Appearance
The Meaning of the Completion of Words
Regarding the referent of the implicit pronoun in “completed” (atamma), there are two possibilities:
The pronoun refers to Abraham, the Friend of God. In this case, the completion of the “words” would mean that Abraham successfully passed the important divine tests and attained the corresponding realities. This is supported by expressions such as “Abraham, the one who fulfilled” [53:37] and “You have indeed fulfilled the vision” [37:105], both of which emphasize the significance of those matters being tested.
The pronoun refers to “Lord.” Although God’s words are always complete—“And the word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and justice” [6:115]—this interpretation would mean that God, the Glorious, facilitated Abraham’s success in those tests and ensured he could fulfill them properly. This is similar to what is stated in the verse: “As for he who gives and fears God, and believes in the best [reward], We will ease him toward ease” [92:5-7].
After mentioning both aspects, the esteemed scholar ʿAllāmah Ṭabāṭabāʾī (may his soul be sanctified) concluded that the apparent meaning is that the pronoun refers back to “Lord.”(34) Similarly, Muḥammad Jawād Balāghī (may his soul be sanctified) referred the pronoun back to “Allah” and considered “Indeed, I will make you a leader for the people” [2:124] to be one of the instances of the “words.” He cited as evidence a narration from Ibn Bābawayh in the book al-Nubuwwa, reported by Mufaḍḍal ibn ʿUmar from Imām al-Ṣādiq (a.s.).(35) Of course, first, the apparent meaning of the Qur’an should be determined. Second, the narrations should be synthesized and understood in light of the Qur’anic text. Third, the product of the narrations must be presented to the essence of the Qur’an to derive the final view. Despite this process, the referral of the pronoun to Abraham (a.s.) is still preferable. Itmām (completion) can have different meanings: sometimes it refers to fulfilling an obligation in a way that is legally valid and discharges both current and missed duties; other times, it signifies attaining nearness and proximity to the divine sacred realm, where it is accepted by God in a theological sense. Beyond legal validity and theological acceptance, itmām can also involve an objective impact, external realization, and existential affirmation.
What can be inferred from the special test of His Eminence, the Friend of the Merciful, which took place after his stages of prophethood, messengership, and the era of khullat (friendship), is that the meaning of the word “completion” (itmām) in “and he fulfilled them” [2:124] differs from phrases such as “then complete the fast until the night” [2:187], “and complete the Ḥajj and _ʿUmra_h for God” [2:196], or “so fulfill for them their treaty until their term” [9:4]. Instead, it aligns more closely with phrases like “but God refuses except to perfect His light, although the disbelievers dislike it” [9:32] and “... and God will perfect His light, although the disbelievers dislike it” [61:8]. In this context, the completeness of the divine “words” refers not merely to reaching the end of a process, but to fulfilling the ultimate goal of the one moving and the purpose of the movement itself.
The outcome of this was twofold: First, the sun of Imāma rose from the horizon of the completion of these divine words, marking its perfect attainment. Second, the numerous stars of Imāma emerged in the progeny of Ṭāhā and Yāsīn from the descendants of Abraham (a.s.). The difference lies in that Abraham’s Imāma was bestowed upon him without the hardship of a request, whereas the continuation of Imāma in his descendants came through supplication.
The phrase “and from my descendants” [2:124] is a request, not an interrogative. Abraham was not asking whether the Imāma bestowed upon his family would end or continue; rather, he was requesting the continuity of this blessing. Thus, while the initial bestowal of Imāma upon Abraham was granted without a request, its continuation in his descendants was with request.
Note: There are two possibilities regarding the meaning of “and from my descendants” [2:124]: one is that it is a request, and the other is that it is an interrogative. What supports the interpretation of it being a request is that, in other instances, Abraham, as the elder of his household, petitioned God for the blessings of monotheism and protection from idolatry for himself and his children.(36) Similarly, he also requested success for them in establishing prayer, as seen in his supplications.(37)