فَإِنَّهُمْ عَدُوٌّ لِّىٓ إِلَّا رَبَّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ 77
Translations
Indeed, they are enemies to me, except the Lord of the worlds,
Transliteration
Fa-innhum 'aduwwun lee illa rabba al-'alamin
Tafsir (Explanation)
Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) declares that the idols and those who worship them besides Allah are his enemies, with the singular exception of Allah, the Lord of all worlds. This ayah emphasizes the absolute monotheism that Ibrahim proclaimed and his complete dissociation from shirk (polytheism). Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari note that Ibrahim's statement reflects the believer's duty to stand firmly against idolatry and false worship, regardless of familial or social ties, while maintaining exclusive loyalty to Allah alone.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within Surah Ash-Shu'ara, which recounts the stories of various prophets and their struggles against polytheism. The specific context is Ibrahim's declaration to his people after he had broken their idols, as narrated in Surah Al-Anbiya (21:57-58). The surah emphasizes the historical pattern of prophets rejecting idolatry and calling to tawhid (monotheism).
Related Hadiths
The principle is related to the hadith: 'Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should not hurt his neighbor' (Sahih Bukhari 6018), which complements the broader theme of proper relationships based on faith. Additionally, the concept echoes Surah Al-Mumtahanah (60:4), where Allah discusses dissociation from those who reject Him, a principle that guided the Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) actions.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that sincere faith in Allah requires complete disassociation from idolatry and false worship in all its forms, and that true loyalty belongs exclusively to the Lord of all creation. Modern readers should reflect on how this principle applies to spiritual priorities—ensuring that no worldly relationships, desires, or social pressures compromise their monotheistic commitment and worship of Allah alone.
Related Ayahs
قَالَ لَهُۥ صَاحِبُهُۥ وَهُوَ يُحَاوِرُهُۥٓ أَكَفَرْتَ بِٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكَ مِن تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ ثُمَّ سَوَّىٰكَ رَجُلًا
His companion said to him while he was conversing with him, "Have you disbelieved in He who created you from dust and then from a sperm-drop and then proportioned you [as] a man?
وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ إِنِّى خَـٰلِقٌۢ بَشَرًا مِّن صَلْصَـٰلٍ مِّنْ حَمَإٍ مَّسْنُونٍ
And [mention, O Muḥammad], when your Lord said to the angels, "I will create a human being out of clay from an altered black mud.
فَأَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفًا ۚ فِطْرَتَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّتِى فَطَرَ ٱلنَّاسَ عَلَيْهَا ۚ لَا تَبْدِيلَ لِخَلْقِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلدِّينُ ٱلْقَيِّمُ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
So direct your face [i.e., self] toward the religion, inclining to truth. [Adhere to] the fiṭrah of Allāh upon which He has created [all] people. No change should there be in the creation of Allāh. That is the correct religion, but most of the people do not know.
۞ وَإِلَىٰ مَدْيَنَ أَخَاهُمْ شُعَيْبًا ۚ قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَـٰهٍ غَيْرُهُۥ ۖ وَلَا تَنقُصُوا۟ ٱلْمِكْيَالَ وَٱلْمِيزَانَ ۚ إِنِّىٓ أَرَىٰكُم بِخَيْرٍ وَإِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ مُّحِيطٍ
And to Madyan [We sent] their brother Shuʿayb. He said, "O my people, worship Allāh; you have no deity other than Him. And do not decrease from the measure and the scale. Indeed, I see you in prosperity, but indeed, I fear for you the punishment of an all-encompassing Day.