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
لَوْ أَرَدْنَآ أَن نَّتَّخِذَ لَهْوًا لَّٱتَّخَذْنَـٰهُ مِن لَّدُنَّآ إِن كُنَّا فَـٰعِلِينَ
Had We intended to take a diversion, We could have taken it from [what is] with Us - if [indeed] We were to do so.
يُسَبِّحُونَ ٱلَّيْلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ لَا يَفْتُرُونَ
They exalt [Him] night and day [and] do not slacken.
لَوْ كَانَ فِيهِمَآ ءَالِهَةٌ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ لَفَسَدَتَا ۚ فَسُبْحَـٰنَ ٱللَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَرْشِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ
Had there been within them [i.e., the heavens and earth] gods besides Allāh, they both would have been ruined. So exalted is Allāh, Lord of the Throne, above what they describe.
فَٱسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُۥ وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُۥ يَحْيَىٰ وَأَصْلَحْنَا لَهُۥ زَوْجَهُۥٓ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ يُسَـٰرِعُونَ فِى ٱلْخَيْرَٰتِ وَيَدْعُونَنَا رَغَبًا وَرَهَبًا ۖ وَكَانُوا۟ لَنَا خَـٰشِعِينَ
So We responded to him, and We gave to him John, and amended for him his wife. Indeed, they used to hasten to good deeds and supplicate Us in hope and fear, and they were to Us humbly submissive.