Tafseer of Abraham · Ibrahim · 14:43
Racing ahead, their heads raised up, their glance does not come back to them, and their hearts are void.
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.
As for His word مُهْطِعِينَ (hastening): the scholars of Qurʾānic interpretation differed about its meaning. Some said: its meaning is: hastening.
Mention of those who said that:
Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: Hāshim ibn al-Qāsim related to us, on the authority of Abū Saʿīd al-Muʾaddib, on the authority of Sālim, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, concerning مُهْطِعِينَ : he said: "It is the nasalān-gait, that is to say the trotting gait, or something slower than the trotting gait" — Abū Saʿīd was uncertain — "they trot while looking ahead."
Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning مُهْطِعِينَ : he said: "Hastening."
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning مُهْطِعِينَ : "That is to say: setting out and directed toward the caller."
Others said: its meaning is: keeping the gaze fixed without interruption.
Mention of those who said that:
Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to us, 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 His word مُهْطِعِينَ : "The ihṭāʿ means: keeping the gaze fixed without blinking."
Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Masrūq, on the authority of Abū al-Ḍuḥā, concerning مُهْطِعِينَ : it was said: "The ihṭāʿ is staring uninterruptedly without blinking."
Al-Muthanná related to me, saying: ʿAmr ibn ʿAwn related to us, saying: Hushaym informed us, on the authority of Mughīra, on the authority of Abū al-Khayr ibn Tamīm ibn Ḥadlam, on the authority of his father, concerning His word مُهْطِعِينَ : he said: "The ihṭāʿ is staring intently."
Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: al-Muḥāribī related to us, on the authority of Juwaybar, on the authority of al-Ḍaḥḥāk, concerning مُهْطِعِينَ : he said: "The intensity of staring without blinking."
Al-Muthanná related to me, saying: ʿAmr informed us, saying: Hushaym informed us, on the authority of Juwaybar, on the authority of al-Ḍaḥḥāk, concerning His word مُهْطِعِينَ : he said: "The intensity of staring without blinking."
It was related to me from al-Ḥusayn ibn al-Faraj: he said: I heard Abū Muʿādh say: ʿUbayd informed us, saying: I heard al-Ḍaḥḥāk say concerning His word مُهْطِعِينَ : "The ihṭāʿ is the intensity of staring without blinking."
Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to us, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥasan ibn Muḥammad related to us, saying: Shabāba related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us; and al-Muthanná related to me, saying: Abū Ḥudhayfa related to us, saying: Shibl related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning مُهْطِعِينَ : he said: "Keeping the gaze fixed without interruption."
Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of Mujāhid — the same.
Others said: its meaning is: not raising the head.
Mention of those who said that:
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning His word مُهْطِعِينَ : he said: "The muhṭiʿ is the one who does not raise his head."
The ihṭāʿ in the meaning of hastening is more well-known among the Arabs than in the meaning of keeping the gaze fixed without interruption. From the ihṭāʿ in the meaning of hastening comes the saying of the poet:
وبِمُهْطِعٍ سُرُحٍ كأنَّ زِمامَهُ فـي رأسِ جـذْعٍ مِـنْ أوَال مُشَـدَّبِ
And the saying of another poet:
بمُسْتَهطعٍ رَسْلٍ كأنَّ جَدِيلَـهُ بقَيْدُومِ رَعْنٍ مِـنْ صَوَامٍ مُمَنَّـعُ
As for His word مُقْنِعِي رُءُوسِهِمْ (raising their heads): this means: lifting up their heads. The iqnāʿ of the head means raising it. To this belongs the saying of al-Shammākh:
يُباكِرْنَ العِضَاةَ بمُقْنَعاتٍ نَوَاجِذُهُنَّ كالحِدَإِ الوَقيعِ
That is to say: they go early to the thorn-trees with raised heads to eat from them. And likewise the saying of the poet:
أنْغَضَ نحْوِي رأسَهُ وأقْنَعا كأنمَا أبْصَرَ شيْئا أطْمَعا
And in agreement with what we have said about this, the scholars of Qurʾānic interpretation also spoke.
Mention of those who said that:
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 His word مُقْنِعِي رُءُوسِهِمْ : he said: "The iqnāʿ means: raising their heads."
Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to us, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥusayn ibn Muḥammad related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us; and al-Ḥasan said, saying: Warqāʾ related to us; and al-Muthanná related to me, saying: Abū Ḥudhayfa related to us, saying: Shibl related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His word مُقْنِعِي رُءُوسِهِمْ : he said: "Raising their heads."
Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of Mujāhid — the same.
Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Abū Bakr related to us, on the authority of Abū Saʿd, he said: Al-Ḥasan said: "The faces of the people on the Day of Resurrection are directed toward the sky — no one looks at anyone else."
Al-Muthanná related to me, saying: Suwayd related to us, saying: Ibn al-Mubārak informed us, on the authority of ʿUthmān ibn al-Aswad, that he heard Mujāhid say concerning His word مُهْطِعِينَ مُقْنِعِي رُءُوسِهِمْ : he said: "Raising the head like this" — and he raised his head — لا يَرْتَدُّ إِلَيْهِمْ طَرْفُهُمْ .
Al-Muthanná related to me, saying: ʿAmr ibn ʿAwn related to us, saying: Hushaym informed us, on the authority of Juwaybar, on the authority of al-Ḍaḥḥāk, concerning His word مُقْنِعِي رُءُوسِهِمْ : he said: "Raising their heads."
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning مُقْنِعِي رُءُوسِهِمْ : he said: "The iqnāʿ means the raising of their heads."
Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning مُقْنِعِي رُءُوسِهِمْ : he said: "The muqniʿ is the one who raises his head and directs his gaze fixedly ahead without blinking."
It was related to me from al-Ḥusayn: he said: I heard Abū Muʿādh say: ʿUbayd informed us, saying: I heard al-Ḍaḥḥāk say concerning His word مُقْنِعِي رُءُوسِهِمْ : he said: "Raising their heads."
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning His word مُقْنِعِي رُءُوسِهِمْ : he said: "The muqniʿ is the one who raises his head."
Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: al-Muḥāribī related to us, on the authority of Juwaybar, on the authority of al-Ḍaḥḥāk, concerning مُقْنِعِي رُءُوسِهِمْ : he said: "Raising their heads."
Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: Hāshim ibn al-Qāsim related to us, on the authority of Abū Saʿīd, on the authority of Sālim, on the authority of Saʿīd, concerning مُقْنِعِي رُءُوسِهِمْ : he said: "Raising their heads."
His word لا يَرْتَدُّ إِلَيْهِمْ طَرْفُهُمْ (their gaze does not return to them) means: their eyes do not return to them because of the intensity of staring.
Thus 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 His word لا يَرْتَدُّ إِلَيْهِمْ طَرْفُهُمْ وَأَفْئِدَتُهُمْ هَوَاءٌ : he said: "Their gazes are fixed."
As for His word وَأَفْئِدَتُهُمْ هَوَاءٌ (and their hearts are empty): the scholars of Qurʾānic interpretation differed about its interpretation. Some said: its meaning is: pierced through, taking in nothing of the good.
Muḥammad ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Abū Isḥāq, on the authority of Murra, concerning His word وَأَفْئِدَتُهُمْ هَوَاءٌ : he said: "Pierced through, taking in nothing."
Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān related to us, saying: Mālik ibn Mighwal related to us, on the authority of Abū Isḥāq, on the authority of Murra — the same.
Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān related to us, saying: Isrāʾīl related to us, on the authority of Abū Isḥāq, on the authority of Murra — the same.
Muḥammad ibn ʿUmāra related to us, saying: Sahl ibn ʿĀmir related to us, saying: Mālik and Isrāʾīl related to us, on the authority of Abū Isḥāq, on the authority of Murra — the same.
Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: my father related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Abū Isḥāq, on the authority of Murra, concerning وَأَفْئِدَتُهُمْ هَوَاءٌ : he said: "Pierced through, taking in nothing of the good."
Al-Ḥasan ibn Muḥammad related to us, saying: Yaḥyā ibn ʿAbbād related to us, saying: Mālik — that is Ibn Mighwal — related to us: he said: I heard Abū Isḥāq, on the authority of Murra; only he said: "Taking in nothing" and he did not say: "of the good."
Al-Ḥasan ibn Muḥammad related to us, saying: Shabāba related to us, saying: Isrāʾīl informed us, on the authority of Abū Isḥāq, on the authority of Murra — the same.
Aḥmad ibn Isḥāq related to us, saying: Abū Aḥmad related to us, saying: Mālik ibn Mighwal and Isrāʾīl related to us, on the authority of Abū Isḥāq, on the authority of Murra, concerning وَأَفْئِدَتُهُمْ هَوَاءٌ : one said: "ruined," the other said: "pierced through, taking in nothing."
Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me: 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 وَأَفْئِدَتُهُمْ هَوَاءٌ : he said: "There is nothing of the good in it — they are like a ruined house."
Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of Mujāhid: he said: "There is nothing of the good in their hearts — as one says of a house with no contents: it is mere emptiness."
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning His word وَأَفْئِدَتُهُمْ هَوَاءٌ : he said: "The hearts — the hearts are empty as Allah has said — there is no reason nor benefit in them."
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Ḥakkām related to us, on the authority of ʿAnbasa, on the authority of Abū Bakra, on the authority of Abū Ṣāliḥ, concerning وَأَفْئِدَتُهُمْ هَوَاءٌ : he said: "There is nothing of the good in it."
Others said: they came to rest nowhere — they roamed about within their insides.
Mention of those who said that:
Ibn Wakīʿ and Aḥmad ibn Isḥāq related to us, they said: Abū Aḥmad related to us, saying: Sharīk related to us, on the authority of Sālim, on the authority of Saʿīd, concerning وَأَفْئِدَتُهُمْ هَوَاءٌ : he said: "They churn about within their insides — there is no place where they come to rest."
Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: Hāshim ibn al-Qāsim related to us, on the authority of Abū Saʿīd, on the authority of Sālim, on the authority of Saʿīd — similar.
Others said: its meaning is that they have departed from their places and have lodged in the throats.
Mention of those who said that:
Ibn Wakīʿ and Aḥmad ibn Isḥāq related to us, they said: Abū Aḥmad al-Zubayrī related to us, on the authority of Isrāʾīl, on the authority of Saʿīd, on the authority of Masrūq, on the authority of Abū al-Ḍuḥā, concerning وَأَفْئِدَتُهُمْ هَوَاءٌ : he said: "They have reached their throats."
Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His word وَأَفْئِدَتُهُمْ هَوَاءٌ : he said: "Empty — there is nothing in them — they have departed from the chest and have lodged in their throats."
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His word وَأَفْئِدَتُهُمْ هَوَاءٌ : "They have been hoisted up until they came to rest in their windpipes — they do not come out of their mouths and do not return to their places."
The most correct of these statements in my view concerning its interpretation is the statement of the one who said that its meaning is: empty — there is nothing of the good in it, and they understand nothing. That is because the Arabs call everything that is hollow and empty "hawāʾ" (empty/air). To this belongs the saying of Ḥassān ibn Thābit:
ألا أبْلِغْ أبا سُفْيانَ عَنّي فأنْتَ مُجَوَّفٌ نَخِبٌ هَواءُ
And the saying of another poet:
وَلا تَكُ مِنْ أخْدانِ كُلّ بِراعَةٍ هَوَاءٍ كَسَقْبِ البانِ جُوفٍ مَكاسِرُهْ
