then said, “I am really sick.”37:89

One day his people had a festival which was celebrated annually by leaving their town. Ibrahim's father wanted him to take part but he told his father that he was ill, so could not join them.

He later looked up to the stars ˹in contemplation˺,37:88

His people left for the festival, leaving him alone in the town. So, he hurried himself, whilst hiding, to the idols. When he arrived, he saw the idols had been left with all kinds of offerings and foods.

So they turned their backs on him and went away.37:90

Then he ˹stealthily˺ advanced towards their gods, and said ˹mockingly˺, “Will you not eat ˹your offerings˺?37:91

What is wrong with you that you cannot speak?”37:92

Then he swiftly turned on them, striking ˹them˺ with his right hand.37:93

So he smashed them into pieces, except the biggest of them, so they might turn to it ˹for answers˺.21:58

Ibrahim smashed the idols, except one, the biggest. It is said that he put the axe he used to smash them in the hand of that idol to demean it. His people then returned from their festival:

They protested, “Who dared do this to our gods? It must be an evildoer!”21:59

Some said, “We heard a young man, called Abraham, speaking ˹ill˺ of them.”21:60

They demanded, “Bring him before the eyes of the people, so that they may witness ˹his trial˺.”21:61

They said that he should be brought forth in an assembly of all their people so that they can hear his testimony and all witness his punishment if necessary. This was the plan of Ibrahim out of his wisdom that Allah had granted him, as he wanted to gather all his people together to openly refute the worshipping of anything other than The One Worthy of Worship - Allah. [This is similar to what Moses proposed in 20:59]

He replied ˹sarcastically˺, “No, this one—the biggest of them—did it! So ask them, if they can talk!”21:63

He said that it was the biggest of the idols who destroyed the others. In saying this, Ibrahim illustrated the powerlessness of the idols his people worshipped.

They asked, “Was it you who did this to our gods, O  Abraham?”21:62

They then realised the senselessness of their beliefs; however, their arrogance would not allow them to admit their foolishness.

So they came back to their senses, saying ˹to one another˺, “You yourselves are truly the wrongdoers!”21:64

Then they ˹quickly˺ regressed to their ˹original˺ mind-set, ˹arguing,˺ “You already know that those ˹idols˺ cannot talk.”21:65

He rebuked ˹them˺, “Do you then worship—instead of Allah—what can neither benefit nor harm you in any way?21:66

Shame on you and whatever you worship instead of Allah! Do you not have any sense?”21:67

It was he who truly made me stray from the Reminder after it had reached me.” And Satan has always betrayed humanity.25:29

He argued, “How can you worship what you carve ˹with your own hands˺,37:95

Later, his people came rushing towards him ˹furiously˺.37:94