قَالَ أَتَعْبُدُونَ مَا تَنْحِتُونَ ﴿۹۵﴾ وَاللَّهُ خَلَقَكُمْ وَمَا تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿۹۶﴾ قَالُوا ابْنُوا لَهُ بُنْيَانًا فَأَلْقُوهُ فِي الْجَحِيمِ ﴿۹۷﴾ فَأَرَادُوا بِهِ كَيْدًا فَجَعَلْنَاهُمُ الْأَسْفَلِينَ ﴿۹۸﴾ وَقَالَ إِنِّي ذَاهِبٌ إِلَى رَبِّي سَيَهْدِينِ ﴿۹۹﴾ رَبِّ هَبْ لِي مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ ﴿۱۰۰﴾ فَبَشَّرْنَاهُ بِغُلَامٍ حَلِيمٍ ﴿۱۰۱﴾

﴾95﴿ Qaala ata'budoona maa tanhitoon
﴾96﴿ Wallaahu khalaqakum wa maa ta'maloon
﴾97﴿ Qaalub noo lahoo bun yaanan fa alqoohu fil jaheem
﴾98﴿ Fa araadoo bihee kaidan faja 'alnaahumul asfaleen
﴾99﴿ Wa qaala innee zaahibun ilaa Rabbee sa yahdeen
﴾100﴿ Rabbi hab lee minas saaliheen
﴾101﴿ Fabashsharnaahu bighulaamin haleem

﴾95﴿ He said, Do you worship what you carve with your own hands
﴾96﴿ And Allah the Exalted has created you and your deeds
﴾97﴿ They said, Build a structure for him, then cast him into the fire
﴾98﴿ So they intended to plot against him, but We made them the lowliest
﴾99﴿ He said, Indeed, I am going to my Lord; He will surely guide me
﴾100﴿ O my Lord, grant me (a child) from among the righteous
﴾101﴿ So We gave him the good news of a forbearing son

[95,96] This is a refutation of their shirk in two ways: The first method is (تَنْحِتُونَ)—meaning, you yourselves have carved these idols from wood, stone, and other materials with your own hands. Therefore, they cannot be deserving of worship. This also includes graves that are built with clay and cement and made beautiful—then people prostrate to them and seek their needs from them. The second method is (وَمَا تَعْمَلُونَ)—meaning, your Creator and the Creator of your deeds is Allah, the Exalted, alone. This includes these false deities and their worship as well. And this is a proof used by Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama‘ah for the belief that Allah, the Exalted, is the Creator of every action—whether good or evil, whether voluntary or involuntary.
[97,98] Since they had no argument for their shirk, they chose the path of oppression and plotted together to build a large structure (in the shape of a furnace). They built it, filled it with firewood, and lit a fire in it, then threw Abraham (peace be upon him) into it. All of this is referred to as (كَيْدًا)—a scheme. But when they were also condemned by reason, and their fire had no effect, he said (الْأَسْفَلِينَ)—the lowest ones. And since their wealth, firewood, and time were wasted, it was for this reason that in Surah Al-Anbiya (21:70) they were called "the greatest losers".
[99] There are two interpretations of this: First, that he said this statement while being taken toward the fire. The meaning, then, is: “I am going toward what my Lord has decreed; soon He will make a way of salvation for me.” The second interpretation is that after being saved from the fire, he resolved to migrate.
[100,101] Since the continuation of religion requires offspring to carry on the call to faith, he prayed for a son, and his prayer was accepted. The word (حَلِيمٍ) (forbearing) indicates that the child would reach maturity, because the trait of patience is praised in those who are mature.