The Quran

سورة الاٴنعَام

Surah Al-An‘âm 6:76

The Cattle · Verse 76 of 165

فَلَمَّا جَنَّ عَلَيْهِ اللَّيْلُ رَأَىٰ كَوْكَبًا ۖ قَالَ هَٰذَا رَبِّي ۖ فَلَمَّا أَفَلَ قَالَ لَا أُحِبُّ الْآفِلِينَ

Abdul Mannan Omar

Then (after being convinced of Our unity once on the occasion of a debate on the topic) when the night darkened over him, he saw a planet. He said (on seeing it to the idol-worshippers), `Is this my Lord (as you assert)?´ But when it set he said, `I do not love the setting ones (to accept as my God).´

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

When the night covered him over, He saw a star: He said: "This is my Lord." But when it set, He said: "I love not those that set."

Ahmed Ali

When the night came with her covering of darkness he saw a star, and (Azar, his father) said: "This is my Lord." But when the star set, (Abraham) said: "I love not those that wane."

12 more translations

Ali Unal

When the night overspread over him, he saw a star; and he exclaimed: "This is my Lord, (is it)?" But when it set (sank from sight), he said: "I love not the things that set."

Daryabadi

Then when the night darkened on him, he beheld a star. He said: this is mine Lord. Then when it set, he said. I love not the setting ones.

Faridul Haque

So when the night became dark upon him he saw a star; he said (to Azar / the people), “(You portray that) this is my Lord?”; then when it set he said, “I do not like the things that set.”

Maulana Muhammad Ali

So when the night overshadowed him, he saw a star. He said: Is this my Lord? So when it set, he said: I love not the setting ones.

Maulvi Sher Ali

And when the night darkened upon him, he saw a star. He said, `Can this be my Lord?' But when it set, he said, I like not those that set.'

Muhammad Asad

Then, when the night overshadowed him with its darkness, he beheld a star; [and] he exclaimed, "This is my Sustainer!" - but when it went down, he said, "I love not the things that go down."

Muhammad Musin Khan

When the night covered him over with darkness he saw a star. He said: "This is my lord." But when it set, he said: "I like not those that set."

Muhammad Pickthall

When the night grew dark upon him he beheld a star. He said: This is my Lord. But when it set, he said: I love not things that set.

Muhammad Sarwar

When it became dark at night, he (Abraham) saw a star and said, "This is my lord." But when it disappeared, he said, "I do not love those who fade away".

Muhammed ali Shakir

So when the night over-shadowed him, he saw a star; said he: Is this my Lord? So when it set, he said: I do not love the setting ones.

Rashad Khalifa

When the night fell, he saw a shining planet. "Maybe this is my Lord," he said. When it disappeared, he said, "I do not like (gods) that disappear."

Shabbir Ahmed

(Some of his people were idolaters and others were nature-worshipers.) One night when it grew dark upon him he saw a planet (Venus). He said, “This is my Lord.” But when it set, he said, “I do not love things that fade away.”

Commentary 6:76 Kaukab K·Ì· likely refers to Mercury, worshipped by the Chaldeans at the time of Abraham. The phrase hâdha Rabbî هَـٰذَا رَبِّي “is this my Lord?” is an…

فَلَمَّا جَنَّ عَلَيْهِ اللَّيْلُ رَأَىٰ كَوْكَبًا ۖ قَالَ هَـٰذَا رَبِّي ۖ فَلَمَّا أَفَلَ قَالَ لَا أُحِبُّ الْآفِلِينَ

6:76 Kaukab K·Ì· likely refers to Mercury, worshipped by the Chaldeans at the time of Abraham. The phrase hâdha Rabbî هَـٰذَا رَبِّي  “is this my Lord?” is an interrogatory phrase in this context. Abraham used this phrase to express his disapproval and to highlight the absurdity the Chaldean belief in celestial objects (Râzî). This and the following verses contain an argument which Abraham employed to make his idolatrous people aware of their situation, and to make them reflect on their belief in their gods of the stars, the moon and the sun. “These were the arguments with which We equipped Abraham against his people,” says verse 6:83. There is no suggestion that Abraham was in search of an answer, or that he himself took the evening star, the moon, and the sun for God.

The preceding verses (6:74-75) have clearly informed us that Abraham had already been given knowledge of the Divine sovereignty and had attained the stage of "certainty" before he started to argue with his people. The words of Abraham, “lam Yahdinî لم يهدني “had my Lord not guided me aright”, also show that Abraham was already rightly guided by his Lord. In the words of the following verse, (6:79): “I have never been of the polytheists”, Abraham himself removes all doubts that he was in any uncertainty while arguing with his people. We also read the statement of Abraham in 6:80, “When He Himself has already guided me aright”.

It has always been the custom of the Prophets to start preaching first to their closest circle of acquaintances. Before starting to argue with his people, Abraham turned first towards Azar (see the preceding verse 6:74). The verse 2:131 states: "When his Lord said to him, Submit! He replied, Lord (you know that) I have already submitted ".