ٱلصَّافَّات ٨٨
- فَنَظَرَ maka dia memandang
- نَظۡرَةٗ pandangan
- فِي pada
- ٱلنُّجُومِ bintang-bintang
Lalu dia memandang sekilas ke bintang-bintang,
(Lalu ia memandang sekali pandang ke bintang-bintang) untuk mengelabui mereka, bahwasanya dia percaya kepada bintang-bintang itu, supaya mereka tidak menaruh rasa curiga terhadap dirinya.
Tafsir Surat As-Saffat: 88-98
Lalu ia memandang sekilas ke bintang-bintang. Kemudian ia berkata, "Sesungguhnya aku sakit.” Lalu mereka berpaling darinya dengan membelakanginya. Kemudian ia pergi dengan diam-diam kepada berhala-berhala mereka, lalu ia berkata, "Apakah kamu tidak makan? Mengapa kamu tidak menjawab?" Lalu dihadapinya berhala-berhala itu sambil memukulinya dengan tangan kanannya (dengan kuat). Kemudian kaumnya datang kepadanya dengan bergegas. Ibrahim berkata, "Apakah kamu menyembah patung-patung yang kamu pahat itu? Padahal Allah-lah yang menciptakan kamu dan apa yang kamu perbuat itu.” Mereka berkata, "Dirikanlah suatu bangunan untuk (membakar) Ibrahim; lalu lemparkanlah dia ke dalam api yang menyala-nyala itu. Mereka hendak melakukan tipu muslihat kepadanya, maka Kami jadikan mereka orang-orang yang hina.
Ayat 88
Sungguh Ibrahim a.s. mengatakan demikian kepada kaumnya hanyalah agar ia tetap berada di kota itu apabila kaumnya pergi ke tempat perayaan mereka. Karena sesungguhnya saat itu mereka hampir saja berangkat menuju tempat perayaan mereka, maka Ibrahim menginginkan agar ia dapat menyendiri dengan sembahan-sembahan mereka dengan niat akan menghancurkan berhala-berhala itu. Untuk itu Ibrahim a.s. mengatakan kepada mereka suatu alasan yang pada hakikatnya benar, tetapi mereka mengira bahwa Ibrahim benar-benar sedang sakit. Lalu mereka berpaling darinya dengan membelakanginya. (Ash-Shaffat: 90)
Qatadah mengatakan bahwa orang-orang Arab menganggap orang yang sedang memandang ke arah langit itu adalah orang yang sedang berfikir atau merenungkan sesuatu. Yang dimaksud oleh Qatadah ialah bahwa Nabi Ibrahim saat itu mengarahkan pandangannya ke langit untuk mengalihkan perhatian mereka terhadap dirinya. Lalu ia berkata, sebagaimana yang disitir oleh firman Allah ﷻ:
Ayat 89
“Sesungguhnya aku sakit.” (Ash-Shaffat: 89)
Maksudnya lemah. Adapun hadis yang diriwayatkan oleh Ibnu Jarir sehubungan dengan makna ayat ini, yaitu: Telah menceritakan kepada kami Abu Kuraib, telah menceritakan kepada kami Abu Usamah, telah menceritakan kepadaku Hisyam, dari Muhammad, dari Abu Hurairah r.a., bahwa Rasulullah ﷺ pernah bersabda: Ibrahim a.s. tidak pernah berdusta kecuali dalam tiga perkara; dua di antaranya dalam membela zat Allah, yaitu ucapannya:
"Sesungguhnya aku sakit,” dan perkataannya, "Sebenarnya patung yang besar itulah yang melakukannya.” Dan perkataannya tentang Sarah, "Dia adalah saudara perempuanku.” Hadis ini diketengahkan di dalam kitab-kitab sahih dan kitab-kitab sunah melalui berbagai jalur.
Akan tetapi, hal ini bukan termasuk dusta murni yang dicela oleh syariat pelakunya. Tidaklah demikian pada hakikatnya melainkan disebut sebagai dusta dengan ungkapan majaz. Dan sesungguhnya hal itu hanyalah termasuk kata-kata sindiran untuk tujuan yang diperbolehkan oleh syariat dan agama, sebagaimana yang disebutkan di dalam sebuah hadis yang mengatakan: “Sesungguhnya di dalam ungkapan-ungkapan sindiran benar-benar terdapat jalan untuk mengelak dari berkata dusta.”
Ibnu Abu Hatim mengatakan, telah menceritakan kepada kami ayahku, telah menceritakan kepada kami Ibnu Abu Umar, telah menceritakan kepada kami Sufyan, dari Ali ibnu Zaid ibnu Jad'an, dari Abu Nadrah, dari Abu Sa'id r.a. yang mengatakan bahwa Rasulullah ﷺ pernah bersabda sehubungan dengan ketiga ucapan Nabi Ibrahim r.a. yang dikatakannya, bahwa tiada suatu kalimat pun darinya melainkan diutarakan untuk membela agama Allah.
Pertama yang disebutkan oleh firman-Nya: “Kemudian ia berkata, ‘Sesungguhnya aku sakit’.” (Ash-Shaffat: 89) Dan yang kedua disebutkan oleh firman-Nya: “Sebenarnya patung yang besar itulah yang melakukannya.” (Al-Anbiya: 63) Dan Ibrahim a.s. berkata kepada raja yang menginginkan istrinya, "Dia adalah saudara perempuanku."
Sufyan mengatakan sehubungan dengan makna firman-Nya: “Sesungguhnya aku sakit.” (Ash-Shaffat: 89) Yaitu terkena penyakit taun. Ia mengatakan demikian karena kaumnya takut terhadap penderita taun, takut ketularan, karena itu mereka lari meninggalkannya sendirian. Dengan demikian, maka tercapailah keinginan Ibrahim a.s. yang menginginkan agar menyendiri bersama berhala-berhala mereka.
Hal yang sama telah dikatakan oleh Al-Aufi, dari Ibnu Abbas r.a. sehubungan dengan makna firman-Nya: “Lalu ia memandang sekilas ke bintang-bintang. Kemudian berkata, ‘Sesungguhnya aku sakit’.” (Ash-Shaffat: 88-89) Maka mereka berkata kepadanya yang saat itu sedang berada di tempat peribadatan mereka yang dipenuhi oleh berhala-berhala sembahan mereka, "Keluarlah kamu." Lalu Nabi Ibrahim a.s. menjawab, "Sesungguhnya aku terkena penyakit ta'un." Akhirnya mereka meninggalkannya karena takut ketularan penyakit taun.
Qatadah telah meriwayatkan dari Sa'id ibnul Musayyab, bahwa Ibrahim melihat bintang-bintang terbit di langit, lalu ia berkata: “Sesungguhnya aku sakit.” (Ash-Shaffat: 89) Nabi Ibrahim bermaksud membela agama Allah, untuk itu ia mengatakan hal tersebut, bahwa ia sedang sakit. Ulama lainnya mengatakan sehubungan dengan makna firman-Nya: “Kemudian ia berkata, ‘Sesungguhnya aku sakit’.” (Ash-Shaffat: 89) dinisbatkan kepada masa mendatang, yakni sakit yang menyebabkan kematian. Menurut pendapat yang lainnya, sakit di sini adalah sakit hati karena melihat kaumnya menyembah berhala selain Allah ﷻ.
Al-Hasan Al-Basri mengatakan, bahwa kaum Nabi Ibrahim keluar menuju tempat perayaan mereka, dan mereka menginginkan agar Ibrahim pun ikut keluar bersama mereka. Tetapi Nabi Ibrahim merebahkan dirinya dan berkata, seperti yang disitir oleh firman-Nya: “Sesungguhnya aku sakit.” (Ash-Shaffat: 89) Lalu ia menatapkan pandangannya ke arah langit; setelah mereka (kaumnya) keluar, maka Ibrahim bangkit menuju kepada berhala-berhala sembahan mereka, lalu menghancurkannya. Demikianlah menurut riwayat Ibnu Abu Hatim. Karena itulah maka disebutkan dalam firman berikutnya:
Ayat 90
“Lalu mereka berpaling darinya dengan membelakanginya.” (Ash-Shaffat: 90)
Sesudah mereka keluar, maka dengan cepat dan sembunyi-sembunyi Ibrahim menuju tempat berhala-berhala mereka. Lalu ia berkata,
Ayat 91
"Apakah kamu tidak makan?" (Ash-Shaffat: 91)
Itu karena mereka telah meletakkan di hadapan berhala-berhala itu makanan dan kurban dengan tujuan ingin dapat berkah dari berhala-berhala itu.
As-Saddi mengatakan bahwa Nabi Ibrahim a.s. memasuki tempat berhala-berhala mereka, dan ternyata ia menjumpai berhala-berhala itu diletakkan di dalam sebuah ruangan besar. Dan berhadapan dengan pintu ruangan itu terdapat berhala yang besar, di sampingnya terdapat pula berhala yang lebih kecil daripadanya, kemudian di sampingnya lagi ada berhala lainnya yang lebih kecil daripada berhala yang kedua, demikianlah seterusnya sampai pada pintu ruangan.tersebut.
Dan ternyata mereka telah meletakkan makanan di tangan berhala-berhala itu. Tujuan mereka ialah bila mereka kembali dari tempat perayaannya, berarti sembahan-sembahan mereka telah memberkati makanan tersebut, lalu baru mereka memakannya. Ketika Nabi Ibrahim menyaksikan pemandangan tersebut, yakni di tangan berhala-berhala itu diletakkan berbagai macam makanan, maka berkatalah Nabi Ibrahim:
Ayat 91-93
“Apakah kamu tidak makan? Mengapa kamu tidak menjawab?” (Ash-Shaffat: 91-92)
Firman Allah ﷻ: Lalu dihadapinya berhala-berhala itu sambil memukulinya dengan tangan kanannya (dengan kuat).” (Ash-Shaffat: 93) Al-Farra mengatakan bahwa lalu Nabi Ibrahim menghadapinya sambil memukulinya dengan tangan kanannya dengan pukulan yang kuat.
Qatadah mengatakan dan juga Al-Jauhari bahwa lalu Nabi Ibrahim memukuli berhala-berhala itu dengan pukulan tangan kanannya. Dikatakan tangan kanan karena pukulan tangan kanannya lebih kuat. Semua berhala itu hancur berkeping-keping, kecuali yang paling besar yang sengaja dibiarkannya menunggu mereka kembali. Kisah ini telah disebutkan di dalam tafsir surat Al-Anbiya.
Ayat 94
Firman Allah ﷻ: “Kemudian kaumnya datang kepadanya dengan bergegas.” (Ash-Shaffat: 94)
Mujahid dan lain-lainnya yang bukan hanya seorang mengatakan bahwa makna yaziffuna ialah bergegas.
Kisah ini disebutkan dengan ringkas, lain halnya dengan apa yang ada di dalam surat Al-Anbiya, kisahnya disebutkan dengan panjang lebar. Ketika mereka kembali ke tempat peribadatan mereka, pada awal mulanya mereka tidak mengetahui siapa pelakunya, melainkan setelah menyelidiki dan mencari berita siapa pelakunya. Akhirnya mereka mengetahui bahwa Ibrahimlah yang melakukan semuanya itu. Ketika mereka datang ke tempat Nabi Ibrahim untuk mencaci maki perbuatannya itu, maka Nabi Ibrahim mengambil persiapan untuk mengecam dan mencela perbuatan merek. Untuk itu ia berkata:
Ayat 95-96
“Apakah kamu menyembah patung-patung yang kamu pahat itu? Padahal Allah-lah Yang menciptakan kamu dan apa yang kamu perbuat itu (Ash-Shaffat: 95-96)
Imam Bukhari dalam kitab Afal Ibad dari Ali bin Al Madini, dari Marwan bin Muawiyah, dari Abu Malik, dari Rib'i ibnu Hirasy, dari Huzaifah r.a. secara marfu: “Sesungguhnya Allah ﷻ-lah yang menciptakan semua pekerja dan hasil kerjanya.” Sebagian ulama membacanya dengan bacaan berikut:
Ayat 96
“Padahal Allah-lah Yang menciptakan kamu dan apa yang kamu perbuat itu.” (Ash-Shaffat: 96)
Ketika mereka tidak dapat menyangkal hujjah yang dikemukakan Ibrahim, mereka beralih menyerang dengan tangan dan kekuatan, lalu mereka berkata:
Ayat 97-98
“Dirikanlah suatu bangunan untuk (membakar) Ibrahim, lalu lemparkanlah dia ke dalam api yang menyala-nyala itu.” (Ash-Shaffat: 97)
Perihal ini telah disebutkan di dalam tafsir surat Al-Anbiya.
Dan Allah menyelamatkan Ibrahim dari api itu serta memenangkannya atas mereka, menolongnya, dan meninggikan hujannya. Karena itu, disebutkan oleh firman berikutnya: “Mereka hendak melakukan tipu muslihat kepadanya, maka Kami jadikan mereka orang-orang yang hina.” (Ash-Shaffat: 98)
Demikianlah Nabi Ibrahim mengingatkan ayah dan kaumnya agar meninggalkan kemusyrikan, lalu dia memandang sekilas ke bintang-bintang untuk berpikir,89. kemudian dia menemukan alasan untuk tidak pergi bersama kaumnya dalam acara perayaan, lalu dia berkata, 'Sesungguhnya aku sakit. '.
Kemudian Ibrahim melayangkan pandangannya ke bintang-bintang dengan berpikir secara mendalam bagaimana menghadapi kaumnya yang tetap bersikeras untuk menyembah patung, hanya dengan alasan mempertahankan warisan nenek moyang. Padahal, beliau sudah memberikan peringatan dan pengajaran kepada mereka, sebagaimana firman Allah:
(Ingatlah), ketika dia (Ibrahim) berkata kepada ayahnya dan kaumnya, "Patung-patung apakah ini yang kamu tekun menyembahnya?" Mereka menjawab, "Kami mendapati nenek moyang kami menyembahnya." (al-Anbiya'/21: 52-53)
Sesudah berpikir dan mempertimbangkan dengan sungguh-sungguh, beliau memutuskan untuk mengambil tindakan yang bahaya, yaitu menghancurkan semua patung sembahan itu.
Pada suatu saat, kaum Ibrahim datang untuk mengundangnya guna menghadiri hari besar mereka. Beliau menolak ajakan mereka secara halus dengan alasan kesehatannya terganggu. Selain untuk menghindari hadir dalam hari besar mereka, Nabi Ibrahim bermaksud melaksanakan rencananya untuk menghancurkan patung-patung, dan menyatakan perlawanan secara terbuka terhadap pemuja patung-patung itu. Kaumnya tidak mengetahui rencana Nabi Ibrahim itu dan tidak pula mencurigainya. Juga tidak tampak pada sikapnya bahwa dia tidak jujur dalam perkataannya. Dengan demikian, upacara hari besar mereka berlangsung tanpa hadirnya Ibrahim. Alasan terganggu kesehatannya untuk tidak menghadiri undangan kaumnya, padahal sebenarnya dia tidak sakit, tidaklah dipandang dusta yang terlarang dalam agama. Bahwa Ibrahim membohongi kaumnya memang benar. Rasulullah bersabda:
Nabi Ibrahim tidak berbohong kecuali tiga perkataan, dua di antaranya tentang zat Allah, yaitu kata-katanya "Saya sedang sakit" dan "sebenarnya yang besar ini yang memecahkannya", dan kata-katanya mengenai istrinya Sarah "ini saudaraku". (Riwayat A.hmad dan asy-Syaikhan dari Abu Hurairah)
Kata-kata Nabi Ibrahim bahwa kesehatannya terganggu yang diucapkan di hadapan kaumnya sebenarnya untuk menghindari kehadirannya pada upacara hari besar kaumnya.
Ibrahim berkata, "Sesungguhnya kami dan bapak-bapakku berada dalam kesesatan yang nyata". Mereka menjawab, "Apakah kamu datang kepada kami dengan sungguh-sungguh ataukah kamu termasuk orang-orang yang bermain-main?" Ibrahim berkata, "Sebenarnya Tuhan kamu adalah Tuhan langit dan bumi yang telah Dia ciptakan dan aku termasuk orang-orang yang dapat memberikan bukti atas yang demikian itu. Demi Allah, sesungguhnya aku akan melakukan tipu daya terhadap berhala-berhalamu sesudah kamu pergi meninggalkannya."
Dalam perayaan hari besar itu, Nabi Ibrahim mempergunakan kesempatan untuk menghancurkan patung-patung kaumnya. Kata-kata Ibrahim bahwa patung yang paling besar ini yang memecahkannya, diucapkan sewaktu dia diperiksa oleh kaumnya tentang perkara penghancuran patung. Sebenarnya dia sendiri yang memecahkan patung itu, tetapi dikatakan patung yang paling besarlah yang menghancurkannya, padahal kaumnya menyadari bahwa patung-patung itu tidak dapat berbuat apa-apa.
Kedua ucapan Ibrahim diucapkan dalam rangka perjuangannya menegakkan kalimat tauhid. Adapun ucapan yang ketiga, yaitu "Sarah itu saudaraku" padahal sebenarnya istrinya, diucapkan di hadapan raja ketika raja menginginkan Sarah.
Dengan demikian, ketiga perkataan yang diucapkan Ibrahim itu bukanlah kebohongan yang tercela dalam pandangan agama dan masyarakat. Rasulullah ﷺ menjelaskan bahwa ketiga perkataan Nabi Ibrahim itu dibenarkan agama, seperti sabda Nabi ﷺ:
Rasulullah bersabda tentang tiga perkataan Ibrahim dengan mengatakan bahwa tidak ada suatu dusta pun kecuali hal-hal yang dibenarkan agama Allah. (Riwayat at-Tirmidzi dari Abu Sa'id)
.
Belum tersedia. Dibutuhkan biaya untuk menambahkan tafsir ini.
Belum tersedia. Dibutuhkan biaya untuk menambahkan tafsir ini.
Belum tersedia. Dibutuhkan biaya untuk menambahkan tafsir ini.
Belum tersedia. Dibutuhkan biaya untuk menambahkan tafsir ini.
Belum tersedia. Dibutuhkan biaya untuk menambahkan tafsir ini.
CERITA NABI IBRAHIM
Sesudah menerangkan perjuangan Nabi Nuh, Allah ﷻ pun memberikan pula perbandingan seorang Nabi lagi, yaitu Nabi Ibrahim.
"Dan sesungguhnya yang termasuk golongannya."
(pangkal ayat 83)
Artinya ialah yang termasuk golongan Nabi Nuh itu.
“... Ibrahim."
(ujung ayat 83)
Dalam ayat ini disebutkan bahwa Nabi Ibrahim itu adalah termasuk golongan Nabi Nuh. Golongan kita jadikan dari Syii'ah.
Di dalam pertumbuhan paham-paham politik di dalam Islam, timbullah satu firqah yang bernama Syii'ah. Yaitu satu golongan yang mempunyai aliran paham politik bahwa yang berhak menjadi Imam kaum Muslimin sesudah Rasulullah wafat hanyalah Sayyidina Ali bin Abi Thalib. Menurut mereka, Ali menerima wasiat dari Nabi ﷺ supaya dialah yang menjadi penggantinya memimpin kaum Muslimin sesudah Rasulullah wafat. Maka golongan yang menganut paham itu menamai diri mereka, dan dinamai oleh orang lain dengan Syi'ah. Yang boleh diartikan golongan pembela Ali, atau pengikut Ali. Meskipun mereka terdiri dari beberapa golongan kecil-kecil pula, sebagaimana Imamiyah Itsna Asyariyah, ja'fariyah, Zaidiyah, Isma'iliyah dan lain-lain, namun kesemuanya disebut golongan Syi'ah. Kadang-kadang disebut Syi'ah Ali.
Maka yang dalam ayat yang tengah kita tafsirkan ini, Ibnu Abbas menafsirkan, “Syii'atihi artinya pemeluk agamanya “ Dengan artian Ibnu Abbas itu berartilah bahwa Ibrahim pun adalah penganut agama yang dianut oleh Nuh.
Mujahid menafsirkan, “Yang menuturi cara-caranya dan menempuh jalannya." Jadi Ibrahim ialah menuruti cara-cara Nuh dalam menyampaikan dakwah agama dan menempuh jalan yang ditempuh Nuh.
Al-Ashma'i menafsirkan, “Arti Syii'ah ialah pembantu-pembantu atau penyokong."
Asal artinya ialah dari Syi'yaa', yaitu ranting-ranting kayu kecil penghidupkan api untuk pembakar yang besar.
Menurut Zamakhsyari dalam tafsirnya al-Kasysyaf, nabi-nabi di antara Nuh dengan
Ibrahim itu hanya dua orang, yaitu Nabi Hud dan Nabi Shalih. Kata Zamakhsyari dalam tafsir itu, jarak di antara Nuh dengan Ibrahim 2.640 tahun. Wallahu a'lam!
Disebut di sini bahwa Ibrahim adalah pula dari golongan Nuh, ialah karena keduanya sama-sama pemberi ingat yang diutus Allah ﷻ Mungkin syari'at berbeda karena umat yang didatangi pun telah menuruti perkembangan pula, namun pokok ajaran adalah tetap, yaitu memperingatkan tentang Keesaan Allah, bahwa Allah itu hanya satu.
“Seketika dia datang kepada Tuhannya dengan hati yang suci. ‘‘
(ayat 84)
Arti datang kepada Allah ﷻ ialah dengan penuh kesadaran menyerahkan diri, jiwa dan raga kepada Allah, bersedia melaksanakan apa saja yang diperintahkan oleh Allah ﷻ dan menolak pengertian ketuhanan dari yang lain. Ibrahim telah membebaskan diri dari setiap pengaruh yang akan mengikat hati. Datang kepada Allah ﷻ sama juga artinya dengan ikhlas, atau dengan tajarrud, menelanjangkan diri dari segala yang akan mengikat. Dan dia datang kepada Allah ﷻ itu dengan hati yang suci, bebas dari syirik, bebas dari segala yang akan memengaruhi, telah sampai kepada tauhid yang sejati. Ayat yang selanjutnya membuktikan kesucian hati datang kepada Allah ﷻ itu. Allah ﷻ berfirman menceritakan dia.
“Seketika dia berkata kepada ayahnya."
(pangkal ayat 85)
Nama ayahnya yaitu Aazar, yaitu namanya yang lain di samping namanya yang terkenal pula, yaitu Tarah.
“Apakah yang kamu sembah itu?"
(ujung ayat 85)
Apabila kita renungkan bunyi pertanyaan Ibrahim kepada ayahnya ini, yang tersebut di surah ini atau di surah al-An'aam, atau di surah Maryam dan lain-lain, tampaklah bahwa memang Ibrahim telah datang kepada Allah ﷻ dengan hati suci. Dakwah telah di-sampaikannya terlebih dahulu kepada ayahnya sendiri.
“Apakah dengan dusta?"
(pangkal ayat 86)
Artinya bahwa segala pemujaan kepada yang selain dari Allah adalah dusta, adalah bohong belaka. Perbuatan yang tidak beralasan, hanya khayal yang dibuat-buat, tidak ada dasarnya."Tuhan-tuhan selain Allah “ Perbuatan sia-sia, kebodohan, kejahilan dan dikarang-karangkan saja. Itukah
“yang kamu kehendaki?"
(ujung ayat 86)
Perbuatan bohong dusta itukah yang akan kamu teruskan?
“Bagaimana anggapan kamu terhadap Tuhan Semesta Alam?"
(ayat 87)
Sudah begitu perbuatan kamu—demikian pertanyaan Nabi Ibrahim kepada ayahnya dan kepada orang senegerinya yang sama pahamnya dengan ayahnya—sampai kamu sembah, kamu puja, kamu junjung tinggi berhala-berhala itu, padahal kamu sendiri
Setelah dilihat dan direnungkannya ke-sesatan kaumnya, termasuk ayahnya lantaran menyembah berhala itu, termenunglah Ibrahim dan lama dia berpikir.
“ Maka memandanglah dia sekali pandang kepada bintang-bintang."
(ayat 88)
Ditengadahnya langit. Di sana dia merenungkan kebesaran Allah Yang Mahabesar. Beribu-ribu bintang menghiasi langit. Menunjukkan betapa kebesaran Ilahi. Betapalah sesatnya manusia kalau dia memusatkan perhatian kepada patung dan berhala. Mengapa tidak dipikirkannya kebesaran alam seluruhnya untuk menginsafi kebesaran Allah.
Setelah dibandingkannya kebesaran Allah dengan penciptaan yang mahaluas, memenuhi ruang angkasa yang tidak diketahui di mana batasnya, sungguh timbullah duka cita dalam hatinya, mengapalah kaumnya tidak memikirkan kebesaran Allah Yang Maha Esa, lalu membuat patung dengan tangan sendiri, lalu buatan tangan sendiri itu disembah dan dipuja. Suatu perbuatan yang bodoh dan sesat.
Patung-patung berhala itu disembah, dipuja dan selalu dibawakan hidangan, ma-kanan dan minuman sebagaimana yang dihidangkan kepada manusia hidup. Makanan-makanan itu terlonggok di hadapan berhala-berhala itu, sebagaimana yang selalu kita lihat dihidangkan di muka tapekong orang-orang Cina.
Hasan al-Bishri mengatakan dalam menafsirkan ayat ini, bahwa ketika itu kaumnya mengadakan hari raya atau hari besar di tempat berhala itu dan Ibrahim sengaja datang ke sana buat memerhatikan perbuatan sesat kaumnya.
Jika membaca tafsiran al-Imam Hasan Bishri dan uraian Sayyid Quthub itu teringatlah kita akan “Haul “ yang diadakan pada kubur-kubur orang yang dianggap keramat, atau yang dikeramatkan kuburnya setelah dia mati, yang ada di mana-mana di negeri-negeri Islam sesudah ruh tauhid campur aduk dengan kemusyrikan berhala. Baik di makam Syekh Ahmad Badawi di Thantha Mesir, atau makam-makam wali-wali di Tanah Jawa (Gunung Jati, Kadilangu, Kudus, Muria, Borang, Giri dan lain-lain), atau makam Syekh Burhanuddin di bulan Shafar di Ulakan. Datanglah manusia ke sana beribu-ribu sekali setahun pada waktu haul itu, laki-laki dan perempuan tua dan muda. Maka di samping yang ratib dan yang tahlil di dekat kuburan ada pula yang pergi melepaskan nafsu syahwat, berbuat maksiat sesuka hati di tempat itu. Malahan ada satu tempat yang dikeramatkan di salah satu pegunungan di Pulau Jawa, menurut keterangan kuncen barangsiapa yang ber-cinta-cintaan datanglah ke tempat itu, maka percintaannya akan diberkati maka supaya di-berkati oleh beliau bolehlah percintaan itu disampaikan di dekat makam beliau, meskipun menurut kepercayaan umat beragama menyampaikan percintaan itu zina namanya.
Pantai tepi laut di Ulakan yang hanya beberapa meter saja jauhnya dari makam Syekh Burhanuddin, terkenal sebagai tempat pertemuan yang amat indah di waktu malam ketika ramainya orang bershafar itu karena haul beliau di bulan Shafar.
Maka di kala orang ribut-ribut memberi makanan untuk berhala, sesudah itu orang bertang gembira hendak segera keluar ke tempat lapang melepaskan segala keinginan itu, di waktu itulah Ibrahim termenung memandang bintang. Membandingkan kedamaian alam di atas dengan kedurhakaan manusia terhadap Allah di muka bumi. Sampai perasaan hatinya rasa tertekan dan sedih. Waktu itulah orang menegurnya mengajaknya supaya bersama-sama meninggalkan tempat itu dan turut ke tempat bersuka ria, laksana bersuka ria orang bermandi Shafar di Pantai Malaka. Tetapi Ibrahim tidak mau turut bersama mereka itu.
‘‘Lalu dia benkata, “Sungguh saya ini sakit."
(ayat 89)
Al-Qurthubi menafsirkan bahwa Ibrahim melihat bintang-bintang di langit itu, ialah karena pada waktu itu ilmu menilik nasib dengan menilik bintang-bintang sudah ada pada bangsa-bangsa yang hidup sekitar Furat dan Dajlah. Zamakhsyari dalam al-Kasysyaf berkata tentang tafsir Ibrahim melihat bintang-bintang itu hampir serupa juga dengan pendapat al-Qurthubi. Tetapi Zamakhsyari mengatakan bahwa Ibrahim merenung bintang lama-lama ialah supaya disangka oleh kaumnya itu bahwa dia sedang merenung suatu yang akan kejadian kelak dengan memerhatikan bintang.
Dan tentang perkataan Ibrahim menyatakan, bahwa dia sedang sakit, mereka mengatakan pula ialah supaya mereka itu menyangka bahwa dia sedang sakit tha'un (kolera), sehingga mereka tidak mau lagi mengajaknya turut keluar dari tempat berhala itu, malahan mereka segera menjauhkan diri darinya karena takut akan ketularan. Maka pergilah mereka semuanya dan tinggallah Ibrahim seorang diri di tempat berhala itu. Itulah yang dikatakan pada ayat selanjutnya,
“Maka mereka pun benpaling dari dia sambil membelakang “
(ayat 90)
Sehingga tinggallah dia seorang diri.
Setelah orang-orang itu pergi,
“Maka dengan sembunyi-sembunyi dia pengi kepada tuhan-tuhan mereka itu."
(pangkal ayat 91)
Dia masih bersembunyi-sembunyi, meskipun tidak ada orang lagi di dalam tempat berhala, karena dia masih berhati-hati. Jangan sampai menimbulkan curiga,
“Lalu dia berkata, “Apakah kalian tidak mau makan?"
(ujung ayat 91)
Tentu saja dapat sama kita maklumi bahwa pertanyaan Nabi Ibrahim ini adalah semata-mata ejekan kepada berhala yang dikelilingi sehingga penuh oleh berbagai macam hidangan. Tentu saja berhala akan tetap berhala, akan tetap beku dan bisu, karena dia hanya semata-mata benda yang naik pangkat karena dinaikkan oleh kebodohan manusia.
Lalu Nabi Ibrahim menambah pertanyaannya lagi.
“Karena apa kamu semua tidak ada yang bercakap?"
(ayat 92)
Pertanyaan seperti ini pun suatu penilaian lagi tentang tersesatnya orang yang menyembah kepada benda-benda itu, dihidangi makanan, namun makanan terletak saja, disentuhnya pun tidak. Ditegur tidak ada yang menyahut, mendehem saja pun tidak. Itulah yang mereka sembah.
“Maka dengan diam-diam dihadapinya berhala-berhala itu."
(pangkal ayat 93)
Satu demi satu berhala itu dihadapinya, sejak dari yang paling besar sampai kepada yang paling kecil.
“Lalu dipukulinya dengan tangan kanannya."
(ujung ayat 93)
Disebutkan di sini, bahwa berhala itu satu demi satu telah dihancurkannya dengan tangan kanannya. Disebutkan tangan kanan, karena tangan kanan lebih kuat dari tangan kiri, sebagaimana penjelasan bahwa dia bekerja dengan sungguh-sungguh.
“Maka datanglah kaumnya itu kepadanya bergegas-gegas."
(ayat 94)
Dalam ayat ini dijelaskan tangkisan Ibrahim pula,
“Dia berkata, “Apakah kamu sembah apa yang kamu pahat sendiri?"
(ayat 95)
Tegasnya, “Berhala itu kamu buat, kamu lukis, kamu pahat dengan tangan kamu sen-diri. Kamu yang memilih, menilik, memeriksa lalu memahat batu atau kayu yang akan kamu jadikan berhala itu dan kamu pula yang mengkhayalkan dalam ingatan bagaimana akan bentuknya. Setelah selesai kamu kerjakan, kamu pula yang mengangkut dan mengangkat dia ke dalam rumah berhala, lalu menegakkannya di tempat yang kamu pandang layak. Sedang berhala itu sendiri, sebab dia hanya semata-mata benda, hanya menurut saja apa yang kamu kehendaki. Itulah sekarang yang kamu sembah. Buah tangan kamu sendiri yang kamu jadikan tuhan.
“Padahal Allah-lah yang menciptakan kamu."
(pangkal ayat 96)
Menciptakan kamu sejak dari saringan tanah liat di permukaan bumi, ditumbuhkan menjadi sayur, buah-buahan, padi, kacang-kacangan, gandum dan sebagainya. Lalu dimakan oleh ayah bundamu, lalu jadi darah dan darah mengeluarkan saringannya, yaitu mani. Itulah yang diciptakan dalam rahim ibu menjadi insan.
“Dan (menciptakan) apa yang kamu kerjakan itu?"
(ujung ayat 96)
Karena berhala yang kamu sembah itu adalah hasil pekerjaanmu sendiri dan yang kamu kerjakan itu adalah ciptaan Allah juga. Baik dia batu yang tergeletak di pinggir bukit atau dia dari pohon kayu yang tumbuh di belukar lebat. Semua Allah yang menciptakan. Mengapa tidak Allah saja yang langsung kamu sembah dan kamu puja?
“Mereka berkata, “Bangunkanlah sualu bangunan, lalu lemparkanlah dia ke dalam api nyala."
(ayat 97)
Kaumnya sudah terang tidak dapat menangkis pertanyaan bertubi dari Nabi Ibrahim yang telah menyediakan dirinya berkurban untuk kepentingan Allah, sebab dia telah datang menghadap kepada Allah ﷻ dengan hati yang suci. Hati yang telah bersih dari pengaruh yang lain. Hati yang hanya dipenuhi oleh satu ingatan saja, Allah.
Kaumnya sudah melakukan keadaan yang selalu berlaku dalam sejarah. Suatu penguasa yang menegakkan yang batil, jika hendak terus menegakkan yang batil itu, kalau disanggah tidaklah dapat mempertahankan diri. Mereka hanya dapat menggunakan tangan besi kekuasaan. Mereka tidak menyelesaikan pertanyaan Ibrahim dengan cara menangkis ke-terangan dengan keterangan, melawan hujjah dengan hujjah. Mereka telah bersikap men-jawab pertanyaan Ibrahim dengan perintah penguasa mendirikan sebuah bangunan untuk membakar Nabi Ibrahim. Api akan dinyalakan, kayu bakar akan dikumpulkan, lalu dibakar dan Ibrahim akan disuruh masuk ke dalam api nyala itu supaya mati. Habis perkara.
Tetapi Allah ﷻ telah menentukan sebaliknya.
“Mereka bermaksud hendak melakukan sesuatu kejahatan terhadapnya."
(pangkal ayat 98)
Yaitu dibuat bangunan, diunggun kayu bakar banyak-banyak, dibakar dan menyalalah api dan berkobar. Ke sana Ibrahim akan dimasukkan. (Lihat kembali surah al-Anbiyaa' di Juz 17). Dan memang yang demikian itu telah dilakukan. Ibrahim telah dilemparkan ke dalam api nyala itu. Tetapi mereka bukan lagi berhadapan dengan Ibrahim pribadi, melainkan berhadapan dengan Allah yang mengutus Ibrahim.
“Maka merekalah yang Kami jadikan terhina."
(ujung ayat 98)
The Story of Ibrahim and His People
Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him said that:
وَإِنَّ مِن شِيعَتِهِ لَاإِبْرَاهِيمَ
And verily, among those who followed his ways was Ibrahim.
means, he was one of the followers of his religion.
Mujahid said,
He was following his path and his way.
إِذْ جَاء رَبَّهُ بِقَلْبٍ سَلِيمٍ
When he came to his Lord with a Salim heart.
Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said,
This means that he bore witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah.
Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that `Awf said, I said to Muhammad bin Sirin, `What is the Salim heart?' He said,
`One which knows that Allah is true and that the Hour will undoubtedly come to pass, and that Allah will resurrect those who are in the graves.'
Al-Hasan said,
One that is free from Shirk.
Urwah said,
One that is not cursed.
إِذْ قَالَ لاَِبِيهِ وَقَوْمِهِ مَاذَا تَعْبُدُونَ
When he said to his father and to his people:
What is it that which you worship?
He denounced his people for their worship of idols and false gods,
Allah said:
أَيِفْكًا الِهَةً دُونَ اللَّهِ تُرِيدُونَ
فَمَا ظَنُّكُم بِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
Is it a falsehood -- gods other than Allah -- that you desire. Then what think you about the Lord of the all that exists!
Qatadah said,
This means, `what do you think He will do with you when you meet Him, given that you worshipped others alongside Him.
Allah says:
فَنَظَرَ نَظْرَةً فِي النُّجُومِ
فَقَالَ إِنِّي سَقِيمٌ
Then he cast a glance at the stars, And he said:Verily, I am sick.
Ibrahim, peace be upon him, said this to his people so that he could stay behind in the city when they went out for their festival. The time was approaching for them to go out to celebrate a festival of theirs, and he wanted to be alone with their gods so that he could break them, so he told them something that was true, for he was indeed sick of the implications of what they believed in.
فَتَوَلَّوْا عَنْهُ مُدْبِرِينَ
So they turned away from him and departed.
Qatadah said,
The Arabs say of one who thinks deeply that he is looking at the stars.
What Qatadah meant is that he looked at the heavens thinking of a way to distract his people. So he said,
إِنِّي سَقِيمٌ
(Verily, I am sick), meaning, weak.
Ibn Jarir narrated here a Hadith from Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, stating that the Messenger of Allah said:
لَمْ يَكْذِبْ إِبْرَاهِيمُ عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَةُ وَالسَّلَمُ غَيْرَ ثَلَثَ كَذَبَاتٍ
ثِنْتَيْنِ فِي ذَاتِ اللهِ تَعَالَى قَوْلُهُ
إِنِّى سَقِيمٌ
: وَقَوْلُهُ
بَلْ فَعَلَهُ كَبِيرُهُمْ هَـذَا
وَقَوْلُهُ فِي سَارَّةَ هِيَ أُخْتِي
Ibrahim (peace and blessings be upon him) did not lie except in three cases.
Two were for the sake of Allah:
one is when he said, Verily, I am sick;
and the second when he said, Nay, this one, the biggest of them (idols) did it.
and the third when he said concerning (his wife) Sarah, She is my sister.
This Hadith is recorded in the books of the Sahih and Sunan with various chain of narrations.
But this is not the kind of real lie for which a person is to be condemned -- Allah forbid! One calls it a lie for lack of a better word, because it is abstruse speech used for a legitimate religious purpose, and it was said that what was meant by the words,
إِنِّي سَقِيم
(Verily, I am sick) was, `I am sick at heart of your worshipping idols instead of Allah.'
Al-Hasan Al-Basri said,
The people of Ibrahim went out to their festival and they wanted to make him go out too. So he lay down on his back and said,
إِنِّي سَقِيمٌ
(Verily, I am sick), and he started looking at the sky. When they had gone out, he turned to their gods and broke them.
This was recorded by Ibn Abi Hatim. Allah said:
فَتَوَلَّوْا عَنْهُ مُدْبِرِينَ
So they turned away from him and departed
فَرَاغَ إِلَى الِهَتِهِمْ
Then he turned to their gods,
meaning, he went to them after they had left, quickly and secretly.
فَقَالَ أَلَا تَأْكُلُونَ
and said:Will you not eat?
They had placed food before them as a sacrifice, so that the food might be blessed. When Ibrahim, peace be upon him, looked at the food that was before them, he said:
...
أَلَا تَأْكُلُونَ
مَا لَكُمْ لَاا تَنطِقُونَ
Will you not eat? What is the matter with you that you speak not?
فَرَاغَ عَلَيْهِمْ ضَرْبًا بِالْيَمِينِ
Then he turned upon them, striking (them) with (his) right hand.
Al-Farra' said,
This means, he started to hit them with his right hand.
Qatadah and Al-Jawhari said,
He turned to them, hitting them with his right hand.
He struck them with his right hand because the right hand is stronger and more powerful. Then he left them broken to pieces, (all) except the biggest of them, that they might turn to it, as we have already seen in the Tafsir of Surah Al-Anbiya'.
فَأَقْبَلُوا إِلَيْهِ يَزِفُّونَ
Then they came hastily towards him.
Mujahid and others said,
This means, they came rushing.
The story is told in brief here; in Surah Al-Anbiya', it is told in more detail. When they returned, they did not know at first who had done this, until they investigated and found out that Ibrahim, peace be upon him, was the one who had done it. When they came to rebuke him, he started rebuking and criticizing them and said:
قَالَ أَتَعْبُدُونَ مَا تَنْحِتُونَ
He said:Worship you that which you carve,
meaning, `do you worship instead of Allah idols which you yourselves carve and fashion with your own hands?'
وَاللَّهُ خَلَقَكُمْ وَمَا تَعْمَلُونَ
While Allah has created you and what you make!
This may mean, `Allah has created you and what you do;'
or it may mean, `Allah has created you and what you make.'
Both views are synonymous. The former is more apparent because of the report recorded by Al-Bukhari in the Book Af`al Al-`Ibad from Hudhayfah, attributed to the Prophet:
إِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى يَصْنَعُ كُلَّ صَانِعٍ وَصَنْعَتَه
Allah has created every doer of deeds and what he does. Thereupon he recited:
وَاللَّهُ خَلَقَكُمْ وَمَا تَعْمَلُونَ
(While Allah has created you and what you make!)
When the proof had been established against them, they resolved to seize him by force and,
قَالُوا ابْنُوا لَهُ بُنْيَانًا فَأَلْقُوهُ فِي الْجَحِيمِ
They said:Build for him a building (i.e., furnace) and throw him into the blazing fire!
There happened what we have already discussed in our Tafsir of Surah Al-Anbiya', (21:68-70) and Allah saved him from the fire and caused him to prevail over them, making his proof supreme and supporting it.
Allah says:
فَأَرَادُوا بِهِ كَيْدًا فَجَعَلْنَاهُمُ الاْأَسْفَلِينَ
So, they plotted a plot against him, but We made them the lowest
Ibrahim's Emigration, the Test of the Sacrifice of Isma`il, and how Allah blessed Him
Allah tells us that after He helped His close friend Ibrahim, peace be upon him, against his people, and after Ibrahim gave up hoping that they would ever believe despite all the mighty signs that they had witnessed, he emigrated away from them, and said:
وَقَالَ إِنِّي ذَاهِبٌ إِلَى رَبِّي سَيَهْدِينِ
رَبِّ هَبْ لِي مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ
Verily, I am going to my Lord. He will guide me! My Lord! Grant me (offspring) from the righteous.
meaning, obedient children, in compensation for his people and relatives whom he had left.
Allah said:
فَبَشَّرْنَاهُ بِغُلَمٍ حَلِيمٍ
So We gave him the glad tidings of a forbearing boy.
This child was Ismail, peace be upon him, for he was the first child of whom glad tidings were given to Ibrahim, peace be upon him, and he was older than Ishaq.
The Muslims and the People of the Book agree, and indeed it is stated in their Book, that Ismail, peace be upon him, was born when Ibrahim, peace be upon him, was eighty-six years old, and Ishaq was born when Ibrahim was ninety-nine years old.
According to their Book, Allah commanded Ibrahim to sacrifice his only son, and in another text it says his firstborn son. But here they falsely inserted the name of Ishaq. This is not right because it goes against what their own Scripture says.
They inserted the name of Ishaq because he is their ancestor, while Ismail is the ancestor of the Arabs. They were jealous of them, so they added this idea and changed the meaning of the phrase only son to mean `the only son who is with you,' because Ismail had been taken with his mother to Makkah. But this is a case of falsification and distortion, because the words only son cannot be said except in the case of one who has no other son. Furthermore, the firstborn son has a special status that is not shared by subsequent children, so the command to sacrifice him is a more exquisite test
فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ السَّعْيَ
And, when he (his son) was old enough to walk with him,
means, when he grew up and started to go with his father and walk with him, for Ibrahim used to go every so often to check on his son and his mother in the land of Faran (i.e., Makkah), to see how they were doing. It was said that he used to ride on Al-Buraq, traveling there swiftly, and Allah knows best.
It was reported from Ibn Abbas, peace be upon him, Mujahid, Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Ata' Al-Khurasani, Zayd bin Aslam and others that
فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ السَّعْيَ
(And, when he (his son) was old enough to walk with him), means,
when he became a young man and was able to work as his father did.
فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ السَّعْيَ قَالَ يَا بُنَيَّ إِنِّي أَرَى فِي الْمَنَامِ أَنِّي أَذْبَحُكَ فَانظُرْ مَاذَا تَرَى
And, when he (his son) was old enough to walk with him, he said:
O my son! I have seen in a dream that I am slaughtering you. So look what you think!
`Ubayd bin Umayr said,
The dreams of the Prophets are revelation, then he recited this Ayah:
قَالَ يَا بُنَيَّ إِنِّي أَرَى فِي الْمَنَامِ أَنِّي أَذْبَحُكَ فَانظُرْ مَاذَا تَرَى
(he said:O my son! I have seen in a dream that I am slaughtering you. So look what you think!).
He told his son that in order to make it easier for him, and also to test his patience and resolve, at a young age, in obeying Allah and obeying his father.
قَالَ يَا أَبَتِ افْعَلْ مَا تُوْمَرُ
He said:O my father! Do that which you are commanded...
meaning, `obey the command of Allah and sacrifice me.'
سَتَجِدُنِي إِن شَاء اللَّهُ مِنَ الصَّابِرِينَ
if Allah wills, you shall find me of the patient.
meaning, `I will be patient and will seek the reward for that with Allah.'
He, may peace and blessings be upon him, believed in what had been promised.
Allah said:
وَاذْكُرْ فِى الْكِتَـبِ إِسْمَـعِيلَ إِنَّهُ كَانَ صَـدِقَ الْوَعْدِ وَكَانَ رَسُولاً نَّبِيّاً
وَكَانَ يَأْمُرُ أَهْلَهُ بِالصَّـلَوةِ وَالزَّكَـوةِ وَكَانَ عِندَ رَبِّهِ مَرْضِيّاً
And mention in the Book Ismail. Verily, he was true to what he promised, and he was a Messenger, (and) a Prophet. And he used to enjoin on his family the Salah and the Zakah, and his Lord was pleased with him. (19:54-55)
فَلَمَّا أَسْلَمَا وَتَلَّهُ لِلْجَبِينِ
Then, when they had both submitted themselves, and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead;
means, when both of them had pronounced the Shahadah and remembered Allah -- Ibrahim because he was about to offer a sacrifice and Ismail because he was about to die.
Or it was said that submitted themselves means that they submitted and followed the command of Allah; Ibrahim obeyed the command of Allah and Ismail obeyed Allah and his father.
This was the view of Mujahid, Ikrimah, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Ibn Ishaq, and others.
The meaning of the phrase and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead is:
he placed him facedown so that he could slaughter him from behind, and not have to see his face at the time of slaughter, so that it would be easier for him.
Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Ad-Dahhak and Qatadah said:
وَتَلَّهُ لِلْجَبِينِ
(and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead); means,
He turned him upside down on his face.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said,
When the rituals were enjoined upon Ibrahim, peace be upon him, the Shaytan appeared to him at the Mas`a and raced with him, but Ibrahim got there first. Then Jibril, upon him be peace, took him to Jamrat Al-`Aqabah and the Shaytan appeared to him, so he stoned him with seven pebbles until he disappeared. Then he appeared him at Al-Jamrah Al-Wusta and he stoned him with seven pebbles. Then he laid him prostrate on his face. Ismail, peace be upon him, was wearing a white shirt, and he said, `O my father, I do not have any garment in which I can be shrouded apart from this; take it off me so that you can shroud me in it.' He started to take it off, then he was called from behind:
وَنَادَيْنَاهُ أَنْ يَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ
قَدْ صَدَّقْتَ الرُّوْيَا
We called out to him:O Ibrahim! You have fulfilled the dream!
Ibrahim turned, and ﷺ a fine, horned, white ram.
Ibn Abbas said,
We used to look for similar types of rams.
Hisham mentioned this Hadith at length in Al-Manasik.
وَنَادَيْنَاهُ أَنْ يَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ
قَدْ صَدَّقْتَ الرُّوْيَا
We called out to him:O Ibrahim! You have fulfilled the dream!
means, `the purpose of your dream has been fulfilled by your laying down your son to sacrifice him.'
As-Suddi and others said that;
he passed the knife over Ismail's neck, but it did not cut him at all, because a sheet of copper was placed between them. Ibrahim was called at that point, and it was said:
قَدْ صَدَّقْتَ الرُّوْيَا
(You have fulfilled the dream!)
Allah says;
إِنَّا كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ
Verily, thus do We reward the doers of good.
means, `this is how We deal with those who obey Us in things that are difficult for them; We make for them a way out.'
As Allah says:
وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجاً
وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَـلِغُ أَمْرِهِ قَدْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدْراً
And whosoever has Taqwa of Allah, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty).
And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him. Verily, Allah will accomplish his purpose. Indeed Allah has set a measure for all things. (65:2-3)
On the basis of this Ayah and this story, some of the scholars of Usul have stated that it is valid for a ruling to be abrogated before anyone is able to act upon it -- unlike some of the Mutazilah. The evidence for this is obvious, because Allah commanded Ibrahim, peace be upon him, to sacrifice his son, then He abrogated that and pointed out the ransom. The purpose of His command had been primarily to reward His close Friend for his patience and resolve in sacrificing his son.
Allah says:
إِنَّ هَذَا لَهُوَ الْبَلَء الْمُبِينُ
Verily, that indeed was a manifest trial.
meaning, it was clearly a test when he was commanded to sacrifice his son, so, he hastened to do it, in submission to the command of Allah and in obedience to Him.
Allah said:
وَإِبْرَهِيمَ الَّذِى وَفَّى
And of Ibrahim who fulfilled all that. (53:37)
and,
وَفَدَيْنَاهُ بِذِبْحٍ عَظِيمٍ
And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice.
It was reported that Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said,
A ram which had grazed in Paradise for forty years.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Safiyyah bint Shaybah said,
A woman from Bani Sulaym, who was the midwife of most of the people in our household, told me that the Messenger of Allah sent for `Uthman bin Talhah, may Allah be pleased with him.
On one occasion she said, I asked `Uthman, `Why did the Prophet call you?'
He said, `The Messenger of Allah said to me,
إِنِّي كُنْتُ رَأَيْتُ قَرْنَيِ الْكَبْشِ حِينَ دَخَلْتُ الْبَيْتَ فَنَسِيتُ أَنْ امُرَكَ أَنْ تُخَمِّرَهُمَا فَخَمِّرْهُمَا فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَكُونَ فِي الْبَيْتِ شَيْءٌ يَشْغَلُ الْمُصَلِّي
I ﷺ the horns of the ram when I entered the House (i.e., the Ka`bah), and I forgot to tell you to cover them up; cover them up, for there should not be anything in the House which could distract the worshipper.'
Sufyan said, The horns of the ram remained hanging in the House until it was burned, and they were burned too.
This offers independent evidence that the one who was to be sacrificed was Ismail, peace be upon him. The Quraysh had inherited the horns of the ram that Ibrahim sacrificed, and they had been passed down from generation to generation, until the Messenger of Allah was sent. And Allah knows best.
Reports which state that the One Who was to be sacrificed was Ismail, and that this is Correct without a Doubt
Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Amir Ash-Sha`bi, Yusuf bin Mihran, Mujahid, Ata' and others reported from Ibn Abbas that it was Ismail, peace be upon him.
Ibn Jarir narrated that Ibn Abbas said,
The one who was ransomed was Ismail, peace be upon him. The Jews claimed that it was Ishaq, but the Jews lied.
It was reported that Ibn Umar said,
The sacrifice was Ismail.
Ibn Abi Najih said, narrating from Mujahid,
It was Ismail, peace be upon him.
This was also the view of Yusuf bin Mihran.
Ash-Sha`bi said,
It was Ismail, peace be upon him, and I ﷺ the horns of the ram in the Ka`bah.
Muhammad bin Ishaq reported from Al-Hasan bin Dinar and `Amr bin `Ubayd from Al-Hasan Al-Basri that;
he did not doubt that the one of the two sons Ibrahim was commanded to sacrifice was Ismail, peace be upon him.
وَتَرَكْنَا عَلَيْهِ فِي الاْخِرِينَ
سَلَمٌ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ
كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ
إِنَّهُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا الْمُوْمِنِينَ
And We left for him among the later generations. Salam (peace!) be upon Ibrahim! Thus indeed do We reward the doers of good. Verily, he was one of Our believing servants.
Ibn Ishaq said,
I heard Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi say,
`The one whom Allah commanded Ibrahim to sacrifice of his two sons was Ismail.'
We find this in the Book of Allah, because when Allah finishes the story of the one of the two sons of Ibrahim who was to be sacrificed, He then says:
وَبَشَّرْنَاهُ بِإِسْحَقَ نَبِيًّا مِّنَ الصَّالِحِينَ
And We gave him the glad tidings of Ishaq -- a Prophet from the righteous,
and,
فَبَشَّرْنَـهَا بِإِسْحَـقَ وَمِن وَرَاءِ إِسْحَـقَ يَعْقُوبَ
So, We gave her glad tidings of Ishaq and after Ishaq, of Ya`qub. (11:71)
He mentions the son and the son of the son, but He would not have commanded him to sacrifice Ishaq when He had promised that this son would in turn have a son. The one whom He commanded him to sacrifice can only have been Ismail.
Ibn Ishaq said, I heard him say that often.
Ibn Ishaq reported from Buraydah bin Sufyan bin Farwah Al-Aslami that Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi told them that he mentioned that to Umar bin `Abd Al-`Aziz, may Allah be pleased with him, when he was Khalifah, while he was with him in Syria. Umar said to him,
This is something about which I have never given any thought, but I see that it is as you say.
Then he sent for a man who was with him in Syria, a Jew who had become a Muslim and was committed to Islam, and he thought that he had been one of their scholars. Umar bin Abd Al-Aziz, may Allah be pleased with him, asked him about that.
Muhammad bin Ka`b said, I was with Umar bin Abd Al-`Aziz.
Umar said to him, `Which of the two sons of Ibrahim was he commanded to sacrifice?'
He said, `Ismail. By Allah, O Commander of the faithful, the Jews know this, but they were jealous of you Arabs because it was your father about whom Allah issued this command and the virtue that Allah mentioned was because of his patience in obeying the command. So they denied that and claimed that it was Ishaq, because he is their father.'
Abdullah bin Al-Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him, said,
I asked my father about which son was to be sacrificed -- was it Ismail or Ishaq?
He said, Ismail.
This was mentioned in Kitab Az-Zuhd.
Ibn Abi Hatim said,
I heard my father say, `The correct view is that the one who was to be sacrificed was Ismail, peace be upon him.'
He said,
And it was narrated that Ali, Ibn Umar, Abu Hurayrah, Abu At-Tufayl, Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Al-Hasan, Mujahid, Ash-Sha`bi, Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi, Abu Ja`far Muhammad bin Ali and Abu Salih, may Allah be pleased with them all, said that the one who was to be sacrificed was Ismail.
Al-Baghawi said in his Tafsir,
This was the view of `Abdullah bin Umar, Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib, As-Suddi, Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Mujahid, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi and Al-Kalbi.
This was also reported from Ibn Abbas and from Abu `Amr bin Al-`Ala'.
وَبَشَّرْنَاهُ بِإِسْحَقَ نَبِيًّا مِّنَ الصَّالِحِينَ
And We gave him the glad tidings of Ishaq -- a Prophet from the righteous.
having given the glad tidings of the one who was to be sacrificed, who was Ismail, Allah immediately follows that with mention of the glad tidings of his brother Ishaq. This is also mentioned in Surah Hud (11:71) and in Surah Al-Hijr (15:53-55)
نَبِيًّا
(a Prophet),
means, from him there will come a righteous Prophet.
وَبَارَكْنَا عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَى إِسْحَقَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِهِمَا مُحْسِنٌ وَظَالِمٌ لِّنَفْسِهِ مُبِينٌ
We blessed him and Ishaq. And of their progeny are (some) that do right, and some that plainly wrong themselves.
This is like the Ayah:
قِيلَ ينُوحُ اهْبِطْ بِسَلَـمٍ مِّنَّا وَبَركَـتٍ عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَى أُمَمٍ مِّمَّن مَّعَكَ وَأُمَمٌ سَنُمَتِّعُهُمْ ثُمَّ يَمَسُّهُمْ مِّنَّا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
It was said:O Nuh! Come down (from the ship) with peace from Us and blessings on you and on the people who are with you, but people to whom We shall grant their pleasures (for a time), but in the end a painful torment will reach them from Us. (11:48)
And he cast a glance at the stars - to delude them into thinking that he relies on them, so that they would then trust him -
In verses 88 and 89, it was said: نَظَرَ نَظْرَةً فِي النُّجُومِ فَقَالَ إِنِّي سَقِيمٌ. (Then, he cast a look at the stars, and then said, "I feel indisposed" 37:88-89). There is a background to these verses. The people of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) used to have a festival on a particular day. When that day came, they invited Sayyidna Ibrahim to go with them and enjoy the festival. Their purpose was that if he accompanies them in the festival, he might be impressed with them and forget about calling them to his faith. (ad-Durr-ul-Manthur, Ibn Jarir and others). But, Sayyidna Ibrahim had something else on his mind. He wanted to make use of this occasion to pursue an agenda of his own. He thought when all these people go to celebrate their festival, he would have the time to go into their temple and break their idols, so that when they returned, they would see the helplessness of their false gods with their own eyes. It was quite possible that this scenario makes someone's heart lit with the spark of true faith and, may be, he repents and shies away from shirk. This being his aim, Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) refused to go with them. But, he chose a particular method of saying 'no' to his people when he cast a full, animated look at the stars (expressed in the text by saying: فِي النُّجُومِ fi-nnujum: into the stars ] as explained below) and then said that he was indisposed. His people took his excuse to be valid, left him alone and went away to enjoy their festival.
Several exegetic and juristic issues are related with this event. A gist is being presented here.
The purpose of casting a glance at the stars
The first debatable issue is to determine the purpose for which Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) cast a glance at the stars before he could give an answer. Some commentators have said that this happened as a matter of chance. When someone has something important on his mind, there are occasions he would start looking at the sky quite unintentionally. At the time Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) was invited to come to the festival, he was left thinking as to how he could excuse himself out of this invitation. It was in this state of indecision that he, quite involuntarily, cast a glance towards the stars and, only after that, came his response. This explanation of casting a glance towards the stars apparently seems to be cloudless. But, in view of the style of the noble Qur'an, it is difficult to call it correct. First of all because the style of the Qur'an is such that it limits itself to the narration of only important and necessary units of events while it leaves off details that are unnecessary. Even in these very verses under study, several units of the events have been elided to the extent that its entire background was also not spelt out. Therefore, it is not possible to believe that the Qur'an would have left out the background of this event, lest it becomes too long while it would take an absolutely involuntary action not even distantly related to the event and describe it in a whole verse. Secondly, if no particular wise consideration was in sight while casting a glance towards the stars, instead, it had happened involuntarily - then, according to the grammatical rules of the Arabic language, one would say: فَنَظَرَ نَظْرَةً اِلَی النُّجُومِ and not: فِي النُّجُومِ as in the text.
This tells us that Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) did have some particular expedient consideration before him in having a glance at the stars, and that is why the noble Qur'an has mentioned it with such stress on its importance. Now the question is: What was that expedient consideration? In answer, most commentators have said that the people of Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) believed in astrology and used to do everything they had to do by looking at stars. The purpose behind the answer that Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) gave by looking at the stars was to let his people understand that the statement being given by Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) about his indisposition was not something unfounded, instead, what he was saying was being said on the basis of his assessment of the movement of stars. Although, Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) was not a believer in astrology personally, but the method he used functionally in order to avoid his participation in the festival was precisely what would appear trustworthy in their sight - and since he made no reference to astrology verbally, nor did he declare that his aim was to seek help from his knowledge of stars - instead, what he did was no more than having looked at the stars rather fully - therefore, this also had no aspect of some lie in it.
Here, one may doubt that this act of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) might have encouraged disbelievers who were not only believers in astrology, in fact, took stars to be effective agents in the events of the world. But, this doubt can be answered by saying that the likelihood of an encouragement was possible only when Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) would have not clearly warned them on their erroneous conduct later on. Here, this entire plan was being enacted for the sole purpose that the invitation to pure monotheism be communicated to them in the most effective manner possible. Hence, it was after a short while that Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) laid bare every possible error of their conduct before his people. Therefore, there is no question of providing encouragement to disbelievers simply on the basis of this ambiguous act. Here the purpose was to get rid of the compulsion of having to participate in the festival so that effort could be made to create a conducing atmosphere to present the call of true faith. This method of considered ambiguity for the purpose in sight is based on nothing but wisdom - and no reasonable objection can be raised against it.
This explanation of casting a glance towards the stars has been reported from most commentators. Maulana Ashraf Thanavi (رح) has also gone by this very Tafsir in Bayan-ul-Qur'an.
Astrology: Its status in Islam
Another question which comes under this verse relates to the status astrology has in the Shari'ah of Islam. A brief answer to this question is being submitted here.
At least this much is a settled matter that Allah Ta’ ala has placed specific properties in the Moon, Sun and the stars that affect human lives. Some of these are such as could be observed by everyone, for instance, the feeling of being hot or cold due to the Sun being near and far or the high and low tides of the seas due to the waxing and waning of the Moon and similar other phenomena. Now, some commentators just limit themselves to saying that the properties of these stars are no more than what we can gather from common observation - while there are others who say that there are some additional and particular properties in the position and movement of stars which affect most human matters. The moving of some star in a particular constellation becomes for some human beings the cause of happiness and success while the cause of sorrow and failure for some others. Then there are some people who believe that stars are the sole effective agents in the case of all successes and failures. And there are still others who say that there is no effective agent but Allah Ta’ ala, however, He has endowed stars with such properties, therefore, very much like other causes, they too serve as yet another cause of human successes and failures.
As for those who believe in stars being effective agents, and hold that events and revolutions of the world depend on stars alone, and they alone decide what happens in the world - their notion is wrong and false without any doubt. In fact, this belief takes one to the borderline of shirk (the ascribing of partners to the pristine divinity of Allah). This was the kind of belief the people of Arabia entertained in the matter of rains. According to them, a particular star (called: نَوء : naw' ) brought rains and it was an effective agent as far as rains are concerned. The Holy Prophet ﷺ has strongly refuted this belief the detailed description of which appears in ahadith.
Now, there remains the thinking of people who, for all intents and purposes, do believe that Allah Ta’ ala is the ultimate effective agent in world events, yet they also subscribe to the view that the Almighty has endowed stars with such properties which affect human lives in the degree of a general cause. For example, as far as rain is concerned, it is Allah alone who brings it, but clouds happen to be the obvious cause of rains. Similarly, the real fountainhead of all successes and failures is no other but the will of Allah Ta’ ala. But, these stars become the cause of those successes and failures. Hence, this thinking is no shirk - and neither do the Qur'an and Hadith confirm or reject it. Therefore, it is not too far out to think that Allah Ta’ ala might as well have embedded some such effects in the position, movement, rising and setting of stars. But, the acquiring of the knowledge of astrology in order to pursue and discover these effects, and then placing reliance on this knowledge, and then issuing decrees for the future on that basis is, after all, prohibited and impermissible and ahadith forbid it. According to a narration of Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn Masud ؓ ، the Holy Prophet ﷺ said:
اِذا ذُکِرَ القدرُ فَاَمسِکُوا وَ اِذَا ذُکِرَتِ النُّجُومُ فَاَمسِکُوا وَاِذَا ذُکِرَ اَصحَابِی فَاَمسِکُوا (تخریج احیاء العلوم للعراقی بحوالہ طبرانی وھو حدیث حسنہ العراقی)
When destiny is mentioned - observe restraint; and when stars are mentioned - observe restraint; and when my Companions are mentioned - observe restraint [ that is, do not deliberate or debate or dwell on differences ]. ` Iraqi on Ihya'-ul-` Ulum, with reference to Tabarani, and rating as 'hasan' )
And Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ said:
تَعَلَّمُوا مِنَ النُّجُومِ مَا تَھتَدُونَ بِہٖ فِی البَرِّ وَ البَحرِ ثُمَّ امسِکُوا (احیاء علوم الدین للغزالی (رح))
Acquire knowledge of stars to the extent you are guided right on land and at sea - then, stop. ('ihya'-ul-Ulum -Ghazzali)
This prohibition does not necessitate rejection of properties and effects of stars. But, any relentless digging into these properties and effects - and wasting precious time while hankering after these is what has been prohibited. Imam al-Ghazali has, while discussing this subject in Ihya'-ul-` Ulum, identified several elements of wisdom behind this prohibition.
The first wise consideration under which astrology has been declared as blameworthy and prohibited lies in a person's accelerated devotion to it. Experience bears out that once this happens, he gradually starts taking stars as the be-all and end-all of everything, and this false perception then drags him on to the polytheistic belief of taking stars as the real effective agents.
Then there is yet another wise consideration behind it. Even if Allah Ta’ ala has placed some properties and effects in the stars, we have, on our part, no certain source of knowledge about these, except through wahy or revelation. It appears in ahadith about Sayyidna Idris (علیہ السلام) (Enoch) that Allah Ta’ ala had given him some knowledge of this nature. But, that knowledge based on Divine revelation (wahy) is no more there in this world. Now, whatever the so-called experts of astrology have with them is merely a collection of inferences, conjectures and whims based on which no certain knowledge can be acquired. This is the reason why countless predictions of astrologers keep being proved false. Someone has made a lively comment on this field of knowledge by saying:
مفیدہ، غیر معلوم و معلومہ غیر مفید
The useful of it is unknown, and the known of it is useless!
` Allamah ` Alusi has, in his Tafsir Ruh-ul-Ma’ ani, has cited several examples from historical events where the way an event should have transpired under the accepted rules of astrology came, in reality, to transpire almost contrarily. Therefore, so many great people that devoted their lives to astrology were finally compelled to confess that the ultimate end of this field of knowledge is no more than conjectures and estimations.
A famous astrologer, Koshyar Dailami has written in his book al-Mujmal fi-l-Ahkam:
"Astrology is a field of knowledge not supported by evidence, proof, or argument. It has a lot of leeway for human scruples and conjectures." (Rum-ul-Ma’ ani, p. 116, v. 23)
` Allamah 'Alusi has also reported similar sayings from several other scholars of astrology. Nevertheless, this much is settled that astrology is not a field of knowledge that could offer any degree of certainty. Countless probabilities of errors lurk behind it. But, what actually happens is that people who pursue this field of knowledge end up giving it status of a science that is absolute and certain. On this very basis they arrive at their decrees for the future, and because of it they go on to entertain good or bad opinions about others. Moreover, far serious is the false pride in this field that, on some occasions, pushes its votaries to start claiming that they have the knowledge of the unseen (al-ghayb). And it goes without saying that everything pointed to here generates all sorts of corruption.
There is yet another reason for the prohibition of astrology in that it amounts to allowing dear life to be consumed in a pursuit that has no benefit in the real sense. When one cannot have something certain come out of it, how is it going to be helpful in doing so many things one has to do in this world? Now, running after something useless for no valid reason is totally against the spirit and temperament of the Shari'ah of Islam. Therefore, it has been prohibited.
How to explain the 'indisposition' of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) ?
The third problem that emerges from this verse relates to the statement of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) . In response to the invitation of his people, he said: اِنِّی سَقِیمُ (I feel indisposed). Now the question is: Was he really sick at that time? In the Qur'an, there is no clarification about it. But, from a Hadith of the Sahih of al-Bukhari it seems that he was not so sick at that time as would make him unable to go with his people. Therefore, we have to determine as to how could he say that.
The answer to that, according to the majority of commentators, is that Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) had really employed the mode of توریہ : tauriyah (equivocation). Tauriyah means: 'To say something that is apparently counter to the actual fact, but the speaker means a remote sense in it that matches the actual fact.' Here, the apparent sense of the remark made by Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) is that 'Right now, I am sick.' But, this is not what he really meant. Now, what did he really mean? About this, commentators have expressed different opinions. Some said that it was prompted by his instinctive aversion at the sight of the polytheistic activities of his people. This view is supported by the fact that the word used here is: سَقِیم ('saqim': indisposed), a word that is much lighter than: مَرِیض (marid : sick). This sense could be conveyed in English by saying: I am indisposed (as in the translation of the text). It is obvious that this sentence has ample room to incorporate the sense of instinctive aversion alluded to earlier.
And some commentators have said that by saying: اِنِّی سَقِیم (inni saqim), Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) intended to convey the sense of 'I am going to be sick' for the reason that, in the Arabic language, the form of active participle noun (ism-u-l-fail) is frequently used for the future tense. In the Qur'an itself, it was said while addressing the Holy Prophet ﷺ :إِنَّكَ مَيِّتٌ وَإِنَّهُم مَّيِّتُونَ (which can be literally translated in terms of the outwardly apparent words by saying: 'You too are dead and they too are dead.' But, as obvious, it means: "Certainly, you will die and they [ too ] will die - (Az-Zumar, 39:30). Similarly, Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) had said: اِنِّی سَقِیم (inni saqim) only to convey the sense of 'I am going to be sick' and he said that because one has to fall sick some or the other time much before death comes. Even if someone does not suffer from a regular sickness, even then, one is temperamentally disturbed before death that is something inevitable.
If someone is not satisfied with these interpretations, then the best explanation is that Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) was really somewhat indisposed at that time, but his indisposition was not such as would have prevented him from participating in the festival Actually, he talked about his casual indisposition in a particular setting where his listeners thought he was suffering from some major disease because of which he was really unable to go with them. This explanation of the equivocation used by Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) is most reasonable and satisfactory.
This explication also makes it clear that the use of the word: کَذِبَہ (kadhibah: lie) for the statement: اِنِّی سَقِیم (inni saqim) uttered by Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) ، as is reported in the Hadith of Bukhari, actually means تَورِیہ : equivocation) which has the apparent form of a lie but it is no lie in terms of the sense intended by the speaker. In some narrations of this very Hadith, the following words have also appeared:
مَا مِنھَا کَذِبَۃُ اِلَّا مَا حَلَّ بِھَا عَن دِینِ اللہِ
Out of these, there is no lie that has not been spoken for the sake of defending and supporting the religion of Allah.
These words are self-explanatory. They tell us that the word 'kadhib' or lie in the Hadith carries a sense that is separate from its common meaning. A slightly detailed discussion regarding this very Hadith has already appeared in the commentary on Surah Al-Anbiya' under the verse: قَالَ بَل فَعَلَہ، کَبِیرُھُم (He said Rather, this is done by this chief of theirs - 21:63). (Ma’ ariful-Qur’ an, volume VI)
The Islamic legal ruling on (equivocation)
Also from these very verses comes the ruling that resorting to tauriyah on occasions of need is permissible. One form of tauriyah is verbal, that is, saying something the apparent sense of which is counter to the actual fact, while the inward sense corresponds to it. Then there is the practical tauriyah, that is, to act in a manner that makes the onlooker interpret one's intention in a certain way while, in reality, one's intention is quite different. This is also known as: ('iham). When Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) cast a glance towards the stars, it was 'iham. (as held by most commentators) and calling himself sick was tauriyah or equivocation.
On specific occasions of need, resorting to both these kinds of tauriyah stands proved from the Holy Prophet in person. When he was on his journey of hijrah, and the disbelievers were looking for him frantically, someone en route asked Sayyidna Abu Bakr علیہ السلام about the Holy Prophet ﷺ . He answered by saying: ھُوَ ھَادٍ یَّھدینِی (He is my guide. He shows me the way). From his answer, the listener gathered that he was referring to him as some usual pathfinder or guide (hired for this purpose in travel through unknown desert terrain). Therefore, he did not bother and went his way - although, Sayyidna Abu Bakr (علیہ السلام) had still not surrendered the truth of the matter that he was his religious and spiritual guide or leader.
Similarly, says Sayyidna Ka’ b ibn Malik ؓ ‘when the Holy Prophet ﷺ had to go in a certain direction for Jihad, he would, while coming out of Madinah, rather than go in his intended direction, would start marching towards some other direction - so that onlookers do not find out the correct destination towards which he was really headed (Sahih Muslim and others). This was practical tauriyah (equivocation) and 'iham.
On occasions of good cheer and Iight humor too, tauriyah stands proved from the Holy Prophet ﷺ . According to narration from the Shama'il of Tirmidhi, the Holy Prophet ﷺ humorously said to an old woman, "No old woman will go to Paradise." That woman became very anxious. Then he explained that he meant that the old women will not go Paradise in the state of their old age - yes, they will go there after having turned young.
