2-122 O Children of Israel, call to mind My favor which I bestowed on you and that I made you excel the nations.a
يَـٰبَنِىٓ إِسۡرَٲٓءِيلَ ٱذۡكُرُواْ نِعۡمَتِىَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنۡعَمۡتُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَأَنِّى فَضَّلۡتُكُمۡ عَلَى ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ (١٢٢)
2-122a: Bani Israel addressed three times: This is the third time that Bani Israel is addressed. First they were reminded of their present situation and told that by accepting the Holy Prophet, they will gain respectability in the world. The second time, they were reminded of the time of Moses and the period after that, and the prophecies made by Moses and the prophets of Bani Israel. The third time, they are reminded of the time before Moses and the promise made to Abraham, and this is the verse’s connection with the previous subject. Addressing them thrice and reminding them of the initial promises completes the arguments regarding Bani Israel.
2-123 And be on your guard against a day when no soul will avail another in the least, neither will any compensation be accepted from it, nor will intercession profit it, nor will they be helped.
وَٱتَّقُواْ يَوۡمً۬ا لَّا تَجۡزِى نَفۡسٌ عَن نَّفۡسٍ۬ شَيۡـًٔ۬ا وَلَا يُقۡبَلُ مِنۡہَا عَدۡلٌ۬ وَلَا تَنفَعُهَا شَفَـٰعَةٌ۬ وَلَا هُمۡ يُنصَرُونَ (١٢٣)
2-124 And when his Lord tried Abraham with certain commands he fulfilled them. He said: Surely I will make thee a leader of men.a (Abraham) said: And of my offspring? My covenant does not include the wrongdoers, said He.b
وَإِذِ ٱبۡتَلَىٰٓ إِبۡرَٲهِـۧمَ رَبُّهُ ۥ بِكَلِمَـٰتٍ۬ فَأَتَمَّهُنَّۖ قَالَ إِنِّى جَاعِلُكَ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَامً۬اۖ قَالَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِىۖ قَالَ لَا يَنَالُ عَهۡدِى ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ (١٢٤)
2:124a: ٱبۡتَلَىٰٓ – is a derivation of بلیٰ for which see 2:49a. Imam Raghib explains there are two connotations of اَبۡلیٰ and اِبۡتَلَىٰٓ. First is to know the condition and state of a person and the second is to manifest the goodness and defects of a person. Sometimes the objective is to manifest both these connotations and sometimes just one. But when Allah is the subject, it is only the second connotation that is meant, viz the manifestation of goodness and defects because God is aware of the state of a person (R). The real purpose of اِبۡتَلَىٰٓ (or test) is to manifest the virtues or defects of a person; the state of a person must be known to be able to say anything about the goodness and sinfulness of a person. The meaning of اِبۡتَلَىٰٓ according to the rule established in 2:15a is also the same; the real purpose is to show the excellence of Prophet Abraham. ,
إِبۡرَٲهِـۧمَ is an Aramaic name. He is the patriarch of two great nations, the Bani Israel and Bani Ishmael. His period is probably around 2300 B.C. and he is considered as a great prophet by the Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Even the unbelievers of Arabia held him in similar high esteem. Because it is proven that the Bible has been tampered with, some speculate that Abraham is not a historical personality.
Connection with Arabia: However, the traditions of Arabs, Abraham’s connection with Arabia and his signs in the Grand Mosque Kabbah, are sufficient to dispel any such speculation.
كَلِمَـٰتٍ۬ – The meaning of كَلِمَـٰتٍ۬ is explained in 2:37a. By كَلِمَـٰتٍ۬ اللّٰه is meant the orders of Allah (R). There is a tradition from Ibn Abbas that these are thirty orders describing the attributes of believers. Ten of these orders are found in Surah Al-Baraat, ten in Surah Al-Ahzab and ten in Surah Al-Maarij (RM).
اتم (to complete, conclude, finish) – The تمام of a thing is when its perfection reaches a stage of independence from anything outside it. In another place, it is stated وَإِبۡرَٲهِيمَ ٱلَّذِى وَفَّىٰٓ (And (of) Abraham who fulfilled (commandments)) (53:37). Here, a little further on, it is stated: إِذۡ قَالَ لَهُ ۥ رَبُّهُ ۥۤ أَسۡلِمۡۖ قَالَ أَسۡلَمۡتُ لِرَبِّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ (When his Lord said to him, Submit, he said, I submit to the Lord of the worlds) (2:131).
إِمَامً – is from اَمَّ whose meaning is he resolved or intended. And إِمَامً is one who is followed whether it is a person whose word or action is followed, or a book or something else, and whether it is right or wrong (R). This word has also been used for evil leaders in the Quran as in: وَجَعَلۡنَـٰهُمۡ أَٮِٕمَّةً۬ يَدۡعُونَ إِلَى ٱلنَّارِ (And We made them leaders who call to the Fire) (28:41) and يَوۡمَ نَدۡعُواْ ڪُلَّ أُنَاسِۭ بِإِمَـٰمِهِمۡۖ (On the day when We shall call every people with their leader) (17:71). The meaning of إِمَامً is, in this verse, also taken to mean a book.
The perfection of Abraham’s soul by the orders of Allah: Before the mention of the covenant with Abraham, the greatness of Abraham is mentioned, who is considered perfectly righteous by three nations – Jews, Christians, and the polytheists of Arabia. The first set of commandments given to him were for his own self. When he fulfilled these, he was made Imam, that is a leader for others. This shows that a prophet is perfectly obedient to the commandments of Allah and it is for this reason that he is made a leader for other people. The Muslims were made شُہَدَآءَ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ (witness to the people) (2:143), that is a leader of other nations but when they became oblivious of their soul, they seized to be deserving of becoming a leader for others.
2-124b ذُرِّيَّتِى – ذُرِّيَّة actually means young progeny but is also spoken for both young and adult offspring. It is derived from ذرأ which means to create and, in the derivation, hamza has been abandoned or it has been derived from ذرّ which means to scatter (R).
Abrahamic covenant: Because the real purpose here is to recall the Abrahamic covenant, the covenant regarding the children of Abraham is indicated in this verse. The scripture of Abraham has been lost but the Book of Genesis in the scripture of Moses still has some narrations about Abraham and the covenant regarding his children. The narrative in the Bible is spread over several chapters but is expressed here in a few meaningful words, each one of which incorporates all the wisdom that is contained in the Book of Genesis.
Quran has not been taken from the Bible because it corrects the Bible: These few words in the Quran stand in the place of several chapters in the Bible. The Quran states: “My covenant does not include the wrongdoers”, that is, Abraham’s children too will be made leaders in the world, given honor, and be blessed, but if they incline to wrongdoings then they will cease to be the recipient of this promise. This is a wise and true statement, but it is missing in the Bible. The Biblical statement is quite general: “…thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 22:17 and 18). It therefore becomes obvious that the statements of Quran have not been taken from the Bible because the Quranic statements correct the words of Bible. This verse is also a warning for the Muslims that if they indulge in wrongdoing, then they too will be deprived of the promised blessings of Allah.
Both Ishmael and Isaac are included in the Abrahamic covenant: The use of the word مِن ذُرِّيَّتِى (my offspring), shows clearly that both Ishmael and Isaac are included in the promise. The Bible also proves this though the Jews and Christians deny it. Accordingly, even before the birth of Ishmael and Isaac, it was stated to Abraham: “And I will make thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing. And I will bless them that bless thee,…” (Genesis 12:2 and 3). Here the words “I will bless them” are worthy of some reflection because it is the Muslims who bless Abraham five times in their prayer with the salutation: کما بارکت علےٰ ابراهِییم و علیٰ اٰل ابراهِییم . Then there is the promise made with Hagar: “I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude” (Genesis 16:10). Then specifically about Ishmael it is stated: “And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.” (Genesis 17:20). The same covenant made with Abraham to bless him is repeated specifically for Ishmael. Thus, Bible gives the lie to Christians and Jews who do not include Ishmael in the Abrahamic covenant.
Historical evidence on the inclusion of Ishmael in the Abrahamic covenant: From a historical viewpoint, just as the Abrahamic covenant is seen to be true for Bani Israel it is also seen to be true for Bani Ishmael. The first condition of this covenant is: “This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.” (Genesis 17:19). The second condition of the covenant is: “And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession;” (Genesis 17:8). Just as the Bani Israel circumcise their male children and thus keep up this sign of the Abrahamic covenant, the Bani Ishmael, that is the Arabs, also circumcise their male children to uphold the sign of the Abrahamic covenant. This sign is not found in any other nation of the world. Even more significant is that with the advent of Prophet Muhammad, who was the fulfillment of the real promise of the Abrahamic covenant, a nation was born who by virtue of being his spiritual children will keep this part of the covenant till doomsday. The second part of the Abrahamic covenant is that the land of Canaan would be given to his progeny for all times to come. However, this land has changed hands between, first the Jews, then the Muslims, then the Christians which shows that at different periods, one or other of these nations was the real upholder of the Abrahamic covenant. The Christians tried to wrest control of Jerusalem from the Muslims during the Crusades, but they were finally unsuccessful and in this way the Muslims once again gained control of Jerusalem after about a century. Apparently, this land has once again slipped out of the control of Muslims, but it is possible that Allah may bring about the circumstances that this land reverts to the Muslims or that the Muslims may get control of it.
Jerusalem lost twice by each of the two rightful heirs: In the history of Israel, the Jews lost possession of Jerusalem twice. They lost possession of Jerusalem to the Babylonians first but were resettled there when Cyrus defeated the Babylonians. After the advent of Jesus, Jerusalem was destroyed a second time by Romans who later converted to Christianity. Similarly, the Muslims conquered Jerusalem the first time by force and took possession of it from the Christians. It may be ordained, that for the second time the Muslims may gain possession of Jerusalem by conversion of the occupying nation to Islam.
2-125 And when We made the House a resort for men and a (place of) security.a And: Take ye the Place of Abraham for a place of prayer.b And We enjoined Abraham and Ishmael, saying: Purify My House for those who visit (it) and those who abide (in it) for devotion and those who bow down (and) those who prostrate themselves.c
وَإِذۡ جَعَلۡنَا ٱلۡبَيۡتَ مَثَابَةً۬ لِّلنَّاسِ وَأَمۡنً۬ا وَٱتَّخِذُواْ مِن مَّقَامِ إِبۡرَٲهِـۧمَ مُصَلًّ۬ىۖ وَعَهِدۡنَآ إِلَىٰٓ إِبۡرَٲهِـۧمَ وَإِسۡمَـٰعِيلَ أَن طَهِّرَا بَيۡتِىَ لِلطَّآٮِٕفِينَ وَٱلۡعَـٰكِفِينَ وَٱلرُّڪَّعِ ٱلسُّجُودِ (١٢٥)
2-125a: ٱلۡبَيۡتَ – بیت is that place which gives shelter to a person at night because the meaning of بات is to spend or pass the night and the meaning of بَیت is consulted or worked at night, as in: بَيَّتَ طَآٮِٕفَةٌ۬ مِّنۡہُمۡ (a party of them plan by night) (4:81). When ٱلۡبَيۡتَ occurs by itself, the meaning is ٱلۡبَيۡتَ اللّٰه (the house of Allah), that is Khanna Kabah.
The first house of worship in the world: The Quran calls it: أَوَّلَ بَيۡتٍ۬ وُضِعَ لِلنَّاسِ (…the first house appointed for men…) (3:96), that is the first house of worship. In another place, it has been called: الۡبَيۡتِ ٱلۡعَتِيقِ (the Ancient House) (22:29). Besides these two names, the fact that it came to be known widely as ٱلۡبَيۡتَ gives a clear indication that this house was to achieve such a unique distinction in this world as has never been accorded to any other house.
مَثَابَةً۬ – It is derived from ثوب which means to revert to its former state (R). Its root is the same as the root of ثواب and مثوبة etcetera, and مَثَابَةً۬ is that place which people revert to again and again. According to some, its meaning is the place where people get together after splitting (T). Both the meanings are equally applicable to Khanna Kabah because people will be reverting to it for Haj till the end of times and because after dissensions split the religions of the world, this was the site where they were brought together, and it became the means of uniting mankind.
اْ مِن – It is an action noun. It is used as a superlative, and the meaning is a place of peace.
Muir’s testimony on the antiquity of Kabah: ٱلۡبَيۡتَ or بَيۡتَ اللّٰه or Khanna Kabah is that holy house whose reputation and respect in Arabia dates back from such ancient times that it is difficult to determine when it began. Sir William Muir, an opponent of Islam, accepts the ancient origin and writes: “A very high antiquity must be assigned to the main features of the religion of Mecca…Diodorus Siculus, writing about half a century before our era, says of Diodorus Siculus, writing about half a century before our era, says of Arabia washed by the Red Sea, ‘there is, in this country, a temple greatly revered by the Arabs.’ These words must refer to the Holy House of Mecca, for we know of no other which ever commanded such universal homage…Tradition represents the Kabah as from time immemorial the scene of pilgrimage from all quarters of Arabia:- from Yemen and Hadhramaut, from shores of the Persian Gulf, the deserts of Syria, and the distant environs of Hira and Mesopotamia, men yearly flocked to Mecca. So extensive a homage must have had its beginnings in an extremely remote age”.
Beit-al in the Bible and what it means: There is also a reference in the Bible to a Beit-al which has a connection with Abraham, but the Bible description of its locale is not reliable as it is colored with later ideas. There is today only one location, and it has always been just one location, which has been called Beit-al or بَيۡتَ اللّٰه and that is Khanna Kabah.
Two prophecies about the Kabah: There are two prophecies about the Kabah here as well. First, that people will keep on gathering here till the end of time. It will never be abandoned, nor destroyed, nor will any earthly power be able to prevent people from gathering here, and people will gather here after splitting. The second is that it will forever be an abode of peace. Accordingly, its name is حرم (sanctuary). In another place, it is stated: أَوَلَمۡ يَرَوۡاْ أَنَّا جَعَلۡنَا حَرَمًا ءَامِنً۬ا وَيُتَخَطَّفُ ٱلنَّاسُ مِنۡ حَوۡلِهِمۡ ( See they not that We have made a sacred territory secure, while men are carried off by force from around them?) (29:67), that is, although wars may wage day and night all around it and there may be no peace for the people in general, but there will be complete peace in the Kabah and no one will dare disturb its peace. The warring nature of the Arabs resulted in a constant state of conflict, but Allah ingrained such deep respect in them for this holy house that their blood thirsty nature never manifested within its precincts. This is an act of God, otherwise it is impossible for such a large country to unite behind this principle and to stop hostilities even in the heat of a conflict when even civilized nations do not cease hostilities when they are climaxing to a victory.
Khanna Kabah will never be possessed by its enemies: In calling it a place of peace, there is also a prophecy that its enemies will never be able to gain its possession and it will continue to be in the custody of those who honor and respect it. This is how it has been from the beginning. Even though it was at one stage in the control of polytheists, but they too respected it with all their heart. When a Christian monarch invaded Arabia with the intention of destroying the Kabah, he along with his army were destroyed. There are hadith that narrate that antichrist and plague will never enter it.
2-125b: مَّقَامِ إِبۡرَٲهِـۧمَ : There is a well known place within the precincts of the Kabah where a monument stands that is called Maqam Ibrahim. This monument is eight feet tall and has six pillars. Two rakahs of prayer are offered here after circumambulating the Kabah. There is a difference of opinion regarding what is meant by مَّقَامِ إِبۡرَٲهِـۧمَ here. According to some, it means the rites of Haj, some take it to mean Arafat, Muzdalifah etcetera, some take it to mean the whole Haram (sanctuary), and some take it to mean the Khanna Kabah itself, and the last is the correct view.
مُصَلًّ۬ى – It is the name for the place where prayer is offered but metaphorically it is the Kiblah that is meant here (RM).
The command to make Kabah the Qiblah (direction of prayer): The Muslims have been commanded here to pray in the direction of the Kabah. Some have said that what is meant is to say two rakah of prayers at the Maqam Ibrahim, some have taken it to mean remembering Allah, that is doing zikar, at Muzdalifah, Arafat etcetra. But according to a hadith in Bukhari, this verse was revealed when Hazrat Umar submitted to the Holy Prophet: لو ٱتَّخِذُت مِن مَّقَامِ إِبۡرَٲهِـۧمَ مُصَلًّ۬ى (If you only make Maqam Ibrahim as the place of prayer). This surah was revealed in Madinah and so it is obvious that Hazrat Umar did not mean that the Holy Prophet should proceed to Makkah to say two rakahs of prayer or to do zikr in Muzdalifah or Arafat because the Muslims were not allowed by the unbelievers in Makkah to perform Hajj at that time. Hazrat Umar’s request could therefore only mean that Khanna Kabah should be made the Qibla. The Holy Prophet at the time was offering prayers facing Jerusalem. This explanation fits the context as well because when it was stated that the Khanna Kabah will be the meeting place where those split would gather and it would be an abode of peace, it seems appropriate to mention that it should be the direction of prayer, that is the Qiblah. The criticisms that were levelled against this are answered beginning with: سَيَقُولُ ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ .
2-125c: عَهِدۡنَآ إِلَىٰٓ – عَھِد فلانٌ الٰی فلانٍ means that an agreement was presented and its safeguard was stressed (R). If there is صله الٰی with the عہد then its meaning is to give a command.
إِسۡمَـٰعِيلَ – This is the name of the eldest son of Abraham who was born from his wife Hagar. Although the Bible refers to her as a handmaid, she was from the royal family of Egypt. She has probably been referred to as a handmaid out of some sense of racial superiority. The name إِسۡمَـٰعِيلَ was given to him because it was foretold by an angel to his mother as has been mentioned in the Bible. The name is a combination of سمع and ایل which means Allah, the Most High, has heard.
Ishmael and Hagar were left in Makkah at the command of God: Abraham was commanded by Allah to leave Ishmael and his mother at another locale. According to the Bible, Abraham did this at the behest of his wife Sarah but an authentic hadith contradicts this as it states that when Hagar asked Abraham if Allah had commanded him, he said yes. Clear testimony of the Quran supports the version of hadith in the following words: رَّبَّنَآ إِنِّىٓ أَسۡكَنتُ مِن ذُرِّيَّتِى بِوَادٍ غَيۡرِ ذِى زَرۡعٍ عِندَ بَيۡتِكَ ٱلۡمُحَرَّمِ (Our Lord, I have settled a part of my offspring in a valley unproductive of fruit near Thy Sacred House) 14:37. Bible states that they were left in Paran. Christians consider this to be a jungle of Syria but events prove this supposition to be incorrect. Not only does the Quran contradict this but it is an established fact that the Arabs are the progeny of Ishmael which no Christian can deny. Accordingly, Kedar, the name of an elders on of Ishmael, (Genesis 25:13) is used as a synonym for the Arab nation in the Bible. (See Psalms 10:5, Isaiah 42:11, and 60:7 etcetera).
Arabs as the progeny of Ishmael: The traditions of Arabs provide conclusive testimony that Ishmael came to Arabia. There is a memorial of Ishmael in the Khana Kabah and the mounds of Safa and Marwah are a memorial to Hagar. Not only do the Arabs claim to be the progeny of Ishmael but their recorded genealogies trace their ancestry all the way back to Ishmael.
طَهِّرَا – The meaning of تطھیر includes both purifying externally and internally. The meaning of طَهِّرَا here is cleansing the filth of worshipping idols and associating others with Allah.
طَّآٮِٕفِينَ – طائف is from طوف which means to walk around a thing. So طَّآٮِٕفِينَ are those who come with the objective of circumambulating the Kabah.
عَـٰكِفِينَ – عاکف is from عکوف which means to turn ones attention to something and to a develop a relationship with it by virtue of respect for it (R). The word اعتکاف is also its derivation, which is the name of the practice of staying in the mosque during the last ten days of Ramzan. Some people have interpreted عَـٰكِفِينَ as meaning the residents of Makkah but the implication is only those who sit down to worship. While in the state of circumambulating, a pilgrims is طائف , while worshiping he is عاکف, while bowing he is راکع (plural رکع ), in the state of prostration, he is ساجید (plural سجود).
Purifying Kabah: Abraham and Ishmael have been commanded here to purify the Kabah which indicates that the Kabah was already there but idols had been placed in it as was done in the era prior to the Holy Prophet. And the meaning of تطھیر is in fact, to purify from idols and to eliminate idol worship and polytheism. However, its complete purification was destined to be performed at the hands of the Holy Prophet. Abraham and Ishmael also rebuilt the Kabah as is mentioned further on.
2-126 And when Abraham said: My Lord, make this a secure town and provide its people with fruits, such of them as believe in Allah and the Last Day.a He said: And whoever disbelieves, I shall grant him enjoyment for a short while, then I shall drive him to the chastisement of the Fire. And it is an evil destination.b
وَإِذۡ قَالَ إِبۡرَٲهِـۧمُ رَبِّ ٱجۡعَلۡ هَـٰذَا بَلَدًا ءَامِنً۬ا وَٱرۡزُقۡ أَهۡلَهُ ۥ مِنَ ٱلثَّمَرَٲتِ مَنۡ ءَامَنَ مِنۡہُم بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأَخِرِۖ قَالَ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَأُمَتِّعُهُ ۥ قَلِيلاً۬ ثُمَّ أَضۡطَرُّهُ ۥۤ إِلَىٰ عَذَابِ ٱلنَّارِۖ وَبِئۡسَ ٱلۡمَصِيرُ (١٢٦)
2-126a: بَلَدًا – بَلَد is a space with a defined boundary the dwellers of which gather and live in good fellowship (R). Just as the wordٱلۡبَيۡتَ when used independently means Khanna Kabah, the word ٱلۡبَلَدِ when used independently means Makkah, as in لَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِہَـٰذَا ٱلۡبَلَدِ (Nay, I call to witness this city) (90:1).
Abraham’s prayer for Makkah: Abraham’s prayer is for three things. The first is to make this place into ٱلۡبَلَد, that is a city, because although Khanna Kabah was there but there were no dwellings. The second was to make the city peaceful and the third was to make fruits available for dwellers in this baren land. This prayer made in a land without water or a blade of grass testifies to the great faith that Abraham had in divine power. Today all kinds of fruits are available in Makkah. But the prayer was confined to believers, that is Abraham wanted only believers to dwell in Makkah.
2-126b: امتع – متاع is achieving a profit that extends for a period (R). Hence the meaning of اُمَتِّعُهُ is, will allow them to operate profitably for a period. That is, unbelief will not stay forever.
أَضۡطَرّ – أَضۡطَرّار is to get a person into a thing that is damaging for him. أَضۡطَرّار can be from external causes such as to be defeated and rendered powerless or from internal causes such as hunger etcetera (R). For further clarification see 2-173b.
مَصِيرُ – The meaning of صِیر is شق , that is to cleave or rend asunder and صار means to move from one state to another. And مَصِيرُ is that final stage when a person who is moving from one stage to another finally reaches that final stage (R).
Prophecy about the elimination of unbelief from Arabia: God’s blessings in the form of worldly provisions are equally for believers and non-believers, hence the verse states that worldly provisions would be given both to believers and non-believers. However, for the unbelievers, these provisions are only for a few days, that is only in this life but they will be deprived of the fruits of the next world which are the result of actions. Or by few days is meant that unbelief will ultimately be erased from the land as actually happened with the advent of the Holy Prophet.
2-127 And when Abraham and Ishmael raised the foundations of the House: Our Lord, accept from us; surely Thou art the Hearing, the Knowing.a
وَإِذۡ يَرۡفَعُ إِبۡرَٲهِـۧمُ ٱلۡقَوَاعِدَ مِنَ ٱلۡبَيۡتِ وَإِسۡمَـٰعِيلُ رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلۡ مِنَّآۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ (١٢٧)
2-127a: قَوَاعِدَ – It is the plural of قَاعِدَہ whose meaning is foundation and it is derived from قعد which means to sit (R).
تَقَبَّلۡ – It is derived from قبل which means the first, and the meaning of قَبِلَ is he accepted as in لَا يُقۡبَلُ مِنۡہَا شَفَـٰعَةٌ۬ (…neither will intercession be accepted from them…) (2:48) and لَا يُقۡبَلُ مِنۡہَا عَدۡلٌ۬ (…neither will any compensation be accepted from it…) (2:123). And the meaning of تَقَبُّلۡ is to accept something with the inclination of reward, as for example to accept a sacrifice, as in: أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ ٱلَّذِينَ نَتَقَبَّلُ عَنۡہُمۡ أَحۡسَنَ مَا عَمِلُو (These are t hey from whom We accept the best of what they do…) (46:16), فَتَقَبَّلَهَا رَبُّهَا بِقَبُولٍ حَسَنٍ۬ (So her Lord accepted her with a goodly acceptance …) (3:37) and إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلۡمُتَّقِينَ (Allah accepts only from the dutiful) (5:27).
ٱلسَّمِيعُ – سمع is the power of hearing and also the act of hearing (R). And سمیع as an attribute of Allah has the meaning of سامع that is one who hears. However, His hearing, unlike the hearing of humans, is not dependent on having ears or instruments of hearing (T). This property of non-dependence pervades all His attributes.
The building of Khanna Kabah by Abraham: This verse provides the information that Abraham and Ishmael built the Khanna Kabah. However, this does not contradict the fact that Khanna Kabbah was present before them because Quran, Hadith and history itself provides testimony that this was the first house made for the worship of Allah (See 125a).
Khanna Kabah was built and rebuilt five times: Because the first guide and teacher of righteousness was Adam, Khanna Kabah was first built by him. The second time it was built by Abraham and Ishmael. The third time it was rebuilt by the Quraish shortly before the prophethood of Holy Prophet. The Black Stone was put in place by him. After this, it was built two more times. Once it was made by Abdullah bin Zubair and once by Hajaj. So in all it was built five times, twice before the Holy Prophet and twice after him, and once during his lifetime. No other building got builders like the one Khanna Kaba got.
The laborers of Khanna Kabah: The temple in Jerusalem was made by Solomon. The people who worked as laborers to build the Khanna Kabah include Abraham, Ishmael and the Holy Prophet who are the pride of humanity. Neither the temple at Jerusalem nor any other building has ever had laborers like these.
2-128 Our Lord, and make us both submissive to Thee, and (raise) from our offspring, a nation submissive to Thee, and show us our ways of devotion and turn to us (mercifully); surely Thou art the Oft-returning (to mercy), the Merciful.a
رَبَّنَا وَٱجۡعَلۡنَا مُسۡلِمَيۡنِ لَكَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِنَآ أُمَّةً۬ مُّسۡلِمَةً۬ لَّكَ وَأَرِنَا مَنَاسِكَنَا وَتُبۡ عَلَيۡنَآۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ (١٢٨)
2-128a: مُسۡلِمَيۡنِ – It is the dual form of مسلم . For the meaning of اسلام see 112a. Muslim is called a Muslim because he dedicates himself to seeking the pleasure of Allah, or because he gets protection from being a slave of Satan or because he becomes fully subservient to the truth (R).
أُمَّةً۬ – The meaning of اُمّ is mother but its use is very widespread. Anything that is the root cause for the presence of, or rearing of, or reforming of, or for its origin is called اُمّ . And the meaning of أُمَّةً۬ is any party that is united around a particular affair whether that affair happens to be religious, or a place, or a period and whether that affair is involuntary or voluntary (R). Its plural is اُمم. In the terminology of the shariah أُمَّةً۬ is a party united around a common faith.
أَرِ – The word رؤیة is not just confined in its meaning to perception with the eye but also includes perception or comprehension through apprehension, imagination, or reflection or comprehension through use of intellect.
مَنَاسِكَ – It is the plural of مَنۡسِك or مَنۡسَك. And the real meaning of نُسُك is worship or extreme devotion. مَنَاسِكَ is particularly used for the rites of Hajj because one has to go above and beyond the normal requirements of worship. And مَنۡسَك is the place where Allah is worshipped and effort is made to achieve nearness to Him. Halal meat is called نسیکة. It is stated in Al-Nihayah that نُسُك are those commands given by the Shariah and ورع those things that are forbidden by the Shariah.
Two affairs indicated in this prayer: This prayer indicates two affairs. One is to أُمَّةً۬ مُّسۡلِمَةً۬ that would bring to fulfilment the prayers of Abraham. It is a strange fact that there is only one nation that is called أُمَّةً۬ مُّسۡلِمَةً۬ although all the prophets were مسلم . When this verse was revealed, there were only a limited number of Muslims who had fled their homes and taken refuge in another place. Their enemies were bent on annihilating them. So, this verse was prophetical. Today, by the Grace of God the أُمَّةً۬ مُّسۡلِمَةً۬ is spread all over the globe.
The rites of pilgrimage were established by Abraham: The second thing that is indicated is that the rites of Hajj were established through Abraham and Ishmael. These rites of Hajj have stayed the same for thousands of years. These are not polytheistic rites but were established by the great ancestor of the monotheists.
2-129 Our Lord, and raise up in them a Messenger from among them who shall recite to them Thy messages and teach them the Book and the Wisdom, and purify them. Surely Thou art the Mighty, the Wise.a
رَبَّنَا وَٱبۡعَثۡ فِيهِمۡ رَسُولاً۬ مِّنۡہُمۡ يَتۡلُواْ عَلَيۡہِمۡ ءَايَـٰتِكَ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلۡحِكۡمَةَ وَيُزَكِّيہِمۡۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ (١٢٩)
2:129a: يُزَكِّي – زکا is a spoken of a field in which there is growth and blessings are obtained from it andنفس تُزۡکِیَة is to expand your soul through charity and bestowing blessings and the verb تزکیه is attributed to the person because it is gained with effort as in: قَدۡ أَفۡلَحَ مَن زَكَّٮٰهَا (He indeed is successful who causes it to grow) (91:9) and sometimes it is attributed to God because in reality, He is موزکی as stated in وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُزَكِّى مَن يَشَآءُ (…but Allah purifies whom He pleases)(24:21) and sometimes it is attributed to the prophet because he is the intermediary and it is his teachings and example which purify, as is the case in this verse.
يُعَلِّمُ – The difference between اعلام and تعلیم is that اعلام is specific to imparting quick information, that is to communicate swiftly or to give the knowledge about a thing once, while تعلیم is associated with lectures and augmentation of knowledge until a lasting impression is left on the mind of the learner. And some have said that تعلیم is to make the mind aware of imagining the essence and spiritual quality of a thing (R).
Knowledge of the Book, as distinct from its recitation, is the work of the Messenger: Here a distinction has been made between reading the Book ( يَتۡلُواْ عَلَيۡہِمۡ ءَايَـٰتِكَ ) and gaining knowledge of it (يُعَلِّمُهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ ). By تعلیم is meant making aware of its meaning and one of the duties of the Messenger is to explain the sense and significance of the text to the believers. Those who consider the work of the Messenger to be merely giving a reading of the Book are sadly mistaken.
حِكۡمَةَ – It is derived from حکم whose real meaning is stopped for reform, and حِكۡمَةَ is to find the truth through knowledge and intellect (R). The meaning of حِكۡمَةَ has been taken here to mean sunnat (the tradition of the Prophet), knowledge of religion, and Fiqh (Islamic Law) (IJ). It is obvious that حِكۡمَةَ is something apart from the Book and this something is also taught by the Messenger. This something is what is called sunnat, that is the details of shariat because that is the other thing that the Messenger teaches.
ٱلۡعَزِيزُ – It is one of the attributive names of Allah. عِزّة is that state of a person that saves him from being overcome. So ٱلۡعَزِيزُ is He who is overpowering and none has power over Him.
Abraham’s prayer: The Holy Prophet in reference to this prayer of Abraham stated: انا دعوة ابی ابریھیم (I am the prayer of my father Abraham), that is the acceptance of this prayer manifested itself through me.
The effect of this prayer: This prayer also shows that sometimes Allah manifests the effect of the prayer many thousands of years after the prayer. The lesson in this that the welfare and betterment of the world is not the work of a day. Gigantic tasks require a long term.
The purification of the Muslim nation is by way of prophecy: The Quran reminded the world of this prayer when neither the Muslim Ummah nor its teachings and purification existed. There were only a few Muslims whose lives were under danger, and the whole of the Arabian peninsula was filled with polytheism, sinfulness and impiety. This prayer was then fulfilled in such a way that not only the whole of Arabia became part of the Muslim Ummah but the Muslim Ummah spread through many countries, and they were purified in such a manner that they became the purifiers of the world and they were given such a Book and wisdom that they became the teachers of the whole world. A little further on, this meaning is further expounded by stating: لِّتَڪُونُواْ شُہَدَآءَ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ ٱلرَّسُولُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ شَهِيدً۬اۗ (2:143), that is that the result of the Holy Prophet’s teachings and purification is that you have become eligible to be teachers and purifiers of the world and this is why you have been made the leader of men.
The four duties of the Messenger: Four duties of the Messenger are mentioned here. The first is to recite the verses that have been revealed to him to the Ummah. Second, to teach the Book that is being revealed to him to his followers. Third, teaches them wisdom, that is those finer points that are revealed to him through Wahi Khafi (Divine inspiration). Fourth, to act as the role model and to purify them from filth through his spiritual prowess. A person who does not perform these four functions is not a Messenger.
Divinely ordained saints: Certainly, saints and other persons from the Ummah perform these duties in some sense. But they recite the verses that were revealed to the Holy Prophet, and they teach the Book that was revealed to the Holy Prophet, the wisdom that they impart is also borrowed from the Messenger and their spiritual prowess is also obtained from this Messenger that they follow.
Bayan-ul-Quran 