قَالُوا۟ مَن فَعَلَ هَـٰذَا بِـَٔالِهَتِنَآ إِنَّهُۥ لَمِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ 59
Translations
They said, "Who has done this to our gods? Indeed, he is of the wrongdoers."
Transliteration
Qalū man faʿala hādhā bi-ālihātinā innahu lamina al-ẓālimīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
The people of Prophet Ibrahim's community exclaim in shock upon discovering that their idols have been destroyed, demanding to know who committed this act and declaring the perpetrator to be among the wrongdoers. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note that this statement reveals the irony of their position—they are calling the destroyer of false gods a wrongdoer, when in reality the true wrongdoing lay in worshipping lifeless idols. This ayah demonstrates the spiritual blindness of those who cling to falsehood and attribute injustice to those who stand for monotheism.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) breaking the idols of his people in Surah Al-Anbya (21:51-70). The passage describes how Ibrahim destroyed the idols to demonstrate their powerlessness and call his people to the oneness of Allah. The broader thematic context of Surah Al-Anbya is the stories of various prophets and their struggle against idolatry and polytheism.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly quotes this ayah, related traditions discuss Ibrahim's conviction and sacrifice. See Sahih Bukhari (4:55:568) where the Prophet Muhammad mentions Ibrahim's firmness in faith. Also relevant is the general hadith tradition about standing against falsehood, as seen in Sahih Muslim on commanding good and forbidding evil.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that those who oppose truth often mischaracterize justice as injustice, and that standing firmly for monotheism and against falsehood may be met with accusations and opposition. It invites modern believers to remain steadfast in their conviction that worshipping the One God is right, regardless of how the society of the time may judge such actions.