Tafsir of Az-Zukhruf 43:26

(And when Abraham said)—that is, and mention to them the time of his saying, peace and blessings be upon him—(to his father)—Azar—(and his people)—who were devoted to blind imitation—(how he dissociated himself from what they were in by his saying): (Indeed, I am quit of what you worship).

(And he held fast to the proof). This discourse is a preamble regarding what the people of Mecca were in of stubbornness, envy, and refusal to reflect upon the verses. If they were to imitate their forefathers, it would be more appropriate that they imitate their greatest and most exalted forefather, whom they take pride in claiming kinship to: Abraham, peace be upon him. It is as if, after reproaching them for blind imitation, he reproaches them for failing to choose what he chose.

(Bara'an) is an infinitive noun, like at-talaq (divorce), used as an adjective for emphasis; for this reason, the singular, plural, masculine, and feminine forms are all equivalent when used with it.

Al-Za'farani and Al-Qawrasi narrated from Abu Ja'far, and Ibn al-Manadhiri narrated from Nafi', the reading (Bura'an) with a damma on the ba'. It is a singular noun, like tuwal and kiram with a damma on the kaf. Al-A'mash read (Bariyun), which is a descriptive adjective, like tawil (tall) and karim (generous). The reading of the majority follows the dialect of the Hijaz (Al-'Aliyah), while this is the dialect of Najd. Al-A'mash also read (Inni) with a shaddah on the nun, without the nun of protection (nun al-wiqayah).