Sūrah Ibrāhīm Abraham
إبراهيم
52 verses, Makkī. Revealed in the later Makkī period. Ibrāhīm ﷺ supplicates for the people of Makkah for their security, their provision, and their guidance. The great parable of the good word as a good tree. The unjust will be held accountable and cannot save themselves.
Surah Overview
Key Themes from Ibn Kathīr
The parable of the good word (14:24–26): Have you not considered how Allah presents the example a good word like a good tree, its root firmly fixed, its branches reaching toward the sky, producing its fruit every season by permission of its Lord. A bad word is like a bad tree, uprooted from the surface of the earth, having no stability. Ibn Kathīr: the good word is lā ilāha illallāh the tree of tawḥīd rooted in the heart of the believer.
Ibrāhīm's prayer for Makkah (14:35–41): "My Lord, make this city secure and keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols." Then the prayer for his descendants to establish prayer, for his two parents, and for the believers on the Day of Reckoning. Ibn Kathīr: this prayer was answered Makkah became the most secure city on earth.
- Moses sent to bring people from darkness to light (14:1–5): The purpose of all revelation is to bring people from ẓulumāt (darkness plural: many types of misguidance) to nūr (light singular: there is only one truth). All prophets shared this mission.
- Gratitude increases blessings (14:7): "If you are grateful, I will surely increase you in favour. If you deny My punishment is severe." Ibn Kathīr: shukr (gratitude) is both acknowledgement of the blessing and its use in obedience to the Giver.
- Shaytān disowns his followers (14:22): On the Day of Judgement, Shaytān will say: "I had no authority over you I only called you and you responded. Blame yourselves, not me." Final accountability is individual.
- The earth exchanged on the Day (14:48): "On the day the earth will be replaced by another earth, and the heavens as well, and all creatures will appear before Allah, the One, the Prevailing." The entire physical universe recreated the final reckoning on the new earth.
- The prayer of Ibrāhīm ﷺ for his parents (14:41): "Our Lord, forgive me and my parents and the believers on the day the account is established." Ibn Kathīr notes this was before it became clear to Ibrāhīm that his father was an enemy of Allah after which he disavowed him.