فَلَمَّا رَءَا ٱلْقَمَرَ بَازِغًا قَالَ هَـٰذَا رَبِّى ۖ فَلَمَّآ أَفَلَ قَالَ لَئِن لَّمْ يَهْدِنِى رَبِّى لَأَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلضَّآلِّينَ 77
Translations
And when he saw the moon rising, he said, "This is my lord." But when it set, he said, "Unless my Lord guides me, I will surely be among the people gone astray."
Transliteration
Falamma raa'a al-qamara baazighan qala hatha rabbi, falamma afalá qala la'in lam yahdini rabbi la-akoonanna mina al-qawmi al-daalleen.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes Prophet Ibrahim's spiritual journey of seeking the truth, where he observed the moon rising and initially thought it might be his Lord, but when it set, he realized it could not be worthy of worship. Ibn Kathir explains this as Ibrahim's intellectual investigation to guide his people away from idolatry by demonstrating the logical inadequacy of worshipping celestial bodies. The ayah shows Ibrahim's sincere seeking of divine guidance and his explicit dependence on Allah to not leave him among the misguided.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative of Ibrahim (Abraham) in Surah Al-An'am, a Meccan surah revealed during the early Islamic period when the Prophet Muhammad faced polytheistic practices. The passage illustrates Ibrahim's methodical refutation of idolatry and his personal spiritual quest, serving as a model for the Meccan believers confronting pagan traditions. This narrative continues across multiple ayahs (6:75-79) showing his progressive realization of Allah's oneness.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly narrates this incident, the hadith 'The best of you are those who study the Qur'an and teach it' (Sahih Bukhari) relates to understanding Ibrahim's example of seeking knowledge and truth. Additionally, hadiths about Ibrahim's station as a patriarch emphasize his role as 'khalil' (intimate friend) of Allah due to his unwavering faith and sincere seeking.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to intellectually examine their faith and not blindly follow inherited beliefs, while simultaneously recognizing that true guidance comes only from Allah. It encourages sincere supplication and demonstrates that seeking divine guidance with humility is a sign of wisdom, not weakness.
Related Ayahs
وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَا طَـٰٓئِرٍ يَطِيرُ بِجَنَاحَيْهِ إِلَّآ أُمَمٌ أَمْثَالُكُم ۚ مَّا فَرَّطْنَا فِى ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ مِن شَىْءٍ ۚ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يُحْشَرُونَ
And there is no creature on [or within] the earth or bird that flies with its wings except [that they are] communities like you. We have not neglected in the Register a thing. Then unto their Lord they will be gathered.
ٱتَّبِعْ مَآ أُوحِىَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ ۖ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ وَأَعْرِضْ عَنِ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ
Follow, [O Muḥammad], what has been revealed to you from your Lord - there is no deity except Him - and turn away from those who associate others with Allāh.
فَلَمَّا جَنَّ عَلَيْهِ ٱلَّيْلُ رَءَا كَوْكَبًا ۖ قَالَ هَـٰذَا رَبِّى ۖ فَلَمَّآ أَفَلَ قَالَ لَآ أُحِبُّ ٱلْـَٔافِلِينَ
So when the night covered him [with darkness], he saw a star. He said, "This is my lord." But when it set, he said, "I like not those that set [i.e., disappear]."
هَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّآ أَن تَأْتِيَهُمُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ أَوْ يَأْتِىَ رَبُّكَ أَوْ يَأْتِىَ بَعْضُ ءَايَـٰتِ رَبِّكَ ۗ يَوْمَ يَأْتِى بَعْضُ ءَايَـٰتِ رَبِّكَ لَا يَنفَعُ نَفْسًا إِيمَـٰنُهَا لَمْ تَكُنْ ءَامَنَتْ مِن قَبْلُ أَوْ كَسَبَتْ فِىٓ إِيمَـٰنِهَا خَيْرًا ۗ قُلِ ٱنتَظِرُوٓا۟ إِنَّا مُنتَظِرُونَ
Do they [then] wait for anything except that the angels should come to them or your Lord should come or that there come some of the signs of your Lord? The Day that some of the signs of your Lord will come no soul will benefit from its faith as long as it had not believed before or had earned through its faith some good. Say, "Wait. Indeed, we [also] are waiting."