Surah Anam ayat 78 Tafsir Quran 6:78

﴿فَلَمَّا رَأَى الشَّمْسَ بَازِغَةً قَالَ هَٰذَا رَبِّي هَٰذَا أَكْبَرُ ۖ فَلَمَّا أَفَلَتْ قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ إِنِّي بَرِيءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ﴾
[ الأنعام: 78]

6:78 And when he saw the sun rising, he said, "This is my lord; this is greater." But when it set, he said, "O my people, indeed I am free from what you associate with Allah.

And when he saw the sun rising he said ‘This is my Lord; this is greater!’ than the star and the moon the masculine demonstrative pronoun hādhā ‘this’ is used for the feminine shams ‘sun’ because the predicate rabbī ‘my Lord’ is masculine. But when it set and the argument against them had become stronger and they still had not repented he said ‘O my people surely I am innocent of what you associate with God in the way of idols and accidental bodies which require an originator. They then asked him ‘What do you worship?’

When he saw the sun rising, he acknowledged it his Allah; It is greater , he said. But when it set, he opened his mind’s eyes and said: O my people, I am indeed innocent of all that you incorporate with Allah the Eternal

Ibrahim Advises his Father Ibrahim advised, discouraged and forbade his father from worshipping idols, just as Allah stated, وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَهِيمُ لاًّبِيهِ ءَازَرَ أَتَتَّخِذُ أَصْنَاماً ءَالِهَةً ( And (remember ) when Ibrahim said to his father Azar: "Do you take idols as gods") meaning, do you worship an idol instead of Allah إِنِّى أَرَاكَ وَقَوْمَكَ ( Verily, I see you and your people... ) who follow your path, فِى ضَلَـلٍ مُّبِينٍ ( in manifest error ) wandering in confusion unaware of where to go.
Therefore, you are in disarray and ignorance, and this fact is clear to all those who have sound reason.
Allah also said, وَاذْكُرْ فِى الْكِتَـبِ إِبْرَهِيمَ إِنَّهُ كَانَ صِدِّيقاً نَّبِيّاً - إِذْ قَالَ لاًّبِيهِ يأَبَتِ لِمَ تَعْبُدُ مَا لاَ يَسْمَعُ وَلاَ يَبْصِرُ وَلاَ يُغْنِى عَنكَ شَيْئاً - يأَبَتِ إِنِّى قَدْ جَآءَنِى مِنَ الْعِلْمِ مَا لَمْ يَأْتِكَ فَاتَّبِعْنِى أَهْدِكَ صِرَاطاً سَوِيّاً - يأَبَتِ لاَ تَعْبُدِ الشَّيْطَـنَ إِنَّ الشَّيْطَـنَ كَانَ لِلرَّحْمَـنِ عَصِيّاً - يأَبَتِ إِنِّى أَخَافُ أَن يَمَسَّكَ عَذَابٌ مِّنَ الرَّحْمَـنِ فَتَكُونَ لِلشَّيْطَـنِ وَلِيّاً - قَالَ أَرَاغِبٌ أَنتَ عَنْ آلِهَتِى يإِبْرَهِيمُ لَئِن لَّمْ تَنتَهِ لأَرْجُمَنَّكَ وَاهْجُرْنِى مَلِيّاً - قَالَ سَلَـمٌ عَلَيْكَ سَأَسْتَغْفِرُ لَكَ رَبِّي إِنَّهُ كَانَ بِى حَفِيّاً - وَأَعْتَزِلُكُمْ وَمَا تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَأَدْعُو رَبِّى عَسَى أَلاَّ أَكُونَ بِدُعَآءِ رَبِّى شَقِيًّا ( And mention in the Book (the Qur'an, the story of ) Ibrahim.
Verily! He was a man of truth, a Prophet.
When he said to his father: "O my father! Why do you worship that which hears not, sees not and cannot avail you in anything O my father! Verily! There has come to me of knowledge that which came not unto you.
So follow me.
I will guide you to a straight path.
O my father! Worship not Shaytan.
Verily! Shaytan has been a rebel against the Most Beneficent ( Allah ).
O my father! Verily! I fear lest a torment from the Most Beneficent ( Allah ) overtakes you, so that you become a companion of Shaytan ( in the Hell-fire )." He ( the father ) said: "Do you reject my gods, O Ibrahim If you stop not ( this ), I will indeed stone you.
So get away from me safely before I punish you." Ibrahim said: "Peace be on you! I will ask forgiveness of my Lord for you.
Verily! He is unto me, Ever Most Gracious.
And I shall turn away from you and from those whom you invoke besides Allah.
And I shall call on my Lord; and I hope that I shall not be unanswered in my invocation to my Lord.") 19:41-48 Ibrahim continued asking for forgiveness for his father for the rest of his father's life.
When his father died an idolator and Ibrahim realized this fact, he stopped asking Allah for forgiveness for him and disassociated himself from him.
Allah said, وَمَا كَانَ اسْتِغْفَارُ إِبْرَهِيمَ لاًّبِيهِ إِلاَّ عَن مَّوْعِدَةٍ وَعَدَهَآ إِيَّاهُ فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ أَنَّهُ عَدُوٌّ لِلَّهِ تَبَرَّأَ مِنْهُ إِنَّ إِبْرَهِيمَ لأَوَّاهٌ حَلِيمٌ ( And invoking for his father's forgiveness was only because of a promise he had made to him.
But when it became clear to him that he was an enemy to Allah, he dissociated himself from him.
Verily Ibrahim was patient in supplication and forbearing. ) 9:114.
It was recorded in the Sahih that Ibrahim will meet his father Azar on the Day of Resurrection and Azar will say to him, "My son! This Day, I will not disobey you." Ibrahim will say, "O Lord! You promised me not to disgrace me on the Day they are resurrected; and what will be more disgraceful to me than cursing and dishonoring my father" Then Allah will say, "O Ibrahim! Look behind you!" He will look and there he will see ( that his father was changed into ) a male hyena covered in dung, which will be caught by the legs and thrown in the ( Hell ) Fire." Tawhid Becomes Apparent to Ibrahim Allah's statement, وَكَذَلِكَ نُرِى إِبْرَهِيمَ مَلَكُوتَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ ( Thus did We show Ibrahim the kingdom of the heavens and the earth... ) 6:75, means, when he contemplated about the creation of the heaven and earth, We showed Ibrahim the proofs of Allah's Oneness over His dominion and His creation, which indicate that there is no god or Lord except Allah.
Allah said in other Ayat; قُلِ انظُرُواْ مَاذَا فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ ( Say: "Behold all that is in the heavens and the earth." ) 10:101, and, أَفَلَمْ يَرَوْاْ إِلَى مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ وَالاٌّرْضِ إِن نَّشَأْ نَخْسِفْ بِهِمُ الاٌّرْضَ أَوْ نُسْقِطْ عَلَيْهِمْ كِسَفاً مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لاّيَةً لِّكُلِّ عَبْدٍ مُّنِيبٍ ( See they not what is before them and what is behind them, of the heaven and the earth If We will, We sink the earth with them, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them.
Verily, in this is a sign for every servant who turns to Allah. ) 34:9 Allah said next, فَلَمَّا جَنَّ عَلَيْهِ الَّيْلُ ( When the night overcame him ) covered him with darkness, رَأَى كَوْكَباً ( He saw a Kawkab ) a star. قَالَ هَـذَا رَبِّى فَلَمَّآ أَفَلَ ( He said: "This is my lord." But when it Afala, ) meaning, set, he said, لا أُحِبُّ الاٌّفِلِينَ ( I like not those that set. ) Qatadah commented, "Ibrahim knew that his Lord is Eternal and never ceases." فَلَمَّآ رَأَى الْقَمَرَ بَازِغاً قَالَ هَـذَا رَبِّى فَلَمَّآ أَفَلَ قَالَ لَئِن لَّمْ يَهْدِنِى رَبِّى لاّكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الضَّآلِّينَ رَبِّى ( When he saw the moon rising up, he said: "This is my lord." But when it set, he said: "Unless my Lord guides me, I shall surely be among the misguided people." When he saw the sun rising up, he said: "This is my lord." ) this radiating, rising star is my lord, هَـذَآ أَكْبَرُ ( This is greater ) bigger than the star and the moon, and more radiant. فَلَمَّآ أَفَلَتْ ( But when it Afalat ) set, قَالَ يقَوْمِ إِنِّى بَرِىءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَإِنِّى وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِىَ ( he said: "O my people! I am indeed free from all that you join as partners in worship with Allah.
Verily, I have turned my face..." ), meaning, I have purified my religion and made my worship sincere, لِلَّذِى فَطَرَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ ( "towards Him Who has created the heavens and the earth," ) Who originated them and shaped them without precedence, حَنِيفاً ( Hanifan ) avoiding Shirk and embracing Tawhid.
This is why he said next, وَمَآ أَنَاْ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ ( "and I am not of the idolators." ) Prophet Ibrahim Debates with his People We should note here that, in these Ayat, Ibrahim, peace be upon him, was debating with his people, explaining to them the error of their way in worshipping idols and images.
In the first case with his father, Ibrahim explained to his people their error in worshipping the idols of earth, which they made in the shape of heavenly angels, so that they intercede on their behalf with the Glorious Creator.
His people thought that they are too insignificant to worship Allah directly, and this is why they turned to the worship of angels as intercessors with Allah for their provisions, gaining victory and attaining their various needs.
He then explained to them the error and deviation of worshipping the seven planets, which they said were the Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.
The brightest of these objects and the most honored to them was the Sun, the Moon then Venus.
Ibrahim, may Allah's peace and blessings be on him, first proved that Venus is not worthy of being worshipped, for it is subservient to a term and course appointed that it does not defy, nor swerving right or left.
Venus does not have any say in its affairs, for it is only a heavenly object that Allah created and made bright out of His wisdom.
Venus rises from the east and sets in the west where it disappears from sight.
This rotation is repeated the next night, and so forth.
Such an object is not worthy of being a god.
Ibrahim then went on to mention the Moon in the same manner in which he mentioned Venus, and then the Sun.
When he proved that these three objects were not gods, although they are the brightest objects the eyes can see, قَالَ يقَوْمِ إِنِّى بَرِىءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ ( he said: "O my people! I am indeed free from all that you join as partners in worship with Allah." ) meaning, I am free from worshipping these objects and from taking them as protectors.
Therefore, if they are indeed gods as you claim, then all of you bring your plot against me and do not give me respite. إِنِّى وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِىَ لِلَّذِى فَطَرَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ حَنِيفاً وَمَآ أَنَاْ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ ( Verily, I have turned my face towards Him Who has created the heavens and the earth, Hanifan, and I am not one of the idolators. ) meaning, I worship the Creator of these things, Who originated and decreed them, and Who governs their affairs and made them subservient.
It is He in Whose Hand is the dominion of all things, and He is the Creator, Lord, King and God of all things in existence.
In another Ayah, Allah said؛ إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ اللَّهُ الَّذِى خَلَقَ السَمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ يُغْشِى الَّيْلَ النَّهَارَ يَطْلُبُهُ حَثِيثًا وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ وَالنُّجُومَ مُسَخَّرَتٍ بِأَمْرِهِ أَلاَ لَهُ الْخَلْقُ وَالاٌّمْرُ تَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَـلَمِينَ ( Indeed your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days, and then He Istawa (rose over ) the Throne.
He brings the night as a cover over the day, seeking it rapidly, and ( He created ) the sun, the moon, the stars, subjecting them to His command.
Surely, His is the creation and commandment.
Blessed be Allah, the Lord of all that exists!) 7:54.
Allah described Prophet Ibrahim, وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَآ إِبْرَهِيمَ رُشْدَهُ مِن قَبْلُ وَكُنَّا بِهِ عَـلِمِينَ - إِذْ قَالَ لاًّبِيهِ وَقَوْمِهِ مَا هَـذِهِ التَّمَـثِيلُ الَّتِى أَنتُمْ لَهَا عَـكِفُونَ ( And indeed We bestowed aforetime on Ibrahim his (portion of ) guidance, and We were well-acquainted with him.
When he said to his father and his people: "What are these images, to which you are devoted") 21:51-52.
These Ayat indicate that Ibrahim was debating with his people about the Shirk they practiced.

(6:78) Then when he beheld the sun rising, he said: 'This is my Lord. This is the greatest of all.' Then, when it went down, he said: 'O my people! Most certainly 1 am quit of those whom you associate with Allah in His divinity. *53

And when he saw the sun rising, meaning

*53).
Here some light is thrown on the mental experience through which Abraham passed in the beginning and which led him to an understanding of the Truth before prophethood was bestowed on him.
This experience shows how a right-thinking and sound-hearted man, who had opened his eyes in a purely polytheistic environment and had received no instruction in monotheism, was ultimately led to discover the Truth by careful observation of, and serious reflection on the phenomena of the universe.
The account of the conditions prevailing among the people of Abraham shows that when he began to think seriously the scene was dominated by the worship of the heavenly bodies - the moon, the sun and the stars.
It was natural, therefore, that when Abraham began his quest for the Truth, he should have been faced with the question: Is it possible that any of these - the sun, the moon and the stars - is God? He concentrated his reflection on this central question and by observing that all the gods of his nation were bound by a rigid law under which they moved about like slaves, he concluded that those so-called gods were not possessed of even a shadow of the power of the One True Lord, Who alone had created them all and had yoked them to serve His will.

The Qur'anic passage describing Abraham's reactions on observing first a star, then the moon, and finally the sun, has puzzled some readers because the words seem to suggest that Abraham had never before witnessed these common phenomena.
This misconception has made the whole narration such a riddle for some scholars that they could only solve it by inventing the strange anecdote that Abraham was born and grew to maturity in a cave and was thus deprived of the opportunity to observe the heavenly bodies.
What is said, however, is so plain that one need not fall back on any such incident in order to comprehend it.
It is well known, for instance, that when Newton saw an apple fall from a tree in his orchard this incident instantly raised in his mind the question: Why do things always fall to the ground? As a result of his reflection on this question he arrived at his theory of gravity.
On reading this incident one might wonder if Newton had never before seen anything fall to the ground! Obviously, he must have seen things fall.
For what reason, then, should the failing of an apple cause in his mind a reaction quite different irom those caused by hundreds of earlier observations of similar things failing? The answer is that a reflecting mind does not react uniformly to similar observations.
A man may observe something over and over again without this observation creating any stir in his mind, but then there comes a moment when suddenly the same observation agitates his mind and his mental faculty begins to work in a different direction.
It may also happen that while a man's mind is wrestling with a problem, he encounters something which is otherwise quite ordinary but which suddenly seems to provide the key.
Something to this effect happened with Abraham.
Certainly, he was as familiar as anyone else with nightfall and the ensuing daybreak.
The sun, the moon and the stars had all risen before his eyes in the past and had then disappeared from sight.
But on one particular day his observation of a star was to stimulate his thinking in a certain direction and to lead him in the end to perceive the truth of God's Oneness.
It is possible that Abraham's mind was already engrossed in reflecting on whether, and if so to what extent, the beliefs which served as the foundation of the entire life-system of his people embodied the Truth.
when he spotted a star which provided him with the initial key to the solution of the problem.
It is also possible that the observation of a particular star first set him thinking about the problem.

Another question that arises is whether Abraham's statements about the star, the moon and the sun show that he lapsed into polytheism temporarily.
The answer must be that, while a seeker after the Truth may pause on the way to his goal, what really matters is his direction and the end-point of his journey rather than the intermediary stages.
These stages are inevitable for every seeker of the Truth.
A man stops at them to inquire and question rather than to pronounce his final judgement.
During these stages of the quest a man may seem to express the opinion: 'That is so', but what he is really doing is asking himself the question: 'Is it really so?' When serious investigation leads to a negative answer, he proceeds further and continues the quest.
Hence, it would be wrong to think of such a seeker having temporarily fallen victim to polytheism and unbelief whenever he paused at an intermediary stage for critical reflection.

 

Ibrahim Advises his Father Ibrahim advised, discouraged and forbade his father from worshipping idols, just as Allah stated, وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَهِيمُ لاًّبِيهِ ءَازَرَ أَتَتَّخِذُ أَصْنَاماً ءَالِهَةً ( And (remember ) when Ibrahim said to his father Azar: "Do you take idols as gods") meaning, do you worship an idol instead of Allah إِنِّى أَرَاكَ وَقَوْمَكَ ( Verily, I see you and your people... ) who follow your path, فِى ضَلَـلٍ مُّبِينٍ ( in manifest error ) wandering in confusion unaware of where to go.
Therefore, you are in disarray and ignorance, and this fact is clear to all those who have sound reason.
Allah also said, وَاذْكُرْ فِى الْكِتَـبِ إِبْرَهِيمَ إِنَّهُ كَانَ صِدِّيقاً نَّبِيّاً - إِذْ قَالَ لاًّبِيهِ يأَبَتِ لِمَ تَعْبُدُ مَا لاَ يَسْمَعُ وَلاَ يَبْصِرُ وَلاَ يُغْنِى عَنكَ شَيْئاً - يأَبَتِ إِنِّى قَدْ جَآءَنِى مِنَ الْعِلْمِ مَا لَمْ يَأْتِكَ فَاتَّبِعْنِى أَهْدِكَ صِرَاطاً سَوِيّاً - يأَبَتِ لاَ تَعْبُدِ الشَّيْطَـنَ إِنَّ الشَّيْطَـنَ كَانَ لِلرَّحْمَـنِ عَصِيّاً - يأَبَتِ إِنِّى أَخَافُ أَن يَمَسَّكَ عَذَابٌ مِّنَ الرَّحْمَـنِ فَتَكُونَ لِلشَّيْطَـنِ وَلِيّاً - قَالَ أَرَاغِبٌ أَنتَ عَنْ آلِهَتِى يإِبْرَهِيمُ لَئِن لَّمْ تَنتَهِ لأَرْجُمَنَّكَ وَاهْجُرْنِى مَلِيّاً - قَالَ سَلَـمٌ عَلَيْكَ سَأَسْتَغْفِرُ لَكَ رَبِّي إِنَّهُ كَانَ بِى حَفِيّاً - وَأَعْتَزِلُكُمْ وَمَا تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَأَدْعُو رَبِّى عَسَى أَلاَّ أَكُونَ بِدُعَآءِ رَبِّى شَقِيًّا ( And mention in the Book (the Qur'an, the story of ) Ibrahim.
Verily! He was a man of truth, a Prophet.
When he said to his father: "O my father! Why do you worship that which hears not, sees not and cannot avail you in anything O my father! Verily! There has come to me of knowledge that which came not unto you.
So follow me.
I will guide you to a straight path.
O my father! Worship not Shaytan.
Verily! Shaytan has been a rebel against the Most Beneficent ( Allah ).
O my father! Verily! I fear lest a torment from the Most Beneficent ( Allah ) overtakes you, so that you become a companion of Shaytan ( in the Hell-fire )." He ( the father ) said: "Do you reject my gods, O Ibrahim If you stop not ( this ), I will indeed stone you.
So get away from me safely before I punish you." Ibrahim said: "Peace be on you! I will ask forgiveness of my Lord for you.
Verily! He is unto me, Ever Most Gracious.
And I shall turn away from you and from those whom you invoke besides Allah.
And I shall call on my Lord; and I hope that I shall not be unanswered in my invocation to my Lord.") 19:41-48 Ibrahim continued asking for forgiveness for his father for the rest of his father's life.
When his father died an idolator and Ibrahim realized this fact, he stopped asking Allah for forgiveness for him and disassociated himself from him.
Allah said, وَمَا كَانَ اسْتِغْفَارُ إِبْرَهِيمَ لاًّبِيهِ إِلاَّ عَن مَّوْعِدَةٍ وَعَدَهَآ إِيَّاهُ فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ أَنَّهُ عَدُوٌّ لِلَّهِ تَبَرَّأَ مِنْهُ إِنَّ إِبْرَهِيمَ لأَوَّاهٌ حَلِيمٌ ( And invoking for his father's forgiveness was only because of a promise he had made to him.
But when it became clear to him that he was an enemy to Allah, he dissociated himself from him.
Verily Ibrahim was patient in supplication and forbearing. ) 9:114.
It was recorded in the Sahih that Ibrahim will meet his father Azar on the Day of Resurrection and Azar will say to him, "My son! This Day, I will not disobey you." Ibrahim will say, "O Lord! You promised me not to disgrace me on the Day they are resurrected; and what will be more disgraceful to me than cursing and dishonoring my father" Then Allah will say, "O Ibrahim! Look behind you!" He will look and there he will see ( that his father was changed into ) a male hyena covered in dung, which will be caught by the legs and thrown in the ( Hell ) Fire." Tawhid Becomes Apparent to Ibrahim Allah's statement, وَكَذَلِكَ نُرِى إِبْرَهِيمَ مَلَكُوتَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ ( Thus did We show Ibrahim the kingdom of the heavens and the earth... ) 6:75, means, when he contemplated about the creation of the heaven and earth, We showed Ibrahim the proofs of Allah's Oneness over His dominion and His creation, which indicate that there is no god or Lord except Allah.
Allah said in other Ayat; قُلِ انظُرُواْ مَاذَا فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ ( Say: "Behold all that is in the heavens and the earth." ) 10:101, and, أَفَلَمْ يَرَوْاْ إِلَى مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ وَالاٌّرْضِ إِن نَّشَأْ نَخْسِفْ بِهِمُ الاٌّرْضَ أَوْ نُسْقِطْ عَلَيْهِمْ كِسَفاً مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لاّيَةً لِّكُلِّ عَبْدٍ مُّنِيبٍ ( See they not what is before them and what is behind them, of the heaven and the earth If We will, We sink the earth with them, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them.
Verily, in this is a sign for every servant who turns to Allah. ) 34:9 Allah said next, فَلَمَّا جَنَّ عَلَيْهِ الَّيْلُ ( When the night overcame him ) covered him with darkness, رَأَى كَوْكَباً ( He saw a Kawkab ) a star. قَالَ هَـذَا رَبِّى فَلَمَّآ أَفَلَ ( He said: "This is my lord." But when it Afala, ) meaning, set, he said, لا أُحِبُّ الاٌّفِلِينَ ( I like not those that set. ) Qatadah commented, "Ibrahim knew that his Lord is Eternal and never ceases." فَلَمَّآ رَأَى الْقَمَرَ بَازِغاً قَالَ هَـذَا رَبِّى فَلَمَّآ أَفَلَ قَالَ لَئِن لَّمْ يَهْدِنِى رَبِّى لاّكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الضَّآلِّينَ رَبِّى ( When he saw the moon rising up, he said: "This is my lord." But when it set, he said: "Unless my Lord guides me, I shall surely be among the misguided people." When he saw the sun rising up, he said: "This is my lord." ) this radiating, rising star is my lord, هَـذَآ أَكْبَرُ ( This is greater ) bigger than the star and the moon, and more radiant. فَلَمَّآ أَفَلَتْ ( But when it Afalat ) set, قَالَ يقَوْمِ إِنِّى بَرِىءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَإِنِّى وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِىَ ( he said: "O my people! I am indeed free from all that you join as partners in worship with Allah.
Verily, I have turned my face..." ), meaning, I have purified my religion and made my worship sincere, لِلَّذِى فَطَرَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ ( "towards Him Who has created the heavens and the earth," ) Who originated them and shaped them without precedence, حَنِيفاً ( Hanifan ) avoiding Shirk and embracing Tawhid.
This is why he said next, وَمَآ أَنَاْ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ ( "and I am not of the idolators." ) Prophet Ibrahim Debates with his People We should note here that, in these Ayat, Ibrahim, peace be upon him, was debating with his people, explaining to them the error of their way in worshipping idols and images.
In the first case with his father, Ibrahim explained to his people their error in worshipping the idols of earth, which they made in the shape of heavenly angels, so that they intercede on their behalf with the Glorious Creator.
His people thought that they are too insignificant to worship Allah directly, and this is why they turned to the worship of angels as intercessors with Allah for their provisions, gaining victory and attaining their various needs.
He then explained to them the error and deviation of worshipping the seven planets, which they said were the Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.
The brightest of these objects and the most honored to them was the Sun, the Moon then Venus.
Ibrahim, may Allah's peace and blessings be on him, first proved that Venus is not worthy of being worshipped, for it is subservient to a term and course appointed that it does not defy, nor swerving right or left.
Venus does not have any say in its affairs, for it is only a heavenly object that Allah created and made bright out of His wisdom.
Venus rises from the east and sets in the west where it disappears from sight.
This rotation is repeated the next night, and so forth.
Such an object is not worthy of being a god.
Ibrahim then went on to mention the Moon in the same manner in which he mentioned Venus, and then the Sun.
When he proved that these three objects were not gods, although they are the brightest objects the eyes can see, قَالَ يقَوْمِ إِنِّى بَرِىءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ ( he said: "O my people! I am indeed free from all that you join as partners in worship with Allah." ) meaning, I am free from worshipping these objects and from taking them as protectors.
Therefore, if they are indeed gods as you claim, then all of you bring your plot against me and do not give me respite. إِنِّى وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِىَ لِلَّذِى فَطَرَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ حَنِيفاً وَمَآ أَنَاْ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ ( Verily, I have turned my face towards Him Who has created the heavens and the earth, Hanifan, and I am not one of the idolators. ) meaning, I worship the Creator of these things, Who originated and decreed them, and Who governs their affairs and made them subservient.
It is He in Whose Hand is the dominion of all things, and He is the Creator, Lord, King and God of all things in existence.
In another Ayah, Allah said؛ إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ اللَّهُ الَّذِى خَلَقَ السَمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ يُغْشِى الَّيْلَ النَّهَارَ يَطْلُبُهُ حَثِيثًا وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ وَالنُّجُومَ مُسَخَّرَتٍ بِأَمْرِهِ أَلاَ لَهُ الْخَلْقُ وَالاٌّمْرُ تَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَـلَمِينَ ( Indeed your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days, and then He Istawa (rose over ) the Throne.
He brings the night as a cover over the day, seeking it rapidly, and ( He created ) the sun, the moon, the stars, subjecting them to His command.
Surely, His is the creation and commandment.
Blessed be Allah, the Lord of all that exists!) 7:54.
Allah described Prophet Ibrahim, وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَآ إِبْرَهِيمَ رُشْدَهُ مِن قَبْلُ وَكُنَّا بِهِ عَـلِمِينَ - إِذْ قَالَ لاًّبِيهِ وَقَوْمِهِ مَا هَـذِهِ التَّمَـثِيلُ الَّتِى أَنتُمْ لَهَا عَـكِفُونَ ( And indeed We bestowed aforetime on Ibrahim his (portion of ) guidance, and We were well-acquainted with him.
When he said to his father and his people: "What are these images, to which you are devoted") 21:51-52.
These Ayat indicate that Ibrahim was debating with his people about the Shirk they practiced.

( 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 he saw the sun rising up, he said: "This is my lord. This is greater." But when it set, he said: "O my people! I am indeed free from all that you join as partners in worship with Allah.

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