Prayers of the Prophets

12. Surha Yusuf (Joseph)

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

لَقَدْ كَانَ فِي قَصَصِهِمْ عِبْرَةٌ لِّأُوْلِي الأَلْبَابِ...   

12: 111. There is, in their stories, instruction for men endued with understanding.

C1796. Their stories, i.e., the stories of Prophets or of the wicked; for the two threads inter-twine, as in Joseph's story.

...مَا كَانَ حَدِيثًا يُفْتَرَى وَلَـكِن تَصْدِيقَ الَّذِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ...

It is not a tale invented, but a confirmation of what went before it --

C1797. A story like that of Joseph is not a purely imaginary fable. The People of the Book have it in their sacred literature. It is confirmed here in its main outline, but here there is a detailed spiritual exposition that will be found nowhere in earlier literature.

The exposition covers all sides of human life. If properly understood it gives valuable lessons to guide our conduct,-an instance of Allah's grace and mercy to people who will go to Him in faith and put their affairs in His hands.

...وَتَفْصِيلَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿١١١﴾  

a detailed exposition of all things, and a Guide and a Mercy to any such as believe.

Pickthall’s Version:

12: 101

Pickthall O my Lord! Thou hast given me (something) of sovereignty and hast taught me (something) of the interpretation of events, Creator of the heavens and the earth! Thou art my Protecting Friend in the world and the Hereafter. Make me to die submissive (unto Thee), and join me to the righteous.

Transliteration Rabbi qad a_taitani minal mulki wa 'allamtani min ta'wilil aha_dis(i), fa_tiras sama_wa_ti wal ard(i), anta waliyyi fid dunya_ wal a_khirah(ti), tawaffani muslimaw wa alhiqni bis sa_lihin(a).

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14. Surah Ibrahim

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ ...

14: 35.  Remember Abraham said:

C1912. This Prayer of Abraham, the True in Faith, the progenitor of the Semitic peoples and the Prototype of their Religion, is introduced in this place, to illustrate the points referred to in the preceding section, 14:31-34, viz.,

-        how the new Revelation through the Ka'bah bears out the universal Revelation of Prayer and Charity,

-        Love of Allah and man,

-        Recognition of Allah's handiwork in nature, and

-        Insistence on man's turning away from false worship and ingratitude to Allah.

Notice the four divisions into which it falls:

1.     verses 35-36 are spoken by Abraham as on his own behalf ("O my Lord!");

2.      verses 37-38 are spoken on behalf of his progeny ("O our Lord!") but with special reference to the elder branch, the children of Isma'il;

3.      verses 39-40 are again a personal appeal, but both branches of his family, viz., the sons of Isma'il and Isaac, are expressly mentioned;

4.     verse 41 is a Prayer for himself, his parents, and all Believers, typifying that in the universality of Islam all nations are to be blessed.

Jerusalem, for the Mosaic Law and the Gospel of Jesus, was the centre and symbol for the Jewish race, though of course all Allah's Truth is universal;

Makkah, the centre of the Arab race, was to throw off its tribal character and become universal, in spite of the Makkans themselves.

... رَبِّ اجْعَلْ هَـذَا الْبَلَدَ آمِنًا... 

"O my Lord! make this city one of peace and security:

...وَاجْنُبْنِي وَبَنِيَّ أَن نَّعْبُدَ الأَصْنَامَ ﴿٣٥﴾

and preserve me and my sons from worshipping idols.

C1913. Cf. 2:125-129.

Abraham (with Isma'il) built the Ka'bah, and Abraham asks a blessing on his handiwork and forgiveness for such lapses into idolatry as both branches of his family might fall into.

الْحَمْدُ لِلّهِ الَّذِي وَهَبَ لِي عَلَى الْكِبَرِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَقَ...   

14: 39.  "Praise be to Allah, who hath granted unto me in old age Isma'il and Isaac:

...إِنَّ رَبِّي لَسَمِيعُ الدُّعَاء ﴿٣٩﴾

for truly my Lord is He, the Hearer of Prayer!

C1917. Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born (Gen. 21:5); and as Isma'il was 13 years old when Abraham was 99. (Gen. 17:24-25),

Isma'il was also a son of his father's old age, having been born when Abraham was 86 years old. The younger son's progeny developed the Faith of Israel and that of Christ; the elder son's progeny perfected the more universal Faith of Islam, the Faith of Abraham the True,

رَبِّ اجْعَلْنِي مُقِيمَ الصَّلاَةِ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِي...   

14: 40.  "O my Lord!

make me one who establishes regular Prayer, and also (raise such) among my offspring,

C1918. Abraham prays for both branches of his family, having a wider vision than some of the later Children of Israel.

...رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلْ دُعَاء ﴿٤٠﴾

O our Lord! and accept Thou my Prayer.

رَبَّنَا ...

14: 41.  "O our Lord!

C1919. Read again n. 1912 above.

Having prayed for his progeny, Abraham now prays for Allah's grace on himself, his parents, and the whole Brotherhood of Faith, irrespective of family or race or time, to be perfected in the ideal of Islam.

... اغْفِرْ لِي ...

cover (us) with Thy Forgiveness --

C1920. For the shades of meaning in the different words for Forgiveness, see n. 110 to 2:109.

... وَلِوَالِدَيَّ ...

me, my parents,

C1921. My parents. Abraham's father was an idolater (43:26; 6:74). Not only that, but he persecuted the Faith of Unity and threatened Abraham with stoning and exile (19:46); and he and his people cast him into the Fire to be burned (21:52, 68).

Yet Abraham's heart was tender, and he prayed for forgiveness for his father because of a promise which he had made (9:114), though he renounced the land of his fathers (Chaldea).

... وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الْحِسَابُ ﴿٤١﴾

and (all) Believers, on the Day that the Reckoning will be established!"

C1922. At the final Reckoning, all that may seem inequality or injustice in this world will be redressed. But the merits of the best of us will need Allah's Grace to establish us in that lasting Felicity which is promised to the righteous. And Abraham, as the father of Prophecy, prayed for all,-for the Universal Faith perfected in Islam.

Other Versions:

14: 35

Asad And when Abraham spoke: “O my sustainer! Make this land secure, and preserve me and my children from ever worshipping idols………

[ Asad note 50: The term “idols” [ ASNAM, sing. SANAM ]……for shirk – that is , an attribution of divine powers or qualities to anyone or anything beside God – may consist also, as Razi points out, in a worshipful devotion to all manner of “causative agencies and outward means to an end”-…… “whereas genuine faith in the oneness and uniqueness of God [at-tawhid al-mahd] consists in divesting oneself of all inner attachment to causative agencies and in being convinved that there exists no real directing power apart from God”.]

Pickthall And when Abraham said: My Lord! Make safe this territory, and preserve me and my sons from serving idols.

Transliteration Wa iz qa_la ibra_himu rabbi-j'al ha_zal balada a_minaw wa-jnubni wa baniyya an na'budal asna_m(a).

14: 39

Asad …….Behold, my Sustainer hears indeed all prayer:

Pickthall Praise be to Allah Who hath given me, in my old age, Ishmael and Isaac! Lo! my Lord is indeed the Hearer of Prayer.

Transliteration Al hamdu lilla_hil lazi wahaba li 'alal kibari isma_'ila wa isha_q(a), inna rabbi lasami'ud du'a_'(i).

14: 40

Pickthall My Lord! Make me to establish proper worship, and some of my posterity (also); our Lord! and accept the prayer.

Transliteration Rabbi-j'alni muqimas sala_ti wa min zurriyyati, rabbana_ wa taqabbal du'a_'(i).

14: 41

Pickthall Our Lord! Forgive me and my parents and believers on the day when the account is cast.

Transliteration Rabbana-gfir li wa liwa_lidayya wa lil mu'minina yauma yaqu_mul hisa_b(u).

[Ali’s notes: 1917 Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born (Gen. xxi. 5); and as Isma'il was 13 years old when Abraham was 99. (Gen. xvii. 24-25), Isma'il was also a son of his father's old age, having been born when Abraham was 86 years old. The younger son's progeny developed the Faith of Israel and that of Christ; the elder son's progeny perfected the more universal Faith of Islam, the Faith of Abraham the True. (14.39)

1918 Abraham prays for both branches of his family, having a wider vision than some of the later Children of Israel. (14.40)

1919 Read again n. 1912 above. Having prayed for his progeny, Abraham now prays for Allah's grace on himself, his parents, and the whole Brotherhood of Faith, irrespective of family or race or time, to be perfected in the ideal of Islam. (14.41)

1920 For the shades of meaning in the different words for Forgiveness, see n. 110 to ii. 109. (14.41) ]