Maryam · Makki · ayah 50 of 98

Maryam 19:50

وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُم مِّن رَّحْمَتِنَا وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُمْ لِسَانَ صِدْقٍ عَلِيًّا

“And We gave them of Our mercy, and We made for them a mention [i.e., reputation] of high honor.”

Saheeh International

Essence

The man first called the one of truth is given a lofty tongue of truth: praise from every faith, and his name in every prayer.

A reflection

Not fame: true praise, lifted high

'A lofty tongue of truth' is easy to hear as a pious word for fame. Ibrahim became famous; his name lasted. Many readers stop there.

The commentaries are more precise. An early Companion's report glosses lisān ṣidq simply as good praise. A major commentator explains why it is called 'lofty': because the people of every religion speak well of them and praise them. A later spiritual writer adds the decisive word. It is praise in truth, not praise built on lies. Since truthfulness lives on the tongue, Allah released the tongues of His servants in praise of the truthful one. A fitting reward, he says, matching the deed.

So this is not celebrity. Celebrity is attention, deserved or not. Lisān ṣidq is the truth about a person, spoken well and spoken widely, for ages.

One classical commentator ties it to Ibrahim's own prayer. My Lord, make for me a tongue of truth among later generations (26:84). Allah answered, he says, and made Ibrahim an example, so that the people of every religion claim him.

Now hear it as the Makkans did. They praised Ibrahim themselves. They called him their father and claimed his religion. Without knowing it, they were part of the answer to his prayer: the tongues praising him. And yet they were worshipping the idols he had left his father's house to escape.

Praise that lasts is not the same as praise that is true. Many names have lasted for the wrong reasons. The ayah's claim is that Ibrahim's lasts for the right one: because it describes him accurately. The tongues that praise him are telling the truth.

The ayah quietly hands every listener a question. You speak well of Ibrahim. Do you speak truthfully about what he stood for?

The full entry has 5 more reflections, questions to sit with, and "Live it today" - with the words, the roots and the tafsir alongside. Free, no account, works offline.