Al-Anbya 21:51
The Prophets · Juz 17 · Page 326
۞ وَلَقَدۡ ءَاتَيۡنَآ إِبۡرَٰهِيمَ رُشۡدَهُۥ مِن قَبۡلُ وَكُنَّا بِهِۦ عَٰلِمِينَ ٥١
And We had certainly given Abraham his sound judgement before,1 and We were of him well-Knowing
1 translator’s note
- i.e., before Moses. Allāh had guided him from early youth. ↩
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Commentary on 21:51–56
The Story of Ibrahim and his People
Allah tells us about His close Friend Ibrahim, peace be upon him, and how He bestowed upon him guidance aforetime, i.e., from an early age He inspired him with truth and evidence against his people, as Allah says elsewhere:
وَتِلْكَ حُجَّتُنَآ ءَاتَيْنَهَآ إِبْرَهِيمَ عَلَى قَوْمِهِ
(And that was Our proof which We gave Ibrahim against his people) 6:83. The point here is that Allah is telling us that He gave guidance to Ibrahim aforetime, i.e., He had already guided him at an early age.
وَكُنَّا بِهِ عَلِمِينَ
(and We were Well-Acquainted with him.) means, and he was worthy of that. Then Allah says:
إِذْ قَالَ لاًّبِيهِ وَقَوْمِهِ مَا هَذِهِ التَّمَثِيلُ الَّتِى أَنتُمْ لَهَا عَكِفُونَ
(When he said to his father and his people: "What are these images, to which you are devoted") This is the guidance which he had been given during his youth: his denunciation of his people's worship of idols instead of Allah. Ibrahim said:
مَا هَذِهِ التَّمَثِيلُ الَّتِى أَنتُمْ لَهَا عَكِفُونَ
("What are these images, to which you are devoted") meaning, which you worship with such devotion.
قَالُواْ وَجَدْنَآ ءَابَآءَنَا لَهَا عَبِدِينَ
(They said: "We found our fathers worshipping them.") means, they had no other evidence apart from the misguided actions of their forefathers. Ibrahim said:
لَقَدْ كُنتُمْ أَنتُمْ وَءَابَآؤُكُمْ فِى ضَلَلٍ مُّبِينٍ
(Indeed you and your fathers have been in manifest error.) meaning, Speaking to your fathers whose actions you cite as evidence would be the same as speaking to you. Both you and they are misguided and are not following any straight path.' When he called their intelligence into question, and said that their fathers were misguided and belittled their gods,
قَالُواْ أَجِئْتَنَا بِالْحَقِّ أَمْ أَنتَ مِنَ اللَّعِبِينَ
(They said: "Have you brought us the Truth, or are you one of those who play about") They said: `These words that you are saying, are you speaking in jest or are you telling the truth For we have never heard such a thing before.'
قَالَ بَل رَّبُّكُمْ رَبُّ السَّمَوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ الَّذِى فطَرَهُنَّ
(He said: "Nay, your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, Who created them...") meaning, your Lord, beside Whom there is no other god, is the One Who created the heavens and the earth and all that they contain; He is the One Who initiated their creation; He is the Creator of all things.
وَأَنَاْ عَلَى ذلِكُمْ مِّنَ الشَّهِدِينَ
(and to that I am one of the witnesses. ) means, and I bear witness that there is no God other than Him and no Lord except Him.
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21:45
قُلۡ إِنَّمَآ أُنذِرُكُم بِٱلۡوَحۡيِۚ وَلَا يَسۡمَعُ ٱلصُّمُّ ٱلدُّعَآءَ إِذَا مَا يُنذَرُونَ ٤٥
Say, "I only warn you by revelation." But the deaf do not hear the call when they are warned.
21:46
وَلَئِن مَّسَّتۡهُمۡ نَفۡحَةٞ مِّنۡ عَذَابِ رَبِّكَ لَيَقُولُنَّ يَٰوَيۡلَنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَٰلِمِينَ ٤٦
And if [as much as] a whiff of the punishment of your Lord should touch them, they would surely say, "O woe to us! Indeed, we have been wrongdoers."
21:47
وَنَضَعُ ٱلۡمَوَٰزِينَ ٱلۡقِسۡطَ لِيَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ فَلَا تُظۡلَمُ نَفۡسٞ شَيۡـٔٗاۖ وَإِن كَانَ مِثۡقَالَ حَبَّةٖ مِّنۡ خَرۡدَلٍ أَتَيۡنَا بِهَاۗ وَكَفَىٰ بِنَا حَٰسِبِينَ ٤٧
And We place the scales of justice for the Day of Resurrection, so no soul will be treated unjustly at all. And if there is [even] the weight of a mustard seed,1 We will bring it forth. And sufficient are We as accountant.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., anything as small or insignificant as a mustard seed. ↩
21:48
وَلَقَدۡ ءَاتَيۡنَا مُوسَىٰ وَهَٰرُونَ ٱلۡفُرۡقَانَ وَضِيَآءٗ وَذِكۡرٗا لِّلۡمُتَّقِينَ ٤٨
And We had already given Moses and Aaron the criterion and a light and a reminder1 for the righteous
1 translator’s note
- These are three qualities of the Torah. ↩
21:49
ٱلَّذِينَ يَخۡشَوۡنَ رَبَّهُم بِٱلۡغَيۡبِ وَهُم مِّنَ ٱلسَّاعَةِ مُشۡفِقُونَ ٤٩
Who fear their Lord unseen,1 while they are of the Hour apprehensive.
1 translator’s note
- Which can mean "Him being unseen" by them or "though they are unseen" by others. ↩
21:50
وَهَٰذَا ذِكۡرٞ مُّبَارَكٌ أَنزَلۡنَٰهُۚ أَفَأَنتُمۡ لَهُۥ مُنكِرُونَ ٥٠
And this [Qur’ān] is a blessed message which We have sent down. Then are you with it unacquainted?1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., pretending ignorance, disapproving or refusing to acknowledge it? ↩
21:51
۞ وَلَقَدۡ ءَاتَيۡنَآ إِبۡرَٰهِيمَ رُشۡدَهُۥ مِن قَبۡلُ وَكُنَّا بِهِۦ عَٰلِمِينَ ٥١
And We had certainly given Abraham his sound judgement before,1 and We were of him well-Knowing
1 translator’s note
- i.e., before Moses. Allāh had guided him from early youth. ↩
21:52
إِذۡ قَالَ لِأَبِيهِ وَقَوۡمِهِۦ مَا هَٰذِهِ ٱلتَّمَاثِيلُ ٱلَّتِيٓ أَنتُمۡ لَهَا عَٰكِفُونَ ٥٢
When he said to his father and his people, "What are these statues to which you are devoted?"
21:53
قَالُواْ وَجَدۡنَآ ءَابَآءَنَا لَهَا عَٰبِدِينَ ٥٣
They said, "We found our fathers worshippers of them."
21:54
قَالَ لَقَدۡ كُنتُمۡ أَنتُمۡ وَءَابَآؤُكُمۡ فِي ضَلَٰلٖ مُّبِينٖ ٥٤
He said, "You were certainly, you and your fathers, in manifest error."
21:55
قَالُوٓاْ أَجِئۡتَنَا بِٱلۡحَقِّ أَمۡ أَنتَ مِنَ ٱللَّٰعِبِينَ ٥٥
They said, "Have you come to us with truth, or are you of those who jest?"
21:56
قَالَ بَل رَّبُّكُمۡ رَبُّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ ٱلَّذِي فَطَرَهُنَّ وَأَنَا۠ عَلَىٰ ذَٰلِكُم مِّنَ ٱلشَّٰهِدِينَ ٥٦
He said, "[No], rather, your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth who created them, and I, to that, am of those who testify.
21:57
وَتَٱللَّهِ لَأَكِيدَنَّ أَصۡنَٰمَكُم بَعۡدَ أَن تُوَلُّواْ مُدۡبِرِينَ ٥٧
And [I swear] by Allāh, I will surely plan against your idols after you have turned and gone away."
Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy