Al-Ankaboot (The Spider)

27. “And We granted him Isaac and Jacob, and We appointed the Prophecy and the Book to be among his progeny, and We gave him his recompense in the world, and verily in the Hereafter he will certainly be of the Righteous.”

The reward of the sincere services and goodness to father is seen in one’s descendants. In this verse, the Qur’an refers to the four merits that Allah gave Abraham after his emigration.

The first merit was some worthy offsprings, those who could keep the torch of faith and prophethood light in his progeny.

The verse says:

“And We granted him Isaac and Jacob…”

They were two great and eligible prophets each of whom could continue the way and the line of Abraham, the iconoclast prophet.

The second merit was as follows:

“…and We appointed the Prophecy and the Book to be among his progeny…”

The third merit was what is said by the Qur’an as follows:

“…and We gave him his recompense in the world…”

This reward, which has been mentioned secretly, may refer to different affairs; such as ‘good name’ and ‘truthful tongue’ among all nations, because all nations respect Abraham as a great prophet, and boast for his existence, and call him ‘the chief prophet’.

Among his other rewards can be mentioned as: the flourish of Mecca by his supplication, the attraction of all hearts toward him and the yearly recollection of his glorious instructive, faith-creative remembrance in the rites of Hajj ceremonies.

The fourth merit is as follows:

“…and verily in the Hereafter he will certainly be of the Righteous.”

As it is understood from many verses of the Qur’an, being among the righteous ones is the utmost honour that a person may earn. That was why many prophets asked Allah that He would appoint them in the row of the righteous.

After gaining the highest apparent victories, Yusuf asked Allah and said:

“…cause me die Muslim (in submission unto You) and join me with the righteous.”1

Solomon, with all glorious rank and magnificence he had, said:

“…and admit me, by Your mercy, among Your righteous servants.”2

When the contract of Shu‘ayb with Moses finished, he said:

“If Allah wills, you will find me one the righteous ones”.3

Abraham asked Allah that He might count him among the righteous, saying:

“My Lord! Bestow wisdom on me, and join me with the righteous.”4

And he would have a righteous son.¹

In many verses of the Qur’an when Allah admires the great prophets, He characterizes them as being among the righteous.

It is well understood from the totality of these verses that ‘being righteous’ is the highest stage of the development of a man.

What does ‘to be righteous’ mean? It means eligibility from the point of faith and belief, eligibility from the point of action, and eligibility from the point of speech and morals.

The opposite point of ‘righteous’ is ‘corruptible’, and we know that corruption envelops all injustice, cruelties, and indecencies.

In the Qur’an sometimes /salah/ is used instead of /fasad/ and sometimes instead of /sayyi‘ah/ which means sin and evils.

Some commentators have said that there is a tender point in the above verse and it is that Allah changed all the inconvenient things of Abraham (as) into their opposites:

1- The idol-worshippers of Babylon decisively wanted to burn Abraham by fire, but fire was changed into safety.

2- They desired that he should be alone forever, but Allah set a very abundant population for him so that throughout of the world was filled with the progeny of Abraham.

3- Some of the close persons to Abraham went astray and became idol worshippers, including ’Athar, instead of it Allah gave him some children that not only they themselves were guided aright but also they guided others.

4- At the beginning Abraham had not any wealth and dignity, but at last Allah gave him great wealth and dignity.

5- At the beginning Abraham was so undistinguished that even when the idol worshippers of Babylon wanted to mention him, they said:

“…‘We heard a youth making mention of them, who is called Abraham’.”6

But Allah gave him such a fame that he became known as ‘the chief of prophets, or ‘the chief of Messengers’.²