Tafsir of Al-Anbiya' 21:72-73

Surah Al-Anbiya (The Prophets): Verses 72-73

And We granted him Isaac...

Know that after mentioning His favors upon Abraham and Lot—saving them both and bringing them to the blessed land—the Almighty followed this by mentioning other favors. Both were mentioned together because Lot being with Abraham, given their kinship and shared prophethood, constituted an additional blessing.

The Almighty then mentioned the blessings bestowed upon Abraham, and then those upon Lot. The blessings upon Abraham are detailed in several ways:

First Blessing: {And We granted him Isaac and Jacob, as a supererogatory gift (Nāfilah)}

Know that Nāfilah (supererogatory gift) specifically means a gift. A man who gives much is called Nawfal.

The commentators have two views here regarding the word Nāfilah:

1. View 1: It is a verbal noun (maṣdar) from the verb "We granted" (wahabnā), even though the word itself is different. This is the same as saying, "We granted them to him as a gift and a favor, without them being a deserved recompense." This is the view of Mujahid and 'Aṭṭā’.
2. View 2: This is the view of Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, Ibn ‘Abbas, Qatadah, al-Farra’, and al-Zajjaj. They state that when Abraham (PBUH) asked God for a son, he said: {My Lord, grant me [a child] from the righteous} (As-Sāffāt: 100). God answered his prayer by granting him Isaac. However, He gave him Jacob without him asking for him, so Jacob was a Nāfilah (a voluntary addition), like something voluntarily given by humans. It is as if the verse means: {And We granted him Isaac} in response to his supplication, and {and We granted him Jacob as a Nāfilah} beyond what he asked, similar to a supererogatory prayer (ṣalāh nāfilah) which is an addition to the obligatory prayer. According to this view, the Nāfilah specifically applies to Jacob.

The First View is closer because the Almighty mentioned both together and then added the word Nāfilah. If it can describe both, it is preferable.

Second Blessing: {And We made them all righteous (Ṣāliḥīn)}

This means We made Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob prophets sent [by God]. This is the view of al-Ḍaḥḥāk. Others said it means they were people who obeyed God Almighty and avoided His prohibitions.

The Second View is closer because the term Ṣalāḥ (righteousness) encompasses everything. This is because after this verse, the Almighty says: {And We inspired them to do good deeds}. If we interpret Ṣalāḥ as prophethood, repetition would occur.

Our scholars use this verse as evidence that the actions of human beings are created by God Almighty, because the statement {And We made them all righteous} indicates that this righteousness originates from Him.

Al-Jubbā’ī responded by saying that if this were the case, God would not have described them as righteous, nor as leaders (A’immah), nor as worshippers, nor would He have praised and commended them for it. Since this is established, interpretation is necessary, and it can be done in two ways:

1. Interpretation 1: What is meant is that the Almighty granted them His grace and success by which they became righteous.
2. Interpretation 2: What is meant is that He named them as such, just as one says, "Zayd made so-and-so a transgressor (fassaqa), misguided (ḍallala), or an infidel (kaffara)" when he describes them as such and they are accepted as such by people. Similarly, regarding a judge, one says, "He declared so-and-so trustworthy (zakkā) and just (ʿaddala)" or "he discredited (jarraḥa) him" when he rules accordingly.

Know that these interpretations are flawed:

• Regarding their reliance on praise and blame: The standard response is to counter this with the issues of the supplicator (dāʿī) and divine knowledge (ʿilm).
• Regarding reliance on grace (luṭf): This is invalid because the act of granting grace is general among all accountable people, so this specification requires an additional benefit. Furthermore, the statement "He made me righteous" is like saying, "He made me moving," so interpreting it as achieving something other than righteousness abandons the apparent meaning.
• Regarding reliance on naming: This is also a metaphor. At most, this interpretation might be resorted to when necessary in certain contexts, but here there is no necessity unless they return again to the chapter on praise and blame. In that case, we return to the issues of the supplicator and divine knowledge.

Third Blessing: {And We made them leaders (A’immah), guiding by Our command}

There are two views here:

1. View 1: We made them leaders who call people to God’s religion and good deeds by Our command and permission.
2. View 2: The view of Abū Muslim is that this leadership (Imāmah) is prophethood itself. The first view is preferable to avoid repetition.

Our scholars use this verse as evidence for two matters:

1. Creation of Actions: By the phrase {And We made them leaders}, the reasoning is as previously mentioned.
2. Necessity of Divine Command for Preaching: That calling to truth and forbidding falsehood is not permissible except by God’s command, because if the command were not considered, the phrase {by Our command} would be meaningless.

Fourth Blessing: {And We inspired them to do good deeds (fiʿl al-khayrāt)}

This indicates that the Almighty singled them out with the honor of prophethood, which is one of the greatest blessings upon the father (Abraham).

Al-Zajjaj said that the hā’ (pronoun suffix) was omitted from iqāmat (establishing) the prayer because the possessive suffix acts as compensation for it. Others said that iqām and iqāmah are both verbal nouns.

Abū al-Qāsim al-Anṣārī said that prayer is the noblest of physical acts of worship, legislated for the remembrance of God. Zakāh (charity) is the noblest of financial acts of worship. The combination of both signifies the glorification of God’s command and compassion for God’s creation.

Know that the Almighty first described them with righteousness (Ṣalāḥ), as it is the first stage for those journeying to God. Then He elevated them by describing them as leaders (A’immah). Then He elevated them further by describing them with prophethood and revelation. Since righteousness, which is infallibility (ʿiṣmah), is the first stage of prophethood, this indicates that the prophets are infallible, for one deprived of the first stage is more likely to be deprived of the final stage.

Furthermore, just as the Almighty clarified the types of blessings bestowed upon them, He subsequently clarified their preoccupation with His servitude by saying: {And they used to be worshippers of Us}. It is as if, when the Almighty fulfilled the covenant of Lordship (Rubūbiyyah) through kindness and bestowal, they, in turn, fulfilled the covenant of servitude (ʿubūdiyyah) by occupying themselves with obedience and worship.

{And to Lot We gave judgment and knowledge, and We saved him from the town that was committing abominable deeds. Indeed, they were a people of evil, defiantly disobedient. And We admitted him into Our mercy. Indeed, he was of the righteous.} (72-73)