Quran 2:260 — Surah Al-Baqara Ayah 260 | Arabic, Translation & Tafsir

أَوْ كَٱلَّذِى مَرَّ عَلَىٰ قَرْيَةٍۢ وَهِىَ خَاوِ...

2:260

Al-Baqara

مَّثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَٰلَهُمْ فِى سَب...

وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَٰهِۦمُ رَبِّ أَرِنِى كَيْفَ تُحْىِ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ ۖ قَالَ أَوَلَمْ تُؤْمِن ۖ قَالَ بَلَىٰ وَلَٰكِن لِّيَطْمَئِنَّ قَلْبِى ۖ قَالَ فَخُذْ أَرْبَعَةًۭ مِّنَ ٱلطَّيْرِ فَصُرْهُنَّ إِلَيْكَ ثُمَّ ٱجْعَلْ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ جَبَلٍۢ مِّنْهُنَّ جُزْءًۭا ثُمَّ ٱدْعُهُنَّ يَأْتِينَكَ سَعْيًۭا ۚ وَٱعْلَمْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌۭ

Wa iz qaala Ibraaheemu Rabbi arinee kaifa tuhyil mawtaa qaala awa lam tu'min qaala balaa wa laakil liyatma'inna qalbee qaala fakhuz arab'atam minal tairi fasurhunna ilaika summaj 'al a'alaa kulli jabalim minhunna juz'an sumaad 'uhunna yaateenaka sa'yaa; wa'lam annal laaha 'Azeezun Hakeem

And [mention] when Abraham said, "My Lord, show me how You give life to the dead." [Allah] said, "Have you not believed?" He said, "Yes, but [I ask] only that my heart may be satisfied." [Allah] said, "Take four birds and commit them to yourself. Then [after slaughtering them] put on each hill a portion of them; then call them - they will come [flying] to you in haste. And know that Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise."

Tafsir

Scholars largely agree on this ayah

View Full Tafsir: Al-Jalalayn on 2:260→

And mention when Abraham said ‘My Lord show me how You give life to the dead’ He God exalted be He said to him ‘Why do you not believe?’ in My power to revive; God asks him this even though He knows of his belief in this power as a response to his request and so that the ones listening will know the purpose of the request; ‘Yes’ I do believe he said ‘but I ask You so that my heart may be re-assured’ so that it may be at peace through direct vision in addition to that certainty which is sought through logical reasoning. Said He ‘Take four birds and twist them to you sirhunna or surhunna turn them towards you cut them up and mix together their flesh and feathers then set a part of them on every hill in the land around you then summon them to you and they will come to you in haste. And know that God is Mighty that nothing is beyond Him Wise’ in His actions. Abraham took a peacock an eagle a raven and a cock and did with them as has been mentioned but kept their heads with him. He called them and all the parts began to fly back together combining until they were whole and returning to their heads.

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "We have more right to be in doubt than Abraham when he said, 'My Lord! Show me how You give life to the dead.' He said, 'Do you not believe?' He said, 'Yes (I believe) but to be stronger in Faith.' "(2.260)

Sahih Muslim #289It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed:Sahih

We have more claim to doubt than Ibrahim (ﷺ) when he said: My Lord! Show me how Thou wilt quicken the dead. He said: Believeth thou not? He said: Yes! But that my heart may rest at ease. He (the Holy Prophet) observed: May Lord take mercy on Lot, that he wanted a strong support, and had I stayed (in the prison) as long as Yusuf stayed, I would have responded to him who invited me.

Sahih Muslim #5986Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:Sahih

We have more claim to doubt than Ibrahim (peace be upon him) when he said, My Lord, show me how thou wilt quicken the dead. He said: Believeth thou not? He said: Yes, but that my heart rest at ease (the Holy Qur'an. 260). May Lord have mercy on Lot that he wanted a strong support and had I stayed in the prison as long as Yusuf stayed I would have responded to him who invited me.

Sahih al-Bukhari #3233Narrated Abu Huraira:Sahih

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "We are more liable to be in doubt than Abraham when he said, 'My Lord! Show me how You give life to the dead." . He (i.e. Allah) slid: 'Don't you believe then?' He (i.e. Abraham) said: "Yes, but (I ask) in order to be stronger in Faith." (2.260) And may Allah send His Mercy on Lot! He wished to have a powerful support. If I were to stay in prison for such a long time as Joseph did I would have accepted the offer (of freedom without insisting on having my guiltless less declared).

Sunan Ibn Majah #3763It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:Hasan

“We are more likely to express doubt than Ibrahim when he said: “My Lord! Show me how You give life to the dead.’ He (Allah) said: ‘Do you not believe?’ He (Ibrahim) said: ‘Yes (I believe), but to be stronger in Faith.’ And may Allah have mercy on Lut. He wished to have a powerful support. And if i were to stay in prison as long as Yusuf stayed, I would have accepted the offer.’”