Surah Ibrahim 14:1-6 - Quran Translation Commentary

(14:1) Alif. Lam. Ra. A Book We have sent down to you that you may bring forth mankind from darknesses to Light, by the leave of their Lord² - to the path of the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

(14:2) (The path) of Allah to whom belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth.³ And woe unto the unbelievers for a severe chastisement.

(14:3) Those who prefer the life of this world over the next,⁴ and hinder from the path of Allah, desiring to make it crooked. They are in a distant error.⁵

(14:4) And We sent not a Messenger but in the tongue of his people so that he could expound to them.⁶ Then Allah leads astray whomsoever He will and guides whomsoever He will.⁷ And He is the All-powerful, All-wise.

(14:5) Surely, We sent Musa with Our signs, that ‘You bring forth your people from darknesses to Light. And remind them of the days of Allah.’⁸ Verily, in that is a sign for everyone firm in patience, constantly grateful.⁹

(14:6) And (recall) when Musa said to his people, ‘Recall Allah’s favors upon you when He rescued you from Fir`awn’s folk. They were subjecting you to severe ordeal, slaughtering your sons and letting your women live; and in that was a great trial from your Lord.

Commentary

2. Ibn Jarir explains the words “By the leave of their Lord,” as, ‘with the help of Divine inducement’ or ‘grant of ability’ (tawfiq).

This verse proves that the knowledge of Allah (ma`rifatu-Allah) can only be gained through Prophetic teachings.

Yusuf Ali writes: “It is insisted on that every Prophet speaks not from himself but from Allah. His leading into the light is but by the grace and mercy of Allah, not by any power of his own, or by any merit of those who hear him.”

3. Imam Razi points out that Allah (swt) cannot be said to be in a particular direction. If He was, let us say above the heavens, then, since anything above is “sama’” in Arabic, His person would be included when Allah said that ‘His is the dominion of the heavens and the earth’. That would mean He owns Himself. Therefore, He cannot be said to be in the direction above the heavens.

It has been answered however that, firstly, what does not exist in any of the six directions, does not exist, and, secondly, “above” is used in the sense of `over and above.’ When it is said, “The man could not have said these words, he is above that,” then, in this sentence “above” is used in the sense of a distinguished existence. Thus, the word ‘above’ can have so many meanings (Au.).

4. This part of the verse proves that he who preferred the life of this world over the next is a misguided person (Razi).

5. The error has been called a “distant error” because, not to believe is itself an error. And, to prevent others from the path of guidance by trying to make it look crooked is a greater error (Razi).

Shabbir comments: “This world is, all in all, for the unbelievers. They prefer the present one over the next, spending their days and nights in obtaining it. (Since anyone not following their ways threatens to harm their world: Au.), they want others too to also fall in love with the material world and abandon the path that leads to Allah’s approval. They keep striving to show defects in Allah’s religion and prove how the straight path is crooked. It is only when they are struck by Allah’s harsh chastisement that they might open their eyes.”

6. The Prophet (saws) has said,

أرسل كل نبي إلى أمته بلسانها وأرسلني الله إلى كل أحمر وأسود من خلقه

“Every Messenger was sent to his people speaking the language of his people. But Allah sent me to every fair and dark of His creation.”

Although meaning-wise this hadith is in several collections, but in words as above.

He also said,

وَالَّذِى نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِيَدِهِ لاَ يَسْمَعُ بِى أَحَدٌ مِنْ هَذِهِ الأُمَّةِ يَهُودِىٌّ وَلاَ نَصْرَانِىٌّ ثُمَّ يَمُوتُ وَلَمْ يُؤْمِنْ بِالَّذِى أُرْسِلْتُ بِهِ إِلاَّ كَانَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّارِ

“By Him in whose hand is my life, not a Jew or Christian of this ummah heard of me, yet did not believe in me, but will be a dweller in the Fire” (Qurtubi).

The above hadith is from Muslim.

This verse carries two messages. One, the Messenger raised among a people was of them, spoke their language and brought the Divine message in their language. Second, Messengers previous to the Final Messenger were for a particular people, of a geographical region. It is another thing that, anyone belonging to any other people who heard of him was bound to accept his Message since truth is to be accepted regardless of its origin (Au.).

Shabbir writes: “Since a Prophet addresses those people first among whom he is raised, Allah sent them Messages in their language. Now, our Prophet’s Ummah is whole of the mankind as well as the Jinn. (Either as Ummah al-Da`wah [those to be invited], or Ummah al-Ijabah [those who have responded]: Au.). However, since Arabic was the language of the people among whom he was raised and who were the first to be addressed, he was given a revelation in Arabic. That made it easy for the first generation Muslims to understand and obtain the Message in complete accuracy and fullest scope and to be able to pass it on to the next generation Muslims. Accordingly, after the Prophet, they spread in every direction to spread the Message. Then, with the acceptance of the Message, such a powerful urge was created among the non-Arab Muslims, that they did not simply learn the language of the Qur’an but acquired mastery in it. In fact, they gained such mastery in the language and in several Qur’anic disciplines, that they surpassed the Arabs.”

Soon, the non-Arabs became experts of the language, and, consequently, although at the time of revelation Arabic was a local vernacular spoken by a small number of people, it became an international language within a short time. It began to decline with decline in interests in religious disciplines. It continues to shrink in its influence: there being interest neither on the part of the Arabs to return to their religious roots, nor on the part of the non-Arabs. The present situation is that there is a sizable number of educated Arabs who cannot fully comprehend the Qur’an when recited before them, not to speak of non-Arab intellectuals who cannot understand a syllable of the language, and who, therefore, repeat Western ideas in a parrot-like manner without knowing how their ideas are conflict with the Qur’an. This situation will only change with the revival of true religious interests (Au.).

Yusuf Ali adds: “If the object of a Message is to make things clear, it must be delivered in the language current among the people to whom the Messenger is sent. Through them it can reach all mankind. There is even a wider meaning for ‘language.’ It is not merely a question of alphabets, letters, or words. Each age or people - or world in a psychological sense - casts its thoughts in a certain mould or form. Allah’s Message - being universal - can be expressed in all moulds and forms, and is equally valid and necessary for all grades of humanity, and must therefore be explained to each according to his or her capacity or receptivity. In this respect the Qur’an is marvelous. It is for the simplest as well as the most advanced.”

7. Probably dismayed by the widespread fatalism in the Islamic world, Asad, preceded in his ideas by Zamakhshari, writes the following: “All Qur’anic references to God’s ‘letting man go astray’ must be understood against the background of 2: 26-27 - ‘none does He cause to go astray save the iniquitous, who break their bond with God; that is to say, man’s ‘going astray’ is a consequence of his own attitudes and inclinations and not a result of an arbitrary ‘predestination’ in the popular sense of this word. In his commentary on the above verse, Zamakhshari stresses this aspect of free choice on the part of man and points out that ‘God does not cause anyone to go astray except one who, as He knows, will never attain to faith; and He does not guide anyone aright except one who, as He knows, will attain to faith. Hence, the [expression] ‘causing to go astray’ denotes [God’s] leaving [one] alone (takhliyah) and depriving [him] of all favour, whereas [the expression] ‘guidance’ denotes [His] grant of fulfillment [tawfiq] and favour .... Thus, He does not forsake anyone except those who deserve to be forsaken, and does not bestow His favour upon anyone except those who deserve to be favored.’ Commenting on the identical phrase occurring in 16: 93, Zamakhshari states: ‘[God] forsakes him who, as He knows, will [consciously] choose to deny the truth and will persevere in this [denial]; and ... He bestows His favour upon him who, as He knows, will choose faith: which means that He makes the issue dependent on [man’s] free choice [al-ikhtiyar], and thus on his deserving either [God’s] favour or the withdrawal of [His] aid ... and does not make it dependent on compulsion [i.e., predestination], which would rule out [man’s] deserving anything of above.”

8. (The textual term “ayyam” is used for a period of glorious events, or for memorable years of a nation, such as, e.g., “ayyam al-`Arab” which will refer to the glorious days of early Islam: Au.). Majid’s rendering is: ‘annals of Allah.’

Mujhaid, Sa`id b. Jubayr and Qatadah have understood “ayyamu`Allah” as blessings of Allah (or days of Allah’s great blessings, or trials: Razi). Ubayy has reported a hadith to this effect. (The hadith referred to by Ibn Jarir is in Musnad of Ahmad: Ibn Kathir). However, Ibn Zayd has understood it to mean ‘the days when Allah punished the sinning nations of the past’ (Ibn Jarir).

Alternatively, “ayyamu`Allah” could be referring to the Hereafter, in particular the Day of Judgment. This is the opinion of some commentators.

9. Since “ayyamu`Allah” can either be days of blessings, during which a believer should be grateful, or those of trials and tribulations, when he is required to be patiently persevering, Allah mentioned these two qualities of the believer here and said, “a sign for everyone firm in patience, constantly grateful.” Further, since it is the faithful who see Allah’s hand behind all events, they are the ones to whom the days carry signs, the unbelievers being totally incognizant of them (Razi).

A hadith of Muslim’s collection says,

عَجَبًا لأَمْرِ الْمُؤْمِنِ إِنَّ أَمْرَهُ كُلَّهُ خَيْرٌ وَلَيْسَ ذَاكَ لأَحَدٍ إِلاَّ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ إِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ سَرَّاءُ شَكَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ ضَرَّاءُ صَبَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ

“A believer’s affairs are amazing. Every of his affair is good for him, which is for none else: if he is struck by a good fortune, he gives thanks, which is good for him. But if he is struck by an evil, he observes patience, and that is good for him” (Ibn Kathir).