Ibrahim (Abraham)

36. “My Lord, verily, they (idols) have misled many of the people. Then, whoever follows me, he is definitely of me, and whoever disobeys me; then verily you are Forgiving, Merciful.”

Question: How is it that the idols, which are statues of stone and wood, can mislead man?

Answer: Firstly, the idols are not always inanimate objects. Sometimes, men and those who are despots also become idols. Secondly, sometimes ignorance of a people causes stone and wood to be turned into valuable and precious commodities. Thirdly, the issue of the art involved in the jewelry, which was carried along with the idols, was attractive.

If we interpret this noble verse along with the previous one, we obtain desirable conclusions, for we had it in the previous verse that ‘Ibrahim (as) said:

“My Lord! … distance me and my children from worshipping the idols”.

In this verse he says:

“…whoever follows me, he is definitely of me…”

Therefore, all the monotheists of the world are the scholastic children of ‘Ibrahim by ideology.

The Qur’an says:

“…The faith of your father, ‘Ibrahim…”1

And as the blissful Prophet (S) said:

“Ali and I are the fathers of this Ummah.”

However, if a pagan is even the son of a prophet, he will also be addressed:

“…O’ Noah! Verily he is not of your family…”2

Hadrat Ali (as) remarks:

“Verily, the friend of Muhammad (S) is he who obeys Allah though he may be distanced by his blood. And verily the foe of Muhammad is he who disobeys Allah though he might be near to him (S) by his blood.”3

Incidentally, there is a scholastic and an ideological relationship between the celestial leaders and the faithful people. It is for this reason that the prophets (as) were even compassionate with their own opponents and they never disappointed them.