37:83 As-Saaffaat (Those drawn up in Ranks)

{ وَإِنَّ مِنْ شِيعَتِهِ لَإِبْرَاهِيمَ } أي: وإن من شيعة نوح عليه السلام، ومن هو على طريقته في النبوة والرسالة، ودعوة الخلق إلى اللّه، وإجابة الدعاء، إبراهيم الخليل عليه السلام.

قال علي بن أبي طلحة عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما "وإن من شيعته لإبراهيم" يقول من أصل دينه وقال مجاهد على منهاجه وسنته.

The Story of Ibrahim and His People

`Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him:

وَإِنَّ مِن شِيعَتِهِ لإِبْرَهِيمَ

(And verily, among those who followed his ways was Ibrahim.) means, he was one of the followers of his religion. Mujahid said, "He was following his path and his way."

إِذْ جَآءَ رَبَّهُ بِقَلْبٍ سَلِيمٍ

(When he came to his Lord with a Salim heart.) Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "This means that he bore witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah." rIbn Abi Hatim recorded that `Awf said, "I said to Muhammad bin Sirin, `What is the Salim heart' He said, `One which knows that Allah is true and that the Hour will undoubtedly come to pass, and that Allah will resurrect those who are in the graves."' Al-Hasan said, "One that is free from Shirk." `Urwah said, "One that is not cursed."

إِذْ قَالَ لاًّبِيهِ وَقَوْمِهِ مَاذَا تَعْبُدُونَ

(When he said to his father and to his people: "What is it that which you worship") He denounced his people for their worship of idols and false gods, Allah said:

أَءِفْكاً ءَالِهَةً دُونَ اللَّهِ تُرِيدُونَ - فَمَا ظَنُّكُم بِرَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ

(Is it a falsehood -- gods other than Allah -- that you desire Then what think you about the Lord of the all that exists) Qatadah said, "This means, `what do you think He will do with you when you meet Him, given that you worshipped others alongside Him"

And truly of his adherents that is of those who agreed with him on the fundaments of religion was Abraham despite the fact that there was a long interval between them 2640 years and between them came the prophets Hūd and Sālih.

Commentary

After having related the event concerning Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) the Qur'an mentions two events from the blessed life of Sayyidna Ibrahim ill. Both events highlight the great sacrifices Sayyidna Ibrahim offered for the sake of Allah alone. Out of these, the first event mentioned in the verses cited above relates to Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) being thrown into the fire. Its details have already appeared in Surah Al-Anbiya' (21: 51-70). Yet, the way it has been described at this place, it needs some explanatory notes that appear below.

The word: شِيعَتِهِ (shi'ah) in verse 83: وَإِنَّ مِن شِيعَتِهِ لَإِبْرَ‌اهِيمَ (And certainly from his adherents was Ibrahim.) is used in the Arabic language for a group or party the individuals from which are similar to each other in basic concepts and methods - and here it is obvious that the pronoun in: شِيعَتِهِ (shi'atihi) is reverting to Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) . Therefore, it would mean that Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) adhered to the way of Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) the prophet preceding him, and that there was a perfect agreement between them on the basic principles of faith - and it is also possible that the religious codes they had could also be the same, or similar. Let us bear in mind that, according to some historical narratives, there is a gap of two thousand six hundred and forty years between them, and there was no prophet except Sayyidna Hud and Sayyidna Salih (علیہ السلام) during this period. (Kashshaf, p. 48, v. 4)

And surely among his party was Abraham. Abraham was of the party of Noah in the principles of tawḤīd, even if they disagreed in the branch- es of the religion and the shari'ite details. In the shariahs, all the prophets are the same in tawḤīd and the principles of the religion, and there is no disagreement in that. This is exactly what He says: “He has set down for you as the religion that with which He counseled Noah” and so on [42:13]. The disagreement is in the Shariahs and the rulings. This disagreement is a mercy from the Lord so that the work of the religion will not become tight for the people. God desires for you ease and does not desire for you hardship [2:185]. They are like a group who are heading toward a way station, and each of them takes a different road, though the last way station is the same. Some roads are nearer, some farther. No road is nearer to the felicity of the afterlife than the road of MuṣṬafā and his Shariah. This is why his Shariah abrogated the shariahs and his pact abolished the pacts-a revealed shariah, not newly arrived; a firm pact, not faulty; a holy shariah, not foolish; a confirmed pact, not temporary; a known shariah, not ignored; an expanded pact, not curtailed; a shariah that is as bright as the daytime sun and lights up the hearts of the friends. MuṣṬafā said, “How is it that you are with your religion like the moon when it is full, but only the seeing see it?”