Why do you worship that which neither hears nor sees...

Why do you worship that which neither hears nor sees, nor does avail you in aught?” This short and expressive statement is one of the best evidences of the negation of polytheism and idolatry. One of the man’s motives alongside knowing Allah is the motive of benefit and loss. Abraham says to’Azar why he relies on a deity which neither removes a difficulty from him, nor it is able to hear and see. Explanations The disputations of Abraham and his uncle are worthy of mentioning and magnifying.

“When he said…” In ‘forbidding of wrong’, you should begin from your own kin. (…O my father…) There is no age limitation for forbidding of wrong. (A son can forbid the grand members of the family from doing evils, but he must observe their respect and protect it.) Perfection of persons does not always relate to their age. Sometimes it happens that the child of a family understand the facts better than the elders of that family.

“O’ my father! There has come unto me of knowledge which has not come unto you, so follow me, I will guide you on a right path.” 44. “O’ my father! Serve not Satan. Verily Satan is disobedient unto the Beneficent (Allah).” After that, Abraham (as) invites’Azar, with a clear logic in order that he follows him (as) in that matter. He (as) says: “O my father!

There has come unto me of knowledge which has not come unto you, so follow me, I will guide you on a right path.” That is, I have got a lot of knowledge by means of revelation, and I can say with certainty that I will not go on a wrong way, so I will never invite you unto a wrong way. I desire your felicity and your happiness, then accept my invitation to become prosperous, and, by paving this straight path, to reach the ideal destination.

Then, in the next verse, Abraham combines this positive aspect with the negative aspect, and the consequences that the opposition with this invitation produces, and says: “O’ my father! Serve not Satan.