سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْۣبِيَآءِ
Surah Al-Anbiyaa (21) — Ayah 58
فَجَعَلَهُمْ جُذَٰذًا إِلَّا كَبِيرًا لَّهُمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِ يَرْجِعُونَ ﴿58﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
So he broke them to pieces, (all) except the biggest of them, that they might turn to it.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
فَجَعَلَهُمْ
fajaʿalahum
So he made them
جُذَٰذًا
judhādhan
(into) pieces
إِلَّا
illā
except
كَبِيرًۭا
kabīran
a large (one)
لَّهُمْ
lahum
of them
لَعَلَّهُمْ
laʿallahum
so that they may
إِلَيْهِ
ilayhi
to it
يَرْجِعُونَ
yarjiʿūna
return
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
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 58) ➊ { فَجَعَلَهُمْ جُذٰذًا: ’’ جُذٰذًا ‘‘ ’’جَذَّ يَجُذُّ‘‘} (to cut and break into pieces) is from { ’’فُعَالٌ‘‘} in the passive sense ({مَجْذُوْذٌ}), meaning broken into pieces, shattered. Words of the same pattern and meaning are {’’حُطَامٌ‘‘} and {’’فُتَاتٌ‘‘}. The people of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) used to go out of their homes on the occasion of their special festival and celebrate all day. Thus, they also invited Ibrahim (peace be upon him) to go with them, but he excused himself by claiming illness. (Saffat: 88 to 90) Ibrahim (peace be upon him), finding the opportunity, entered the idol house, first addressed them, which is mentioned in Surah Saffat, and when he received no answer, he began to break them with full force and shattered all except one. Here, most commentators have written that Ibrahim (peace be upon him) broke all the idols and placed the axe on the shoulder of the biggest idol, but this is merely an Israelite narration; there is no mention of it in the Quran or Hadith. Moreover, to break stone idols, a hammer is used instead of an axe. Yes, if the idols were wooden, that would be a different matter. Allah knows best how Ibrahim (peace be upon him) broke those idols and whether he used only one tool or all the tools needed for the task.
➋ {اِلَّا كَبِيْرًا لَّهُمْ:’’ كَبِيْرًا ‘‘} is indefinite, meaning 'except for one big one of theirs'. It is understood that they had several big idols, but Ibrahim (peace be upon him) broke all the small and big idols except for one big one. This is also supported by the next verse (63) {’’ قَالَ بَلْ فَعَلَهٗ كَبِيْرُهُمْ ‘‘} that "this was done by their big one." It is clear that besides this big one, there were other big idols that met their end. (Biqai) Those who consider it the biggest of all their idols are not supported by the words of the Quran.
➌ "Except for their one big idol" shows that Allah Almighty did not call the polytheists or their deities "Kabir" (great), but rather "their Kabir," because they considered it great, just as the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), when sending the letter of invitation to Islam, wrote: [ اِلٰی هِرَقْلَ عَظِيْمِ الرُّوْمِ ] See, Heraclius is only called great among the Romans, not absolutely great as a disbeliever. (Sa'di)
➍ { لَعَلَّهُمْ اِلَيْهِ يَرْجِعُوْنَ :} He did nothing to their one big idol, so that when they see all the idols broken and this one safe and sound, they would ask it, "Sir, what caused your anger that you shattered all these gods, and if you did not do this, then how did someone else dare to do it in your presence?" Another meaning could be that Ibrahim (peace be upon him) broke all the idols except for one big one so that when the people saw this incident, their minds would immediately turn to Ibrahim (peace be upon him), and when they questioned him, he would get the best opportunity to refute polytheism.
➋ {اِلَّا كَبِيْرًا لَّهُمْ:’’ كَبِيْرًا ‘‘} is indefinite, meaning 'except for one big one of theirs'. It is understood that they had several big idols, but Ibrahim (peace be upon him) broke all the small and big idols except for one big one. This is also supported by the next verse (63) {’’ قَالَ بَلْ فَعَلَهٗ كَبِيْرُهُمْ ‘‘} that "this was done by their big one." It is clear that besides this big one, there were other big idols that met their end. (Biqai) Those who consider it the biggest of all their idols are not supported by the words of the Quran.
➌ "Except for their one big idol" shows that Allah Almighty did not call the polytheists or their deities "Kabir" (great), but rather "their Kabir," because they considered it great, just as the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), when sending the letter of invitation to Islam, wrote: [ اِلٰی هِرَقْلَ عَظِيْمِ الرُّوْمِ ] See, Heraclius is only called great among the Romans, not absolutely great as a disbeliever. (Sa'di)
➍ { لَعَلَّهُمْ اِلَيْهِ يَرْجِعُوْنَ :} He did nothing to their one big idol, so that when they see all the idols broken and this one safe and sound, they would ask it, "Sir, what caused your anger that you shattered all these gods, and if you did not do this, then how did someone else dare to do it in your presence?" Another meaning could be that Ibrahim (peace be upon him) broke all the idols except for one big one so that when the people saw this incident, their minds would immediately turn to Ibrahim (peace be upon him), and when they questioned him, he would get the best opportunity to refute polytheism.
