108:2 Al-Kawthar (Abundance)

ولما ذكر منته عليه، أمره بشكرها فقال: { فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ } خص هاتين العبادتين بالذكر، لأنهما من أفضل العبادات وأجل القربات.ولأن الصلاة تتضمن الخضوع [في] القلب والجوارح لله، وتنقلها في أنواع العبودية، وفي النحر تقرب إلى الله بأفضل ما عند العبد من النحائر، وإخراج للمال الذي جبلت النفوس على محبته والشح به.

أي كما أعطيناك الخير الكثير في الدنيا والآخرة ومن ذلك النهر الذي تقدم صفته فأخلص لربك صلاتك المكتوبة والنافلة ونحرك فاعبده وحده لا شريك له وانحر على اسمه وحده لا شريك له كما قال تعالى "قل إن صلاتي ونسكي ومحياي ومماتي لله رب العالمين لا شريك له وبذلك أمرت وأنا أول المسلمين". قال ابن عباس وعطاء ومجاهد وعكرمة والحسن يعني بذلك نحر البدن ونحوها وكذا قال قتادة ومحمد بن كعب القرظي والضحاك والربيع وعطاء الخراساني والحكم وسعيد ابن أبي خالد وغير واحد من السلف وهذا بخلاف ما كان عليه المشركون من السجود لغير الله والذبح على اسمه كما قال تعالى "ولا تأكلوا مما لم يذكر اسم الله عليه وإنه لفسق" الآية وقيل المراد بقوله وانحر وضع اليد اليمنى على اليد اليسرى تحت النحر يروى هذا عن علي ولا يصح وعن الشعبي مثله وعن أبي جعفر الباقر "وانحر" يعني رفع اليدين عند افتتاح الصلاة وقيل "وانحر" أي استقبل بنحرك القبلة. وذكر هذه الأقوال الثلاثة ابن جرير. وقد روى ابن أبي حاتم ههنا حديث منكرا جدا فقال حدثنا وهب بن إبراهيم القاضي سنة خمس وخمسين ومائتين حدثنا إسرائيل بن حاتم المروزي حدثنا مقاتل بن حيان عن الأصبغ بن نباتة عن علي بن أبي طالب قال لما نزلت هذه السورة على النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم "إنا أعطيناك الكوثر فصل لربك وانحر" قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم "يا جبريل ما هذه النحيرة التي أمرني بها ربي؟ فقال ليست بنحيرة ولكنه يأمرك إذا تحرمت للصلاة ارفع يديك إذا كبرت وإذا ركعت وإذا رفعت رأسك من الركوع وإذا سجدت فإنها صلاتنا وصلاة الملائكة الذين في السموات السبع وإن لكل شيء زينة وزينة الصلاة رفع اليدين عند كل تكبيرة" وهكذا رواه الحاكم في المستدرك من حديث إسرائيل بن حاتم به وعن عطاء الخراساني "وانحر" أي ارفع صلبك بعد الركوع واعتدل وابرز نحرك يعني به الاعتدال رواه ابن أبي حاتم وكل هذه الأقوال غريبة جدا والصحيح القول الأول أن المراد بالنحر ذبح المناسك ولهذا كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يصلي العيد ثم ينحر نسكه ويقول "من صلى صلاتنا ونسك نسكنا فقد أصاب النسك ومن نسك قبل الصلاة فلا نسك له" فقام أبو بردة بن نيار فقال يا رسول الله إني نسكت شاتي قبل الصلاة وعرفت أن اليوم يوم يشتهى فيه اللحم قال "شاتك شاة لحم" قال فإن عندي عناقا هي أحب إلي من شاتين أفنجزئ عني؟ قال "تجزئك ولا تجزئ أحدا بعدك" قال أبو جعفر ابن جرير والصواب قول من قال إن معنى ذلك فاجعل صلاتك كلها لربك خالصا دون ما سواه من الأنداد والآلهة وكذلك نحرك اجعله له دون الأوثان شكرا له على ما أعطاك من الكرامة والخير الذي لا كفاء له وخصك به وهذا الذي قاله في غاية الحسن وقد سبقه إلى هذا المعنى محمد بن كعب القرظي وعطاء.

Which was revealed in Al-Madinah and They also say in Makkah

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

«لَقَدْ أُنْزِلَتْ عَلَيَّ آنِفًا سُورَة»

(Verily, a Surah was just revealed to me.) Then he recited,

إِنَّآ أَعْطَيْنَـكَ الْكَوْثَرَ - فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ - إِنَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ الاٌّبْتَرُ

(Verily, We have granted you Al-Kawthar. Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice. For he who hates you, he will be cut off.) Then he said,

«أَتَدْرُونَ مَا الْكَوْثَرُ؟»

(Do you all know what is Al-Kawthar) We said, `Allah and His Messenger know best.' He said,

«فَإِنَّهُ نَهَرٌ وَعَدَنِيهِ رَبِّي عَزَّ وَجَلَّ،عَلَيْهِ خَيْرٌ كَثِيرٌ، هُوَ حَوْضٌ تَرِدُ عَلَيْهِ أُمَّتِي يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، آنِيَتُهُ عَدَدُ النُّجُومِ فِي السَّمَاءِ، فَيُخْتَلَجُ الْعَبْدُ مِنْهُمْ فَأَقُولُ: رَبِّ إِنَّهُ مِنْ أُمَّتِي، فَيَقُولُ: إِنَّكَ لَا تَدْرِي مَا أَحْدَثَ بَعْدَك»

(Verily, it is a river that my Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, has promised me and it has abundant goodness. It is a pond where my Ummah will be brought to on the Day of Judgement. Its containers are as numerous as the stars in the sky. Then a servant of Allah from among them will be (prevented from it) and I will say: "O Lord! Verily, he is from my Ummah (followers)." Then He (Allah) will say: "Verily, you do not know what he introduced (or innovated) after you.)" This is the wording of Muslim. Ahmad recorded this Hadith from Muhammad bin Fudayl, who reported from Al-Mukhtar bin Fulful, who reported it from Anas bin Malik. Imam Ahmad also recorded from Anas that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«دَخَلْتُ الْجَنَّةَ فَإِذَا أَنَا بِنَهْرٍ حَافَتَاهُ خِيَامُ اللُّؤْلُؤِ، فَضَرَبْتُ بِيَدِي إِلَى مَا يَجْرِي فِيهِ الْمَاءُ، فَإِذَا مِسْكٌ أَذْفَرُ، قُلْتُ: مَاهَذَا يَا جِبْرِيلُ؟ قَالَ: هَذَا الْكَوْثَرُ الَّذِي أَعْطَاكَهُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَل»

(I entered Paradise and I came to a river whose banks had tents made of pearls. So I thrust my hand into its flowing water and found that it was the strongest (smell) of musk. So I asked, "O Jibril! What is this" He replied, "This is Al-Kawthar which Allah, the Mighty and Majestic has given you.") Al-Bukhari recorded this in his Sahih, and so did Muslim, on the authority of Anas bin Malik. In their version Anas said, "When the Prophet was taken up to the heaven, he said,

«أَتَيْتُ عَلَى نَهْرٍ حَافَتَاهُ قِبَابُ اللُّؤْلُؤِ الْمُجَوَّفِ فَقُلْتُ: مَا هَذَا يَا جِبْرِيلُ؟ قَالَ: هَذَا الْكَوْثَر»

(I came to a river whose banks had domes of hollowed pearl. I said: "O Jibril! What is this" He replied: "This is Al-Kawthar.")" This is the wording of Al-Bukhari. Ahmad recorded from Anas that a man said, "O Messenger of Allah! What is Al-Kawthar" He replied,

«هُوَ نَهْرٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ أَعْطَانِيهِ رَبِّي، لَهُوَ أَشَدُّ بَيَاضًا مِنَ اللَّبَنِ، وَأَحْلَى مِنَ الْعَسَلِ، فِيهِ طُيُورٌ أَعْنَاقُهَا كَأَعْنَاقِ الْجُزُر»

(It is a river in Paradise which my Lord has given me. It is whiter than milk and sweeter than honey. There are birds in it whose necks are (long) like carrots.) `Umar said, "O Messenger of Allah! Verily, they (the birds) will be beautiful." The Prophet replied,

«آكِلُهَا أَنْعَمُ مِنْهَا يَا عُمَر»

(The one who eats them (i.e., the people of Paradise) will be more beautiful than them, O `Umar.) Al-Bukhari recorded from Sa`id bin Jubayr that Ibn `Abbas said about Al-Kawthar, "It is the good which Allah gave to him (the Prophet)." Abu Bishr said, "I said to Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Verily, people are claiming that it is a river in Paradise."' Sa`id replied, `The river which is in Paradise is part of the goodness which Allah gave him."' Al-Bukhari also recorded from Sa`id bin Jubayr that Ibn `Abbas said, "Al-Kawthar is the abundant goodness." This explanation includes the river and other things as well. Because the word Al-Kawthar comes from the word Kathrah (abundance) and it (Al-Kawthar) linguistically means an abundance of goodness. So from this goodness is the river (in Paradise). Imam Ahmad recorded from Ibn `Umar that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«الْكَوْثَرُ نَهْرٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ حَافَتَاهُ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ، وَالْمَاءُ يَجْرِي عَلَى اللُّؤْلُؤِ، وَمَاؤُهُ أَشَدُّ بَيَاضًا مِنَ اللَّبَنِ، وَأَحْلَى مِنَ الْعَسَل»

(Al-Kawthar is a river in Paradise whose banks are of gold and it runs over pearls. Its water is whiter than milk and sweeter than honey.) This Hadith was recorded in this manner by At-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn Jarir. At-Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih." Then Allah says,

فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ

(Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice.) meaning, `just as We have given you the abundant goodness in this life and the Hereafter -- and from that is the river that has been described previously -- then make your obligatory and optional prayer, and your sacrifice (of animals) solely and sincerely for your Lord. Woship Him alone and do not associate any partner with him. And sacrifice pronouncing His Name alone, without ascribing any partner to Him.' This is as Allah says,

قُلْ إِنَّ صَلاَتِى وَنُسُكِى وَمَحْيَاىَ وَمَمَاتِى للَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ - لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَبِذَلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَاْ أَوَّلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ

(Say: "Verily, my Salah, my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of all that exists. He has no partner. And of this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims.") (6:162-163) Ibn `Abbas, `Ata,' Mujahid, `Ikrimah and Al-Hasan all said, "This means with this the Budn should be sacrificed." Qatadah, Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi, Ad-Dahhak, Ar-Rabi`, `Ata' Al-Khurasani, Al-Hakam, Isma`il bin Abi Khalid and others from the Salaf have all said the same. This is the opposite of the way of the idolators, prostrating to other than Allah and sacrificing in other than His Name. Allah says,

وَلاَ تَأْكُلُواْ مِمَّا لَمْ يُذْكَرِ اسْمُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ وَإِنَّهُ لَفِسْقٌ

(And do not eat from what Allah's Name has not been pronounced over, indeed that is Fisq.) (6:121)

The Enemy of the Prophet is Cut Off

Allah says,

إِنَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ الاٌّبْتَرُ

(For he who hates you, he will be cut off.) meaning, `indeed he who hates you, O Muhammad, and he hates what you have come with of guidance, truth, clear proof and manifest light, he is the most cut off, meanest, lowliest person who will not be remembered. Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr and Qatadah all said, "This Ayah was revealed about Al-`As bin Wa'il. Whenever the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would be mentioned (in his presence) he would say, `Leave him, for indeed he is a man who is cut off having no descendants. So when he dies he will not be remembered.' Therefore, Allah revealed this Surah." Shamir bin `Atiyah said, "This Surah was revealed concerning `Uqbah bin Abi Mu`ayt." Ibn `Abbas and `Ikrimah have both said, "This Surah was revealed about Ka`b bin Al-Ashraf and a group of the disbelievers of the Quraysh." Al-Bazzar recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "Ka`b bin Al-Ashraf came to Makkah and the Quraysh said to him, `You are the leader of them (the people). What do you think about this worthless man who is cut off from his people He claims that he is better than us while we are the people of the place of pilgrimage, the people of custodianship (of the Ka`bah), and the people who supply water to the pilgrims.' He replied, `You all are better than him.' So Allah revealed,

إِنَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ الاٌّبْتَرُ

(For he who hates you, he will be cut off.)" This is how Al-Bazzar recorded this incident and its chain of narration is authentic. It has been reported that `Ata' said, "This Surah was revealed about Abu Lahab when a son of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ died. Abu Lahab went to the idolators and said, `Muhammad has been cut off (i.e., from progeny) tonight.' So concerning this Allah revealed,

إِنَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ الاٌّبْتَرُ

(For he who hates you, he will be cut off.)" As-Suddi said, "When the male sons of a man died the people used to say, `He has been cut off.' So, when the sons of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ

died they said, `Muhammad has been cut off.' Thus, Allah revealed,

إِنَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ الاٌّبْتَرُ

(For he who hates you, he will be cut off.)" So they thought in their ignorance that if his sons died, his remembrance would be cut off. Allah forbid! To the contrary, Allah preserved his remembrance for all the world to see, and He obligated all the servants to follow his Law. This will continue for all of time until the Day of Gathering and the coming of the Hereafter. May the blessings of Allah and His peace be upon him forever until the Day of Assembling. This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat Al-Kawthar, and all praise and blessings are due to Allah.

So pray to your Lord the prayer of the Festival of Immolation ‘īd al-nahr and sacrifice your offering.

Prayer and Sacrifice

Verse [ 108:2] فَصَلِّ لِرَ‌بِّكَ وَانْحَرْ‌ (So, offer salah [ prayer ] to your Lord, and sacrifice.) The imperative inhar is derived from nahr which means 'to sacrifice by stabbing upwards into the jugular vein [ the way of slaughter for camels as opposed to other cattle ] '. As the Arabs generally used to sacrifice camels, the verse employs the imperative wanhar. Occasionally, the word nahr is used in the general sense of 'sacrifice'.

Verse [ 108:1] vehemently denounces the false notion of the unbelievers and gives glad tidings of Kauthar to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in this world as well as in the next world. He will have the abundant goodness in both the worlds immeasurably. The current verse directs the Holy Prophet ﷺ the way to express his gratitude to Allah on this good tiding: [ 1] prayer; and [ 2] sacrifice. Salah is the highest form of physical worship; and sacrifice is highest form of pecuniary or monetary form of worship. Sacrifice in the name of Allah is a fight against idolatry, because the idolaters used to sacrifice in the name of their idols. On that basis, Islamic sacrifice is distinctive and important. On another occasion, the Qur'an jointly mentions prayer and sacrifice, thus: [ 6:162]

إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّـهِ رَ‌بِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

My prayer, my offering, my life and my death are all for Allah, the Lord of the worlds. [ 6:162]

According to Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ ، ` Ata', Mujahid, Hasan Basri رحمۃ اللہ علیہما and others, the imperative wanhar means 'sacrifice or offer oblation'. Some people have attributed to some leading exegetes that they have taken this imperative to mean: 'Fold your hands or arms on the chest' Ibn Kathir holds such narrations as 'munkar', (that is, a narration which is narrated by a weak narrator and contradicts the narration of a stronger and more reliable authority.)