Khalil Allah (Title)

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Khalīl Allāh (Arabic: خَلیل‌الله), literally: Friend of God[1] was a title bestowed upon Prophet Ibrahim (a).[2] Achieving the status of friendship with God is regarded as a supreme honor for Abraham (a),[3] transcending even his status as a prophet and messenger.[4] According to a hadith transmitted from Imam al-Sadiq (a), God initially embraced Abraham (a) as His servant, then as a prophet (nabi), and subsequently as a messenger (rasul), and ultimately as a friend (Khalil).[5]

The Qur'an 4:125 states, "And Allah took Abraham for a close friend." The term "ittakhadh" (took) signifies choice and selection.[6] The preceding part of the verse instructs people to adhere to Abraham's (a) creed,[7] and then it highlights that God chose him as a friend to inspire others to follow Abraham's (a) example.[8] Al-Zamakhshari, a Sunni scholar and exegete, suggests that the term "friendship" here is metaphorical, indicating Abraham's chosen status and his possession of qualities akin to those found between friends.[9]

In several hadiths, Prophet Abraham (a) is also described as "Khalil Allah."[10] Abraham (a) himself referred to himself as "Khalil Allah."[11] Muslims often refer to the city of Hebron in occupied Palestine, where Prophet Abraham (a) lived,[12] as al-Khalil due to the Qur'an 4:125.[13] Although the title is primarily associated with Prophet Abraham (a), some hadiths and supplications also use it to describe Prophet Muhammad (s),[14] Imam Ali (a),[15] and Imam al-Husayn (a).[16]

Various hadiths enumerate several factors contributing to Abraham's privilege, leading God to bestow the title of "Friend of God."[17] The book 'Ilal al-shara'i' features a section titled "Reasons for which God took Abraham (a) as His friend,"[18] which contains numerous hadiths elucidating factors underlying this title.[19] According to these traditions, Abraham (a) achieved the status of friendship with God through his frequent prostration, his charitable acts such as providing meals to the needy, his nightly prayers, his unwavering acceptance of indigent individuals, his hospitality,[20] and his reliance solely on God without seeking assistance from others.[21] Some Quranic exegetes also cite his renunciation of idolatry to worship God among the reasons for his status.[22]

Meaning of "Khalil"

There are two interpretations of the word "khalil":

  • Khalil meaning friend: The term "khalil" originates from "al-khulla," signifying friendship.[23] Majma' al-bayan, a Shi'a exegesis of the Quran from the sixth/twelfth century, interprets "Khalil Allah" as denoting friendship.[24] Makarim Shirazi, a Shi'a exegete, similarly contends that this interpretation accurately reflects Prophet Abraham's (a) relationship with God. He asserts that when God designates Abraham (a) as His "khalil," it unequivocally signifies friendship, with no other meaning applicable in this context.[25] Numerous other Quranic exegetes also endorse this interpretation.[26]
  • Khalil meaning indigence and need: The term "khalil" is rooted in "al-khalla," which connotes indigence.[27] Some scholars argue that Abraham's designation as "Khalil Allah" signifies his dependence and neediness towards God.[28] 'Allama Tabataba'i cites a hadith stating that Abraham (a) was termed Khalil Allah because he exclusively sought assistance from God, as evidence that "khalil" here denotes need and dependence. According to his perspective, the accurate interpretation of "Khalil Allah" is someone who solely relies on God for his necessities and beseeches only Him to fulfill them.[29]

Notes

  1. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, vol. 4, p. 145.
  2. ↑ Mughnīya, Tafsīr al-Kāshif, vol. 2, p. 448.
  3. ↑ Abū l-Futūḥ al-Rāzī, Rawḍ al-Jinān, vol. 6, p. 129.
  4. ↑ Mughnīya, Tafsīr al-Kāshif, vol. 2, p. 448.
  5. ↑ Kulaynī, al-Kāfī, vol. 1, p. 175.
  6. ↑ Kāshānī, Zubdat al-tafāsīr, vol. 2, p. 160.
  7. ↑ Ḥusaynī Shīrāzī, Tabyīn al-Qurʾān, p. 109.
  8. ↑ Ibn Kathīr, Tafsīr al-Qurʾān al-ʿaẓīm, vol. 2, p. 374.
  9. ↑ Zamakhsharī, al-Kashshāf, vol. 1, p. 569.
  10. ↑ Kulaynī, al-Kāfī, vol. 1, p. 473.
  11. ↑ Kulaynī, al-Kāfī, vol. 4, p. 205.
  12. ↑ Lāhūtī, al-Khalīl, p. 91.
  13. ↑ Lāhūtī, al-Khalīl, p. 92.
  14. ↑ Ṣadūq, Man lā yaḥḍuruh al-faqīh, vol. 2, p. 573.
  15. ↑ Ibn Qūlawayh, Kāmil al-zīyārāt, p. 44.
  16. ↑ Ṭūsī, Tahdhīb al-aḥkām, vol. 6, p. 113.
  17. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, vol. 4, p. 146.
  18. ↑ Ṣadūq, ʿIlal al-sharāʾiʿ, vol. 1, p. 34.
  19. ↑ Ṣadūq, ʿIlal al-sharāʾiʿ, vol. 1, p. 34-37.
  20. ↑ Qirāʾatī, Tafsīr-i nūr, vol. 2, p. 395.
  21. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, al-Mīzān, vol. 5, p. 96.
  22. ↑ Mudarrisī, Min huday al-Qurʾān, vol. 2, p. 201.
  23. ↑ Ṭūsī, al-Tibyān, vol. 3, p. 340.
  24. ↑ Ṭabrisī, Majmaʿ al-bayān, vol. 3, p. 178.
  25. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, vol. 4, p. 145.
  26. ↑ Ṭaliqānī, Partuwī az Qurʾān, vol. 6, p. 195; Ṭayyib, Aṭyab al-bayān fī tafsīr al-Qurʾān, vol. 4, p. 221.
  27. ↑ Ṭūsī, al-Tibyān, vol. 3, p. 340.
  28. ↑ Najafī Khomeinī, Tafsīr-i āsān, vol. 6, p. 253.
  29. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, al-Mīzān, vol. 5, p. 96.

References

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