6. Al-An'aam

(Say) O Muhammad, to 'Uyaynah and his folk: (Shall we cry) do you ask us to worship (instead of unto Allah, unto that which neither profiteth us) if we worshipped it, neither in this world nor in the Hereafter (nor hurteth us) if we did not worship it, neither in this world nor in the Next, (and shall we turn back) to idolatry (after Allah hath guided us) has honoured us with His religion, (like) if we were to do so, we would be like (one bewildered) erred from guidance (whom the devils have infatuated) lured down (in the earth, who hath companions) 'Uyaynah has friends, the prophetic Companions (who invite him to the guidance) to Islam ((saying): Come unto us) obey us? While 'Uyaynah was inviting them to idolatry. It is also said that this verse was revealed about Abu Bakr and his son 'Abd al-Rahman. Prior to embracing Islam, 'Abd al-Rahman used to invite his parents to his religion. Allah said to his Prophet: tell Abu Bakr to say to his son 'Abd al-Rahman: are you asking us O 'Abd al-Rahman, to worship, instead of Allah, that which does not benefit us in this world in our provision or livelihood or in the Hereafter if we were to worship it, nor hurt us, if we did not worship it? Are you really asking us to return to our old religion after Allah has guided us to the religion of Muhammad (pbuh). If we were to do as you ask us, we would be like 'Abd al-Rahman who erred and whom the devils lured away from Allah's religion. The parents of 'Abd al-Rahman-Abu Bakr and his wife-invited him to Islam and repentance, while he invited them to idolatry. His parents say to him: obey us and embrace Islam. (Say) O Muhammad: (Lo! the guidance of Allah is Guidance) the religion of Allah is Islam and our Qiblah is the Ka'bah, (and we are ordered to surrender) to make our worship and confession of Allah's divine Oneness sincere (to the Lord of the Worlds) to Allah, Lord of the Worlds,

(He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in truth) to expound the Truth and expose falsehood; it is also said that this means: to show that they are ephemeral and evanescent. (In that day when He saith) to the wall: (Be! it is) i.e. the heavens will become a wall which will be blown into, like one blows into a horn. Then the heaven will be changed into a different heaven; it is also said that (Be! it is) means: when He says to the Day of Judgement: �Be�, and it will be. (His word) regarding the resurrection (is the Truth, and His will be the Sovereignty) the judgement between the servants (on the Day when the trumpet is blown. Knower of the invisible) that which will happen in the future (and the visible) that which has already happened; it is also said that the 'invisible' refers to that which is unseen by people while 'the visible' refers to that which Allah's servants see, (He is the Wise) in His command and decree, (the Aware) of His created beings and of their works.

((Remember) when Abraham said unto his father Azar) who was Terah the son of Nahur: (Takest thou idols) do you worship idols (for gods) so many gods: small and large, male and female? (Lo! I see thee) O my father (and thy folk in error manifest) in manifest disbelief and wrong in so worshipping idols.

(Thus did We show Abraham the kingdom of the heavens and the earth) that which is between the heavens and the earth: the sun, the moon and the stars when he came out of the hole into which he was thrown (that he might be of those possessing certainty) that he might be of those who acknowledge that Allah is One, the Creator of the heavens and the earth and all that which is in them; it is also said that Allah showed him this on the night He made him ascend to heaven. He saw up to the seventh heaven and the seventh earth, so that he may have the certitude of inspiration:

(When the night grew dark upon him) in the hole (he beheld a star) the planet Venus. (He said: This is my Lord) could this be my Lord? (But when it set) when its colour changed to red and it disappeared, (he said: I love not things that set) I do not love a lord that is not lasting.

(And when he saw the moon uprising, he exclaimed: This my Lord) could this be my Lord? This is bigger than the first one. (But when it set, he said: Unless my Lord guide me) unless my Lord makes me firm on guidance, (I surely shall become one of the folk who are astray) from guidance.

(And when he saw the sun uprising) filling everything [with its light], (he cried: This is my Lord!) Could this be my Lord? (This is greater!) This is bigger than the first and the second. (And when it set) when it disappeared, Abraham said: I do not love a lord who is not lasting. If Allah does not guide me, I shall be of those who err. It is also said that Abraham said 'this is my Lord' mocking his people, for his people worshipped the sun, the moon and the stars. He therefore objected to such worship by mocking them, saying to them: could the like of these be a Lord? When he emerged from the hole and went to his people-he was then 17 years old-he looked at the sky and the earth and then said: my Lord is Him Who has created this. He then proceeded until he found a group of his people attending with devotion to their idols, (he exclaimed: O my people! Lo! I am free from all that ye associate (with Him)) of idols.

When they asked him: who do you worship? He said: (Lo! I have turned my face towards) I have made my religion and works sincere to (him Who created the heavens and the earth, as one by nature upright) Muslim, (and I am not of the idolaters) who follows their religion.

(His people argued with him) regarding their gods and threatened him by them so that he would leave the religion of Allah. (He) Abraham (said: Dispute ye with me concerning Allah) do you argue with me in favour of your gods and threaten me so that I might leave the religion of my Lord (when He hath guided me) to His religion? (I fear not at all that which ye set beside Him) i.e. idols (unless my Lord willeth aught) to take away the knowledge from my heart such that I fear what you do. (My Lord includeth all things in His knowledge) my Lord knows that you do not follow the Truth: (Will ye not then remember) take admonition from the warning I am telling you about?