126. " And (remember) when Abraham said: ' My Lord, make this a secure City and provide its people with fruits such of them that believe in Allah and the Last Day.' He said: ' And whoever disbelieves, I shall let him enjoy himself for a little while, then I shall drive him to the Punishment of Fire and an evil destination it is ! ' "
Commentary :
Abraham's (a.s.) Petition to Allah !
In this verse Abraham (a.s.) asks Allah two great requests in favour of the inhabitants of this Holy land, one of which was referred to in the previous verse. The Qur'an says:
" And (remember) when Abraham said: ' My Lord, make this a secure City ..."
As it was pointed out in the previous verse, Allah accepted this invocation from Abraham (a.s.) and set this Holy land as a secure center, both outward and inward security. his second petition was thus:
"... and provide its people with fruits such of them that believe in Allah and the Last Day.'...."
It is interesting that Abraham (a.s.) requested ' security 'first , and then he asked for material gifts which itself is a reference to the fact that a safe and soundeconomic status is not possible unless there exists security in a town or country.
The opinions are divided amongst the commentators as to the
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meaning of the term ' fruits ' here. On the whole, it seems that the word has a vast meaning, so broad that it includes any material bounty whether it is fruits or other nutritious substances, as well as spiritual bounties.
Concerning the meaning of this term in the above verse, Imam Sadiq (a.s.) in a tradition has said: " It is the fruits of hearts." (1) This indicates that Allah attracts the attention and affection of human beings to the people of this Holy land.
This is also noteworthy, that Abraham (a.s.) invocates this petition only for the believers in Allah, the only True God, and the Last Day, because he might have realized from the statement: " My covenant does not include the unjust," cited in the former verse, the fact that some groups of his future offspring would follow the path of polytheism and injustice; then, to show reverence in a courteous manner, here, he did not include them in his petition.
However, Allah's answer to this invocation of Abraham (a.s.) was:
"... He said: ' And whoever disbelieves, I shall let him enjoy himself for a little while, ..."
"...then I shall drive him to the Punishment of Fire and an evil destination it is ! ' "
This is, in fact, the same ' General Mercy ' of Allah by which His unlimited bounties are available to all creatures so that good doers and evildoers equally enjoy from His vast bountiful Table in this world, but in the next world, where His ' Specific Mercy ' comes forth, wrongdoers will have no share of it and also they will have no way to rescue themselves.
(1) Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol.12.86 & 100
127. " And (remember) when Abraham and Ismail raised up the foundations of the House; (saying) : ' Our Lord, accept (this service) from us; for surely You are All-Hearing,All-Knowing'.
128. " ' Our Lord, make us submissive (Muslims) to You, and of our progeny an Ummah (a nation) submissive to You, and show us our ways of worship, and turn to us (mercifully) ; for surely You are the Oft-Returning, the Most Merciful '."
129. " ' Our Lord, send amongst them an Apostle of their own who shall recite unto them Your revelations, teach them the Book and the Wisdom, and purify them; for surely You are Almighty, All-Wise '."
Commentary :
The Structure of the House of Ka'bah
It is clearly understood from the numerous verses of the Qur'an, the Islamic traditions, and some historical records that the House of Ka'bah had been founded before Abraham (a.s.) and that it had been
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established at the time of Adam (a.s.) . Sura Ibrahim, No. 14, verse 37, quoting from the tongue of Abraham (a.s.) , says: " Our Lord ! Surely I have settled a part of my offspring in a valley unproductive (of fruit) near Your Sacred House, ..."
This verse confirms that when Abraham (a.s.) with his wife and his infant son Ismail arrived at the Holy land of Mecca, there was no sign of the Ka'bah seen therein, but he was guided there by Divine inspiration.
Another verse says: " The first House (or worship) appointed for men was that at Bekka : full of blessing..." (Sura 'Al-i-'Imran, No.3, verse 96) .
It is certain that the worshipping of Allah and the structure of the center of adoration did not begin from the time of Abraham (a.s.) . It had started before that and was established at the time of Adam (a.s.) . The idea mentioned in the verse under discussion indicates the same meaning, too. It says:
" And (remember) when Abraham and Ismail raised up the foundations of the House; (saying) : ' Our Lord, accept (this service) from us; for surely You are All-Hearing, All-Knowing'."
This statement refers to the concept that the foundations of the Ka'bah had existed from before, and Abraham (a.s.) and Ismail (a.s.) raised them up.
Hadrat Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali (a.s.) in one of his sermons known as Qasi'ah also says: " Do you not see that Allah, the Glorified, has tried all the people among those who came before, beginning with Adam, up to the last ones in this world with stones... He made those stones into His Sacred House... Then He commanded Adam and his sons to turn their attention towards it. ..." (1)
In short, the verses of the Qur'an and the Islamic narrations confirm this historical fact that the House of Ka'bah was originally built by Adam (a.s.) . Then during the Flood at the time of Noah, it fell down. Then, later, it was rebuilt by the hands of Abraham (a.s.) with the aid of his son Ismail (a.s.) .
The second of the above two verses attests to the fact that Abraham (a.s.) and his son Ismail (a.s.) sought from Allah five
(1) Nahjul- Balaqah, Sermon 192
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important invocations. These prayers, which were offered when they were busy building the Ka'bah, are so exact and consistent with all the necessities of material and spiritual life, that they can lead man to the recognition of the magnificence of the souls of these two great Apostles of Allah.
At first, Abraham (a.s.) prays: " ' Our Lord, make us submissive (Muslims) to You, ..."
Then he invocates: "...and of our progeny an Ummah (a nation) submissive to You, ..."
He continues saying: "... and show us our ways of worship, ..." (so that we can adore You in a way worthy of Your Highness) .
After that, he (a.s.) seeks Allah for repentance, thus:
"... and turn to us (mercifully) ; for surely You are the Oft-Returning, the Most Merciful '."
* * * *
The fifth invocation, which was sought from Allah at the time of constructing the Holy Ka'bah by Abraham and Ismail (a.s.) , is this:
" ' Our Lord, send amongst them an Apostle of their own ..."
"... who shall recite unto them Your revelations, teach them the Book and the Wisdom, and purify them; ..."
"...for surely You are Almighty, All-Wise."
130. " And who turns away from Abraham's creed but he who makes a fool of himself ? Indeed, We chose him in this world, and in the Hereafter surely he shall be among the righteous."
131. " When his Lord said to him, ' Submit ', he said, ' I have submitted to the Lord of all worlds'."
132. " And this did Abraham bequeath to his sons, and (so did) Jacob, ' My children, Allah has chosen for you the Faith, therefore die not unless you are Muslims '."
Commentary :
Abraham (a.s.) , a Human Prototype
In the former verses, Abraham's personality was partly introduced. Some of his services and quite a few of his comprehensive invocations, which included material and spiritual aspects, were discussed. From the totality of these words, it is concluded that this great Apostle can be a good model for all the truth-seekers throughout the world, and his school of thought can be an instruction guideline for all human beings.
Based on this very matter, in the first verse of the above verses, it says:
" And who turns away from Abraham's creed but he who makes a fool of himself?..."
Is this not foolishness that one forsakes such a pure brilliant creed
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and goes astray along the misleading paths of polytheism, blasphemy, and corruption? This is a religion which is appropriate for and coinciding with the soul and nature of man. It is a process that parallels wisdom and logic. This creed is beneficial for man both in the present world and the next world.
Then, it adds: "... Indeed, We chose him in this world, and in the Hereafter surely he will be among the righteous."
Yes, Abraham (a.s.) is chosen by Allah, and he is among the ranks of the righteous and that is why he should be chosen as a model.
* * * *
The next verse, as an emphasis, refers to one of the other outstanding qualities which is, in fact, the origin of the rest of his qualities.
" When his Lord said to him, ' Submit ', he said, ' I have submitted to the Lord of all worlds'."
Yes, it is when Abraham (a.s.) , that pure true believer and self-sacrificer, hearkens to the call of his innate nature that the Lord enjoins him ' Submit ', and he submits himself totally to His command. Abraham (a.s.) sees that the stars, the moon, and the sun, all in all, have precise settings. Then he, with his mind and perceptioe finds out that they are subject to the regulations of creation. Therefore, he proclaims that none of them can be his Lord, and he says: " For me, I have set my face firmly and truly, towards Him Who created the heavens and the earth, and never shall I give partners to God." (Sura Al-An'am, No. 6, verse 79) .
In fact, the first step to attaining worthiness for a person is through purity and sincerity, and it was owing to this same quality in Abraham (a.s.) that he was able to submit exclusively to the command of Allah, therefore He was pleased with him and chose him, and for this same reason He selected him to introduce His religion.
The entirety of Abraham's (a.s.) deeds, throughout his life, from beginning up to the end, were unique. One of his expressions of faith was through his challenge with idol worshippers and star worshippers. Another was when, while in the midst of fire, he showed such strength
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of faith that his hostile enemy, Nimrod, was so affected by him that he unwillingly said: " If a person wants to take a god, he should take one similar to the God of Abraham (a.s.) ." (1)
Also, bringing his wife and suckling son to that hot dry land, i.e. the Holy land, building the House of Ka'bah, and taking his beloved son into the place of sacrifice, each was an example of the resoluteness of his manner.
* * * *
Abraham's (a.s.) bequest to his children at the last moments of his life was also a model, as the last verse of the verses under discussion says:
" And this did Abraham bequeath to his sons, and (so did) Jacob, ..."
Each of them told their sons: "... ' My children, Allah has chosen for you the Faith, therefore die not unless you are Muslims'."
It seems that the Qur'an by stating the bequest of Abraham (a.s.) intends to reiterate the fact that you human beings are not only responsible for your children while they are with you but you are responsible for their futures, too. When you are on your deathbed, do not think of only your financial affairs and that of your children after your death; you had better think about their spiritual life, too.
Not only did Abraham (a.s.) bequeath such a testament, but also his grandson, Jacob (a.s.) , imitated Abraham's same manner and at the last moments of his life enjoined his children to attain the secret of victory, success and happiness via this short phrase: ' Submit to the Lord of the worlds'.
The mentioning of Jacob from among all prophets, here in this verse, is perhaps with the aim of telling the Jews and Christians, who each in their own way used to join themselves to Jacob, that the blasphemic creeds which they followed and the lack of pure submission in the Truth that they showed by their actions, did not coincide with the manner of the one whom they joined themselves to.
(1) Al-Kafi,vol. 8, p. 368 , narration 559
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