As-Saffat 37:102
Those who set the Ranks · Juz 23 · Page 449
فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ ٱلسَّعۡيَ قَالَ يَٰبُنَيَّ إِنِّيٓ أَرَىٰ فِي ٱلۡمَنَامِ أَنِّيٓ أَذۡبَحُكَ فَٱنظُرۡ مَاذَا تَرَىٰۚ قَالَ يَٰٓأَبَتِ ٱفۡعَلۡ مَا تُؤۡمَرُۖ سَتَجِدُنِيٓ إِن شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ ١٠٢
And when he reached with him [the age of] exertion,1 he said, "O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I [must] sacrifice you, so see what you think." He said, "O my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Allāh wills, of the steadfast."
1 translator’s note
- i.e., the ability to work and be of assistance. ↩
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Commentary on 37:102–113
In the days of Abraham, polytheism was so dominant that its continuity in history had been long established. Now, any child born into this situation was influenced by the surrounding atmosphere and was so immersed in polytheism that no effort even at the level of the Prophet was successful in weaning him away from it. When Abraham left Iraq, after a long missionary struggle, there were only two believers with him—one his wife Sarah and the other his nephew, Lot. People did not adhere to the concept of the oneness of God, despite the utmost struggle on the part of Prophet Abaraham. So, Almighty God planned that a new race be brought into existence which should be nurtured far away from the atmosphere of polytheism. For this purpose, the area of Hijaz was selected. This area, being dry and without any vegetation, was desolate and uninhabited. The plan was that a devotee should be settled in this area where he would become the progenitor of a pure race. Hijaz (Mecca and Medina) was a waterless desert and to settle anyone in such arid surroundings amounted to sacrificing him alive. God ordered Abraham to offer his son Ishmael as a sacrifice, and in all obedience, Abraham submitted to God’s will. Abraham’s second son was Isaac. Prophethood continued in his line of descent until the advent of the last prophet who belonged to the Children of Ishmael (the younger brother of Isaac). The Prophet Muhammad brought about a revolution, which destroyed polytheism as a dominant school of thought.
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37:77
وَجَعَلۡنَا ذُرِّيَّتَهُۥ هُمُ ٱلۡبَاقِينَ ٧٧
And We made his descendants those remaining [on the earth]
37:78
وَتَرَكۡنَا عَلَيۡهِ فِي ٱلۡأٓخِرِينَ ٧٨
And left for him [favorable mention] among later generations:
37:79
سَلَٰمٌ عَلَىٰ نُوحٖ فِي ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ٧٩
"Peace upon Noah among the worlds."
37:80
إِنَّا كَذَٰلِكَ نَجۡزِي ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ ٨٠
Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good.
37:81
إِنَّهُۥ مِنۡ عِبَادِنَا ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ ٨١
Indeed, he was of Our believing servants.
37:82
ثُمَّ أَغۡرَقۡنَا ٱلۡأٓخَرِينَ ٨٢
Then We drowned the others [i.e., disbelievers].
37:83
۞ وَإِنَّ مِن شِيعَتِهِۦ لَإِبۡرَٰهِيمَ ٨٣
And indeed, among his kind was Abraham,
37:84
إِذۡ جَآءَ رَبَّهُۥ بِقَلۡبٖ سَلِيمٍ ٨٤
When he came to his Lord with a sound heart
37:85
إِذۡ قَالَ لِأَبِيهِ وَقَوۡمِهِۦ مَاذَا تَعۡبُدُونَ ٨٥
[And] when he said to his father and his people, "What do you worship?
37:86
أَئِفۡكًا ءَالِهَةٗ دُونَ ٱللَّهِ تُرِيدُونَ ٨٦
Is it falsehood [as] gods other than Allāh you desire?
37:87
فَمَا ظَنُّكُم بِرَبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ٨٧
Then what is your thought about the Lord of the worlds?"
37:88
فَنَظَرَ نَظۡرَةٗ فِي ٱلنُّجُومِ ٨٨
And he cast a look at the stars
37:89
فَقَالَ إِنِّي سَقِيمٞ ٨٩
And said, "Indeed, I am [about to be] ill."
37:90
فَتَوَلَّوۡاْ عَنۡهُ مُدۡبِرِينَ ٩٠
So they turned away from him, departing.
37:91
فَرَاغَ إِلَىٰٓ ءَالِهَتِهِمۡ فَقَالَ أَلَا تَأۡكُلُونَ ٩١
Then he turned to their gods and said, "Do you not eat?1
1 translator’s note
- Consume the offerings placed before them. ↩
37:92
مَا لَكُمۡ لَا تَنطِقُونَ ٩٢
What is [wrong] with you that you do not speak?"
37:93
فَرَاغَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ ضَرۡبَۢا بِٱلۡيَمِينِ ٩٣
And he turned upon them a blow with [his] right hand.
37:94
فَأَقۡبَلُوٓاْ إِلَيۡهِ يَزِفُّونَ ٩٤
Then they [i.e., the people] came toward him, hastening.
37:95
قَالَ أَتَعۡبُدُونَ مَا تَنۡحِتُونَ ٩٥
He said, "Do you worship that which you [yourselves] carve,
37:96
وَٱللَّهُ خَلَقَكُمۡ وَمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ ٩٦
While Allāh created you and that which you do?"
37:97
قَالُواْ ٱبۡنُواْ لَهُۥ بُنۡيَٰنٗا فَأَلۡقُوهُ فِي ٱلۡجَحِيمِ ٩٧
They said, "Construct for him a structure [i.e., furnace] and throw him into the burning fire."
37:98
فَأَرَادُواْ بِهِۦ كَيۡدٗا فَجَعَلۡنَٰهُمُ ٱلۡأَسۡفَلِينَ ٩٨
And they intended for him a plan [i.e., harm], but We made them the most debased.
37:99
وَقَالَ إِنِّي ذَاهِبٌ إِلَىٰ رَبِّي سَيَهۡدِينِ ٩٩
And [then] he said, "Indeed, I will go to [where I am ordered by] my Lord; He will guide me.
37:100
رَبِّ هَبۡ لِي مِنَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ ١٠٠
My Lord, grant me [a child] from among the righteous."
37:101
فَبَشَّرۡنَٰهُ بِغُلَٰمٍ حَلِيمٖ ١٠١
So We gave him good tidings of a forbearing boy.
37:102
فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ ٱلسَّعۡيَ قَالَ يَٰبُنَيَّ إِنِّيٓ أَرَىٰ فِي ٱلۡمَنَامِ أَنِّيٓ أَذۡبَحُكَ فَٱنظُرۡ مَاذَا تَرَىٰۚ قَالَ يَٰٓأَبَتِ ٱفۡعَلۡ مَا تُؤۡمَرُۖ سَتَجِدُنِيٓ إِن شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ ١٠٢
And when he reached with him [the age of] exertion,1 he said, "O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I [must] sacrifice you, so see what you think." He said, "O my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Allāh wills, of the steadfast."
1 translator’s note
- i.e., the ability to work and be of assistance. ↩