Tarikh (al-Tabari) 132
The story of Abraham the Friend (peace and blessings be upon him)
اتِّخَاذُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ خَلِيلًا اتَّخَذَهُ اللَّهُ خَلِيلًا، وَالْخُلَّةُ هِيَ غَايَةُ الْمَحَبَّةِ، كَمَا قَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: قَدْ تَخَلَّلْتَ مَسْلَكَ الرُّوحِ مِنِّي وَبِذَا سُمِّيَ الْخَلِيلُ خَلِيلًا وَهَكَذَا نَالَ هَذِهِ الْمَنْزِلَةَ خَاتَمُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَسَيِّدُ الرُّسُلِ؛ مُحَمَّدٌ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ وَسَلَامُهُ عَلَيْهِ، كَمَا ثَبَتَ فِي الصَّحِيحَيْنِ وَغَيْرِهِمَا مِنْ حَدِيثِ جُنْدَبٍ الْبَجَلِيِّ، وَعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، وَابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ اتَّخَذَنِي خَلِيلًا، كَمَا اتَّخَذَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ خَلِيلًا. وَقَالَ أَيْضًا فِي آخِرِ خُطْبَةٍ خَطَبَهَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ لَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ خَلِيلًا لَاتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيلًا، وَلَكِنَّ صَاحِبَكُمْ خَلِيلُ اللَّهِ. أَخْرَجَاهُ مِنْ حَدِيثِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، وَثَبَتَ أَيْضًا مِنْ حَدِيثِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، وَابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، وَابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ. وَرَوَى الْبُخَارِيُّ فِي صَحِيحِهِ بسنده عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ مَيْمُونٍ قَالَ: إِنَّ مُعَاذًا لَمَّا قَدِمَ الْيَمَنَ صَلَّى بِهِمُ الصُّبْحَ فَقَرَأَ: وَاتَّخَذَ اللَّهُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ خَلِيلًا. فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ: لَقَدْ قَرَّتْ عَيْنُ أُمِّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ. وعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: جَلَسَ نَاسٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَنْتَظِرُونَهُ فَخَرَجَ حَتَّى إِذَا دَنَا مِنْهُمْ سَمِعَهُمْ يَتَذَاكَرُونَ فَسَمِعَ حَدِيثَهُمْ، وَإِذَا بَعْضُهُمْ يَقُولُ: عَجَبٌ أَنَّ اللَّهَ اتَّخَذَ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ خَلِيلًا، فَإِبْرَاهِيمُ خَلِيلُهُ. وَقَالَ آخَرُ: مَاذَا بِأَعْجَبَ مِنْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ كَلَّمَ مُوسَى تَكْلِيمًا. وَقَالَ آخَرُ: فَعِيسَى رُوحُ اللَّهِ وَكَلِمَتُهُ. وَقَالَ آخَرُ: آدَمُ اصْطَفَاهُ اللَّهُ. فَخَرَجَ عَلَيْهِمُ فَسَلَّمَ. وَقَالَ: قَدْ سَمِعْتُ كَلَامَكُمْ، وَعَجَبَكُمْ أَنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ خَلِيلُ اللَّهِ وَهُوَ كَذَلِكَ، وَمُوسَى كَلِيمُهُ وَهُوَ كَذَلِكَ، وَعِيسَى رُوحُهُ وَكَلِمَتُهُ وَهُوَ كَذَلِكَ، وَآدَمُ اصْطَفَاهُ اللَّهُ وَهُوَ كَذَلِكَ أَلَا وَإِنِّي حَبِيبُ اللَّهِ، وَلَا فَخْرَ، أَلَا وَإِنِّي أَوَّلُ شَافِعٍ وَأَوَّلُ مُشَفَّعٍ، وَلَا فَخْرَ، وَأَنَا أَوَّلُ مَنْ يُحَرِّكُ حَلْقَةَ بَابِ الْجَنَّةِ فَيَفْتَحُهُ اللَّهُ فَيُدْخِلُنِيهَا وَمَعِي فُقَرَاءُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَأَنَا أَكْرَمُ الْأَوَّلِينَ وَالْآخَرِينَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَلَا فَخْرَ. هَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ، وَلَهُ شَوَاهِدُ مِنْ وُجُوهٍ أُخَرَ، وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. وَرَوَى الْحَاكِمُ فِي مُسْتَدْرَكِهِ بسنده عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: أَتُنْكِرُونَ أَنْ تَكُونَ الْخُلَّةُ لِإِبْرَاهِيمَ، وَالْكَلَامُ لِمُوسَى، وَالرُّؤْيَةُ لِمُحَمَّدٍ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ وَسَلَامُهُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَجْمَعِينَ. وَقَالَ ابْنُ أَبِي حَاتِمٍ بسنده عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ يَسَارٍ قَالَ: لَمَّا اتَّخَذَ اللَّهُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ خَلِيلًا أَلْقَى فِي قَلْبِهِ الْوَجَلَ حَتَّى إِنْ كَانَ خَفَقَانُ قَلْبِهِ لَيُسْمَعُ مِنْ بُعْدٍ، كَمَا يُسْمَعُ خَفَقَانُ الطَّيْرِ فِي الْهَوَاءِ. وَقَالَ عُبَيْدُ بْنُ عُمَيْرٍ: كَانَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ يُضِيفُ النَّاسَ، فَخَرَجَ يَوْمًا يَلْتَمِسُ إِنْسَانًا يُضِيفُهُ فَلَمْ يَجِدْ أَحَدًا يُضِيفُهُ، فَرَجَعَ إِلَى دَارِهِ فَوَجَدَ فِيهَا رَجُلًا قَائِمًا، فَقَالَ: يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ مَا أَدْخَلَكَ دَارِي بِغَيْرِ إِذْنِي ؟ قَالَ: دَخَلْتُهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهَا. قَالَ: وَمَنْ أَنْتَ ؟ قَالَ: أَنَا مَلَكُ الْمَوْتِ أَرْسَلَنِي رَبِّي إِلَى عَبْدٍ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ أُبَشِّرُهُ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدِ اتَّخَذَهُ خَلِيلًا. قَالَ: مَنْ هُوَ، فَوَاللَّهِ إِنْ أَخْبَرْتَنِي بِهِ، ثُمَّ كَانَ بِأَقْصَى الْبِلَادِ لَآتِيَنَّهُ، ثُمَّ لَا أَبْرَحُ لَهُ جَارًا حَتَّى يُفَرِّقَ بَيْنَنَا الْمَوْتُ. قَالَ: ذَلِكَ الْعَبْدُ أَنْتَ. قَالَ: أَنَا ! قَالَ: نَعَمْ. قَالَ: فَبِمَ اتَّخَذَنِي رَبِّي خَلِيلًا ؟ قَالَ: بِأَنَّكَ تُعْطِي النَّاسَ وَلَا تَسْأَلُهُمْ. رَوَاهُ ابْنُ أَبِي حَاتِمٍ سبب اتخاذ إبراهيم خليلا واخْتَلَفَ الْعُلَمَاءُ فِي سَبَبِ اتخاذ إبراهيم عليه السلام خليلا عَلَى ثَلَاثَةِ أَقْوَالٍ: أَحَدُهَا: لِإِطْعَامِهِ الطَّعَامَ فَكَانَ لَا يَأْكُلُ إِلَّا مَعَ ضَيْفٍ لِسَعَةِ كَرَمِهِ. وَفِي حَدِيثِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: "يَا جِبْرِيلُ لِمَ اتَّخَذَ اللَّهُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ خَلِيلًا؟ قَالَ: لِإِطْعَامِهِ الطَّعَامَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ". وَالثَّانِي: أَنَّ النَّاسَ أَصَابَتْهُمْ سَنَةٌ فَأَقْبَلُوا إِلَى بَابِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ يَطْلُبُونَ الطَّعَامَ وَكَانَتْ لَهُ مِيرَةٌ مِنْ صَدِيقٍ لَهُ بِمِصْرَ مِنْ كُلِّ سَنَةٍ، فَبَعَثَ غِلْمَانَهُ بِالْإِبِلِ إِلَى صَدِيقِهِ فَلَمْ يُعْطِهِمْ شَيْئًا، فَقَالُوا: لَوِ احْتَمَلْنَا مِنْ هَذِهِ الْبَطْحَاءِ لِيَرَى النَّاسُ أَنَّا قَدْ [جِئْنَا بِشَيْءٍ] فَمَلَئُوا الْغَرَائِرَ رَمْلًا ثُمَّ أَتَوْا إِبْرَاهِيمَ فَأَعْلَمُوهُ، فَاغْتَمَّ إِبْرَاهِيمُ لِأَجْلِ الْخَلْقِ فَنَامَ، وَجَاءَتْ سَارَّةُ وَهِيَ لَا تَعْلَمُ مَا كَانَ، فَفَتَحَتِ الْغَرَائِرَ فَإِذَا دَقِيقٌ حِوَارِيٌّ، فَأَمَرَتِ الْخَبَّازِينَ فَخَبَزُوا وَأَطْعَمُوا النَّاسَ، فَاسْتَيْقَظَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ، فَقَالَ: مِنْ أَيْنَ هَذَا الطَّعَامُ، فَقَالَتْ: مِنْ عِنْدِ خَلِيلِكَ الْمِصْرِيِّ، قَالَ: بَلْ مِنْ عِنْدِ خَلِيلِي اللَّهِ. فَيَوْمَئِذٍ اتَّخَذَهُ اللَّهُ خَلِيلًا. رَوَاهُ أَبُو صَالِحٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ. وَالثَّالِثُ: أَنَّهُ اتَّخَذَهُ خَلِيلًا لِكَسْرِهِ الْأَصْنَامَ وَجِدَالِهِ قَوْمَهُ. قَالَهُ مُقَاتِلٌ. عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ: لَمَّا اتَّخَذَ اللَّهُ [إِبْرَاهِيمَ] خَلِيلًا وَنَبِيًّا كَانَ لَهُ يَوْمَئِذٍ ثَلَاثُمِائَةِ عَبْدٍ أَعْتَقَهُمْ، وَأَسْلَمُوا وَكَانُوا يُقَاتِلُونَ مَعَهُ بِالْعِصِيِّ. وعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ: أَوَّلُ مَنْ عَمِلَ الْقِسِيَّ الْعَرَبِيَّةَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ -عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ- عَمِلَ لِإِسْمَاعِيلَ قَوْسًا وَلَإِسْحَاقَ قَوْسًا، وَكَانُوا يَرْمُونَ بِهَا، وَعَلَّمَهُمَا الرَّمْيَ. وَأَوَّلُ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ الْقِسِيَّ الْفَارِسِيَّةَ نُمْرُودُ.
Translation
✧ God, Mighty and Majestic, taking Abraham as an intimate friend (khalīl) He took him as an intimate friend, and intimate friendship (al-khulla) is the utmost of love, as one of them said: You have penetrated the course of the spirit within me, and thus the intimate friend was named an intimate friend. And thus the Seal of the Prophets and Master of the Messengers, Muhammad, may God’s blessings and ﷺ, attained this station, as is established in the two Ṣaḥīḥs and others from the ḥadīth of Jundab al-Bajalī, ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿAmr, and Ibn Masʿūd, from the Messenger of God ﷺ that he said: O people, God has taken me as an intimate friend, just as He took Abraham as an intimate friend. He also said at the end of a sermon he delivered: O people, if I were to take any of the people of the earth as an intimate friend, I would take Abū Bakr as an intimate friend, but your companion is the intimate friend of God. They both transmitted it from the ḥadīth of Abū Saʿīd, and it is also established from the ḥadīth of ʿAbd Allāh b. al-Zubayr, Ibn ʿAbbās, and Ibn Masʿūd. Al-Bukhārī narrated in his Ṣaḥīḥ with his chain from ʿAmr b. Maymūn who said: When Muʿādh came to Yemen, he led them in the morning prayer and recited: “And God took Abraham as an intimate friend.” A man among the people said: The eye of Abraham’s mother was comforted. And from Ibn ʿAbbās who said: Some people among the companions of the Messenger of God ﷺ sat waiting for him. He came out, and when he drew near them, he heard them conversing, and he heard their talk. One of them said: How amazing that God took from His creation an intimate friend; Abraham is His intimate friend. Another said: What is more amazing than that God spoke to Moses directly? Another said: Jesus is God’s spirit and His word. Another said: Adam, God chose him. He came out to them and greeted them, and said: I have heard your words and your amazement that Abraham is God’s intimate friend, and he is indeed so; and Moses is His interlocutor, and he is indeed so; and Jesus is His spirit and His word, and he is indeed so; and Adam, God chose him, and he is indeed so. Lo, I am God’s beloved, and no boast. Lo, I am the first intercessor and the first whose intercession is accepted, and no boast. I am the first to move the ring of the gate of Paradise, and God will open it and admit me, and with me the poor among the believers. I am the noblest of the first and the last on the Day of Resurrection, and no boast. This is a strange ḥadīth from this route, and it has corroborating witnesses from other routes, and God knows best. Al-Ḥākim narrated in his Mustadrak with his chain from Ibn ʿAbbās who said: Do you deny that intimate friendship belongs to Abraham, speech to Moses, and the vision to Muhammad, may God’s blessings and peace be upon them all? Ibn Abī Ḥātim said with his chain from Isḥāq b. Yasār who said: When God took Abraham as an intimate friend, He cast dread into his heart, so much so that the palpitation of his heart could be heard from afar, as the fluttering of a bird in the air is heard. ʿUbayd b. ʿUmayr said: Abraham ﷺ used to host people. One day he went out seeking a person to host, but found no one to host, so he returned to his house and found a man standing in it. He said: O servant of God, what brought you into my house without my permission? He said: I entered it by the permission of its Lord. He said: Who are you? He said: I am the Angel of Death; my Lord sent me to a servant among His servants to give him glad tidings that God has taken him as an intimate friend. He said: Who is he? By God, if you tell me who he is, even if he were at the farthest end of the lands, I would go to him, then I would not cease to be his neighbor until death parted us. He said: That servant is you. He said: Me? He said: Yes. He said: For what did my Lord take me as an intimate friend? He said: Because you give to people and do not ask them. Ibn Abī Ḥātim narrated it. The reason for Abraham being taken as an intimate friend The scholars differed regarding the reason Abraham ﷺ was taken as an intimate friend, on three opinions: First: Because of his feeding food; he would not eat except with a guest, due to the abundance of his generosity. In the ḥadīth of ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿAmr b. al-ʿĀṣ, from the Prophet ﷺ that he said: “O Gabriel, why did God take Abraham as an intimate friend?” He said: “Because of his feeding food, O Muhammad.” Second: That the people were struck by a year of famine, so they came to Abraham’s door seeking food. He had a supply from a friend of his in Egypt every year, so he sent his servants with the camels to his friend, but he gave them nothing. They said: If we were to load from this valley floor so that people would see that we have [come with something], so they filled the sacks with sand, then came to Abraham and informed him. Abraham grieved for the sake of the people and slept. Sārah came, not knowing what had happened, and opened the sacks, and behold, fine white flour. She ordered the bakers, and they baked and fed the people. Abraham woke up and said: Where is this food from? She said: From your Egyptian friend. He said: Rather, from my friend, God. On that day God took him as an intimate friend. Abū Ṣāliḥ narrated it from Ibn ʿAbbās. Third: That He took him as an intimate friend because of his breaking the idols and his disputing with his people. This was said by Muqātil. From Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: When God took [Abraham] as an intimate friend and a prophet, he had on that day three hundred slaves whom he manumitted, and they became Muslims, and they used to fight with him with staves. And from Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: The first to make Arab bows was Abraham ﷺ ; he made a bow for Ishmael and a bow for Isaac, and they used to shoot with them, and he taught them archery. The first to adopt Persian bows was Nimrod.
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No grade is recorded for this wording.