His people used to alternate between worshipping idols and stars, so he wanted to invalidate their belief of worshipping the stars so when it was dark he looked at the stars (he saw a star) and said: “This is my Lord!” but when the star set and they couldn’t see it any longer he said: “I do not love things that set.” Because whatever sets is not worth being a deity as it has no control rather it is controlled. Therefore it does not deserve the love that a Lord is given.
And then he say the moon shining rising, he said “This one is my Lord!” But when it disappeared, he said, “If my Lord does not guide me, I will certainly be one of the misguided people.” It means the person is lost and does not know the truth. As he thought his Lord was the star then the moon until he realized his mistake, and he will remain lost until he reaches the truth.
(Then when he saw the sun shining) the great star that lights the earth and he said “This one is my Lord!” because it is bigger than the stars before and is more worthy of being a lord.
But then it set and he denounced it and from all deities that preceded.
“O my people! I totally reject whatever you associate ˹with Allah in worship˺”.
“I have turned my face towards the One Who has originated the heavens and the earth”
It means created them unlike anything so worshipping the Creator is required rather than worshipping the creation as the stars. This method of argument is called the trial and error method.
The method of argument which Ibrahim pbuh used with his people is called the trial and error method.
(And ˹remember˺ when Abraham said to his father, Ȃzar, “Do you take idols as gods? It is clear to me that you and your people are entirely misguided.” We also showed Abraham the wonders of the heavens and the earth, so he would be sure in faith. When the night grew dark upon him, he saw a star and said, “This is my Lord!” But when it set, he said, “I do not love things that set.” Then when he saw the moon rising, he said, “This one is my Lord!” But when it disappeared, he said, “If my Lord does not guide me, I will certainly be one of the misguided people.” Then when he saw the sun shining, he said, “This must be my Lord—it is the greatest!” But again when it set, he declared, “O my people! I totally reject whatever you associate ˹with Allah in worship˺. I have turned my face towards the One Who has originated the heavens and the earth—being upright—and I am not one of the polytheists.”) (Al-Ana’am 6:74-80)
كان قومه يجمعون بين عبادة الأصنام وعبادة الكواكب…فأراد عليه السلام إبطال عبادة الكواكب فقال لهم لما أظلم عليه الليل ورأى الكوكب {رأى كوكبا} أي نجما (قيل: الزهرة، وقيل: المشتري وكان قومه يعبدون الكواكب)،
“هذا ربي” فلما غاب الكوكب فلم يعد يرى وذهب، {قال: لا أحب الآفلين}؛ لأن الذي يغيب لا يستحق أن يكون ربا لأنه لا يتحكم، لكن هناك من يتحكم فيه، ولذلك فهو لا يستحق المحبة التي يعطاها الرب
فلما رأى القمر أي طالعا ساطعا “قال هذا ربي” فلما غاب عن الأعين قال “لئن لم يهدني ربي لأكونن من القوم الضالين“، أي الضائع الذي لا يعرف الحق؛ لأنه كلما رأى نجما أو كوكبا ساطعا ظنه الرب المدبر للحياة ثم يتبين له خطأ معتقده، وهذا يفيد أنه لم يزل ضائعا لم يصل إلى الحقيقة.
“فلما رأى الشمس” وهي ذلك النجم العظيم الذي ينير الدنيا التي يراها بعينه قال هذا ربي، لأنه أكبر من الأجرام التي سبقت فهو أحق بأن يكون ربا من سائر الأشياء التي سبقت.
فلما غابت تبرأ منها ومن كل معبود من هذه الأجرام من دون الله
“قال يا قوم إني بريء مما تشركون”
“إني وجهت وجهي للذي فطر السموات والأرض”
أي خلقهما على غير مثال سابق فعبادة الخالق أولى وأجدى وأنفع من عبادة المخلوق وهي الكواكب….
وهذه الطريقة في الجدل تسمى في علم الجدل (المحاولة والخطأ)
وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ لِأَبِيهِ آزَرَ أَتَتَّخِذُ أَصْنَامًا آلِهَةً ۖ إِنِّي أَرَاكَ وَقَوْمَكَ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِينٍ ﴿٧٤﴾ وَكَذَٰلِكَ نُرِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ مَلَكُوتَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَلِيَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُوقِنِينَ ﴿٧٥﴾ فَلَمَّا جَنَّ عَلَيْهِ اللَّيْلُ رَأَىٰ كَوْكَبًا ۖ قَالَ هَـٰذَا رَبِّي ۖ فَلَمَّا أَفَلَ قَالَ لَا أُحِبُّ الْآفِلِينَ ﴿٧٦﴾ فَلَمَّا رَأَى الْقَمَرَ بَازِغًا قَالَ هَـٰذَا رَبِّي ۖ فَلَمَّا أَفَلَ قَالَ لَئِن لَّمْ يَهْدِنِي رَبِّي لَأَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الضَّالِّينَ ﴿٧٧﴾ فَلَمَّا رَأَى الشَّمْسَ بَازِغَةً قَالَ هَـٰذَا رَبِّي هَـٰذَا أَكْبَرُ ۖ فَلَمَّا أَفَلَتْ قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ إِنِّي بَرِيءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ ﴿٧٨﴾ إِنِّي وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِي فَطَرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ حَنِيفًا ۖ وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ ﴿٧٩﴾ وَحَاجَّهُ قَوْمُهُ ۚ قَالَ أَتُحَاجُّونِّي فِي اللَّـهِ وَقَدْ هَدَانِ ۚ وَلَا أَخَافُ مَا تُشْرِكُونَ بِهِ إِلَّا أَن يَشَاءَ رَبِّي شَيْئًا ۗ وَسِعَ رَبِّي كُلَّ شَيْءٍ عِلْمًا ۗ أَفَلَا تَتَذَكَّرُونَ
الأنعام 6: 74 -80