3:67 Aal-i-Imraan (The Family of Imraan)

تفسير الآيات من 65الى 68 :ـ لما ادعى اليهود أن إبراهيم كان يهوديا، والنصارى أنه نصراني، وجادلوا على ذلك، رد تعالى محاجتهم ومجادلتهم من ثلاثة أوجه، أحدها: أن جدالهم في إبراهيم جدال في أمر ليس لهم به علم، فلا يمكن لهم ولا يسمح لهم أن يحتجوا ويجادلوا في أمر هم أجانب عنه وهم جادلوا في أحكام التوراة والإنجيل سواء أخطأوا أم أصابوا فليس معهم المحاجة في شأن إبراهيم، الوجه الثاني: أن اليهود ينتسبون إلى أحكام التوراة، والنصارى ينتسبون إلى أحكام الإنجيل، والتوراة والإنجيل ما أنزلا إلا من بعد إبراهيم، فكيف ينسبون إبراهيم إليهم وهو قبلهم متقدم عليهم، فهل هذا يعقل؟! فلهذا قال { أفلا تعقلون } أي: فلو عقلتم ما تقولون لم تقولوا ذلك، الوجه الثالث: أن الله تعالى برأ خليله من اليهود والنصارى والمشركين، وجعله حنيفا مسلما، وجعل أولى الناس به من آمن به من أمته، وهذا النبي وهو محمد صلى الله على وسلم ومن آمن معه، فهم الذين اتبعوه وهم أولى به من غيرهم، والله تعالى وليهم وناصرهم ومؤيدهم، وأما من نبذ ملته وراء ظهره كاليهود والنصارى والمشركين، فليسوا من إبراهيم وليس منهم، ولا ينفعهم مجرد الانتساب الخالي من الصواب. وقد اشتملت هذه الآيات على النهي عن المحاجة والمجادلة بغير علم، وأن من تكلم بذلك فهو متكلم في أمر لا يمكن منه ولا يسمح له فيه، وفيها أيضا حث على علم التاريخ، وأنه طريق لرد كثير من الأقوال الباطلة والدعاوى التي تخالف ما علم من التاريخ

قال تعالى "ما كان إبراهيم يهوديا ولا نصرانيا ولكن كان حنيفا مسلما" أي متحنفا عن الشرك قاصدا إلى الإيمان "وما كان من المشركين" وهذه الآية كـالتي تقدمت في سورة البقرة "وقالوا كونوا هودا أو نصارى تهتدوا" الآية. ثم قال تعالى "إن أولى الناس بإبراهيم للذين اتبعوه وهذا النبي والذين آمنوا والله ولي المؤمنين" يقول تعالى: أحق الناس بمتابعة إبراهيم الخليل الذين اتبعوه على دينه وهذا النبي يعني محمدا صلى الله عليه وسلم والذين آمنوا من أصحابه المهاجرين والأنصار ومن تبعهم بعدهم. قال سعيد بن منصور حدثنا أبو الأحوص عن سعيد بن مسروق عن أبي الضحى عن مسروق عن ابن مسعود رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال " لكل نبي ولاة من النبيين وإن وليي منهم أبي وخليل ربي عز وجل".

Disputing with the Jews and Christians About the Religion of Ibrahim

Allah censures the Jews and Christians for their dispute with Muslims over Ibrahim Al-Khalil and the claim each group made that he was one of them. Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "The Christians of Najran and Jewish rabbis gathered before the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and disputed in front of him. The rabbis said, `Ibrahim was certainly Jewish.' The Christians said, `Certainly, Ibrahim was Christian.' So Allah sent down,

يأَهْلَ الْكِتَـبِ لِمَ تُحَآجُّونَ فِى إِبْرَهِيمَ

(O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Why do you dispute about Ibrahim,) meaning, `How is it that you, Jews, claim that Ibrahim was Jew, although he lived before Allah sent down the Tawrah to Musa How is it that you, Christians, claim that Ibrahim was Christian, although Christianity came after his time" This is why Allah said,

أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ

(Have you then no sense)

Allah then said,

هأَنتُمْ هَـؤُلاءِ حَـجَجْتُمْ فِيمَا لَكُم بِهِ عِلمٌ فَلِمَ تُحَآجُّونَ فِيمَا لَيْسَ لَكُمْ بِهِ عِلْمٌ

(Verily, you are those who have disputed about that of which you have knowledge. Why do you then dispute concerning that of which you have no knowledge)

This Ayah criticizes those who argue and dispute without knowledge, just as the Jews and Christians did concerning Ibrahim. Had they disputed about their religions, which they had knowledge of, and about the Law that was legislated for them until Muhammad ﷺ was sent, it would have been better for them. Rather, they disputed about what they had no knowledge of, so Allah criticized them for this behavior. Allah commanded them to refer what they have no knowledge of to He Who knows the seen and unseen matters and Who knows the true reality of all things. This is why Allah said,

وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ

(It is Allah Who knows, and you know not.)

Allah said,

مَا كَانَ إِبْرَهِيمُ يَهُودِيًّا وَلاَ نَصْرَانِيًّا وَلَكِن كَانَ حَنِيفًا مُّسْلِمًا

(Ibrahim was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was a true Muslim Hanifa), shunning Shirk and living in Iman,

وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ

(and he was not of the Mushrikin.)

This Ayah is similar to the Ayah in Surat Al-Baqarah,

وَقَالُواْ كُونُواْ هُودًا أَوْ نَصَـرَى تَهْتَدُواْ

(And they say, "Be Jews or Christians, then you will be guided...") 2:135.

Allah said next,

إِنَّ أَوْلَى النَّاسِ بِإِبْرَهِيمَ لَلَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُ وَهَـذَا النَّبِىُّ وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَاللَّهُ وَلِىُّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

(Verily, among mankind who have the best claim to Ibrahim are those who followed him, and this Prophet and those who have believed. And Allah is the Wali (Protector and Helper) of the believers.)

This Ayah means, "The people who have the most right to be followers of Ibrahim are those who followed his religion and this Prophet, Muhammad ﷺ , and his Companions from the Muhajirin, Ansar and those who followed their lead." Sa`id bin Mansur recorded that Ibn Mas`ud said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«إِنَّ لِكُلِّ نَبِيَ وُلَاةً مِنَ النَّبِيِّينَ، وَإِنَّ وَلِيِّي مِنْهُمْ أَبِي وَخَلِيلُ رَبِّي عَزَّ وَجَل»

(Every Prophet had a Wali (supporter, best friend) from among the Prophets. My Wali among them is my father Ibrahim, the Khalil (intimate friend) of my Lord, the Exalted and Most Honored)

The Prophet then recited,

إِنَّ أَوْلَى النَّاسِ بِإِبْرَهِيمَ لَلَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُ

(Verily, among mankind who have the best claim to Ibrahim are those who followed him...)

Allah's statement,

وَاللَّهُ وَلِىُّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

(And Allah is the Wali (Protector and Helper) of the believers.) means, Allah is the Protector of all those who believe in His Messengers.

God in order to dissociate Abraham from their claims said No; Abraham in truth was not a Jew neither a Christian but he was a Muslim professing the Oneness of God and a hanīf who inclined away from all other religions towards the upright one; and he was never of the idolaters.

Commentary

The argumentation referred to in verse 65 was to decide whether Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) followed the way of the Jews, or that of the Christians. The futility of their exercise already stood exposed as both these ways in religion appeared long after the revelation of the Old and New Testaments. These just did not exist before that. How, then, could it be claimed that Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) . It adhered To these ways?

Verse 66 points out to the hollowness of their approach when they indulged in their argumentation on the basis of incomplete knowledge. That they would venture to do so on the basis of no knowledge could hardly he explained. The truth is that only Allah knows the way of Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) .

That way has been described in Verse 67.

Verse 68 declares that the closest of people to Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) were those who followed him during his time and now the closest to him is the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad a1-Mustafa ﷺ and so are the believers in him and in past prophets. These believers are the community of Muhammad ﷺ and their guardian is Allah and He will reward them for their belief.