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
لَاهِيَةً قُلُوبُهُمْ ۗ وَأَسَرُّوا۟ ٱلنَّجْوَى ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ هَلْ هَـٰذَآ إِلَّا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ ۖ أَفَتَأْتُونَ ٱلسِّحْرَ وَأَنتُمْ تُبْصِرُونَ
With their hearts distracted. And those who do wrong conceal their private conversation, [saying], "Is this [Prophet] except a human being like you? So would you approach magic while you are aware [of it]?"
وَمِنَ ٱلشَّيَـٰطِينِ مَن يَغُوصُونَ لَهُۥ وَيَعْمَلُونَ عَمَلًا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ ۖ وَكُنَّا لَهُمْ حَـٰفِظِينَ
And of the devils [i.e., jinn] were those who dived for him and did work other than that. And We were of them a guardian.
قَـٰلَ رَبِّ ٱحْكُم بِٱلْحَقِّ ۗ وَرَبُّنَا ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ ٱلْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَىٰ مَا تَصِفُونَ
[The Prophet (ﷺ)] has said, "My Lord, judge [between us] in truth. And our Lord is the Most Merciful, the one whose help is sought against that which you describe."
وَٱقْتَرَبَ ٱلْوَعْدُ ٱلْحَقُّ فَإِذَا هِىَ شَـٰخِصَةٌ أَبْصَـٰرُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ يَـٰوَيْلَنَا قَدْ كُنَّا فِى غَفْلَةٍ مِّنْ هَـٰذَا بَلْ كُنَّا ظَـٰلِمِينَ
And [when] the true promise [i.e., the resurrection] has approached; then suddenly the eyes of those who disbelieved will be staring [in horror, while they say], "O woe to us; we had been unmindful of this; rather, we were wrongdoers."