قَالَ أَرَاغِبٌ أَنْتَ عَنْ آلِهَتِي يَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ ۖ لَئِن لَّمْ تَنتَهِ لَأَرْجُمَنَّكَ ۖ وَاهْجُرْنِي مَلِيًّا
Abraham’s appeal, made in the most compassionate language, cannot however find its way to his father’s hardened heart. The father retorts with rejection and threats:
أَرَاغِبٌ أَنْتَ عَنْ آلِهَتِي يَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ؟ لَئِنْ لَمْ تَنْتَهِ لَأَرْجُمَنَّكَ وَاهْجُرْنِي مَلِيًّا
Are you renouncing my gods, Abraham? If you do not desist, I shall most certainly have you stoned. Now begone from me for good! (Verse 46)
كان جواب أبيه قاسيًا وفظًّا ومتعاليًا، وفيه تهديد. فقد عدّ رفض إبراهيم للأصنام وقاحةً منه، وجريمةً يستحق عليها عقوبةً قاسية، وهي الموت رجمًا بالحجارة. ولذلك نصحه أن يبتعد عنه، وإلا فإن العقاب سيقع عليه لا محالة.
His father’s answer was harsh, arrogant and threatening. He considered Abraham’s rejection of idols to be impertinent. It was a crime for which Abraham deserved a cruel punishment: i.e. death by stoning. Hence, he advised him to stay away, or else punishment would be forthcoming.
وبهذا الجهل وهذه القسوة يرد الأب على نداء الابن المتحمّس والمؤدّب، ولا يُراعى أي اعتبار لعناية الابن واهتمامه بأبيه.
It is with such ignorance and cruelty that the father replies to the son’s passionate and polite appeal. No regard is given for the son’s care and concern for his father.
هذا في الحقيقة هو النمط نفسه من الرد الذي يتلقاه دعاة الإيمان ممن أغلظ قلوبهم الكفر وفقدوا الهداية.
This is indeed the pattern of response that advocates of faith receive from those who are hardened by disbelief and lack of guidance.
أما إبراهيم عليه السلام فلم يدع الغضب يملي عليه موقفه، ولم يغب عن ناظريه بِرُّه بأبيه، ولهذا ظل يخاطبه بالاحترام والرحمة:
Abraham, however, does not allow anger to dictate his attitude. He does not lose sight of his dutifulness to his father. Hence, he continues to address him with respect and compassion:
قَالَ سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكَ ۖ سَأَسْتَغْفِرُ لَكَ رَبِّي ۖ إِنَّهُ كَانَ بِي حَفِيًّا ﴿٤٧﴾ وَأَعْتَزِلُكُمْ وَمَا تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَأَدْعُو رَبِّي عَسَىٰ أَلَّا أَكُونَ بِدُعَاءِ رَبِّي شَقِيًّا ﴿٤٨﴾
Abraham replied: Peace be on you. I shall pray to my Lord to forgive you; for He has always been very kind to me. But I shall withdraw from you all and from whatever you invoke instead of God, and I shall pray to my Lord alone. Perhaps, by my prayer to my Lord I shall not be unblest. (Verses 47-48)
ابراہیمؑ واضح کر دیتے ہیں کہ وہ اس دھمکی کا جواب نہیں دیں گے، اور نہ ہی بے سود بحث میں پڑیں گے۔ وہ اپنے والد سے وعدہ کرتے ہیں کہ وہ اللہ سے ان کے لیے مغفرت کی دعا کریں گے، اور یہ کہ اللہ انہیں اس طرح سزا نہ دے کہ وہ مزید گمراہی میں آگے بڑھتے جائیں۔ وہ اللہ سے دعا کریں گے کہ وہ ان کے والد پر رحم فرمائے اور انہیں حق کی ہدایت دے۔ وہ ان سے کہتے ہیں کہ وہ اللہ کے بے پایاں احسانات کے عادی ہیں، کیونکہ وہ ان کی دعائیں قبول فرماتا ہے۔ پھر وہ مزید کہتے ہیں کہ اگر ان کی اپنی موجودگی اور ان کی التجا ان کے والد کو ناگوار گزرتی ہے تو وہ الگ ہو جائیں گے، اپنے والد اور اپنی قوم کو چھوڑ دیں گے، اور ان معبودوں کو بھی ترک کر دیں گے جنہیں وہ اللہ کے سوا پکارتے ہیں۔ وہ صرف اکیلے اللہ ہی کی عبادت کریں گے، اس امید کے ساتھ کہ ایسا کرنے سے وہ محرومی سے بچ جائیں گے۔ یہی ایک مومن کی شائستگی اور عاجزی ہے۔ ابراہیمؑ اپنے آپ کو اللہ کی عنایات کا اس سے بڑھ کر مستحق نہیں سمجھتے کہ انہیں بدبختی، ناخوشی اور برکتوں کے سلب ہو جانے سے محفوظ رکھا جائے۔
Abraham makes it clear that he will not respond to the threat, nor will he indulge in futile argument. He promises his father to pray to God to forgive him and not to punish him by allowing him to go further astray. He will pray to God to have mercy on his father and guide him to the truth. He tells him that he is used to God’s generous favours, as He answers his prayers. Then he adds that if his own presence and appeal irritate his father, then he will withdraw, leave his father and people, abandoning the deities they invoke instead of God. He will only worship God alone, hoping that by doing so he will avoid being unblest. Such is a believer’s politeness and humility. Abraham does not feel that he is deserving of favours from God more than being spared misery, unhappiness and withdrawal of blessings.
وهكذا ترك إبراهيم أباه وقومه ووطنه، وكذلك أصنامهم وعبادتهم. لكن الله بارك له في النسل، وأعطاه خيراً مما ضحّى به.
Thus Abraham left his father, his community and homeland, as well as their idols and worship practices. God, however, blessed him with offspring and gave him what was better than that which he had sacrificed.
فَلَمَّا اعْتَزَلَهُمْ وَمَا يَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَهَبْنَا لَهُ إِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ ۚ وَكُلًّا جَعَلْنَا نَبِيًّا وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُم مِّن رَّحْمَتِنَا وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُمْ لِسَانَ صِدْقٍ عَلِيًّا
When he had withdrawn from them and from all that they were worshipping instead of God, We bestowed on him Isaac and Jacob, each of whom We made a prophet. We bestowed on them of Our mercy and We granted them the high honour of [conveying! the truth. (Verses 49-50)
وُلِدَ إسحاقُ لإبراهيمَ من زوجته سارةَ، التي كانت عاقرًا قبل ولادته. أما يعقوبُ فهو ابنُ إسحاقَ، لكنه يُذكر هنا كأنه ابنُ إبراهيمَ نفسِه، لأنه وُلِدَ في حياة جدِّه ونشأ في كنفه. وهكذا كان قريبًا من جدِّه قُربَ الابنِ من أبيه، فتلقّى الإيمانَ عنه مباشرةً، ثم علّمه لأبنائه. وكان كلٌّ من إسحاقَ ويعقوبَ نبيًّا.
Isaac was Abraham’s son, born to him by his wife Sarah who, prior to his birth, was childless. Jacob was Isaac’s son, but he is mentioned here as though he were Abraham’s own son, because he was born during his grandfather’s lifetime, growing up under his care. Thus, he was close to his grandfather, just as though he were his own son. He learnt faith from him directly and he taught it to his own children. Both Isaac and Jacob were prophets.
«وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُم مِّن رَّحْمَتِنَا» (الآية ٥٠). هذا إشارةٌ إلى إبراهيم وإسحاق ويعقوب، وإلى ذرّيّتهم. فقد كانوا جميعًا من المشمولين برحمة الله، وقد ذُكرت هذه الرحمة هنا بوصفها أعظمَ نعمة أنعم الله بها، في الجوّ العامّ للسورة. وكانت سَعةُ فضل الله هي التي عوّضت إبراهيمَ عن فقدان قومه ووطنه، وأعطته الطمأنينة في بيئته الجديدة الموحشة. «وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُمْ لِسَانَ صِدْقٍ عَلِيًّا» (الآية ٥٠). كانوا صادقين في رسالتهم، يتمتعون بالثقة والإجلال بين قومهم، فكانت كلمتهم مسموعةً ومقبولةً حسنًا.
“We bestowed on them of Our mercy.” (Verse 50) This is a reference to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, as well as to their offspring. They were all recipients of God’s mercy, which is mentioned here as the most bounteous gift granted by God in the general ambience of the sūrah. Furthermore, it was the quality of God’s bounty that compensated Abraham for the loss of his people and homeland, giving him reassurance in his new solitary environment. “We granted them the high honour of [conveying! the truth.” (Verse 50) They were truthful in their mission, enjoying trust and honour among their people. Their word was listened to and received well.
ثم تمضي السورة في الحديث عن الفرع نفسه من ذرية إبراهيم، فتذكّرنا بموسى وهارون، فتقول: ﴿وَاذْكُرْ فِي الْكِتَابِ مُوسَىٰ ۚ إِنَّهُ كَانَ مُخْلَصًا وَكَانَ رَسُولًا نَبِيًّا * وَنَادَيْنَاهُ مِن جَانِبِ الطُّورِ الْأَيْمَنِ وَقَرَّبْنَاهُ نَجِيًّا * وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ مِن رَّحْمَتِنَا أَخَاهُ هَارُونَ نَبِيًّا﴾ (مريم: ٥١-٥٣).
The sūrah moves on, speaking about the same branch of Abraham’s seed and reminding us of Moses and Aaron: “And mention in the Book Moses, who was a chosen one, a messenger of God and a prophet. We called out to him from the right side of Mount Sinai and drew him near [to Us] in mystic communion. We gave him, out of Our grace, his brother Aaron, to be a prophet.” (Verses 51-53)
وصف موسى هنا بأنه من اختير للمهمة المتمثلة في التفرغ لدعوة الله، وهو نبي مؤتمن على رسالة يجب عليه أن يبلغها إلى الناس. والنبي ليس له المهمة نفسها؛ فهو داعية إلى الدين الذي يتلقاه من الله مباشرة. وقد كان في بني إسرائيل أنبياء كثيرون أُوكلت إليهم مهمة الدعوة إلى الرسالة التي جاء بها موسى، والحكم بين الناس وفق التوراة التي أنزلها الله إليه: ﴿إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَا التَّوْرَاةَ فِيهَا هُدًى وَنُورٌ ۚ يَحْكُمُ بِهَا النَّبِيُّونَ الَّذِينَ أَسْلَمُوا لِلَّذِينَ هَادُوا وَالرَّبَّانِيُّونَ وَالْأَحْبَارُ﴾.
Moses is described here as one who was chosen for the task of dedication to God’s call. He is identified as a prophet who is entrusted with a message that he must deliver to people. A prophet is not given the same task. He is an advocate of faith which he receives from God directly. Among the Children of Israel there were many prophets who were given the task of advocating the message delivered by Moses and judging among people according to the Torah revealed to him by God: “Indeed, it is We who revealed the Torah, containing guidance and light. By it did the prophets, who had surrendered themselves to God, judge among the Jews, and so did the divines and the rabbis:
[حكموا] بِمَا اسْتُحْفِظُوا مِنْ كِتَابِ اللهِ وَكَانُوا عَلَيْهِ شُهَدَاءَ
[they gave judgement] in accordance with what had been entrusted to their care of God’s Book and to which they themselves were witnesses.” (5: 44)
لقد أُبرز الفضل الذي منحه الله لموسى عليه السلام حين نُودي من الجانب الأيمن للطور. [كان ذلك الجانب الأيمن لموسى وهو واقف في تلك اللحظة متجهًا نحو الجبل.] فقد قُرِّب إلى الله قربًا عظيمًا حتى كلَّمه تكليمًا. ولا نعلم كيف جرى هذا التواصل، ولا كيف فهم موسى ذلك الكلام. أكان صوتًا سمعه موسى بأذنيه على الوجه المعتاد، أم خطابًا تلقّاه بكليته؟ ولا نعلم أيضًا كيف هيّأ الله موسى لتلقي كلامه سبحانه. لكننا نؤمن بأن ذلك كله قد وقع. وإنما هو أمر يسير على الله أن يحققه، فيُدني عبده منه في تكليم، مع بقاء إنسانيته. ولا ينبغي أن ننسى أن الإنسان قد نال مكانته بنفخ روح الله فيه.
وتذكر السورة كيف أنعم الله على موسى برحمته حين أيّده بأخيه هارون، الذي جعله الله أيضًا نبيًّا. وكان موسى هو الذي طلب هذا العون، فاستجاب الله له: ﴿وَأَخِي هَارُونُ هُوَ أَفْصَحُ مِنِّي لِسَانًا فَأَرْسِلْهُ مَعِيَ رِدْءًا يُصَدِّقُنِي إِنِّي أَخَافُ أَنْ يُكَذِّبُونِ﴾ [القصص: 34]. وفي السورة كلها تبدو بوضوح نسمات من رحمة الله.
The grace granted to Moses is highlighted as he was called out from the right side of Mount Sinai. [That was the right side of Moses as he stood at that moment facing the Mount.] He was drawn so close as to be spoken to in communion. We do not know how this communication took place, or how Moses understood it. Was it a voice heard by Moses through his ears in the normal way, or was it an address received by his whole being. Nor do we know how God prepared Moses to receive His own words. But we believe that all this took place. It is simply very easy for God to accomplish it, bringing His servant into communion with Him while at the same time retaining his humanity. We must not forget that man acquired his status with the breathing in of God’s spirit into him.§ The sūrah mentions how God bestowed His mercy on Moses by giving him the support of Aaron, his brother, whom God also made a prophet. It was Moses who requested this help and God granted it: “My brother Aaron is far better in speech than I am. Send him, therefore, as a helper, so that he might bear witness to my speaking the truth; for I fear indeed that they will accuse me of lying.” (28: 34) Indeed, throughout the sūrah there is an unmistakeable air of divine mercy.