أَئِفْكًا ءَالِهَةً دُونَ ٱللَّهِ تُرِيدُونَ 86
Translations
Is it falsehood [as] gods other than Allāh you desire?
Transliteration
A-ifkan alihatan duna Allahi tureedun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah presents Prophet Ibrahim's rhetorical question to his people, condemning their worship of false gods besides Allah. The word 'ifk' (إفك) means fabrication or falsehood, and Ibrahim is emphasizing the absurdity and deceptive nature of idolatry. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir explain that Ibrahim is confronting his nation's irrational abandonment of monotheistic worship in favor of invented deities, highlighting the fundamental contradiction between reason and polytheism.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the narrative of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) in Surah As-Saffat, where Ibrahim directly challenges the idolatrous beliefs of his people. The surah focuses on those who rank themselves in worship, and Ibrahim's account illustrates the courage required to stand against widespread falsehood and call people to pure monotheism (tawhid). This is a Meccan surah addressing the polytheistic practices of pre-Islamic Arabia.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is reported to have said: 'The greatest sin is to associate partners with Allah (shirk)' - a principle exemplified by Ibrahim's rejection of polytheism. This relates to the broader hadith tradition emphasizing tawhid as the foundation of Islam, found in various collections including Sahih Bukhari.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to boldly question and reject false beliefs and idolatry in all its forms, whether literal idol worship or the subtle shirk of modern times (wealth, status, desires). It demonstrates that authentic faith requires intellectual honesty and the courage to stand against societal norms when they contradict divine truth.
Related Ayahs
ءَأَنتُمْ أَنزَلْتُمُوهُ مِنَ ٱلْمُزْنِ أَمْ نَحْنُ ٱلْمُنزِلُونَ
Is it you who brought it down from the clouds, or is it We who bring it down?
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَحْيَاكُمْ ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمْ ثُمَّ يُحْيِيكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ لَكَفُورٌ
And He is the one who gave you life; then He causes you to die and then will [again] give you life. Indeed, mankind is ungrateful.
وَيَوْمَ يُنَادِيهِمْ فَيَقُولُ أَيْنَ شُرَكَآءِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ كُنتُمْ تَزْعُمُونَ
And [warn of] the Day He will call them and say, "Where are My 'partners' which you used to claim?"
أَمْ كُنتُمْ شُهَدَآءَ إِذْ حَضَرَ يَعْقُوبَ ٱلْمَوْتُ إِذْ قَالَ لِبَنِيهِ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِنۢ بَعْدِى قَالُوا۟ نَعْبُدُ إِلَـٰهَكَ وَإِلَـٰهَ ءَابَآئِكَ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ وَإِسْمَـٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَـٰقَ إِلَـٰهًا وَٰحِدًا وَنَحْنُ لَهُۥ مُسْلِمُونَ
Or were you witnesses when death approached Jacob, when he said to his sons, "What will you worship after me?" They said, "We will worship your God and the God of your fathers, Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac - one God. And we are Muslims [in submission] to Him."