Al-Baqarah: 258–259
"Have you not seen..."
An expression of astonishment at Nimrod’s disputation regarding Allah and his disbelief in Him.
"That Allah had given him the kingdom"
This relates to "disputed" in two ways:
- He disputed because Allah gave him the kingdom, meaning the granting of the kingdom made him insolent and bred arrogance and tyranny, leading him to dispute. Or, he placed his disputation regarding his Lord in the position where gratitude was due for the kingdom. It is as if the disputation occurred because of the blessing, similar to saying: "So-and-so showed me enmity because I did him a favor," meaning he reversed what was required of him (loyalty) due to the favor. Similar to this is the verse: "And you make your provision that you deny [the truth]." (Al-Waqi'ah: 82).
- He disputed at the time Allah gave him the kingdom.
If you ask: How is it permissible for Allah to give the kingdom to a disbeliever? I say: There are two views. He gave him that by which he overcame others and gained power, such as wealth, servants, and followers. As for "overcoming and empowering," that is not [a sign of approval]. It is also said: He gave him the kingdom as a trial for His servants.
"When he said"
This is in the accusative case as a state (hal) of the one who disputed, or as a substitute for "gave him," if "when" (idh) is taken to mean "the time."
"I give life and cause death"
He means: "I pardon from execution and I execute." His objection was ready, but when Ibrahim heard his foolish answer, he did not dispute it with him. Instead, he moved to something against which Nimrod could not provide a similar answer, to confound him immediately. This is evidence for the permissibility of a debater moving from one argument to another.
It is recited: fa-buhita alladhi kafara (the disbeliever was confounded/overcome by Ibrahim). Abu Haywah recited fa-buhta (on the scale of qurba). It is said this disputation occurred when he broke the idols and Nimrod imprisoned him, then brought him out to burn him, asking, "Who is your Lord whom you call upon?" He replied, "My Lord is the One who gives life and causes death."
"Or like the one..."
The meaning is: "Or have you seen the like of the one who passed by..." The verb "have you seen" is omitted because of the indication of the previous "Have you not seen," as both are expressions of astonishment. It is also permissible to interpret it by meaning rather than wording, as if it were said: "Have you seen the like of the one who disputed with Ibrahim, or the like of the one who passed by a town?"
The passerby was a disbeliever in the Resurrection—this is the apparent meaning, as it aligns him with Nimrod and the expression of impossibility ("How will He give life?"). It is also said he was Uzayr or Al-Khidr, desiring to witness the revival of the dead to increase in certainty, as Ibrahim (peace be upon him) had requested.
"How will He give life?"
An admission of inability to know the method of revival and an acknowledgment of the greatness of the Giver of Life.
"The town"
Jerusalem, at the time Nebuchadnezzar destroyed it. It is also said to be the one from which the thousands fled.
"While it had fallen into ruin on its roofs"
Its explanation follows later.
"A day or part of a day"
Based on conjecture. It is narrated that he died in the forenoon and was resurrected after one hundred years before the sun set. Before looking at the sun, he said "a day," then he turned and saw a remnant of the sun, so he said "or part of a day." It is narrated that his food was figs and grapes, and his drink was juice or milk; he found the figs and grapes as if freshly picked, and the drink in its original state.
"Has not become spoiled (lam yatasannah)"
It has not changed. The ha is either original or a ha of silence (pause). Its derivation is from al-sanah (the year) in both views, because its final letter is a ha or a waw, as things change with the passing of time. It is said its root is yatasannan (to become altered) from al-hama' al-masnun (altered mud), where the nun was changed into a vowel letter. It is also possible that the meaning is: "The years that have passed have not passed over it," meaning it is in its state as it was, as if he had not stayed for a hundred years.
"And look at your donkey"
How its bones scattered and decayed. He had a donkey he had tethered. It is also possible that it means: "Look at it intact in its place as you tethered it," which is one of the greatest signs—that it lived for a hundred years without fodder or water, just as his food and drink were preserved from change.
"And that We may make you a sign for the people"
We did that—meaning his revival after death and the preservation of what was with him. It is said he came to his people riding his donkey and said, "I am Uzayr," but they denied him. He said, "Bring the Torah," and he recited it from memory while they looked at the book, and he did not miss a letter, so they said, "He is the son of God." No one had recited the Torah openly before Uzayr, and that is why he was a sign. It is also said he returned to his home and saw his children as old men while he was still a youth; when he told them the story, they said, "This is a story of a hundred years."
"And look at the bones"
The bones of the donkey or the bones of the dead whom he wondered about being revived.
"How We raise them (nunshizuha)... how We give them life"
Al-Hasan recited nanshurha (from nashara—to resurrect). It is also recited with a zay (nunshizuha), meaning we move them and lift some onto others for assembly.
"It became clear to him"
The subject is implicit, meaning: "When it became clear to him that Allah is over all things competent." He said, "I know that Allah is over all things competent." The first was omitted because the second indicates it, as in the saying: "He hit me and I hit Zayd." It is also possible it means: "When that which was obscure to him became clear," meaning the matter of the revival of the dead. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) recited falammā tubayyana lahu (passive voice). It is also recited qul i'lam (as an imperative), and Abdullah recited qila i'lam (passive).
If you ask: If the passerby was a disbeliever, how is it permissible for Allah to speak to him? I say: The speech was after the resurrection, and he was not a disbeliever at that time.
