The Opening of Surah As-Saffat: (102) "So when he reached with him the effort..."

The fa (ف) in His saying, "So when he reached" (fa-lamma balagha), is a fa of eloquence (fa fasīḥah). It expresses an implied meaning that has been omitted, relying on the testimony of the state of affairs and indicating that there is no need to make it explicit due to the impossibility of it failing to occur. That is: "So We granted him [a son], and he grew up, and when he reached the stage of exerting effort with him in his affairs and needs..."

"With him" (ma'ahu) is an adverbial phrase related to "the effort" (al-sa'y). It denotes the meaning of companionship, its initiation, and its attachment to an omitted element indicated by the explicitly mentioned one—since the complement (ṣilah) of a verbal noun cannot precede it, because when it is acting as a verb, it is interpreted as the particle an with the verb. Furthermore, the complement of the mawṣūl (relative noun) cannot precede the mawṣūl itself, as it would be like placing a part of something before the thing that is ordered by its parts. Or, it is said that it is because the verbal noun is too weak to act upon it.

There is discussion regarding this. As for the first point: the mentioned interpretation is specific to the indefinite verbal noun, not the definite one. As for the second: when the generalization is conceded, it does not follow that everything interpreted as something else takes the same ruling. As for the third: the element being advanced here is an adverbial phrase, and it is well-known that what is not permitted in other cases is permitted regarding it.

They have stated that it is sufficient for it to have a "scent" of the verb, and by this, the argument for prohibition—due to the agent’s weakness to perform the action—is weakened. Therefore, the truth is that there is no need in such cases for an estimation, whether the verbal noun is definite or indefinite, as in His saying, "And let not pity for them make you lenient" (wa-lā ta'khudhkum bihimā ra'fah). This is the view preferred by al-Raḍī and supported by the second scholar (al-'allāmah al-thānī).

The author of al-Farā'id chose the view that it relates to an omitted element acting as a ḥāl (state) from "the effort" (al-sa'y). That is: "When he reached the effort, while that effort was taking place with him." The objection here is that "effort with him" implies their mutual cooperation in it—meaning the companionship exists between the two individuals in that effort—whereas his estimation requires companionship between the "effort" itself and Abraham (peace be upon him), which does not correspond to the context.

It was permitted that it relates to "reached" (balagha), but this was rejected on the grounds that it would necessitate that they both reached the limit of effort together, as you have heard regarding the meaning of "with" (ma'a), which is incorrect. This was answered by stating that ma'a in that context is merely for companionship, such that it is synonymous with [the usage] among the grammarians: "So-and-so sings with the Sultan," meaning "in his presence." The meaning would thus be: "He reached [the age of effort] in the presence of his father and in his company, formed by his character and accustomed to his traits." This demands the father’s perfect love for him.

According to this, it is permissible for it to relate to an omitted element acting as a ḥāl from the subject of "reached." An example of ma'a coming merely for companionship is His saying, relating the story of Bilqis: "I have submitted with Solomon to Allah, Lord of the worlds." Let it be like that in our current case. This was countered by the claim that the latter is a metaphorical meaning, and resorting to metaphor requires a diverting agent, and there is no such agent here; so it should be taken literally. Moreover, it is not definitively established in that verse that it implies the companionship of the subject, for it is possible it means "I submitted to Allah and to His Messenger," for instance. The precedence of "with" serves to signal that she used to think she was on a religion before that and was a "submitter" to Allah in what she used to worship of the sun; it indicates that this is a submission that counts—the result of following His Prophet—not a submission like the first, which was invalid.

The author of al-Kashf said: "This is a sound meaning, and applying the verse to it is better." If it were applied to the "companionship of the subject," there would be no choice but to imply something like "with the arrival of his invitation and the manifestation of his miracle," because the difference between the restricted meaning and the absolute gathering is known by necessity. Some claimed there is no obstacle to intending the literal meaning and that their submission occurred together, meaning that he (peace be upon him) agreed with her or instructed her, but this is baseless, as is not hidden.

It has been said: The meaning of "effort" (al-sa'y), given the connection of ma'a to "reached," is the "place of effort" (al-mas'a), which is the mountain intended by walking, but this is forced and should not be relied upon.

In short, the first [view]—its connection to "the effort"—is a specialization, because the father is more perfect in gentleness and reform, so he does not make him exert effort before that; or because he (peace be upon him) asked for him for that purpose. In the first case, there is an explanation of its time, and that even in his youth, he possessed the soundness of mind and the gravity of forbearance until he answered as he did. In the second, there is an explanation of the answering of his prayer (peace be upon him). The boy at that time was thirteen years old, and a child is most beloved to his father at an age where he can assist him and fulfill his needs, yet is unable to rebel.

"He said, 'O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I am slaughtering you.'" It is possible that he (peace be upon him) saw in his dream that he was performing the slaughter, so he interpreted it based on what is most common regarding the dreams of the prophets (peace be upon them): that they occur exactly as seen. It is also possible he saw something whose interpretation is that, but he did not mention the interpretation, only mentioning the act, just as one who is tested might say while seeing that he is riding in a ship: "I saw in a dream that I am saved from this trial." It is also said that he saw the handling of the slaughter but did not see the blood, so he said, "I am slaughtering you" (adhbaḥuka), meaning "I am handling your slaughter."

The actions of some suggest the view that he was approached in a dream and told: "Slaughter your son," and the dreams of prophets are revelation, just like revelation while awake. In one narration, he saw on the night of Tarwiyah as if someone were saying: "Allah commands you to slaughter your son." When morning came, he contemplated this from morning until evening, wondering if this dream was from Allah or from Satan—hence it was called the Day of Tarwiyah (Thought). When evening came, he saw the same, so he knew it was from Allah—hence it was called the Day of Arafah (Knowledge). Then he saw it again on the third night, and he intended to slaughter him—hence it was called the Day of Nahr (Slaughter).

It is said that when the angels gave him the glad tidings of a forbearing boy, he said: "He is then the sacrifice of Allah." When he was born and reached the age of effort, he was told: "Fulfill your vow." Perhaps this statement was in a dream, otherwise, what is to be done with his saying, "I see in a dream that I am slaughtering you"? In the text of the Torah that is in the hands of the Jews today, there is a symbol suggesting the command for the slaughter was at night; for after it mentions the saying of God to him: "Take your son and go to the land of worship and offer him as a sacrifice on one of the mountains that I will show you," it says: "So Abraham arose early in the morning..."

Thus, the command was either in a dream or while awake, but it occurred as a confirmation of what was in the dream, for there is no escaping belief in what Allah has narrated to us in the Quran, with which He rendered the two Thaqalayn (jinn and mankind) incapable. Firmness and certainty lie in the fact that it was only in a dream, for one cannot rely on what is in the hands of the Jews, and there is nothing in the authentic reports to indicate it occurred while awake. Perhaps the secret in it being a dream and not while awake is that the readiness to comply is more indicative of the perfection of submission and sincerity.

It is said: It was in a dream, not while awake, to show that the states of the prophets while awake and asleep are the same in truthfulness. The first [view] is better, and the confirmation of what was in the dream is due to the perceived improbability of what was reported. The use of the imperfect verb in both places is said to be to bring the past image to presence, due to a type of strangeness. It is also said: in the first, it is due to the repetition of the vision; and in the second, for the aforementioned "bringing to presence," or due to the recurrence of the slaughter as the vision recurred, or for parallelism. Whoever considers further will see other than that.

"So look, what do you see?" [meaning] of opinion. He consulted him in that matter—even though it was a decree—so that he might know his stance regarding the trial that had descended from Allah (the Mighty and Majestic), so that he might stabilize his feet if he showed panic, and be reassured of him if he showed submission. [He did this] so that he would prepare his soul for it, making it easier for him, and so that he might earn reward through submission to the command of Allah before it descended. And so that it might become a tradition in consultation. It has been said: "If Adam had consulted the angels regarding his eating from the tree, he would not have failed in that."

Hamzah and al-Kisā'ī read mā dhā tarā (what do you see) with a ḍammah on the tā' and a kasrah on the rā' (as turī), meaning: "What do you show me of patience and other things?" or "What do you show me?"—on the basis that mā is a subject and dhā is a relative noun acting as the predicate, and the two objects of tarā are omitted. Or mā-dhā is taken as a single thing acting as the second object of tarā, and the first object is omitted. It was also read as mā dhā turā with a ḍammah on the tā' and a fatḥah on the rā' (as turā), in the passive voice, meaning: "What does your soul show you regarding an opinion?"

In all recitations, "Look" (unẓur) is detached from acting upon the object, and regarding mā-dhā, there are two possibilities, so do not be negligent.

"He said, 'O my father, do as you are commanded'"—meaning what you are commanded to do. The preposition and the noun governed by it were omitted at once, or the preposition was omitted first, so the verb became transitive directly, like "I commanded you the good," then the governed noun was omitted after it had become the second object. The first omission is common with "command" until it became almost treated as inherently transitive, so it is as if two omissions did not coincide. Or "do your command," where "what" (mā) is a verbal noun, and the meaning is the result of the action, i.e., what is commanded. There is no difference in the permissibility of intending this from the verbal noun, whether it is explicit or interpreted. Attributing it to the pronoun of Abraham is an attribution to the object, and the remoteness of this view is not hidden.

This speech implies that the command preceded it, and it is not mentioned. It is either understood from his statement (peace be upon him) that he saw he was being commanded to slaughter him, or he knew that the dreams of prophets are true and that they would not commit to such a thing unless by command. The use of the imperfect form is to signal the strangeness of the matter, like its counterpart in the speech of Abraham on one interpretation. It contains a sign that what he said was only from a dream, not mixed with ignorance of the condition of what was commanded. It is said: it is to indicate that the command is attached to it, directed toward it, and continuous until the time of compliance. It is said: it is due to the repetition of the vision. It is said: it was used because there was no command yet, only the vision of the slaughter, so he informed him of it, and he knew—due to his knowledge of his father's rank and that he was one to whom Satan finds no path to cast false imaginations in his dreams—that it would surely happen and would not be except by divine command, so he said to him: "Do as you are commanded" of the slaughter which you saw in your dream.

Since the father’s address "O my son" was by way of compassion, he said "O my father" by way of reverence and exaltation. Despite that, he brought a wise answer, for he delegated the matter back, as he had consulted him, but he answered that it was not a matter of negotiation, but rather the duty was the execution of the command.

"You will find me, if Allah wills, of the patient."

On the decree of Allah (the Exalted), whether it be a slaughter or otherwise. It is also said: "regarding the slaughter." The first is better due to its generality, and the slaughter is included as a primary inclusion. In his saying "of the patient" instead of "patient," even though the ends of the verses require that, there is humility. It is said: perhaps he was granted success in patience by his [Abraham's] blessing, along with the blessing of the exception (insha'Allah). Moses (peace be upon him), when he did not follow this path of humility in his saying, "You will find me, if Allah wills, patient"—where he did not organize his noble self into the ranks of the patient, but phrased the speech in a way that did not imply there was any patient besides him—he did not have patience made easy for him, even though he did not neglect the matter of the exception.

In this, there is also an encouragement for his father (peace be upon him) toward patience, given what is known of his compassion for him despite the greatness of the trial, as he indicated that Allah (the Exalted) has patient servants; and this is a spring blossom that cannot endure rubbing.