul it was the Jewish propaganda that spread among the Muslims
who have always been unbiased in scholastic literary matters, a large number of
them accepted the statements of the Jews as a historic truth, which they
presented as historical traditions with reference to the ancient scriptures,
and did not realize that these were based on prejudice instead of
knowledge.
*68 This sentence throws light on the real object for which this event of the Prophet Abraham's sacrifice has been related here. From the race of his two sons arose two great nations in the world. First, the children of Israel, from whose house two major religions (Judaism and Christianity) emerged, which dominated and won over large human populations. Second, the children of Ishmael, who were the religious leaders and guides of All the Arabs at the time of the revelation of the Qur'an, and the tribe of Quraish of Makkah at that time held the most important position among them. Whatever eminence these two branches of the offspring of the Prophet Abraham attained became possible only on account of their connection and relation with the Prophet Abraham and his two illustrious sons; otherwise, God alone knows how many such families have arisen in the world and been assigned to oblivion. Now, Allah relates the most glorious event of the history of this family and makes both its branches realize that whatever honour and eminence they have attained in the world, has been due actually to the great traditions of God-worship and sincerity and obedience, which were set by their ancestors, the Prophets Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac (may peace be upon them all). He tells them: `The great blessings which We bestowed on them, were not bestowed arbitrarily and haphazardly: We did not just pick out a person and his two sons blindly and blessed them, but they gave definite proofs of their loyalty and faithfulness to their real Master and then became deserving of His favours. Now, you cannot become entitled to those favours merely on the basis of your pride of descent, for We shall see who among you is righteous and who is wicked and then deal with him accordingly."
*68 This sentence throws light on the real object for which this event of the Prophet Abraham's sacrifice has been related here. From the race of his two sons arose two great nations in the world. First, the children of Israel, from whose house two major religions (Judaism and Christianity) emerged, which dominated and won over large human populations. Second, the children of Ishmael, who were the religious leaders and guides of All the Arabs at the time of the revelation of the Qur'an, and the tribe of Quraish of Makkah at that time held the most important position among them. Whatever eminence these two branches of the offspring of the Prophet Abraham attained became possible only on account of their connection and relation with the Prophet Abraham and his two illustrious sons; otherwise, God alone knows how many such families have arisen in the world and been assigned to oblivion. Now, Allah relates the most glorious event of the history of this family and makes both its branches realize that whatever honour and eminence they have attained in the world, has been due actually to the great traditions of God-worship and sincerity and obedience, which were set by their ancestors, the Prophets Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac (may peace be upon them all). He tells them: `The great blessings which We bestowed on them, were not bestowed arbitrarily and haphazardly: We did not just pick out a person and his two sons blindly and blessed them, but they gave definite proofs of their loyalty and faithfulness to their real Master and then became deserving of His favours. Now, you cannot become entitled to those favours merely on the basis of your pride of descent, for We shall see who among you is righteous and who is wicked and then deal with him accordingly."
وَبَارَكْنَا عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَىٰ إِسْحَاقَ ۚ وَمِنْ
ذُرِّيَّتِهِمَا مُحْسِنٌ وَظَالِمٌ لِنَفْسِهِ مُبِينٌ {37:113}
[Q37:113] Wa
baaraknaa 'alaihi wa 'alaaa Ishaaq; wa min zurriyya tihimaa muhsinunw wa
zaalimul linafshihee mubeen.
[Q37:113] And We showered Our blessings on him and on Ishaq; and of their offspring are the doers of good, and (also) those who are clearly unjust to their own souls.
[Q37:113] And We showered Our blessings on him and on Ishaq; and of their offspring are the doers of good, and (also) those who are clearly unjust to their own souls.
[Q37:113] Dan Kami limpahi berkat
kepadanya dan kepada (anaknya): Ishak dan di antara zuriat keturunan keduanya
ada yang mengerjakan kebaikan dan ada pula yang berlaku zalim dengan nyata,
terhadap dirinya sendiri.
IS-HAQ'S OTHER NAME WAS ISRAIL, HENCE the children of Is-haq are referred to as the children of Israil. 1. They
enjoyed the promised blessings of ALLAH (SWT) as long as they deserved it, 2. BUT,
WHEN, on account of their ungodly ways, they fell
from grace, they did not stop ALLAH (SWT)'s plan, 3. AND THE responsibility of keeping alive
the guidance from ALLAH (SWT) was transferred to
the children of Ismail after prophet Isa who was the last
prophet in the progeny of Is-haq (refer to Baqarah 2:124).
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(37:113) And We blessed him and Isaac.
Among the offspring of the two some did good and some plainly wronged
themselves.
SECTION
4
ALLAH
(SWT)’s Blessings on Moses, Aaron, Elias and Lot
How ALLAH (SWT) delivered Moses, Aaron, Elias and Lot and punished the
disbelievers.
وَلَقَدْ مَنَنَّا عَلَىٰ مُوسَىٰ وَهَارُونَ {37:114}
[Q37:114] Wa laqad mananna alaa Moosaa
wa Haaroon,
[Q37:114] And certainly We conferred a favor on Musa and Haroun.
[Q37:114] And certainly We conferred a favor on Musa and Haroun.
[Q37:114] Dan demi sesungguhnya! Kami
telah melimpahkan nikmat pemberian kepada Nabi Musa dan Nabi Harun.
Refer to Ta Ha 20:9 to 98 for Musa and Harun, and also other
references mentioned therein.
Whenever Musa and Harun are
mentioned remember the well-known sayings of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa
ala ali Muhammad):
"O Ali, you are to me as Harun was to Musa. You and I are of one
and the same light."
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(37:114) Verily
We bestowed Our favours on Moses and Aaron
وَنَجَّيْنَاهُمَا وَقَوْمَهُمَا مِنَ الْكَرْبِ الْعَظِيمِ {37:115}
[Q37:115] Wa
najjainaahumaa wa qawmahumaa minal karbil 'azeem;
[Q37:115] And We delivered them both and their people from the mighty distress.
[Q37:115] And We delivered them both and their people from the mighty distress.
(see
commentary for verse 114)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(37:115) and We delivered both of them and their people
from the great calamity. *69
*69 "A
great distress": the distress in which they were involved at the hands of
Pharaoh and his people
وَنَصَرْنَاهُمْ فَكَانُوا هُمُ الْغَالِبِينَ {37:116}
[Q37:116] Wa
nasarnaahum fakaanoo humul ghaalibeen;
[Q37:116] And We helped them, so they were the vanquishers.
[Q37:116] And We helped them, so they were the vanquishers.
[Q37:116] Dan Kami menolong mereka
sehingga menjadilah mereka orang-orang yang berjaya mengalahkan (lawannya);
(see
commentary for verse 114)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(37:116) We succoured them, and they
gained the upper hand (against their enemies).
وَآتَيْنَاهُمَا الْكِتَابَ الْمُسْتَبِينَ {37:117}
[Q37:117] Wa
aatainaahumal Kitaabal mustabeen.
[Q37:117] And We gave them both the Book that made (things) clear.
[Q37:117] And We gave them both the Book that made (things) clear.
(see
commentary for verse 114)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(37:117) We granted them a Clear Book,
وَهَدَيْنَاهُمَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ {37:118}
[Q37:118] Wa
hadainaahumus Siraatal Mustaqeem.
[Q37:118] And We guided them both on the right way.
[Q37:118] And We guided them both on the right way.
(see
commentary for verse 114)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(37:118) and showed them the Straight Way,
وَتَرَكْنَا عَلَيْهِمَا فِي الْآخِرِينَ {37:119}
[Q37:119] Wa
taraknaa 'alaihimaa fil aakhireen;
[Q37:119] And We perpetuated (praise) to them among the later generations.
[Q37:119] And We perpetuated (praise) to them among the later generations.
[Q37:119] Dan Kami kekalkan bagi keduanya (nama
yang harum) dalam kalangan orang-orang yang datang kemudian:
(see
commentary for verse 114)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(37:119) and preserved for them a good
name among posterity.
سَلَامٌ عَلَىٰ مُوسَىٰ وَهَارُونَ {37:120}
[Q37:120] Salaamun
'alaa Moosaa wa Haroon.
[Q37:120] Peace be on Musa and Haroun.
[Q37:120] Peace be on Musa and Haroun.
Whenever Musa and Harun are mentioned jointly as the blessed and the chosen ones of ALLAH
(SWT), the saying of the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa
ala ali Muhammad) should be remembered---
1.
Ana
wa Ali min Noorin Waahid, I and Ali are of one and the same Light
2.
"O Ali, you are to me as Harun was to Musa.’
(see
commentary for verse 114)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(37:120) Peace be upon Moses and Aaron.
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