Surah Al-'Ankabut — Verse 27

Key Words and Meanings:

• "Wahabna" (وَوَهَبْنَا): We granted or bestowed as a gift.
• "Dhurriyyatihi" (ذُرِّيَّتِهِ): His offspring or descendants.
• "Nubuwwah" (النُّبُوَّة): Prophethood — the divine office of receiving revelation from Allah.
• "Al-Kitab" (الْكِتَاب): The Scripture — referring here to the revealed Books (the Torah, the Gospel, the Psalms, and the Qur'an).
• "Ajrahu" (أَجْرَهُ): His reward or recompense.
• "As-Salihin" (الصَّالِحِينَ): The righteous ones — those who are devout, upright, and beloved to Allah.

Explanation of the Verse:

In this blessed verse, Allah Almighty recounts His immense favours upon His beloved Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham, peace be upon him), after mentioning how Ibrahim was saved from the fire of his people and how he migrated for the sake of his Lord. Allah says: "And We granted him Isaac and Jacob" — meaning, We blessed him with a son, Ishaq (Isaac), and then a grandson, Ya'qub (Jacob), from his progeny. This was a great consolation after Ibrahim had been tested by being commanded to leave his wife Hajar and his infant son Isma'il in the barren valley of Makkah.

Then Allah says: "And We placed in his descendants prophethood and the Scripture" — meaning, from the lineage of Ibrahim (peace be upon him), Allah chose all the prophets who came after him, and to them He revealed His divine Books. Indeed, every prophet sent after Ibrahim was from his offspring — from both his son Isma'il (from whom came the final Messenger, Muhammad ﷺ, with the Qur'an) and his son Ishaq (from whom came the prophets of the Children of Israel, including Musa, Dawud, Sulayman, and 'Isa, peace be upon them all). This was an honour and distinction never granted to any other family in history.

Then Allah says: "And We gave him his reward in this world" — meaning, We granted him a beautiful reward in the life of this world: a righteous and blessed progeny, a noble and enduring legacy of good reputation and praise among all nations, and the honour of being the father of prophets. Every believer who loves the prophets loves Ibrahim and mentions his name with reverence in every prayer, five times a day.

Finally, Allah says: "And indeed, in the Hereafter, he will be among the righteous" — meaning, in the eternal life to come, Ibrahim will be gathered in the company of the righteous ones — the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the pious — and he will receive the full, complete reward that Allah has prepared for His righteous servants, a reward far greater than anything he received in this world.

A Call to Reflection and Faith:

This verse is a shining proof of Allah's generosity and His care for His sincere servants. When Ibrahim (peace be upon him) submitted fully to Allah, sacrificed his desires for His sake, and stood firm against his people's idolatry, Allah did not leave him empty-handed. Instead, He gave him a legacy that continues to shine until the end of time.

Dear reader, reflect on this: Allah's giving is not limited to wealth or worldly possessions. The greatest gifts are faith, righteousness, a noble character, and a legacy of goodness that outlives us. Ibrahim was given the best of both worlds — honour in this life and eternal bliss in the next — because he put Allah first in everything.

Let this verse inspire you to hold firm to your faith, to trust in Allah's promise, and to know that every sacrifice you make for the sake of Allah will be repaid in ways you cannot imagine. Just as Allah honoured Ibrahim, He honours those who are sincere and patient in their devotion to Him. The door of Allah's mercy and generosity is always open — so turn to Him, and let your life be a story of faith that inspires generations to come.