Relate to them the story of Abraham, when he said to his father and his people: “What is that you worship?”
They answered: “We worship idols, and we remain devoted to them.”
Said he: “Do they hear you when you call on them, or benefit you or do you harm?”
They said: “But we found our forefathers doing the same.”
He said: “Do you see those which you have been worshipping - you and your forefathers of old? They are my enemies, except for the Lord of all the worlds.
“It is He who has created me, and is the One who guides me. He is the One who gives me to eat and to drink. When I fall ill, He is the One who restores me to health, and will cause me to die and then will bring me back to life. It is He also who, I hope, will forgive me my faults on the Day of Judgment.’ (The Poets: Al-Shu’ara: 26: 69-82)
“Relate to them the story of Abraham, when he said to his father and his people: ‘What is that you worship?’” The Prophet (peace be upon him) is instructed here to relate to them the story of Abraham. The idolater Arabs used to claim they were his heirs and that they followed his faith. He will thus show Abraham denouncing what his father and people worshipped, which were no more than idols similar to those the unbelievers in Makkah worshipped at the Prophet’s time. He denounces the erring ways of his father and people, asking them in a clear tone of disapproval: “What is that you worship?”
“They answered: ‘We worship idols, and we remain devoted to them.’” They certainly considered their idols deities, but the fact that they called them idols shows that they could not deny the fact that they were no more than statues made of stone, and that they nevertheless devoted their worship to them. This is the ultimate degree of absurdity, but when people take up wrong beliefs, they lose sight of the absurdity of their concepts, worship and statements.
Abraham (peace be upon him) begins to awaken their minds and hearts, highlighting the absurdity of their attitude: “Said he: Do they hear you when you call on them, or benefit you or do you harm?” The least that should be true of a deity to whom worship is addressed is that it should have the same faculty of hearing like its worshipper. But those deities cannot hear their worshippers who appeal to them for benefit and the removal of harm and hardship. If they cannot hear, then can they bring benefit or cause harm? Certainly those idolaters could not claim either quality for their idols. Hence, they did not give Abraham any answer because they realized that he was sarcastic. Nevertheless, they could not refute what he said. When they speak, they simply expose themselves as blind followers who do not reflect on their actions: “They said: But we found our forefathers doing the same.” True, these idols cannot hear, bring benefit or cause harm, but we found our forefathers worshipping them and we followed in their footsteps.
It is a disgraceful reply, but those idolaters were not ashamed to make it, nor were the Arabs in Makkah ashamed of doing likewise. To them, it was sufficient that their forefathers did something to accept it as valid without question. Indeed a stumbling barrier in the way of the Islamic message was that the idolaters should abandon their forefathers’ religion, because that would detract from the standing of those ancestors and constitute an acknowledgement that those ancestors were in error. This would be too disrespectful of their forefathers. Such otiose values are thus allowed to stand in the way of the truth. In times of inflexible obduracy people stick to such values in preference to the truth. Hence, they need a violent shake-up to release their minds and faculties.
Patient and calm as he was, Abraham realized that the only way was that he should give them a real jolt, declaring his enmity to those idols and to the deviant beliefs that allowed such worship. “He said: Do you see those which you have been worshipping - you and your forefathers of old? They are my enemies, except for the Lord of all the worlds.”
The fact that his own father and people worshipped their deities did not stop him from parting company with them, making his hostility clear to their errant beliefs. Thus, the Qur’an teaches believers that on the question of faith, no consideration is given to parents, ancestors or community. The main bond and the top value are those of faith. Whatever else is of secondary importance.
Abraham makes an exception in his hostility to what they and their ancestors worshipped, and this exception applies only to “the Lord of all the worlds.” It might be that some of their ancestors worshipped God before deviation crept into their faith. It might also be that some of them worshipped God alongside some other alleged deities. Hence, Abraham makes this precaution in order to make his statement precise, which is to be expected of Abraham when he speaks of faith.
Abraham then outlines the attributes of his Lord, the Lord of all the worlds, and the bond that exists between them at all times and in all situations. As we listen to his description we feel the close, inspirational relationship that acknowledges God’s hand in everything that happens in life: “It is He who has created me, and is the One who guides me.
He is the One who gives me to eat and to drink. When I fall ill, He is the One who restores me to health, and will cause me to die and then will bring me back to life. It is He also who, I hope, will forgive me my faults on the Day of Judgment.”
Abraham’s description of his Lord and the bond between them imparts a feeling that every part of his constitution feels this bond. Hence, all his aspirations look up to God with love and trust. It is as if Abraham actually sees his Lord and feels his grace with all his heart.
As the Qur’an quotes Abraham’s description, it gives it a melodious tone that enhances a very relaxed atmosphere and spreads a soothing, tranquil ambience.