Shafaqna Pakistan: Commentary on the Quran (Chapter 2:260) By: Mohammad Sobhanie
Prophet Ibrahim and Resurrection of the Birds
بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ رَبِّ أَرِنِي كَيْفَ تُحْيِي الْمَوْتَىٰ ۖ قَالَ أَوَلَمْ تُؤْمِن ۖ قَالَ بَلَىٰ وَلَـٰكِن لِّيَطْمَئِنَّ قَلْبِي ۖ قَالَ فَخُذْ أَرْبَعَةً مِّنَ الطَّيْرِ فَصُرْهُنَّ إِلَيْكَ ثُمَّ اجْعَلْ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ جَبَلٍ مِّنْهُنَّ جُزْءًا ثُمَّ ادْعُهُنَّ يَأْتِينَكَ سَعْيًا ۚ وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّـهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ ﴿٢٦٠﴾
2:260 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.”
Commentary: Prophet Ibrahim (AS) passed by the sea and saw a corpse lying partially in the water. The corpse had become the prey of fishes, birds, and other animals. Sometimes there were even quarrels over the corpse between each animal. He wondered how Allah (SWT) would give life to the dead. Hence, he asked: “My Lord, show me how You give life to the dead” (رَبِّ أَرِنِي كَيْفَ تُحْيِي الْمَوْتَىٰ).
Prophet Ibrahim (AS) had faith in the resurrection; hence, when Allah (SWT) asked him: “Have you not believed (in resurrection)?” (قَالَ أَوَلَمْ تُؤْمِن), Prophet Ibrahim (AS) replied, “Yes” (قَالَ بَلَىٰ). But Prophet Ibrahim (AS) wanted to see the actual action of resurrection to strengthen his faith (وَلَـٰكِن لِّيَطْمَئِنَّ قَلْبِي).
In general, we reach truth by either using logic and reason or seeing and witnessing the truth. Prophet Ibrahim (AS) believed in the resurrection and life in the Hereafter. As he explicitly said to Namrod, “My Lord is the One who gives life and causes death[1].” What Prophet Ibrahim (AS) yearned is to strengthen his faith by seeing how Allah (SWT) gives life to the dead.
Allah (SWT) commanded, O! Ibrahim, “Take four birds” (فَخُذْ أَرْبَعَةً مِّنَ الطَّيْرِ) “and tame them to incline to yourself” (فَصُرْهُنَّ إِلَيْكَ). Taming the birds made Ibrahim Prophet Ibrahim (AS) to recognize the birds well from the other birds.
The second part of the verse implies that Allah (SWT) asked Prophet Ibrahim (AS) to slaughter these birds, cut them into pieces, and mix the dead fleshes. “Then put on each hill a portion of them (the mixed dead fleshes)” (ثُمَّ اجْعَلْ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ جَبَلٍ مِّنْهُنَّ جُزْءًا). “Then call them – they will come (flying) to you in haste” (ثُمَّ ادْعُهُنَّ يَأْتِينَكَ سَعْيًا) “And know that Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.” (وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّـهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ)
This interpretation is construed from the word “Minhunna juzan” (مِّنْهُنَّ جُزْءًا) “a portion of them (the four birds).” How could one put a portion of a live bird on a hill without slaughtering it?
The word “Surhunna” (صُرْهُنَّ) is derived from either “Sara” and “Yasuru” (صَارَ، یَصُورُ) means he cut/inclined and he is cutting/inclining. A group of commentators took “Surhunna” (صُرْهُنَّ) as cut them. Whereas, the preposition, ‘‘Ila’’ (الی) gives a hint of inclination. The meaning then, (فَصُرْهُنَّ إِلَيْكَ) becomes to cut them (into pieces) while you have inclined birds towards you; or incline birds towards you while cutting them into pieces[2]&[3].
[1] Al-Baqara 2:258 (الَّذِي يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ)
[2] Al-Mizan, Vol. 2, P.574
[3] Tafseer-e-Namoona, Vol.2, P.305
Source: Shafaqna English
