فَرَجَعُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ فَقَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّكُمْ أَنتُمُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ 64
Translations
So they returned to [blaming] themselves and said [to each other], "Indeed, you are the wrongdoers."
Transliteration
Faraja'u ila anfusihim faqaloo innakum antumu adh-dhalimoon
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the moment when the people who destroyed Prophet Ibrahim's idols were confronted with the absurdity of their actions. Upon reflection, they realized that they themselves were the wrongdoers—for they had created and worshipped these lifeless statues, and then destroyed them, proving the idols' powerlessness. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that this represents a turning point where the people's own intellect and conscience convicted them of their shirk (polytheism) and irrationality.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) and his confrontation with his people's idolatry (verses 51-70 of Surah Al-Anbiya). The context describes how Ibrahim smashed the idols except the largest one, then challenged the people: if the idols could speak, let the big one answer. When they realized the idols could not respond, they turned back upon themselves in shame and self-reflection, leading to this confession of wrongdoing.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly quotes this ayah, the theme relates to the hadith in Sahih Bukhari where the Prophet emphasized the use of intellect ('aql) in recognizing tawhid (monotheism). The ayah illustrates how reason itself condemns polytheism.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that true guidance often comes through personal reflection and the honest use of our intellect; when we sincerely examine our beliefs and actions in light of reason and conscience, we naturally turn away from falsehood toward truth.
Related Ayahs
وَإِذَا رَءَاكَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ إِن يَتَّخِذُونَكَ إِلَّا هُزُوًا أَهَـٰذَا ٱلَّذِى يَذْكُرُ ءَالِهَتَكُمْ وَهُم بِذِكْرِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ هُمْ كَـٰفِرُونَ
And when those who disbelieve see you, [O Muḥammad], they take you not except in ridicule, [saying], "Is this the one who mentions [i.e., insults] your gods?" And they are, at the mention of the Most Merciful, disbelievers.
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلَّيْلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ وَٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ ۖ كُلٌّ فِى فَلَكٍ يَسْبَحُونَ
And it is He who created the night and the day and the sun and the moon; all [heavenly bodies] in an orbit are swimming.
قُلْ إِنَّمَآ أُنذِرُكُم بِٱلْوَحْىِ ۚ وَلَا يَسْمَعُ ٱلصُّمُّ ٱلدُّعَآءَ إِذَا مَا يُنذَرُونَ
Say, "I only warn you by revelation." But the deaf do not hear the call when they are warned.
وَدَاوُۥدَ وَسُلَيْمَـٰنَ إِذْ يَحْكُمَانِ فِى ٱلْحَرْثِ إِذْ نَفَشَتْ فِيهِ غَنَمُ ٱلْقَوْمِ وَكُنَّا لِحُكْمِهِمْ شَـٰهِدِينَ
And [mention] David and Solomon, when they judged concerning the field - when the sheep of a people overran it [at night], and We were witness to their judgement.