Allah, the Exalted, tells His Prophet, Muhammad ,
[وَاذْكُرْ فِى
الْكِتَـبِ إِبْرَهِيمَ]
(And mention in the Book, Ibrahim.) "Recite this to your people who are
worshipping idols and mention to them what happened with Ibrahim, the intimate
Friend (Khalil) of the Most Beneficent. These idol worshippers (Arabs) are his
descendants and they claim to follow his religion. Inform them that he was a
truthful Prophet. Tell them about what took place with his father and how he
forbade him from worshipping idols.'' Ibrahim said,
[يأَبَتِ لِمَ
تَعْبُدُ مَا لاَ يَسْمَعُ وَلاَ يَبْصِرُ وَلاَ يُغْنِى عَنكَ شَيْئاً]
(O my father! Why do you worship that which hears not, sees not and cannot
avail you in anything) Meaning that these idols will not benefit you, nor can
they protect you from any harm.
[يأَبَتِ إِنِّى قَدْ
جَآءَنِى مِنَ الْعِلْمِ مَا لَمْ يَأْتِكَ]
(O my father! Verily, there has come to me the knowledge of that which came
not unto you.) This means, "Even though I am from your loins and you see me as
inferior to you because I am your son, know that I have received knowledge from
Allah that you do not know and it has not reached you.''
[فَاتَّبِعْنِى
أَهْدِكَ صِرَاطاً سَوِيّاً]
(So follow me, I will guide you to the straight path.) meaning, "a straight
path that will carry you to the desired objective and save you from that which
is dreaded (Hell).''
[يأَبَتِ لاَ
تَعْبُدِ الشَّيْطَـنَ]
(O my father! Worship not Shaytan.) This is means, "Do not obey him by
worshipping these idols. He invites to this (idolatry) and he is pleased with
it.'' This is as Allah says,
[أَلَمْ أَعْهَدْ
إِلَيْكُمْ يبَنِى ءَادَمَ أَن لاَّ تَعْبُدُواْ الشَّيطَـنَ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ
عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ ]
(Did I not command you, O Children of Adam, that you should not worship
Shaytan. Verily, he is a plain enemy to you.) [36:60] Allah also says,
[إِن يَدْعُونَ مِن
دُونِهِ إِلاَّ إِنَـثاً وَإِن يَدْعُونَ إِلاَّ شَيْطَـناً مَّرِيداً ]
(They invoke nothing but females [idols] besides Him (Allah), and they invoke
nothing but Shaytan, a persistent rebel!) [4:117] Concerning Allah's statement,
[إِنَّ الشَّيْطَـنَ
كَانَ لِلرَّحْمَـنِ عَصِيّاً]
(Verily, Shaytan has been a rebel against the Most Gracious.) This means
obstinate and too arrogant to obey his Lord. Therefore, Allah expelled him and
made him an outcast. Therefore, "do not follow him or you will become like him.
''
[يأَبَتِ إِنِّى
أَخَافُ أَن يَمَسَّكَ عَذَابٌ مِّنَ الرَّحْمَـنِ]
(O my father! Verily, I fear lest a torment from the Most Gracious should
overtake you,) "because of your associating partners with Allah and your
disobedience in what I am commanding you with.''
[فَتَكُونَ
لِلشَّيْطَـنِ وَلِيّاً]
(so that you become a companion of Shaytan.) This means, "there will be no
one who will protect you, or help you, or assist you, except Iblis. However,
neither he, nor anyone else, has any power over the outcome of matters.
Following him will only cause you to be surrounded by the torment (of Allah).''
This is as Allah says,
[تَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ
أَرْسَلْنَآ إِلَى أُمَمٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَـِّنُ
أَعْمَالَهُمْ فَهُوَ وَلِيُّهُمُ الْيَوْمَ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ]
(By Allah, We indeed sent (Messengers) to the nations before you, but Shaytan
made their deeds fair seeming to them. So he is their helper today (in this
world), and theirs will be a painful torment.) [16:63]
[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 ]
(46. He (the father) said: "Do you revile my gods, O Ibrahim If you stop not
(this), I will La'arjumannak. So get away from me Maliyan.'') (47. Ibrahim said:
"Peace be on you! I will ask forgiveness of my Lord for you. Verily, He is unto
me Hafiyyan.) (48. And I shall turn away from you and from those whom you invoke
besides Allah. And I shall call upon my Lord, and I certainly hope that I shall
not be unblessed in my invocation to my Lord.'')