Abraham (Ibrahîm)

In the name of Allah, Gracious, Merciful.

¹A. L. R. A book which We have revealed unto you in order that you might lead mankind out of the depths of darkness into light, by the leave of their Lord to the way of Him exalted in power, worthy of all praise.

²Of Allah to whom do belong all things in the heavens and on earth. But alas for the unbelievers, for a terrible penalty.

³Those who love the life of this world more than the hereafter, who hinder others from the path of Allah, and seek therein something crooked, they are astray by a long distance.¹

Bismillahi Rahmani Rahim

¹Alif Lam Ra kitabun anuzalunahu ilaika litukhutrija nasa mina ttulumati illa nuri bi izuni rabbihim illa ssiratil azizil hamidi.

²Allahi lazi lahu ma fi samawati wa ma filarddi wa wailul lil kafirina min azabin shadidin.

³Allazina yasutajibunal hayata duniya alla lakhirati wa yasudduna an sabilillahi wa yabugunaha iwajan ulaika fi dualalin baidin.

1. 1 John 2:15-17: Carried a similar warning to the early Christians about 600 hundred years before Muhammad in the following words:

Stop loving the world and the things that are in the world. If anyone persists in loving the world, the Father's love is not in him. For everything that is in the world-the desire for fleshly gratification, the desire for possessions, and worldly arrogance-is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world and its desires are fading away, but the person who does God's will remains forever.

[Commentary continues below.]

⁴And We sent an apostle except in the language of his people in order to make clear to them. Now Allah leaves straying those whom He pleases and guides whom He pleases, and He is exalted in power full of wisdom.²

⁵And We sent Moses with Our signs. “Bring out your people from the depths of darkness into light and teach them to remember the days of Allah.” Verily, in this there are signs for such as are firmly patient and constant grateful and appreciative.³

⁴Wa ma arusaluna mi rasulin illa bi lisani qaumihi liyubayyina lahum fa yuddillullahu ma yashau wa yahudi ma yashau wa huwal azizul hakimu

⁵Wa laqadu arusaluna Musa bi ayatina an akhuriju qaumaka mina ttulumati illa nuri wa zakkiruhum bi ayya millahi inna fi zalika la ayatin likulli suabbarin shakurin.

2. God has unlimited resources and He is not bogged down by language barriers. He sends whom He will to whichever people He chooses; it does not matter if He sends an African to Korea, an Indian to Australia, an American to Saudi Arabia. What matters is the message being sent. Since the Qur’an says in 13:39 that all of God’s messages to mankind are taking from the same source Book, then it should not matter who sends it. Today, the people of the world have learned each other’s language. Those who first receives the message is mandated by God to tell others (Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 1:8).

3. What type of darkness were Moses’ people in? The Qur’an takes it for granted that it will be understood and so it leaves out pertinent information. Or it speculates the position of the people of Moses. History tells us that they were in bondage in Egypt; they were not hidden in the innermost part of a cave devoid of all light.

⁶And remember, Moses said to his people, “Call to mind the favor of Allah to you when He delivered you from the people of Pharaoh. They set you hard tasks and punishments slaughtered your sons and let your womenfolk live, therein was a tremendous trial from your Lord.”⁴

⁷And remember! your Lord caused to be declared, “If you are grateful I will add more favors unto you, but if you show ingratitude, truly My punishment is terrible indeed.”

⁸And Moses said, “If you show ingratitude you and all on earth together, yet is Allah free of all wants, worthy of all praise.

⁹Has not the story reached you of those before you? of the people of Noah and Ad and Thamud, and of those who came after them? None knows them but Allah. To them came apostles with clear signs, but they put their hands up to their mouths and said, “We do deny the mission on which you have been sent and we are really in suspicious doubt as to that to which you invite us.”

⁶Wa iza qala Musa li qaumihi zukuru nimatallahi alaikum izu anujakum min ali Firauna yasumunakum sual azabi wa yuzabbihuna abunaakum wa yasutahuyuna nisaakum wa fi zalikum balaun mi rabbikum attimun.

⁷Wa izu taazzana rabbukum lain shakarutum la azidannakum wa lain kafarutum inna azaabi lashadidun.

⁸Wa qala Musa in takufuru anutum wa man filardi jamian fa innallaha laganiyyun hamidun.

⁹Alam yatikum nabaul lazina min qabulikum qaumi Nuhin wa Adin wa Samuda wallazina min badihim la yalamuhum illallahu jaatuhum rusuluhum bil bayyinati fa radu aidiyahum fi afuwahihim wa qalu inna kafaruna bima urusilutum bihi wa inna lafi shakkin mimma tadunana ilaihi muribin.

4. Verses 5 and 6 do not follow a logical sequence. Even fairy tales flow better sequentially than the Qur’an. Here is a Book about Abraham and we are into the 6th verse and no mention of Abraham who apparently preceded Moses by several centuries.

[Commentary continues below.]

¹⁰Their apostles said, “Is there a doubt about Allah, the creator of the heavens and the earth? It is He who invites you in order that He may forgive you your sins and give you respite for a term appointed.” They said, “Ah, you are no more than human like ourselves. You wish to turn us away from the gods our fathers used to worship, then bring us some clear authority.”

¹¹Their apostles said to them, “True we are human like yourselves but Allah does grant His grace to such of His servants as He pleases. It is not for us to bring you an authority except as Allah permits. And on Allah let all men of faith put their trust.”

¹⁰Qalatu rusuluhum afaillahi shakkun fattiri samawati walarddi yadukum liyagufira lakum min zunubikum wa yuakhirakum illa ajalin musamman qalu in anutum illa basharun misuluna turiduna an tassuduna amma kana yanubudu abauna fatuna bi sulutanin mubinin.

¹¹Qalatu lahum rusuluhum in nahnu illa basharun misulukum wa lakinnallaha yamunnu alla man yashau min ibadihi wa ma kana lana an natiyakum bi sultanin illa bi izunillahi wa allallahi faluyatawakkalil muminuna.

[Commentary continues below.]

¹²“And no reason have we why we should not put our trust on Allah. Indeed, He has guided us to the ways we follow. We shall certainly bear with patience all the hurt you may cause us, for those who put their trust should put their trust on Allah.”⁵

¹³And the unbelievers said to their apostles, “Be sure we shall drive you out of our land or you shall return to our religion.” But their Lord inspired this message to them, “Verily, We shall cause the wrongdoers to perish.”

¹⁴And verily, We shall cause you to abide in the land and succeed them. This is for such as fear the time when they shall stand before My tribunal, such as fear the punishment denounced.

¹⁵And they sought victory and decision and frustration was the lot of every powerful obstinate transgressor.

¹⁶In front of such a one is hell, and he is given for drink boiling fetid water.

¹²Wa ma lana alla natawakala allallahi wa qadu hadana subulana wa lanasubiranna alla ma azaitumuna wa allallahi faluyatawakkalil mutawakiluna.

¹³Wa qala lazina kafaru li rusulihim lanukhurijannakum min aruddina au lataudunna fi millatina fa auha ilaihim rabbuhum lanuhulikanna tualimina.

¹⁴Wa lanusukinannakumu lardda min badihim zalika liman khafa maqami wa khafa waidi.

¹⁵Wasutafutahu wa khaba kullu jabbarin anidin.

¹⁶Mi waraihi jahannamu wa yusuqa min main sadidin.

5. The Jews did not give this response to Moses when he came with his brother Aaron to tell the Jews that God has sent them to deliver the Israelites from the their bondage in Egypt. Exodus 4:1-9 tells of the up hill battle awaiting Moses and how he was to fight it through the demonstration of signs and miracles.

[Commentary continues below.]

¹⁷In gulps will he sip it but never well he be near swallowing it down his throat. Death will come to him from every quarter yet will he not die, and in front of him will be a chastisement unrelenting.

¹⁸The parable of those who reject their Lord is that their works are as ashes on which the wind blows furiously on a tempestuous day. No power have they over aught that they have earned. That is the straying far from the goal.

¹⁹Do you not see that Allah created the heavens and the earth in truth? If He so will He can remove you and put a new creation?

²⁰And that is not any great matter for Allah.

¹⁷Yatajarrauhu wa la yakadu yusiguhu wa yatihil mautu min kulli makanin wa ma huwa bi mayyitin wa mi waraihi azabun galittun.

¹⁸Masalu lazina kafaru bi rabbihim amaluhum karamadin ishutadatu bihi rihu fi yaumin asifin la yaqudiruna mimma kasabu alla shaiin zalika huwa dualalul baidu.

¹⁹Alam tara annallaha khalaqa samawati walardda bil haqqi inyasha yuzuhibukum wa yati bi khaluqin jadidin.

²⁰Wa ma zalika allallahi bi azizin.

[Commentary continues below.]

²¹And they will all be marshaled before Allah together, then will the weak say to those who were arrogant, “For us we followed you, can you then avail us at all against the wrath of Allah?” They will reply, “If we had received the guidance of Allah we should have given it to you, to us it makes no difference whether we rage or bear with patience, for ourselves, there is no way of escape.”

²²And Satan will say when the matter is decided, “It was Allah who gave you a promise of truth, I too promised but I failed in my promise to you. I had no authority over you except to call you but you listened to me, then reproach not me but reproach your own souls. I cannot listen to your cries nor can you listen to mine. I reject your former act in associating me with Allah. For wrongdoers there must be a grievous penalty.”⁶

²¹Wa barazu lillahi jamian faqala duafau lil lazina sutakbaru inna kunna lakum tabaan fahalu antum mugunana anna min azabillahi min shaiin qalu lau haduna lahu lahadainakum sawaun alaina ajazina am suabaruna ma lana min mahisin

²²Wa qala shaitanu lamma qudiyal amuru innallaha waadakum wadal haqqi wa wattukum fa akhulafutukum wa ma kana liya alaikum min sulutanin illa an daautukum fasutajabtum li fala talumuni wa lumu anufusakum ma ana bi musurikhikum wa ma anutum bi musurikhiyya inni kafarutu bima ashurakutumuni min qabulu inna tualimina lahum azabun alimun.

6. This is an admonition the followers of the Qur’an should take for themselves, because it is reported that Muhammad was told to say that he did not know what will be done with those who follow him, like Satan, he will tell you on the last day that every man for himself but God for us all.

[Commentary continues below.]

²³And those who believe and work righteousness will be admitted to gardens beneath which rivers flow, to dwell therein for ever with the leave of their Lord, their greeting therein will be, “Peace.”

²⁴Do you not see how Allah sets forth a parable, a goodly word like a goodly tree whose root is firmly fixed and its branches.

²⁵It brings forth its fruit at all times by the leave of its Lord. So Allah sets forth parables for men in order that they may receive admonition. reach to the heavens?

²⁶And the parable of an evil word is that of an evil tree. It is torn up by the root from the surface of the earth, it has no stability.

²³Wa udukhila lazina amanu wa amilu sualihati jannatin tajuri min tahutihal anuharu khalidina fiha bi izuni rabbihim tahiyyatuhum fiha salamun.

²⁴Alam tara kaifa duaraballahu masalan kalimatan tayyibatan ka shajaratin tayyibatin assuluha sabitun wa faruha fi samai.

²⁵Tuti ukulaha kulla hinin bi izuni rabbiha wa yaduribullahul amusala linasi laallahum yatazakkaruna.

²⁶Wa masalu kalimatin khabisatin kashajaratin khabisatin jutusatu min fauqil arddi ma laha minuqararin.

[Commentary continues below.]

²⁷Allah will establish in strength those who believe with the word that stands firm in this world and in the hereafter, but Allah will leave to stray those who do wrong, Allah does what He wills.

²⁸Have you not turned your vision to those who have changed the favor of Allah into blasphemy and caused their people to descend to the house of perdition?

²⁹Into hell? They will burn therein, an evil place to stay in.

³⁰And they set up idols as equal to Allah to mislead men from the path. Say, “Enjoy, but verily, you are making straightway for hell.”

²⁷Yusabitullahu lazina amanu bil qauli sabiti fil hayati dunuya wa filakhirahti wa yudillullahu tualimina wa yafalullahu ma yashau.

²⁸Alam tara illa lazina badalu nimatallahi kufura wa ahallu qaumahum daral bawari.

²⁹Jahannama yasulaunaha wa bisal qararu.

³⁰Wa jaalu lillahi anudadal liyuddillu an sabilihi qulu tamatau fa inna masirakum illa nari.

[Commentary continues below.]

³¹Speak to My servants who have believed that they may establish regular prayers and spend out of the sustenance We have given them secretly and openly before the coming of a day in which there will be neither mutual bargaining nor befriending.

³²It is Allah who has created the heavens and the earth and sends down rain from the skies and with it brings out fruits wherewith to feed you, it is He who has made the ships subject to you, that they may sail through the sea by His command, and the rivers has He made subject to you.

³³And He has made subject to you the sun and the moon both diligently pursuing their courses: and the night and the day has He made subject to you.

³¹Qulu liibadiya lazina amanu yuqimu sualata wa yunufiqu mimma razaqunahum sirran waalaniyatan min qabuli anyatiya yaumu la baiun fihi wa la khilalun.

³²Allahu lazi khalaqa samawati wal ardda wa anuzala mina samai maan fa akhuraja bihi mina samawati rizuqan lakum wa sakhara lakumul fuluka litajuriya fil bahuri bi amurihi wa sakhara lakumul anuhara.

³³Wa sakhara lakumu shamsa wal qamara daibaini wa sakhara lakumu laila wa nahara.

[Commentary continues below.]

³⁴And He gives you of all that you ask for. But if you count the favors of Allah, never will you be able to number them, verily, man is given up to injustice and ingratitude.

³⁵And remember Abraham said, “O my Lord, make this city one of peace and security, and preserve me and my sons from worshiping idols.⁷

³⁶“O my Lord, they have indeed led astray many among mankind, he then who follows me is of me, and he that disobeys me but you are indeed forgiving, merciful.”

³⁷“O our Lord, I have made some of my offspring to dwell in a valley without cultivation by your sacred house, in order, O our Lord, that they may establish regular prayer, so fill the hearts of some among men with love towards them and feed them with fruits, so that they may give thanks.⁸

³⁴Wa atakum min kulli ma saalutumuhu wa in taudu nimatallahi la tuhusuaha innalinsana latualumun kafarun.

³⁵Wa izu qala Ibrahimu rabbi jalu hazal balada aminan wa junubuni wa baniyya an nabudal assunama.

³⁶Rabbi innahunna addulaluna kasiran mina nasi faman tabiani fa innahu minni wa man asani fa innaka gafurun rahimun.

³⁷Rabbana inni asukantu min zurriyyati bi wadin gairi zizaruin inda baitikal muharrami rabbana liyuqimu sualata fa jalu afidatan mina nasi tahuwi ilaihim wa ruzuquhum mina samarati laallahum yashukuruna.

7. This chapter has made its first reference to Abraham without giving any clue as to who he is, which city is he talking about, who are his sons, how many are they? All these questions are left unanswered. This is an indication that they people were not at all ignorant of Abraham. They knew who he was that is why he is just mentioned without any introductory notes.

8. The ‘Sacred House’ mentioned here is the Kaabah which contained 365 idols at the time of Muhammad. At the time of Abraham, the people who lived in the area of Mecca were pagans worshiping idols. To refer to the temple of the gods as the ‘Sacred House’ leaves much to be desired. And if Allah called it the ‘Scared House’ could it be because he is the originator of it? More questions than answers should be raised here because a pattern has developed with Allah, he does not give details, rather, assumptions in hope that one will not ask questions.

³⁸“O our Lord, truly You know what we conceal and what we reveal, for nothing whatever is hidden from Allah whether on earth or in heaven.

³⁹“Praise be to Allah who has granted unto me in old age Ishmael and Isaac, for truly my Lord is He, the hearer of prayer.”

⁴⁰“O my Lord, make me one who establishes regular prayer and also raise such among my offspring, O our Lord! and accept my prayer.”⁹

⁴¹“O our Lord, cover us with Your forgiveness, me, my parents, and all believers on the day that the reckoning will be established.”

⁴²And think not that Allah does not heed the deeds of those who do wrong. He gives them respite against a day when the eyes will fixedly stare in horror.

³⁸Rabbana innaka talamu ma nukhufi wa ma nulinu wa ma yakhufa allallahi min shaiin filarddi wa la fi samai.

³⁹Alhamdu lillahi lazi wahaba li allal kibari Ismaila wa Ishaqa inna rabbi lasamiu duai

⁴⁰Rabbi jaluni muqima sualati wa min zurriyyati rabbana wa taqabbal duai.

⁴¹Rabbana gufiru li wa liwalidayya wa lil muminina yauma yaqumul hisabu.

⁴²Wa la tahusabanna llaha gafilan amma yamalu tualimuna innama yuakhiruhum liyaumin tashukhasu fihil abusuaru.

9. The key here is that the reference to regular prayer is about the Muslim prayer which was brought by Muhammad over a millennium and several centuries before Muhammad was born.

[Commentary continues below.]

⁴³They are running forward with necks outstretched, their heads uplifted, their gaze returning not towards them, and their hearts a gaping void.

⁴⁴And so warn mankind of the day when the wrath will reach them, then will the wrongdoers say, “Our Lord! respite us for a short term, we will answer Your call and follow the apostles.” “What, were you not known to swear before that you should suffer no decline?”

⁴⁵And you dwelt in the dwellings of men who wronged their own souls, you were clearly shown how We dealt with them, and We put forth many parables in your behalf.

⁴⁶And mighty indeed were the plots which they made but their plots were within the sight of Allah, even though they were such as to shake the hills.

⁴³Muhutiina muqunii ruusihim la yarutadu ilaihim tarufuhum wa afidatuhum hawaun.

⁴⁴Wa anuziri nasa yauma yatihimul azabu fa yaqulu lazina tualamu rabbana akhiruna illa ajalin qaribin nujibu dauwataka wa natabii rusula awalam takunu aqusamutum min qabulu ma lakum min zawalin.

⁴⁵Wa sakanutum fi masakini lazina tualamu anufusahum wa tabayyana lakum kaifa faaluna bihim wa duarabuna lakumu lamusala.

⁴⁶Wa qad makaru makurahum wa inudallahi makuruhum wa inkana makuruhum litazula minuhul jibalu.

[Commentary continues below.]

⁴⁷Never think that Allah would fail His apostles in His promise, for Allah is exalted in power, the Lord of retribution.

⁴⁸One day the earth will be changed to a different earth and so will be the heavens and men will be marshaled forth, before Allah, the one, the irresistible.

⁴⁹And you will see the sinners that day, bound together in fetters.

⁵⁰Their garments of liquid pitch and their faces covered with fire.

⁵¹That Allah may requite each soul according to its deserts, and verily, Allah is swift in calling account.

⁵²Here is a message for mankind: let them take warning therefrom and let them know that He is one Allah, let men of understanding take heed.¹⁰

⁴⁷Fala tahusabanna llaha mukhulifa wadihi rusulaha innallaha azizun zu antiqamin.

⁴⁸Yauma tubadalu larddu gaira larddi wa samawatu wa barazu lillahil wahidil qahhri.

⁴⁹Wa taral mujurimina yaumaizin muqarranina fil assufadi.

⁵⁰Sarabiluhum min qatirani wa tagusha wujuhahumu naru.

⁵¹Liyajuziyallahu kulla nafusin ma kasabatu innallaha sariul hisabi.

⁵²Haza balagun linasi wa liyunuzaru bihi wa liyalamu annama huwa illahun wahidun wa liyazzakara ulul alubabi

10. The conclusion of the Book of Ecclesiastes seems very appropriate and it is even similar:

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. 12:13-14.