Did Prophet Ibrahim Doubt His Own Faith?
Question:
We read in Saheeh Bukhari, Vol. 6, Book 60, Hadith 61:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah's Messenger 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)
This hadeeth shows the Prophet (peace be upon him) affirming that Prophet Ibrahim ('alayhi assalam) had doubts about his own faith, but how is that possible for a prophet?
Response:
This hadeeth has been addressed by our scholars,[1] and the vast majority of scholars have argued that the Prophet (peace be upon him) is, in fact, denying that Prophet Ibrahim ('alayhi assalam) had doubts. The proper way to understand this hadeeth is by understanding the Prophet's (peace be upon him) words to be saying, "We are more deserving of being in doubt than Ibrahim ('alayhi assalam), if, in fact, Ibrahim ('alayhi assalam) had doubts. And since we ourselves have no doubts, then certainly Ibrahim did not either!”[2]
The reason why the Prophet (peace be upon him) singled out Prophet Ibrahim ('alayhi assalam) is that some ignorant people might argue that he had doubts because of his request to Allah as mentioned in Surah 2, Ayah 260.[3]
The Prophet's (peace be upon him) manner of speaking here was quite common. It is an expressive form that is basically communicating the idea, "If you want to say something about someone, then say it to me first." In other words, one should not be saying it at all.[4]
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said this out of humbleness and elevated Prophet Ibrahim ('alayhi assalam) above his self and argued, "If I myself did not doubt, then how could Ibrahim ('alayhi assalam) have doubted?"[5]
In summary, the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not affirm that Prophet Ibrahim ('alayhi assalam) had doubts about his faith. Those who argue that he did do so out of their ignorance of the Arabic language, its different expressive devices, and lack of knowledge of how to properly exegete ahadith.
[1] For a comprehensive treatment of this ossie, please see 'Abdul Aziz bin Muqrin, al-Ahaadeeth al-Mushkila al-Waarida fi Tafseer al-Qur'an al-Kareem: 'Ardh wa-Naqd, pp. 549-560.
[2] As Imam at-Tahawi points out in his Sharh Mushkil al-Aathaar, vol. 1, p. 299, Prophet Ibrahim ('alayhi assalam) would be the last person worthy of doubting, given that he actually witnessed himself the signs of Allah. Ibn Hazm stresses on the same point in his Al-Fisal fi al-Milal wal-Nihal, when he states:
وهذا الحديث حجة لنا على نفي الشك عن إبراهيم أي لو كان الكلام من إبراهيم عليه السلام شكا لكان من لم يشاهد من القدرة ما شاهد إبراهيم عليه السلام أحق بالشك فإذا كان من لم يشاهد من القدرة ما شاهد إبراهيم غير شاك فإبراهيم عليه السلام أبعد من الشك
[3] Imam an-Nawawi stated in his commentary on Saheeh Muslim:
مَعْنَاهُ أَنَّ الشَّكّ مُسْتَحِيل فِي حَقّ إِبْرَاهِيم فَإِنَّ الشَّكّ فِي إِحْيَاء الْمَوْتَى لَوْ كَانَ مُتَطَرِّقًا إِلَى الْأَنْبِيَاء لَكُنْت أَنَا أَحَقّ بِهِ مِنْ إِبْرَاهِيم وَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمْ أَنِّي لَمْ أَشُكّ فَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ إِبْرَاهِيم لَمْ يَشُكّ ، وَإِنَّمَا خُصَّ إِبْرَاهِيم لِكَوْنِ الْآيَة قَدْ يَسْبِق إِلَى بَعْض الْأَذْهَان الْفَاسِدَة مِنْهَا اِحْتِمَال الشَّكِّ وَإِنَّمَا رَجَعَ إِبْرَاهِيم عَلَى نَفْسه تَوَاضُعًا وَأَدَبًا أَوْ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَعْلَم أَنَّهُ خَيْر وَلَد آدَم
[4] Imam an-Nawawi in his commentary on Saheeh Muslim mentioned this opinion stating:
أنه خرج مخرج العادة فى الخطاب فان من أراد المدافعة عن انسان قال للمتكلم فيه ما كنت قائلا لفلان أو فاعلا معه من مكروه فقله لى وافعله معى ومقصودة لا تقل ذلك فيه
[5] Ibn Qutaybah in his Ta'weel Mukhtalaf al-Hadeeth said:
فقال رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - : أنا أحق بالشك من أبي إبراهيم - عليه السلام - تواضعا منه وتقديما لإبراهيم على نفسه ، يريد أنا لم نشك ونحن دونه ، فكيف يشك هو؟