Topic: Abraham Settled His Progeny In A Barren Land
View Aspects
رَّبَّنَآ إِنِّىٓ أَسْكَنتُ مِن ذُرِّيَّتِى بِوَادٍ غَيْرِ ذِى زَرْعٍ عِندَ بَيْتِكَ ٱلْمُحَرَّمِ رَبَّنَا لِيُقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ فَٱجْعَلْ أَفْـِٔدَةً مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ تَهْوِىٓ إِلَيْهِمْ وَٱرْزُقْهُم مِّنَ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَشْكُرُونَ
22:27.
2:127; 28:58.
The reference is to the settling by Abraham of his son Ishmael and his wife Hagar in the wilderness of Arabia. Ishmael was yet a child when in obedience to Divine command and in fulfilment of Divine plan Abraham brought him and his mother Hagar in the bleak and barren tract where Mecca now stands. At that time there was no sign of life and no means of subsistence at the place (Bukhari). But God had so designed that the place should become the scene of the activities of God’s last Message for mankind. Ishmael was chosen as the vehicle for the implementation of the Divine plan.
This prayer of Abraham found its complete fulfilment in the Holy Prophet; for before him it was only the Arabs who visited Mecca to offer their oblations but, after his advent, people from all over the world began to visit it.
The prayer was made at a time when not a blade of grass was to be seen for many miles around Mecca. Yet the prophecy met with fulfilment in a marvellous manner, for the choicest fruits come to Mecca in plenty in all seasons.
22:27.
2:127; 28:58.
Commentary:
In the previous verse, Abraham commenced his prayer by saying "My Lord" but in this verse, he has substituted "Our Lord" for "My Lord" i.e. in the present verse he has used the plural pronoun in place of the singular. The reason for this change is that in the latter case Abraham speaks of an act in which the will of Hagar and Ishmael was joined to his own. Although it was he himself who had made his wife and son settle in "an uncultivable valley," yet his wife and son had also shared in the sacrifice, for they had cheerfully cooperated with him and willingly signified their readiness to live in the wilderness in obedience to God’s command. As three persons were concerned in the matter and they had all willingly submitted to the will of God, the plural pronoun has been used in the present verse.
The verse, by implication, refers to a vision of Abraham in which he saw that he was slaughtering his son, Ishmael (37:103). As the sacrifice of human beings was much in vogue at that time, Abraham set about literally to fulfil it. But the dream really meant that he was to settle his son in a barren valley; for to leave a young lad at a place where there was no water, no vegetation and no sign of life was virtually tantamount to immolating him. However, when the literal interpretation of his dream by Abraham had actually caused him to lay Ishmael down and place the knife at his throat, Abraham was prohibited by God from doing so and thus the practice of offering human beings as sacrifice forever became banned to the followers of God.
By using the words, that they may observe Prayer, Abraham seeks to attract God’s mercy by mentioning the noble object for which he had caused his offspring to dwell near the Sacred House. God accepted the prayer, for He sees the motives of man and He never allows a work done with good intention to go unrewarded.
After mentioning that he had caused his offspring to dwell in that barren valley so that they might establish the worship of God at the Sacred Mosque and thus fulfil the purpose for which it had been built, Abraham prays that "men’s hearts might be inclined towards them", so that their preaching to them might prove effective and they might also join with them in worshipping God at the Holy Shrine and thus the purpose for which he had made his offspring dwell in that "bleak and barren valley" might be accomplished.
This prayer of Abraham found its complete fulfilment in the advent of the Holy Prophet; for before him it was only the Arabs who visited Mecca to offer their oblations but, after his advent, people from all over the world began to flock to the Holy House of God. The prayer also implied that the Ka‘bah would one day become the centre of the worship of the One True God.
Nor did Abraham neglect the physical welfare of his offspring. He prayed that his descendants living in and around Mecca might have plenty of fruits. This prayer was made at a time when not a blade of grass was seen for many miles about that place. Still the prophecy met with fulfilment in a wonderful manner, for the choicest fruits come to Mecca in plenty and at all seasons. Spiritually, the hearts of nations have become extraordinarily drawn towards the House of God at Mecca, where pilgrims flock from all parts of the world. The latter part of the prophecy is waiting to be fulfilled on a yet grander scale, when Islam will have spread and dominated all over the world.
d
22:27.
e
2:127; 28:58.
650
伊布拉欣的这个祈祷在穆圣时已经全部实现。因为在他之前, 只有阿拉伯人去麦加作出供奉。但在他降临后, 全世界人民开始去麦加朝觐。
651
祈祷的时候, 在麦加周围许多哩的地方, 看不见一片草叶。然后预言不可思议地应验了, 最优良的果实, 一年四季从世界各地大量运到麦加。
a
22:27.
b
2:127; 28:58.
1692
Commentary:
In the previous verse, Abraham commenced his prayer by saying "My Lord" but in this verse, he has substituted "Our Lord" for "My Lord" i.e. in the present verse he has used the plural pronoun in place of the singular. The reason for this change is that in the latter case Abraham speaks of an act in which the will of Hagar and Ishmael was joined to his own. Although it was he himself who had made his wife and son settle in "an uncultivable valley," yet his wife and son had also shared in the sacrifice, for they had cheerfully cooperated with him and willingly signified their readiness to live in the wilderness in obedience to God’s command. As three persons were concerned in the matter and they had all willingly submitted to the will of God, the plural pronoun has been used in the present verse.
The verse, by implication, refers to a vision of Abraham in which he saw that he was slaughtering his son, Ishmael (37:103). As the sacrifice of human beings was much in vogue at that time, Abraham set about literally to fulfil it. But the dream really meant that he was to settle his son in a barren valley; for to leave a young lad at a place where there was no water, no vegetation and no sign of life was virtually tantamount to immolating him. However, when the literal interpretation of his dream by Abraham had actually caused him to lay Ishmael down and place the knife at his throat, Abraham was prohibited by God from doing so and thus the practice of offering human beings as sacrifice forever became banned to the followers of God.
By using the words, that they may observe Prayer, Abraham seeks to attract God’s mercy by mentioning the noble object for which he had caused his offspring to dwell near the Sacred House. God accepted the prayer, for He sees the motives of man and He never allows a work done with good intention to go unrewarded.
After mentioning that he had caused his offspring to dwell in that barren valley so that they might establish the worship of God at the Sacred Mosque and thus fulfil the purpose for which it had been built, Abraham prays that "men’s hearts might be inclined towards them", so that their preaching to them might prove effective and they might also join with them in worshipping God at the Holy Shrine and thus the purpose for which he had made his offspring dwell in that "bleak and barren valley" might be accomplished.
This prayer of Abraham found its complete fulfilment in the advent of the Holy Prophet; for before him it was only the Arabs who visited Mecca to offer their oblations but, after his advent, people from all over the world began to flock to the Holy House of God. The prayer also implied that the Ka‘bah would one day become the centre of the worship of the One True God.
Nor did Abraham neglect the physical welfare of his offspring. He prayed that his descendants living in and around Mecca might have plenty of fruits. This prayer was made at a time when not a blade of grass was seen for many miles about that place. Still the prophecy met with fulfilment in a wonderful manner, for the choicest fruits come to Mecca in plenty and at all seasons. Spiritually, the hearts of nations have become extraordinarily drawn towards the House of God at Mecca, where pilgrims flock from all parts of the world. The latter part of the prophecy is waiting to be fulfilled on a yet grander scale, when Islam will have spread and dominated all over the world.
a
22:27.
b
2:127; 28:58.
1469
The reference is to the settling by Abraham of his son Ishmael and his wife Hagar in the wilderness of Arabia. Ishmael was yet a child when in obedience to Divine command and in fulfilment of Divine plan Abraham brought him and his mother Hagar in the bleak and barren tract where Mecca now stands. At that time there was no sign of life and no means of subsistence at the place (Bukhari). But God had so designed that the place should become the scene of the activities of God’s last Message for mankind. Ishmael was chosen as the vehicle for the implementation of the Divine plan.
1470
This prayer of Abraham found its complete fulfilment in the Holy Prophet; for before him it was only the Arabs who visited Mecca to offer their oblations but, after his advent, people from all over the world began to visit it.
1471
The prayer was made at a time when not a blade of grass was to be seen for many miles around Mecca. Yet the prophecy met with fulfilment in a marvellous manner, for the choicest fruits come to Mecca in plenty in all seasons.