Prophets Hūd, Ṣāliḥ and Ibrāhīm: The Ruins of the Mighty
Section 23 of 25 · Lives of the Prophets
What Are These Images to Which You Are Devoted?
إِذْ قَالَ لِأَبِيهِ وَقَوْمِهِۦ مَا هَـٰذِهِ ٱلتَّمَاثِيلُ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنتُمْ لَهَا عَـٰكِفُونَ
“when he said to his father and his people, “What are these statues you are devoted to?”” (21:52)
Ibrāhīm made daʿwah to his people also. He said: what are these images to which you are devoted? What are these idols?
قَالَ هَلْ يَسْمَعُونَكُمْ إِذْ تَدْعُونَ أَوْ يَنفَعُونَكُمْ أَوْ يَضُرُّونَ قَالُوا۟ بَلْ وَجَدْنَآ ءَابَآءَنَا كَذَٰلِكَ يَفْعَلُونَ
“He said, “Do they listen to you when you call (them) or do they bring benefit to you or harm?” They said, “No, but we have found our fathers doing like this.”” (26:72–74)
And then he also told them, in other ayat: hal yasmaʿūnakum idh tadʿūn, aw yanfaʿūnakum aw yaḍurrūn — do they hear you when you call on them, or do they benefit you or harm you? Do they respond to your duʿāʾ? I mean, a god that does not respond to your duʿāʾ — what god is he? And do they harm you or benefit you? They said: nay, but we found our fathers doing so.
They did not disapprove what Ibrāhīm said. They did not say: yes, they do accept our duʿāʾ, and yes, they benefit us. No, they didn't argue with that. Their response was: we are doing this because our fathers were doing it. Just like when you talk to somebody — what's your religion, and why are you doing this? He says: I was born a Christian. I was born Catholic. Don't argue with me; I was born like that.
إِنَّهُمْ أَلْفَوْا۟ ءَابَآءَهُمْ ضَآلِّينَ فَهُمْ عَلَىٰٓ ءَاثَـٰرِهِمْ يُهْرَعُونَ
“They found their fathers on the wrong path. So, they used to run in their footsteps.” (37:69–70)
This is taqlīd al-ābāʾ, following the forefathers, which Allah (swt) has mentioned in the Qur'an: innahum alfaw ābāʾahum ḍāllīn, fa-hum ʿalā āthārihim yuhraʿūn — they found their fathers misguided, and they are following their tracks.
قَالَ لَقَدْ كُنتُمْ أَنتُمْ وَءَابَآؤُكُمْ فِى ضَلَـٰلٍ مُّبِينٍ قَالُوٓا۟ أَجِئْتَنَا بِٱلْحَقِّ أَمْ أَنتَ مِنَ ٱللَّـٰعِبِينَ قَالَ بَل رَّبُّكُمْ رَبُّ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ٱلَّذِى فَطَرَهُنَّ وَأَنَا۠ عَلَىٰ ذَٰلِكُم مِّنَ ٱلشَّـٰهِدِينَ
“He said, “Surely you and your fathers have been in open error.” They said, “Did you come to us with truth or are you one of the triflers?” He said, “No, your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, who has created them, and I am one of those who bear witness to it.” (21:54–56)
Ibrāhīm said: indeed, you and your fathers have been in manifest error. Clear statements. He said that you are in error. This was a shock to the people. They couldn't believe these statements. They said: are you bringing us the truth, or are you one of those who are playing around? They thought that he is playing around. I mean, bluntly, he is saying that you are wrong, and your fathers are wrong, and these idols cannot do you any good, and they are false. They said: are you joking?
He said: nay, your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, who created them; and of that I am one of the witnesses.
ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَنِى فَهُوَ يَهْدِينِ وَٱلَّذِى هُوَ يُطْعِمُنِى وَيَسْقِينِ وَإِذَا مَرِضْتُ فَهُوَ يَشْفِينِ وَٱلَّذِى يُمِيتُنِى ثُمَّ يُحْيِينِ
“who created me, and who guides me, and Who feeds me and gives me drink, and when I become sick, He heals me, and who will make me die, then will give me life,” (26:78–81)
And he said: the One who created me, so He will guide me. And the One who feeds me, and provides me with drink. And if I become ill, He is the One who cures me. The One who will make me die, and the One who will give me life. This is the God that I worship; this is Allah (swt). So Ibrāhīm told them that I worship Allah (swt), and Allah is your Lord, and the Lord of the worlds.