۞ Before this We gave Abraham his virtue, for We knew him. 51 when he said to his father and his people, 'What are these statues unto which you are cleaving?' 52 They answered: "We found our forefathers worshipping them." 53 He said, "You were certainly, you and your fathers, in manifest error." 54 They said: "Are you expressing your true ideas before us or are you jesting?" 55 He said: "In fact it was your Lord, the Lord of the heavens and the earth, who created them; and I bear witness to this. 56 Abraham said to himself, "By God! I will devise a plan against their idols when they are away." 57 He broke all the idols into pieces, except the biggest among them so that perhaps people would refer to it. 58 They asked (on return): "Who has done this to our gods? He is surely a mischief-monger." 59 They said: "We heard a youth talk about them. He is called Abraham." 60 They said, "Then bring him here in the sight of all the people, so that they may act as witnesses." 61 They said: art thou the one who hath wrought this unto our gods, O Ibrahim? 62 He said: "Nay, this was done by - this is their biggest one! ask them, if they can speak intelligently!" 63 Thereupon they turned to their (inner) selves and said (to themselves): "Surely it is you who are the wrong-doers." 64 Then they were made to hang down their heads: Certainly you know that they do not speak. 65 Said [Abraham]: "Do you then worship, instead of God, something that cannot benefit you in any way, nor harm you? 66 Fie upon you and upon all that you worship instead of God! Will you not, then, use your reason?" 67 They said: "Burn him, and save your gods, if you are men of action." 68 But We said, "Fire! Be cool and a means of safety for Abraham." 69 Then they sought a stratagem against him: but We made them the ones that lost most! 70 We saved him and Lot, and brought them to the land which We had blessed for all the worlds. 71 And We bestowed upon him ls-haq and Ya qub as a grandson; and each one We made righteous. 72 And We made them Imams who guided (people) by Our command, and We revealed to them the doing of good and the keeping up of prayer and the giving of the alms, and Us (alone) did they serve; 73 To Lot We gave wisdom and knowledge, and saved him from a people who acted villainously and were certainly wicked and disobedient. 74 We admitted him to Our Mercy, he was among the righteous. 75