قَالُوٓا۟ ءَأَنتَ فَعَلْتَ هَـٰذَا بِـَٔالِهَتِنَا يَـٰٓإِبْرَٰهِيمُ 62
Translations
They said, "Have you done this to our gods, O Abraham?"
Transliteration
Qālū a-anta fa'alta hādhā bi-ālihatinā yā-Ibrāhīmu
Tafsir (Explanation)
The people of Ibrahim's community confronted him, asking if he was responsible for destroying their idols. This ayah depicts the moment after Ibrahim (peace be upon him) had broken all the idols except the largest one, which he hung the axe upon. According to classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir, this rhetorical question was designed to trap Ibrahim, expecting him to either deny his action or admit to it, thereby giving them grounds for punishment. The ayah illustrates the pivotal moment of Ibrahim's clear rejection of idolatry and his monotheistic stand against his people's false worship.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative of Prophet Ibrahim's confrontation with his people regarding their idolatry (21:51-67). The context describes how Ibrahim destroyed the idols in the temple while his people were away, and upon their return, they discovered the destruction and questioned him. This narrative emphasizes Ibrahim's courage in openly challenging polytheism and serves as a historical lesson about the struggle between monotheism and idolatry.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly quotes this ayah, Sahih Bukhari contains narrations about Ibrahim's life and his rejection of idolatry. Additionally, the Quranic narrative itself is corroborated in Surah As-Saffat (37:83-98) and Surah Al-An'am (6:74-82), which recount similar details of Ibrahim's monotheistic struggle.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers the importance of unwavering faith and courage in standing against societal pressure and false beliefs, even when facing confrontation from one's own community. It reminds us that truth may require sacrifice and that champions of monotheism throughout history have faced opposition, yet remained steadfast in their conviction.
Related Ayahs
أَمِ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ ءَالِهَةً ۖ قُلْ هَاتُوا۟ بُرْهَـٰنَكُمْ ۖ هَـٰذَا ذِكْرُ مَن مَّعِىَ وَذِكْرُ مَن قَبْلِى ۗ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ٱلْحَقَّ ۖ فَهُم مُّعْرِضُونَ
Or have they taken gods besides Him? Say, [O Muḥammad], "Produce your proof. This [Qur’ān] is the message for those with me and the message of those before me." But most of them do not know the truth, so they are turning away.
وَمِنَ ٱلشَّيَـٰطِينِ مَن يَغُوصُونَ لَهُۥ وَيَعْمَلُونَ عَمَلًا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ ۖ وَكُنَّا لَهُمْ حَـٰفِظِينَ
And of the devils [i.e., jinn] were those who dived for him and did work other than that. And We were of them a guardian.
إِذْ قَالَ لِأَبِيهِ وَقَوْمِهِۦ مَا هَـٰذِهِ ٱلتَّمَاثِيلُ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنتُمْ لَهَا عَـٰكِفُونَ
When he said to his father and his people, "What are these statues to which you are devoted?"
وَقَالُوا۟ ٱتَّخَذَ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ وَلَدًا ۗ سُبْحَـٰنَهُۥ ۚ بَلْ عِبَادٌ مُّكْرَمُونَ
And they say, "The Most Merciful has taken a son." Exalted is He! Rather, they are [but] honored servants.