In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
A summary of the Tafsir of al-Tabari.
Abridged by Dr. 'Aqil ibn Salim al-Shammari.
Surah Ibrahim.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
“Their messengers said: Can there be doubt concerning Allah, the Creator of the heavens and the earth? He calleth you that He may forgive you your sins and reprieve you unto an appointed term. They said: Ye are but mortals like us, who would fain turn us away from what our fathers used to worship. Then bring some clear warrant.” (14:10)
The Creator of the heavens and the earth.
He calls you so that He may forgive you.
Of your sins, and grant you respite.
Until an appointed time.
“Their messengers said: Can there be doubt concerning Allah, the Creator of the heavens and the earth? He calleth you that He may forgive you your sins and reprieve you unto an appointed term. They said: Ye are but mortals like us, who would fain turn us away from what our fathers used to worship. Then bring some clear warrant.” (14:10)
You wish to turn us away.
You wish to turn us away.
“Their messengers said: Can there be doubt concerning Allah, the Creator of the heavens and the earth? He calleth you that He may forgive you your sins and reprieve you unto an appointed term. They said: Ye are but mortals like us, who would fain turn us away from what our fathers used to worship. Then bring some clear warrant.” (14:10)
So bring us a clear authority.
The messengers of the nations to whom their messengers were sent said:
Is there any doubt about Allah, the One who is entitled to your divinity and worship, O people?
The Creator of the heavens and the earth.
He calls you to His Oneness and obedience.
To cover some of your sins by pardoning them.
And to grant you respite until the time He has decreed in the Preserved Tablet for your end.
The nations said to them:
You are but human beings like us in form and appearance.
And you are not angels.
You only wish to turn us away by your words from the worship of the idols our fathers used to worship.
So bring us proof for what you say.
That clarifies its truth and validity for us.
“Their messengers said unto them: We are but mortals like you, but Allah giveth grace unto whom He will of His slaves. It is not ours to bring you a warrant unless by the permission of Allah. In Allah let believers put their trust!” (14:11)
“Their messengers said unto them: We are but mortals like you, but Allah giveth grace unto whom He will of His slaves. It is not ours to bring you a warrant unless by the permission of Allah. In Allah let believers put their trust!” (14:11)
“Their messengers said unto them: We are but mortals like you, but Allah giveth grace unto whom He will of His slaves. It is not ours to bring you a warrant unless by the permission of Allah. In Allah let believers put their trust!” (14:11)
“Their messengers said unto them: We are but mortals like you, but Allah giveth grace unto whom He will of His slaves. It is not ours to bring you a warrant unless by the permission of Allah. In Allah let believers put their trust!” (14:11)
And in Allah let the believers place their trust.
The messengers said:
We are but human beings from the children of Adam.
But Allah bestows His favor upon whom He wills of His creation.
So He guides him and grants him success in following the truth.
And it was not for us to bring you an argument or proof for what we call you to.
Except by the command of Allah to us to do so.
And in Allah let those who believe in Him and obey Him place their trust.
For we trust in Him and upon Him we rely.
“How should we not put our trust in Allah when He hath shown us our ways? We surely will endure the hurt ye do us. In Allah let the trusting put their trust.” (14:12)
“How should we not put our trust in Allah when He hath shown us our ways? We surely will endure the hurt ye do us. In Allah let the trusting put their trust.” (14:12)
“How should we not put our trust in Allah when He hath shown us our ways? We surely will endure the hurt ye do us. In Allah let the trusting put their trust.” (14:12)
And we have no one to trust but Him, and in His sufficiency and defense of us.
And we shall surely be patient against whatever harm you inflict upon us for the sake of Allah.
And against whatever adversity we encounter from you.
And in Allah let those who are confident in Him among His creation place their trust.
As for those who disbelieve in Him, their ally is Satan.
“And those who disbelieved said unto their messengers: Verily we will drive you out from our land, unless ye return to our religion. Then their Lord inspired them, (saying): Verily we shall destroy the wrong-doers,” (14:13)
We will surely drive you out of our land.
Or you shall return to our creed.
“And those who disbelieved said unto their messengers: Verily we will drive you out from our land, unless ye return to our religion. Then their Lord inspired them, (saying): Verily we shall destroy the wrong-doers,” (14:13)
Those who disbelieved in Allah said to their messengers who were sent to them:
We will surely drive you out of our lands and expel you from them.
Unless you return to our religion which we follow, the worship of idols.
Then their Lord revealed to them:
We will surely destroy those who have wronged themselves.
For they have incurred the punishment of Allah by their disbelief.
It is also possible that they were called "the wrongdoers."
Because of their worship of idols and deities that should not be worshipped.
Thus, it is a wrong by placing worship in other than its proper place.
“And verily We shall make you to dwell in the land after them. This is for him who feareth My Majesty and feareth My threats.” (14:14)
“And verily We shall make you to dwell in the land after them. This is for him who feareth My Majesty and feareth My threats.” (14:14)
This is a promise from Allah to His prophets of victory over the disbelievers among their people.
“And verily We shall make you to dwell in the land after them. This is for him who feareth My Majesty and feareth My threats.” (14:14)
Thus shall it be for whoever fears standing before Me.
And fears My threat, so he fears Me by obeying Me and avoiding My wrath.
I will grant him victory over My enemies.
And I will destroy his enemy and grant him their land and homes.
And every obstinate tyrant failed and was disappointed.
And the messengers sought victory over their people.
And every arrogant one who deviated from acknowledging the Oneness of Allah and sincere worship of Him perished.
“Hell is before him, and he is made to drink a festering water,” (14:16)
“Which he sippeth but can hardly swallow, and death cometh unto him from every side while yet he cannot die, and before him is a harsh doom.” (14:17)
“Which he sippeth but can hardly swallow, and death cometh unto him from every side while yet he cannot die, and before him is a harsh doom.” (14:17)
“Which he sippeth but can hardly swallow, and death cometh unto him from every side while yet he cannot die, and before him is a harsh doom.” (14:17)
Before every obstinate tyrant is Hell, which he shall enter.
And he shall be given to drink of pus and blood.
He will gulp it down, and he will hardly be able to swallow it because of his intense aversion to it.
And he will force it down because of the intensity of his thirst.
And death will come to him from before him, from behind him, from his right, and from his left.
And from every part of his body.
Yet he will not be dead.
Because his soul will not depart so that he may die and find rest.
Nor will he live, as his soul will be stuck in his throat.
It will not return to its place.
And before what he is in of torment is a severe torment.
“A similitude of those who disbelieve in their Lord: Their works are as ashes which the wind bloweth hard upon a stormy day. They have no control of aught that they have earned. That is the extreme failure.” (14:18)
“A similitude of those who disbelieve in their Lord: Their works are as ashes which the wind bloweth hard upon a stormy day. They have no control of aught that they have earned. That is the extreme failure.” (14:18)
“A similitude of those who disbelieve in their Lord: Their works are as ashes which the wind bloweth hard upon a stormy day. They have no control of aught that they have earned. That is the extreme failure.” (14:18)
That is the far-reaching error.
The likeness of the deeds of those who disbelieved in their Lord on the Day of Resurrection.
Is like ashes upon which the wind blows on a stormy day, so it is scattered.
They will find nothing of it that will benefit them before Allah.
Because they were not doing them for the sake of Allah.
That is the manifest error.
Far removed from the path of truth.
“Hast thou not seen that Allah hath created the heavens and the earth with truth? If He will, He can remove you and bring (in) some new creation;” (14:19)
If He wills, He can take you away and bring a new creation.
And that is not difficult for Allah.
Do you not see, O Muhammad, with the eye of your heart?
So you know that Allah created the heavens and the earth in truth.
Alone in creating them, without any helper or assistant.
Indeed, He who is alone in creating that.
If He wills to take you away and replace you.
He will take you away and annihilate you.
And bring another creation in your place.
And your removal and annihilation.
And the creation of another is not impossible or difficult for Allah.
And they will all appear before Allah.
“They all come forth unto their Lord. Then those who were despised say unto those who were scornful: We were unto you a following, can ye then avert from us aught of Allah's doom? They say: Had Allah guided us, we should have guided you. Whether we rage or patiently endure is (now) all one for us; we have no place of refuge.” (14:21)
We were followers of you.
So can you avail us.
Against the punishment of Allah in anything?
They will say: Had Allah guided us, we would have guided you.
“They all come forth unto their Lord. Then those who were despised say unto those who were scornful: We were unto you a following, can ye then avert from us aught of Allah's doom? They say: Had Allah guided us, we should have guided you. Whether we rage or patiently endure is (now) all one for us; we have no place of refuge.” (14:21)
Those who disbelieved in Him will appear on the Day of Resurrection from their graves.
And they will all be out in the open of the earth.
Then the followers among them will say to the leaders whom they used to follow, who were too arrogant to sincerely worship Allah:
We were followers of you.
We obeyed your command to us to worship idols and disbelieve in Allah.
So can you defend us today against the punishment of Allah in anything?
The leaders in disbelief in Allah will say to their followers:
If Allah had shown us something by which we could defend ourselves against His punishment today.
We would have shown it to you so that you could defend yourselves against the punishment.
But we have become distraught over the punishment, so our distress and our patience have not benefited us.
It is the same for us whether we are distraught or patient; we have no place of escape to flee to.
“And Satan saith, when the matter hath been decided: Lo! Allah promised you a promise of truth; and I promised you, then failed you. And I had no power over you save that I called unto you and ye obeyed me. So blame not, but blame yourselves. I cannot help you, nor can ye help me, Lo! I disbelieved in that which ye before ascribed to me. Lo! for wrong-doers is a painful doom.” (14:22)
And I promised you, but I betrayed you.
“And Satan saith, when the matter hath been decided: Lo! Allah promised you a promise of truth; and I promised you, then failed you. And I had no power over you save that I called unto you and ye obeyed me. So blame not, but blame yourselves. I cannot help you, nor can ye help me, Lo! I disbelieved in that which ye before ascribed to me. Lo! for wrong-doers is a painful doom.” (14:22)
“And Satan saith, when the matter hath been decided: Lo! Allah promised you a promise of truth; and I promised you, then failed you. And I had no power over you save that I called unto you and ye obeyed me. So blame not, but blame yourselves. I cannot help you, nor can ye help me, Lo! I disbelieved in that which ye before ascribed to me. Lo! for wrong-doers is a painful doom.” (14:22)
“And Satan saith, when the matter hath been decided: Lo! Allah promised you a promise of truth; and I promised you, then failed you. And I had no power over you save that I called unto you and ye obeyed me. So blame not, but blame yourselves. I cannot help you, nor can ye help me, Lo! I disbelieved in that which ye before ascribed to me. Lo! for wrong-doers is a painful doom.” (14:22)
For I disavow that which you associated me with before.
Indeed, the wrongdoers will have a painful punishment.
And Iblis will say when the people of Paradise are admitted to Paradise and the people of Hell to Hell:
Indeed, Allah promised you, O followers, the Fire.
And I promised you victory.
But I betrayed my promise to you.
And Allah fulfilled His promise to you.
And I had no authority over you regarding the victory I promised you, to prove my truthfulness to you.
Except that I called you to my obedience and disobedience to Allah.
And you responded to my call.
So do not blame me for your responding to me.
But blame yourselves for it.
I cannot help you.
Nor can you help me against the punishment of Allah, nor save me from it.
I deny that I was a partner to Allah in that which you associated me with in your worship before in the world.
Indeed, the disbelievers in Allah will have a painful punishment.
“And those who believed and did good works are made to enter Gardens underneath which rivers flow, therein abiding by permission of their Lord, their greeting therein: Peace!” (14:23)
And those who believed in Allah and His Messenger and acted in obedience to Allah will be admitted.
To gardens beneath which rivers flow, abiding therein forever.
They will be admitted by the command of Allah to them to enter; their greeting therein will be "Peace."
Do you not see how Allah sets forth therein.
“Seest thou not how Allah coineth a similitude: A goodly saying, as a goodly tree, its root set firm, its branches reaching into heaven,” (14:24)
“Giving its fruit at every season by permission of its Lord? Allah coineth the similitudes for mankind in order that they may reflect.” (14:25)
And Allah sets forth for it, and Allah sets forth for it, and Allah sets forth for it, and Allah sets forth for it, and Allah sets forth for it.
Do you not see, O Muhammad, with the eye of your heart?
So you know how Allah set forth a parable and a likeness.
The likeness of belief in Him is like a good tree with good fruit.
The root of this tree is firmly fixed in the earth.
And its top is high, rising toward the sky.
[Fragmentary/Repetitive: Reconstructed as: It is firmly rooted and rises toward the sky.]
Rising high toward the sky.
It yields what is eaten of its fruit every morning and evening.
And every hour, by the command of its Lord.
And Allah sets forth parables for the people.
So that they may remember the argument of Allah against them and take heed of it.
And refrain from what they are upon of disbelief in Him.
So He likened what this tree yields every moment of food.
To the believer's deeds and speech as a parable.
And there is no doubt that for the believer, a righteous deed and word is raised for him every day.
“And the similitude of a bad saying is as a bad tree, uprooted from upon the earth, possessing no stability.” (14:26)
“And the similitude of a bad saying is as a bad tree, uprooted from upon the earth, possessing no stability.” (14:26)
And the likeness of associating partners with Allah is like an evil tree.
Uprooted from above the earth.
This tree has no stability or root in the earth to stand upon.
And this tree, which Allah described with this description, was only set forth.
As a parable for the disbeliever's disbelief and his association of partners with Him.
For the disbeliever's disbelief and his deeds have no stability on earth.
Nor do they have any ascent to the sky.
“Allah confirmeth those who believe by a firm saying in the life of the world and in the Hereafter, and Allah sendeth wrong-doers astray. And Allah doeth what He will.” (14:27)
And Allah leads the wrongdoers astray.
“Allah confirmeth those who believe by a firm saying in the life of the world and in the Hereafter, and Allah sendeth wrong-doers astray. And Allah doeth what He will.” (14:27)
Allah validates the deeds and faith of those who believe.
Through faith in Allah and His Messenger, Muhammad, peace be upon him, in the worldly life.
And in the Hereafter, in their graves.
When they are asked about what they are upon of Oneness and faith in His Messenger, peace be upon him.
And Allah does not grant success to the hypocrite and the disbeliever in the worldly life or in the Hereafter.
And in the hand of Allah is guidance and misguidance.
So do not deny His power, O people.
For in His hand is the disposal of His creation and the turning of their hearts.
He does with them what He wills.
A summary of the Tafsir of al-Tabari.