Lemma: سَعْي

English - Hazrat Molavi Sher Ali ^ra

And remember when Abraham said, ‘My Lord, show me how Thou givest life to the dead.’ He said, ‘Hast thou not believed?’ He said, ‘Yes, but I ask this that my heart may be at rest.’ He answered, ‘Take four birds and make them attached to thyself. Then put each of them on a hill; then call them; they will come to thee in haste. And know that Allah is Mighty, Wise.’

اردو ترجمہ مرزا طاہر احمد خلیفة المسیح الرابعؒ

اور (کیا تُو نے اس پر بھی غور کیا) جب ابراہیم نے کہا اے میرے ربّ مجھے دکھلا کہ تُو مُردوں کو کیسے زندہ کرتا ہے۔ اُس نے کہا کیا تو ایمان نہیں لا چکا؟ اُس نے کہا کیوں نہیں مگر اس لئے (پوچھا ہے) کہ میرا دل مطمئن ہو جائے۔ اس نے کہا تُو چار پرندے پکڑ لے اور انہیں اپنے ساتھ مانوس کر لے۔ پھر ان میں سے ایک ایک کو ہر پہاڑ پر چھوڑ دے۔ پھر انہیں بُلا، وہ جلدی کرتے ہوئے تیری طرف چلے آئیں گے۔ اور جان لے کہ اللہ کامل غلبہ والا (اور) بہت حکمت والا ہے۔

French

Et souviens-toi quand Abraham dit : « Mon Seigneur, fais-moi voir comment Tu ressuscites les morts. » Il lui dit : « Ne crois-tu pas ? » Abraham répondit : « Si, maisje demande cela afin d’avoir le cœur tranquille. » Allāh lui répondit : « Prends quatre oiseaux et fais-les s’attacher à toi. Ensuite, mets chacun d’entre eux sur une colline et appelle-les ; ils viendront vers toi à tire d’aile. Et sache qu’Allāh est Puissant, Sage. »

German

Und (denke daran) wie Abraham sprach: "Mein Herr, zeige mir, wie Du die Toten lebendig machst." Er sprach: "Hast du denn nicht geglaubt?" Er sagte: "Ja, doch, aber um mein Herz zu beruhigen." Er antwortete: "So nimm vier Vögel und mache sie dir anhänglich. Alsdann setze jeden besonders auf einen Berg; dann rufe sie, sie werden eilends zu dir kommen. Und wisse, dass Allah allmächtig, allweise ist."

Chinese

(要记住这件大事,) 当伊布拉欣 (祈求着) 说: “我的养主啊, 求你告诉我, 你是怎样使死而复活的?” 他 (安拉) 说: “难道你不相信吗?” 他 (伊布拉欣) 说: “我怎么不相信呢? (我确已有了信仰。) 但是 (我问这个是) 为了我的心可能安定呀!” 他 (安拉回答) 说: “好的! 你取四支鸟来, 使它们依恋着[199]你。继而把它们分放在每一座山上, 然后呼唤它们, 它们将迅速地飞向你来。”要知道, 安拉是最优胜的, 最有智慧的。

Italian

E ricordate quando Abramo disse: «Mio Signore, mostrami come Tu ridai la vita ai morti.» Dio disse: «Non credi ancora?» Abramo replicò: «Sì, ma Te lo chiedo per mettermi il cuore in pace.» Dio rispose: «Prendi quattro uccelli e fa che ti si affezionino. Quindi mettili ciascuno su di una collina; poi chiamali ed essi si affretteranno a tornare da te. E sappi che Allah è il Potente e il Saggio.»

Spanish

Y acuérdate de cuando Abraham dijo: “Mi Señor; muéstrame cómo le devuelves la vida a los muertos”. Él dijo: “¿Es que no has creído?” Él dijo: “Sí, pero pregunto esto para que mi corazón se tranquilice”. Respondió: “Toma cuatro pájaros y haz que se vinculen a ti. A continuación pon a cada uno de ellos en un monte; llámalos después y verás cómo acuden a ti apresuradamente. Y sabe que Al-lah es Poderoso, Sabio.”

اردو تفسیرِ صغیر

اور (اس واقعہ کو بھی یاد کرو) جب ابراہیم نے کہا تھا کہ اے میرے رب! مجھے بتا کہ تو مردے کس طرح زندہ کرتا ہے۔ فرمایا کہ کیا تو ایمان نہیں لا چکا؟ (ابراہیم نے) کہا۔ کیوں نہیں (ایمان تو بیشک حاصل ہو چکا ہے) لیکن اپنے اطمینان قلب کی خاطر (میں نے یہ سوال کیا ہے) فرمایا۔ اچھا! تو چار پرندے لے اور ان کو اپنے ساتھ سدھا [1]لے۔ پھر ہر ایک پہاڑ پر ان میں سے ایک (ایک) حصہ[2] رکھ دے۔ پھر انہیں بلا۔ وہ تیری طرف[3] تیزی کے ساتھ چلے آئیں گے اور جان لے کہ اللہ غالب (اور) حکمت والا ہے۔

بعض لوگوں نے صُرْھُنَّ کے معنے قتل کرنے کے کیے ہیں۔ حالانکہ الفاظ قرآنیہ صُرْھُنَّ اِلَیْکَ کے ہیں۔ اور یہ کہنا بے معنے ہے کہ پھر ان کو اپنی طرف قتل کر۔ اصل میں اس لفظ کے معنے سدھانے کے بھی ہیں اور وہی اس جگہ درست ہیں۔ (مفردات و اقرب)

حصہ جُزْءًا کا ترجمہ ہے۔ مطلب یہ ہے کہ پہاڑ کی چار چوٹیوں پر چار پرندے بٹھا دو۔ جُزْءًا کے معنے ایک پرندے کے ٹکڑے کے نہیں بلکہ چاروں پرندوں کا جزء مراد ہے جو ایک کا عدد ہے۔ قرآن کریم میں ایک اور مقام پر اسی محاورہ میں جُزْئٌ کا لفظ استعمال ہوا ہے۔ فرماتا ہے اِنَّ جَھَنَّمَ لَمَوْعِدُھُمْ اَجْمَعِیْنَ۔ لَھَا سَبْعَۃُ اَبْوَابٍ لِکُلِّ بَابٍ مِّنْھُمْ جُزْئٌ مَّقْسُوْمٌ (الحجر: ۴۴‘۴۵) یعنی جہنم سب کفار کے لئے مقرر جگہ ہے اس کے سات دروازے ہوں گے اور ہر دروازہ کے لئے کفار کا ایک حصہ مقرر ہوگا۔ اس جگہ بھی جزء کا لفظ استعمال ہوا ہے لیکن کوئی یہ معنے ن

یَاْ تِیَنَّکَ سَعْیًا۔ سَعْیٌ کے معنے چلنے اور دوڑنے کے ہوتے ہیں۔ لیکن محاورہ میں کوشش سے کسی کام کے کرنے کے بھی ہوتے ہیں وَ یُسْتَـعْمَلُ لِلْجِدِّ فِی الْاَمْرِ خَیْرًا کَانَ اَوْ شَرًّا (مفردات) یعنی کبھی یہ لفظ خوب زور سے کام کرنے کے متعلق بھی استعمال ہوتا ہے خواہ کام اچھا ہو یا ُبرا۔ چونکہ پرندہ دوڑتا نہیں اڑتا ہے اس لئے ’’تیزی سے تیری طرف چلے آئیں گے‘‘ ترجمہ کیا گیا ہے۔ ان آیات میں حضرت ابراہیم علیہ السلام کے ایک کشف کا ذکر ہے اور چار پرندوں سے یہ مراد ہے کہ حضرت ابراہیم علیہ السلام کی اولاد چار دفعہ ترقی کرے گی اور چار دفعہ تنزل کرے گی۔

English - Short Commentary Translation

And remember when Abraham said, ‘My Lord, show me how Thou givest life to the dead.’ God said, ‘Dost thou not believe?’ Abraham said, ‘Yes, but I ask this that my heart may be at ease.’[327] God answered, ‘Take four birds and make them attached[328] to thee. Then put each[329] of them on a hill; then call them; they will come to thee in haste. And know that Allah is Mighty and Wise.’

The difference between Iman (belief) and Itminan (the heart being at ease) is that in the former state one simply believes that God can do a thing, while in the latter one receives the assurance that the thing would be done in his case also. Abraham did indeed believe that God could bring the dead to life, but what he desired was his personal satisfaction of knowing that God would do so in the case of his own posterity as well. Referring to the verse under comment, the Holy Prophet is reported to have said, "We are more deserving of entertaining Shak (doubt) than Abraham" (Muslim), the word Shak signifying an intense hidden desire anxiously awaiting fulfilment; for the Holy Prophet never entertained any doubt about any of God’s promises or doings. This shows that Abraham’s question was not prompted by doubt but simply by an anxious desire.

Surtul-Ghusna Ilayya means, I inclined the branch towards myself (Lane). The preposition ila determines the significance of the word Surhunna in the sense of inclining or attaching and not cutting.

Juz’ means, a part or portion or division of a thing. Thus, if a thing consists of or comprises a group, the word "part" or "division" would signify each member of it.

This is a vision of Abraham. In "taking four birds" the implication was that his posterity would rise and fall four times, which phenomenon was to be witnessed twice among the Israelites, and to be repeated twice among the followers of the Holy Prophet of Islam who was descended from Abraham through Ishmael. The power of the Jews, the progeny of Abraham through Isaac, was crushed twice, first by Nebuchadnezzar and then by Titus (17:5-8; Enc. Brit. under Jews); and each time God raised them after their fall, the second revival having been brought about by Constantine, the Roman Emperor who accepted Christianity. Similarly, the power of Islam, was first rudely shaken when Baghdad fell to the Tartar hordes, but soon it recovered from the crushing blow. The victors became the vanquished and the grandson of Halaku, the despoiler of

English - Five Volume Translation

And remember when Abraham said, ‘My Lord, show me how Thou givest life to the dead.’ He said, ‘Hast thou not believed?’ He said, ‘Yes, but I ask this that my heart may be at rest.’ He answered, ‘Take four birds and make them attached to thyself. Then put each of them on a hill; then call them; they will come to thee in haste. And know that Allah is Mighty and Wise.’[267]

Important Words:

تحی الموتی (Thou givest life to the dead). For the meaning of حیاة (life) and موت (death) and میت (dead person) see 2:20; 2:29; 2:57 and 2:74.

یطمئن (be at rest) is derived from طمئن. They say طمئن ظھرہ i.e. he bent his back low. طمئن الشیء means, he made the thing calm and set it at rest. اطمأن means, it or he was at rest; it or he became calm after being agitated; it or he became docile and submissive. المطمئن means, (1) one who is calm and tranquil or in a state of rest or ease; that which is motionless and stationary; (2) if used in connection with some piece of land, it means a low-lying, soft piece of land (Aqrab).

صرھن الیك (make them attached to thyself). صرھن is derived from صار with واو as the central root letter. They say صار الشیء الی نفسه i.e. he inclined the thing to himself. صار وجھه الی means, he inclined his face towards me. صرت الغصن لاجتنی الثمر means, I inclined the branch towards myself in order to pluck the fruit. صار with ی as the central root letter, means, he cut a thing, etc. into pieces (Aqrab). The Quran uses here صار with واو as the central root letter as the dammah in صرھن indicates. Moreover, the preposition الی (to) determines the significance of the word in the sense of inclining or attaching and not cutting.

جزء (each) is derived from جزاء. They say جزأ الشیء i.e. he divided the thing into parts. So جزء means, part or portion or division of a thing (Lane). Thus, if a thing consists of, and comprises, a group, the word part or division would signify each member of it.

Commentary:

This verse provides yet another illustration of the process of life and death arranged by God in this world. In other words, the rise of a fallen nation is further discussed. Abraham asked God to show him how He caused a people to come to life after they had become fallen and degraded.

The difference between إیمان (belief) and اطمینان (heart being at rest) is that in the former state one simply believes that God can do a thing, while in the latter one receives the assurance that the thing would be done in his case also. Abraham did indeed believe that God could bring a dead people to life, but what he desired was the personal satisfaction of knowing that He would do so in the case of his own posterity as well; hence the words, so that my heart may be at rest.

The verse proceeds to describe a vision of Abraham. By asking him to take four birds, God hinted that his posterity would rise and fall four times. This rise and fall was witnessed twice among the Israelites, and the same phenomenon was to be repeated among the followers of the Holy Prophet of Islam who was descended from Abraham through Ishmael. The power of the Jews, the progeny of Abraham through Isaac, was crushed twice, first by Nebuchadnezzar and then by Titus (the Quran, 17:5-8; the Bible, II Kings ch. 25 and Enc. Brit. under Jews); and each time God raised them after their fall, the second revival having been brought about by the acceptance of Christianity by the Roman Emperors. As to the power of Islam, it was first rudely shaken when Baghdad fell to the arms of the Tartars, after which it again revived owing to the conquerors being won over to Islam. The second fall came later when there was a general and wholesale decline of Muslims both in the spiritual and the political field. The final rise is being arranged by God through the Ahmadiyya Movement founded by Ahmad, the Promised Messiah.

Referring to the verse under comment, the Holy Prophet is reported to have said, "We are more deserving of entertaining شك than Abraham" (Muslim). Here شك does not mean "doubt" but an intense hidden desire anxiously awaiting fulfilment, for the Holy Prophet never entertained any doubt. This shows that Abraham also never doubted and his question was not prompted by doubt but simply by an anxious desire. He had firm faith in the power of God and fully believed that He could restore a fallen people to prosperity; what he wanted was simply the satisfaction of his hidden desire, i.e. an assurance that God would do so in the case of his people also. The word شك therefore here only means the feeling of anxiety in the mind, or the state of commotion or disturbance of the heart and mind (Lane).

The double fall and subsequent rise of the Israelites and of the posterity of Ishmael making the total number of such phenomena four may be interpreted in another way also. The Israelites were a fallen people before Moses and God raised them through him. They fell again before the time of Jesus and were again given new life through him. Similarly, the Ishmaelites were a fallen people before the advent of the Holy Prophet who gave them new life, and they are again a fallen people now when they are being given a new life by Ahmad, the Promised Messiah.

Many commentators have translated the word صرھن as, "cut them into pieces and mince them", but this is clearly wrong; for as explained under Important Words above صار یصور (with واو as the central root letter) means "inclining" and not "cutting", particularly when it is used with the preposition الی. So the expression صرھن would mean "make them inclined towards thyself", so that they may become attached to thee. In this case the placing of a جزء of the four birds each on a hill would mean, putting each separate bird on a separate hill, and not placing portions of the minced meat thereon. The commandment to place the four birds separately on separate hills is to point to the fact that the rise and fall of the progeny of Abraham would take place at four distinct and separate times. The word جزء has been used in this sense elsewhere also (15:45).

اردو ترجمہ مودودی

اور وہ واقعہ بھی پیش نظر رہے، جب ابراہیمؑ نے کہا تھا کہ: "میرے مالک، مجھے دکھا دے، تو مُردوں کو کیسے زندہ کرتا ہے" فرمایا: "کیا تو ایمان نہیں رکھتا؟" اُس نے عرض کیا "ایمان تو رکھتا ہوں، مگر دل کا اطمینان درکار ہے" فرمایا: "اچھا تو چار پرندے لے اور ان کو اپنے سے مانوس کر لے پھر ان کا ایک ایک جز ایک ایک پہاڑ پر رکھ دے پھر ان کو پکار، وہ تیرے پاس دوڑے چلے آئیں گے خوب جان لے کہ اللہ نہایت با اقتدار اور حکیم ہے"

English - Sahih

And [mention] when Abraham said, "My Lord, show me how You give life to the dead." [Allah] said, "Have you not believed?" He said, "Yes, but [I ask] only that my heart may be satisfied." [Allah] said, "Take four birds and commit them to yourself. Then [after slaughtering them] put on each hill a portion of them; then call them - they will come [flying] to you in haste. And know that Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise."

اردو ترجمہ احمد علی

اور یاد کر جب ابراھیم نے کہا اے میرے پروردگار! مجھ کو دکھا کہ تو مردے کو کس طرح زندہ کرے گا فرمایا کہ کیا تم یقین نہیں لاتے کہا کیوں نہیں لیکن اس واسطے چاہتاہوں کہ میرے دل کو تسکین ہو جائے فرمایا تو چار جانور اڑنے والے پکڑے پھر انہیں اپنے ساتھ ہلا لے پھر ہر پہاڑ پر ان کے بدن کا ایک ایک ٹکڑا رکھ دے پھر ان کو بلا تیرے پاس دوڑتے ہوئے آئیں گے اور جان لے کہ بے شک الله زبردست حکمت والا ہے

English - Talal Itani

And when said Ibrahim, "My Lord show me how You give life (to) the dead." He said, "Have not you believed?" He said, "Yes [and] but to satisfy my heart." He said "Then take four of the birds and incline them towards you, then put on each hill of them a portion; then call them, they will come to you (in) haste. And know that Allah (is) All-Mighty, All-Wise.

Chinese Commentary ^*

199

صُرْتُ الْغُصْنَ اِلَیَّ (Surtul-Ghusna ilayya) 意思是, 我把那树枝弯向自己 (Lane)。这一介词 اِلَیْ (Ila) 决定了 صُرْهُنَّ (Surhunna) 这词的意义, 意思是弯曲或依附而不是斩断。

اردہ تفصیرِ صغیر نوٹس ^*

1

بعض لوگوں نے صُرْھُنَّ کے معنے قتل کرنے کے کیے ہیں۔ حالانکہ الفاظ قرآنیہ صُرْھُنَّ اِلَیْکَ کے ہیں۔ اور یہ کہنا بے معنے ہے کہ پھر ان کو اپنی طرف قتل کر۔ اصل میں اس لفظ کے معنے سدھانے کے بھی ہیں اور وہی اس جگہ درست ہیں۔ (مفردات و اقرب)

2

حصہ جُزْءًا کا ترجمہ ہے۔ مطلب یہ ہے کہ پہاڑ کی چار چوٹیوں پر چار پرندے بٹھا دو۔ جُزْءًا کے معنے ایک پرندے کے ٹکڑے کے نہیں بلکہ چاروں پرندوں کا جزء مراد ہے جو ایک کا عدد ہے۔ قرآن کریم میں ایک اور مقام پر اسی محاورہ میں جُزْئٌ کا لفظ استعمال ہوا ہے۔ فرماتا ہے اِنَّ جَھَنَّمَ لَمَوْعِدُھُمْ اَجْمَعِیْنَ۔ لَھَا سَبْعَۃُ اَبْوَابٍ لِکُلِّ بَابٍ مِّنْھُمْ جُزْئٌ مَّقْسُوْمٌ (الحجر: ۴۴‘۴۵) یعنی جہنم سب کفار کے لئے مقرر جگہ ہے اس کے سات دروازے ہوں گے اور ہر دروازہ کے لئے کفار کا ایک حصہ مقرر ہوگا۔ اس جگہ بھی جزء کا لفظ استعمال ہوا ہے لیکن کوئی یہ معنے ن

3

یَاْ تِیَنَّکَ سَعْیًا۔ سَعْیٌ کے معنے چلنے اور دوڑنے کے ہوتے ہیں۔ لیکن محاورہ میں کوشش سے کسی کام کے کرنے کے بھی ہوتے ہیں وَ یُسْتَـعْمَلُ لِلْجِدِّ فِی الْاَمْرِ خَیْرًا کَانَ اَوْ شَرًّا (مفردات) یعنی کبھی یہ لفظ خوب زور سے کام کرنے کے متعلق بھی استعمال ہوتا ہے خواہ کام اچھا ہو یا ُبرا۔ چونکہ پرندہ دوڑتا نہیں اڑتا ہے اس لئے ’’تیزی سے تیری طرف چلے آئیں گے‘‘ ترجمہ کیا گیا ہے۔ ان آیات میں حضرت ابراہیم علیہ السلام کے ایک کشف کا ذکر ہے اور چار پرندوں سے یہ مراد ہے کہ حضرت ابراہیم علیہ السلام کی اولاد چار دفعہ ترقی کرے گی اور چار دفعہ تنزل کرے گی۔

English - Arberry

And when Abraham said, 'My Lord, show me how Thou wilt give life to the dead,' He said, 'Why, dost thou not believe?' 'Yes,' he said, 'but that my heart may be at rest.' Said He, 'Take four birds, and twist them to thee, then set a part of them on every hill, then summon them, and they will come to thee running. And do thou know that God is All-mighty, All-wise.'

English - Maududi

Call to mind the other event also, when Abraham said, "My Lord, show me how Thou bringest the dead back to life?" He said "Have you no faith in this?" Abraham humbly replied, "I do believe but I ask this to reassure my heart." Allah said, "Well, take four birds and tame them with yourself and then (cut them into pieces) and place a piece of each of them on each hill. Then call them and they will come running to you; know this for certain that Allah is All-Powerful, All-Wise."

English - Ahmed Ali

Remember, when Abraham said: "O Lord, show me how you raise the dead," He said: "What! Do you not believe?" "I do," answered Abraham. "I only ask for my heart's assurance." (The Lord) said: "Trap four birds and tame them, then put each of them on a (separate) hill, and call them, and they will come flying to you. Know that God is all-powerful and all-wise."

English - Yusuf Ali

When Abraham said: "Show me, Lord, how You will raise the dead, " He replied: "Have you no faith?" He said "Yes, but just to reassure my heart." Allah said, "Take four birds, draw them to you, and cut their bodies to pieces. Scatter them over the mountain-tops, then call them back. They will come swiftly to you. Know that Allah is Mighty, Wise."

English - Five Volume Commentary ^*

267

Important Words:

تحی الموتی (Thou givest life to the dead). For the meaning of حیاة (life) and موت (death) and میت (dead person) see 2:20; 2:29; 2:57 and 2:74.

یطمئن (be at rest) is derived from طمئن. They say طمئن ظھرہ i.e. he bent his back low. طمئن الشیء means, he made the thing calm and set it at rest. اطمأن means, it or he was at rest; it or he became calm after being agitated; it or he became docile and submissive. المطمئن means, (1) one who is calm and tranquil or in a state of rest or ease; that which is motionless and stationary; (2) if used in connection with some piece of land, it means a low-lying, soft piece of land (Aqrab).

صرھن الیك (make them attached to thyself). صرھن is derived from صار with واو as the central root letter. They say صار الشیء الی نفسه i.e. he inclined the thing to himself. صار وجھه الی means, he inclined his face towards me. صرت الغصن لاجتنی الثمر means, I inclined the branch towards myself in order to pluck the fruit. صار with ی as the central root letter, means, he cut a thing, etc. into pieces (Aqrab). The Quran uses here صار with واو as the central root letter as the dammah in صرھن indicates. Moreover, the preposition الی (to) determines the significance of the word in the sense of inclining or attaching and not cutting.

جزء (each) is derived from جزاء. They say جزأ الشیء i.e. he divided the thing into parts. So جزء means, part or portion or division of a thing (Lane). Thus, if a thing consists of, and comprises, a group, the word part or division would signify each member of it.

Commentary:

This verse provides yet another illustration of the process of life and death arranged by God in this world. In other words, the rise of a fallen nation is further discussed. Abraham asked God to show him how He caused a people to come to life after they had become fallen and degraded.

The difference between إیمان (belief) and اطمینان (heart being at rest) is that in the former state one simply believes that God can do a thing, while in the latter one receives the assurance that the thing would be done in his case also. Abraham did indeed believe that God could bring a dead people to life, but what he desired was the personal satisfaction of knowing that He would do so in the case of his own posterity as well; hence the words, so that my heart may be at rest.

The verse proceeds to describe a vision of Abraham. By asking him to take four birds, God hinted that his posterity would rise and fall four times. This rise and fall was witnessed twice among the Israelites, and the same phenomenon was to be repeated among the followers of the Holy Prophet of Islam who was descended from Abraham through Ishmael. The power of the Jews, the progeny of Abraham through Isaac, was crushed twice, first by Nebuchadnezzar and then by Titus (the Quran, 17:5-8; the Bible, II Kings ch. 25 and Enc. Brit. under Jews); and each time God raised them after their fall, the second revival having been brought about by the acceptance of Christianity by the Roman Emperors. As to the power of Islam, it was first rudely shaken when Baghdad fell to the arms of the Tartars, after which it again revived owing to the conquerors being won over to Islam. The second fall came later when there was a general and wholesale decline of Muslims both in the spiritual and the political field. The final rise is being arranged by God through the Ahmadiyya Movement founded by Ahmad, the Promised Messiah.

Referring to the verse under comment, the Holy Prophet is reported to have said, "We are more deserving of entertaining شك than Abraham" (Muslim). Here شك does not mean "doubt" but an intense hidden desire anxiously awaiting fulfilment, for the Holy Prophet never entertained any doubt. This shows that Abraham also never doubted and his question was not prompted by doubt but simply by an anxious desire. He had firm faith in the power of God and fully believed that He could restore a fallen people to prosperity; what he wanted was simply the satisfaction of his hidden desire, i.e. an assurance that God would do so in the case of his people also. The word شك therefore here only means the feeling of anxiety in the mind, or the state of commotion or disturbance of the heart and mind (Lane).

The double fall and subsequent rise of the Israelites and of the posterity of Ishmael making the total number of such phenomena four may be interpreted in another way also. The Israelites were a fallen people before Moses and God raised them through him. They fell again before the time of Jesus and were again given new life through him. Similarly, the Ishmaelites were a fallen people before the advent of the Holy Prophet who gave them new life, and they are again a fallen people now when they are being given a new life by Ahmad, the Promised Messiah.

Many commentators have translated the word صرھن as, "cut them into pieces and mince them", but this is clearly wrong; for as explained under Important Words above صار یصور (with واو as the central root letter) means "inclining" and not "cutting", particularly when it is used with the preposition الی. So the expression صرھن would mean "make them inclined towards thyself", so that they may become attached to thee. In this case the placing of a جزء of the four birds each on a hill would mean, putting each separate bird on a separate hill, and not placing portions of the minced meat thereon. The commandment to place the four birds separately on separate hills is to point to the fact that the rise and fall of the progeny of Abraham would take place at four distinct and separate times. The word جزء has been used in this sense elsewhere also (15:45).

English - Short Commentary Notes ^*

327

The difference between Iman (belief) and Itminan (the heart being at ease) is that in the former state one simply believes that God can do a thing, while in the latter one receives the assurance that the thing would be done in his case also. Abraham did indeed believe that God could bring the dead to life, but what he desired was his personal satisfaction of knowing that God would do so in the case of his own posterity as well. Referring to the verse under comment, the Holy Prophet is reported to have said, "We are more deserving of entertaining Shak (doubt) than Abraham" (Muslim), the word Shak signifying an intense hidden desire anxiously awaiting fulfilment; for the Holy Prophet never entertained any doubt about any of God’s promises or doings. This shows that Abraham’s question was not prompted by doubt but simply by an anxious desire.

328

Surtul-Ghusna Ilayya means, I inclined the branch towards myself (Lane). The preposition ila determines the significance of the word Surhunna in the sense of inclining or attaching and not cutting.

329

Juz’ means, a part or portion or division of a thing. Thus, if a thing consists of or comprises a group, the word "part" or "division" would signify each member of it.

This is a vision of Abraham. In "taking four birds" the implication was that his posterity would rise and fall four times, which phenomenon was to be witnessed twice among the Israelites, and to be repeated twice among the followers of the Holy Prophet of Islam who was descended from Abraham through Ishmael. The power of the Jews, the progeny of Abraham through Isaac, was crushed twice, first by Nebuchadnezzar and then by Titus (17:5-8; Enc. Brit. under Jews); and each time God raised them after their fall, the second revival having been brought about by Constantine, the Roman Emperor who accepted Christianity. Similarly, the power of Islam, was first rudely shaken when Baghdad fell to the Tartar hordes, but soon it recovered from the crushing blow. The victors became the vanquished and the grandson of Halaku, the despoiler of

English - Pickthall

And when Abraham said (unto his Lord): My Lord! Show me how Thou givest life to the dead, He said: Dost thou not believe? Abraham said: Yea, but (I ask) in order that my heart may be at ease. (His Lord) said: Take four of the birds and cause them to incline unto thee, then place a part of them on each hill, then call them, they will come to thee in haste, and know that Allah is Mighty, Wise.

English - Muhammad Ali ^ra

And when Abraham said, My Lord, show me how Thou givest life to the dead, He said: Dost thou not believe? He said: Yes, but that my heart may be at ease. He said: Then take four birds, then tame them to incline to thee, then place on every mountain a part of them, then class them, they will come to thee flying; and know that Allah is Mighty, Wise.

English - Sir Muhammad Zafrullah Khan ^ra

Call to mind when Abraham supplicated: Lord, show me how dost Thou bring the dead to life. Allah said: Hast thou not believed? Said Abraham; Indeed, I have believed; but I have asked this question that my mind may be comforted. Said Allah: Well, then, take four birds and train them to be attached to thee. Thereafter put each one of them on a hillock. Then call them; they will hasten towards thee. Know then that Allah is Mighty, Wise.

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