Tarjumatul Quran - Sura' al-Anbiya [The Prophets]: 48 - 73

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Verse 64: Some translators avoid literal translation of this verse fearing that this would present Abraham as a liar.  Obviously it was not the big idols who had smashed the smaller ones but it was Abraham himself who had done it.  Therefore attributing the statement to Abraham that 'here is their chief,' [Maulawi Sher Ali.  'The Holy Quran: Arabic Text & English Translation'.  1955] would be tantamount to attributing an obvious lie to Abraham.  It should be noted, however, that it was not a misstatement but a powerful style of argument.  Sometimes a thing is too obvious for anybody to believe and a statement to that effect is never understood as a wilful attempt to mislead others but considered an exposition of the inherent absurdity of a situation.  We believe that Abraham did make that statement without the slightest intention of misleading them but only by way of a powerful argument against the falsity of their belief.  This is exactly how they took it.  Having heard Abraham, none of them retorted by calling him a liar.  But according to 'The Holy Quran' they were introspectively forced to realise the folly of their belief.  This is made clear in the following verses:

Then they conferred among themselves and admitted 'You yourselves are surely in the wrong'.

Then their heads were made to hang low confounded 'Certainly thou knowest well that these do not speak'.

He said 'Do you then worship instead of Allah that which cannot benefit you nor harm you?'

'Fie on you and on the things you worship instead of Allah! Have you no sense?'

('The Holy Quran'.  al-Anbiya [The Prophets]: 65 - 68).

Again, it should be remembered that before this incident Abraham himself had mentioned in public his resolve to smash their idols:

And by Allah I will certainly devise a plan against your idols after you have gone away and turned your backs.

('The Holy Quran'.  al-Anbiya [The Prophets]: 58).


23 December 1996.


© The Tahir Archive / MTA International, 2013.
Tarjumatul Quran - Sura' al-Anbiya [The Prophets]: 48 - 73

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