Al-Mumtahanah (The Tested Woman): (4) Indeed there has been for you...
Explanation of Terms
Al-Uswah (الأسوة): This means the model or example to be followed, similar to al-Qudwah (القدوة) which is the model to be imitated. It is said: "He is your uswah," meaning you are like him, and he is like you. The plural of uswah is asa (أسى). Thus, uswah is a name for everything that is followed as an example.
Interpretation of the Verse
The commentators state that Allah informed us that Abraham and his companions disassociated themselves from their people and were hostile towards them, saying: {Indeed, we are disassociated from you} (إنا براء منكم).
Allah commanded the companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) to take comfort in them (Abraham and his companions) and in their saying.
Al-Farrā’ said: The meaning is, "Did you not take Abraham as a model, O Hātib, in disassociating from your family?" This refers to their statement: {Indeed, we are disassociated from you} (إنا براء منكم).
However, the exception is His saying: {Except for the saying of Abraham to his father, "I will certainly ask forgiveness for you"} (إلا قول إبراهيم لأبيه لاستغفرن لك), while his father was a polytheist.
- Mujāhid said: They were forbidden from imitating Abraham's asking forgiveness for his father, lest they ask forgiveness for polytheists.
- Mujāhid and Qatādah said: Follow the command of Abraham in everything except his asking forgiveness for his father.
- It is also said: Disassociate yourselves from the disbelievers among your people, for you have an excellent model (uswah hasanah) in Abraham and the believers with him regarding disassociation from their people, but not in asking forgiveness for his father.
- Ibn Qutaybah said: It means Abraham was hostile and estranged from them in everything except his saying to his father: {I will certainly ask forgiveness for you}.
- Ibn al-Anbārī disagreed, saying the matter is not as described. Rather, the meaning is: You had a model in everything he did, except for his saying to his father: {I will certainly ask forgiveness for you} and {I possess nothing for you from Allah} (وما أملك لك من الله من شىء). This is part of Abraham's speech to his father, meaning: "What I promised you of seeking forgiveness will not avail you, nor can I repel the punishment of Allah from you if you associate others with Him." He promised him forgiveness hoping for his eventual Islam.
- Ibn ‘Abbās said: The supplication of Abraham and his companions was: {Our Lord, upon You we have relied} (ربنا عليك توكلنا) in all our affairs, and {to You we have turned back} (وإليك أنبنا), meaning we returned to You in repentance from sin, as the final destination is only to Your presence.
Points of Discussion in the Verse
The First Point: One might ask: Regarding the phrase {until you believe in Allah alone} (حتى تؤمنوا بالله وحده), what is the benefit of adding {alone} (wahdahu)? Belief in Him necessarily implies belief in other things, as Allah says: {All believe in Allah, His angels, His Books, and His Messengers} (Al-Baqarah: 285).
- Answer: Belief in the angels, Books, Messengers, and the Last Day are all necessary consequences of believing in Allah alone. What is meant by {alone} is His singularity in Uluhiyyah (Divinity). We do not doubt that believing in the divinity of anyone else is not belief in Allah, as it is, in reality, Shirk (polytheism), and a polytheist is not a believer.
The Second Point: What is the exception referring to in {Except for the saying of Abraham} (إلا قول إبراهيم)?
- Answer: It is an exception from the phrase {an excellent model} (uswah hasanah), because what He intended by the excellent model is the saying that they ought to emulate and adopt as a practice to follow.
The Third Point: If {I will certainly ask forgiveness for you} is excepted from the preceding saying, which is {an excellent model}, why is {and I possess nothing for you from Allah} also included, as it is not worthy of exception? Do you not see Allah saying: {Say, "Then who possesses for you anything from Allah?"} (Al-Fatḥ: 11)?
- Answer: Allah intended to except the entire statement Abraham made to his father, focusing on the promise of seeking forgiveness for him, and what follows is built upon and connected to it. It is as if he said: "I will seek forgiveness for you, and nothing is within my power except to seek forgiveness."
The Fourth Point: If it is asked: To what is the saying {Our Lord, upon You we have relied} connected?
- Answer: It is connected to what precedes the exception, being part of the excellent model (uswah hasanah). It is also possible that the meaning is a command for the believers to say this, as instruction and completion of what they were commanded regarding severing ties with the disbelievers, and emulating Abraham and his people in disassociating from them, pointing towards turning back to Allah and seeking refuge in Him.
The Fifth Point: If it is asked: What is the benefit of this arrangement?
- Answer: It contains benefits that only He can encompass. The apparent meaning is that reliance (tawakkul) is mentioned to convey a benefit, and conveying the benefit of reliance requires piety (taqwā), as Allah says: {And whoever fears Allah – He will make for him a way out} (At-Ṭalāq: 2). Piety is turning back (inābah), as piety is guarding against what is inappropriate. This arrangement points out that the return and destination of all creation is solely to His Holy Presence. It is as if He mentioned a matter, followed immediately by what is necessary for that matter to be properly conveyed.
Recitations of {براء} (Barā’un): There are four ways to recite this word:
- Barā’un (with a shaddah on the rā’ and alif after the hamzah), like shurakā’ (partners).
- Barā’un (with a shaddah on the rā’ and alif after the hamzah), like ẓirāf (clever ones).
- Barā’un (by substituting the ḍammah with a kasrah), like righāl (a type of sandal).
- Barā’un (as a description by the maṣdar [verbal noun]), like al-ṭamā’ and al-ṭamā’ah.
Continuation of the Verses
[Then Allah Almighty said]:
**{Our Lord, do not make us a trial/object of persecution for those who disbelieve, and forgive us, our Lord. Indeed, You are the Exalted in Might, the Wise.}** (7)
**{Indeed there has been for you an excellent model in them for whoever would hope for Allah and the Last Day. And whoever turns away – indeed, Allah is the Self-Sufficient, the Praiseworthy.}** (8)
**{It may be that Allah will put between you and those with whom you had enmity, affection. And Allah is All-Powerful, and Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.}** (9)
