Surah Al Anbiya Tafseer

How Ibrahim broke the Idols

Then Ibrahim swore an oath, which some of his people heard, to plot against their idols, i.e., to break them and destroy them after they had gone away and turned their backs, when they went out to their festival. They had a festival which they would go out to celebrate.

Abu Ishaq reported from Abu Al-Ahwas from Abdullah (Ibn Mas`ud),

"When the people of Ibrahim went out to celebrate their festival, they passed by him and said, `O Ibrahim, are you not coming out with us?'

He said, `I am sick.' "

It was only the day before that he had said,

وَتَاللَّهِ لَاَكِيدَنَّ أَصْنَامَكُم بَعْدَ أَن تُوَلُّوا مُدْبِرِينَ

And by Allah, I shall plot a plan for your idols after you have gone away and turned your backs.

and some of the people had heard him.