16-120 Surely Abraham was a model (of virtue), obedient to Allah, upright, and he was not of the polytheists,a
إِنَّ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ كَانَ أُمَّةًۭ قَانِتًۭا لِّلَّهِ حَنِيفًۭا وَلَمْ يَكُ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ (۱۲۰)
16-120a: أُمَّةًۭ – اُمَّة is a group or organization, and Imam Raghib has taken the word to mean that in the worship of Allah, Prophet Abraham was equal to an organized group (R). It has been interpreted with other meanings as well. Every person who is firmly rooted in the religion of truth and opposes other religions is called اُمَّة, as too is a person who is outstanding and has no equal. Abu Ubaidah interprets its meaning as امام leader, and its meaning has also been taken as teacher of goodness.
In this last section of this surah, Prophet Abraham is mentioned for two reasons. The first is to tell the disbelievers that Prophet Abraham, who they claim to follow, was not a polytheist. The second is to remind the Muslims that they should follow the example of Prophet Abraham who was the chief of the righteous and the most outstanding person of his time, and who did not let anyone stand in the way while in pursuit of truth. Calling Prophet Abraham an اُمَّة indicates that the teachers of truth always progress to become leaders, hence if Muslims become the preachers of goodness, then they too will be given leadership of the world. Accordingly, there is a clear hint of future greatness for the Muslims at the end of this surah: وَإِنْ عَاقَبْتُمْ : And if you take your turn… (16:26) and إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوا۟ : Surely Allah is with those who keep their duty (16:128).
16-121 Grateful for His favors. He chose him and guided him on the right path.
شَاكِرًۭا لِّأَنْعُمِهِ ۚ ٱجْتَبَىٰهُ وَهَدَىٰهُ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍۢ مُّسْتَقِيمٍۢ (۱۲۱)
16-122 And We gave him good in this world; and in the Hereafter he is surely among the righteous.
وَءَاتَيْنَـٰهُ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةًۭ ۖ وَإِنَّهُۥ فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ لَمِنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ (۱۲۲)
16-123 Then We revealed to thee: Follow the faith of Abraham, the upright one; and he was not of the polytheists.
ثُمَّ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ أَنِ ٱتَّبِعْ مِلَّةَ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ حَنِيفًۭا ۖ وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ (۱۲۳)
16-123a: The command to follow the faith of Prophet Abraham: This means, do the same deeds that Prophet Abraham did, which involves uprooting polytheism like he did because the basic principle of the faith of Prophet Abraham is explained by saying : he was not of the polytheists. The major mission of Prophet Abraham was eradicating polytheism from the world, and this is the purpose of the Holy Prophet’s mission as well. See 4-125a and 6-90a.
16-124 The Sabbath was ordained only against those who differed about it. And surely thy Lord will judge between them on the day of Resurrection concerning that wherein they differed.
إِنَّمَا جُعِلَ ٱلسَّبْتُ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟ فِيهِ ۚ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَيَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ فِيمَا كَانُوا۟ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ (۱۲۴)
16-124a: ٱلسَّبْتُ- The literal meaning of سَبۡت is to sever work. See 2-65. Raghib has taken it here to mean ترك العمل فیه to give up work on this day. Another meaning of سَبۡت is a period of time whether big or small.
The sabbath of Jews and Christians: Commentators have cited a hadith from Bukhari and a hadith from Muslim under this verse. The hadith in Bukhari is worded as follows:
نحن الٰا خرون السابقون یوم القیامة بیدانہم اوتو الکتاب من قبلنا ثم ھٰذا یومہم الذی فرض اللّٰہ علیہم فاختلفوا فیه فھد انا اللّٰہ فالناس لنا فیه تبع الیہود غدا و النصاری بعد غد
“We (Muslims) are the last (to come) but (will be) the foremost on the Day of Resurrection though the former nations were given the Books before us. And this was their day (Friday) the celebration of which was made compulsory for them, but they differed about it. So, Allah gave us the guidance for it (Friday) and all the other people are behind us in this respect: the Jews’ (holy day is) tomorrow (i.e. Saturday) and the Christians’ (is) the day after tomorrow (i.e. Sunday).
The wording is a little different in Muslim and its initial wording is as follows:
اضل اللّٰہ عن الجمعة من قبلنا فکان للیہود یوم السبت و کان للنصارے یوم الا ھد فجاء اللّٰہ بنا فھدانا اللّٰہ یوم الجمعة
Allah deprived the people who were before us from Friday (as a day of worship). So, Saturday was the day for Jews and Sunday for the Christians. Then Allah brought us and guided us to the day of Friday.
Commentators have understood this verse and the cited hadith to mean that Allah had prescribed Friday as the day of worship for previous nations as well, but instead they chose Saturday and Sunday themselves. There is nothing to back this interpretation in the verse. Even if the hadith in Bukhari is interpreted in this manner, although the name of the days are not given in it, it appears from the hadith in Muslim that it is Allah who kept the earlier nations deprived of Friday and appointed Saturday and Sunday as the days of worship for them. The Jews did not as a body disagree about the day of Sabbath and neither did the Christians. Consequently, their Sabbath by unanimous consent remained Saturday and Sunday. In such a widely accepted national practice, it is difficult for there to be differences about the day of the Sabbath. Furthermore, there was a series of prophets who came among the Jews, so if the day of worship had been changed at some time, it would have been rectified by them. The meaning of the hadith in Bukhari must be interpreted differently.
What is meant by “differed about the Sabbath:: It is possible that the difference referred to is that the Arabs believed in the Holy Prophet first, and the Jews and the Christians will believe in him later. By taking the meaning of سَبۡت as the day of worship, the verse can also mean: جعج وبال ترك تعظیم السبت :The burden of forsaking the reverence of the Sabbath fell on those who disputed about the Sabbath, and did not observe its reverence. Some commentators have taken this to be the meaning. Another interpretation takes the literal meaning of سَبۡت as severance of work and interprets the meaning of the verse as those people who differed about the Quran, or did not accept it, their work or deeds were cut off, or wasted. Because the Quran draws attention to acts of goodness, this meaning is more suitable than the others.
16-125 Call to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and argue with them in the best manner. Surely thy Lord knows best him who strays from His path, and He knows best those who go aright.a
ٱدْعُ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِٱلْحِكْمَةِ وَٱلْمَوْعِظَةِ ٱلْحَسَنَةِ ۖ وَجَـٰدِلْهُم بِٱلَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ ۖ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِٱلْمُهْتَدِينَ (۱۲۵)
16-125a: This surah establishes the truth of revelation with all types of logical arguments. Hence at the end of the surah, it mentions the real purpose of revelation, which is to call people to the truth and it also gives the manner for doing this. There are two things necessary for inviting people to the truth. The first is wisdom based on strong logic and understanding, and the second is preaching for admonition. The call to truth cannot succeed without sound reasoning and admonition. Discussions are mentioned because they are needed while inviting people to the truth, but if argumentation is required, it must be done in the best manner so that it does not create aversion and stubbornness to stick to a wrong viewpoint but instead helps the listener’s intellect to accept the truth.
16-126 And if you take your turn, then punish with the like of that with which you were afflicted. But if you show patience, it is certainly best for the patient.
وَإِنْ عَاقَبْتُمْ فَعَاقِبُوا۟ بِمِثْلِ مَا عُوقِبْتُم بِهِۦ ۖ وَلَئِن صَبَرْتُمْ لَهُوَ خَيْرٌۭ لِّلصَّـٰبِرِينَ (۱۲۶)
16-127 And be patient and thy patience is not but by (the help of) Allah, and grieve not for them, nor be in distress for what they plan.
وَٱصْبِرْ وَمَا صَبْرُكَ إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِ ۚ وَلَا تَحْزَنْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا تَكُ فِى ضَيْقٍۢ مِّمَّا يَمْكُرُونَ (۱۲۷)
16-128 Surely Allah is with those who keep their duty and those who do good (to others).a
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوا۟ وَّٱلَّذِينَ هُم مُّحْسِنُونَ (۱۲۸)
16-128a: عقاب – is retribution, punishment following a bad deed but is used simply for punishment as well.
Patience required in inviting people to the truth and prediction of success: The message is that when the Muslims get a chance to seek retribution for the pain and suffering borne during persecution, they should not inflict punishment greater than what they had suffered. The better way recommended is to be patient and not to seek retribution. The topic of retribution is included in the discussion on inviting people to the truth because those who engage in preaching must bear difficulties. If they seek revenge, as worldly people do, then the hearts of those they are trying to influence will turn against them. Hence it is stated that the job of the inviter is to bear difficulties and not to shift focus from the work at hand. However, if ever there is a need to punish, then the punishment must not be more than what one suffered. By mentioning the ability to punish, it is clearly conveyed that Muslims will be given power so that they will have the ability to punish their opponents.
By not understanding the context, some have called this verse to be a Madinah revelation, but even if it were so, it cannot explain why the verse has been placed where it is. In reality this verse was revealed at Makkah. The next verse again mentions patience to emphasize that this is the real teaching of the Quran and what is stressed in it. Without showing patience in the face of persecution by the opponents, the work of inviting to truth cannot be accomplished. In the last verse, the glad tiding is given to comfort the Muslims that Allah is with those who keep their duty and do good to others.
Bayan-ul-Quran 