Abraham (Peace Be Upon Him) And Nimrod

LESSON # 303 FROM HOLY QUR’AN

Abraham (Peace Be Upon Him) And Nimrod

BAQARAH – 2 (The Cow)

Verse – 258 of  286, Section –35  (Part - 3)

Bethink thee not of him who had an argument with Abraham about his Lord, because Allah had given him the kingdom. How, when Abraham said: My Lord is He Who giveth life and causeth death, he answered: I give life and cause death. Abraham said: Lo! Allah causeth the sun to rise in the East, so do thou cause it to come up from the West. Thus was the disbeliever abashed. And Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk.

‘Alam  tara  ‘ilal-lazii  haaajja  ‘Ibraa-hiima  fii  Rabbi-hiii  ‘an  ‘aataahullaahul-mulk.  ‘Iz  qaala  ‘Ibraa-hiimu  Rabbiyal-lazii  yuhyii  wa  yumiitu,  qaala  ‘ana  ‘uhyii  wa  ‘umiit.  Qaala  ‘Ibraa-hiimu  fa-‘innal-laaha  ya’-tii  bish-Shamsi  mi-nal-Mashriqi  fa’-ti  bihaa  minal- Magribi  fa-buhital-lazii  kafar.  Wallaahu  laa  yahdil- qawmaz-zaalimiin.

Lesson

‘al-lazii  haaajja – (who had an argument), the person who had an argument with Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him), was king of his (peace be upon him) time. The Commentators have told his name ‘Nimrod’.

There was some talk about Believers and Infidels in the previous verse and mentioned about illumination of the Light (of Belief) and darkness of the infidelity. Now some examples have been narrated in support of that verse. First instance is regarding the king Nimrod. He used to get prostrated for himself from the people due to pride of his emperor. When Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) came before him, did not bow his body in front of the king. The king Nimrod asked the reason, He (peace be upon him) told, “I don’t prostrate anyone but my Lord”. The king said, “I am the lord”. Prophet Abraham replied, “Lord is He Who gives life and causes death”. Answering this argument of Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him), the king Nimrod asked for two prisoners. He slaughtered one of them who was innocent and released the other who was guilty. He said, “Have you seen? I kill to whom I wish and release from death to whom I love”.

Although the king Nimrod could not reply his challenge correctly, Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) thought that the king Nimrod had not understood his reason, so he (peace be upon him) produced the proof of the sun and said, “My Lord causes the sun to rise in the East, so do you cause it to come up from the West”. Now he haughty and blockhead (king) became matchless and he could do nothing. But notwithstanding the king didn't believe. Truly the unjust persons don’t get guidance.  

Transliteration in Roman Script & English Translation of Holy Qur’an written by Marmaduke Pickthall, Published by Paak Company, 17-Urdu Bazar, Lahore and Lesson collected from Dars e Qur’an published By Idara Islah wa Tableegh, Lahore (translated by Muhammad Sharif)