Surah 26

Surah 26:81

"He (it is) who causes me to die, (and) then gives me life,"
Ibrahim mentions Allah's Kindness towards Him Verses 26:78-82
Show Full Scripture Context (26:78-82) — 5 Verses
Verse 78

ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَنِي فَهُوَ يَهۡدِينِ

who created me, and He guides me,

Verse 79

وَٱلَّذِي هُوَ يُطۡعِمُنِي وَيَسۡقِينِ

and who – He gives me food and gives me drink,

Verse 80

وَإِذَا مَرِضۡتُ فَهُوَ يَشۡفِينِ

and when I am sick, He heals me.

Verse 81

وَٱلَّذِي يُمِيتُنِي ثُمَّ يُحۡيِينِ

He (it is) who causes me to die, (and) then gives me life,

Verse 82

وَٱلَّذِيٓ أَطۡمَعُ أَن يَغۡفِرَ لِي خَطِيٓـَٔتِي يَوۡمَ ٱلدِّينِ

and who – I am eager that He should forgive me my sin on the Day of Judgment.

Ibrahim said, “I will not worship any but the One Who does these things:

Quoted Scripture
"Who has created me, and it is He Who guides me."

He is the Creator Who has decreed certain things to which He guides His creation, so each person follows the path which is decreed for him. Allah is the One Who guides whomsoever He wills and leaves astray whomsoever He wills.

Quoted Scripture
"And it is He Who feeds me and gives me to drink."

He is my Creator Who provides for me from that which He has made available in the heavens and on earth. He drives the clouds and causes water to fall with which He revives the earth and brings forth its fruits as provision for mankind. He sends down the water fresh and sweet so that many of those whom He has created, animals and men alike, may drink from it.

Quoted Scripture
"And when I am ill, it is He Who cures me."

Here he attributed sickness to himself, even though it is Allah Who decrees it, out of respect towards Allah. By the same token, Allah commands us to say in the prayer,

{Guide us to the straight way} (1:6)
to the end of the Surah. Grace and guidance are attributed to Allah, may He be exalted, but the subject of the verb with reference to anger is omitted, and going astray is attributed to the people. This is like when the Jinn said:

{And we know not whether evil is intended for those on earth, or whether their Lord intends for them a right path } (72:10)
Similarly, Ibrahim said:

Quoted Scripture
"And when I am ill, it is He Who cures me."

meaning, ‘when I fall sick, no one is able to heal me but Him, Who heals me with the means that may lead to recovery’.

Quoted Scripture
"Who will cause me to die, and then will bring me to life."

He is the One Who gives life and causes death, and no one besides Him is able to do that, for He is the One Who originates and repeats.

Quoted Scripture
"And Who, I hope, will forgive me my faults on the Day of Recompense."

means, no one is able to forgive sins in this world or the Hereafter except Him. Who can forgive sins except Allah? For He is the One Who does whatever He wills.

About this Source & Scholarly Authority (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Universal Sunni Consensus: Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim by Hafiz Ibn Kathir (701–774 AH / 1301–1373 AD) is universally regarded across all major schools of Sunni Islam (traditional, Salafi, Ash'ari) as the most authoritative classical exegesis. It is prized because it relies on Tafsir bil-Ma'thur—interpreting the Quran using the Quran itself, authentic Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad, and recorded statements of the early Companions (Sahabah).

Standard English Edition: This text is from the standard 10-volume English abridgment published by Dar-us-Salam Publications (supervised by Shaykh Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri), which is the official, most widely distributed English Quranic commentary in mosques and Islamic libraries worldwide today.