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What are these statues that you worship?

By Fahad Iqbal
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم


"What are these statues to which you are devoted?" Ibraheem asked his people. They replied, "We found our fathers worshiping them". He said, “Indeed, you and your forefathers have been clearly astray.”

He asked his father, who crafted idols  - "why do you worship that which does not hear, nor sees, nor does benefit in anything?!" He continued, "Do you desire made-up gods instead of Allah? What then is your thought about Lord of all worlds? In fact, your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, Who created them both. And to that I bear witness".

In the temple, Ibraheem saw the idols that his people worshiped, with foods in front of them as offerings. He addressed them saying "Will you not eat?! Why is it that you don't speak?!" Then he smashed all the idols except biggest of them and left.

Horrified to see their idols lying in ruins, people guessed that Ibraheem was behind this and called him to account, "Have you done this to our gods, O Ibraheem?". He said, “Rather, this is done by this chief of theirs. So, ask them if they can speak.” Their error was in plain sight but they continued to argue - "These don't speak, you already know." He said, "Then do you worship instead of Allah that which does not benefit you at all or harm you? Do you worship what you yourselves have carved with your own hands? While Allah has created you and whatever you do! Shame on you and whatever you worship instead of Allah! Do you not have any sense?”(1)


يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ ضُرِبَ مَثَلٌ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ ۚ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ لَن يَخْلُقُوا ذُبَابًا وَلَوِ اجْتَمَعُوا لَهُ ۖ وَإِن يَسْلُبْهُمُ الذُّبَابُ شَيْئًا لَّا يَسْتَنقِذُوهُ مِنْهُ ۚ ضَعُفَ الطَّالِبُ وَالْمَطْلُوبُ

O mankind! A similitude has been coined, so listen to it carefully: Verily! Those who you call besides Allah, can never create (even) a fly, even if they gather together for the purpose. And if the fly snatched away a thing from them, they would have no power to release it from the fly. So weak are (both) the seeker and the sought.(2)


الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ فَاطِرِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ جَاعِلِ الْمَلَائِكَةِ رُسُلًا أُولِي أَجْنِحَةٍ مَّثْنَىٰ وَثُلَاثَ وَرُبَاعَ ۚ يَزِيدُ فِي الْخَلْقِ مَا يَشَاءُ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ. مَّا يَفْتَحِ اللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ مِن رَّحْمَةٍ فَلَا مُمْسِكَ لَهَا ۖ وَمَا يُمْسِكْ فَلَا مُرْسِلَ لَهُ مِن بَعْدِهِ ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ ۚ هَلْ مِنْ خَالِقٍ غَيْرُ اللَّهِ يَرْزُقُكُم مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۚ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ فَأَنَّىٰ تُؤْفَكُونَ

All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Originator of the heavens and the earth, Who made the angels messengers with wings, - two or three or four. He increases in creation what He wills. Verily, Allah is Able to do all things. Whatever of mercy, Allah may grant to mankind, none can withhold it, and whatever He may withhold, none can grant it thereafter. And He is the AllMighty, the AllWise. O mankind! Remember the Grace of Allah upon you! Is there any creator other than Allah who provides for you from the sky and the earth? None has the right to be worshipped except Him. How then are you turning away from Him?(3)

1. Ibraheem also know as Abraham. Ref Al-Quran 21: 51-71, 37:83-99
2. Al-Qur'an 22:73
3. Al-Qur'an 35:1-3

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