Abraham Was An Iconoclast, A Logical Thinker

Iconoclast : a person who attacks or criticizes cherished beliefs or institutions.

synonyms: critic, sceptic, questioner; heretic, nonconformist, dissident, dissenter, dissentient; malcontent, rebel, subversive, renegade, mutineer; maverick; original, innovator


"She is an iconoclast, called to shatter the myth of restaurants she feels are too popular"

This is a little too Qurany. Non Muslims do bear with me. 

I happened across this video.  The guy who is talking is "Veenu" I think. I like watching his videos because he has made a career from making fun of the religious retards.

Here he is talking about Abraham and the story where Abraham broke his idols. Veenu says Abraham was wrong because Abraham made fun of religions !

Veenu says this was a wrong action by Abraham. 

First here is the video. 

Link :   https://youtu.be/16RjPofaLKQ

Ok here is the story of Abraham from the Quran. 

Just for a few minutes ignore everything else non Quranic that you (Christians, Jews, Muslims) may have heard about Abraham. This is the Quran's version. 

Surah 19:41-49  

19:41 Mention in the scripture Abraham; he was a saint, a prophet.

19:42 He said to his father, "O my father, why do you worship what can neither hear, nor see, nor help you in any way?

19:43 "O my father, I have received certain knowledge that you did not receive. Follow me, and I will guide you in a straight path.

19:44 "O my father, do not worship the devil. The devil has rebelled against the Most Gracious.

19:45 "O my father, I fear lest you incur retribution from the Most Gracious, then become an ally of the devil."

19:46 He said, "Have you forsaken my gods, O Abraham? Unless you stop, I will stone you. Leave me alone."

19:47 He said, "Peace be upon you. I will implore my Lord to forgive you; He has been Most Kind to me.

19:48 "I will abandon you and the gods you worship beside Allah. I will worship only my Lord. By imploring my Lord alone, I cannot go wrong."

19:49 Because he abandoned them and the gods they worshiped beside Allah, we granted him Isaac and Jacob, and we made each of them a prophet.

(My comments : Obviously Abraham was born and raised by idol worshippers. He was among a community of idol worshippers. In these verses above Abraham is arguing with his own father against idol worship. Abraham was arguing about their own idols. Abraham was not arguing over other peoples idols or other peoples temples or shrines.) 

Surah 6:74-83 

6:74 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."

6:75 We showed Abraham the marvels of the heavens and the earth, and blessed him with certainty:

6:76 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."

6:77 When he saw the moon rising, he said, "Maybe this is my Lord!" When it disappeared, he said, "Unless my Lord guides me, I will be with the strayers."

6:78 When he saw the sun rising, he said, "This must be my Lord. This is the biggest." But when it set, he said, "O my people, I denounce your idolatry.

6:79 "I have devoted myself absolutely to the One who initiated the heavens and the earth; I will never be an idol worshiper."

(OSTB :  From the four verses above, Abraham did ponder worshipping the sun, moon and the planets. But Abraham became disillusioned when the planets, moon and sun disappeared from the sky. Abraham was using his rational thinking to figure out that physical objects cannot be objects of veneration.)

6:80 His people argued with him. He said, "Do you argue with me about Allah, after He has guided me? I have no fear of the idols you set up. Nothing can happen to me, unless my Lord wills it. My Lord's knowledge encompasses all things. Would you not take heed?

6:81 "Why should I fear your idols? It is you who should be afraid, since you worship instead of Allah idols that are utterly powerless to help you. Which side is more deserving of security, if you know?"

6:82 Those who believe, and do not pollute their belief with idol worship, have deserved the perfect security, and they are truly guided.

6:83 Such was our argument, with which we supported Abraham against his people. We exalt whomever we will to higher ranks. Your Lord is Most Wise, Omniscient.

Sura 21:51-69. 

21:51 Before that, we granted Abraham his guidance and understanding, for we were fully aware of him.

21:52 He said to his father and his people, "What are these statues to which you are devoting yourselves?"

21:53 They said, "We found our parents worshiping them."

21:54 He said, "Indeed, you and your parents have gone totally astray."

21:55 They said, "Are you telling us the truth, or are you playing?"

21:56 He said, "Your only Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, who created them. This is the testimony to which I bear witness.

21:57 "I swear by Allah, I have a plan to deal with your statues, as soon as you leave."

21:58 He broke them into pieces, except for a big one, that they may refer to it.

21:59 They said, "Whoever did this to our gods is really a transgressor."

21:60 They said, "We heard a youth (fatan) threaten them; he is called Abraham."

21:61 They said, "Bring him before the eyes of all the people, that they may bear witness."

21:62 They said, "Did you do this to our gods, O Abraham?"

21:63 He said, "It is that big one who did it. Go ask them, if they can speak."

21:64 They were taken aback, and said to themselves, "Indeed, you are the ones who have been transgressing."

21:65 Yet, they reverted to their old ideas: "You know full well that these cannot speak."

21:66 He said, "Do you then worship beside Allah what possesses no power to benefit you or harm you?

21:67 "You have incurred shame by worshiping idols beside Allah. Do you not understand?"

21:68 They said, "Burn him and support your gods, if this is what you decide to do."

21:69 We said, "O fire, be cool and safe for Abraham."


Surah 37 : 83 - 98

37:83 Among his followers was Abraham.
37:84 He came to his Lord wholeheartedly.
37:85 He said to his father and his people, "What are you
                worshiping?

37:86 "Is it these fabricated gods, instead of Allah, that you 
                want?
37:87 "What do you think of the Lord of the universe?"
37:88 He looked carefully at the stars.
37:89 Then he gave up and said, "I am tired of this!"
37:90 They turned away from him.
37:91 He then turned on their idols, saying, "Would you like to 
                eat?  (Faragha ila aali-haa-tihim faqaala ala ta'kuloona).
37:92 "Why do you not speak?"
37:93 He then broke them with his right hand. (Faragha 
                alayhim darban bil - yameen)
37:94 They went to him in a great rage.
37:95 He said, "How can you worship what you carve?
37:96 "When Allah has created you, and everything you make!"
37:97 They said, "Let us build a great fire, and throw him into it."

37:98 They schemed against him, but we made them the losers.


Please note the following verse :

37:93 He then broke them with his right hand. (Faragha 
                alayhim darban bil - yameen)

This is not correct. 

Faragha : he turned 
alayhim :  upon them
darban : struck 
bil yameen : with his right hand

So Abraham turned his attention towards the idols and struck them with his right hand.

The Quran specifically says Abraham used his YAMEEN or  "his right hand".  So what happened to Abraham's left hand? Was his left hand tied behind his back? Not likely at all.

The Quran also does not say that Abraham used a stick, a hammer, an axe or some weapon. 

In Surah 2:60 the Quran mentions specifically that Moses struck a rock with his staff.

Unless Abraham was a karate expert, it would be difficult to break stone idols using his bare hands, either right hand or left hand. I dont think Abraham smashed and broke the idols with his bare hands. Neither did he NOT USE his left hand. Neither did he use an axe or a hammer. 

Certainly yameen here means something else.

The word yameen means right hand. It is used multiple times in the Quran. "Right hand" implies some claim unto something, some authority, some right, righteous claim, an oath. 

For example in 5:108  "aymanun ba'da aymaanihim" means  oaths other than their oaths. 

Another example is the famous "those whom you possess in your right hand" mentioned in the Quran. This does not refer to sex slaves. It means people over whom you have some claims or influence. 

Abraham using his yameen or right hand means some righteous method.  Abraham  was rebelling from within.  

Then the  translation of surah 21:58 (He broke them into pieces, except for a big one, that they may refer to it) is also not accurate.

The following is more accurate : 

21:58    -     So he made them| جذاذا - (into) pieces| إلا - except| كبيرا - a large (one)| لهم - of them,| لعلهم - so that they may| إليه - to it| يرجعون - return

He "made them" (fa ja 'alahum) into separate pieces / separate parts.     Using his "right hand", using a righteous claim or some authority.

He may have toppled them, messed up their positions, moved them around the temple, moved them far apart, mixed them all up, etc. 

Abraham did not break the idols with a hammer.