*Hazrat Ibrahim (Peace be upon him) – Part 3*


Those people used to go out of the city once a year to celebrate Eid. Ibrahim’s father invited him to join that occasion, but you said, “I am ill.” He stated this, then cast a glance at the stars and said, “Indeed, I am ill.” In his words he used equivocation so that you could approach the idols, expose the error of their religion, and establish the truth of the true faith.


When those people went out to celebrate and you were left alone in the city, you walked secretly, avoiding people’s eyes, and reached the idols. You saw that they were in a grand setting, and people, in their thinking, had placed all kinds of food before them to gain their pleasure. So, mocking them, you said, “Why do you not eat? What is the matter with you that you do not speak?” Then you turned to them and struck each one with your right hand, because the right hand is stronger, quicker, and more dominant.


In your hand was an adze — a heavy iron tool with which carpenters cut and shape wood. Striking with it, you smashed them to pieces, as Allah Ta‘ala said: _except the biggest of them, he broke them all — perhaps they may return to it._ It is said you placed the adze in the hand of the big idol, so that it might appear that it became angry seeing smaller idols worshipped alongside it, and therefore it smashed them.


When the people returned after finishing the ceremony and saw the ruined state of their deities, they said, “Who has done this to our gods?” If those people had intellect, what had happened to their deities would have been proof of the truth for them. If these idols were gods, they would have defended themselves against any harm. But in their ignorance, foolishness, misguidance, and stupidity — “Who has done this to our gods?” Some people said, “We heard a young man mentioning them. He is called Ibrahim.” That is, he would speak ill of them and reject and deny them. Someone stayed behind and broke them.


Hazrat Ibn Mas‘ud said: This is the statement of Ibrahim from that night: _“And by Allah, I shall plan against your idols after you have turned and gone away.”_


They said, “Bring him before the people, that they may bear witness.” That is, present him in the big gathering before the people so that all may hear his words and see the punishment that befalls him.


Hazrat Ibrahim’s (Peace be upon him) purpose in breaking the idols was that all the people should gather, so that before all the idol-worshippers he could present proof of their falsehood. For the same purpose, Hazrat Musa (Peace be upon him) also said to Pharaoh: _“Your appointed meeting shall be the Day of Adornment, and let the people be assembled when the sun is high.”_


And Ibrahim’s wise reply: When all the people had gathered and Ibrahim was brought into the public assembly, they began the talk and said, “O Ibrahim, have you done this to our gods?” Ibrahim said, “No, rather this one, their biggest, did it. So ask them, if they can speak.” Qatada (may Allah have mercy on him) said: That is, they became silent and hung their heads in shame.


_Source: Al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, Imam Ibn Kathir_

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