سُوْرَةُ الصَّافَّاتِ
Surah As-Saaffaat (37) — Ayah 113
وَبَـٰرَكْنَا عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَىٰٓ إِسْحَـٰقَ ۚ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِهِمَا مُحْسِنٌ وَظَالِمٌ لِّنَفْسِهِۦ مُبِينٌ ﴿113﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
We blessed him and Ishâq (Isaac). And of their progeny are (some) that do right, and some that plainly wrong themselves.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَبَـٰرَكْنَا
wabāraknā
And We blessed
عَلَيْهِ
ʿalayhi
him
وَعَلَىٰٓ
waʿalā
and [on]
إِسْحَـٰقَ ۚ
is'ḥāqa
Isaac
وَمِن
wamin
And of
ذُرِّيَّتِهِمَا
dhurriyyatihimā
their offspring
مُحْسِنٌۭ
muḥ'sinun
(are) good-doers
وَظَالِمٌۭ
waẓālimun
and unjust
لِّنَفْسِهِۦ
linafsihi
to himself
مُبِينٌۭ
mubīnun
clear
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 113) ➊ { وَ بٰرَكْنَا عَلَيْهِ وَ عَلٰۤى اِسْحٰقَ : ’’ عَلَيْهِ ‘‘} refers to either Ibrahim or Ismail (peace be upon them). Included in the blessing is that they were granted many descendants and that the chain of prophethood was kept among their offspring. Shah Abdul Qadir writes: "Both" means both sons; from both, many descendants spread. Among the descendants of Ishaq (peace be upon him) were the prophets of Bani Israel, and the descendants of Ismail (peace be upon him) are the Arabs, among whom was our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)." (Muwadhih)
➋ { وَ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِهِمَا مُحْسِنٌ وَّ ظَالِمٌ … :} means that among their offspring there will be righteous as well as wicked, those who do justice and those who clearly wrong themselves. Shaykh Abdur Rahman al-Sa'di said: "Perhaps the purpose of saying this is to remove the misconception that some people might get from {’’ وَ بٰرَكْنَا عَلَيْهِ وَ عَلٰۤى اِسْحٰقَ ‘‘}, that it implies that the blessing should continue among all their offspring, and the blessing would be complete only if all the offspring were righteous. So Allah Almighty clarified that among the offspring there will be all kinds of people, both righteous and wicked." That is, mere association with family and ancestors has no status with Allah Almighty. An example of this is the belief of some people in the Muslim Ummah regarding Ahl al-Bayt, that Sayyids, no matter what they do, are already forgiven because they are the descendants of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and Hasan and Husayn (may Allah be pleased with them), whereas this belief is false. Because if being the offspring of a prophet were enough for forgiveness, then all humans are the offspring of such great prophets as Adam and Nuh (peace be upon them), so all should be forgiven.
➋ { وَ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِهِمَا مُحْسِنٌ وَّ ظَالِمٌ … :} means that among their offspring there will be righteous as well as wicked, those who do justice and those who clearly wrong themselves. Shaykh Abdur Rahman al-Sa'di said: "Perhaps the purpose of saying this is to remove the misconception that some people might get from {’’ وَ بٰرَكْنَا عَلَيْهِ وَ عَلٰۤى اِسْحٰقَ ‘‘}, that it implies that the blessing should continue among all their offspring, and the blessing would be complete only if all the offspring were righteous. So Allah Almighty clarified that among the offspring there will be all kinds of people, both righteous and wicked." That is, mere association with family and ancestors has no status with Allah Almighty. An example of this is the belief of some people in the Muslim Ummah regarding Ahl al-Bayt, that Sayyids, no matter what they do, are already forgiven because they are the descendants of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and Hasan and Husayn (may Allah be pleased with them), whereas this belief is false. Because if being the offspring of a prophet were enough for forgiveness, then all humans are the offspring of such great prophets as Adam and Nuh (peace be upon them), so all should be forgiven.
