As-Saaffaat (Those drawn up in Ranks)

93. “Then he turned against them in secret, striking (them) with the right hand.”

94. “So they (people) advanced towards him hastening.”

There are some stages in the act of ‘forbid from doing evil’, if the first stage, which is speaking, did not affect, the second stage would be the practical action. According to this verse, Abraham decided to begin the action. He took the axe in his hand and moved it with strength and intentionally struck a severe stroke on their bodies.

The verse says:

“Then he turned against them in secret, striking (them) with the right hand.”

The objective meaning of the Arabic word /yamin/ is really here ‘right hand’ that man often does his most actions with it, or it ironically means ‘power’ and ‘force’, (both of the meanings can also be used).

However, before soon, he made that beautiful furnished idol temple as a terrible ruined place. The idols were totally turned into pieces, and each of them, with broken hands and feet, was fallen in a corner, and, verily, they got a state of sad, grievous, and heart-rending scenery for the idol-worshippers.

Abraham did what he should do, and silently, and calmly he came out from the idol temple and went toward his home, while he was preparing himself for the future events.

He knew that he had created a great explosion not only in the city but also throughout the country, Babylon, the news of which would be heard later. Because of anger he began walking since he was alone in the midst of that tempest! But he had Allah with him and that very One was enough for him.

And, the next holy verse implicitly denotes that the idol worshippers returned to the city and went into the idol temple. They encountered a horrible view and astonished, as if they had been fixed there as statues.

They could not think for some moments and were gazing, looking at those ruined scattered idols. They saw that the idols, which they imagined as the shelter of their day of wander, were defenceless over there.

Then their amazing motionless state changed into the state of shouting, crying, and roaring.

They protested saying:

“Who has done this? Which unjust one has committed it?”

And before long, they remembered that there was a young theistic man in that city by the name of Abraham, who mocked idols and had threatened that he had designed a dangerous plan for their idols. They thought it might be his action.

The verse says:

“So they (people) advanced towards him hastening.”

The Arabic term /yaziffun/ is derived from /zaf/ which has originally been applied for the blow of the wind, and fast motion of the ostrich, which is a mixture of walking and flying. Then this word has ironically been used in the sense of taking bride toward the house of bridegroom.

However, the purpose is that the idolaters came hastily toward Abraham. (The rest of the event will be mentioned through later verses.)