فَقَالَ إِنِّى سَقِيمٌ 89
Translations
And said, "Indeed, I am [about to be] ill."
Transliteration
Faqala inni saqeem
Tafsir (Explanation)
In this ayah, Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) responds to his people's call to join them in worshipping their idols by saying 'Indeed, I am ill.' Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret this as Ibrahim's wise stratagem to distance himself from their idolatry without direct confrontation, allowing him to proceed with his plan to destroy the idols. Some scholars note this illness could refer to spiritual sickness caused by witnessing their polytheism, or it was a diplomatic excuse to create the opportunity for his action against the idols that would follow.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative in Surah As-Saffat describing Prophet Ibrahim's confrontation with his people's idolatry. The context shows Ibrahim's people inviting him to their festival celebration where they worshipped idols. Ibrahim's feigned illness was a tactical response that allowed him to remain behind while they departed, setting the stage for his destruction of the idols as described in the subsequent ayahs (37:90-98).
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly quotes this ayah, the story of Ibrahim destroying the idols is referenced in Surah Al-Anbiya (21:57-58) and Surah As-Saffat (37:88-98). Hadiths in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim discuss Ibrahim's nobility and his rejection of idolatry as foundational to Islamic monotheism.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that sometimes strategic wisdom and prudence are acceptable means to protect one's faith and convey the message of Allah, and that standing alone against falsehood, even with a small excuse, is better than compromising one's principles. It reminds us that true commitment to monotheism may require difficult choices and clever planning to overcome opposition.