A Comparative Exegesis of “you shall come back into our religion” (Ibrahim: 13) with Emphasis on the Infallibility of the Prophets

Document Type : Academicm and Research

Author

Associate Professor, Quran and Hadith Department, Hazrat-e Masoumeh University, Qom, Iran.

Abstract

The infallibility of prophets is one of the basic beliefs of Muslims, but its scope is a matter of dispute. One of the disputed verses in this regard is Prophet Shoaib’s threat in the verse “or else you shall come back into our religion” (Ibrahim: 13), the interpretation of which to mean return to the religion of the disbelievers is a challenge to Shiite beliefs and requires serious analysis because the general Shiites believe that the prophets were infallible in all periods of their lives. In this study, the exegetive viewpoints have been examined through a comparative method and it becomes clear that in the analysis and justification of the aforementioned challenge, the exegetes have said that the meaning of return (ʿowd) in the verse in question is Prophet Shoaib entering the religion of the disbelievers and agreeing with them, is an explanation of the illusion of the disbelievers, and the domination and generalization of the ruling of the majority for the general and transformation. ʿOwd, meaning transformation, can be acceptable despite some caveats. Most of the exegetes have taken ʿowd to mean return, however, they have refused to accept such a meaning. From the point of view of this article, ʿowd is acceptable in the sense of return, with the explanation that Prophet Shoaib followed the religion of the previous Prophet along with his people in the period before his prophethood. Only Ibn Taymiyyah, in contrast to Sunni and Shiite exegetes, has insisted on the committing of sins by the prophets without citing the text of the verse.

Highlights

Introduction

The disbelievers and the arrogant, after being unable to respond to the strong arguments of the divine prophets, tried to threaten them, which is expressed in several verses, including verse thirteen of the Ibrahim Chapter: “And those who disbelieved said to their apostles: We will most certainly drive you forth from our land, or else you shall come back into our religion. So their Lord revealed to them: Most certainly We will destroy the unjust.” The phrase “you shall come back into our religion” in the verse has given rise to the question of whether the prophets believed in the religion of polytheists before prophethood that the disbelievers should seek to return the prophets to that same religion. Didn’t the prophets possess “infallibility?” In order to clear this doubt, the explanation and interpretation of the phrase “you shall come back into our religion” will be examined in three parts, a) authentic Shiite exegeses, b) famous Sunni exegeses, and c) Ibn Taymiyyah’s view. Due to the similarity of this phrase with a part of verse eighty-eight of the al-Aʿraaf Chapter – “The chiefs, those who were proud from among his people said: We will most certainly turn you out, O Shu’aib, and (also;) those who believe with you, from our town, or you shall come back to our faith.” – in some instances, the interpretation of this verse will be used to complement this matter. The method of this study is comparative exegesis.

Examining and analyzing the views of Shiite and Sunni commentators regarding the phrase “you shall come back into our religion”

Similarities in the meaning of ʿowd

Many of the Shiite and Sunni exegetes agree that the meaning of ʿowd in the verse in question is to enter, return, and change. The criticism and analysis of each of these interpretations is explained in its own place.

Similarities in the exegesis of the phrase “you shall come back into our religion”

The commentators of the two sides agree on three analyses:

  • In the analysis of the threat of the disbelievers due to psychological issues, in two instances: the disbelievers’ illusion that the prophets are of the same religion as them and the assumption that the prophets are of the same religion as themselves in order to develop and shape the character of the prophets through them.
  • Both groups share the interpretation of change (ṣeyrūrah), with the difference that it seems that the interpretation of ṣeyrūrah was presented by Kashani from among the Shiite exegetes in the tenth century, but among Sunni exegetes by Zamakhshari in the sixth century.
  • In the interpretation to dominate and extend the ruling of the majority to the general.

Differences in the meaning of ʿowd

The meaning of ʿowd is mentioned in Shiite exegeses as entering into the religion of the infidels and agreeing with them in their religion. The criticism of these two expressions has been mentioned in its own place that these two meanings have no suitability with the literal meaning of ʿowd. Similarly, in the views of the Sunnis, it has been mentioned that ʿowd refers to the silence of the prophets before the actions of the unbelievers, heedlessness of them, and not demanding faith, which is inconsistent with the purpose of sending messengers and with the responsibility of guidance of the divine prophets.

Differences in the interpretation of the phrase “you shall come back into our religion”

There are four expressions in the views of the Sunnis which are not found in the Shiite exegeses. From the psychological analyses in the Sunni interpretations, three cases (a) the disbelievers are forceful and coercive, (b) their helplessness in the face of the proofs of the prophets, (c) the difficulty of the answers of the prophets for them is due to the particular spirit of the Sunnis in seeking domination and avoiding what is right, but not having much knowledge. However, the interpretation of abrogating the previous religion and the rigidity of the disbelievers in staying on that religion and forcing the prophet to adopt the same previous religion can be acceptable and does not conflict with the purpose of sending prophets and guiding people and their infallibility. In other words, the interpretation of ʿowd to mean return is not deterred by this statement, that is, until the time of their prophethood, the prophets adhered to the religion of the previous prophets and shared the religion of their people; however, after being appointed as prophets, they were commanded to the new religion and invited their people to this religion and the people opposed them and invited the prophets to return to their original and previous religion along with their people. This interpretation preserves the apparent meaning of ʿowd and is not caught up in figurativeness and unjustified justifications, and also resolves the question of the polytheism, idolatry, and sinning of the prophets in the period before prophethood. Thus, in fact, there is no difference between the views of the two groups in believing in the infallibility of the prophets, or at least in this verse, they have not presented an argument against the infallibility of the prophets in the period before prophethood. Only Ibn Taymiyyah, by being single-minded in his opinions, interpretations, and jurisprudential views, has opposed Sunni and Shiite exegetes and theologians and some contemporary Salafists also follow his opinions.

Conclusions

The findings of this research indicate the presentation of five views on the meaning of ʿowd in Shiite exegeses: (a) ʿowd refers to Prophet Shoaib’s agreement with the religion of the disbelievers, (b) an explanation of the illusion of the disbelievers, (c) the domination and extension of the ruling of the majority to everyone, (d) referring to the religion of the disbelievers, and (e) return in the sense of transformation.

Sunni exegeses have also referred to ʿowd as follows: (a) Prophet Shoaib entering the religion of the disbelievers, (b) Prophet Shoaib’s silence and neglect and not demanding faith from the disbelievers, (c) allocating the address of “you shall return” to the followers of Prophet Shoaib and not to the Prophet himself, (d) Prophet Shoaib’s return to the faith of the disbelievers, and (e) transformation.

The meaning of ʿowd as transformation has been mentioned in Sunni and Shiite exegeses in accordance with the context of the verse and the context of the position and infallibility of the prophets before prophethood, and this meaning can answer the doubt regarding infallibility. The interpretation of ʿowd as the abrogation of the previous religion and the rigidity of the disbelievers regarding that religion and the efforts of the disbelievers to return the prophets to the previous religion does not require belief in the non-infallibility of the prophets before prophethood, and the insistence of the people on the previous religion and asking Prophet Shoaib to return to it is not related to the sinning of the prophets or history of their disbelief. Therefore, the infallibility of the prophets includes all times, it was eternal, and included the time before prophethood, during prophethood, and after prophethood, and at no point in time, is there any flaw in their monotheism and infallibility.

References

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Keywords

Main Subjects

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