باسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

Reflections from Ibrahim’s عليه السلام conversation with his father in Surat Maryam, 41-48: Lessons on Da’wah 
 
When we observe people who’re close to us, maybe a member of our family, a friend, a relative or any person beloved to us, engaging in acts of disobedience to Allah subhaanahu wa ta’ala, our heart grieves, it’s excruciating, and the eyes shed tears because we love them for the sake of Allah, and we don’t want them to stray farther from His pleasure. Often times, we become overwhelmed with the feelings of helplessness and powerlessness over our state of affairs to affect a change. While in other cases, we leave no stone unturned in guilt-tripping or shaming them for their sins, which further repels the person away from the deen of Allah. We think that this person has to be bombarded with constant reminders of their sins every time they do something wrong, which only fills their heart with resentment and self-loathing. When we're calling people to Allah, we've been conditioned to believe that the only path leading to it is through reprimanding, rebuking or criticising the person over their sins and make them feel miserable. 

On the contrast, Ibrahim عليه السلام is calling his father from a place of genuine concern, care and utmost love; not from a self-righteous and self-aggrandizing position. This is captured in his words - ya abati - my beloved father. What can be more tormenting and painful to witness than to have a member of your family, a parent, be a manufacturer of idols, let alone be an idol worshipper himself. Allah سبحانه وتعالى tells us that the window for forgiveness is open in case of all sins - major as well as minor - except Shirk. There's no forgiveness for the one who associates partners with Him. We cannot even begin to commiserate with Ibrahim عليه السلام in this situation. To have your father outrightly reject the Signs of Allah is heavy for the heart. If he had wanted, he could have tossed reminders of the Punishment of the Hell fire or the wrath of Allah at his father, but even in this situation, He is calling out to him using one of Allah's beautiful attributes - Ar-Rahman; reminding him of the love and care of Allah that surpasses His wrath. He is calling his father to use his own reason and intellect while urging- 'why do you worship that which does not benefit...' He could've let his emotions run wild or got all worked up. Not only that, but he could've easily lost hope and felt dejected in this situation. And as if this wasn't enough, his dad's response must have been the final nail in the coffin. He not only disowned Ibrahim but went as far as to threaten to kill him if he persisted in his call. Imagine having to witness someone close to you disobeying Allah in broad daylight and then cutting off ties with you for calling them to the Straight Path. We would easily give up at this point. We would fail to see any hope. What do we do instead? To begin with, we're not even gentle with the people we're calling to. We speak from a place of arrogance, trying to prove the other person wrong and ourselves right. We speak with our hearts filled with resentment and pride. Whereas, when dealing with our family members or those close to us, how quick are we to lose hope and throw the towel? Are we doing our best to remind them of Allah, to call them to His Path? Are we gentle in our speech, or are we always critical of their actions and speech? Are we truly speaking from a place of concern or a place of pride? Yes, we do not possess ownership of other people's heart and Guidance ultimately lies in the Hands of Allah, but that doesn't give us the licence to deflect responsibility and give up easily after a couple attempts. 
Ibrahim عليه السلام was genuinely afraid that his father would taste Allah's punishment if he didn't submit. He could also have decided to just break ties with his father after hitting this rough path and let him be. He could have chosen to shut the door on his dad's face after being the recipient of those harsh words, but what did he choose to do ultimately? Upon realising that his father wouldn't desist from his ways, he chose to ask forgiveness from Allah for his father through du'a and that also goes on to reflect his love for his father. All those feelings of hurt and pain didn't divert him from his mission, his purpose in life, i.e. calling to Allah. He decided to walk away, but in a manner that still left room for reconciliation.

May Allah سبحانه وتعالى allow the knowledge that we seek to soften our hearts and beauty our characters. May He grant us humility in our conduct and dealings with all kinds of people. May He put barakah in our words and our actions when calling people to the Truth and may He enable us to enjoin good and forbid evil while following the unparalleled Sunnah of all the Prophets and the righteous, Allahumma Aameen.

ASA WRWB

A reminder from the Prophets (AS):

You may have the worst father [figure] in history. But you still have to speak to him with kindness and treat him with respect. Even if it feels that he isn't worthy. However, 
(1) he may have made the smallest contribution to your upbringing and that deserves respect
(2) your kindness to him despite his evil might pull at his heart and perpetuate positive change.

It's not easy to fight fire with water, and for some men, they might even prefer to fight fire with fire. Through these Ayahs, Allah (SWT) is encouraging to deliver the truth (which they oppose) with kindness.

This adds up to the general command Allah gives all people to treat their parents with utmost respect and addressing them with honorable words.

May Allah (SWT) protect us from being the parent or child of a broken home. May He foster love between husband and wife and between parents and children and between siblings. May Allah (SWT) help children treat their parents with kindness even when it's hard. May Allah (SWT) change our parents for the better.

Ameen.

Masha'Allah, a great and an important reminder for all of us who have parents. Indeed there are countless lessons that we can take from the stories of the Prophets (peace be upon them), and masha'Allah you have beautifully explained one of those lessons here in this reflection. Jazakallahu khair for sharing this. We look forward to reading more reflections from you insha'Allah.

Ibrahim (AS) starts out by disproving any false Gods, explicitly says 'Do not worship Satan. Surely, Satan is ever rebellious against the Most Compassionate'. Ibrahim (AS) then praises Allah (SWT) by calling him the Most Compassionate. This is similar to the Dua presented in the beginning of the halaqa, where we admit our faults, and then praise Allah (SWT). Later on in the sura, it explains that we should embrace Tawhid, and to always give Dawah to those around us to embrace it as well.  

MAS Ibn Sina Community

🌿 “يَا أَبَتِ” — محبت، ادب اور ایمان کا قرآنی اسلوب

عربی زبان میں “يَا أَبَتِ” عام پکار نہیں ہے۔

اصل لفظ “يا أبي” ہے، مگر نداء کے وقت عرب محبت اور قربت ظاہر کرنے کے لیے یائے متکلم کی جگہ تاءِ عوض (تِ) لاتے ہیں — اور یوں بنتا ہے:

> يَا أَبَتِ
یعنی: اے میرے ابا جان!

یہ انداز رسمی نہیں، بلکہ شفقت، احترام اور قلبی تعلق کا اظہار ہے۔

5️⃣ بلاغت اور لطافت
“يا أبتِ” کہنا صرف گرامر نہیں بلکہ:
انتہائی محبت
ادب
قربت
شفقت کا انداز
اس میں رسمی پن کم اور جذباتی وابستگی زیادہ ہے۔

اسی لیے انبیاء علیہم السلام کی گفتگو میں یہ انداز نمایاں ہے۔

1️⃣ حضرت یوسفؑ کا خطاب

سورۃ یوسف (12:4)

> يَا أَبَتِ إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كَوْكَبًا...
“اے میرے ابا جان! میں نے (خواب میں) گیارہ ستارے دیکھے…”

حضرت یوسفؑ خود بھی بعد میں پیغمبر بنے، اور جس سے مخاطب ہیں وہ بھی اللہ کے نبی حضرت یعقوبؑ تھے۔
خطاب میں وہی ادب، وہی محبت۔

2️⃣ حضرت اسماعیلؑ کا خطاب

سورۃ الصافات (37:102)

> قَالَ يَا أَبَتِ افْعَلْ مَا تُؤْمَرُ...
“اے میرے ابا جان! آپ کو جو حکم دیا جا رہا ہے وہ کر گزریں…”

یہاں بیٹا بھی نبی، باپ بھی نبی — 
 ادب میں کوئی کمی نہیں۔

📖 جب باپ مشرک ہو… تب بھی “يا أبتِ”

حضرت ابراہیمؑ کا خطاب اپنے والد سے 
 جو شرک پر قائم تھے 

📖  سورۃ مریم — آیت 42
إِذْ قَالَ لِأَبِيهِ يَا أَبَتِ لِمَ تَعْبُدُ مَا لَا يَسْمَعُ وَلَا يُبْصِرُ وَلَا يُغْنِي عَنكَ شَيْئًا
ترجمہ: جب انہوں نے اپنے باپ سے کہا: اے میرے ابا جان! آپ ایسی چیز کی عبادت کیوں کرتے ہیں جو نہ سنتی ہے، نہ دیکھتی ہے، اور نہ آپ کے کسی کام آ سکتی ہے؟

📖  سورۃ مریم — آیت 43
يَا أَبَتِ إِنِّي قَدْ جَاءَنِي مِنَ الْعِلْمِ مَا لَمْ يَأْتِكَ فَاتَّبِعْنِي أَهْدِكَ صِرَاطًا سَوِيًّا
ترجمہ: اے میرے ابا جان! یقیناً میرے پاس وہ علم آ چکا ہے جو آپ کے پاس نہیں آیا، پس آپ میری پیروی کیجیے، میں آپ کو سیدھا راستہ دکھاؤں گا۔

📖  سورۃ مریم — آیت 44
يَا أَبَتِ لَا تَعْبُدِ الشَّيْطَانَ ۖ إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ كَانَ لِلرَّحْمَٰنِ عَصِيًّا
ترجمہ: اے میرے ابا جان! شیطان کی عبادت نہ کیجیے، یقیناً شیطان رحمن کا نافرمان ہے۔

📖 سورۃ مریم — آیت 45
يَا أَبَتِ إِنِّي أَخَافُ أَن يَمَسَّكَ عَذَابٌ مِّنَ الرَّحْمَٰنِ فَتَكُونَ لِلشَّيْطَانِ وَلِيًّا
ترجمہ: اے میرے ابا جان! مجھے اندیشہ ہے کہ آپ کو رحمن کی طرف سے عذاب آ پکڑے، پھر آپ شیطان کے ساتھی بن جائیں۔

چار مرتبہ مسلسل “يَا أَبَتِ”
نصیحت بھی… اختلاف بھی… مگر لہجہ؟
محبت اور احترام۔

حالانکہ شرک اللہ کے نزدیک سب سے بڑا گناہ ہے —
مگر والد کا ادب پھر بھی باقی رکھا گیا۔
---

📖 یہی اصول سورہ لقمان میں

سورۃ لقمان (31:15)

> وَإِن جَاهَدَاكَ عَلَىٰ أَن تُشْرِكَ بِي مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ فَلَا تُطِعْهُمَا ۖ وَصَاحِبْهُمَا فِي الدُّنْيَا مَعْرُوفًا
“اور اگر وہ تم پر زور ڈالیں کہ تم میرے ساتھ کسی کو شریک کرو جس کا تمہیں علم نہیں، تو ان کی اطاعت نہ کرو، مگر دنیا میں ان کے ساتھ اچھا برتاؤ کرتے رہو۔”

یہاں اصول واضح ہے:

✔ عقیدہ میں سمجھوتہ نہیں
✔ مگر اخلاق اور ادب میں کمی نہیں

---

✨ ایک گہرا سبق

حضرت یوسفؑ — نبی بیٹا، نبی باپ

حضرت اسماعیلؑ — نبی بیٹا، نبی باپ

حضرت ابراہیمؑ — نبی بیٹا، مگر باپ مشرک

مگر تینوں جگہ لہجہ ایک ہی:

> يَا أَبَتِ

یہ قرآن کا اخلاقی معیار ہے۔
اختلاف ایمان کی حد تک ہو سکتا ہے —
مگر والدین کا ادب ختم نہیں ہوتا۔
---

🌿 پیغام

اگر انبیاء علیہم السلام نے
نبی باپ سے بھی اور مشرک باپ سے بھی
ایک ہی محبت بھرے لہجے میں بات کی

تو ہمیں اپنے والدین کے ساتھ لہجہ کیسا رکھنا چاہیے؟

اللہ ہمیں “يا أبتِ” کا ادب سکھا دے۔

آمین ثم آمین 

فتدرج الخليل -عليه السلام- بدعوة أبيه بالأسهل فالأسهل؛ فأخبره بعلمه وأن ذلك موجب لاتباعك إياي، وأنك إن أطعتني اهتديت إلى صراط مستقيم، ثم نهاه عن عبادة الشيطان، وأخبره بما فيها من المضار، ثم حذره عقاب الله ونقمته إن أقام على حاله، وأنه يكون وليًا للشيطان. السعدي:495.
السؤال: التدرج في الدعوة من أهم الأمور التي يجب أن يحرص عليها الداعية، فكيف نستفيد هذا الأمر من قصة إبراهيم؟

* يمكنك وضع إجابتك عن الأسئلة في التعليقات حتى تعمّ الفائدة

* للمزيد عن هذه الآية في مصحف تدبر وعمل: https://altadabbur.com/#aya=19_42

#وقفة_تدبرية

Bilal May Allah be pleased with him stopped giving the athan after the prophet peace be upon him passed away as it would remind him of the blessed prophet. 

I never truly understood this concept untill I had to recite these surahs after my mother الله يرحمها passed away. Tbh I’ve been avoiding these surahs because of the emotional weight they have on me now. 

I still love these Surah , but there is this memory attached to them now that I recited these a lot by my mother’s death bed. 

Even walking through the streets that I passed by while talking to my mother,  somehow remind me of her. Subhan Allah 


Sometimes I almost accidentally pick up the phone and dial her 


I trust that Allah rewards a person every time  they remember a loved one that they lost and practice patience 

Until then 

و لذكر الله اكبر

Isn't it so interesting that Zechariah (a), a healthy adult, couldn't speak for 3 days and then a few ayahs later, we read that Isa (a), a newborn baby, could speak clearly?

Has anyone reflected upon/compared these 2 events? I'd love to read your reflections and any lessons you can share.  JAK.

Why was Zachariah deprived of speech for 3 days? Does anyone know the spiritual lesson behind this? I am unaware of the context of his teachings/story so any explanation would be greatly appreciated jzk!

In addition to being from amongst the greatest woman of mankind, their is another hidden wisdom as to why Maryam AS is the only woman mentioned by name in the Quran.

The Arabs of old, especially the elites amongst them (kings, noblemen, etc.) would never mention the names of their wives publicly because to them this was degrading to their honor as they held their wives too sacred to allow for their names to be on the tongues or ears of other men.  Instead they would refer to their wives in general terms that can also mean family, such as (ahl, 3iyal, etc)

We see in the quran other woman are referred to by their patronymic or 'kunya' such as the wife of Pharaoh aka Asya, or the mother of Musa AS, etc.  However with Maryam it is different. In almost every reference she is referred to by her name and not just her title, as the Mother of Jesus. That is because the Christians claim her to be the mother of the Son of God (AKA Jesus AS). This would entail that Allah SWT , far removed from this claim, took Maryam AS as a wife. So referring to her by name in every reference in the Quran adds additional emphasis that she is a servant of Allah SWT and nothing more. Knowing that the arab's did not see it problematic to refer to the female servants by name, unlike the case with their wives, this offered additional proof for those in doubt that Allah SWT never took for himself Maryam AS as a spouse, nor anyone for that matter.

Far removed is He from what they ascribe to Him.

Subhanallah so well thought out reflection, to me this is also proof of divine foreshadowing in a sense; Allah knew Isaa AS would be slandered by the christian presenting him as a god. Thereby by referring to Maryam AS  by her name it provides no room for misinterpretation of her as his wife, and establishes clarity on her role as a servant of Allah (as you mentioned at the time female servants were refered to by their names unlike wives called as per their status) and the mother of a prophet.

God (swt) frames the story of Zakaria's duaa by introducing it as a mercy from Him.
As Zakaria is making his duaa, we're listening to him and we already know that God is having mercy with him. 
He's Merciful in listening to Zakaria, He's Merciful in answering him immediately, He's Merciful in allowing him to empty his heart of all concern before gifting him a son.
What other mercies is God showing His slave?

JAK for wonderful observation... I'd add the mercy of direct access, personal experience, candid private conversation, he goes to Allah swt with personal concern and stating how he has been committed, then states a problem, and even a solution, and Allah accepts it all. It's like a conversation between friends, then Allah swt names the chilld - what an honor, true mercy and elevation of his concerned slave.

成为月捐者