Sharḥ Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (6/702)

Sharḥ Riyāḍ al-ṢāliḥīnIbn al-'Uthaymin

the second father of humankind. “Go to Noah.” So they make their way to Noah, overwhelmed by anguish and hardship. They come before him and remind him of Allah’s favors: that he was the first messenger Allah sent to the people of the earth, and that Allah named him “a truly grateful servant.” Yet Noah answers exactly as Adam did: “My Lord is angered today with an anger the like of which He has never had before, nor will ever have again.”

He then recalls the supplication he uttered against his people: “My Lord, do not leave upon the earth a single dwelling of the disbelievers” (Q 71:26). In another narration he remembers the plea he made regarding his son: “My Lord, my son is of my family; surely Your promise is true, and You are the most just of judges.” Allah replied, “O Noah, he is not of your family; his conduct is unrighteous. So do not ask Me about that of which you have no knowledge. I exhort you lest you be among the ignorant” (Q 11:45-46).

Noah thus brings his sin to mind. An intercessor can only intercede when nothing stands between him and the One with whom he seeks intercession that would cause estrangement. Sin, however, creates estrangement between a servant and his Lord and fills him with shame. Remembering his fault, Noah will say, “Myself! Myself! Myself!” and direct them on to Abraham, peace be upon him.

The people now come to Abraham and say, “You are the Friend of Allah on earth,” extolling his virtues and asking him to intercede on their behalf before his Lord. Abraham apologizes, declaring that he told three untruths, and repeats, “Myself! Myself! Myself!”

Those three untruths were: first, his saying, “I am sick,” when he was not, spoken in defiance of his people who worshipped the heavenly bodies; second, his telling the tyrant king, “She is my sister,” referring to his wife so as to protect himself and her from the king’s malice, though she was not his sister; and third, his statement concerning the idols, “Rather, this— their biggest one—did it,” because Abraham, peace be upon him, had gone to their idols and smashed them. Then

الأب الثاني للبشر اذهبوا إلى نوح فيأتون إلى نوح لأنهم في شدة وضيق فيأتونه ويذكرون نعم الله عليه وأنه أول رسول أرسله الله إلى أهل الأرض وأن الله سماه عبدا شكورا ولكنه يقول كما قال آدم في غضب الله ﷿ إن ربي غضب اليوم غضبا لم يغضب مثله قط ولن يغضب مثله ثم ذكر دعوته التي دعا بها على قومه ﴿رب لا تذر على الأرض من الكافرين ديارا﴾ وفي رواية أنه يذكر دعوته التي دعا بها لابنه ﴿فقال رب إن ابني من أهلي وإن وعدك الحق وأنت أحكم الحاكمين قال يا نوح إنه ليس من أهلك إنه عمل غير صالح فلا تسألن ما ليس لك به علم إني أعظك أن تكون من الجاهلين﴾ يذكر ذنبه والشافع لا يشفع إلا إذا كان ليس بينه وبين المشفوع عنده ما يوجب الوحشة والمعصية بين العبد وربه توجب الوحشة بينهما وخجله منه فيذكر معصيته فيقول نفسي نفسي نفسي ويحيلهم إلى إبراهيم ﷺ فيأتي الناس إليه ويقولون أنت خليل الله في الأرض ويذكرون من صفاته ويطلبون منه أن يشفع لهم عند ربه فيعتذر ويقول إنه كذب ثلاث كذبات ويقول نفسي نفسي نفسي والكذبات هي قوله إني سقيم وهو ليس بسقيم لكنه قال متحديا لقومه الذين يعبدون الكواكب والثانية قوله للملك الكافر هذه أختي يعني زوجته ليسلم من شره وهي ليست كذلك والثالثة قوله: ﴿بل فعله كبيرهم هذا﴾ أي الأصنام لأن إبراهيم ﷺ ذهب إلى أصنامهم وكسرها فلما