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wa-ʾidh qāla ʾibrāhīmu li-ʾabīhi ʾāzara ʾa-tattakhidhu ʾaṣnāman ʾālihatan ʾinnī ʾarāka wa-qawmaka fī ḍalālin mubīnin
When Abraham said to Azar, his father, ‘Do you take idols for gods? Indeed I see you and your people in manifest error.’
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah Al-‘An’am, Verse 74
74. "And (remember) when Abraham said to his father 'Azar: 'Do you take idols for gods? Verily I see you and your people in manifest error '."
The Arabic word /'ab/ ordinarily means 'father', but it is also applied with the sense of mother's grandfather, uncle, and educator. According to the statement of the Messenger of Allah (S) who said: "Ali and I both are the fathers of this community". It is understood that 'Azar was Abraham's uncle, not his father. Abraham's ancestors were totally monotheists. This meaning has also been cited by 'Tabarsy, 'Alusi and Suyuty, the sunnite scholars, saying that 'Azar was not Abraham's father. Moreover, Abraham supplicated for his father and mother:
This is in the case that no Muslim is rightful to supplicate for a pagan, even if the disbeliever is his family member. Abraham's seeking forgiveness for his uncle, 'Azar, had also been before the time that his belief in polytheism became manifest. So, when Abraham (as) realized that 'Azar was not a person to accept the truth, he (as) denounced from him and departed. The Qur'an in this regard says:
From what was said above, it is understood that the word /'ab/, mentioned in this verse, does not mean father. Besides, the name of Abraham's father, as recorded in history books, has been 'Tarukh', not 'Azar.3 In the meantime, some Islamic traditions denote that father and the ancestors of the Prophet of Islam (S) up to Hadrat 'Adam wholly were monotheists. It has been narrated from the Prophet himself (S) who said:
"Ceaselessly Allah , the Sublime, transported me from the purified Coins of men into the purified wombs (of mothers), and never had He polluted me with the filth of paganism ". 4
A large number of Sunnite and Shi'ite commentators have pointed out this tradition in their books. A few of them are: Tabarsi; in Majama'-ul-Bayan; Neyshaburi, in Qara'ib-ul-Qur'an; Fakhr-i-Razi; in Tafsir-ul-kabir; and 'Alusi; in Ruh-ul-Bayan. There are some points that should be noted here carefully:
1. In the style of invitation to the Truth, close relatives should be invited first.
2. In facing and treating others, the scale is the Truth, not the age, nor being experimented, nor abundance of people. Therefore, Abraham has clearly explained the Truth for his uncle, who was older than him, and has warned him, too.
3. Idolatry is a deviation that both alert consciences and intellect criticize it.
Footnotes