Hanif (the description of Abraham)

الحنيف (وصف إبراهيم)

Sha'rawi holds that the root of hanif is a bend in the lower legs, and that the sense was then carried over to anything crooked. A hanif is therefore one who turns away from the crookedness of his people. He affirms that Abraham was upright, but came into a world of idolatry and crookedness, and was a hanif by turning away from it. He adds that prophets come only where there is a deep corruption of belief and law ¹²³.

Summary

The Qur'an describes Abraham as a hanif who was a Muslim. Sha'rawi explains the word through its root: in the language, hanf is a bend in the lower legs, and the sense then passed to anything crooked ¹.

Turning from crookedness

Sha'rawi says Abraham was upright in himself, but came to a people in idolatry and open crookedness, and was a hanif by turning away from the crookedness of his time. He holds that prophets come only when belief and law have become corrupt throughout ¹².

Why not "upright"

Sha'rawi asks why the verse did not simply call Abraham upright. His answer is that "upright" could be taken to mean he followed the ways of his people, who were crooked. The word hanif marks his departure from them. Being muslim, in his reading, points to having handed over one's reins to God, that is, submitting to what the law asks ³.

Neither Jew nor Christian

Sha'rawi holds that Judaism and Christianity both came after Abraham, so neither can claim him as its own. He presents this as a reply to those among the People of the Book who claimed him ⁴¹.

Note on this entry

This is Sha'rawi's reading, taken from a scanned copy whose edition is not yet verified, and it is presented under his name. A lexical reading of the root from dictionaries and Qur'anic vocabulary works has not yet been added (needs_source). See also Islam as the shared religion of the prophets and Abraham.

Opinions on the question

The question: How can Abraham be called a hanif when the root sense of the word is a bend?

First opinion · Sunni tradition (the museum's frame)Main reference

A hanif is one who turns away from the prevailing crookedness toward uprightness

Sha'rawi holds that Abraham was upright in himself, and that calling him hanif means he turned away from the crookedness of his time. He says the verse that Abraham was neither Jew nor Christian clears him of both religions, since both came after him {cite:tafsir-sharawi-khawatir-scan-vol-2 p.1525}{cite:tafsir-sharawi-khawatir-scan-vol-2 p.1526}{cite:tafsir-sharawi-khawatir-scan-vol-2 p.1527}.

Held by: Muhammad Mutawalli al-Sha'rawi

More opinions (1)

Academic viewSecondary opinion

A lexical reading of the root h-n-f in dictionaries and Qur'an vocabulary works

No academic reading of the root is set out here; it needs a named source (needs_source).

Sources

Sha'rawi's Khawatir around the Holy Quran, volume one (scan copy) , p.1525

Sha'rawi's Khawatir around the Holy Quran, volume one (scan copy) , p.1526

Sha'rawi's Khawatir around the Holy Quran, volume one (scan copy) , p.1527

Sha'rawi's Khawatir around the Holy Quran, volume one (scan copy) , p.1524

Protection (ismah): divine protection, sanctity of life and the marriage bond

In the lexicon, ismah is the act of preventing and protecting; the jurists also use it of the marriage bond, as in the Qur'anic reference to the bonds with unbelieving women. As a term it has three senses: the protection God gives a person from sins; the protection that makes a person and his property sacred, so that retaliation or compensation is due on violating it; and the protection that makes violating it sinful without retaliation or compensation. The text states that the messengers are protected from sins after their mission, and that on their prior state the sound view it records is that they were free of every defect. Sacredness of life and property is gained by the testimony of faith, and by a covenant of protection such as a treaty or safe-conduct. The marriage bond ends by annulment, as for apostasy or defect, or by divorce; the husband normally holds the power of divorce, and a wife holds it when he delegates it to her or when she stipulated it.