Surah Ibrahim (14) — Ayah 36

(Ayah36) ➊ {رَبِّ اِنَّهُنَّ اَضْلَلْنَ كَثِيْرًا مِّنَ النَّاسِ …: } The two main reasons for the widespread prevalence of idol worship and people’s quick involvement in it are: firstly, instead of believing in the unseen deity (Allah Almighty), man desires to worship something he can see. Although nothing is more manifest than Allah Almighty, because every thing in the universe testifies to the existence and oneness of its Creator, and the remarkable thing is that no one except Allah claims to have created the heavens, the earth, and the entire universe. If anyone were to make such a claim, everyone would call him a liar, and even his own heart would belie him, for the heavens and the earth were created millions of years before him and his ancestors. Although He is manifest, yet nothing is more hidden from the eyes than His essence, because no one has the strength to behold Him. [ھُوَ الْاَوَّلُ وَ الْاٰخِرُوَ الظَّاھِرُ وَالْبَاطِنُ] That is why His first demand is faith in the unseen; if anyone desires or requests to see Him, as Musa (Moses) did, He does not get angry but promises His vision in Paradise. However, if someone sets the condition of seeing Him in order to believe, as the Children of Israel said: «{ لَنْ نُّؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتّٰى نَرَى اللّٰهَ جَهْرَةً }» [ البقرۃ : ۵۵ ] “(O Musa!) We will never believe you until we see Allah plainly before us,” then His fire of wrath is kindled. Sometimes He destroys them with a bolt of lightning, and most He has given respite; on the Day of Resurrection, He will answer their demand. In short, this is man’s foolishness: when, due to his own weakness, he cannot see Allah Almighty with his eyes, instead of believing in the unseen, he invents a visible lord and starts worshipping it. Along with this, another reason is excess in love, that is, whoever he loves excessively, considers pious, or fears due to awe, he makes an idol of him and starts worshipping it. Idol worship began in the people of Nuh (Noah) in this way. For details, see Surah Nuh. Because of so many nations falling into idol worship, Ibrahim (Abraham) is saying: O Lord! These idols have led many people astray; meaning, they became the cause of their misguidance, just as it is said that the road leads to Lahore—it is only a means, the traveler goes by himself.

➋ {وَ مَنْ عَصَانِيْ فَاِنَّكَ غَفُوْرٌ رَّحِيْمٌ :} From here, some people say that Ibrahim (Abraham) prayed for forgiveness even for those who disobeyed him, but these words do not indicate that; rather, it only means that their matter is entrusted to You—if You wish, forgive them; if You wish, punish them. And along with this, he submitted: “So indeed, You are the Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.” Undoubtedly, in this there is utmost respect, humility, and a kind of intercession expressed with great etiquette, but it cannot be called a prayer for forgiveness from Allah Almighty. Yes, he did pray for forgiveness for his father because of a promise, but when it became clear that he was an enemy of Allah, he declared disassociation from him. (See Tawbah: 114) In the Qur’an, in the prayers transmitted from Ibrahim and Isa (Jesus), the matter of every disobedient person, whether polytheist or an ordinary sinner, is entrusted to Allah, and along with mentioning some attributes of Allah Almighty, a kind of intercession is also expressed. This is the extreme gentleness of these two prophets, despite enduring countless hardships. The prayer of Isa (Jesus) is: «{ اِنْ تُعَذِّبْهُمْ فَاِنَّهُمْ عِبَادُكَ وَ اِنْ تَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ فَاِنَّكَ اَنْتَ الْعَزِيْزُ الْحَكِيْمُ }» [ المائدۃ : ۱۱۸ ] See the translation of this verse in Surah Ma’idah and observe the practice of our Noble Messenger (peace be upon him).

In contrast, the prayer of Nuh (Noah) was: «{ رَبِّ لَا تَذَرْ عَلَى الْاَرْضِ مِنَ الْكٰفِرِيْنَ دَيَّارًا }» [ نوح : ۲۶ ] “O my Lord! Do not leave upon the earth any inhabitant from among the disbelievers.” And the prayer of Musa (Moses) was: «{ رَبَّنَا اطْمِسْ عَلٰۤى اَمْوَالِهِمْ وَ اشْدُدْ عَلٰى قُلُوْبِهِمْ فَلَا يُؤْمِنُوْا حَتّٰى يَرَوُا الْعَذَابَ الْاَلِيْمَ } » [ یونس : ۸۸ ] “Our Lord! Obliterate their wealth and harden their hearts so they will not believe until they see the painful punishment.” These prayers of both prophets were not without reason. Allah Almighty had informed Nuh (Noah) that no more of your people will believe. (See Hud: 36) And the people of Pharaoh, even after seeing many miracles, said: “O Musa! Whatever sign you bring us, we will never believe in you.” (See Al-A’raf: 132) Now, if they had not made this prayer, what else could they have done? In such a situation, even Ibrahim (Abraham) openly disassociated himself from his father, saying: «{ فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهٗۤ اَنَّهٗ عَدُوٌّ لِّلّٰهِ تَبَرَّاَ مِنْهُ } » [ التوبۃ : ۱۱۴ ] “So when it became clear to him that he was an enemy of Allah, he disassociated himself from him.”