سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 124
۞ وَإِذِ ٱبْتَلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ رَبُّهُۥ بِكَلِمَـٰتٍ فَأَتَمَّهُنَّ ۖ قَالَ إِنِّى جَاعِلُكَ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَامًا ۖ قَالَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِى ۖ قَالَ لَا يَنَالُ عَهْدِى ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ ﴿124﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And (remember) when the Lord of Ibrâhîm (Abraham) [i.e., Allâh] tried him with (certain) Commands, which he fulfilled. He (Allâh) said (to him), "Verily, I am going to make you an Imâm (a leader) for mankind (to follow you)." [Ibrâhîm (Abraham)] said, "And of my offspring (to make leaders)." (Allâh) said, "My Covenant (Prophethood) includes not Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers)."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
۞ وَإِذِ
wa-idhi
And when
ٱبْتَلَىٰٓ
ib'talā
tried
إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ
ib'rāhīma
Ibrahim
رَبُّهُۥ
rabbuhu
his Lord
بِكَلِمَـٰتٍۢ
bikalimātin
with words
فَأَتَمَّهُنَّ ۖ
fa-atammahunna
and he fulfilled them
قَالَ
qāla
He said
إِنِّى
innī
Indeed I
جَاعِلُكَ
jāʿiluka
(am) the One to make you
لِلنَّاسِ
lilnnāsi
for the mankind
إِمَامًۭا ۖ
imāman
a leader
قَالَ
qāla
He said
وَمِن
wamin
And from
ذُرِّيَّتِى ۖ
dhurriyyatī
my offspring
قَالَ
qāla
He said
لَا
lā
(Does) not
يَنَالُ
yanālu
reach
عَهْدِى
ʿahdī
My Covenant
ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
l-ẓālimīna
(to) the wrongdoers
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 124) ➊ {بِكَلِمٰتٍ:} Some commentators have taken these matters to mean inviting the father, the people, and the king to monotheism, refuting idol worship, star worship, and king worship, patience upon being thrown into the fire, then migration, steadfastness despite the oppression of the tyrant king of Egypt, leaving wife and child in a barren valley, and complete readiness to sacrifice the only son. Some have taken it to mean the construction and purification of the House of Allah mentioned in the following verses, the rites of Hajj, and the acceptance of Allah’s command {”اَسْلِمْ“} (Submit!) and then practically proving that submission. [ ابن أبی شیبۃ عن مجاہد ] In Tafsir ‘Abd al-Razzaq, it is mentioned with an authentic chain from Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that Allah tested Ibrahim (peace be upon him) with the commands of purification, five of which were related to the head and five to the rest of the body. Those related to the head were trimming the mustache, rinsing the mouth, cleaning the nose with water, using the miswak, and parting the hair. Those related to the body were cutting the nails, shaving the pubic hair, circumcision, plucking the armpit hair, and washing the traces of urine and feces with water. In Sahih Bukhari (5889), Muslim (257), and Abu Dawud (4198), etc., the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) counted these acts among the natural practices (fitrah).
The reality is that all these things are included in the trials of Ibrahim (peace be upon him), and whatever command Allah gave him, he fulfilled it. When he was commanded to sacrifice his son in old age, he fulfilled it; when he was commanded to circumcise himself at the age of eighty (80), he did that as well. [ بخاری، الاستئذان، باب الختان بعد الکبر … : ۶۲۹۷ ]
➋ { قَالَ وَ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِيْ......: } When Allah made Ibrahim (peace be upon him) the leader of all people, he prayed for leadership for some of his descendants, not for all, because he knew that it could not be for everyone, so why pray for it? Thus, Allah accepted his prayer, but at the same time informed him that the wrongdoers among his descendants would not be honored with this blessing. This is meant to warn the misguided among the Children of Israel and the polytheists among the Children of Isma‘il that their beliefs and actions have become corrupt; merely being descendants of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) is not enough.
The reality is that all these things are included in the trials of Ibrahim (peace be upon him), and whatever command Allah gave him, he fulfilled it. When he was commanded to sacrifice his son in old age, he fulfilled it; when he was commanded to circumcise himself at the age of eighty (80), he did that as well. [ بخاری، الاستئذان، باب الختان بعد الکبر … : ۶۲۹۷ ]
➋ { قَالَ وَ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِيْ......: } When Allah made Ibrahim (peace be upon him) the leader of all people, he prayed for leadership for some of his descendants, not for all, because he knew that it could not be for everyone, so why pray for it? Thus, Allah accepted his prayer, but at the same time informed him that the wrongdoers among his descendants would not be honored with this blessing. This is meant to warn the misguided among the Children of Israel and the polytheists among the Children of Isma‘il that their beliefs and actions have become corrupt; merely being descendants of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) is not enough.
