Al-An'am 6:74

Commentary

Previous verses contained a description of the call given by the Holy Prophet ﷺ in which he addressed the disbelievers of Arabia and appealed to them that they should forsake the worship of idols and believe in a single object of worship: Allah.

The present verses support this call of truth in a particular way which could be naturally acceptable to the people of Arabia who have Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) as their patriarch and the whole Arabia stood united in paying homage to him almost always. These verses refer to the debate against the worship of idols and stars led by him before his people and to whom he had then given a lesson as to what a true belief in the Oneness of Allah should be.

The first verse (74) opens with Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) telling his father, 'Azar that he had taken idols made with his own hands as his object of worship, and that he saw him and his entire people in manifest error.

It is commonly held that 'Azar is the name of Sayyidna Ibrahim's father while most historians give his name as Tarakh and identify 'Azar as his title. Imam al-Razi and a group of early scholars hold that Tarakh was the name of Sayyidna Ibrahim's father and 'Azar was the name of his uncle. After becoming a minister of Nimrud, his uncle, 'Azar had become a polytheist. Since calling an uncle as father is common in Arab usage, 'Azar has been named here as Sayyidna Ibrahim's father. In Sharh al-Mawahib, Zarqani has reported several proofs to this effect.

Reform Begins at Home

'Azar, whether a father or uncle of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) ، was a respectable elder of the family. Thus, it was from his home that Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) gave the first call to truth - as was commanded the Holy Prophet too: وَأَنذِرْ‌ عَشِيرَ‌تَكَ الْأَقْرَ‌بِينَ ﴿214﴾ (26:214) that is, warn your near relatives (of the Divine punishment). It was in obedience to this command that the Holy Prophet ﷺ had first gathered his own family to hear him when he stood at the hill of Safa to deliver his call of truth.

According to Tafsir Al-Bahr al-Muhit, from here we also learn that inviting a respected elder of the family, who may not be on the right path of faith, to the right path is not contrary to the norms of reverence. In fact, it is a matter of wishing well for him. In addition to that, this also tells us that starting the work of da'wah, the mission of inviting people to the true faith and the seeking of reforms that lead to it, from one's home, family and immediate circle, is a Sunnah (way) of the prophets (علیہم السلام) .

Two-Nation Theory: Believers are One People - Disbelievers, another.

It will be noted that Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) has elected not to identify his family and his people with himself in this verse when he said to his father that ` his' people were in error. This indicates the great sacrifice Sayyidna Ibrahim offered in the way of Allah by cutting off his bonds with his disbelieving brotherhood. Thus, by his deed, he demonstrated that Muslim nationality is founded through the bonds of Islam. When nationalities based on concepts of race or homeland clash against it, all these deserve to be forsaken.

By mentioning this event relating to Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) ، the Holy Qur'an has asked all communities to come after him that they too should follow in his footsteps. It was said: دْ كَانَتْ لَكُمْ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ فِي إِبْرَ‌اهِيمَ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ إِذْ قَالُوا لِقَوْمِهِمْ إِنَّا بُرَ‌آءُ مِنكُمْ وَمِمَّا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ. It means: Definitely good and worthy of being emulated and followed by the Muslim community is the way and conduct of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) and of those with him who frankly told their lineal, racial and geographical brotherhood that they were wary of them and their false objects of worship and that the wall of discord between them shall remain standing until such time that they do become believers and submit to none but Allah.

This tells us that the two-nation theory which brought Pakistan into existence - was first proclaimed by Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) . The Ummah of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and other communities, followed this guidance and moved ahead. Among Muslims, Islam as the identity of their nationhood became well-recognized. During his journey undertaken to perform his Last Hajj, the Holy Prophet ﷺ met a caravan on the way. He asked them: ` Which nationality do you come from?' They replied: نحنُ قومُ مُّسلِمُونَ (al-Bukhari) (We are [ a ] nation [ of ] Muslims). Here, in accordance with the early practice in Arabia, they did not name a tribe or a lineally identified family, instead, called themselves: ` muslimun' (Muslims) - and by doing so, they declared what was their real nationality, a nationality which will hold good in all time frames right to the end of time well through the trials of the Akhirah. At this particular place when Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) addressed his father, he proclaimed his distaste for the doings of ` his' people - attributing the people he came from to his father - but, at the place where he had to proclaim his principled disassociation from the same people, he addressed them as his, as appears in the next verse: يَا قَوْمِ إِنِّي بَرِ‌يءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِ‌كُونَ (0 my people, I am free of what you associate with Allah). The hint given here is: ` Though, you are my people in terms of race and homeland, but your deeds of disbelief and polytheism have compelled me to cut off my relations with your brotherhood.'

The brotherhood of Sayyidna Ibrahim and his father were involved in a two-fold Shirk: They worshipped idols as well as stars. So, Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) debated both issues with his father and with his people.