Al-Mumtahanah: (4) "There has certainly been for you..."
"And it is read: uswah and iswah." It is a noun for one who is emulated. It means: there was in them a good, pleasing path to be emulated and followed. This refers to their statement to the disbelievers of their people, where they openly declared enmity, showed them the stick (i.e., were harsh), and manifested hatred and loathing. They explicitly stated that the cause of their enmity and hatred was nothing but their disbelief in Allah. As long as this cause remained, the enmity remained; but if they removed it and believed in Allah alone, the enmity would turn into alliance, hatred into love, and loathing into affection. Thus, they expressed pure sincerity.
The meaning of "We have disbelieved in you" and in what you worship besides Allah: We do not regard you or your gods as having any status; you are nothing to us.
If you ask: From what is the phrase "except for the saying of Ibrahim" excluded?
I say: It is excluded from the phrase "a good example" (uswah hasanah). He intended by "good example" their statement, which it was incumbent upon them to emulate and adopt as a practice to follow.
If you ask: If his saying "I will surely ask forgiveness for you" is excluded from the statement that is a "good example," then what of his saying "and I possess no power for you against Allah of anything"? It is not appropriate for exclusion. Do you not see His saying: "Say, 'Then who could prevent Allah at all?'" (Al-Ma'idah: 17)?
I say: He intended to exclude the entirety of his statement to his father, with the focus being on the promise to ask forgiveness for him. What follows it is built upon it and subordinate to it, as if he said: "I will ask forgiveness for you, and I have no power beyond asking for forgiveness."
If you ask: To what is his saying "Our Lord, upon You we have relied" connected?
I say: To what preceded the exclusion; it is part of the "good example." It is also possible that the meaning is: "Say: Our Lord," as a command from Allah to the believers to say it, and as a teaching for them to complete what He enjoined upon them regarding severing ties with the disbelievers, emulating Ibrahim and his people in disavowing them, and alerting them to turn to Allah, seek refuge in Him from the trial of the disbelievers, and seek forgiveness for what they may have committed.
And it is read: Bura'a (like shuraka'), Bura' (like ziraf), Bura' (by substituting the damma for the kasra, like rikhal and rabab), and Bura' (as a description using the verbal noun). Al-Bara' and Al-Bara'ah are like al-zama' and al-zama'ah.
"There has certainly been for you in them a good example for anyone who hopes in Allah and the Last Day. And whoever turns away - then indeed, Allah is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy."
