Al-Anbya 21:67
The Prophets · Juz 17 · Page 327
أُفّٖ لَّكُمۡ وَلِمَا تَعۡبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِۚ أَفَلَا تَعۡقِلُونَ ٦٧
Uff1 to you and to what you worship instead of Allāh. Then will you not use reason?"
1 translator’s note
- An exclamation of anger and displeasure. ↩
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Commentary on 21:64–67
On hearing such replies from Abraham, the people could have accused him of insolence and taken him to task, as usually happens in such cases. But, in spite of their being polytheists, there seemed to be some sense of reason left in them. So, realizing the force of the rationality in his replies, they felt ashamed and admitted that they were wrong. Had they not subsequently fallen a prey to prejudices, this experience would have been sufficient to lead them towards the true faith.
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21:58
فَجَعَلَهُمۡ جُذَٰذًا إِلَّا كَبِيرٗا لَّهُمۡ لَعَلَّهُمۡ إِلَيۡهِ يَرۡجِعُونَ ٥٨
So he made them into fragments, except a large one among them, that they might return to it [and question].
21:59
قَالُواْ مَن فَعَلَ هَٰذَا بِـَٔالِهَتِنَآ إِنَّهُۥ لَمِنَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ٥٩
They said, "Who has done this to our gods? Indeed, he is of the wrongdoers."
21:60
قَالُواْ سَمِعۡنَا فَتٗى يَذۡكُرُهُمۡ يُقَالُ لَهُۥٓ إِبۡرَٰهِيمُ ٦٠
They said, "We heard a young man mention them who is called Abraham."
21:61
قَالُواْ فَأۡتُواْ بِهِۦ عَلَىٰٓ أَعۡيُنِ ٱلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَشۡهَدُونَ ٦١
They said, "Then bring him before the eyes of the people that they may testify."1
1 translator’s note
- To what they had heard him say. It may also mean "...that they may witness [what will be done to him as punishment]." ↩
21:62
قَالُوٓاْ ءَأَنتَ فَعَلۡتَ هَٰذَا بِـَٔالِهَتِنَا يَٰٓإِبۡرَٰهِيمُ ٦٢
They said, "Have you done this to our gods, O Abraham?"
21:63
قَالَ بَلۡ فَعَلَهُۥ كَبِيرُهُمۡ هَٰذَا فَسۡـَٔلُوهُمۡ إِن كَانُواْ يَنطِقُونَ ٦٣
He said, "Rather, this - the largest of them - did it, so ask them, if they should [be able to] speak."
21:64
فَرَجَعُوٓاْ إِلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمۡ فَقَالُوٓاْ إِنَّكُمۡ أَنتُمُ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ ٦٤
So they returned to [blaming] themselves and said [to each other], "Indeed, you are the wrongdoers."
21:65
ثُمَّ نُكِسُواْ عَلَىٰ رُءُوسِهِمۡ لَقَدۡ عَلِمۡتَ مَا هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ يَنطِقُونَ ٦٥
Then they reversed themselves,1 [saying], "You have already known that these do not speak!"
1 translator’s note
- After first admitting their error, they were seized by pride and obstinacy. ↩
21:66
قَالَ أَفَتَعۡبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُكُمۡ شَيۡـٔٗا وَلَا يَضُرُّكُمۡ ٦٦
He said, "Then do you worship instead of Allāh that which does not benefit you at all or harm you?
21:67
أُفّٖ لَّكُمۡ وَلِمَا تَعۡبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِۚ أَفَلَا تَعۡقِلُونَ ٦٧
Uff1 to you and to what you worship instead of Allāh. Then will you not use reason?"
1 translator’s note
- An exclamation of anger and displeasure. ↩
21:68
قَالُواْ حَرِّقُوهُ وَٱنصُرُوٓاْ ءَالِهَتَكُمۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ فَٰعِلِينَ ٦٨
They said, "Burn him and support your gods - if you are to act."
21:69
قُلۡنَا يَٰنَارُ كُونِي بَرۡدٗا وَسَلَٰمًا عَلَىٰٓ إِبۡرَٰهِيمَ ٦٩
We [i.e., Allāh] said, "O fire, be coolness and safety upon Abraham."
21:70
وَأَرَادُواْ بِهِۦ كَيۡدٗا فَجَعَلۡنَٰهُمُ ٱلۡأَخۡسَرِينَ ٧٠
And they intended for him a plan [i.e., harm], but We made them the greatest losers.
21:71
وَنَجَّيۡنَٰهُ وَلُوطًا إِلَى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ ٱلَّتِي بَٰرَكۡنَا فِيهَا لِلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ٧١
And We delivered him and Lot to the land which We had blessed for the worlds [i.e., peoples].
21:72
وَوَهَبۡنَا لَهُۥٓ إِسۡحَٰقَ وَيَعۡقُوبَ نَافِلَةٗۖ وَكُلّٗا جَعَلۡنَا صَٰلِحِينَ ٧٢
And We gave him Isaac and Jacob in addition, and all [of them] We made righteous.
Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy