Surah 37. As-Saffat

whereupon We gave him the glad tiding of a boy-child gentle [like himself].³⁸

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., Abraham's first-born son, Ishmael (Isma'il).

So We gave him the good news of a gentle son.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

So We gave him good news of a forbearing son.

  - Mustafa Khattab

So We gave him tidings of a gentle son.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

So We gave him the good news of a boy ready to suffer and forbear. ^{4096 4097}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

This was in the fertile land of Syria and Palestine. The boy thus born was, according to Muslim tradition, the first-born son of Abraham, viz., Isma'il. The name itself is from the root Samia, to hear, because Allah had heard Abraham's prayer (verse 100). Abraham's age when Isma'il was born was 86 (Gen xvi. 16).

The boy's character was to be Halim, "forbearing". This title is also applied to Abraham (in ix. 114 and xi. 75). It refers to the patient way in which both father and son cheerfully offered to suffer any self-sacrifice in order to obey the Command of Allah. See next verse.

And [one day,] when [the child] had become old enough to share in his [father's] endeavours³⁹ the latter said: "O my dear son! I have seen in a dream that I should sacrifice thee: consider, then, what would be thy view!" [Ishmael] answered: "O my father! Do as thou art bidden: thou wilt find me, if God so wills, among those who are patient in adversity!"

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "attained to [the age of] walking [or "striving"] with him": evidently a metonym for the child's attaining to an age when he could understand, and share in, his father's faith and aims.

When he reached the age to work with him, Ibrahim said to him: "O my son! I have seen a vision that I should offer you as a sacrifice, now tell me what is your view." He replied: "O my father! Do as you are commanded: you will find me, if Allah so wills, of the patient."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Then when the boy reached the age to work with him, Abraham said, 'O my dear son! I have seen in a dream that I 'must' sacrifice you. So tell me what you think.' He replied, 'O my dear father! Do as you are commanded. Allah willing, you will find me steadfast.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

And when (his son) was old enough to walk with him, (Abraham) said: O my dear son, I have seen in a dream that I must sacrifice thee. So look, what thinkest thou? He said: O my father! Do that which thou art commanded. Allah willing, thou shalt find me of the steadfast.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Then when (the son) reached (the age of) (serious) work with him he said: "O my son! I see in vision that I offer thee in sacrifice: now see what is thy view!" (The son) said: "O my father! do as thou art commanded: thou will find me if Allah so wills one practicing Patience and Constancy!" ^{4098 4099}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Where did this vision occur? The Muslim view is that it was in or near Makkah. Some would identify it with the valley of Mina, six miles north of Makkah, where a commemoration sacrifice is annually celebrated as a rite of the Hajj on the tenth of Zul-Hijjah, the 'Id of Sacrifice, in Memory of this Sacrifice of Abraham and Isma'il (see' n.2l7 to ii. 197). Others say that the original place of sacrifice was near the hill of Marwa (the companion hill to Safa, ii. 158), which is associated with the infancy of Isma'il.

At what stage in Abraham's history did this occur? See n. 2725 to xxi. 69. It was obviously after his arrival in the land of Cannan and after Isma'il had grown up to years of discretion. Was it before or after the building of the Ka'ba (ii. 127)? There are no data on which this question can be answered. But we may suppose it was before that event, and that event may itself have been commemorative.

But as soon as the two had surrendered themselves to [what they thought to be] the will of God,⁴⁰ and [Abraham] had laid him down on his face,

  - Mohammad Asad

The above interpolation is, I believe, absolutely necessary for a proper understanding of this passage. As pointed out repeatedly in these notes, the verb aslama signifies, in Qur'anic usage, "he surrendered himself to God", or "to God's will", even if there is no express mention of God; hence, the dual form aslama occurring in the above verse might, on the face of it, have this meaning as well. Since, however, the sequence clearly shows that it was not God's will that Ishmael should be sacrificed, his and his father's "self-surrender to God's will" can have in this context only a purely subjective meaning - namely "to what they thought to be the will of God".

And when they both submitted to Allah and Ibrahim laid down his son prostrate upon his forehead for sacrifice;

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Then when they submitted 'to Allah's Will', and Abraham laid him on his forehead 'for sacrifice',

  - Mustafa Khattab

Then, when they had both surrendered (to Allah), and he had flung him down upon his face,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

So when they had both submitted their wills (to Allah) and He had laid Him prostrate on his forehead (for sacrifice) ^{4100 4101}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Note that the sacrifice was demanded of both Abraham and Isma'il. It was a trial of the will of the father and the son. By way of trial the father had the command conveyed to him in a vision. He consulted the son. The son readily consented, and offered to stand true to his promise if his self-sacrifice was really required. The whole thing is symbolical. Allah does not require the flesh and blood of animals (xxii. 37), much less of human beings. But he does require the giving of our whole being to Allah, the symbol of which is that we should give up something very dear to us, if Duty requires that sacrifice.

Our version may be compared with the Jewish-Christian version of the present Old Testament. The Jewish tradition, in order to glorify the younger branch of the family, descended from Isaac, ancestor of the Jews, as against the elder branch, descended from Isma'il, ancestor of the Arabs, refers this sacrifice to Isaac (Gen. xxii. 1-18). Now Isaac was born when Abraham was 100 years old (Gen. xxi. 5), while Isma'il was born to Abraham when Abraham was 86 years old (Gen. xvi. 16). Isma'il was therefore 14 years older than Isaac. During his first 14 years Isma'il was the only son of Abraham; at no time was Isaac the only son of Abraham. Yet, in speaking of the sacrifice, the Old Testament says (Gen. xxii. 2): "And He said, Take now thy son, thine only son Issac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah: and offer him there for a burnt offering..." This slip shows at any rate which was the older version, and how it was overlaid, like the present Jewish records, in the interests of a tribal religion. The "land of Moriah" is not clear: it was three days' journey from Abraham's place (Gen. xxii. 4). There is less warrant for identifying it with the hill of Moriah on which Jerusalem was afterwards built than with the hill of Marwa which is identified with the Arab tradition about Isma'il.

We called out to him: "O Abraham,

  - Mohammad Asad

We called out to him: "O Ibrahim stop!

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

We called out to him, 'O Abraham!

  - Mustafa Khattab

We called unto him: O Abraham:

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

We called out to him "O Abraham! ⁴¹⁰²

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

In the Biblical version Isaac's consent is not taken; in fact Isaac asks, 'where is the lamb for sacrifice?' and is told that 'God would provide it'. It is a complete human sacrifice like those to Moloch. In our version it is as much a sacrifice by the will of Isma'il as by that of Abraham.

thou hast already fulfilled [the purpose of] that dream-vision!"⁴¹ Thus, verily, do We reward the doers of good:

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., the moral significance of Abraham's dream-vision consisted in a test of his readiness to sacrifice, at what he thought to be God's behest (see preceding note), all that was dearest to him in life.

You have fulfilled your vision." Thus do We reward the righteous.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

You have already fulfilled the vision.' Indeed, this is how We reward the good-doers.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Thou hast already fulfilled the vision. Lo! thus do We reward the good.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"Thou hast already fulfilled the vision!" thus indeed do We reward those who do right.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

for, behold, all this was indeed a trial, clear in it ,elf.⁴²

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., a trial of this severity clearly implied that Abraham would be capable to bear it, and thus constituted a high moral distinction - in itself a reward from God.

That was indeed a manifest test.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

That was truly a revealing test.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Lo! that verily was a clear test.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

For this was obviously a trial

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And We ransomed him with a tremendous sacrifice,⁴³

  - Mohammad Asad

The epithet 'azim ("tremendous" or "mighty") renders it improbable that this sacrifice refers to nothing but the ram which Abraham subsequently found and slaughtered in Ishmael's stead (Genesis xxii, 13). To my mind, the sacrifice spoken of here is the one repeated every year by countless believers in connection with the pilgrimage to Mecca (al-hajj), which, in itself, commemorates the experience of Abraham and Ishmael and constitutes one of the "five pillars" of Islam. (See {22:27-37}, as well as {2:196-203}.)

We ransomed his son for a great sacrifice

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And We ransomed his son with a great sacrifice,¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Allah sent a ram to be sacrificed in place of Ishmael.

Then We ransomed him with a tremendous victim.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And We ransomed him with a momentous sacrifice: ⁴¹⁰³

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The adjective qualifying "sacrifice" here, 'azim, (great, momentous) may be understood both in a literal and a figurative sense. In a literal sense it implies that a fine sheep or ram was substituted. The figurative sense is even more important. It was indeed a great and momentous occasion, when two men, with concerted will, "ranged themselves in the ranks" of those to whom self-sacrifice in the service of Allah was the supreme thing in life.

and left him thus to be remembered among later generations:⁴⁴

  - Mohammad Asad

See note [30] on verse {78}.

and We left his good name among the later generations.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

and blessed Abraham 'with honourable mention' among later generations:

  - Mustafa Khattab

And We left for him among the later folk (the salutation):

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And We left (this blessing) for him among generations (to come) in later times: ⁴¹⁰⁴

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. above, xxxvii. 78-81 and n. 4083.

"Peace be upon Abraham!"

  - Mohammad Asad

Salutation to Ibrahim.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

'Peace be upon Abraham.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

Peace be unto Abraham!

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"Peace and salutation to Abraham!"

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Thus do We reward the doers of good-

  - Mohammad Asad

Thus We reward the righteous.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

This is how We reward the good-doers.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Thus do We reward the good.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Thus indeed do We reward those who do right.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

for he was truly one of our believing servants.

  - Mohammad Asad

Surely he was one of Our believing devotees.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

He was truly one of Our faithful servants.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Lo! he is one of Our believing slaves.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

For he was one of Our believing Servants.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And [in time] We gave him the glad tiding of Isaac, [who, too, would be] a prophet, one of the righteous;

  - Mohammad Asad

We gave him the good news of Ishaq - a prophet - one of the righteous.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

We 'later' gave him good news of Isaac- a prophet, and one of the righteous.¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 The birth of Isaac is announced after the story of sacrifice. So this is a proof that the son who was going to be sacrificed was Ishmael, not Isaac. This is also supported by 11:71, where Sarah is told that she would give birth to Isaac, who would (reach adulthood and) have a son by the name of Jacob.

And We gave him tidings of the birth of Isaac, a Prophet of the righteous.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And We gave him the good news of Isaac a prophet one of the Righteous. ⁴¹⁰⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Isaac was Abraham's second son, born of Sarah, when Abraham was 100 years of age. See n. 4101. He was also blessed and became the ancestor of the Jewish people. See next note.

and We blessed him and Isaac: but among the offspring of these two there were [des-tined] to be both doers of good and such as would glaringly sin against themselves.⁴⁵

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., commit evil. With this prediction the Qur'an refutes, as in so many other places, the spurious contention of the Jews that they are "the chosen people" by virtue of their descent from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and therefore a priori "assured", as it were, of God's acceptance. In other words, God's blessing a prophet or a saint does not, by itself, imply the conferment of any special status on his descendants.

We blessed him and Ishaq both. Among their progeny there are some who are righteous and some who are clearly wrong doing to their own souls.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

We blessed him¹ and Isaac as well. Some of their descendants did good, while others clearly wronged themselves.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Abraham or Ishmael.

And We blessed him and Isaac. And of their seed are some who do good, and some who plainly wrong themselves.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

We blessed him and Isaac: but of their progeny are (some) that do right and (some) that obviously do wrong to their own souls. ⁴¹⁰⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

So long as the Children of Israel upheld the righteous banner of Allah, they enjoyed Allah's blessing, and their history is a portion of sacred history. When they fell from grace, they did not stop Allah's Plan: they injured their own souls.

THUS, INDEED, did We bestow Our favour upon Moses and Aaron;⁴⁶

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., in consideration of their own merit, and not because of their descent from Abraham and Isaac (see preceding verse and note).

We bestowed Our favor on Musa and Haroon.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And We certainly showed favour to Moses and Aaron,

  - Mustafa Khattab

And We verily gave grace unto Moses and Aaron,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Again (of old) We bestowed Our favor on Moses and Aaron. ⁴¹⁰⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The story of Moses is told in numerous passages of the Qur-an. The passages most illustrative of the present passage will be found in xxviii. 4 (oppression of the Israelites in Egypt) and xx. 77-79 (the Israelites triumphant over their enemies when the latter were drowned in the Red Sea).

and We saved them and their people from the awesome calamity [of bondage],

  - Mohammad Asad

We delivered them with all their people from the mighty distress.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

and delivered them and their people from the great distress.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And saved them and their people from the great distress,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And We delivered them and their people from (their) Great Calamity; ⁴¹⁰⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

What could have been a greater calamity to them than that they should have been held in slavery by the Egyptians, that their male children should have been killed and their female children should have been saved alive for the Egyptians?