وَتَٱللَّهِ لَأَكِيدَنَّ أَصْنَـٰمَكُم بَعْدَ أَن تُوَلُّوا۟ مُدْبِرِينَ 57
Translations
And [I swear] by Allāh, I will surely plan against your idols after you have turned and gone away."
Transliteration
Wa tallahi la-akīdanna asnāmakum ba'da an tuwallū mudbirīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) swears by Allah that he will destroy the idols of his people after they turn away and leave. This statement demonstrates Ibrahim's firm resolve and commitment to monotheism, as he plans to demolish the idols while the people are absent. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note this reflects Ibrahim's strategic wisdom in addressing idolatry, coupled with his unwavering faith in the oneness of Allah.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative of Prophet Ibrahim's confrontation with idolatry among his people (21:51-67). The broader context shows Ibrahim's logical arguments against idol worship, followed by his decisive action to destroy the idols, which serves as a turning point in his preaching against polytheism.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly quotes this ayah, the incident of destroying idols relates to the Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) removal of idols from the Ka'bah upon the conquest of Mecca, demonstrating the continuity of monotheistic prophets' opposition to idolatry (Sahih Bukhari, Kitab al-Hajj).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that standing against falsehood requires both clear intellectual arguments and decisive action, grounded in unwavering faith in Allah. It reminds us that true commitment to monotheism sometimes necessitates courage and willingness to challenge prevailing societal norms.
Related Ayahs
أَمَّن يُجِيبُ ٱلْمُضْطَرَّ إِذَا دَعَاهُ وَيَكْشِفُ ٱلسُّوٓءَ وَيَجْعَلُكُمْ خُلَفَآءَ ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ أَءِلَـٰهٌ مَّعَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ قَلِيلًا مَّا تَذَكَّرُونَ
Is He [not best] who responds to the desperate one when he calls upon Him and removes evil and makes you inheritors of the earth? Is there a deity with Allāh? Little do you remember.
أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُولِجُ ٱلَّيْلَ فِى ٱلنَّهَارِ وَيُولِجُ ٱلنَّهَارَ فِى ٱلَّيْلِ وَسَخَّرَ ٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ كُلٌّ يَجْرِىٓ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ
Do you not see [i.e., know] that Allāh causes the night to enter the day and causes the day to enter the night and has subjected the sun and the moon, each running [its course] for a specified term, and that Allāh, of whatever you do, is Aware?
ٱللَّهُ ٱلصَّمَدُ
Allāh, the Eternal Refuge.
وَلَقَدْ أُوحِىَ إِلَيْكَ وَإِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكَ لَئِنْ أَشْرَكْتَ لَيَحْبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ وَلَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَ
And it was already revealed to you and to those before you that if you should associate [anything] with Allāh, your work would surely become worthless, and you would surely be among the losers.