Here
Allah has commended Isma`il, the son of Ibrahim, the Friend of Allah. He
(Isma`il) is the father of all of the Arabs of the Hijaz because he was true to
what he promised. Ibn Jurayj said, "He did not make any promise to his
Lord, except that he fulfilled it.'' He never obligated himself to do any act
of worship with a vow, except that he fulfilled it and carried it out, giving
it its full due. Some said,
[صَـدِقَ الْوَعْدِ]
((he was)
true to what he promised.) "This was said about him because he said to his
father,
[سَتَجِدُنِى إِن شَآءَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الصَّـبِرِينَ]
(If Allah
wills you will find me of the patient.) [37:102] So he was truthful in that.''
Being true to one's promise is one of the praiseworthy characteristics, just as
breaking one's promise is of the detested characteristics. Allah, the Exalted,
says,
[يأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لِمَ تَقُولُونَ مَا لاَ تَفْعَلُونَ
- كَبُرَ مَقْتاً عِندَ اللَّهِ أَن تَقُولُواْ مَا لاَ تَفْعَلُونَ
]
(O you
who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do Most hateful it is with
Allah that you say that which you do not do.) [61:2-3] The Messenger of Allah
said,
«آيَةُ الْمُنَافِقِ ثَلَاثٌ: إِذَا حَدَّثَ كَذَبَ، وَإِذَا وَعَدَ
أَخْلَفَ، وَإِذَا ائْتُمِنَ خَان»
(The sign
of the hypocrite is three things. When he speaks, he lies; when he promises, he
breaks his promise; and when he is entrusted with something, he is disloyal to
his trust.) Thus, if these are the characteristics of the hypocrites, then
behaving contrary to these is a characteristic of the true believer. For this
reason, Allah commended His servant and Messenger Isma`il, for he was true to
his promise. Likewise, the Messenger of Allah was true to his promise. He did
not promise anyone anything, except that he fulfilled his promise to that
person. He also commended Abu Al-`As bin Ar-Rabi`, the husband of his daughter
Zaynab, by saying,
«حَدَّثَنِي فَصَدَقَنِي، وَوَعَدَنِي فَوَفَى لِي»
(He spoke
to me and he told me the truth, and he promised me and he fulfilled his promise
to me.) When the Prophet died, the Khalifah (his successor), Abu Bakr As-Siddiq
said, "Whoever received any promise from the Messenger of Allah or was
owed any debt by him, then let him come to me and I will fulfill it on his
behalf.'' So Jabir bin `Abdullah came and related that the Messenger of Allah
said,
«لَوْ قَدْ جَاءَ مَالُ الْبَحْرَينِ أَعْطَيْتُكَ هَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا
وَهَكَذَا»
(If the
wealth of Bahrain comes (to me), then I would give you such and such and such.)
This meant that he would fill his hands with wealth. Therefore, when the wealth
of Bahrain came (to them), Abu Bakr commanded Jabir to come and fill his hands
from that wealth. Then, he commanded him to do so again, until he collected
five hundred Dirhams. Then, Abu Bakr gave him its double along with it.(i.e.
one thousand extra Dirhams). Concerning Allah's statement,
[وَكَانَ رَسُولاً نَّبِيّاً]
(and he
was a Messenger, (and) a Prophet.) In this is a proof of Isma`il's favored
status over his brother, Ishaq. Ishaq was only described as being a Prophet,
but Isma`il was described with both prophethood and messengership. It is
confirmed in Sahih Muslim that the Messenger of Allah said,
«إِنَّ اللهَ اصْطَفَى مِنْ وَلَدِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِسْمَاعِيل»
(Verily,
Allah chose Isma`il from the sons of Ibrahim...) Then, Imam Muslim mentions the
rest of the Hadith in its entirety. However, this statement proves the
correctness of what we have said. Allah said,
[وَكَانَ يَأْمُرُ أَهْلَهُ بِالصَّـلَوةِ وَالزَّكَـوةِ وَكَانَ
عِندَ رَبِّهِ مَرْضِيّاً ]
(And he
would enjoin on his family and his people the Salah and the Zakah, and his Lord
was pleased with him.) This is also a beautiful form of praise, a commendable
quality, and and upright characteristic. He was commanded in this way because
of his persistence in obedience of his Lord, and enjoining his family to do so.
This is as Allah said to His Messenger ,
[وَأْمُرْ أَهْلَكَ بِالصَّلوةِ وَاصْطَبِرْ عَلَيْهَا]
(And
enjoin the Salah on your family, and be patient with them.) [20:132] Also,
Allah, the Exalted, said,
[يأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ قُواْ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَهْلِيكُمْ
نَاراً وَقُودُهَا النَّاسُ وَالْحِجَارَةُ عَلَيْهَا مَلَـئِكَةٌ غِلاَظٌ شِدَادٌ
لاَّ يَعْصُونَ اللَّهَ مَآ أَمَرَهُمْ وَيَفْعَلُونَ مَا يُؤْمَرُونَ
]
(O you
who believe! Protect yourselves and your families against a Fire (Hell) whose
fuel is men and stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe,
who disobey not, (from executing) the commands they receive from Allah, but do
that which they are commanded.) [66:6] This means to command them to do good,
forbid them from evil and do not neglect them. If you do so, and they obey your
command, the Fire (of Hell) will not devour them on the Day of Resurrection. It
has been reported in a Hadith from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah
said,
«رَحِمَ اللهُ رَجُلًا قَامَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَصَلَّى وَأَيْقَظَ
امْرَأَتَهُ، فَإِنْ أَبَتْ نَضَحَ فِي وَجْهِهَا الْمَاءَ. رَحِمَ اللهُ امْرَأَةً
قَامَتْ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَصَلَّتْ وَأَيْقَظَتْ زَوْجَهَا، فَإِنْ أَبَى نَضَحَتْ فِي
وَجْهِهِ الْمَاء»
(May
Allah have mercy upon a man who gets up at night to pray and he wakes his wife.
If she refuses to get up, he sprinkles water in her face. May Allah have mercy
upon a woman who gets up at night to pray and she wakes her husband. If he
refuses to get up, she sprinkles water in his face.) This Hadith was recorded
by Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah.
[وَاذْكُرْ فِى الْكِتَـبِ إِدْرِيسَ إِنَّهُ كَانَ صِدِّيقاً نَّبِيَّاً
- وَرَفَعْنَاهُ مَكَاناً عَلِيّاً ]
(56. And
mention in the Book, Idris. Verily, he was a man of truth, (and) a Prophet.)
(57. And We raised him to a high station.)
