Sūrah Ibrāhīm Abraham: Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī The Source Commentary

Surah Overview

DetailInformationClassificationSignificance

SurahإبراهيمMakkī 52 versesContains the "firm word" verse on steadfastness in the grave

Key DisagreementWhat is the "kalimah ṭayyibah" (good word)?Theological identificationAl-Ṭabarī: lā ilāha illā Allāh supported by ḥadīth and Companion chains

Competing OpinionsWhat happens at "qawl thābit" in the grave?Eschatological detailAl-Ṭabarī: the ḥadīth of grave questioning (Bukhārī) is the definitive explanation

MethodologyUsing ḥadīth to decode Quranic metaphorsTafsīr via prophetic statementAl-Ṭabarī places the grave-questioning ḥadīth as the authoritative decoder for 14:27

Key Themes from Al-Ṭabarī

The tree parable (14:24–26) receives detailed treatment: the good word is like a good tree its root is firm, its branches reach the sky. Al-Ṭabarī collects Companion identifications: the good word = lā ilāha illā Allāh; the good tree = the believer; the firm root = unwavering faith; the branches reaching the sky = deeds ascending to Allah. He then presents the Prophet's own identification (ḥadīth in Bukhārī) of the tree as the date palm accepting the prophetic identification as settling the metaphor.

For 14:27 ("Allah makes firm those who believe with the firm word [qawl thābit] in the worldly life and the Hereafter"), al-Ṭabarī presents the grave-questioning ḥadīth as the definitive explanation: the firm word is lā ilāha illā Allāh, and its "firmness in the Hereafter" refers to steadfastness when the angels question in the grave. He traces this interpretation from al-Barāʾ ibn ʿĀzib (who heard the verse explained by the Prophet in this way) through a strong chain, making it the strongest possible basis a prophetic explanation of the verse.

أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرَةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ A-lam tara kayfa ḍaraba Allāhu mathalan kalimatan ṭayyibatan ka-shajaratin ṭayyibah "Have you not seen how Allah presents a parable a good word like a good tree" (14:24) Al-Ṭabarī: the Prophet identified the good tree as the date palm (nakhlah) in ḥadīth the prophetic identification settles the metaphor definitively.

يُثَبِّتُ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ Yuthabbittu Allāhu lladhīna āmanū bil-qawli th-thābiti fī l-ḥayāti d-dunyā wa-fī l-ākhirah "Allah makes firm those who believe with the firm word in the worldly life and in the Hereafter" (14:27) Al-Ṭabarī: the firm word = lā ilāha illā Allāh; firmness in the ākhirah = answering the grave questions correctly from al-Barāʾ's chain.

Date palm identification: The Prophet's identification of the good tree as the date palm is a model of how prophetic ḥadīth settles Quranic metaphors al-Ṭabarī places this above all Companion views.
Grave questioning: Al-Ṭabarī treats the grave questioning ḥadīth as the authoritative commentary on 14:27 the "Hereafter" firmness refers specifically to steadfastness in munkar and nakīr's questioning.
Ibrāhīm's supplication: The prayer for Makkah (14:35–41) is traced through narrations establishing its connection to the actual history of the Ḥaram and Quraysh.
Evil word like rotten roots: Al-Ṭabarī presents the evil word parable through chains from ʿAlī and Ibn ʿAbbās the rootless tree of shirk has no stability in this world or the next.
Ibrāhīm's intercession: The prayer "Rabbi-ghfir lī wa-li-wālidayya" (14:41) is used by al-Ṭabarī to address the question of Ibrāhīm's father's fate noting the specific Companion discussion.

Surah Overview

Key Themes from Al-Ṭabarī

Finished this lesson?