3:68 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

"إن أولى الناس بإبراهيم للذين اتبعوه" الآية. وقد رواه الترمذي والبزار من حديث أبي أحمد الزبيري عن سفيان الثوري عن أبيه به. ثم قال البزار: ورواه غير أبي أحمد عن سفيان عن أبيه عن أبي الضحى عن عبدالله ولم يذكر مسروقا وكذا رواه الترمذي من طريق وكيع عن سفيان ثم قال: وهذا أصح لكن رواه وكيع في تفسيره فقال: حدثنا سفيان عن أبيه عن أبي إسحق عن عبدالله بن مسعود قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم "إن لكل نبي ولاية من النبيين وإن وليي منهم أبي وخليل الله عز وجل إبراهيم عليه السلام" ثم قرأ "إن أولى الناس بإبراهيم للذين اتبعوه وهذا النبي والذين آمنوا" الآية وقوله "والله ولي المؤمنين" أي ولي جميع المؤمنين برسله.

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.

Surely the people with the best claim most worthy of Abraham are those who followed him during his time and this Prophet Muhammad (s) on account of his according with him as regards most of the rulings of his Law and those who believe from among his community they are the ones that ought to say ‘We follow his religion’ and not you; and God is the Protector of the believers their Helper and Preserver.

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.

(Lo! those of mankind who have the best claim to Abraham are those who followed him, and this Prophet�) [3:68]. Said Ibn 'Abbas: �The leaders of the Jews said: 'By Allah, O Muhammad, you know that we have the better claim to Abraham's religion than you or anybody else; and you know that he was a Jew. You are only resentfully envious!' And so Allah, exalted is He, revealed this verse�. Al-Kalbi also related from Abu Salih that Ibn 'Abbas said - and the same is reported by 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Ghanm from the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, and this was also mentioned by Muhammad ibn Ishaq ibn Yasar, such that the wordings of their narrations are mixed up with each other -: �When Ja'far ibn Abi Talib and his fellow companions migrated to Abyssinia and settled there and the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, migrated to Medina which was followed by the Battle of Badr, the Quraysh called for a meeting in Dar al-Nadwah and said: 'We have to exact revenge for those of us who were killed at Badr from the Companions of Muhammad who are with the Negus. Collect, therefore, some money and gift it to the Negus and he will give you in exchange your people who are staying with him. For this mission, select two of your men who are known for their good judgement'. And so they sent 'Amr ibn al-'As and 'Umarah ibn Abi Mu'ayt with gifts, tanned skins and other things. They sailed across the sea to Abyssinia. When they entered in on the Negus, they prostrated themselves and greeted him. They said: 'Our people are grateful to you and want to give you sincere advice for they wish you good. They have sent us to you to warn you about the people who came to you because they represent a liar who has emerged amongst us, claiming he is Allah's Messenger. None of us, except fools, followed him. We had made it very hard on them and drove them away to the canyons of our land. No one was allowed to go to them, and none of them was allowed to leave; they were destroyed by hunger and thirst.