Tafseer Ibn Kathir of AL AN'AAM [80]

80. His people disputed with him. He said: ”Do you dispute with me about Allah while He has guided me, and I fear not those whom you associate with Allah in worship. (Nothing can happen to me) except when my Lord wills something. My Lord comprehends in His knowledge all things. Will you not then remember 81. And how should I fear those whom you associate in worship with Allah, while you fear not that you have joined in worship with Allah things for which He has not sent down to you any Sultan.(So) which of the two parties has more right to be in security If you but know.'' 82. It is those who believe and confuse not their belief with Zulm (wrong), for them (only) there is security and they are the guided. 83. And that was Our proof which We gave Ibrahim against his people. We in degrees raise whom We will. Certainly your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing.) Allah states that His Khalil, Prophet Ibrahim, said when his people mentioned various doubts and disputed with him about the Tawhid that he called to:

(Do you dispute with me about Allah while He has guided me). The Ayah means, do you argue with me about Allah, other than Whom there is no god worthy of worship, while He has guided me to the Truth and made me aware of it Therefore, how can I ever consider your misguided statements and false doubts Ibrahim said next,

(and I fear not those whom you associate with Allah in worship. (Nothing can happen to me) except when my Lord wills something.) Ibrahim said, among the proofs to the falsehood of your creed, is that these false gods that you worship do not bring about any effect, and I do not fear them or care about them. Therefore, if these gods are able to cause harm, then use them against me and do not give me respite. Ibrahim's statement,

(except when my Lord wills something.) means, only Allah causes benefit or harm.

(My Lord comprehends in His knowledge all things. ) meaning, Allah's knowledge encompasses all things and nothing escapes His complete observation,

(Will you not then remember) what I explained to you, considering your idols as false gods and refraining from worshipping them This reasoning from Prophet Ibrahim is similar to the argument that Prophet Hud used against his people, `Ad. Allah mentioned this incident in His Book, when He said,

(They said: ”O Hud! No evidence have you brought us, and we shall not leave our gods for your (mere) saying! And we are not believers in you. All that we say is that some of our gods have seized you with evil.'' He said: ”I call Allah to witness - and bear you witness - that I am free from that which you ascribe as partners in worship with Him (Allah). So plot against me, all of you, and give me no respite. I put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord! There is not a moving creature but He has grasp of its forelock. Verily, my Lord is on the straight path (the truth).'') ﴿11:53-56﴾ Ibrahim's statement,

(And how should I fear those whom you associate. ..) means, how should I fear the idols that you worship instead of Allah,

(while you fear not that you have joined in worship with Allah things for which He has not sent down to you any Sultan.) meaning, proof, according to Ibn `Abbas and others among the Salaf. Allah said in similar Ayat;

(Or have they partners who have instituted for them a religion which Allah has not allowed) ï´¿42:21ï´¾, and,

(They are but names which you have named, you and your fathers, for which Allah has sent down no authority.) ï´¿53:21ï´¾ His statement,

((So) which of the two parties has more right to be in security If you but know.) means, which of the two parties is on the truth, those who worship Him in Whose Hand is harm and benefit, or those who worship what cannot bring harm or benefit, without authority to justify worshipping them Who among these two parties has more right to be saved from Allah's torment on the Day of Resurrection Allah said,

(It is those who believe and confuse not their belief with Zulm (wrong), for them (only) there is security and they are the guided.) Therefore, those who worship Allah alone without partners, will acquire safety on the Day of Resurrection, and they are the guided ones in this life and the Hereafter. Al-Bukhari recorded that `Abdullah said, ”When the Ayah,

(and confuse not their belief with Zulm (wrong).) was revealed, the Companions of the Prophet said, `And who among us did not commit Zulm against himself' The Ayah,

(Verily! Joining others in worship with Allah is a great Zulm (wrong) indeed.) ﴿31:13﴾, was later revealed.'' Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah said, ”When this Ayah was revealed,

(It is those who believe and confuse not their belief with Zulm (wrong),) it was hard on the people. They said, `O Allah's Messenger! Who among us did not commit Zulm against himself' He said,

(It is not what you understood from it. Did you not hear what the righteous servant (Luqman) said,

(O my son! Join not in worship others with Allah. Verily! Shirk is a great Zulm (wrong) indeed.)) ï´¿31:13ï´¾. Therefore, it is about Shirk. Allah's statement,

(And that was Our proof which We gave Ibrahim against his people.) means, We directed him to proclaim Our proof against them. Mujahid and others said that `Our proof' refers to,

(And how should I fear those whom you associate in worship with Allah (though they can neither benefit nor harm), while you fear not that you have joined in worship with Allah things for which He has not sent down to you any Sultan. (So) which of the two parties has more right to be in security) Allah has testified Ibrahim's statement and affirmed security and guidance, saying;

(It is those who believe and confuse not their belief with Zulm, for them there is security and they are the guided.) Allah said,

(And that was Our proof which We gave Ibrahim against his people. We raise in degrees whom We will.) And;

(Certainly your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing.) He is All-Wise in His statements and actions, All-Knower of those whom He guides or misguides, and whether the proof was established against them or not. Allah also said,

(Truly! Those, against whom the Word (wrath) of your Lord has been justified, will not believe. Even if every sign should come to them -- until they see the painful torment.) ï´¿10:96-97ï´¾ This is why Allah said here,

(Certainly your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing.)