Surah Kawthar

Ayah 2

Ayah 2:

Fasalli li rabbika waNhar

So pray to your Lord and sacrifice [to Him alone].

Fa -

al Aloosi:
Fa -is used to illustrate with what is to come with what came before. It is because of what Allah has given to His Messenger, that has not been given to anyone before him, it necessitates that it be responded to.

That the Messenger is being told to be consistent in prayer and sacrifice due to the abundant blessings of Allah given to him.

Be consistent in the salah/prayer for the sake of your Master. This is the total opposite of the people mentioned in surah Ma'un who did not be consistent in the salah, and when they did pray - they did it for other than Allah's sake.

The opposite is mentioned in this surah - the best example. Li Rabbik (for your Master).

Allah mentions salah/prayer instead of shukr (thankfulness). So we understand that the salah is the most comprehensive and most complete way is to make salah to Allah. This is why Allah's Messenger would pray 2 raka'ah to Allah in prayer when something really good happened to the Muslims.

Abu Muslim:

Allah is referring to the mandatory prayers.

Ibn Abbas:

It refers to ALL prayers because there is no specificness mentioned.

Others said:

It refers to the 'Eid prayer, because waNhar (slaughter [an animal]) is placed next to it. And you pray the 'Eid prayer at a similar time to when you slaughter an animal on 'Eid.

The majority opinion:

this is no specific prayer, but that you should pray out of thankfulness to Allah.

Other opinion:

Salah at Muzdalifah morning at Hajj and the area of Mina.

Nahr - slaughter/sacrifice [an animal]. On the day of 'Eid al Adha. Majority opinion.

Az-Zamakhshari:

Nahr - the sacrificed animal is given in charity.

Just like Allah says in other aayaat;

wa aqeem us-salata wa aata uz-zakaah - perform the prayer and give the charity (of purification). - quran.

- The polytheists would sacrifice and pray to idols, so Allah showed them a change of attitude. That salah/prayer and sacrifice should be only for Allah alone.

az-Zamakshari:

Then enslave yourself to your Master because of the great honour and gifts He has given to you.

As opposed to your nation who worshipped other than Allah.

Sacrifice to Allah alone only to seek His pleasure, in comparison to the idol worshippers who sacrificed for their idols (for worldly respect etc.)

ash-Shawkani in Fath al Qadeer:

waNhar -

Naheera referring to the raising of the hands in salah (Raf' al yadain).

This is not an agreed on authentic hadith. But it implies that raise your hands in takbeer before starting your Salah. ash-Shawkani then mentions the benefits of doing so. This is a minority opinion.

Majority say waNhar refers to Sacrificing of the animal.

We will see how this is connected to the legacy of Ibraheem.

Ibn Abbas:

This salah is the mandatory prayer and the Zibh/slaughter of the animal on Eid al Adha.

al Bayhaqi:

Nahr refers to the slaughtering of animal on Eid al Adha.

3 Types of Animals to be sacrificed mentioned in Qur'an;

Budun, Nusuq, Hadi, Qalaa'id.

Budun بدن - animal which is large, and when it has been sacrificed - it's blood has not dried yet.

Nusuq نسق - Animal which you sacrifice - only for the sake of getting close to Allah. Active devotion to Allah.

(ina as-salati wa nusuqi.. Lillahi Rabbil aalameen - quran - surely my prayer, sacrifice, life and death are for Allah the Lord of the Worlds.)

Hadi هدي (mentioned in surah Ma'idah) - sacrificed - the flesh of it is distributed in the House of Allah / Masjid al Haraam to be distributed there.

Qalaa'id قالاعد (mentioned in Ma'idah) - plural. Qalaada (singular) - Animal marked for sacrifice. I.e hang a garland around its neck.

These are the names of Animals to be sacrificed.

3 words used for the Act of Slaughter/Sacrifice.

1 -Dhabaha/Dhibh/Dhabeehaذبح - to slaughter something for religious motives, and a higher agenda.

I.e. Some could slaughter children too during the pre-islamic period(i.e. Fir'awn - yudhabihoona abnaa'akum.. - surah ibraheem)

2 - Dhak-kah ذكه - (il-laa ma dhakaytum ذكيتم- surah ma'idah 5:3) - to kill an animal quickly and painlessly.

i.e. An animal is injured and is approaching death, so you quickly sacrifice it before it becomes dead - that would be halal/permissible for you.

3 - Nahr نهر (in this ayah in surah Kawthar.)

Literally means - that which is above the chest.

Intihar /Intahara - when someone commits suicide (i.e. Hanging the neck or cutting their neck etc.)

It literally means - to cut in the throat.

Allah specifically mentions cutting the animal in the throat in this surah, which is similar to the legacy of Ibraheem.

How close Allah's Messenger is to Ibraheem's way, where the practises of sacrifice originally began. Unlike the polytheists who claim to be descendants and followers of his way.

By Precisely using this word - Allah is reminding us that in the previous 2 surahs (surah Quraysh and Ma'un) - the arab polytheists are NOT following the legacy of Ibraheem.

They are not fulfilling the du'a and legacy of Ibraheem. So you (O Muhammad) are the fulfillment of the du'a/prayer and legacy of Ibraheem.