Surah Ibrahim 14:1

Which was revealed in Makkah

(بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ )

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Describing the Qur'an and warning Those Who defy it

Previously we discussed the meaning of the separate letters that appear in the beginnings of some Surahs.

كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَـهُ إِلَيْكَ

((This is) a Book which We have revealed unto you...) Allah says, `This is a Book that We have revealed to you, O Muhammad. This `Book', is the Glorious Qur'an, the most honored Book, that Allah sent down from heaven to the most honored Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent to all the people of the earth, Arabs and non-Arabs alike,

لِتُخْرِجَ النَّاسَ مِنَ الظُّلُمَـتِ إِلَى النُّورِ

(in order that you might lead mankind out of darkness into light) We sent you, O Muhammad, with this Book in order that you might lead mankind away from misguidance and crookedness to guidance and the right way,'

اللَّهُ وَلِيُّ الَّذِينَ ءامَنُواْ يُخْرِجُهُم مِّنَ الظُّلُمَـتِ إِلَى النُّورِ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ أَوْلِيَآؤُهُمُ الطَّـغُوتُ يُخْرِجُونَهُم مِّنَ النُّورِ إِلَى الظُّلُمَـتِ

(Allah is the Wali (Protector or Guardian) of those who believe. He brings them out from darkness into light. But as for those who disbelieve, their Awliya (supporters and helpers) are Taghut (false deities), they bring them out from light into darkness.) 2:257, and,

هُوَ الَّذِى يُنَزِّلُ عَلَى عَبْدِهِ ءَايَـتٍ بَيِّنَـتٍ لِّيُخْرِجَكُمْ مِّنَ الظُّلُمَـتِ إِلَى النُّورِ

(It is He Who sends down manifest Ayat to His servant that He may bring you out from darkness into light. ) 57:9 Allah said next,

بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ

(by their Lord's leave), He guides those whom He destined to be guided by the hand of His Messenger , whom He sent to guide them by His command,

إِلَى صِرَاطِ الْعَزِيزِ

(to the path of the All-Mighty,) Who can never be resisted or overpowered. Rather, Allah is Irresistible above everything and everyone else,

الْحَمِيدِ

(the Praised.) Who is glorified and praised in all His actions, statements, legislation, commandments and prohibitions and Who only says the truth in the information He conveys. Allah's statement,

اللَّهِ الَّذِى لَهُ مَا فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَمَا فِى الاٌّرْضِ

(Allah to Whom belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth!), is similar to,

قُلْ يَأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا الَّذِى لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ

(Say: "O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allah - to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth.) 7:158 Allah's statement,

وَوَيْلٌ لِّلْكَـفِرِينَ مِنْ عَذَابٍ شَدِيدٍ

(And woe unto the disbelievers from a severe torment. ) means, `woe to them on the Day of Judgment because they defied you, O Muhammad, and rejected you.' Allah described the disbelievers as preferring the life of the present world to the Hereafter, coveting the former life and working hard for its sake. They have forgotten the Hereafter and abandoned it behind their backs,

وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ

(and hinder (men) from the path of Allah), from following the Messengers,

وَيَبْغُونَهَا عِوَجًا

(and seek crookedness therein) they seek to make Allah's path crooked, even though it is straight itself and does not deviate on account of those who defy or betray it. When the disbelievers do this, they become engulfed in ignorance and misguidance far away from truth, and therefore, there is no hope that they will gain guidance and correctness while on this state.

Surah ini dimulai dengan "Alif Lam Ra". (Lihat tafsirnya pada jilid pertama pada judul "mafatihus suwar".) Dalam firman Allah swt sesudah Alif Lam Ra menjelaskan maksud dan tujuan diturunkannya Al-Quran kepada Nabi Muhammad. Allah menurunkan Al-Quran kepada Rasulullah agar petunjuk dan peraturan-peraturan yang dibawa Al-Quran itu dapat menjadi tuntunan dan bimbingan kepada umatnya. Dengan petunjuk itu mereka dapat dikeluarkan dari kegelapan ke cahaya yang terang-benderang, atau dari kesesatan dan kejahilan ke jalan yang benar dan mempunyai ilmu pengetahuan serta peradaban yang tinggi, sehingga mereka memperoleh rida dan kasih sayang Allah swt di dunia dan di akhirat.

Penegasan tentang fungsi Al-Quran ini sangat penting sekali, apalagi jika dihubungkan dengan ayat-ayat yang lalu, di mana Allah swt telah menyebut-kan adanya orang-orang yang mengingkari Al-Quran, baik sebagian, maupun keseluruhannya.

Selanjutnya dalam ayat ini diterangkan bahwa Rasulullah hanya dapat menjalankan tugas tersebut di atas dengan izin dan bantuan dari Allah swt, dengan cara memberi kemudahan dan menguatkan tekad beliau dalam menghadapi segala rintangan. Al-Quran merupakan jalan yang dibentangkan Allah Yang Mahakuasa dan Maha Terpuji bagi Nabi Muhammad dan umatnya.