Surah Al-Anbiya: (61 - 67) They said, "Bring him..."

Verse 61: {فَأَتُوا بِهِ عَلَى أَعْيُنِ النَّاسِ} (So bring him before the people's eyes.)

When the people witnessed the smashing of the idols, and it was said that Abraham (peace be upon him) was the perpetrator, they conferred among themselves, saying: {فَأَتُوا بِهِ عَلَى أَعْيُنِ النَّاسِ} (So bring him before the people's eyes).

The author of Al-Kashshaf states that "upon the people's eyes" is a circumstantial clause (hal), meaning: bring him in their sight and view.

If you ask: What is the meaning of the preposition ‘alā (upon) here? The answer is: It is used figuratively, establishing the presence of the event in their sight just as one establishes the rider upon the mount.

Regarding the Almighty's saying: {لَعَلَّهُمْ يَشْهَدُونَ} (so that they may witness), there are two interpretations:

1. They disliked seizing him without evidence, so they wanted to bring him before the people's eyes so that they might witness what he said, making it an argument against him regarding his actions. This is the view of Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Al-Suddi, 'Ata', and Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them).
2. This is the view of Muhammad ibn Ishaq: They should be present to see what is done to him, which would deter them from attempting a similar act.

There is a third view, held by Muqatil and Al-Kalbi: The meaning encompasses both interpretations—they witness his deed, and they witness his punishment.

Verse 62: {قَالُوا أَأَنتَ فَعَلْتَ هَٰذَا بِآلِهَتِنَا يَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ} (They said, "Did you do this to our gods, O Abraham?")

Know that there is an omission in the speech here: [They brought him, and then] they said, "Did you do this?" They sought his confession so they could proceed to harm him. However, the matter turned against them until they wished for deliverance from him.

So, he replied: {بَلْ فَعَلَهُ كَبِيرُهُمْ هَٰذَا} (Rather, the great one of them did it). He had the axe hung around his neck so that when he uttered this statement, their ignorance in worshipping idols would become apparent.

If one asks: Is the statement, "Rather, the great one of them did it," a lie? There are two main opinions regarding this:

1. The view of the majority of verified scholars: It is not a lie. They offered several justifications:
   • First: Abraham’s (peace be upon him) intention was not to attribute the action to the idol itself. Rather, he intended to establish his own position and affirm his capability in a suggestive manner that would achieve his goal of establishing the proof against them and rebuking them. This is like if a friend who knows you are an excellent calligrapher asks you, "Did you write this beautifully written book?" when your friend is illiterate and can only scratch poorly. If you reply, "You wrote it," your intention is to affirm it while mocking him, not to deny it from yourself and attribute it to the illiterate person, because attributing it to the incapable one, when the ability lies between the two, is mockery and attribution to the capable one.
   • Second: Abraham (peace be upon him) was enraged when he saw the idols lined up and arrayed. His anger was fiercest toward the greatest idol because of the excessive veneration they accorded it. Thus, he attributed the action to it because it was the cause of their disrespect and destruction of the others. An action is attributed both to the direct doer and to the instigator.
   • Third: It is a narration of what logically follows from their doctrine. It is as if he said to them: "Do you deny that their great one could do this? For it is incumbent upon one who is worshipped and claimed to be a god to be capable of this and more." (These three justifications were mentioned by the author of Al-Kashshaf.)
   • Fourth: It is an allusion to an unmentioned actor: "The one who did it did it, and this great one [is the subject of the following statement]." It is narrated from Al-Kisa'i that he would pause at {بَلْ فَعَلَهُ كَبِيرُهُمْ} and then start a new sentence: {هَٰذَا} (This one).
   • Fifth: It is possible there is a pause at {كَبِيرُهُمْ} (their great one), and then he starts a new sentence: {هَٰذَا} (This one), meaning: "So ask them." The meaning is: "Rather, their great one did it, and he meant himself, because man is greater than any idol."
   • Sixth: There is a transposition of words, as if he said: "Rather, their great one did this, if they speak, so ask them." Thus, attributing the action to their great one is conditional upon their being able to speak. Since they cannot speak, it is impossible for them to be the doers.
   • Seventh: Muhammad ibn Al-Sumayfi' read it as {فَعَلَهُ كَبِيرُهُمْ} (Perhaps their great one did it).

2. The second view, held by a group of narrators of historical accounts: That it was a lie. They supported this with the narration that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Abraham did not lie except three times, all concerning Allah: his saying, {إِنِّي سَقِيمٌ} (Indeed, I am ill), his saying, {بَلْ فَعَلَهُ كَبِيرُهُمْ هَٰذَا}, and his saying to Sarah, 'She is my sister.'" In another narration: "When the people of the Standing Place ask Abraham for intercession, he will say: 'I told three lies.'" They then supported their view rationally, arguing that lying is not inherently ugly. If a prophet flees from an oppressor and hides in someone's house, and the oppressor asks about him, lying is obligatory. If so, why would it be far-fetched that Allah permits it for a benefit known only to Him?

Know that this second view is rejected. As for the first narration they cite, it is more appropriate to attribute the lie to its narrators than to the Prophets (peace be upon them). The decisive proof is that if it were permissible for them to lie for a benefit, and Allah permitted it, then we would have to allow this possibility for everything they reported and everything Allah reported about them, which would invalidate trust in the divine laws and open them to suspicion. Furthermore, if that narration were authentic, it would be interpreted using metaphors (ma'ārid), as the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Indeed, in metaphors, there is a way out from lying."

Regarding His saying: {إِنِّي سَقِيمٌ} (Indeed, I am ill), perhaps he had a slight ailment, and the full discussion will come in its proper place.

As for {بَلْ فَعَلَهُ كَبِيرُهُمْ هَٰذَا}, the answer regarding it has been clarified.

As for his saying to Sarah, {إِنَّهَا أُخْتِي} (She is my sister), the meaning is that she is his sister in faith. When the speech can be interpreted literally without attributing falsehood to the Prophets (peace be upon them), then only a heretic would attribute lying to them.

Verse 65: {فَرَجَعُوا إِلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ فَقَالُوا إِنَّكُمْ أَنتُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ} (Then they returned to themselves and said, "Indeed, you are the wrongdoers.")

There are several interpretations for this:

1. When Abraham (peace be upon him) alerted them to the ugliness of their path with what he presented, they became alert, realizing that worshipping idols was false and that they were deceived and ignorant in that matter.
2. Muqatil said: They returned to themselves and blamed themselves, saying, "You are the wrongdoers to Abraham, claiming he broke them when the axe is in the hand of the great idol."
3. The meaning is: "You are the wrongdoers to yourselves because you asked him about it, leading him to mock you in his reply."

The first interpretation is the closest.

Verse 66: {ثُمَّ نُكِسُوا عَلَىٰ رُءُوسِهِمْ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا هَٰؤُلَاءِ يَنطِقُونَ} (Then they hung their heads [or were turned upside down], "You certainly know that these do not speak.")

The author of Al-Kashshaf said: Nukisa (he was turned upside down) means his bottom became his top. There are two issues concerning this:

There are several views:

1. The meaning is that they straightened up when they returned to themselves and engaged in sound reflection, but then they were "turned upside down" (nukisū), meaning they reverted from that state and began arguing with falsehood, claiming that these idols, despite their deficiency compared to a speaking animal, are gods worthy of worship.
2. They were literally turned upside down due to extreme shame, frustration, and confusion caused by Abraham's argument, leaving them without an answer except one that served as proof against them.
3. Ibn Jarir said: Then they were turned upside down in their argument against Abraham when he debated them. Meaning, they reversed the argument and presented to Abraham what was actually proof for Abraham against them, saying: {لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا هَٰؤُلَاءِ يَنطِقُونَ} (You certainly know that these do not speak). They admitted this due to the bewilderment that afflicted them. He said the meaning is that their argument was overturned, so the statement is attributed to them instead of their argument.

The word {نُكِسُوا} (they were turned upside down) was read with a shaddah (doubling of the letter kāf), and it was also read as {نُكِسُوا} (passive voice, where the doer is not mentioned), meaning they turned themselves upside down. This is the reading of Radwan ibn 'Abd al-Ma'bud.

Verse 67: {قَالَ أَفَتَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُكُمْ شَيْئًا وَلَا يَضُرُّكُمْ أَفٍّ لَّكُمْ وَلِمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ} (He said, "Do you then worship besides Allah that which neither benefits you nor harms you? Fie upon you and that which you worship besides Allah! Do you not then use reason?")

The meaning is clear. The author of Al-Kashshaf said: Aff (Fie/Uff) is a sound uttered when the speaker expresses vexation. Abraham (peace be upon him) was vexed by their persistence in worshipping the idols after their excuse had ended, and after the truth became clear and falsehood vanished. He expressed his displeasure toward them.

It is possible he said this to them when they already knew his statement was true, and it is possible he said it when the proof had become evident, even if they did not comprehend it. The latter is closer to His saying: {أَفَتَعْبُدُونَ} (Do you then worship?) and {أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ} (Do you not then use reason?).

Verses 68 - 71: {قَالُوا حَرِّقُوهُ وَانصُرُوا آلِهَتَكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ فَاعِلِينَ * قُلْنَا يَا نَارُ كُونِي بَرْدًا وَسَلَامًا عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ * وَأَرَادُوا بِهِ كَيْدًا فَجَعَلْنَاهُمُ الْأَخْسَرِينَ * وَنَجَّيْنَاهُ وَلُوطًا إِلَى الْأَرْضِ الَّتِي بَارَكْنَا فِيهَا لِلْعَالَمِينَ}

{قَالُوا حَرِّقُوهُ وَانصُرُوا آلِهَتَكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ فَاعِلِينَ} (They said, "Burn him and support your gods, if you are to do [anything].")

{قُلْنَا يَا نَارُ كُونِي بَرْدًا وَسَلَامًا عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ} (We said, "O fire, be coolness and safety upon Abraham.")

{وَأَرَادُوا بِهِ كَيْدًا فَجَعَلْنَاهُمُ الْأَخْسَرِينَ} (And they intended a plot against him, but We made them the losers.)

{وَنَجَّيْنَاهُ وَلُوطًا إِلَى الْأَرْضِ الَّتِي بَارَكْنَا فِيهَا لِلْعَالَمِينَ} (And We saved him and Lot to the land which We blessed for all people.)