Tafsir of verse 260
Al-Mukhtasar
O Prophet, remember when Abraham said, ‘My Lord, show me how the dead come back to life’. Allah said to him, ‘Do you not have faith in this?’ Abraham replied, ‘I do have faith, but I just want to put my heart at ease’. So, Allah instructed him, saying, ‘Take four birds and tame them. Then cut them up into pieces and place a piece of each bird on the hills around you. Then call those birds and you will see that they will come quickly to you, having been brought back to life. Know, O Abraham, that Allah is Mighty in His dominion and Wise in His instruction and legislation’.
Tafsir of the whole Surah Al-Baqarah
Other translations of verse 260
And [remember] when Abraham said: “My Lord, show me how You give life to the dead.” He said: “Do you not believe?’’ He said: “I do believe, but just to reassure my heart158.’’ Allah said: “Then take four birds and cut them into pieces, then put a piece of each of them on each mountain, then call them; they will come swiftly to you. And know that Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.”
Notes
[158] The Prophet (ﷺ) implied by saying: “We are more likely to doubt than Ibrāhīm” [Al-Bukhārī: 4537, Muslim: 151], when he heard that people said Abraham doubted. Scholars are of the opinion that Abraham wanted to reach the highest rank of knowledge ‘concrete certitude’ (haqq al-yaqīn).
And (remember) when Ibrâhîm (Abraham) said, "My Lord! Show me how You give life to the dead." He (Allâh) said: "Do you not believe?" He [Ibrâhîm (Abraham)] said: "Yes (I believe), but to be stronger in Faith." He said: "Take four birds, then cause them to incline towards you (then slaughter them, cut them into pieces), and then put a portion of them on every hill, and call them, they will come to you in haste. And know that Allâh is All-Mighty, All-Wise."
And when Abraham said (unto his Lord): My Lord! Show me how Thou givest life to the dead, He said: Dost thou not believe? Abraham said: Yea, but (I ask) in order that my heart may be at ease. (His Lord) said: Take four of the birds and cause them to incline unto thee, then place a part of them on each hill, then call them, they will come to thee in haste, and know that Allah is Mighty, Wise.
When Abraham said: "Show me, Lord, how You will raise the dead, " He replied: "Have you no faith?" He said "Yes, but just to reassure my heart." Allah said, "Take four birds, draw them to you, and cut their bodies to pieces. Scatter them over the mountain-tops, then call them back. They will come swiftly to you. Know that Allah is Mighty, Wise."
And when Ibrahim said: My Lord! show me how Thou givest life to the dead, He said: What! and do you not believe? He said: Yes, but that my heart may be at ease. He said: Then take four of the birds, then train them to follow you, then place on every mountain a part of them, then call them, they will come to you flying; and know that Allah is Mighty, Wise.
And as Ibrahim (Abraham) said, "Lord! Show me how You give life to the dead." He Allah) said, "And have you not believed?" He (Ibrahim) said, "Yes indeed, but that my heart be composed." Said He, "So take four of the birds, then wring them to you (and divide them); thereafter set a portion of them on every mountain; thereafter call them; they will come up to you with hasty diligence (and) know that Allah is Ever-Mighty, Ever-Wise."
