As-Saffat 37:99
Those who set the Ranks · Juz 23 · Page 449
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.
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Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 37:99
Commentary
The sacrifice of a son
Another event in the blessed life of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) has been described in the verses cited above. This is the event of the sacrifice of his first-born son in the way of Allah.
Explanatory Notes on the verses
The first verse (99) opens with the words:... وَقَالَ إِنِّي ذَاهِبٌ إِلَىٰ رَبِّي سَيَهْدِينِ (And he said, "I am going to my Lord...). Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) said this at a time when he was totally disappointed by his countrymen, for nobody except Sayyidna Lut (علیہ السلام) ، his nephew, was willing to believe in him. The statement: دار الکفر (I am going to my Lord) means that he will leave the abode of disbelief and go to a place whereto Allah Ta’ ala has commanded him to go, a place where he will be able to worship his Lord in peace. So, he started on a journey accompanied by his blessed wife, Sayyidah Sarah ؓ and his nephew, Sayyidna Lut (علیہ السلام) . After having passed through different areas of Iraq, he finally reached Syria. Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) had no children until then, therefore, he made the prayer mentioned in the next verse (100).
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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. ↩