فَتَوَلَّوْا۟ عَنْهُ مُدْبِرِينَ 90
Translations
So they turned away from him, departing.
Transliteration
Fatawallawu anhu mudbirin
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes how the people turned away from Prophet Abraham in rejection and mockery after he destroyed their idols. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, their turning away with their backs (mudbirin) represents their stubborn refusal to accept monotheism and their complete dismissal of Abraham's message. This turning away was not merely physical but symbolic of their spiritual rejection and hardness of heart toward the truth.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative in Surah As-Saffat describing Abraham's confrontation with his idolatrous people. When Abraham destroyed the idols except the largest one and left an axe with it, the people's response was disbelief and mockery rather than reflection. This illustrates the typical response of those who rejected the prophets' messages during the Meccan period.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari (3373): The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) mentioned that Abraham was tried with ten trials, all of which he fulfilled, connecting the theme of the prophets' persecution by their peoples. Also relevant is the general hadith about the rejection faced by all messengers as mentioned in various sources describing the challenges prophets endured.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that even when presented with clear signs and wisdom, people may still turn away due to arrogance and attachment to falsehood; believers should persevere in conveying truth and entrust outcomes to Allah, knowing that not all will accept the message.
Related Ayahs
قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ أَرَءَيْتُمْ إِن كُنتُ عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّى وَءَاتَىٰنِى رَحْمَةً مِّنْ عِندِهِۦ فَعُمِّيَتْ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنُلْزِمُكُمُوهَا وَأَنتُمْ لَهَا كَـٰرِهُونَ
He said, "O my people, have you considered: if I should be upon clear evidence from my Lord while He has given me mercy from Himself but it has been made unapparent to you, should we force it upon you while you are averse to it?
وَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ رَسُولٌ مِّنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَهُمْ نَبَذَ فَرِيقٌ مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ كِتَـٰبَ ٱللَّهِ وَرَآءَ ظُهُورِهِمْ كَأَنَّهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
And when a messenger from Allāh came to them confirming that which was with them, a party of those who had been given the Scripture threw the Scripture of Allāh [i.e., the Torah] behind their backs as if they did not know [what it contained].
وَلَهَدَيْنَـٰهُمْ صِرَٰطًا مُّسْتَقِيمًا
And We would have guided them to a straight path.
۞ فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن كَذَبَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ وَكَذَّبَ بِٱلصِّدْقِ إِذْ جَآءَهُۥٓ ۚ أَلَيْسَ فِى جَهَنَّمَ مَثْوًى لِّلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
So who is more unjust than one who lies about Allāh and denies the truth when it has come to him? Is there not in Hell a residence for the disbelievers?