Tafseer of The Cattle · Al-An'aam · 6:78
And when he saw the sun rising, he said, "This is my lord; this is greater." But when it set, he said, "O my people, indeed I am free from what you associate with Allah.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The explanation of His word: فَلَمَّا رَأَى الشَّمْسَ بَازِغَةً قَالَ هَذَا رَبِّي هَذَا أَكْبَرُ فَلَمَّا أَفَلَتْ قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ إِنِّي بَرِيءٌ مِمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ (6:78) (And when he saw the sun rising, he said: "This is my Lord, this is greater." But when it set, he said: "O my people, I am innocent of what you associate as partners.")
Abū Jaʿfar said: The Exalted, whose mention is exalted, means by His word "And when he saw the sun rising": when Ibrāhīm saw the sun coming up, he said: "This rising one is my Lord" — "this is greater," that is to say: this one is greater than the star and the moon. The latter was omitted because the wording indicates it. "But when it set," that is to say: when it disappeared, Ibrāhīm said to his people: "O my people, I am innocent of what you associate as partners," that is to say: of the worship of the gods and the idols and of calling upon them as a deity besides Allah, the Exalted, whose mention is exalted.
