قَالَ سَلَـٰمٌ عَلَيْكَ ۖ سَأَسْتَغْفِرُ لَكَ رَبِّىٓ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ بِى حَفِيًّا 47
Translations
[Abraham] said, "Peace [i.e., safety] will be upon you. I will ask forgiveness for you of my Lord. Indeed, He is ever gracious to me.
Transliteration
Qala assalamu alayka sa-astaghfiru laka rabbi innahu kana bi hafiyan
Tafsir (Explanation)
Ibrahim (Abraham) responds to his father's threat with gentleness and grace, saying 'Peace be upon you,' and promises to seek forgiveness for him from Allah, recognizing that Allah has always been gracious to him. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note this demonstrates Ibrahim's extraordinary compassion and adherence to the commandment to honor parents (Quran 17:23-24), even when his father rejected monotheism. The phrase 'hafiyan' (gracious/kind) reflects Ibrahim's acknowledgment of Allah's continuous favor upon him throughout his life, which gives him the confidence and hope that Allah may guide his father.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the dialogue between Prophet Ibrahim and his polytheistic father in Surah Maryam, which is a Meccan surah addressing the early Muslim community facing persecution. The context reflects the struggle many early Muslims faced regarding family members who rejected faith, providing them with an exemplary model of righteousness and patience in such trials.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'The most grievous sin is when a man curses his parents.' This relates to the inverse principle demonstrated here—honoring parents even when they reject faith. Additionally, the hadith from Sunan Ibn Majah regarding seeking forgiveness for non-believing parents reflects the spirit of this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches Muslims that maintaining moral integrity and kindness toward family members who reject Islam is not a compromise of faith, but rather an expression of it; our gracious conduct may be a means through which Allah guides others to the truth.