Chapter 6 of the Quran (50) Abraham and the Sun

When the sun has disappeared, Abraham said, ‘O my people, Verily, I am blameless of what you associate, with my Creator, in the way of idols and accidental bodies like moon and sun, which require an originator. Then his people asked him, ‘and what do you worship?’

 

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Abraham’s people were different in respect to their faith; some of them were astrologers; and they were classified into groups, some were planets’ worshippers, others were moon’s worshippers or sun and /or stars’ worshippers.

Abraham desired to show up his astrologers’ people that they were wrong in their belief.

Abraham gave them two indirect lessons to showm them that they have mistaken believe in God.

The first Abraham’s indirect teaching was to the group of his astrologers’ people who were planets’ worshippers.

The second Abraham’s indirect teaching was to the group of his astrologers’ people who were the moon’s worshippers.

However, many of Abraham people belonged to the astrologers who were the Sun’s worshippers. Abraham went to them.

 

Ayah 6:78 narrates the third indirect teaching of Abraham

 

And when he saw the sun uprising filling everything with its light, Abraham said: This is my Lord! Could this be my Lord? This is greater! This is bigger than the first (Venus) and the second (the moon).

And when the sun set and disappewered, Abraham said: I do not love a lord who is not lasting. If my Lord does not guide me, I shall be of those who err.

It is also said that Abraham said ‘this is my Lord’ mocking his people, for his people worshipped the sun, the moon and Venus. He therefore objected to such worship by mocking them, saying to them: could the like of these be a Lord?

It is said that when he emerged from the hole (this is another story of Abraham’s times past) and went to his people, he was then 17 years old. He looked at the sky and the earth and then said: my Lord is Him Who has created this. He then proceeded until he found a group of his people attending with devotion to their idols.  He exclaimed: O my people! Lo! I am free from all that you associate with Him of idols.

 

Abraham said, ‘O my people, surely I am innocent of what you associate, with God, in the way of idols and accidental bodies, which require an originator. They then asked him, ‘What do you worship?’ (See the next article).

 

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The verses 6:76-77 in different translations

 

QARIB:

Then, when he saw the sun rise, shining, he said: ‘this must be my lord, it is larger. ‘But when it set, he said: ‘o nation I am quit of what you associate (with Allah, the creator),

 

SHAKIR:

Then when he saw the sun rising, he said: is this my lord? Is this the greatest? so when it set, he said: o my people! Surely I am clear of what you set up (with Allah)

 

PICKTHAL:

And when he saw the sun uprising, he cried: this is my lord! This is greater! And when it set he exclaimed: o my people! Lo! I am free from all that ye associate (with him).

 

YUSUFALI:

When he saw the sun rising in splendour, he said: “this is my lord; this is the greatest (of all).” but when the sun set, he said: “o my people! I am indeed free from your (guilt) of giving partners to Allah.