As-Saffat 37:113
Those who set the Ranks · Juz 23 · Page 450
وَبَٰرَكۡنَا عَلَيۡهِ وَعَلَىٰٓ إِسۡحَٰقَۚ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِهِمَا مُحۡسِنٞ وَظَالِمٞ لِّنَفۡسِهِۦ مُبِينٞ ١١٣
And We blessed him and Isaac. But among their descendants is the doer of good and the clearly unjust to himself [i.e., sinner].
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Tazkirul Quran
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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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37:103
فَلَمَّآ أَسۡلَمَا وَتَلَّهُۥ لِلۡجَبِينِ ١٠٣
And when they had both submitted1 and he put him down upon his forehead,
1 translator’s note
- To the command of Allāh. ↩
37:104
وَنَٰدَيۡنَٰهُ أَن يَٰٓإِبۡرَٰهِيمُ ١٠٤
We called to him, "O Abraham,
37:105
قَدۡ صَدَّقۡتَ ٱلرُّءۡيَآۚ إِنَّا كَذَٰلِكَ نَجۡزِي ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ ١٠٥
You have fulfilled the vision." Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good.
37:106
إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَهُوَ ٱلۡبَلَٰٓؤُاْ ٱلۡمُبِينُ ١٠٦
Indeed, this was the clear trial.
37:107
وَفَدَيۡنَٰهُ بِذِبۡحٍ عَظِيمٖ ١٠٧
And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice,1
1 translator’s note
- Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) sent a huge ram to be sacrificed in place of Ishmael. ↩
37:108
وَتَرَكۡنَا عَلَيۡهِ فِي ٱلۡأٓخِرِينَ ١٠٨
And We left for him [favorable mention] among later generations:
37:109
سَلَٰمٌ عَلَىٰٓ إِبۡرَٰهِيمَ ١٠٩
"Peace upon Abraham."
37:110
كَذَٰلِكَ نَجۡزِي ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ ١١٠
Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good.
37:111
إِنَّهُۥ مِنۡ عِبَادِنَا ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ ١١١
Indeed, he was of Our believing servants.
37:112
وَبَشَّرۡنَٰهُ بِإِسۡحَٰقَ نَبِيّٗا مِّنَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ ١١٢
And We gave him good tidings of Isaac, a prophet from among the righteous.1
1 translator’s note
- This verifies that the firstborn son who was to be sacrificed was Ishmael and not Isaac, as claimed by the Jews and Christians. ↩
37:113
وَبَٰرَكۡنَا عَلَيۡهِ وَعَلَىٰٓ إِسۡحَٰقَۚ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِهِمَا مُحۡسِنٞ وَظَالِمٞ لِّنَفۡسِهِۦ مُبِينٞ ١١٣
And We blessed him and Isaac. But among their descendants is the doer of good and the clearly unjust to himself [i.e., sinner].
37:114
وَلَقَدۡ مَنَنَّا عَلَىٰ مُوسَىٰ وَهَٰرُونَ ١١٤
And We did certainly confer favor upon Moses and Aaron.
37:115
وَنَجَّيۡنَٰهُمَا وَقَوۡمَهُمَا مِنَ ٱلۡكَرۡبِ ٱلۡعَظِيمِ ١١٥
And We saved them and their people from the great affliction,
37:116
وَنَصَرۡنَٰهُمۡ فَكَانُواْ هُمُ ٱلۡغَٰلِبِينَ ١١٦
And We supported them so it was they who overcame.
37:117
وَءَاتَيۡنَٰهُمَا ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ ٱلۡمُسۡتَبِينَ ١١٧
And We gave them the explicit Scripture [i.e., the Torah],
37:118
وَهَدَيۡنَٰهُمَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلۡمُسۡتَقِيمَ ١١٨
And We guided them on the straight path.
37:119
وَتَرَكۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمَا فِي ٱلۡأٓخِرِينَ ١١٩
And We left for them [favorable mention] among later generations:
37:120
سَلَٰمٌ عَلَىٰ مُوسَىٰ وَهَٰرُونَ ١٢٠
"Peace upon Moses and Aaron."
37:121
إِنَّا كَذَٰلِكَ نَجۡزِي ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ ١٢١
Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good.
37:122
إِنَّهُمَا مِنۡ عِبَادِنَا ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ ١٢٢
Indeed, they were of Our believing servants.
37:123
وَإِنَّ إِلۡيَاسَ لَمِنَ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ ١٢٣
And indeed, Elias was from among the messengers,
37:124
إِذۡ قَالَ لِقَوۡمِهِۦٓ أَلَا تَتَّقُونَ ١٢٤
When he said to his people, "Will you not fear Allāh?
37:125
أَتَدۡعُونَ بَعۡلٗا وَتَذَرُونَ أَحۡسَنَ ٱلۡخَٰلِقِينَ ١٢٥
Do you call upon Baʿl1 and leave the best of creators -
1 translator’s note
- The name of a great idol worshipped by the people and said to mean "lord." ↩
37:126
ٱللَّهَ رَبَّكُمۡ وَرَبَّ ءَابَآئِكُمُ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ ١٢٦
Allāh, your Lord and the Lord of your first forefathers?"