فَرَاغَ إِلَىٰٓ ءَالِهَتِهِمْ فَقَالَ أَلَا تَأْكُلُونَ 91
Translations
Then he turned to their gods and said, "Do you not eat?
Transliteration
Farāgha ilā ālihatihi faqāla alā ta'kulūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him), after breaking the idols, turned toward the remaining gods and sarcastically said, 'Will you not eat?' This verse highlights Ibrahim's mockery of idolatry—he is challenging the false gods by asking why they cannot eat the food offered to them, thereby exposing their powerlessness and inability to respond. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this statement serves as a logical refutation of idol worship, demonstrating that objects incapable of eating, speaking, or responding cannot deserve worship.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative of Prophet Ibrahim's rejection of idolatry (37:83-98), a Meccan surah addressing the polytheists of Mecca. The context depicts Ibrahim's intellectual and physical confrontation with his people's false religious practices, serving as a lesson for the Prophet Muhammad and believers regarding the irrationality of shirk (associating partners with Allah).
Related Hadiths
The Qur'an itself describes this incident in detail. In Sahih Bukhari, there are references to the story of Ibrahim breaking the idols and his argument against idolatry, though no single hadith directly quotes this specific verse. The broader narrative is reinforced in Surah Al-Anbiya (21:57-58).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us to use reason and logic when addressing false beliefs—Ibrahim's sarcastic challenge exposes the absurdity of idolatry through simple observation rather than mere condemnation. For modern believers, it emphasizes the importance of critical thinking in matters of faith and the power of rational argumentation against misguidance.