Ornaments of Gold, Luxury, The Embellishment — Verse 30

Ibrahim's Declaration of Tawhid Here Allah tells us about His servant, Messenger and close Friend, the leader of the monotheists and the father of all subsequent Prophets, from whom Quraysh were descended and claimed to have taken their religion. He disowned his father's and his people's worship of idols and said: وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَهِيمُ لاًّبِيهِ وَقَوْمِهِ إِنَّنِى بَرَآءٌ مِّمَّا تَعْبُدُونَ - إِلاَّ الَّذِى فَطَرَنِى فَإِنَّهُ سَيَهْدِينِ وَجَعَلَهَا كَلِمَةً بَـقِيَةً فِى عَقِبِهِ ("Verily, I am innocent of what you worship, except Him Who created me; and verily, He will guide me." And he made it a Word lasting among his offspring,) The Word means the worship of Allah Alone with no partner or associate, and the denunciation of all gods apart from Him, i.e., La ilaha illallah. He left this word as an example to be followed by those of his progeny who were guided by Allah. لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ (that they may turn back.) means, come back to this word. `Ikrimah, Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah, As-Suddi and others commented on the Ayah: وَجَعَلَهَا كَلِمَةً بَـقِيَةً فِى عَقِبِهِ (And he made it a Word lasting among his offspring,) "This means, La ilaha illallah, and there are still those among his offspring who say it." A similar view was narrated from Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him. Ibn Zayd said, "The word of Islam," which refers to the same thing suggested by the group. How the People of Makkah turned away from the Messenger and opposed Him, and His Response Allah further says: بَلْ مَتَّعْتُ هَـؤُلاَءِ (Nay, but I gave to these) means, the idolators, وَءَابَآءَهُمْ (and their fathers) means, they lived a long life in their misguidance. حَتَّى جَآءَهُمُ الْحَقُّ وَرَسُولٌ مُّبِينٌ (till there came to them the truth, and a Messenger making things clear.) means, his message is clear and his warning is clear. وَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمُ الْحَقُّ قَالُواْ هَـذَا سِحْرٌ وَإِنَّا بِهِ كَـفِرُونَ (And when the truth came to them, they said: "This is magic, and we disbelieve therein.") means, they were arrogant and stubborn, and they pushed him away out of disbelief, envy and transgression. وَقَالُواْ (And they say) means, objecting to that which Allah has revealed to him, لَوْلاَ نُزِّلَ هَـذَا الْقُرْءَانُ عَلَى رَجُلٍ مِّنَ الْقَرْيَتَيْنِ عَظِيمٍ (Why is not this Qur'an sent down to some great man of the two towns) meaning, why was this Qur'an not revealed to some man who was great and prominent in their eyes, from the two towns, i.e., Makkah and At-Ta'if This was the view of Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, `Ikrimah, Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Ibn Zayd. Several scholars of Tafsir stated that by this, the Quraysh meant Al-Walid bin Al-Mughirah and `Urwah bin Mas`ud Ath-Thaqafi. The apparent meaning is that what they meant was a great man from either of the two towns. Allah responded to their rejection by saying: أَهُمْ يَقْسِمُونَ رَحْمَةَ رَبِّكَ (Is it they who would portion out the mercy of your Lord) meaning, the matter has nothing to do with them; it is for Allah to decide. Allah knows best where to direct His Message, and He does not reveal it except to the one who is the purest in heart and soul, and of the noblest descent. Then Allah points out that He differentiates among His creation in terms of what He gives them of wealth, provision, intellect, understanding and other visible and hidden strengths: نَحْنُ قَسَمْنَا بَيْنَهُمْ مَّعِيشَتَهُمْ فِى الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا (It is We Who portion out between them their livelihood in this world,) لِّيَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُهُم بَعْضاً سُخْرِيّاً (so that some may employ others in their work.) It was said that this means that some employ others in their work, because one needs the other, and vice versa. This was the view of As-Suddi and others. وَرَحْمَةُ رَبِّكَ خَيْرٌ مِّمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ (But the mercy of your Lord is better than which they amass.) means, the mercy of Allah towards His creation is better for them than the wealth and conveniences of this world which they possess. Wealth is not a Sign of Divine Pleasure وَلَوْلاَ أَن يَكُونَ النَّاسُ أُمَّةً وَحِدَةً (And were it not that mankind would have become of one community,) means, `were it not for the fact that many ignorant people would think that Our giving them wealth was a sign that We love the person to whom We give it, and thus they would have agreed upon disbelief for the sake of wealth.' This is the view of Ibn `Abbas, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, As-Suddi and others. لَّجَعَلْنَا لِمَن يَكْفُرُ بِالرَّحْمَـنِ لِبُيُوتِهِمْ سُقُفاً مِّن فِضَّةٍ وَمَعَارِجَ (We would have provided for those who disbelieve in the Most Gracious, silver roofs for their houses, and elevators) means, ladders and staircases of silver. This was the view of Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah, As-Suddi, Ibn Zayd and others. عَلَيْهَا يَظْهَرُونَ (whereby they ascend,) means, go up. And their houses would have doors, i.e., locks on their doors, وَسُرُراً عَلَيْهَا يَتَّكِئُونَ (and thrones on which they could recline,) means, all of that would be made of silver. وَزُخْرُفاً (And adornments) means, and gold. This was the view of Ibn `Abbas, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Ibn Zayd. وَإِن كُلُّ ذَلِكَ لَمَّا مَتَـعُ الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا (Yet all this would have been nothing but an enjoyment of this world.) means, all that belongs to this transient world which is insignificant before Allah. He hastens their reward for good deeds in the form of luxuries in this world, so that when they reach the Hereafter, they will have no good merits with Allah for which they may be rewarded, as was reported in the Sahih Hadith. It was reported in another Hadith: «لَوْ أَنَّ الدُّنْيَا تَزِنُ عِنْدَ اللهِ جَنَاحَ بَعُوضَةٍ مَا سَقَى مِنْهَا كَافِرًا شَرْبَةَ مَاء» (If this world were worth a gnat's wing before Allah, He would not give a disbeliever a drink of water.) Al-Baghawi narrated its chain of narration. وَالاٌّخِرَةُ عِندَ رَبِّكَ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ (And the Hereafter with your Lord is (only) for those who have Taqwa.) means, it is exclusively for them, and no one else will share it with them. When `Umar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, visited the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in seclusion, when he was keeping away from his wives, and he saw him resting on a rough mat which had left marks on his side, his eyes filled with tears and he said, "O Messenger of Allah, look at this Chosroes and this Caesar with all that they have, and you are the best of Allah's creation. " The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was reclining, but he sat up and said: «أَوَ فِي شَكَ أَنْتَ يَا ابْنَ الْخَطَّابِ؟» (Are you in doubt, O son of Al-Khattab) Then he said: «أُولئِكَ قَوْمٌ عُجِّلَتْ لَهُمْ طَـيِّـبَاتُهُمْ فِي حَيَاتِهِمُ الدُّنْيَا» (Those are people for whom the enjoyments are hastened in this world.) According to another report: «أَمَا تَرْضَى أَنْ تَــكُونَ لَهُمُ الدُّنْيَا وَلَنَا الْاخِرَة» (Does it not please you that this world is for them and the Hereafter is for us) In as the Two Sahihs and elsewhere, it is reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: «لَا تَشْرَبُوا فِي آنِيَةِ الذَّهَبِ وَالْفِضَّةِ، وَلَا تَأْكُلُوا فِي صِحَافِهَا، فَإِنَّهَا لَهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَلَنَا فِي الْاخِرَة» (Do not drink from vessels of gold and silver, and do not eat from plates of the same, for these things are for them in this world and for us in the Hereafter.) Allah has granted these things to them in this world because it is insignificant, as was reported by At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah via Abu Hazim from Sahl bin Sa`d, who said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: «لَوْ كَانَتِ الدُّنْيَا تَزِنُ عِنْدَ اللهِ جَنَاحَ بَعُوضَةٍ مَا سَقَى مِنْهَا كَافِرًا شَرْبَةَ مَاءٍ أَبَدًا» n(If this world were worth a gnat's wing before Allah, He would never give a disbeliever a drink of water.)" At-Tirmidhi said: "Hasan Sahih."

But when the truth the Qur’ān came to them they said ‘This is sorcery and we are indeed disbelievers in it’.

ولما جاءهم القرآن من عند الله قالوا: هذا الذي جاءنا به هذا الرسول سحرٌ يسحرنا به، وليس بوحي مِن عند الله، وإنا به مكذِّبون.

أي كابروه وعاندوه ودفعوا بالصدور والراح كفرا وحسدا وبغيا.

ثم بين - سبحانه - موقفهم من الحق الذى جاءهم به الرسول - صلى الله عليه وسلم - فقال : ( وَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمُ الحق قَالُواْ هذا سِحْرٌ وَإِنَّا بِهِ كَافِرُونَ ) .أى : وحين جاءهم الرسول - صلى الله عليه وسلم - بالحق من عند ربهم ، لكى يخرجهم من ظلمات الكفر ، إلى نور الإِيمان . . قالوا - على سبيل الجحود والعناد - : هذا الذى جئتنا به نوع من السحر ، وإنا به كافرون مكذبون .والتعبير بقوله : ( جَآءَهُمُ ) يشعر بأن الحق قد وصل إليهم دون أن يتبعوا أنفسهم فى البحث عنه ، ومع ذلك فقد استقبلوه بالجحود والإِنكار .

( وَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمُ الْحَقُّ ) يقول جلّ ثناؤه: ولما جاء هؤلاء المشركين القرآنُ من عند الله, ورسول من الله أرسله إليهم بالدعاء إليه ( قَالُوا هَذَا سِحْرٌ ) يقول: هذا الذي جاءنا به هذا الرسول سحر يسحرنا به, ليس بوحي من الله ( وَإِنَّا بِهِ كَافِرُونَ ) يقول: قالوا: وإنا به جاحدون, ننكر أن يكون هذا من الله.وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثنا محمد, قال: ثنا أحمد, قال: ثنا أسباط, عن السديّ, في قوله: ( وَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمُ الْحَقُّ قَالُوا هَذَا سِحْرٌ وَإِنَّا بِهِ كَافِرُونَ ) قال: هؤلاء قريش قالوا القرآن الذي جاء به محمد صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم: هذا سحر.

وهو قوله - عز وجل - : ( ولما جاءهم الحق ) يعني : القرآن . ( قالوا هذا سحر وإنا به كافرون ) .

وَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمُ الْحَقُّ قَالُوا هَذَا سِحْرٌ وَإِنَّا بِهِ كَافِرُونَ (30)تعجيب من حال تغافلهم ، أي قد كان لهم بعض العذر قبل مجيء الرّسول صلى الله عليه وسلم والقرآن لأن للغفلات المتقادمة غشاوة تُصَيِّر الغفلة جهالة ، فكان الشأن أن يستيقظوا لمَّا جاءهم الحق ورسول مبين فيتذكروا كلمة أبيهم إبراهيم ، ولكنهم لما جاءهم الحق قالوا : هذا سِحر ، أي قالوا للرّسول : هذا ساحر ، فازدادوا رَيْناً على رَيْن .فالخبر مستعمل في التعجيب لا في إفادة صدور هذا القول منهم لأن ذلك معلوم لهم وللمسلمين . وفي تعقيب الغاية بهذا الكلام إيذان بأن تمتيعهم أصبح على وشك الانتهاء .فجملة { ولما جاءهم الحق قالوا هذا سحر } معطوفة على جملة { حتى جاءهم الحق } [ الزخرف : 29 ] فإن { لما } توقيتية فهي في قوة { حتى الغائيَّة كأنه قيل : متعت هؤلاء وآباءهم ، فلما جاءهم الحق عقِبَ ذلك التمتيع لم يستفيقوا من غفلتهم وقالوا : هذا سحر ، أي كانوا قبل مجيء الحق مشركين عن غفلة وتساهل ، فلما جاءهم الحق صاروا مشركين عن عناد ومكابرة .وجملة وإنا به كافرون } مقول ثاننٍ ، أي قالوا : هذا سحر فلا نلتفت إليه وقالوا إنا به ، أي بالقرآن ، كافرون ، أي سواء كان سحراً أم غيره ، أي فرضوا أنه سحر ثم ارتقوا فقالوا إنّا به كافرون ، أي كافرون بأنه من عند الله سواء كان سحراً أم شعراً أم أساطيرَ الأولين . ولهذا المعنى أكدوا الخبر بحرف التأكيد ليُؤْيسوا الرّسول صلى الله عليه وسلم من إيمانهم به .

{ حَتَّى جَاءَهُمُ الْحَقُّ } الذي لا شك فيه ولا مرية ولا اشتباه. { وَرَسُولٌ مُبِينٌ } أي: بين الرسالة، قامت أدلة رسالته قياما باهرا، بأخلاقه ومعجزاته، وبما جاء به، وبما صدق به المرسلين، وبنفس دعوته صلى اللّه عليه وسلم.{ وَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمُ الْحَقُّ } الذي يوجب على من له أدنى دين ومعقول أن يقبله وينقاد له. { قَالُوا هَذَا سِحْرٌ وَإِنَّا بِهِ كَافِرُونَ } وهذا من أعظم المعاندة والمشاقة، فإنهم لم يكتفوا بمجرد الإعراض عنه، بل ولا جحده، فلم يرضوا حتى قدحوا به قدحا شنيعا، وجعلوه بمنزلة السحر الباطل، الذي لا يأتي به إلا أخبث الخلق وأعظمهم افتراء، والذي حملهم على ذلك، طغيانهم بما متعهم اللّه به وآباءهم.

( ولما جاءهم الحق ) يعني القرآن . ( قالوا هذا سحر وإنا به كافرون ) جاحدون .

Abraham’s proclamation of the Unity of God as mentioned here was made by him during the last days of his mission. This was not simply a string of words: it was the sum and substance of a great history. When he attained the age of awareness, he discovered that the only Being worth worshipping by man was God. Except for Him, all other gods were false and without foundation. He built up his life solely on the basis of this belief and preached it among his family members and the people of his community. In complete disregard of personal or other considerations, he was steadfast in this belief for a very long time, so much so that his being a believer in the one God came to define his identity. After a lifetime spent in this way, when he left his native place and repeated the above-mentioned words, they naturally left a permanent impression. His words were such that people used to remember them whenever his name was mentioned. This strong tradition laid down by Abraham should have served as a milestone for the coming generations. But absorption in worldly interests made them neglectful of it and they became so careless and forgetful of it that in a later period, when one of God’s messengers came to remind them of this past lesson, they rejected him.

وَجَعَلَهَا كَلِمَةً بَاقِيَةً فِي عَقِبِهِ (And he made it a word lasting among his posterity.) It means that Ibrahim t did not keep the belief in 'tauhid' restricted to himself, rather he emphasized upon his posterity also to remain firm on this faith, as a result of which a large number of his posterity adhered to tauhid. In Makkah and its surroundings, there were many blessed souls, even till the advent of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، who had remained steadfast in the original 'din' of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) . We learn from this verse that it is one of the obligatory duties of a Muslim to try his best to put his or her children on the path of the correct religion and to make them practice it throughout their lives. The Holy Qur'an tells us that Sayyidna Yaqub (علیہ السلام) also had directed his sons, shortly before his death, to remain firm on the correct faith. As such, it is necessary, as a consistent practice of the prophets, to employ one's best possible efforts to reform the morals and deeds of his or her children. So to say, there are many ways to reform one's offspring which should be used according to the situation, but Shaikh Abdul Wahhab Sha` rani (رح) has said in his book Lata'if-ul-Minan wal-Akhlaq that the most effective way for the betterment of one's offspring in matters pertaining to 'din' is that the parents should pray to Allah regularly to make them true practicing Muslims . Alas! The negligence of parents from this easy way is becoming very common these days, and the parents themselves are witnessing the ill effects of this negligence.

(And now that the Truth) the Scripture and Messenger (hath come unto them they say: This) i.e. this Scripture (is mere magic) is a mere lie, (and lo! we are disbelievers therein) in Muhammad (pbuh) and the Qur'an.