Lesson 1 of 6 · The thought that arrives uninvited
Where the tradition puts a request for reassurance
Ibrahim, peace be upon him, asked to be shown how the dead are given life. He was asked whether he did not believe, and he said yes, but so that my heart may be at rest. And in the reports below the Prophet, peace be upon him, says that we have more right to doubt than Ibrahim did. The second is the longer version, where that sentence sits inside a sequence of him placing himself alongside other prophets in difficulty, which is what makes the register of it legible.
Qur’an and Sunnah
Ibrahim asked to be shown how the dead are given life, was asked whether he did not believe, and said yes, but so that my heart may be at rest. That is where the tradition puts a request for reassurance.
وَإِذۡ قَالَ إِبۡرَٰهِـۧمُ رَبِّ أَرِنِي كَيۡفَ تُحۡيِ ٱلۡمَوۡتَىٰۖ قَالَ أَوَلَمۡ تُؤۡمِنۖ قَالَ بَلَىٰ وَلَٰكِن لِّيَطۡمَئِنَّ قَلۡبِيۖ قَالَ فَخُذۡ أَرۡبَعَةࣰ مِّنَ ٱلطَّيۡرِ فَصُرۡهُنَّ إِلَيۡكَ ثُمَّ ٱجۡعَلۡ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ جَبَلࣲ مِّنۡهُنَّ جُزۡءࣰ ا ثُمَّ ٱدۡعُهُنَّ يَأۡتِينَكَ سَعۡيࣰ اۚ وَٱعۡلَمۡ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمࣱ
And when Abraham said, ‘My Lord, show me how You give life to the dead,’ He said, ‘Do you not believe, then?’ ‘Yes,’ said Abraham, ‘but just to put my heart at rest.’ So God said, ‘Take four birds and train them to come back to you. Then place them on separate hilltops, call them back, and they will come flying to you: know that God is all powerful and wise.’
Qur’an 2:260
And the report where the Prophet, peace be upon him, says we have more right to doubt than Ibrahim did.
Narrated Abu Huraira: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
Sahih al-Bukhari 4537graded sound, sahihaynthe Arabic and its grading
The longer version, where that sentence sits inside a sequence of him placing himself alongside Lut and Yusuf in difficulty, peace be upon them. That setting is what makes the register of it legible: it is not a rebuke of anybody.
Narrated Abu Huraira:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "May Allah bestow His Mercy on (Prophet) Lot. (When his nation troubled him) he wished if he could betake himself to some powerful support; and if I were to remain in prison for the period Joseph had remained, I would surely respond to the call; and we shall have more right (to be in doubt) than Abraham: When Allah said to him, "Don't you believe?' Abraham said, 'Yes, (I do believe) but to be stronger in faith;
Sahih al-Bukhari 4694graded sound, sahihaynthe Arabic and its grading
Translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem, The Qur'an, Oxford University Press, 2004.