Continuation of the explanation of the saying of Allah the Exalted: “So We gave him good tidings of a boy of forbearance.”

The Shaykh : This is the beginning of the lesson. Allah the Exalted said: We took the indication of the letter "fa" (so) only to show that Allah responded to his supplication immediately. And regarding His saying with , good tidings (basharah) is the announcement of what brings joy. This is the original meaning. If a person announces what brings joy, it is called good tidings; if he announces what brings fear, it is called a warning. For this reason, Allah the Mighty and Majestic always mentions the contrast between good tidings and warning. So, good tidings in its original sense is the announcement of what brings joy. It may also be used for the announcement of what brings sorrow, either by way of mocking the one being informed, or by way of combining good tidings and warning, because each of them affects the skin of the one being informed. Good tidings affects him with joy, happiness, a brightening of the face, and peace of heart. The warning is the opposite: it darkens the face, makes it sullen, the face does not brighten, and distress occurs in it. The important point is that good tidings in its original sense is the announcement of what brings joy, and it may be used for the announcement of what brings sorrow, as in His saying: Either by way of mocking them, as you might say to a person, "Be glad of the punishment," mocking him, or by way of the category that combines it with good tidings of what brings joy, which is that each of them affects the skin in a way that shows its nature. Meaning, We gave Ibrahim good tidings. Meaning, one possessing much forbearance. "And what is forbearance (hilm)? It is being deliberate and not rushing in dealing with matters, but rather a person receives them with tranquility, balance, and wise conduct. The opposite of the forbearing one is the one who is quick to anger, quick to be emotionally affected, who does not deliberate in matters or reflect on them. You find him responding to things immediately or accepting them impulsively. So, forbearance is truly the ultimate degree of wisdom. Allah described this boy here with forbearance, and in two verses of the Book of Allah, the boy of Ibrahim was described with knowledge. This is because the two boys are two: one was described with knowledge, and the other with forbearance. The one described with forbearance, we will come to know who he is, if Allah wills. As for the one described with knowledge, he is Ishaq (peace be upon him), as indicated by the verses that came in that context.