Prophets (Al-Anbiyā'): (56 - 60) He said, "Nay, but your Lord is..."

Translation and Exegesis (Tafsir)

When the people suggested that [Abraham] was joking about their idols, peace be upon him, he revealed what would make them realize his seriousness in establishing the truth, which is Monotheism (Tawhid). This was done first by speech and second by action.

His speech was: {Nay, but your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, He Who created them} (21:56).

This evidence indicates that the Creator who fashioned the heavens and the earth for the benefit of His servants is the one worthy of worship. This is because whoever is capable of creation is also capable of inflicting harm and conferring benefit in the Hereafter through punishment and reward.

Thus, the essence of this approach reverts to the method he used with his father, as stated in: {O my father, why do you worship that which does not hear, nor see, nor avail you in anything?} (Maryam: 42).

The author of Al-Kashshāf stated: The pronoun in faṭarahunna (created them) refers either to the heavens and the earth, or to the idols. Referring it to the idols is more pertinent to the argument against them.

Regarding His statement: {And I am among those who testify to that} (21:57), there are two interpretations:

1. Emphasis: The intent is to exaggerate confirmation and verification, similar to when a person strongly praises or condemns someone, saying, "I testify that he is noble," or "I testify that he is despicable."
2. Proof of Capability: Peace be upon him meant by this statement that he is capable of proving what he mentioned with evidence. He is not like them, speaking what he cannot substantiate with proof, just as they could not provide evidence for their doctrine beyond saying, "We found our fathers doing so."

The practical approach is His statement: {And by God, I will surely plot against your idols after you turn away, going} (21:57).

Since the people did not benefit from the intellectual proof, he resorted to showing them the futility of worshipping the idols. This involves several issues:

Issue 1: The Reading of Tawallū

The author of Al-Kashshāf mentioned that Mu'adh ibn Jabal (may God be pleased with him) recited it as wa-bi-llāh (and by God). It was also recited as tawallū (you turn away), meaning tatawallū (you turn away), which is supported by the verse: {So turn away from him, going} (referring to the context of leaving the idols).

If you ask: What is the difference between the bā’ (in bi-llāh) and the tā’ (in tā-llāh)? The answer is: The bā’ is the original form. The tā’ is substituted for the wāw (which was the original letter), and the tā’ carries an added meaning of astonishment, as if he was amazed at how easily the plot could be executed by his hand, given that it was a matter deemed hopeless due to its difficulty.

Issue 2: The Meaning of "Plotting" (Akīdan)

If it is asked: Why did he say, {I will surely plot against your idols}? Kayd (plotting/scheming) means devising harm against someone without their awareness, which is not applicable to inanimate idols.

The answer is: He said this as an extension of usage because they believed that harm could be inflicted upon the idols. Another view is that he meant, "I will plot against you concerning your idols," because that action would bring them distress.

Issue 3: The Circumstances of the Event

There are two views regarding the beginning of the story:

1. Al-Suddī's View: When they returned from their festival, they would enter the idols' sanctuary, prostrate to them, and then return home. On this occasion, Azar told Abraham (peace be upon him), "Why don't you come out with us?" He went with them, but partway there, he threw himself down, saying, "I am ill; my leg aches." When they left and only the weak remained behind, he called out, {And by God, I will surely plot against your idols}. This view is supported by the verse: {They said, "We heard a youth speaking ill of them; he is called Abraham"}.
2. Al-Kalbī's View: Abraham (peace be upon him) belonged to a family that studied the stars. When they went out for their festival, they would only leave behind the sick. When Abraham intended to break the idols, he looked at the sky a day before the festival and told his companions, "I see that I will be sick tomorrow," which is supported by: {He looked a look at the stars * Then said, "Indeed, I am ill"} (Al-Sāffāt: 88-89). The next morning, he left with his head bandaged. The people went to their festival, and no one stayed behind except him. He then said, "By God, I will surely plot against your idols." A man heard this statement and remembered it. That man informed others, and the news spread among a group, which is why the Almighty said: {They said, "We heard a youth speaking ill of them"}.

Both views are possible.

The continuation of the story is that when Abraham (peace be upon him) entered the house of idols, he found seventy idols lined up, and one great idol facing the door. It was made of gold, and in its eyes were two jewels that shone at night. He broke all of them with an axe he held, leaving only the great one, and then hung the axe around its neck.

This verse involves several issues:

Issue 1: The Use of Jidhādhan (Fragments)

If it is asked: Why did He say {So he made them into fragments} (jidhādhan)? This plural form is usually appropriate for rational beings. The answer is: This is because they believed the idols were like people in that they were revered and approached for worship, and perhaps some among them believed the idols could benefit or harm.

Issue 2: The Meaning of Jidhādhan

The author of Al-Kashshāf stated: Jidhādhan means pieces resulting from jadh (cutting). It is recited with both fatḥa (Jidhādan) and kasra (Jidhādin). It is also recited as the plural of jadhīdh, and judhdan as the plural of jadhdhah.

Issue 3: The Meaning of "The Greatest of Them"

If it is asked: What is the meaning of {except for the greatest of them}? It can mean: greatest in physical size, greatest in reverence, or both.

The Meaning of "That They Might Return to It"

This phrase can refer to their return to Abraham (peace be upon him), or their return to the great idol.

If the pronoun refers to Abraham:

1. The meaning is that perhaps they would return to Abraham's statement and abandon falsehood.
2. It was likely his strong assumption that they would only return to him, given their hearing of his denunciation of their religion and his insults toward their gods. He rebuked them with what he answered later: {Nay, but their greatest one did this—so ask them, if they are able to speak} (21:63).

If the pronoun refers to the great idol:

1. The meaning is that perhaps they would return to it, just as one returns to a scholar to resolve difficult issues, asking, "What happened to these broken ones, and why are you intact with the axe on your neck?" This is the view of Al-Kalbī, who based this on the extent of their ignorance, suggesting they might have believed the idol could answer and speak.
2. Alternatively, he said this while knowing they would not return to it, as a form of mockery. The natural expectation for something worshipped and deemed worthy of adoration is that people would return to it to resolve difficulties.

Issue 4: The Rationality of the Idolaters

If it is asked: Were those people rational or not? If they were rational, they must have known necessarily that these idols neither hear, see, benefit, nor harm. So, what was the need to break them? At most, one could say they revered them as we revere the Qur'an, the Mosque, or the miḥrāb (niche). Breaking them does not negate their reverence in this sense. If they were not rational, then debating with them or sending messengers to them would not be appropriate.

The Answer: They were rational and necessarily knew the idols were inanimate objects. However, perhaps they believed the idols were representations of the stars or talismans established such that whoever worshipped them benefited, and whoever disrespected them suffered severe harm. Abraham (peace be upon him) broke them even though no harm had come to him from them, thus his action demonstrated the falsehood of their doctrine from this perspective.

This means: Whoever committed this breaking and shattering is severely unjust and counted among the wrongdoers, either due to his audacity against the true deities deserving reverence and glorification, or because they perceived an excess and persistence in the act of desecration.

This involves two issues:

Issue 1: The Grammatical Status of Abraham

Al-Zajjāj stated that Ibrāhīm is in the nominative case for two reasons:

1. The meaning is: "It is said, 'He is Abraham.'"
2. It is an address, meaning: "It is said to him, 'O Abraham!'"

The author of Al-Kashshāf says the correct view is that it is the subject (fā'il) of yuqāl (is said), because the intended meaning is the name itself, not the person named.

Issue 2: The Number of Speakers

The apparent meaning of the verse indicates that the speakers were a group, not just one person. It seems they had previously heard him speak ill of their gods, and they concluded that he was the perpetrator, even if it was only his statement, "What are these statues?" and similar remarks.

This means they reflected internally and realized their error in accusing Abraham, concluding that they themselves were the unjust ones for worshipping what could not defend itself.