Surah Al-Ankaboot (29) — Ayah 27

(Ayah 27) ➊ { وَ وَهَبْنَا لَهٗۤ اِسْحٰقَ وَ يَعْقُوْبَ :} There is a subtle benefit in this verse, which is that Allah Almighty changed all the difficult circumstances that befell Ibrahim (peace be upon him) in the world into such excellent conditions that were the complete opposite of the previous ones. That is, his people threw him into the fire because of his call to monotheism, so Allah Almighty saved him from it with well-being and safety. He was alone among his people, so Allah Almighty, in return, granted him so many descendants that the world was filled with them. His relatives themselves were misguided and polytheists, and were those who misled others and called to polytheism, among whom was his father Azar as well. So Allah Almighty, in place of those relatives, gave him such relatives who were themselves guided and guided others; these were his descendants in whom Allah Almighty placed prophethood and the Book. He was homeless in his homeland, so Allah Almighty granted him a dwelling in the blessed land of Sham. He did not have wealth or status, so Allah Almighty granted him so much wealth that he could bring a roasted calf for a few unexpected guests in a short time, and granted him such status and rank that until the Day of Judgment, along with sending blessings upon the last Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him), blessings will also be sent upon him. There was a time when he was so insignificant among his people that he was considered an unknown person, as is in Surah Al-Anbiya: «{ قَالُوْا سَمِعْنَا فَتًى يَّذْكُرُهُمْ يُقَالُ لَهٗۤ اِبْرٰهِيْمُ }» [الأنبیاء : ۶۰ ] "They said: We heard a young man mention them, he is called Ibrahim." And because of his call to monotheism, his people were his enemies, so Allah Almighty granted him such a truthful reputation (true fame and renown) among those to come until the Day of Judgment that now there will be hardly anyone who does not know him. Whether Jews, Christians, or Muslims, all love him, mention him in the best of ways, and take pride in being related to him. The life of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) is an undeniable testimony to the fact that whoever leaves something for the sake of Allah Almighty, Allah grants him something far better in its place.

➋ { وَ جَعَلْنَا فِيْ ذُرِّيَّتِهِ النُّبُوَّةَ وَ الْكِتٰبَ :} That is, after Ibrahim (peace be upon him), no one except his descendants was given prophethood and the heavenly Book; all the prophets were from his descendants, which is why he is called the father of the prophets. One line of Ibrahim (peace be upon him)'s descendants is from Ishaq and Yaqub (peace be upon them), in which many personalities up to Isa (peace be upon him) were granted prophethood. The other line is from Ismail (peace be upon him), in which the last Prophet, the leader of the children of Adam, Muhammad (peace be upon him), appeared. Zamakhshari has mentioned a question here that here the granting of Ishaq and Yaqub (peace be upon them) to Ibrahim (peace be upon him) is mentioned, but not Ismail (peace be upon him); then he himself answered that here their and the leader of the messengers (peace be upon him)'s mention is also included within {’’ وَ جَعَلْنَا فِيْ ذُرِّيَّتِهِ النُّبُوَّةَ وَ الْكِتٰبَ ‘‘}. Some commentators have stated the point that the explicit mention of Ismail (peace be upon him) is not made here because from the beginning of this surah, the trial and testing of the believers is being mentioned, in which the trial of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) is also mentioned. After mentioning his trial, the blessings upon him are mentioned, in which Ishaq and Yaqub (peace be upon them) are explicitly mentioned, because receiving them in old age after the end of the trial was a great blessing. Ismail (peace be upon him) was also indeed a blessing from Allah Almighty, but with him were associated very severe trials, such as leaving him in a barren valley, being commanded to sacrifice him, etc. Therefore, in the mention of blessings, his name is not explicitly mentioned, although in the mention of the descendants who were granted prophethood and the Book, he is also included. (And Allah knows best)

➌ { وَ اٰتَيْنٰهُ اَجْرَهٗ فِي الدُّنْيَا :} By this is meant those things which have been mentioned in the benefit (1) of this verse. Shah Abdul Qadir writes: "That is, in the world, Allah Almighty gave wealth, children, honor, and everlasting name, and granted the land of Sham to his descendants forever." (Muwadhih)

➍ {وَ اِنَّهٗ فِي الْاٰخِرَةِ لَمِنَ الصّٰلِحِيْنَ:} That is, the reward given to him in the world did not cause any decrease in his ranks in the Hereafter; rather, he was honored with inclusion among the righteous, for the attainment of which Allah's great prophets also prayed, as Sulaiman (peace be upon him) prayed: «{ وَ اَدْخِلْنِيْ بِرَحْمَتِكَ فِيْ عِبَادِكَ الصّٰلِحِيْنَ }» [ النمل : ۱۹ ] "And by Your mercy, admit me among Your righteous servants." And Yusuf (peace be upon him) prayed: «{ تَوَفَّنِيْ مُسْلِمًا وَّ اَلْحِقْنِيْ بِالصّٰلِحِيْنَ }» [ یوسف : ۱۰۱ ] "Cause me to die as a Muslim and join me with the righteous." And it is narrated from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say: [ مَا مِنْ نَبِيٍّ يَمْرَضُ إِلاَّ خُيِّرَ بَيْنَ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ وَكَانَ فِيْ شَكْوَاهُ الَّذِيْ قُبِضَ فِيْهِ أَخَذَتْهُ بُحَّةٌ شَدِيْدَةٌ فَسَمِعْتُهُ يَقُوْلُ : « مَعَ الَّذِيْنَ اَنْعَمَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِّنَ النَّبِيّٖنَ وَ الصِّدِّيْقِيْنَ۠ وَ الشُّهَدَآءِ وَ الصّٰلِحِيْنَ » [النساء : ۶۹] فَعَلِمْتُ أَنَّهُ خُيِّرَ ] [ بخاري، التفسیر، باب : « فاولٓئک مع الذین أنعم اللہ علیھم …» : ۴۵۸۶ ] "Whenever a prophet falls ill, he is given the choice between this world and the Hereafter." And in the illness in which he passed away, he had a very severe cough, so I heard him saying: "Join me with those upon whom You have bestowed favor, from among the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous." So I knew that he had been given the choice."

➎ In this verse, there is encouragement to follow Ibrahim (peace be upon him) in being patient for the sake of the true religion.