Verse 4
The City • makkah
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Commentary:
While raising the foundations of the Ka‘bah, the Patriarch Abraham and his son Ishmael had prayed: "And our Lord, raise among them a Messenger from among themselves, who may recite to them Thy signs and teach them the Book and wisdom and may purify them" (2:130). The expression "the father and the son" refers to Abraham and Ishmael, and the verse purports to say that God had His own plan to accomplish by getting the structure of the Ka‘bah raised up by Abraham and Ishmael. This plan was to send the greatest of His Messengers and to give him the Final and most Perfect Law in the form of the Quran for the eternal guidance of mankind. That Divine plan has been fulfilled in the person of the Holy Prophet. Thus "the father and the son" stand as a witness to the truth of his Divine claim. Or "the father and the son," may refer to the Holy Prophet and his noble followers, and the verse may signify that the Holy Prophet himself and his followers constitute a proof of the Divine origin of his mission. Their spotless character, their good qualities of head and heart, the great sacrifices they are making in the cause of truth—all leave no room for doubt that they will succeed in their mission and that those who stand in their way will fail.
While raising the foundations of the Ka‘bah, the Patriarch Abraham and his son Ishmael had prayed to God to raise among the Meccans a Messenger (2:129, 130). Thus 'the father and the son' bear witness to the truth of the Holy Prophet.