Taysir al-Latif al-Mannan fi Khulasat Tafsir al-Quran - Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi’ - (الكتاب/247)

Taysir al-Latif al-Mannan fi Khulasat Tafsir al-QuranAbd al-Rahman al-Sadi’

the foundations of the House: Abraham would build while Ishmael passed the stones to him, both praying:

“Our Lord, accept this from us; You are indeed the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing. Our Lord, make us devoted to You, and from our descendants raise a community devoted to You. Show us our rites and turn toward us; You are the Ever-Relenting, the All-Merciful. Our Lord, send among them a messenger of their own who will recite to them Your revelations, teach them the Book and wisdom, and purify them. You are truly the Mighty, the Wise.” ⦗Al-Baqarah 127-129⦘

When the construction was completed and this magnificent legacy of the Friend of Allah was established, Allah commanded him to call the people and proclaim to them the pilgrimage to this House. Abraham began summoning mankind, and they came to it from every deep ravine so that they might witness benefits for this world and the next, find happiness, and have their misery lifted.

During this time (1)—when love for Ishmael had firmly taken root in his heart—Allah willed to test Abraham, so that his love for his Lord and the intimate friendship that allows for no rival would take precedence. He therefore instructed him in a dream to sacrifice Ishmael, and the dreams of the prophets are revelation from Allah. Abraham said to Ishmael, “My son, I have seen in a dream that I must sacrifice you; so consider, what do you think?” He replied, “Father, do whatever you are commanded. God willing, you will find me among the steadfast.” Then, when they had both submitted ⦗Al-Saffat 102-103⦘—that is, they yielded to Allah’s decree, complied with His command, and steeled themselves for this harrowing ordeal that souls can scarcely endure even a fraction of—“and he laid him down upon his forehead,” relief came from the Most Merciful: “We called out to him, ‘O Abraham! You have fulfilled the vision.’”

Thus the soul was readied for this severe, distressing trial (2); the preliminaries and resolute certainty were complete; reward and recompense were secured for them both; and honor, nearness, and divine favor were bestowed upon them—and such kindness is never difficult for the Lord. The Exalted said: “Thus do We reward the doers of good. Truly this was a manifest trial, and We ransomed him with a magnificent sacrifice.” ⦗Al-Saffat 105-107⦘ And what sacrifice could be greater than one that

(1) Both MS Kh and MS T read it this way, yet the more probable correct wording is “this.” (2) MS T records the phrase as “al-mihna wa-l-balwa al-shaqqa al-muzʿija” (the arduous, distressing ordeal and affliction), whereas MS Kh has “al-taʿa allati hiya ajal al-taʿat” (the act of obedience that is the most exalted of acts of obedience).

القواعدَ من البيتِ، إبراهيمُ يبنِي، وإسماعيلُ يناولهُ الحجارةَ، وهما يقولانِ: ﴿رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّا إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ (١٢٧) رَبَّنَا وَاجْعَلْنَا مُسْلِمَيْنِ لَكَ وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِنَا أُمَّةً مُسْلِمَةً لَكَ وَأَرِنَا مَنَاسِكَنَا وَتُبْ عَلَيْنَا إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ (١٢٨) رَبَّنَا وَابْعَثْ فِيهِمْ رَسُولًا مِنْهُمْ يَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتِكَ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ (١٢٩)﴾ [البقرة: ١٢٧ - ١٢٩]. فلما تمَّ بنيانُهُ، وتمَّ للخليلِ هذا الأثرُ الجليلُ، أمرَهُ اللهُ أنْ يدعوَ الناسَ ويؤذِّنَ فيهم بحجِّ هذا البيتِ، فجعلَ يدعُو الناسَ وهم يفدُونَ إلى هذا البيتِ من كلِّ فجٍّ عميقٍ؛ ليشهدوا منافعَ دنياهم وأخراهم، ويَسعدُوا ويزولَ عنهم شقاؤُهم. وفي هذا (١) الأثناءِ، حينَ تمكَّنَ حبُّ إسماعيلَ من قلبهِ، وأرادَ اللهُ أنْ يمتحنَ إبراهيمَ لتقديمِ محبةِ ربهِ وخلَّتهِ التي لا تقبلُ المشاركةَ والمزاحمةَ؛ فأمرَهُ في المنامِ أنْ يذبحَ إسماعيلَ، ورؤيا الأنبياءِ وحيٌ من اللهِ، فقالَ لإسماعيلَ: ﴿إِنِّي أَرَى فِي الْمَنَامِ أَنِّي أَذْبَحُكَ فَانْظُرْ مَاذَا تَرَى قَالَ يَاأَبَتِ افْعَلْ مَا تُؤْمَرُ سَتَجِدُنِي إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الصَّابِرِينَ (١٠٢) فَلَمَّا أَسْلَمَا﴾ [الصافات: ١٠٢ - ١٠٣] أي: خضعَا لأمرِ اللهِ، وانقادَا لأمرهِ، ووطَّنَا أنفسَهما على هذا الأمرِ المزعجِ الذي لا تكادُ النفوسُ تصبرُ على عُشرِ معشارهِ، ﴿وَتَلَّهُ لِلْجَبِينِ﴾؛ نزَلَ الفرجُ من الرحمنِ الرحيمِ: ﴿وَنَادَيْنَاهُ أَنْ يَاإِبْرَاهِيمُ (١٠٤) قَدْ صَدَّقْتَ الرُّؤْيَا﴾. فحصَلَ توطينُ النفسِ على هذهِ المحنةِ والبلوَى الشاقةِ المزعجةِ (٢)، وحصلَتِ المقدماتُ والجزمُ المصممُ، وتمَّ لهما الأجرُ والثوابُ، وحصَلَ لهما الشرفُ والقربُ والزلفَى من اللهِ، وما ذلكَ من ألطافِ الربِّ بعزيزٍ، قالَ تعالى: ﴿إِنَّا كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ (١٠٥) إِنَّ هَذَا لَهُوَ الْبَلَاءُ الْمُبِينُ (١٠٦) وَفَدَيْنَاهُ بِذِبْحٍ عَظِيمٍ (١٠٧)﴾، وأيُّ ذبحٍ أعظمُ من كونهِ

(١) كذا في (خ) و (ط). ولعل الصواب: هذه. (٢) قوله: «المحنة والبلوى الشاقة المزعجة» كذا في (ط). وفي (خ): «الطاعة التي هي أجل الطاعات».