Watu wa Ibrahim walirudi na kukuta vitu vyao vya kuabudiwa vimeharibiwa kabisa, isipokuwa hiki kikubwa zaidi. Lakini hawakukihoji kile sanamu wala hawakujiuliza jinsi miungu yao ingeweza kupata hatima hiyo bila kujitetea. Wala hawakuuliza kwa nini sanamu kubwa haikujichukulia jukumu la kuwalinda wote. Hawakuweza kuuliza maswali hayo, kwa sababu hadithi za kiasili walizoziamini zilifanya akili zao zisiwe na faida, zikifunga uwezo wao wa kufikiri. Kwa kifupi, hawakuweza kuangalia jambo hilo kwa usawaziko, na hawakuweza kuuliza swali lenye mantiki zaidi. Walikuwa wamekasirishwa tu na yule aliyesababisha haya yote kwa vitu vyao vya kuabudiwa. "Wakasema: Nani amefanya haya kwa miungu yetu? Hakika yeye ni miongoni mwa wenye kudhulumu." (Aya ya 59) Kisha, wale waliomsikia Ibrahim akipinga kuabudiwa kwa sanamu za baba yake na wenzake, na akitishia kuziharibu, wakapata jibu lao: "Wakasema: Tulimsikia kijana akizitaja; anaitwa Ibrahim." (Aya ya 60)
Abraham’s people returned to find the utter destruction of their idols except this largest one. But they did not question that idol or even ask themselves how their deities could suffer such a fate without defending themselves. Nor did they ask why the large idol did not take it upon itself to defend them all. They could not ask such questions, because the myths in which they believed rendered their minds useless, chaining their power of thought. Essentially, they could not consider the matter objectively, and were unable to ask the most logical question. They were only furious with the one who had brought all this upon their idols. “They said: Who has done this to our gods? He is definitely one of the wrongdoers.” (Verse 59) Then, those who had heard Abraham both object to his father’s and peers’ idol worship and threaten to destroy the same found their answer: “They said: We heard a youth speak of them; he is called Abraham.” (Verse 60)
Inaonekana kwamba Ibrahim (amani iwe juu yake) alikuwa bado kijana mdogo wakati Mungu alipomjaalia zawadi ya kujua lililo sahihi. Kwa hiyo, alipinga ibada ya masanamu na kuyaharibu pale nafasi ilipojitokeza. Hata hivyo, linazuka swali kuhusu kama alikuwa tayari amepewa ujumbe wake, au kama alitenda kwa kufuata ufunuo uliomwongoza kwenye ukweli kabla ya kupokea ujumbe wake. Katika hali ya pili, kukataa kwake ibada ya masanamu na mwito wake kwa baba yake amfuate katika njia yake vilitokana na ufunuo huo. Hili ndilo lililo na uwezekano mkubwa zaidi.
It appears that Abraham (peace he upon him) was still a young man when God bestowed on him the gift of knowing what is right. Hence, he objected to the worship of idols and destroyed them when the chance presented itself. The question arises, however, as to whether he had already been given his message, or whether he acted on an inspiration that led him to the truth before he had received his message. In this latter case, his denunciation of idol worship and his call upon his father to follow his path were the result of that inspiration. This was most probably the case.
Kwa upande mwingine, inawezekana kwamba kauli ya watu wa Ibrahim ya kumwita 'kijana' ilikusudiwa kama dharau tu. Hili linaungwa mkono na maneno yao yanayomtaja kwa sauti ya kutendewa, 'anaitwa Ibrahim'.
On the other hand, it is possible that Abraham’s people’s reference to him as ‘a youth’ was meant merely as a slight. This is supported by their words referring to him in the passive voice, ‘he is called Abraham’.
Walidokeza kwamba alikuwa mtu asiyejulikana, na kwamba hakuwa tishio. Hili linawezekana, lakini sisi tunaona maelezo ya kwanza kuwa yenye uwezekano mkubwa zaidi, yaani kwamba wakati huo alikuwa kijana mdogo tu.
They implied that he was unknown, and represented no threat. This is possible, but we think the first explanation to be more probable, viz. that he was only a young man at the time.
"Wakasema: Basi mleteni hapa mbele ya watu wote, ili wapate kutoa ushahidi." (Aya ya 61) Walitaka kumshutumu hadharani ili watu wajue matendo yake na matokeo yake. Na alipoletwa mbele yao, wakasema:
“They said: Then bring him here in sight of all people, so that they may bear witness.” (Verse 61) They wanted to denounce him in public so that people should know of his deeds and their consequences. And when he was brought before them, they said:
"Ibrahim, je, wewe ndiye uliyefanya hivi kwa miungu yetu?" (Aya ya 62) Waliendelea kuyaita sanamu zao miungu hata baada ya kuvunjwa vipande vipande na kubaki kuwa rundo la vifusi tu. Ibrahim alidharau mawazo yao, na ingawa alikabiliana nao peke yake, aliwadhihaki kwa ujinga wao. Alikuwa akiangalia jambo zima kwa akili iliyo wazi na moyo safi. Hivyo, aliwapa jibu hili la kejeli lililolingana na kiwango chao cha chini cha kufikiri: "Akasema: Hapana, ni huyu mkubwa wao ndiye aliyefanya hivyo.
“Abraham, was it you who did this to our gods?’” (Verse 62) They continued to describe their idols as gods even when they had been smashed into pieces and formed little more than a heap of rubble. Abraham derided their thinking, and even though he faced them alone, mocked their stupidity. He was looking at the whole thing with an open mind and a clear heart. Hence, he gave them this mocking answer that fits their lowly level of thinking: “He answered: Nay, it was this one, the biggest of them, who did it.
"Lakini waulize, kama wanaweza kusema!" (Aya 63)
But ask them, if they can speak!” (Verse 63)
Kejeli iko wazi katika jibu lake. Kwa hiyo hakuna haja ya kuiita uongo na kujaribu kutafuta uhalali wowote kwa ajili yake, kama walivyofanya wafasiri wa Qur'ani.
Derision is very clear in his answer. Hence there is no need to describe it as a lie and to try to find some justification for it, as commentators on the Qur’ān have done.
Jambo hili ni rahisi zaidi kuliko hivyo. Ibrahim alitaka tu kuwaambia watu wake: sanamu hizi hazijui ni nani aliyezivunja vipande vipande, wala kama ni mimi au sanamu hii kubwa ambayo ni tuli kama zilivyo. Zote hazina uhai na hazina uwezo wa kutambua. Nyinyi pia mmenyimwa uwezo wenu wa kufikiri, ndiyo maana hamwezi kutofautisha kati ya kinachowezekana na kisichowezekana. Hamwezi hata kusema kama ni mimi niliyezivunja au ni hii kubwa.
The whole thing is much simpler than that. Abraham simply wanted to say to his people: these figures do not know who smashed them to pieces, nor whether it was me or this large idol which is as motionless as they were. All of them are inanimate and have no faculty of recognition. You are also deprived of your faculties, which accounts for your inability to distinguish between what is possible and what is impossible. You cannot even tell whether it was me who broke them or this big one.
Hivyo basi, "waulizeni, ikiwa wanaweza kusema!" Inaonekana kwamba kejeli yake iliwatikisa na kuwafanya wafikiri kwa namna fulani. "Basi wakajirudia nafsi zao, wakasema: Hakika nyinyi ndio wenye kudhulumu." (Aya ya 64) Hii ilikuwa ishara nzuri: hawakuwa tu wanafahamu upuuzi wa msimamo wao, bali pia jinsi ilivyokuwa makosa kuabudu sanamu kama hizo. Kwa mara moja ilionekana kuwezekana kwamba wangefumbua macho yao na kuona jinsi msimamo wao ulivyokuwa hauna msingi.
Hence, ‘ask them, if they can speak!’ It seems that his sarcasm shook them into some sort of reflection. “So they turned to themselves, saying, ‘Surely, it is you who are doing wrong.” (Verse 64) This was a good sign: not only were they aware of the absurdity of their stance but also how wrong it was to worship such statues. For once it seemed possible that they would open their eyes and see how untenable their position was.
Kwa masikitiko, lilikuwa ni mweko mkali tu uliofuatwa na giza kuu. Akili zao zilionekana kuona nuru, lakini punde zikazama tena katika kutokuwa na uhai: {Kisha wakarudia kwenye msimamo wao wa zamani na kusema, "Hakika wewe unajua vizuri kwamba (sanamu hizi) haziwezi kusema!"} (Aya ya 65)
Sadly, it was just a bright flash followed by utter darkness. Their minds seemed to see the light, but they soon sank back into lifelessness: “But then they relapsed into their old position and said, ‘You know very well that these (idols] cannot speak!” (Verse 65)
Majibu yao ya kwanza yalikuwa ya kurejea kwenye akili zao, lakini ya pili yalikuwa ya kurudi nyuma, ya kupinduka juu ya vichwa vyao, kama Qur'ani inavyoeleza. Mwanzoni, kitu fulani kiliwagusa na kuwafanya watafakari, lakini baada ya muda mfupi walipoteza tena akili zao, wakikosa mawazo safi na hoja za kimantiki. Kama kungekuwa na mantiki yoyote, kauli yao ya mwisho ingempa Ibrahim hoja yenye nguvu dhidi yao. Angeweza kusema nini zaidi ya ukweli kwamba sanamu na miungu hiyo ni bubu, haziwezi kusema? Kwa hiyo Ibrahim anawakabili kwa ghadhabu, jambo ambalo kwa bahati ilikuwa kinyume kabisa na tabia yake.
Their first reaction was one of returning to their senses, but their second was a relapse, a tumbling over their heads, as the Qur’ān describes. Initially, something had stirred them to reflect, but soon thereafter they had again lost their senses, lacking clear thought, and logical argument. Had there been any logic, their last statement gives Abraham a forceful argument against them. What more could he argue than the fact that those statues and deities were dumb, unable to speak? Hence, Abraham confronts them with impatience, which incidentally was very uncharacteristic of him.
Kwa ufupi, upumbavu wao ulikuwa haukubaliki hata kwa mtu mwenye subira zaidi: “Akasema [Ibrahimu]: Je, basi mnaabudu, badala ya Mwenyezi Mungu, kitu ambacho hakiwezi kukufaidisheni wala kukudhuruni kwa namna yoyote? Aibu kwenu na kwa kila kitu mnachokiabudu badala ya Mwenyezi Mungu! Je, hamtumii akili zenu?” (Aya 66-67) Hapa tunaona subira ya Ibrahimu ikiisha, anapoonyesha mshangao wake kwa upumbavu wao.
Basically, their absurdity was intolerable even for the most forbearing person: “Said [Abraham]: Do you then worship, instead of God, something that cannot benefit or harm you in any way? Fie upon you and upon all that you worship instead of God! Will you not, then, use your reason?” (Verses 66-67) Here we see Abraham’s patience exhausted, as he expresses his amazement at their absurdity.
Katika hatua hii, walikimbilia udhalimu, ambao daima hushinda pale madhalimu wanapokosa la kusema, wasiweze kutoa hoja yenye mantiki ya kujibu. Walitumia nguvu za kikatili, wakiharakisha kumletea mateso makali: "Wakasema: Mchomeni moto, na nusuruni miungu yenu, ikiwa mtafanya [chochote]." (Aya ya 68)
At this point, they resorted to tyranny which always prevails when tyrants are left speechless, unable to produce a coherent counter- argument. They resorted to brute force, rushing to inflict on him a painful suffering: “They cried: Burn him, and succour your gods, if you are going to do [anything at all].” (Verse 68)
Lakini je, ni aina gani ya miungu hii inayohitaji msaada wa waja wao, wakati wao wenyewe hawanufaiki na chochote? Ni dhaifu, hawana uwezo.
Yet what sort of deities are these which need the support of their servants, while they avail themselves of nothing? They are powerless, helpless.