Tafseer of Abundance · Al-Kawthar · 108:2
So pray to your Lord and sacrifice [to Him alone].
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
His statement: فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ ("So pray to your Lord and sacrifice")
The exegetes differed concerning which prayer Allah commanded His Prophet ﷺ to perform by this address, as well as concerning the meaning of His statement وَانْحَرْ. Some say that He urged him to persevere in the obligatory prayers (ṣalāh) and to guard them at their appointed times, by His statement: فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ.
* Mention of those who said this:
ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn al-Aswad al-Ṭufāwī related to me, saying: Muḥammad ibn Rabīʿa related to us, saying: Yazīd ibn Abī Ziyād ibn Abī al-Jaʿd related to me, on the authority of ʿĀṣim al-Jaḥdarī, on the authority of ʿUqba ibn Ẓuhair, on the authority of ʿAlī (may Allah be pleased with him), concerning His statement فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ — he said: "The placing of the right hand over the left during the prayer."
Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān related to us, saying: Ḥammād ibn Salama related to us, on the authority of ʿĀṣim al-Jaḥdarī, on the authority of ʿUqba ibn Ẓabyān, on the authority of his father, on the authority of ʿAlī (may Allah be pleased with him), concerning فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ — he said: "The placing of one hand over the other during the prayer."
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Mahrān related to us, on the authority of Ḥammād ibn Salama, on the authority of ʿĀṣim al-Jaḥdarī, on the authority of ʿUqba ibn Ẓuhair, on the authority of his father, on the authority of ʿAlī (may Allah be pleased with him), concerning فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ — he said: "He places his right hand over the middle of his left wrist, then sets both hands upon his chest."
He said: Mahrān related to us, on the authority of Ḥammād ibn Salama, on the authority of ʿĀṣim al-Aḥwal, on the authority of al-Shaʿbī — the same.
Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Wakīʿ related to us, on the authority of Yazīd ibn Abī Ziyād, on the authority of ʿĀṣim al-Jaḥdarī, on the authority of ʿUqba ibn Ẓuhair, on the authority of ʿAlī (may Allah be pleased with him), concerning فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ — he said: "The placing of the right hand over the left during the prayer."
Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us — one says: ʿAwf related to us, on the authority of Abū al-Qumūṣ, concerning His statement فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ — he said: "The placing of one hand over the other during the prayer."
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Abū Ṣāliḥ al-Khurāsānī related to us, saying: Ḥammād related to us, on the authority of ʿĀṣim al-Jaḥdarī, on the authority of his father, on the authority of ʿUqba ibn Ẓabyān, that ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib (may Allah be pleased with him) said concerning the statement of Allah فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ: "He places his right hand over the middle of his left wrist, then sets both hands upon his chest."
Others say: by His statement فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ the obligatory prayer is meant, and by وَانْحَرْ the raising of the hands to the height of the throat (naḥr) at the opening of the prayer and the entering into it.
* Mention of those who said this:
Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Wakīʿ related to us, on the authority of Isrāʾīl, on the authority of Jābir, on the authority of Abū Jaʿfar, concerning فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ: "The prayer — and the sacrificing (naḥr) concerns the raising of the hands at the very first takbīr of the opening."
Others say: by فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ the obligatory prayer is meant, and by وَانْحَرْ: the slaughtering of the sacrificial camels (budun; singular: badana).
* Mention of those who said this:
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Ḥakkām ibn Salm and Hārūn ibn al-Mughīra related to us, on the authority of ʿAnbasa, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ — he said: "The obligatory prayer and the slaughtering of the sacrificial camels."
Yaʿqūb related to me, saying: Hushaym related to us, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ ibn al-Sāʾib, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr and Ḥajjāj, that they both said concerning His statement فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ: "The morning prayer at al-Muzdalifa (Jamʿ), and the slaughtering of the sacrificial camels at Minā."
Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Wakīʿ related to us, on the authority of Qaṭr, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ, concerning فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ — he said: "The Fajr prayer, and the slaughtering of the sacrificial camels."
Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: my uncle related to me, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ — he said: "The obligatory prayer, and the sacrificing (naḥr): the ritual offering and slaughtering on the Day of the Festival of Sacrifice (Aḍḥā)."
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Jarīr related to us, on the authority of Manṣūr, on the authority of al-Ḥakam, concerning فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ — he said: "The Fajr prayer."
Others say: by this is meant: pray on the Day of Sacrifice the festival prayer (ṣalāt al-ʿīd), and slaughter your sacrificial animal.
* Mention of those who said this:
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Hārūn ibn al-Mughīra related to us, on the authority of ʿAnbasa, on the authority of Jābir, on the authority of Anas ibn Mālik, who said: "The Prophet ﷺ used to slaughter before he prayed, and then he was commanded to pray first and to slaughter afterward."
Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Wakīʿ related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Jābir, on the authority of ʿIkrima: "Perform the prayer, and slaughter the sacrificial animals (nusuk)."
Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Wakīʿ related to us, on the authority of Thābit ibn Abī Ṣafiyya, on the authority of Abū Jaʿfar, concerning فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ: "The prayer" — and ʿIkrima said: "The prayer and the slaughtering of the sacrificial animals (nusuk)."
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Ḥakkām related to us, on the authority of Abū Jaʿfar, on the authority of al-Rabīʿ, concerning فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ — he said: "When you perform the prayer on the Day of the Festival of Sacrifice (Aḍḥā), then slaughter."
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Yaḥyā ibn Wāḍiḥ related to us, saying: Qaṭr related to us — he said: I asked ʿAṭāʾ about His statement فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ — he said: "You pray and you slaughter."
Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿAwf related to us, on the authority of al-Ḥasan, concerning فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ — he said: "Slaughter."
He said: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān related to us, saying: Abān ibn Khālid related to us — he said: I heard al-Ḥasan say concerning فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ: "The slaughtering."
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ — he said: "The slaughtering of the sacrificial camels, and the prayer on the Day of Sacrifice."
Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ — he said: "The festival prayer of the Festival of Sacrifice (ṣalāt al-Aḍḥā), and the sacrificing: the slaughtering of the sacrificial camels."
Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Wakīʿ related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ — he said: "The places of slaughter of the sacrificial camels at Minā."
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Mahrān related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of a man, on the authority of ʿIkrima, concerning فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ — he said: "The slaughtering of the sacrificial animals (nusuk)."
ʿAlī related to me, saying: Abū Ṣāliḥ related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ — he said: "Slaughter on the Day of Sacrifice."
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ: "The slaughtering of the sacrificial camels."
Others say: this was said to the Prophet ﷺ because there were people who prayed to other than Allah and slaughtered for other than Him; therefore he was told: make your prayer and your sacrifice exclusively for Allah, since those who deny Allah perform this for other than Him.
* Mention of those who said this:
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Abū Ṣakhr related to me, on the authority of Muḥammad ibn Kaʿb al-Quraẓī, that he used to say concerning this verse — إِنَّا أَعْطَيْنَاكَ الْكَوْثَرَ * فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ: "There were people who prayed to other than Allah and slaughtered for other than Allah; so when We give you the Kawthar, O Muḥammad, let your prayer and your sacrifice be exclusively for Me."
Others say: this verse was revealed on the Day of al-Ḥudaybiyya, when the Prophet ﷺ and his companions were surrounded and access to the House was blocked; Allah commanded him to pray, to slaughter the sacrificial camels, and then to return, and so he did.
* Mention of those who said this:
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Abū Ṣakhr informed me, saying: Abū Muʿāwiya al-Bajalī related to me, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, who said: "This verse — that is, His statement فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ — was revealed on the Day of al-Ḥudaybiyya; Jibrīl (peace be upon him) came to him and said: 'Slaughter and return.' Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood up and delivered a sermon like the sermon of the Festival of Fiṭr and the Day of Sacrifice, then performed two rakʿāt, after which he set off to the sacrificial camels and slaughtered them. That is the moment about which Allah says: فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ."
Others say: the meaning of this is: pray and supplicate your Lord and ask Him.
* Mention of those who said this:
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Mahrān related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Abū Sinān, on the authority of Thābit, on the authority of al-Ḍaḥḥāk, concerning فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ — he said: "Pray to your Lord and ask Him."
Some of the scholars of the Arabic language explained وَانْحَرْ as: turn your throat (naḥr) toward the qibla. It is reported that he heard some of the Arabs say: "their dwellings face one another (tatanāḥar)" — that is: the one is directly opposite the other (qibālahu). It is also reported that a man from the Banū Asad recited to him this verse:
"O Abā Ḥakam, are you the uncle of Mujālid, and the lord of the people of al-Abṭaḥ al-Mutanāḥir" —
that is: the one faces the other.
The opinion which in my judgment is most preferable is the opinion of those who say: the meaning of this is: make all your prayer exclusively and sincerely for your Lord, without any other, of the peers (andād) and the gods; likewise your sacrifice — make it exclusively for Him and not for the idols (awthān), as a giving of thanks to Him for the honor and the good that He has bestowed upon you — which good has no equal — and that He has chosen you with the giving of the Kawthar to you.
I say that this is the most correct opinion, because Allah, exalted be His praise, informed His Prophet ﷺ of what He had granted him as a gift and bestowed upon him as an honoring, and had favored him by the giving of the Kawthar; then He followed that with His statement فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ. By this it was clear that He had specifically urged him to pray to Him and to slaughter in giving of thanks for the favor which He had communicated to him, namely the giving of the Kawthar to him. There was therefore no ground for singling out a specific prayer over other prayers, or a specific sacrifice over other sacrifices, since it is an exhortation to gratitude for the favors in general.
The interpretation of the text is then: We have given you, O Muḥammad, the Kawthar, as a favoring from Us to you and an honoring from Us toward you; so devote worship exclusively to your Lord, and make your prayer and your ritual sacrifice (nusuk) for Him alone — in contrast to what those do who deny Him, worship other than Him, and slaughter for the idols.
