سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْۣبِيَآءِ

Surah Al-Anbiyaa (21) — Ayah 60

The Prophets · Meccan · Juz 17 · Page 327

قَالُوا۟ سَمِعْنَا فَتًى يَذْكُرُهُمْ يُقَالُ لَهُۥٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمُ ﴿60﴾
They said: "We heard a young man talking against them, who is called Ibrâhîm (Abraham)."
قَالُوا۟ qālū They said
سَمِعْنَا samiʿ'nā We heard
فَتًۭى fatan a youth
يَذْكُرُهُمْ yadhkuruhum mention them
يُقَالُ yuqālu he is called
لَهُۥٓ lahu he is called
إِبْرَٰهِيمُ ib'rāhīmu Ibrahim

Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

(Ayah 60){قَالُوْا سَمِعْنَا فَتًى يَّذْكُرُهُمْ … : } They had no difficulty in finding the culprit who broke the idols. Those people who had heard the speech that Ibrahim (peace be upon him) delivered before his father and his people, in which he had clearly declared, "By Allah! I will surely devise a secret plan against your idols," said, "We have heard a young man mentioning them (the idols); he is called Ibrahim." Notice the manner of contempt these polytheists show towards Ibrahim (peace be upon him); they refer to him as an unknown young man named Ibrahim, whereas a personality like Ibrahim (peace be upon him) could never be anonymous. Can the sun or the moon remain hidden? Then they attribute this act to his youth, whereas these ignorant people do not even know that this youth's youthfulness is not reckless but so wise that countless mature ages would be sacrificed for such maturity. For the explanation of {’’ يَذْكُرُهُمْ ‘‘}, see verse (36) of this Surah.

Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

60. 1 Some of them said, is he not the young man, Ibrahim (علیہ السلام), who speaks against our idols? It seems this is his doing.

Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

(Some) people said, "We heard a young man mention these idols; his name is Abraham."

[53] When these people returned from the festival and saw the miserable state of their helpers-in-difficulty, they were greatly distressed. It did not even occur to them that since the axe was on the shoulder of the biggest idol, perhaps this great god had destroyed the smaller gods. Because they knew that the idols could not even move from their places, so how could they do the work of breaking and smashing? And this is exactly what Prophet Ibrahimؑ wanted them to understand. The only thought that came to their minds was that whoever did this was a great wrongdoer. Now, due to the anger of these helpers-in-difficulty, wrath will surely descend upon us, and the only way to avoid this wrath is to find the culprit and give him the punishment he deserves. Since Prophet Ibrahimؑ had already expressed in front of several people that "these lifeless stone statues can neither harm you nor benefit you, so worshipping them is sheer misguidance and an insult to humanity," therefore, some people immediately thought that this act could only be the work of Ibrahim. In our view, there is no one else who has shown such disrespect towards our deities.