Tafsir of Ibraheem 14:10

Tafsir of Surah Ibrahim, Verse 10 and following

(Ibrahim: 10) Their Messengers said to them: "Can there be doubt concerning Allah...

When those disbelievers said to the Messengers: {And indeed, we are in doubt concerning that which you invite us to, [which is] a cause of suspicion} (Ibrahim: 9), their Messengers replied:

Do you doubt Allah, the Fāṭir (Originator) of the heavens and the earth, the One who originated us, our souls, our sustenance, and all our well-being? We invite you only to the worship of this Benefactor God, and we forbid you only from worshipping others. Clear reason testifies to the truth of these matters, so how can you say: {And indeed, we are in doubt concerning that which you invite us to, [which is] a cause of suspicion}? This structure [of dialogue] is exquisitely beautiful.

In this verse, there are several issues:

The statement {Can there be doubt concerning Allah} is an interrogative used for denial (incredulity). Following this denial, the Messengers immediately presented the proof indicating the existence of the Chosen Creator: {Fāṭir of the heavens and the earth}.

We have repeatedly explained in this book how the existence of the heavens and the earth proves their need for a Wise, Chosen Creator. Therefore, we will not repeat those arguments here.

The author of Al-Kashshāf stated that the interrogative particle (Hamzat al-Inkār) was placed on the adverbial phrase (concerning Allah) because the issue is not merely about doubt, but about the fact that Allah’s existence is beyond any possibility of doubt.

Some scholars hold that even before detailed proofs are presented, the innate disposition (fitra) testifies to the existence of the Chosen Creator. There are several arguments demonstrating that this primary fitra testifies to this:

Argument 1: The Slap on the Child's Face

Some rationalists argue that if someone slaps a rational child, that slap indicates four necessary truths: the necessity of a Creator, the necessity of accountability (taklīf), the necessity of a Place of Recompense, and the necessity of Prophets.

1. Proof of the Chosen Creator: When a rational child is slapped, he cries out and asks, "Who hit me?" This shows that his innate disposition testifies that since the slap occurred after non-existence, it must have been caused by an agent who intentionally brought it into existence. If the innate disposition testifies to the need for a Creator for such a small, insignificant event, it is even more fitting that it testifies to the need for a Creator for all the events of the universe.
2. Proof of Accountability (Taklīf): The child cries out, "Why did that striker hit me?" This indicates that his fitra testifies that human actions fall under command and prohibition, and that man was not created to do whatever he desires.
3. Proof of the Place of Recompense: The child demands retribution for that slap and will not cease demanding it as long as he can. If the innate disposition testifies to the necessity of recompense for this small act, it is more fitting that it testifies to the necessity of recompense for all deeds.
4. Proof of Prophethood: They need someone to explain to them the extent of the required punishment for that level of transgression. The definition of a Prophet is precisely a human being who estimates these matters and clarifies these rulings. Thus, the innate disposition of reason dictates that humanity must have these four necessities.

Argument 2: The House with Inscriptions

The innate disposition testifies that the creation of an inscribed house, built with subtle structures conforming to wisdom and benefit, is impossible without a knowledgeable Inscriber and a Wise Builder. The effects of wisdom in the upper and lower worlds are far greater than the effects of wisdom in that brief house. If the innate disposition testifies to the need for an Inscriber for the inscription and a Builder for the structure, it is far more fitting that it testifies to the need for a Chosen, Wise Creator for this entire universe.

Argument 3: Supplication in Distress

When a person faces severe tribulation and overwhelming calamity, he loses hope of assistance from anyone else. By his original creation and inherent nature, he turns in supplication to the One who can rescue him and free him from its bonds and snares. This is nothing but the fitra's testimony to the need for the Governing Creator.

Argument 4: Necessity and Contingency

Existence is either independent of an external cause or dependent upon one.

1. If it is independent, it is the Necessary Existent (Wājib bi-dhātihi), meaning it needs nothing else.
2. If it is dependent on a cause, it requires the Necessary Existent, which is the Chosen Creator.

Argument 5: Prudence (Aḥwaṭ)

Acknowledging the existence of the Chosen, accountable God, and acknowledging the Hereafter, is the most prudent course of action, and thus must be adopted. This involves four stages:

1. Acknowledging God's Existence: It is more prudent to affirm His existence. If He does not exist, affirming His existence causes no harm. If He does exist, denying Him causes the greatest harm.
2. Acknowledging Him as a Chosen Agent: If He were a necessary cause (mūjib), affirming Him as chosen would cause no harm. But if He is chosen, denying that He is chosen causes the greatest harm.
3. Acknowledging Accountability (Taklīf): If He has not commanded any of His servants anything, affirming that He has commanded them causes no harm. But if He has commanded, denying those commands causes the greatest harm.
4. Acknowledging the Hereafter: If there is no Hereafter, affirming it causes no harm, as only base, deficient physical pleasures would be missed. But if the Hereafter is obligatory, denying it causes the greatest harm.

Since the innate faculty of reason dictates that one must avert harm from oneself as much as possible, adopting these affirmations is the most prudent path.

After establishing the proof of God's existence as the Originator of the heavens and the earth, the Messengers described Him with perfect Mercy, Generosity, and Bounty. This is explained in two ways:

First: His statement: {He invites you so that He may forgive you some of your sins}.

The author of Al-Kashshāf asks: Why the partitive particle min (some) in {some of your sins}? He answers that this phrasing is used specifically when addressing disbelievers, citing verses like: {Worship Allah and fear Him and obey me He will forgive you some of your sins} (Nuh: 3-4), and {O our people, respond to the caller of Allah and believe in Him He will forgive you some of your sins} (Al-Ahqaf: 31). In contrast, when addressing believers, the phrasing is often {Shall I guide you to a trade that will save you from a painful punishment... He will forgive you your sins} (Al-Saff: 10, Al-Imran: 31). Observation (istiqrā’) confirms this distinction. He suggests this difference serves to distinguish the two groups regarding the Hereafter, or that it means He forgives sins between them and God, unlike injustices between people.

Al-Wāḥidī, in Al-Basīṭ, mentioned that Abū ‘Ubaydah considered min to be superfluous (zā’idah). Sibawayh rejected its superfluity in obligatory statements. If we hold it is not superfluous, there are two interpretations:

1. A part is mentioned while the whole is intended, as a form of linguistic expansion.
2. Min here denotes substitution (badal), meaning the forgiveness is a substitute for the sins, hence min is used because forgiveness implies substitution for the bad deed.

Al-Qāḍī mentioned that Al-Aṣamm held that min here signifies partiality (tab‘īḍ). The meaning is that if they repent, He forgives the major sins (kabā’ir), while minor sins (ṣaghā’ir) do not require forgiveness because they are inherently forgiven. Al-Qāḍī criticized this view, stating that for disbelievers, both major and minor sins require repentance for forgiveness. Minor sins are only forgiven for monotheists because their rewards outweigh the punishment. One who has no reward at all has no sin that is minor or forgivable.

Al-Qāḍī offered another view: A disbeliever, upon repenting and turning back, might forget some of his sins; thus, only what he remembers and repents for is forgiven. These are the various opinions regarding this word.

I argue that this verse indicates that Allah may forgive sins without requiring repentance from believers. The proof is that He promised: {He invites you so that He may forgive you some of your sins}, promising forgiveness for some sins absolutely, without stipulating repentance. Therefore, some sins must be forgiven absolutely without repentance. That portion cannot be disbelief (kufr), as there is consensus that Allah does not forgive disbelief except through repentance and entering the faith. Thus, the portion forgiven without repentance must be the sins other than disbelief.

Objection: Why can't we accept the view that min is superfluous (as per Abū ‘Ubaydah), or that it means the whole (Al-Wāḥidī), or substitution (Al-Wāḥidī), or distinguishing the address to believers from disbelievers (Al-Kashshāf), or specifying major sins (Al-Aṣamm), or sins the disbeliever mentions upon entering Islam (Al-Qāḍī)?

Rebuttal: All these views are weak.

1. Stating it is superfluous means declaring a word in God's speech to be useless filler, which a rational person should not accept without necessity.
2. Al-Wāḥidī’s view that min means "all" is identical to Abū ‘Ubaydah’s view, which Sibawayh rejected.
3. The idea that min implies substitution is linguistically unsupported.
4. Al-Kashshāf’s view—that it distinguishes the address to elevate the believer—is flawed. If this partiality occurs, the explanation is unnecessary. If it doesn't occur, the explanation is invalid.
5. Al-Aṣamm’s view was already refuted.
6. Regarding Al-Qāḍī’s view: When a disbeliever embraces Islam, all his sins are forgiven based on the Hadith: "The one who repents from a sin is like one who never sinned."

Therefore, all these interpretations are forced and invalid. The intended meaning is what I stated: Allah forgives some sins without repentance—those other than disbelief. Disbelief is also a sin, and Allah does not forgive it except through repentance. If it is established that Allah forgives the major sins of a disbeliever without repentance, provided he embraces faith, then it is even more fitting that this state occurs for the believer. This is what occurred to me extemporaneously. And Allah knows the reality best.

The second promise in this verse is: {and He will delay you until a specified term}. There are two interpretations:

1. If you believe, Allah will delay your death until a specified term; otherwise, He will hasten your annihilation through punishment.
2. Ibn ‘Abbās said: It means He will let you enjoy worldly pleasures and delights until death.

Objection: Hasn't Allah said: {But when their term comes, they will not delay it by an hour nor advance it} (Al-A‘rāf: 34)? How can He say here: {and He will delay you until a specified term}?

Answer: We discussed this issue in Surah Al-An‘ām regarding the verse: {Then He decreed a term, and a term appointed with Him} (Al-An‘ām: 2).

Then, the narrative recounts that when the Messengers presented these matters to the disbelievers, they said: {Their Messengers said to them: "Can there be doubt concerning Allah, the Originator of the heavens and the earth? He invites you so that He may forgive you some of your sins and delay you until..."}

The discourse of the Messengers encompasses three types of doubts raised by the disbelievers:

The first doubt is that human beings are equal in their essential nature (māhiyyah). It is impossible for the difference between them to reach such a degree that one person becomes a Messenger from God, privy to the unseen, mingling with angels, while the others remain heedless of all these states. They argued: If you have separated from us in these high, divine, noble states, you must also separate from us in base states, such as the need for eating, drinking, excretion, and sexual intercourse. This doubt is what is meant by their statement: {You are nothing but human beings like us}.

The second doubt is reliance on the path of imitation (taqlīd). They found their forefathers, scholars, and leaders unanimously agreed upon the worship of idols. They argued: It is unlikely that those ancient people, despite their numbers and strong intellects, did not know the falsehood of this religion, while a single man discovered its corruption and falsehood. The common folk sometimes add another point: if a scholar points out the weakness in the statement of a predecessor, they tell him, "Your argument is only valid if the predecessors were present to debate. Debating a dead person is easy." This is the talk of fools and rabble, and the disbelievers also voiced it. This doubt is what is meant by their statement: {You intend to turn us away from what our fathers used to worship}.

The third doubt is their assertion that a miracle (mu‘jiz) does not prove truthfulness at all. Even if they conceded that a miracle proves truthfulness, they attacked what the Messengers brought, claiming these were merely customary occurrences, not miracles beyond human capability. This type of doubt is alluded to by their demand: {Then bring us a clear authority}.

This concludes the explanation of this verse to the extent possible. And Allah knows the reality best.

**(Ibrahim: 11-12) Their Messengers said to them: "We are only human beings like you, but Allah confers favor upon whomever He wills of His servants. It is not for us to bring you an authority except by permission of Allah. And upon Allah let the believers rely. And why should we not rely upon Allah while He has certainly guided us to our ways? And we will surely bear with patience whatever harm you cause us. And upon Allah let those who rely [upon Him] rely."**

The second point regarding {and He will delay you until a specified term} is related to the previous discussion.

Objection: Hasn't Allah said: {But when their term comes, they will not delay it by an hour nor advance it} (Al-A‘rāf: 34)? How can He say here: {and He will delay you until a specified term}?

Answer: We discussed this issue in Surah Al-An‘ām regarding the verse: {Then He decreed a term, and a term appointed with Him} (Al-An‘ām: 2).

Then the narrative recounts that when the Messengers presented these things to those disbelievers, they said: {Their Messengers said to them: "Can there be doubt concerning Allah, the Originator of the heavens and the earth? He invites you so that He may forgive you some of your sins and delay you until..."}