Surah Al-Baqarah 2:258-260 - Quran Translation Commentary

(2:258) Have you not heard of him, who disputed with Ibrahim concerning His Lord, that Allah gave him kingship?! When Ibrahim said to him, ‘My Lord is He who gives life and deals death,' he replied, ‘I (too) give life and deal death.' Ibrahim said, ‘Allah brings the sun from the east, you bring it from the west.' The disbeliever was confounded. And Allah does not guide a transgressing people.⁵⁵⁶

(2:259) Or, the like of him who passed over a town that had fallen upon its roofs.⁵⁵⁷ He wondered, ‘How will Allah bring this back to life after its (present) decay?' So Allah put him to death for a hundred years and then brought him back to life and asked: ‘How long did you remain (in that state)?' He replied: ‘I remained a day or a part thereof.' He said: ‘You remained (in that state) a hundred years. Look then at your food and drink, it is unspoiled. But look at your donkey; so that We may make a sign of you for the people.⁵⁵⁸ And look at the bones (of the donkey) how We set them up and then clothe them with flesh.' Thereupon, when it became evident to him, he cried out: ‘I realize that Allah has power over all things.'

(2:260) And (recall) when Ibrahim said: ‘My Lord. Show me how You will quicken the dead.' He said: ‘Have you not believed?' He replied: ‘Indeed (I have). But in order that my heart may be at rest.'⁵⁵⁹ He said: ‘Then take four birds and tame them to yourself. Then (cut them to pieces and) place their parts on every hill, then beckon them, they shall come to you in speed.⁵⁶⁰ And know that Allah is All Mighty, All wise.'

Commentary

556. The king in question is said to be Nimrod (who flourished about 2450 B.C. Majid) of Babil (Babylon). The story goes that to demonstrate that life and death were in his power, he granted amnesty to one of two criminals condemned to death, and upheld execution for the other! The story also goes that when he acted arrogantly, Allah (swt) sent an insect into his head. Every time it stung him he felt like scratching. But unable to do so asked his attendants to bang his head with their fists (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Zamakhshari, Ibn Kathir, Shawkani).

With reference to Ibrahim's statement, peace on him, that Allah (swt) makes the sun rise from the East and that Nimrod may bring it from the West if he could, Thanwi says the following: "Nimrod could not have said in reply that he was also capable of bringing the sun out from the West. Nor could he have asked Ibrahim (saws) to ask his Lord do that since he knew in his heart that Ibrahim was a true Prophet and that if he prayed to his Lord He would grant him his request in which case he would lose his hold on the masses" (Thanwi).

Mawdudi comments: "The event which is referred to here is not mentioned at all in the Bible. However, the whole story occurs in the Talmud and is largely in harmony with the Qur'anic version. In the Talmudic version it is said that the father of Abraham occupied the highest office in Nimrod's government. When Abraham denounced polytheism, preached the doctrine of the unity of God and smashed the idols of the temple, his own father lodged a complaint against him before the king. This was followed by a conversation which is mentioned here."

557. Opinions are divided between `Uzayr and Aramiyyah (Ezra and Jeremiah of the Bible: Au.), as the man alluded to in this verse. `Ali ibn Abi Talib, Ibn Ka`b, Ibn `Abbas, Hasan, Qatadah and others are of the opinion that it is `Uzayr, while Wahab b. Munabbih and `Abdullah ibn. `Ubayd think it is Aramiyyah (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir). A third opinion is that it is Hizqil (Ezekiel of the Bible: Au.). A fourth opinion is that it is Khidr (Qurtubi). As for the ghost town, it was Jerusalem which was in ruins after Nebuchadnezzar's invasion (in 590 B.C.: Majid) Ibn Kathir.

The identification is not important; rather, the reminder that Allah has power over all things (Ibn Jarir).

558. It is said that when he returned to his home town, his grandchildren had become aged while he had remained young. Thus he became a sign for others (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir, Qurtubi). Another report suggests that when he returned to the Israelites and told them he was Ezra, they refused to believe in him. So he told them to bring the Torah. When they brought it out, he began to read out from memory while they were checking his reading from the written copy. When he did not err by a diacritical mark, they cried out, 'This is a son of God' (Zamakhshari).

559. This increase in peace was in accordance with the level and degree of faith that Ibrahim (saws) enjoyed from his position and rank. (Over and above the level and degree enjoyed by those lower in status: Au.), and it is in this light that the saying attributed to `Ali should be understood who said: 'Even if the veils are removed, it would cause no increase in my faith' (Thanwi).

In a hadith preserved by Bukhari and Muslim the Prophet (saws) said: « نَحْنُ أَحَقُّ بِالشَّكِّ مِنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِذْ قَالَ ( رَبِّ أَرِنِى كَيْفَ تُحْيِى الْمَوْتَى قَالَ أَوَلَمْ تُؤْمِنْ قَالَ بَلَى وَلَكِنْ لِيَطْمَئِنَّ قَلْبِى ) "It behoves us more to be in doubt than Ibrahim when he said, 'My Lord. Show me how will You quicken the dead.' The request then was not out of a doubt that he bore as the ignorant might presume (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

Nawawi's explanation (supported by Ibn Kathir, Alusi and Shawkani), should be enlightening. Qurtubi in fact says this is the position of the great majority of scholars. Nawawi says: Of the various interpretations that have been reported, the best is the one offered by Imam Abu Ibrahim al Muzani, Imam Shafe`i's disciple, and some others. According to it, our Prophet did not actually mean that Ibrahim (saws) was in doubt, when he said, 'It behoves us more to be in doubt than Ibrahim.' Rather, what he meant is that if it was possible for the Prophets of Allah to doubt, then I would have been in doubt also. But since I am not in doubt, Ibrahim (saws) was also not in doubt. The Prophet (saws) of course said this out of humbleness placing himself lower than Ibrahim. As Ibrahim's words, 'In order that my heart may stay at rest,' what he meant was "in order that it might help elevate the faith from one state to another, higher state: from `Ilm al Yaqin to `Ayn al Yaqin. Further, according to Sahal b. Tustari, Ibrahim's request was for the removal of veils placed before the eyes so that the light of faith could increase (Sahih Muslim, Kitab al Iman, hadith 238).

It might also be kept in mind, says Qurtubi, that to attribute a doubt to Prophets is an act of kufr.

Nonetheless, it is reported that when Ibn `Abbas and `Amr b. al As happened to get together Ibn `Abbas asked `Amr what verse of the Qur'an he thought held out the greatest hope (for the sinners). `Amr said (39: 53): قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ [الزمر : 53] "Tell them, (O Muhammad that Allah says), 'O those of My slaves who have wronged their souls, do not despair of Allah's mercy. Allah will forgive all sins.'" In reply Ibn `Abbas gave his subtle opinion: 'To me the verse that holds out greatest hope is this (statement of Ibrahim), وَلَكِنْ لِيَطْمَئِنَّ قَلْبِي [البقرة : 260] 'In order that my heart may be at rest' (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir, Shawkani and others).

560. Those were birds.

This writer received the following report from some of the mujahideen of Afghanistan who fought the Russian invasion of 1982. It came through persons whose integrity cannot be doubted. Somewhere in the front, three of the mujahideen were trying to halt the enemy's advance by firing at it from the top of a hill. During the battle one of them received a bullet and died. The two were felt severely handicapped because he was carrying up ammunition from the foot of the hill. But, as they continued to fire at the enemy they found that the man was up again and began to supply ammunition as before. Later, when the enemy had retreated, a greater surprise was in store for them: the man fell dead again (Au.).