Page 308
ʾidh qāla li-ʾabīhi yā-ʾabati li-ma taʿbudu mā lā yasmaʿu wa-lā yubṣiru wa-lā yughnī ʿanka shayʾan
When he said to his father, ‘Father! Why do you worship that which neither hears nor sees, and is of no avail to you in any way?
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah Maryam – Verse 42
42. “When he said to his father: ‘O my father! Why do you worship that which neither hears nor sees, nor does avail you in aught?”
When Abraham was preaching as a prophet, his father had died, and the man whom has been introduced in the Qur’an as his father was his guardian, his uncle’Azar, or his mother’s husband.1 Some Islamic traditions also denote that Abraham’s father was a monotheist, and the objective meaning of the Qur’anic word /’ab/, here, is his uncle. In Arabic language the term /’ab/ has a vast meaning. It is also applied for the teacher, the trainee, and even for the father-in-law.
There is also a tradition narrated from the Prophet of Islam (S) who said:
“I and Ali are the fathers of this Ummah (Muslim community).”
Then, the verse points to the debate of Abraham and his father,’Azar. (Father here is referred to the uncle). It says:
This short and expressive statement is one of the best evidences of the negation of polytheism and idolatry. One of the man’s motives alongside knowing Allah is the motive of benefit and loss. Abraham says to’Azar why he relies on a deity which neither removes a difficulty from him, nor it is able to hear and see.
Explanations
1. The disputations of Abraham and his uncle are worthy of mentioning and magnifying.
2. In ‘forbidding of wrong’, you should begin from your own kin.
3. There is no age limitation for forbidding of wrong. (A son can forbid the grand members of the family from doing evils, but he must observe their respect and protect it.)
4. Perfection of persons does not always relate to their age. Sometimes it happens that the child of a family understand the facts better than the elders of that family.
5. In forbidding of wrong, it is better to begin from the creedal indecencies. (Unfortunately we are often busy in the ethical and social vices).
6. The path of truth should not be sacrificed for affections. Relationship ought not to hinder the act of forbidding of wrong.
Footnotes