Al-An'am: 83

Ayah

Word by Word

وَتِلۡكَ

And this

حُجَّتُنَآ

(is) Our argument

ءَاتَيۡنَٰهَآ

We gave it

إِبۡرَٰهِيمَ

(to) Ibrahim

عَلَىٰ

against

قَوۡمِهِۦۚ

his people

نَرۡفَعُ

We raise

دَرَجَٰتٖ

(by) degrees

مَّن

whom

نَّشَآءُۗ

We will

إِنَّ

Indeed

رَبَّكَ

your Lord

حَكِيمٌ

(is) All-Wise

عَلِيمٞ

All-Knowing

Translation

That was the reasoning about Us, which We gave to Abraham (to use) against his people: We raise whom We will, degree after degree: for thy Lord is full of wisdom and knowledge.

Tafsir

Ibrahim Advises his Father

Ibrahim advised, discouraged and forbade his father from worshipping idols, just as Allah stated,

وَإِذۡ قَالَ إِبۡرَاهِيمُ لَابِيهِ ازَرَ أَتَتَّخِذُ أَصۡنَامًا الِهَةً

And (remember) when Ibrahim said to his father Azar:Do you take idols as gods!

meaning, do you worship an idol instead of Allah.

إِنِّي أَرَاكَ وَقَوۡمَكَ

Verily, I see you and your people...,

who follow your path,

فِي ضَلَلٍ مُّبِينٍ

in manifest error.

wandering in confusion unaware of where to go. Therefore, you are in disarray and ignorance, and this fact is clear to all those who have sound reason.

Allah also said,

وَاذۡكُرۡ فِى الۡكِتَـبِ إِبۡرَهِيمَ إِنَّهُ كَانَ صِدِّيقاً نَّبِيّاً

إِذۡ قَالَ لاًّبِيهِ يأَبَتِ لِمَ تَعۡبُدُ مَا لَا يَسۡمَعُ وَلَا يَبۡصِرُ وَلَا يُغۡنِى عَنكَ شَيۡياً

يأَبَتِ إِنِّى قَدۡ جَأءَنِى مِنَ الۡعِلۡمِ مَا لَمۡ يَأۡتِكَ فَاتَّبِعۡنِى أَهۡدِكَ صِرَاطاً سَوِيّاً

يأَبَتِ لاأَ تَعۡبُدِ الشَّيۡطَـنَ إِنَّ الشَّيۡطَـنَ كَانَ لِلرَّحۡمَـنِ عَصِيّاً

يأَبَتِ إِنِّى أَخَافُ أَن يَمَسَّكَ عَذَابٌ مِّنَ الرَّحۡمَـنِ فَتَكُونَ لِلشَّيۡطَـنِ وَلِيّاً

قَالَ أَرَاغِبٌ أَنتَ عَنۡ الِهَتِى يإِبۡرَهِيمُ لَيِن لَّمۡ تَنتَهِ لَارۡجُمَنَّكَ وَاهۡجُرۡنِى مَلِيّاً

قَالَ سَلَـمٌ عَلَيۡكَ سَأَسۡتَغۡفِرُ لَكَ رَبِّي إِنَّهُ كَانَ بِى حَفِيّاً

وَأَعۡتَزِلُكُمۡ وَمَا تَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَأَدۡعُو رَبِّى عَسَى أَلاَّ أَكُونَ بِدُعَأءِ رَبِّى شَقِيًّا

And mention in the Book (the Qur'an, the story of) Ibrahim.

Verily! He was a man of truth, a Prophet. When he said to his father:O my father! Why do you worship that which hears not, sees not and cannot avail you in anything O my father!

Verily! There has come to me of knowledge that which came not unto you. So follow me. I will guide you to a straight path.

O my father! Worship not Shaytan. Verily! Shaytan has been a rebel against the Most Beneficent (Allah).

O my father! Verily! I fear lest a torment from the Most Beneficent (Allah) overtakes you, so that you become a companion of Shaytan (in the Hell-fire).

He (the father) said:Do you reject my gods, O Ibrahim If you stop not (this), I will indeed stone you. So get away from me safely before I punish you.

Ibrahim said:Peace be on you! I will ask forgiveness of my Lord for you. Verily! He is unto me, Ever Most Gracious. And I shall turn away from you and from those whom you invoke besides Allah. And I shall call on my Lord; and I hope that I shall not be unanswered in my invocation to my Lord. (19:41-48)

Ibrahim continued asking for forgiveness for his father for the rest of his father's life. When his father died an idolator and Ibrahim realized this fact, he stopped asking Allah for forgiveness for him and disassociated himself from him.

Allah said,

وَمَا كَانَ اسۡتِغۡفَارُ إِبۡرَهِيمَ لاًّبِيهِ إِلاَّ عَن مَّوۡعِدَةٍ وَعَدَهَأ إِيَّاهُ فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ أَنَّهُ عَدُوٌّ لِلَّهِ تَبَرَّأَ مِنۡهُ إِنَّ إِبۡرَهِيمَ لَاوَّاهٌ حَلِيمٌ

And invoking for his father's forgiveness was only because of a promise he had made to him. But when it became clear to him that he was an enemy to Allah, he dissociated himself from him. Verily Ibrahim was patient in supplication and forbearing. (9:114)

It was recorded in the Sahih that;

Ibrahim will meet his father Azar on the Day of Resurrection and Azar will say to him, My son! This Day, I will not disobey you.

Ibrahim will say, O Lord! You promised me not to disgrace me on the Day they are resurrected; and what will be more disgraceful to me than cursing and dishonoring my father!

Then Allah will say, O Ibrahim! Look behind you!

He will look and there he will see (that his father was changed into) a male hyena covered in dung, which will be caught by the legs and thrown in the (Hell) Fire.

Tawhid Becomes Apparent to Ibrahim

Allah's statement

وَكَذَلِكَ نُرِي إِبۡرَاهِيمَ مَلَكُوتَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالَارۡضِ

Thus did We show Ibrahim the kingdom of the heavens and the earth...,

means, when he contemplated about the creation of the heaven and earth, We showed Ibrahim the proofs of Allah's Oneness over His dominion and His creation, which indicate that there is no god or Lord except Allah.

Allah said in other Ayat;

قُلِ انظُرُواۡ مَاذَا فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرۡضِ

Say:Behold all that is in the heavens and the earth. (10:101)

and,

أَفَلَمۡ يَرَوۡاۡ إِلَى مَا بَيۡنَ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ وَمَا خَلۡفَهُمۡ مِّنَ السَّمَأءِ وَالاٌّرۡضِ إِن نَّشَأۡ نَخۡسِفۡ بِهِمُ الاٌّرۡضَ أَوۡ نُسۡقِطۡ عَلَيۡهِمۡ كِسَفاً مِّنَ السَّمَأءِ إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لاّيَةً لِّكُلِّ عَبۡدٍ مُّنِيبٍ

See they not what is before them and what is behind them, of the heaven and the earth If We will, We sink the earth with them, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. Verily, in this is a sign for every servant who turns to Allah. (34:9)

وَلِيَكُونَ مِنَ الۡمُوقِنِينَ

that he be one of those who have faith with certainty.

Allah said next

فَلَمَّا جَنَّ عَلَيۡهِ اللَّيۡلُ

When the night overcame him,

covered him with darkness,

رَأَى كَوۡكَبًا

He ﷺ a Kawkab, (a star).

قَالَ هَـذَا رَبِّي فَلَمَّا أَفَلَ

He said:This is my lord. But when it Afala,

meaning, set,

he said,

قَالَ لا أُحِبُّ الافِلِينَ

I like not those that set.

Qatadah commented,

Ibrahim knew that his Lord is Eternal and never ceases.

فَلَمَّا رَأَى الۡقَمَرَ بَازِغًا قَالَ هَـذَا رَبِّي

فَلَمَّا أَفَلَ قَالَ لَيِن لَّمۡ يَهۡدِنِي رَبِّي لاكُونَنَّ مِنَ الۡقَوۡمِ الضَّالِّينَ

When he ﷺ the moon rising up, he said:This is my lord. But when it set, he said:Unless my Lord guides me, I shall surely be among the misguided people.

فَلَمَّا رَأَى الشَّمۡسَ بَازِغَةً قَالَ هَـذَا رَبِّي

When he ﷺ the sun rising up, he said:This is my lord.

this radiating, rising star is my lord,

هَـذَا أَكۡبَرُ

This is greater,

bigger than the star and the moon, and more radiant.

فَلَمَّا أَفَلَتۡ

But when it Afalat, (set),

قَالَ يَا قَوۡمِ إِنِّي بَرِيءٌ مِّمَّا تُشۡرِكُونَ

إِنِّي وَجَّهۡتُ وَجۡهِيَ

he said:O my people! I am indeed free from all that you join as partners in worship with Allah. Verily, I have turned my face...,

meaning, I have purified my religion and made my worship sincere,

لِلَّذِي فَطَرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالَارۡضَ

towards Him Who has created the heavens and the earth,

Who originated them and shaped them without precedence,

حَنِيفًا

Hanifan,

avoiding Shirk and embracing Tawhid.

This is why he said next,

وَمَا أَنَاۡ مِنَ الۡمُشۡرِكِينَ

and I am not of the idolators.

Prophet Ibrahim Debates with his People

We should note here that, in these Ayat, Ibrahim, peace be upon him, was debating with his people, explaining to them the error of their way in worshipping idols and images.

In the first case with his father, Ibrahim explained to his people their error in worshipping the idols of earth, which they made in the shape of heavenly angels, so that they intercede on their behalf with the Glorious Creator. His people thought that they are too insignificant to worship Allah directly, and this is why they turned to the worship of angels as intercessors with Allah for their provisions, gaining victory and attaining their various needs.

He then explained to them the error and deviation of worshipping the seven planets, which they said were the Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. The brightest of these objects and the most honored to them was the Sun, the Moon then Venus.

Ibrahim, may Allah's peace and blessings be on him, first proved that Venus is not worthy of being worshipped, for it is subservient to a term and course appointed that it does not defy, nor swerving right or left. Venus does not have any say in its affairs, for it is only a heavenly object that Allah created and made bright out of His wisdom. Venus rises from the east and sets in the west where it disappears from sight. This rotation is repeated the next night, and so forth. Such an object is not worthy of being a god.

Ibrahim then went on to mention the Moon in the same manner in which he mentioned Venus, and then the Sun.

When he proved that these three objects were not gods, although they are the brightest objects the eyes can see,

قَالَ يَا قَوۡمِ إِنِّي بَرِيءٌ مِّمَّا تُشۡرِكُونَ

(he said:O my people! I am indeed free from all that you join as partners in worship with Allah.),

meaning, I am free from worshipping these objects and from taking them as protectors. Therefore, if they are indeed gods as you claim, then all of you bring your plot against me and do not give me respite.

إِنِّي وَجَّهۡتُ وَجۡهِيَ لِلَّذِي فَطَرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالَارۡضَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا أَنَاۡ مِنَ الۡمُشۡرِكِينَ

Verily, I have turned my face towards Him Who has created the heavens and the earth, Hanifan, and I am not one of the idolators.

meaning, I worship the Creator of these things, Who originated and decreed them, and Who governs their affairs and made them subservient. It is He in Whose Hand is the dominion of all things, and He is the Creator, Lord, King and God of all things in existence.

In another Ayah, Allah said;

إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ اللَّهُ الَّذِى خَلَقَ السَمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرۡضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسۡتَوَى عَلَى الۡعَرۡشِ يُغۡشِى الَّيۡلَ النَّهَارَ يَطۡلُبُهُ حَثِيثًا وَالشَّمۡسَ وَالۡقَمَرَ وَالنُّجُومَ مُسَخَّرَتٍ بِأَمۡرِهِ أَلَا لَهُ الۡخَلۡقُ وَالاٌّمۡرُ تَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الۡعَـلَمِينَ

Indeed your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days, and then He Istawa (rose over) the Throne. He brings the night as a cover over the day, seeking it rapidly, and (He created) the sun, the moon, the stars, subjecting them to His command. Surely, His is the creation and commandment. Blessed be Allah, the Lord of all that exists! (7:54)

Allah described Prophet Ibrahim,

وَلَقَدۡ ءَاتَيۡنَأ إِبۡرَهِيمَ رُشۡدَهُ مِن قَبۡلُ وَكُنَّا بِهِ عَـلِمِينَ

إِذۡ قَالَ لاًّبِيهِ وَقَوۡمِهِ مَا هَـذِهِ التَّمَـثِيلُ الَّتِى أَنتُمۡ لَهَا عَـكِفُونَ

And indeed We bestowed aforetime on Ibrahim his (portion of) guidance, and We were well-acquainted with him. When he said to his father and his people:What are these images, to which you are devoted! (21:51-52)

These Ayat indicate that Ibrahim was debating with his people about the Shirk they practiced

Allah says;

وَحَأجَّهُ قَوۡمُهُ قَالَ

His people disputed with him. He said:

Allah states that His Khalil, Prophet Ibrahim, said when his people mentioned various doubts and disputed with him about the Tawhid that he called to:

أَتُحَاجُّونِّي فِي اللّهِ وَقَدۡ هَدَانِ

Do you dispute with me about Allah while He has guided me.

The Ayah means, do you argue with me about Allah, other than Whom there is no god worthy of worship, while He has guided me to the Truth and made me aware of it! Therefore, how can I ever consider your misguided statements and false doubts!

Ibrahim said next,

وَلَا أَخَافُ مَا تُشۡرِكُونَ بِهِ إِلاَّ أَن يَشَاء رَبِّي شَيۡيًا

and I fear not those whom you associate with Allah in worship. (Nothing can happen to me) except when my Lord wills something.

Ibrahim said, among the proofs to the falsehood of your creed, is that these false gods that you worship do not bring about any effect, and I do not fear them or care about them. Therefore, if these gods are able to cause harm, then use them against me and do not give me respite.

Ibrahim's statement,

إِلاَّ أَن يَشَاء رَبِّي شَيۡيًا

(except when my Lord wills something),

means, only Allah causes benefit or harm.

وَسِعَ رَبِّي كُلَّ شَيۡءٍ عِلۡمًا

My Lord comprehends in His knowledge all things.

meaning, Allah's knowledge encompasses all things and nothing escapes His complete observation.

أَفَلَ تَتَذَكَّرُونَ

Will you not then remember!

what I explained to you, considering your idols as false gods and refraining from worshipping them.

This reasoning from Prophet Ibrahim is similar to the argument that Prophet Hud used against his people, `Ad. Allah mentioned this incident in His Book, when He said,

قَالُواۡ يَهُودُ مَا جِيۡتَنَا بِبَيِّنَةٍ وَمَا نَحۡنُ بِتَارِكِى ءالِهَتِنَا عَن قَوۡلِكَ وَمَا نَحۡنُ لَكَ بِمُوۡمِنِينَ

إِن نَّقُولُ إِلاَّ اعۡتَرَاكَ بَعۡضُ ءَالِهَتِنَا بِسُوءٍ قَالَ إِنِّى أُشۡهِدُ اللَّهِ وَاشۡهَدُواۡ أَنِّى بَرِىءٌ مِّمَّا تُشۡرِكُونَ

مِن دُونِهِ فَكِيدُونِى جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ لَا تُنظِرُونِ

إِنِّى تَوَكَّلۡتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ رَبِّى وَرَبِّكُمۡ مَّا مِن دَابَّةٍ إِلاَّ هُوَ ءاخِذٌ بِنَاصِيَتِهَأ إِنَّ رَبِّى عَلَى صِرَطٍ مُّسۡتَقِيمٍ

They said:O Hud! No evidence have you brought us, and we shall not leave our gods for your (mere) saying! And we are not believers in you. All that we say is that some of our gods have seized you with evil.

He said:I call Allah to witness - and bear you witness - that I am free from that which you ascribe as partners in worship with Him (Allah). So plot against me, all of you, and give me no respite. I put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord! There is not a moving creature but He has grasp of its forelock. Verily, my Lord is on the straight path (the truth). (11:53-56)

Ibrahim's statement

وَكَيۡفَ أَخَافُ مَا أَشۡرَكۡتُمۡ

And how should I fear those whom you associate...,

means, how should I fear the idols that you worship instead of Allah.

وَلَا تَخَافُونَ أَنَّكُمۡ أَشۡرَكۡتُم بِاللّهِ مَا لَمۡ يُنَزِّلۡ بِهِ عَلَيۡكُمۡ سُلۡطَانًا

while you fear not that you have joined in worship with Allah things for which He has not sent down to you any Sultan.

According to Ibn Abbas and others among the Salaf,

meaning, proof,

Allah said in similar Ayat;

أَمۡ لَهُمۡ شُرَكَاءُ شَرَعُواۡ لَهُمۡ مِّنَ الدِّينِ مَا لَمۡ يَأۡذَن بِهِ اللَّهُ

Or have they partners who have instituted for them a religion which Allah has not allowed! (42:21)

and,

إِنۡ هِىَ إِلاَّ أَسۡمَأءٌ سَمَّيۡتُمُوهَأ أَنتُمۡ وَءَابَأوُكُم مَّأ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ بِهَا مِن سُلۡطَـنٍ

They are but names which you have named, you and your fathers, for which Allah has sent down no authority. (53:21)

His statement,

فَأَيُّ الۡفَرِيقَيۡنِ أَحَقُّ بِالَامۡنِ إِن كُنتُمۡ تَعۡلَمُونَ

(So) which of the two parties has more right to be in security! If you but know.

means, which of the two parties is on the truth, those who worship Him in Whose Hand is harm and benefit, or those who worship what cannot bring harm or benefit, without authority to justify worshipping them Who among these two parties has more right to be saved from Allah's torment on the Day of Resurrection.

Allah said,

الَّذِينَ امَنُواۡ وَلَمۡ يَلۡبِسُواۡ إِيمَانَهُم بِظُلۡمٍ أُوۡلَـيِكَ لَهُمُ الَامۡنُ وَهُم مُّهۡتَدُونَ

It is those who believe and confuse not their belief with Zulm (wrong), for them (only) there is security and they are the guided.

Therefore, those who worship Allah alone without partners, will acquire safety on the Day of Resurrection, and they are the guided ones in this life and the Hereafter.

Shirk is the Greatest Zulm (Wrong)

Al-Bukhari recorded that Abdullah said,

When the Ayah,

وَلَمۡ يَلۡبِسُواۡ إِيمَانَهُم بِظُلۡمٍ

(and confuse not their belief with Zulm (wrong)) was revealed, the Companions of the Prophet said, `And who among us did not commit Zulm against himself?' The Ayah,

إِنَّ الشِّرۡكَ لَظُلۡمٌ عَظِيمٌ

(Verily! Joining others in worship with Allah is a great Zulm (wrong) indeed) (31:13), was later revealed.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Abdullah said,

When this Ayah was revealed,

الَّذِينَ امَنُواۡ وَلَمۡ يَلۡبِسُواۡ إِيمَانَهُم بِظُلۡمٍ

(It is those who believe and confuse not their belief with Zulm (wrong)), it was hard on the people. They said, `O Allah's Messenger! Who among us did not commit Zulm against himself?'

He said,

إِنَّهُ لَيۡسَ الَّذِي تَعۡنُونَ أَلَمۡ تَسۡمَعُوا مَا قَالَ الۡعَبۡدُ الصَّالِحُ

It is not what you understood from it. Did you not hear what the righteous servant (Luqman) said,

يَا بُنَيَّ لَاا تُشۡرِكۡ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّ الشِّرۡكَ لَظُلۡمٌ عَظِيمٌ

(O my son! Join not in worship others with Allah. Verily! Shirk is a great Zulm (wrong) indeed). (31:13), Therefore, it is about Shirk.

Allah's statement

وَتِلۡكَ حُجَّتُنَا اتَيۡنَاهَا إِبۡرَاهِيمَ عَلَى قَوۡمِهِ

نَرۡفَعُ دَرَجَاتٍ مَّن نَّشَاء إِنَّ رَبَّكَ حَكِيمٌ عَلِيمٌ

And that was Our proof which We gave Ibrahim against his people.

means, We directed him to proclaim Our proof against them.

Mujahid and others said that `Our proof' refers to,

وَكَيۡفَ أَخَافُ مَا أَشۡرَكۡتُمۡ وَلَا تَخَافُونَ أَنَّكُمۡ أَشۡرَكۡتُم بِاللّهِ مَا لَمۡ يُنَزِّلۡ بِهِ عَلَيۡكُمۡ سُلۡطَانًا

فَأَيُّ الۡفَرِيقَيۡنِ أَحَقُّ بِالَامۡنِ

And how should I fear those whom you associate in worship with Allah (though they can neither benefit nor harm, while you fear not that you have joined in worship with Allah things for which He has not sent down to you any Sultan. (So) which of the two parties has more right to be in security!

Allah has testified Ibrahim's statement and affirmed security and guidance, saying;

It is those who believe and confuse not their belief with Zulm, for them there is security and they are the guided.

Allah said,

وَتِلۡكَ حُجَّتُنَا اتَيۡنَاهَا إِبۡرَاهِيمَ عَلَى قَوۡمِهِ نَرۡفَعُ دَرَجَاتٍ مَّن نَّشَاء

And that was Our proof which We gave Ibrahim against his people. We raise in degrees whom We will.

And;

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ حَكِيمٌ عَلِيمٌ

Certainly your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing.

He is All-Wise in His statements and actions, All-Knower of those whom He guides or misguides, and whether the proof was established against them or not.

Allah also said,

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ حَقَّتۡ عَلَيۡهِمۡ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ لَا يُوۡمِنُونَ

وَلَوۡ جَأءَتۡهُمۡ كُلُّ ءايَةٍ حَتَّى يَرَوُاۡ الۡعَذَابَ الاٌّلِيمَ

Truly! Those, against whom the Word (wrath) of your Lord has been justified, will not believe. Even if every sign should come to them -- until they see the painful torment. (10:96-97)

This is why Allah said here,

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ حَكِيمٌ عَلِيمٌ

Certainly your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing.

Al-An'am: 83

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