Surah 14. Ibrahim

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Verses [Section]: 1-6[1], 7-12 [2], 13-21 [3], 22-27 [4], 28-34 [5], 35-41 [6], 42-52 [7]

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Quran Text of Verse 7-12وَ اِذْAnd whenتَاَذَّنَproclaimedرَبُّكُمْyour LordلَىِٕنْIfشَكَرْتُمْyou are thankfulلَاَزِیْدَنَّكُمْsurely I will increase youوَ لَىِٕنْbut ifكَفَرْتُمْyou are ungratefulاِنَّindeedعَذَابِیْMy punishmentلَشَدِیْدٌ (is) surely severe وَ قَالَAnd saidمُوْسٰۤیMusaاِنْIfتَكْفُرُوْۤاyou disbelieveاَنْتُمْyouوَ مَنْand whoeverفِی(is) inالْاَرْضِthe earthجَمِیْعًا ۙallفَاِنَّthen indeedاللّٰهَAllahلَغَنِیٌّcertainly (is) Free of needحَمِیْدٌ Praiseworthy اَلَمْHas notیَاْتِكُمْcome to youنَبَؤُا(the) newsالَّذِیْنَ(of) those whoمِنْ(were) before youقَبْلِكُمْ(were) before youقَوْمِthe peopleنُوْحٍof Nuhوَّ عَادٍand Aadوَّ ثَمُوْدَ ۛؕ۬and Thamudوَ الَّذِیْنَand those whoمِنْۢ(were) after themبَعْدِهِمْ ۛؕ(were) after themلَاNoneیَعْلَمُهُمْknows themاِلَّاexceptاللّٰهُ ؕAllahجَآءَتْهُمْCame to themرُسُلُهُمْtheir Messengersبِالْبَیِّنٰتِwith clear proofsفَرَدُّوْۤاbut they returnedاَیْدِیَهُمْtheir handsفِیْۤinاَفْوَاهِهِمْtheir mouthsوَ قَالُوْۤاand they saidاِنَّاindeed, weكَفَرْنَا[we] disbelieveبِمَاۤin whatاُرْسِلْتُمْyou have been sentبِهٖwith [it]وَ اِنَّاand indeed, weلَفِیْ(are) surely inشَكٍّdoubtمِّمَّاabout whatتَدْعُوْنَنَاۤyou invite usاِلَیْهِto itمُرِیْبٍ suspicious قَالَتْSaidرُسُلُهُمْtheir MessengersاَفِیCan (there) be aboutاللّٰهِAllahشَكٌّany doubtفَاطِرِ(the) Creatorالسَّمٰوٰتِ(of) the heavensوَ الْاَرْضِ ؕand the earthیَدْعُوْكُمْHe invites youلِیَغْفِرَso that He may forgiveلَكُمْfor youمِّنْ[of]ذُنُوْبِكُمْyour sinsوَ یُؤَخِّرَكُمْand give you respiteاِلٰۤیforاَجَلٍa termمُّسَمًّی ؕappointedقَالُوْۤاThey saidاِنْNotاَنْتُمْyouاِلَّا(are) butبَشَرٌa humanمِّثْلُنَا ؕlike usتُرِیْدُوْنَyou wishاَنْtoتَصُدُّوْنَاhinder usعَمَّاfrom whatكَانَused toیَعْبُدُworshipاٰبَآؤُنَاour forefathersفَاْتُوْنَاSo bring usبِسُلْطٰنٍan authorityمُّبِیْنٍ clear 14. Ibrahim Page 257قَالَتْSaidلَهُمْto themرُسُلُهُمْtheir MessengersاِنْNotنَّحْنُwe (are)اِلَّاbutبَشَرٌa humanمِّثْلُكُمْlike youوَ لٰكِنَّbutاللّٰهَAllahیَمُنُّbestows His GraceعَلٰیonمَنْwhomیَّشَآءُHe willsمِنْofعِبَادِهٖ ؕHis slavesوَ مَاAnd notكَانَisلَنَاۤfor usاَنْthatنَّاْتِیَكُمْwe bring youبِسُلْطٰنٍan authorityاِلَّاexceptبِاِذْنِby the permission of Allahاللّٰهِ ؕby the permission of Allahوَ عَلَیAnd uponاللّٰهِAllahفَلْیَتَوَكَّلِso let put (their) trustالْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ the believers وَ مَاAnd whatلَنَاۤ(is) for usاَلَّاthat notنَتَوَكَّلَwe put our trustعَلَیuponاللّٰهِAllahوَ قَدْwhile certainlyهَدٰىنَاHe has guided usسُبُلَنَا ؕto our waysوَ لَنَصْبِرَنَّAnd surely we will bear with patienceعَلٰیonمَاۤwhatاٰذَیْتُمُوْنَا ؕharm you may cause usوَ عَلَیAnd uponاللّٰهِAllahفَلْیَتَوَكَّلِso let put (their) trustالْمُتَوَكِّلُوْنَ۠the ones who put (their) trust

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Translation of Verse 7-12

(14:7) Also call to mind when your Lord proclaimed: "If you give thanks,¹¹ I will certainly grant you more; but if you are ungrateful for My favours, My chastisement is terrible.¹²

(14:8) Moses said: "Were you to disbelieve - you and all those who live on earth - Allah is still Self-Sufficient, Innately Praiseworthy."¹³

(14:9) Have¹⁴ the accounts of your predecessors not reached you: the people of Noah, the Ad, the Thamud, and those who came after them - they whose number is not known to any except Allah? Their Messengers came to them with Clear Signs, but they thrust their hands in their mouths,¹⁵ and said: "We do surely reject the Message you have brought, and we are in disquieting doubt about what¹⁶ you are summoning us to."

(14:10) Their Messengers said: "Can there be any doubt about Allah, the Creator of the heavens and the earth?¹⁷ He invites you that He may forgive you your sins and grant you respite till an appointed term."¹⁸ They replied: "You are only a human being like ourselves. You seek to prevent us from serving those whom our forefathers have been serving all along. If that is so, produce a clear authority for it."²⁰

(14:11) Their Messengers told them: "Indeed we are only human beings like yourselves,¹⁹ but Allah bestows His favour on those of His servants whom He wills.²¹ It does not lie in our power to produce any authority except by the leave of Allah. It is in Allah that the believers should put their trust.

(14:12) And why should we not put our trust in Allah when it is indeed He Who has guided us to the ways of our life? We shall surely continue to remain steadfast in face of your persecution. All those who have to put trust, should put their trust only in Allah."

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Commentary

11. Here a promise is being made by God to grant favors even more amply.

This is meant for those who appreciate God’s bounteous favors and make right use of them, who refrain from defiance of God’s commands, and who, with a sense of gratitude to God, obey Him.

12. The terrible chastisement mentioned in the verse has been explained at some length in Deuteronomy. Before his death Prophet Moses (peace be on him) reminds the Israelites of all the important events of their history. He recounts to them the commandments of the Torah Which God had communicated to the Israelites through him. This is followed by a lengthy discourse detailing how handsomely they would be rewarded if they obeyed their Lord. Conversely, if they disobeyed Him, how terrible is the chastisement which awaits them. (For this discourse see Deuteronomy 4, 6, 8, 10, 11 and 28-30.) Some of the passages are very moving. A few extracts from this discourse are reproduced here to illustrate its content.

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall! love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise (Deuteronomy 6: 4-7).

And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I commanded you this day for your good? Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it; (Deuteronomy 10: 12-14).

And if you obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments which I command you this day, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God. Blessed shall you be in the city; and blessed shall you be in the field. The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you; . . . The Lord will command the blessing upon you in your barns, and in all that you undertake; and he will bless you in the land which the Lord your God gives you. The Lord will establish you as a people holy to himself, as he has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and walk in his ways. And all the peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of you. And the Lord will make you abound in prosperity, in the fruit of your body, and in the fruit of your cattle, ... The Lord will open to you his good treasury the heavens, ...and to bless all the work of your hands; and you shall lend to many nations but you shall not borrow. And the Lord will make you the head, and not the tail; and you shall tend upward only, and not downward; if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, . . . (Deuteronomy 28: 1-13).

But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command you this day, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you. Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the field. The Lord will send upon you curses, confusion, and frustration, in all that you undertake to do, until you are destroyed and perish quickly, on account of the evil of your doings, because you have forsaken me. The Lord will make the pestilence cleave to you until he has consumed you off the land which you are entering to take possession of it. The Lord will cause you to be defeated before your enemies; you shall go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them; You shall betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her; you shall build a house, and you shall not dwell in it; you shall plant a vineyard, and you shall not use the fruit of it. Your ox shall be slain before your eyes, you shall serve your enemies whom the Lord will send against you, in hunger and thirst, in nakedness, and in want of all things; and he will put a yoke of iron upon your neck . . . And the Lord will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other . . . (Deuteronomy 28: 15-64).

13. This is an allusion to the events relating to the Prophet Moses and his people and is meant to convey the following important message to the unbelievers of Makka. If a nation greets God’s favors with ingratitude and transgression, it is struck by a terrible punishment. A good example in this connection is provided by the history of the Israelites, which was well known to the people of Makka. It was, therefore, for the Makkans themselves to decide whether or not they wished to court the same punishment by returning God’s favors with ingratitude.

It is also pertinent to point out that reference is made here to one great favor in particular. This was the favor of raising Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) among them and revealing a great teaching to him for their guidance. The people of Makka are being asked to fully appreciate God’s favor and to give thanks.to Him for it. The Prophet (peace be on him) sometimes used to tell his people that if they could simply give him a word (indicating their commitment to his teaching) all men — Arab and non-Arab — would follow them. (See al-Tirmidhi, Abwab al-Tafsir: ‘Surah Qaf — Ed.)

14. This marks the conclusion of the Prophet Moses’ speech. Hereafter, the discourse turns directly to the unbelievers of Makka.

15. The Qur’anic expression ‘they thrust their hands in their mouths’ has been variously interpreted by the commentators on the Qur’an. In our view, the expression has been used to signify both a flat rejection of the Prophet’s message and even a sense of astonishment at being asked to believe in it. The words that follow express both these notions. Additionally, they express a feeling of anger.

16. When the unbelievers of Makka became aware of the Prophet’s teaching, they fell victims of doubt putting an end to their mental peace. In fact, whenever the message of Islam is proclaimed, it inevitably creates a stir and commotion. As a result, even those who strongly reject it, do so with a feeling of uneasiness. For even the staunchest enemies of Islam cannot ignore the positive aspects of its message. The truth of the message and the weighty arguments that are marshalled in support of it are bound to have an impact on all. Again, the exponent of the Message — a Prophet — has an almost irresistible appeal which can hardly be ignored. His forthrightness, his captivating style, and his unblemished character and conduct are bound to make a strong impact.

In addition, the beneficial effects of his message are also evident from the healthy transformation that takes place in the lives of those who embrace it. For it is quite visible that no sooner does someone sincerely embrace Islam than the process of the purification of his life starts. All these factors are bound to create an agitating disquiet in the hearts of those who reject the message.

17. The Messengers posed that question precisely because the polytheists of all ages acknowledged that God exists and that He alone created the heavens and the earth. It is for this reason that the Messengers inquired of their detractors as to what it was that they were in doubt about. What they were in fact being asked was to affirm that God, the creator of the heavens and the earth, alone should be the sole object of their worship and service. The whole thing is so self-evident that there is no reasonable basis for anyone to have any doubts about it.

18. The expression ‘appointed term’ used in the verse could either signify the time appointed ‘for each man’s death, or the time appointed for the Day of Resurrection.

Moreover, in the same way as there is an appointed term for individuals, so it is for nations. Depending on how a nation acts, God decides the period during which it will see its rise, and when it will encounter its decline and fall. If in the course of time a good nation becomes enmeshed in corruption, its term is reduced and it is destroyed. Conversely, if an evil nation mends its attitude and replaces its evil ways by good ones, its term is extended. In fact, it is quite possible that the term of a nation might be extended till the Day of Judgement.

This seems to be alluded to in the following verse: ‘Verily Allah does not change a people’s condition unless they change their inner selves’ (al-Ra‘d 13: 11)

19. What astonished the unbelievers of Makka was that even though Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) was a human being, he spoke to them with authority, telling them what they should do and what they should not. The compatriots of the Prophet (peace be on him) considered him to be simply like them for he also ate, drank and slept. Like them he also had wives and children.

Like them he was also susceptible to hunger and sickness. Like them he also felt the rigors of the climate. The Prophet felt things in the same way as other human beings did and similarly he also faced the same limitations which characterize other human beings. The unbelievers saw in him nothing that was extraordinary enough to convince them that God directly communicated with him or that His angels came to him.

20. The ‘clear authority’ they asked for was a tangible one — something they _ could perceive with their own eyes and touch with their own hands. They thought that it is only when something is so ‘clear’ in that sense that they would be ready to believe in the Prophet’s teaching.

21. The point that is being made here is the following. The Prophets, without doubt, are merely human beings like any others. However, there is a difference. God chooses Prophets in order that He might grant them full knowledge of the truth and a perfect vision and insight. The Prophets themselves have no say in deciding who should be entrusted with prophethood.

Such a decision rests entirely with God. The Prophets can neither appoint themselves to that office, nor does it lie in their power to transfer the prophethood conferred upon them to anyone else.