Tafsir Surah Al-Anbya ayah 55 | Learn Quran Tafsir

The Story of Ibrahim and his People

Allah tells:

وَلَقَدۡ اتَيۡنَا إِبۡرَاهِيمَ رُشۡدَهُ مِن قَبۡلُ وَكُنَّا بِه عَالِمِينَ

And indeed We bestowed aforetime on Ibrahim his guidance,

Allah tells us about His close Friend Ibrahim, peace be upon him, and how He bestowed upon him guidance aforetime, i.e., from an early age He inspired him with truth and evidence against his people, as Allah says elsewhere:

وَتِلۡكَ حُجَّتُنَأ ءَاتَيۡنَـهَأ إِبۡرَهِيمَ عَلَى قَوۡمِهِ

And that was Our proof which We gave Ibrahim against his people. (6:83)

The point here is that Allah is telling us that He gave guidance to Ibrahim aforetime, i.e., He had already guided him at an early age.

وَكُنَّا بِه عَالِمِينَ

and We were Well-Acquainted with him.

means, and he was worthy of that.

Then Allah says:

إِذۡ قَالَ لاَِبِيهِ وَقَوۡمِهِ مَا هَذِهِ التَّمَاثِيلُ الَّتِي أَنتُمۡ لَهَا عَاكِفُونَ

When he said to his father and his people:What are these images, to which you are devoted!

This is the guidance which he had been given during his youth:his denunciation of his people's worship of idols instead of Allah.

Ibrahim said:

مَا هَذِهِ التَّمَاثِيلُ الَّتِي أَنتُمۡ لَهَا عَاكِفُونَ

What are these images, to which you are devoted!

meaning, which you worship with such devotion.

قَالُوا وَجَدۡنَا ابَاءنَا لَهَا عَابِدِينَ

They said:We found our fathers worshipping them.

means, they had no other evidence apart from the misguided actions of their forefathers.

قَالَ لَقَدۡ كُنتُمۡ أَنتُمۡ وَابَاوُكُمۡ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِينٍ

He (Ibrahim) said:Indeed you and your fathers have been in manifest error.

meaning, Speaking to your fathers whose actions you cite as evidence would be the same as speaking to you. Both you and they are misguided and are not following any straight path.' When he called their intelligence into question, and said that their fathers were misguided and belittled their gods,

قَالُوا أَجِيۡتَنَا بِالۡحَقِّ أَمۡ أَنتَ مِنَ اللَّعِبِينَ

They said:Have you brought us the Truth, or are you one of those who play about?

They said:`These words that you are saying, are you speaking in jest or are you telling the truth! For we have never heard such a thing before.'

قَالَ بَل رَّبُّكُمۡ رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالاۡاَرۡضِ الَّذِي فَطَرَهُنَّ

He said:Nay, your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, Who created them...

meaning, your Lord, beside Whom there is no other god, is the One Who created the heavens and the earth and all that they contain; He is the One Who initiated their creation; He is the Creator of all things.

وَأَنَا عَلَى ذَلِكُم مِّنَ الشَّاهِدِينَ

and to that I am one of the witnesses.

means, and I bear witness that there is no God other than Him and no Lord except Him

How Ibrahim broke the Idols

Then Ibrahim swore an oath, which some of his people heard, to plot against their idols, i.e., to break them and destroy them after they had gone away and turned their backs, when they went out to their festival. They had a festival which they would go out to celebrate.

Abu Ishaq reported from Abu Al-Ahwas from Abdullah (Ibn Mas`ud),

When the people of Ibrahim went out to celebrate their festival, they passed by him and said, `O Ibrahim, are you not coming out with us?'

He said, `I am sick.'

It was only the day before that he had said,

وَتَاللَّهِ لَاَكِيدَنَّ أَصۡنَامَكُم بَعۡدَ أَن تُوَلُّوا مُدۡبِرِينَ

And by Allah, I shall plot a plan for your idols after you have gone away and turned your backs.

and some of the people had heard him.

فَجَعَلَهُمۡ جُذَاذًا إِلاَّ كَبِيرًا لَّهُمۡ

So he broke them to pieces, except the biggest of them,

means, he smashed them all, except for the biggest idol.

This is like the Ayah,

فَرَاغَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ ضَرۡباً بِالۡيَمِينِ

Then he turned upon them, striking (them) with (his) right hand. (37:93)

لَعَلَّهُمۡ إِلَيۡهِ يَرۡجِعُونَ

that they might turn to it.

It was said that he put a hammer in the hands of the biggest idol so that the people would think that it had become jealous on its own account and objected to these smaller idols being worshipped alongside it, so it had broken them.

قَالُوا مَن فَعَلَ هَذَا بِألِهَتِنَا إِنَّهُ لَمِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ

They said:Who has done this to our gods He must indeed be one of the wrongdoers.

When they came back and ﷺ what Ibrahim had done to their idols, humiliating them and lowering their status, proving that they were not divine and that those who worshipped them were fools,

قَالُوا مَن فَعَلَ هَذَا بِألِهَتِنَا إِنَّهُ لَمِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ

(They said:Who has done this to our gods He must indeed be one of the wrongdoers), because of this action of his.

قَالُوا سَمِعۡنَا فَتًى يَذۡكُرُهُمۡ يُقَالُ لَهُ إِبۡرَاهِيمُ

They said:We heard a young man talking against them, who is called Ibrahim.

Those who had heard him swearing to plot against them said, we heard a young man talking about them, and they said that he was called Ibrahim.

قَالُوا فَأۡتُوا بِهِ عَلَى أَعۡيُنِ النَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَشۡهَدُونَ

They said:Then bring him before the eyes of the people that they may testify.

meaning, in front of a large audience so that all the people could be present. This was Ibrahim's ultimate purpose, so that he could tell this great gathering about the extent of their ignorance and how foolish they were to worship idols which could not defend themselves from harm or help themselves, so how could they ask them for help!

قَالُوا أَأَنتَ فَعَلۡتَ هَذَا بِألِهَتِنَا يَا إِبۡرَاهِيمُ

قَالَ بَلۡ فَعَلَهُ كَبِيرُهُمۡ هَذَا

They said:Are you the one who has done this to our gods, O Ibrahim!

He said:Nay, this one, the biggest of them did it...

referring to the one he had left alone and had not broken.

فَاسۡأَلُوهُمۡ إِن كَانُوا يَنطِقُونَ

Ask them, if they can speak!

He was hoping that they would admit of their own volition that these idols could not speak and that this idol would not say anything because it was inanimate.

In the Two Sahihs it was recorded from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah said:

إِنَّ إِبۡرَاهِيمَ عَلَيۡهِ السَّلَمُ لَمۡ يَكۡذِبۡ غَيۡرَ ثَلَثٍ ثِنۡتَيۡنِ فِي ذَاتِ اللهِ قَوۡلُهُ

Ibrahim, upon him be peace, did not tell lies except on three occasions, two for the sake of Allah -- when he said:

بَلۡ فَعَلَهُ كَبِيرُهُمۡ هَذَا

Nay, this one, the biggest of them did it.

and when he said:

إِنِّى سَقِيمٌ

Verily, I am sick. (37:89)

قَالَ وَبَيۡنَا هُوَ يَسِيرُ فِي أَرۡضِ جَبَّارٍ مِنَ الۡجَبَابِرَةِ وَمَعَهُ سَارَّةُ إِذۡ نَزَلَ مَنۡزِلاًا فَأَتَى الۡجَبَّارَ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ قَدۡ نَزَل هَهُنَا رَجُلٌ بِأَرۡضِكَ مَعَهُ امۡرَأَةٌ أَحۡسَنُ النَّاسِ

فَأَرۡسَلَ إِلَيۡهِ فَجَاءَ فَقَالَ مَا هَذِهِ الۡمَرۡأَةُ مِنۡكَ

قَالَ هِيَ أُخۡتِي

قَالَ فَاذۡهَبۡ فَأَرۡسِلۡ بِهَا إِلَيَّ

فَانۡطَلَقَ إِلَى سَارَّةَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ هَذَا الۡجَبَّارَ قَدۡ سَأَلَنِي عَنۡكِ فَأَخۡبَرۡتُهُ أَنَّكِ أُخۡتِي فَلَا تُكَذِّبِينِي عِنۡدَهُ فَإِنَّكِ أُخۡتِي فِي كِتَابِ اللهِ وَإِنَّهُ لَيۡسَ فِي الاۡاَرۡضِ مُسۡلِمٌ غَيۡرِي وَغَيۡرُكِ

فَانۡطَلَقَ بِهَا إِبۡرَاهِيمُ ثُمَّ قَامَ يُصَلِّي

فَلَمَّا أَنۡ دَخَلَتۡ عَلَيۡهِ فَرَاهَا أَهۡوَى إِلَيۡهَا فَتَنَاوَلَهَا فَأُخِذَ أَخۡذًا شَدِيدًا فَقَالَ ادۡعِي اللهَ لِي وَلَا أَضُرُّكِ فَدَعَتۡ لَهُ

فَأُرۡسِلَ فَأَهۡوَى إِلَيۡهَا فَتَنَاوَلَهَا فَأُخِذَ بِمِثۡلِهَا أَوۡ أَشَدَّ فَفَعَلَ ذَلِكَ الثَّالِثَةَ فَأُخِذَ فَذَكَرَ مِثۡلَ الۡمَرَّتَيۡنِ الاۡأُولَيَيۡنِ

فَقَالَ ادۡعِي اللهَ فَلَ أُضُرَّكِ فَدَعَتۡ لَهُ فَأُرۡسِلَ ثُمَّ دَعَا أَدۡنَى حُجَّابِهِ فَقَالَ إِنَّكَ لَمۡ تَأۡتِنِي بِإِنۡسَانٍ وَلَكِنَّكَ أَتَيۡتَنِي بِشَيۡطَانٍ أَخۡرِجۡهَا وَأَعۡطِهَا هَاجَرَ فَأُخۡرِجَتۡ وَأُعۡطِيَتۡ هَاجَرَ فَأَقۡبَلَتۡ

فَلَمَّا أَحَسَّ إِبۡرَاهِيمُ بِمَجِييِهَا انۡفَتَلَ مِنۡ صَلَتِهِ وَقَالَ مَهۡيَمۡ

قَالَتۡ كَفَى اللهُ كَيۡدَ الۡكَافِرِ الۡفَاجِرِ وَأَخۡدَمَنِي هَاجَر

and when he was traveling in the land of one of the tyrants, and Sarah was with him; when he made camp, a man came to the tyrant and said, A man has made camp in your land and with him is a woman who is the most beautiful of people.

The tyrant sent for Ibrahim, and asked him, What is the relationship of this woman to you?

He said, She is my sister.

The tyrant said, Go and send her to me.

So Ibrahim went to Sarah and said, This tyrant asked me about you, and I told him that you are my sister, so do not let him think that I am lying. For you are indeed my sister according to the Book of Allah, and there are no Muslims on the earth apart from you and I.

So Ibrahim brought her to him, then he stood and prayed.

When she entered upon the tyrant, he reached for her desirously once he ﷺ her. But he suffered a severe seizure. So he said, Pray to Allah for me and I will not harm you. So she prayed for him and it released him.

Then he reached for her desirously, but he was stricken similarly before or worse. This continued three times, and each time he said the same as he had said the first time.

Then he called the closest of his guards and said, You have not brought me a human being, you have brought me a devil! Take her out and give her Hajar. So she was taken out and given Hajar, and she went back.

When Ibrahim realized that she had come back, he finished his prayer and turned around. He said, What happened?

She said, Allah took care of the evil disbeliever's plot, and he gave me Hajar as a servant.

Muhammad bin Sirin said,

When Abu Hurayrah narrated this Hadith, he said, `This is your mother, O sons of the water of the heaven.'

The People's admission of their gods' incapability, and Ibrahim's preaching

Allah tells us that when Ibrahim said what he said, his people,

فَرَجَعُوا إِلَى أَنفُسِهِمۡ

turned to themselves,

meaning, they blamed themselves for not taking precautions and protecting their gods.

فَقَالُوا إِنَّكُمۡ أَنتُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ

They said:Verily, you are the wrongdoers.

i.e., because you neglected them and did not guard them.

ثُمَّ نُكِسُوا عَلَى رُوُوسِهِمۡ

Then they turned to themselves,

means, they looked at the ground, and said:

لَقَدۡ عَلِمۡتَ مَا هَوُلَاء يَنطِقُونَ

Indeed you (Ibrahim) know well that these speak not!

Qatadah said:

The people admitted their guilt and confusion, and said,

لَقَدۡ عَلِمۡتَ مَا هَوُلَاء يَنطِقُونَ

(Indeed you know well that these speak not!) `So how can you tell us to ask them, if they cannot speak and you know that they cannot speak.'

At this point, when they admitted that, Ibrahim said to them:

قَالَ أَفَتَعۡبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لَاا يَنفَعُكُمۡ شَيۡيًا وَلَاا يَضُرُّكُمۡ

Do you then worship besides Allah, things that can neither profit you nor harm you!

meaning, if they cannot speak and they can neither benefit you nor harm you, then why do you worship them instead of Allah

أُفٍّ لَّكُمۡ وَلِمَا تَعۡبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَفَلَ تَعۡقِلُونَ

Fie upon you, and upon that which you worship besides Allah! Have you then no sense!

`Do you not realize the extent of the misguidance and extreme disbelief which you are following, which no one could accept but one who is an ignorant and evil wrongdoer.' He defeated them in argument and left them with no way out.

Allah said:

وَتِلۡكَ حُجَّتُنَأ ءَاتَيۡنَـهَأ إِبۡرَهِيمَ عَلَى قَوۡمِهِ

And that was Our proof which We gave Ibrahim against his people. (6:83

How Ibrahim was thrown into the Fire and how Allah controlled it

When their arguments were refuted and their incapability became clear, when truth was made manifest and falsehood was defeated, they resorted to using their power and strength, and;

قَالُوا حَرِّقُوهُ وَانصُرُوا الِهَتَكُمۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ فَاعِلِينَ

They said:Burn him and help your gods, if you will be doing.

So they gathered together a huge amount of wood.

As-Suddi said,

I if a woman was sick, she would make a vow that if she recovered she would bring wood to burn Ibrahim. Then they made a hole in the ground and set it aflame, and it burned with huge sparks and immense flames. There had never been a fire like it. They put Ibrahim, peace be upon him, into a catapult, at the suggestion of a nomadic Kurdish man from Persia.

Shu`ayb Al-Jaba'i said,

His name was Hayzan, and Allah caused the earth to swallow him up, and he will remain sinking into it until the Day of Resurrection.

When they threw him he said, `Sufficient for me is Allah, and He is the best disposer of affairs.'

This is similar to what Al-Bukhari recorded from Ibn Abbas that Ibrahim said,

`Sufficient for me is Allah, and He is the best disposer of affairs,

when he was thrown into the fire, and Muhammad said it when they said:

إِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدۡ جَمَعُواۡ لَكُمۡ فَاخۡشَوۡهُمۡ فَزَادَهُمۡ إِيمَـناً وَقَالُواۡ حَسۡبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعۡمَ الۡوَكِيلُ

Verily, the people have gathered against you, therefore, fear them. But it increased them in faith, and they said:Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best disposer of affairs. (3:173)

Sa`id bin Jubayr reported that Ibn Abbas said:

When Ibrahim was thrown into the fire, the keeper (angel) of the rain said:`When will I be commanded to send rain.' But the command of Allah was more swift.

قُلۡنَا يَا نَارُ كُونِي بَرۡدًا وَسَلَمًا عَلَى إِبۡرَاهِيمَ

Allah said:O fire! Be you cool and safety for Ibrahim!

and there was no fire left on earth that was not extinguished.

Ibn Abbas and Abu Al-Aliyah said:

Were it not for the fact that Allah said,

وَسَلَمًا

(and safety), Ibrahim would have been harmed by its coldness.

Qatadah said:

On that day there was no creature that did not try to extinguish the fire for Ibrahim, except for the gecko.

Az-Zuhri said:

The Prophet commanded that it should be killed, and called it a harmful vermin.

وَأَرَادُوا بِهِ كَيۡدًا فَجَعَلۡنَاهُمُ الاۡأَخۡسَرِينَ

And they wanted to harm him, but We made them the worst losers.

they were defeated and humiliated, because they wanted to plot against the Prophet of Allah, but Allah planned against them and saved him from the fire, and thus they were defeated

The Migration of Ibrahim to Ash-Sham (Greater Syria), accompanied by Lut

Allah tells:

وَنَجَّيۡنَاهُ وَلُوطًا إِلَى الاَۡرۡضِ الَّتِي بَارَكۡنَا فِيهَا لِلۡعَالَمِينَ

And We rescued him and Lut to the land which We have blessed for the nations.

Allah tells us that He saved Ibrahim from the fire lit by his people, and brought him out from among them, migrating to the land of Ash-Sham, to the sacred regions thereof.

وَوَهَبۡنَا لَهُ إِسۡحَقَ وَيَعۡقُوبَ نَافِلَةً

And We bestowed upon him Ishaq, and Ya`qub Nafilatan.

Ata' and Mujahid said,

Nafilatan means as a gift.

Ibn Abbas, Qatadah and Al-Hakam bin `]Uyaynah said,

The gift of a son who has a son,

meaning that Yaqub was the son of Ishaq, as Allah says:

فَبَشَّرۡنَـهَا بِإِسۡحَـقَ وَمِن وَرَاءِ إِسۡحَـقَ يَعۡقُوبَ

But We gave her glad tidings of Ishaq, and after Ishaq, of Yaqub. (11:71)

Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said,

He asked for one (son), and said,

رَبِّ هَبۡ لِى مِنَ الصَّـلِحِينِ

My Lord! Grant me from the righteous. (37:100)

So Allah gave him Ishaq, and gave him Yaqub in addition.

وَكُلًّ جَعَلۡنَا صَالِحِينَ

Each one We made righteous.

means, both of them were good and righteous people.

وَجَعَلۡنَاهُمۡ أَيِمَّةً

And We made them leaders,

means, examples to be followed.

يَهۡدُونَ بِأَمۡرِنَا

guiding by Our command,

inviting to Him by His leave.

Allah says:

وَأَوۡحَيۡنَا إِلَيۡهِمۡ فِعۡلَ الۡخَيۡرَاتِ وَإِقَامَ الصَّلَأةِ وَإِيتَاء الزَّكَاةِ

and We revealed to them the doing of good deeds, performing Salah, and the giving of Zakah,

Here the general is followed by the specific.

وَكَانُوا لَنَا عَابِدِينَ

and of Us (Alone) they were the worshippers.

means, they did what they enjoined others to do.

Al-Anbya: 55

Ayah

Translation

Tafsir

Al-Anbya: 55