| Chapter 14 : Surah Ibrahim |
(Revealed before Hijrah) Introduction The Surah sheds light on the main reason for the triumph of Divine Messengers over their opponents which is that they worship God and preach the Truth. After dealing with this subject the Surah lays down some prominent marks and characteristics of the revealed Word of God and the criteria by which its truth can be tested. Judged by these criteria the Qur'an is definitely proved to be God's own revealed Word. Muslims then are advised how best to profit by its noble ideals and teachings. Next, the Surah points out that the change which was about to take place in Arabia through the Message of the Qur'an had been decreed ages ago by Almighty God. It had been God's plan and purpose since Abraham went to the wilderness of Paran and settled his son Ishmael and his wife Hagar there that that barren and bleak country would one day become the centre of the greatest religious Movement the world had ever seen. Mecca was founded to fulfil this Divine plan. This is why, in spite of the sterility and barrenness of its soil, God has ever provided for its inhabitants their means of livelihood in an ample measure. While Abraham was reconstructing the House of God with the help of his son, Ishmael, he prayed that God might raise up among the Meccans a Messenger, who should recite to them His Signs and teach them the Book and wisdom and should purify them (2: 130). This prayer was fulfilled in the person of the Holy Prophet. The Surah reminds the Faithful that their duties and responsibilities had already been explained to them by Prophet Abraham and that they should never lose sight of them. It ends with a warning to disbelievers that since Mecca had been founded to become the centre and citadel for the preaching and propagation of the doctrine of the Divine Unity, they should give up idolatry. All efforts on their part to oppose the Divine purpose were bound to end in complete failure and frustration.
الَّذِينَ يَسْتَحِبُّونَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا عَلَى الآخِرَةِ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَيَبْغُونَهَا عِوَجًا أُوْلَئِكَ فِي ضَلاَلٍ بَعِيدٍ وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ رَسُولٍ إِلاَّ بِلِسَانِ قَوْمِهِ لِيُبَيِّنَ لَهُمْ فَيُضِلُّ اللَّهُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا مُوسَى بِآيَاتِنَا أَنْ أَخْرِجْ قَوْمَكَ مِنْ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ وَذَكِّرْهُمْ بِأَيَّامِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لآياتٍ لِكُلِّ صَبَّارٍ شَكُورٍ وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَى لِقَوْمِهِ اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ أَنجَاكُمْ مِنْ آلِ فِرْعَوْنَ يَسُومُونَكُمْ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ وَيُذَبِّحُونَ أَبْنَاءَكُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيُونَ نِسَاءَكُمْ وَفِي ذَلِكُمْ بَلاَءٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ عَظِيمٌ
أَلَمْ يَأْتِكُمْ نَبَأُ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ قَوْمِ نُوحٍ وَعَادٍ وَثَمُودَ وَالَّذِينَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُهُمْ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ جَاءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَرَدُّوا أَيْدِيَهُمْ فِي أَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَقَالُوا إِنَّا كَفَرْنَا بِمَا أُرْسِلْتُمْ بِهِ وَإِنَّا لَفِي شَكٍّ مِمَّا تَدْعُونَنَا إِلَيْهِ مُرِيبٍ قَالَتْ رُسُلُهُمْ أَفِي اللَّهِ شَكٌّ فَاطِرِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ يَدْعُوكُمْ لِيَغْفِرَ لَكُمْ مِنْ ذُنُوبِكُمْ وَيُؤَخِّرَكُمْ إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى قَالُوا إِنْ أَنْتُمْ إِلاَّ بَشَرٌ مِثْلُنَا تُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَصُدُّونَا عَمَّا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ آبَاؤُنَا فَأْتُونَا بِسُلْطَانٍ مُبِينٍ قَالَتْ لَهُمْ رُسُلُهُمْ إِنْ نَحْنُ إِلاَّ بَشَرٌ مِثْلُكُمْ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَمُنُّ عَلَى مَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ وَمَا كَانَ لَنَا أَنْ نَأْتِيَكُمْ بِسُلْطَانٍ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلْ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَمَا لَنَا أَلاَّ نَتَوَكَّلَ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَقَدْ هَدَانَا سُبُلَنَا وَلَنَصْبِرَنَّ عَلَى مَا آذَيْتُمُونَا وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلْ الْمُتَوَكِّلُونَ وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِرُسُلِهِمْ لَنُخْرِجَنَّكُمْ مِنْ أَرْضِنَا أَوْ لَتَعُودُنَّ فِي مِلَّتِنَا فَأَوْحَى إِلَيْهِمْ رَبُّهُمْ لَنُهْلِكَنَّ الظَّالِمِينَ
مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِرَبِّهِمْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ كَرَمَادٍ اشْتَدَّتْ بِهِ الرِّيحُ فِي يَوْمٍ عَاصِفٍ لاَ يَقْدِرُونَ مِمَّا كَسَبُوا عَلَى شَيْءٍ ذَلِكَ هُوَ الضَّلاَلُ الْبَعِيدُ
وَبَرَزُوا لِلَّهِ جَمِيعًا فَقَالَ الضُّعَفَاءُ لِلَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا إِنَّا كُنَّا لَكُمْ تَبَعًا فَهَلْ أَنْتُمْ مُغْنُونَ عَنَّا مِنْ عَذَابِ اللَّهِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ قَالُوا لَوْ هَدَانَا اللَّهُ لَهَدَيْنَاكُمْ سَوَاءٌ عَلَيْنَا أَجَزِعْنَا أَمْ صَبَرْنَا مَا لَنَا مِنْ مَحِيصٍ وَقَالَ الشَّيْطَانُ لَمَّا قُضِيَ الأَمْرُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَعَدَكُمْ وَعْدَ الْحَقِّ وَوَعَدْتُكُمْ فَأَخْلَفْتُكُمْ وَمَا كَانَ لِي عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ سُلْطَانٍ إِلاَّ أَنْ دَعَوْتُكُمْ فَاسْتَجَبْتُمْ لِي فَلاَ تَلُومُونِي وَلُومُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ مَا أَنَا بِمُصْرِخِكُمْ وَمَا أَنْتُمْ بِمُصْرِخِيَّ إِنِّي كَفَرْتُ بِمَا أَشْرَكْتُمُونِي مِنْ قَبْلُ إِنَّ الظَّالِمِينَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ وَأُدْخِلَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ تَحِيَّتُهُمْ فِيهَا سَلاَمٌ أَلَمْ تَرَى كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلاً كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرَةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَفَرْعُهَا فِي السَّمَاءِ
يُثَبِّتُ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الآخِرَةِ وَيُضِلُّ اللَّهُ الظَّالِمِينَ وَيَفْعَلُ اللَّهُ مَا يَشَاءُ
قُلْ لِعِبَادِي الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا يُقِيمُوا الصَّلاَةَ وَيُنفِقُوا مِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ سِرًّا وَعَلاَنِيَةً مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يَأْتِيَ يَوْمٌ لاَ بَيْعٌ فِيهِ وَلاَ خِلاَلٌ اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ وَأَنزَلَ مِنْ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَأَخْرَجَ بِهِ مِنْ الثَّمَرَاتِ رِزْقًا لَكُمْ وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمْ الْفُلْكَ لِتَجْرِيَ فِي الْبَحْرِ بِأَمْرِهِ وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمْ الأَنهَارَ
رَبَّنَا إِنِّي أَسْكَنتُ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِي بِوَادٍ غَيْرِ ذِي زَرْعٍ عِنْدَ بَيْتِكَ الْمُحَرَّمِ رَبَّنَا لِيُقِيمُوا الصَّلاَةَ فَاجْعَلْ أَفْئِدَةً مِنْ النَّاسِ تَهْوِي إِلَيْهِمْ وَارْزُقْهُمْ مِنْ الثَّمَرَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَشْكُرُونَ
وَأَنذِرْ النَّاسَ يَوْمَ يَأْتِيهِمْ الْعَذَابُ فَيَقُولُ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا رَبَّنَا أَخِّرْنَا إِلَى أَجَلٍ قَرِيبٍ نُجِبْ دَعْوَتَكَ وَنَتَّبِعْ الرُّسُلَ أَوَلَمْ تَكُونُوا أَقْسَمْتُمْ مِنْ قَبْلُ مَا لَكُمْ مِنْ زَوَالٍ وَسَكَنتُمْ فِي مَسَاكِنِ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ وَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمْ كَيْفَ فَعَلْنَا بِهِمْ وَضَرَبْنَا لَكُمْ الأَمْثَالَ
1453. The verse does not mean that the Message of the Holy Prophet was confined to the Arabs alone. Such an assumption is belied by other verses of the Qur'an in which he is clearly and unequivocally declared to be a Divine Messenger sent for the whole world (7:159; 34:29). Not only does the Qur'an claim a universal mission for the Holy Prophet, but the Holy Prophet himself is reported to have said, 'I have been sent to the black and the red,' meaning the whole of mankind (Bihar); and 'I have been raised for all mankind' (Bukhari). The Qur'an was revealed in the Arabic language because the Arabs were its first addressees (and also because Arabic, being the most expressive, eloquent and comprehensive language, was eminently suited to be the vehicle for the delivery of the Quranic Message) and through them its Message was to be preached to the world and not that the Message was meant for the Arabs only. 1454. The expression Ayyam Allah signifies the favors and punishments of Allah (Taj), like the well-known Arabic phrase Ayyam al-'Arab which means, the fights and conflicts of the Arabs. 1455. Shukr (gratefulness) is of three kinds: (1) With the heart or mind, which consists in forming an adequate idea of the benefit received; (2) with the tongue, which consists in praising, eulogizing or commending the benefactor; and (3) with the limbs, which consists in requiting the benefit received according to its desert. It rests upon five foundations, (a) humility of him who renders it towards him to whom it is rendered; (b) his love of him; (c) his acknowledgment of his benefit; (d) his eulogizing him for it; and (e) his not making use of the benefit in a manner which he (who has conferred it) may dislike. This is Shukr on the part of man. Shukr on the part of God consists in forgiving a person or commending him, or regarding him with satisfaction, goodwill or favor, and hence necessarily recompensing or rewarding him (Lane). One can only be truly grateful to God when one makes right use of His gifts. 1456. These words indicate that Prophets were also raised among nations other than the progeny of Abraham, for, the tribes of 'Ad and Thamud were followed by some other peoples whom 'none knows now save Allah>' whereas the Prophets that appeared among the progeny of Abraham have been mentioned both in the Qur'an and the Bible. 1457. The words mean that disbelievers thrust their hands into their own mouths in amazement at the high-sounding claims of the Prophets. Or they bit their hands in rage at what the Prophets said. Or they put their hands on the mouths of the Prophets so as to silence them and make them cease talking about their claims. 1458. The creation of the heavens and the earth has been adduced to prove the Divine origin of the teachings given to the Prophets. God being the Creator of the heavens and the earth it would be unreasonable to suppose that, having created man, He had left him without guidance. It would be equally inconsistent with reason to think that, whereas God had made ample provision for the material welfare and advancement of man by creating the heavens and the earth, He had neglected to provide for his spiritual welfare. 1459. A Messenger of God who is sent for the guidance of men and to serve as a model or exemplar for them must be a man like themselves; for, without being a human being like themselves, he could not be a model for them. 1460. The Qur'an has used both singular and plural numbers for the personal pronoun with reference to the Supreme Being. Where the Power and Majesty of God are meant to be expressed, the plural number is used; and where His Self-Sufficiency and Independence are intended to be emphasized the singular number is used. Or, as some Muslim divines have stated, where God intends to bring about a result through the agency of angels, the plural number is used; but where a work is to be performed through some special Divine decree, the singular number is resorted to. The present verse combines both. 1461. The coming of death from every quarter means that the many sins and crimes of disbelievers will assume different forms of death for them. 1462. "Their works" may mean, the efforts which disbelievers made in opposition to the Prophets of God. 1463. It is not so much the actual misdeeds of a people that bring about their downfall as the exposure of their weaknesses. With their weaknesses having become exposed, their prestige and reputation which. more than their achievements. are the mainstay of their success, suffer a mortal blow, lowering them in the estimation of rival communities and bringing in their wake their decline and decadence. This is the significance of the verse, 'they shall appear before Allah.' 1464. A people who are destined to perish give way to despair and become readily resigned to their low state. 1465. The Word of God has been likened in these verses to a tree which possesses four essential qualities: (a) It is good, meaning it is free from all such teachings as may, in any way; offend against human reason and conscience or against human feelings and susceptibilities. (b) Like a good and deep-rooted fruitful tree it possesses a strong and stable foundation and receives fresh life and sustenance from its Source, and like a strong tree it does not bend before the blasts of objections and adverse criticism but stands firm against all storms. It derives life and sustenance from only One Source and there is therefore no disharmony or discard in its principles and teachings. (c) Its branches reach into heaven, which means that by acting upon it a man can scale the highest summits of spiritual eminence. (d) It yields its fruits in abundance in all seasons which signifies that its blessings are witnessed at all times and it continues to produce in every age men who by acting upon its teaching attain communion with God and by their uprightness and the purity of their conduct tower high above their contemporaries. The Qur'an possesses all these qualities in full measure. 1466. Unlike the good tree a book which is forged by a fabricator is like an evil tree. It does not possess permanence or stability. Its teachings are supported neither by reason nor by the laws of nature. It cannot stand criticism and its principles and ideals keep on changing with the change in human conditions and circumstances. It is a hotchpotch of teachings collected from doubtful sources. It fails to produce men who can claim to have established true and real connection with God. It does not receive fresh life from the Divine Source and is subject to decay and degeneration. 1467. The words, 'You ask of Him,' refer to the demands of human nature which have all been fully met. God has made full provision for the satisfaction of all the cravings and demands of human nature. 1468. Abraham's prayer, referred to in the present verse, shows that he knew that idolatry would one day prevail in Mecca and the country around it. Hence his anxiety for the protection of his progeny against idol-worship when the prayer was offered many hundred years ago. 1469. The reference is to the settling by Abraham of his son Ishmael and his wife Hagar in the wilderness of Arabia. Ishmael was yet a child when in obedience to Divine command and in fulfillment of Divine plan Abraham brought him and his mother Hagar in the bleak and barren tract where Mecca now stands. At that time there was no sign of life and no means of subsistence at the place (Bukhari). But God had so designed that the place should become the scene of the activities of God's last Message for mankind. Ishmael was chosen as the vehicle for the implementation of the Divine plan. 1470. This prayer of Abraham found its complete fulfillment in the Holy Prophet; for before him it was only the Arabs who visited Mecca to offer their oblations but, after his advent, people from all over the world began to visit it. 1471. The prayer was made at a time when not a blade of grass was to be seen for many miles around Mecca. Yet the prophecy met with fulfillment in a marvelous manner, for the choicest fruits come to Mecca in plenty in all seasons. 1472. The reason, why Divine Prophets pray to God for forgiveness not withstanding the fact that they enjoy protection against Satan, is their realization of the holiness and majesty of God and of their own weakness. It is this realization of human weakness which makes them humbly pray to God that He may "cover" them with His grace and mercy so that their very self may become completely obliterated and may merge completely in Him. 1473. This and the preceding verse give a graphic description of the bewilderment and consternation of the Meccans when they suddenly found the Holy Prophet at the gates of Mecca with an army ten thousand strong, without their having the least inkling of his coming. 1474. God knows their evil designs full well and will frustrate them. 1475. With the Fall of Mecca and the establishment of Islam in Arabia as a mighty force, a new universe; as it were; came into being with a new heaven and a new earth. The old order was swept away, and a new one, completely different from the old one, took its place.
|
