The Quran

سورة الاٴنعَام

Surah Al-An‘âm 6:74

The Cattle · Verse 74 of 165

وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ لِأَبِيهِ آزَرَ أَتَتَّخِذُ أَصْنَامًا آلِهَةً ۖ إِنِّي أَرَاكَ وَقَوْمَكَ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُبِينٍ

Abdul Mannan Omar

(Recall the time) when Abraham said to his sire, âzar, `Do you worship idols as gods? Surely, I see you and your people (steeped) in clear error.´

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Lo! Abraham said to his father Azar: "Takest thou idols for gods? For I see thee and thy people in manifest error."

Ahmed Ali

Remember when Abraham said to Azar, his father: "Why do you take idols for God? I certainly find you and your people in error."

12 more translations

Ali Unal

And (call to mind) when Abraham spoke to his father Azar: "Do you take idols for deities? Indeed, I see you and your people lost in obvious error."

Daryabadi

And recall what time Ibrahim said unto his father Azar: takest thou idols for gods! Verily I see thee and thy people in error manifest.

Faridul Haque

And remember when Ibrahim said to his father (paternal uncle) Azar, “What! You appoint idols as Gods? Indeed I find you and your people in open error.” (Prophet Ibrahim was rightly guided since birth).

Maulana Muhammad Ali

And when Abraham said to his sire, Azar: Takest thou idols for gods? Surely I see thee and thy people in manifest error.

Maulvi Sher Ali

And remember the time when Abraham said to his father, Azar, `Dost thou take idols for gods? Surely, I see thee and thy people in manifest error.'

Muhammad Asad

AND, LO, [thus] spoke Abraham unto his father Azar "Takest thou idols for gods? Verily, I see that thou and thy people have obviously gone astray!"

Muhammad Musin Khan

And (remember) when Ibrahim (Abraham) said to his father Azar: "Do you take idols as aliha (gods)? Verily, I see you and your people in manifest error."

Muhammad Pickthall

(Remember) when Abraham said unto his father Azar: Takest thou idols for gods? Lo! I see thee and thy folk in error manifest.

Muhammad Sarwar

Consider when Abraham asked his father, Azar, "Why do you believe idols to be your gods? I find you and your people in absolute error".

Muhammed ali Shakir

And when Ibrahim said to his sire, Azar: Do you take idols for gods? Surely I see you and your people in manifest error.

Rashad Khalifa

Recall that Abraham said to his father Azar, "How could you worship statues as gods? I see that you and your people have gone far astray."

Shabbir Ahmed

Remember when Abraham said to his father Azar (Terah), “How could you worship idols as gods? I see you and your people are in obvious error.”

Commentary 6:74 There is confusion in the minds of some about the relationship between Abraham and Azar. The Holy Qur’ân calls Azar Abrahams Abb أب. The word Abb أب is…

وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ لِأَبِيهِ آزَرَ أَتَتَّخِذُ أَصْنَامًا آلِهَةً ۖ إِنِّي أَرَاكَ وَقَوْمَكَ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِينٍ

6:74 There is confusion in the minds of some about the relationship between Abraham and Azar. The Holy Qur’ân calls Azar Abrahams Abb أب. The word Abb أب is for a person who is respected in a family, possibly a father, senior, ancestor or an uncle (Râghib, Tâj). In verse 2:133, it is clearly applied to ancestors. In Arabic the word for a real father is wâlid والد. In the Holy Qur’ân, though Azar is called Abb of Abraham, this does not refer to his real biological father. Abraham’s wâlid is spoken of in 14:41 as a believer whereas the Ab in verse 9:114 is spoken of as having continued with idolatry (cf. 26:86). Later, in verse 60:4, we are told that Abraham had made a promise to Azar that he would pray to Allâh for his forgiveness; but that when Abraham discovered that Azarآزَرَ was an enemy of Allâh he abstained from praying for him and was in fact forbidden to do so. The verse 9:114 gives reason for Abrahams praying for Azar آزَرَ – “Abraham was soft of heart and forbearing”. Elsewhere (14:41; 71:28) a prayer of Abraham is recorded in the Holy Qur’ân, which he offered in the last days of his life. In this prayer, Abraham prays for his parents (Wâlidayya والديٌ). This clearly shows that Azar who has been called the Ab of Abraham was a different person from the wâlid of Abraham. The Holy Prophet (pbuh) was also forbidden to pray for the polytheists "even if they be his near kinsmen" (9:114; - see also 9-113; 19:41-50; 21:51-72; 26: 69-89; 29:16-33; 37:83-113). While it is certain that Azar was not the biological father of Abraham, different ideas exist as to their relationship. There are some who suggest he was the uncle of Abraham; others say he was the father of his wife Sarah. The Bible says that Abraham married Sarah, the daughter of Tara - the biblical form of Azar (Gn. 20.2).