Page 17 - Those Who Do Not Heed The Qur'an

WHY PEOPLE AVOID THE QUR'AN 15

and his father, who had also rejected Ibrahim's call, "… What are
these statues you are clinging to?" (Surat al-Anbiya': 52) . The fol-
lowing conversation ensued:
They said, "We found our fathers worshipping them." He said,
"You and your fathers are clearly misguided." They said, "Have
you brought us the truth or are you playing games?" He said,
"Far from it! Your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth,

He who brought them into being. I am one of those who bear
witness to that." (Surat al-Anbiya': 53-56)
The Surah later describes how the tribe met every invitation of
the Prophet Ibrahim to believe in the One God, Allah, with refusal.
So the Prophet Ibrahim said he would set a trap for the idols. After
the people had gone, he broke all the idols "except for the biggest
one." When the people returned they asked:
They said, "Who has done this to our gods? He is definitely one
of the wrongdoers!" They said, "We heard a young man men-
tioning them. They call him Ibrahim." They said, "Bring him
before the people's eyes so they can be witnesses." They said,

"Did you do this to our gods, Ibrahim?" He said, "No, this one,
the biggest of them, did it. Ask them if they are able to speak!"
(Surat al-Anbiya': 59-63)
Faced with this invitation and clever stratagem of the Prophet
Ibrahim, the tribe hesitated at first and for a moment, examining
their consciences, they accepted that they had done him an injustice.
But then they turned on him once more, saying:

"... You know full well these idols cannot talk." He said, "Do you
then worship, instead of Allah, what cannot help or harm you
in any way? Shame on you and what you worship besides
Allah! Will you not use your intellect?" (Surat al-Anbiya': 65-67)