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  4. Ibrāhim and aSnām (idols)

Ibrāhim and aSnām (idols)

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  • A Offline
    A Offline
    Aladin_Azra
    wrote on last edited by
    #1

    Word aSnām أَصْنَام is used only as plural, five times in the Qur'an. Three of those are in stories about Ibrāhim and there's something very important to see. First, in 1435-36 we were told

    وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ رَبِّ اجْعَلْ هَٰذَا الْبَلَدَ آمِنًا وَاجْنُبْنِي وَبَنِيَّ أَن نَّعْبُدَ الْأَصْنَامَ

    And when Ibrāhim said "Rabbi, make this land safe and keep me away and my sons that we serve aSnām.

    رَبِّ إِنَّهُنَّ أَضْلَلْنَ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ النَّاسِ ۖ فَمَن تَبِعَنِي فَإِنَّهُ مِنِّي ۖ وَمَنْ عَصَانِي فَإِنَّكَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

    Rabbi, they (f. pl.) also led astray many from the people. So, who follows me then he's also from me (Ibrāhim's asking for them too to be saved from aSnām) and who disobeyed me then You're also the media for forgiveness and helper (Ibrāhim's not asking for them)."

    Here, aSnām is used as feminine plural, which is used for females, women. In 2157-58 it was said

    وَتَاللَّهِ لَأَكِيدَنَّ أَصْنَامَكُم بَعْدَ أَن تُوَلُّوا مُدْبِرِينَ

    (Ibrahim said...) "And, by Allah, I will most probably make a plan about your aSnām after you turn, turning your backs."

    فَجَعَلَهُمْ جُذَاذًا إِلَّا كَبِيرًا لَّهُمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِ يَرْجِعُونَ

    So, he made them (m. pl.) pieces, except large for them, so that they (his people) could be able to him (large one) returning.

    Here we see that aSnām is masculine plural. In 2671 was said

    قَالُوا نَعْبُدُ أَصْنَامًا فَنَظَلُّ لَهَا عَاكِفِينَ

    (They) said "We are serving aSnām and we're remaining to them (f. pl. for things) devoted."

    We see that here -haa is used, as a pronoun for feminine plural for things, not women.

    So we have 3 usages of aSnām and all 3 are different in pronouns used with this word feminine for women, masculine, feminine for things. Why is so?

    What was said in 14th sura Ibrāhim is about him in Egypt, and two other examples are from the area where he was born. Thus, when he came to Egypt he saw something for the first time, and that is that women rule over people and people serve them. That's why Ibrāhim used feminine plural for women, because some of those idol-women were alive and others were present only as idols, imagery.

    In 21st surah we were told about Ibrāhim's homeland. His people had many "gods" and made idols, imagery. One of idols they had represented Allah. This idol was called "large for them", meaning they recognized Allah as Kebeer, but also others. Ibrāhim didn't smash this idol, kept it so they can return to Allah. In this example, aSnām is masculine, because idol of Allah was one of them.

    In 26th surah aSnām are just idols, imagery and thus feminine plural for things was used.

    Note I used most common translations to focus on topic.

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