The statement of Ibrahim (peace be upon him), “And keep me and my descendants from worshipping idols”: Is this a genuine fear, or is it to warn others?

The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah bless you, regarding the statement of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) , is this a genuine fear, or is it a matter of warning others?

The Shaykh : No, this is a genuine fear. For this reason, Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab (may Allah have mercy on him) titled a chapter “The Fear of Associating Partners with Allah” and then cited the verse. He then mentioned in the issues that if Ibrahim al-Khalil, the leader of the Hanifs, feared associating partners with Allah, what can be said of those below him? It is well known that no one is protected from it unless Allah protects them. From this, one takes what Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab (may Allah have mercy on him) indicated: that it is obligatory for a person to fear associating partners with Allah, to fear showing off in worship, to feel self-admiration, and the like of the types of associating partners with Allah. Someone might say that his statement , his statement: , refers only to his sons, because it is they from whom it is conceivable that they would worship idols. It is said that Ibrahim (peace and blessings be upon him), despite being the leader of the Hanifs and the leader of the monotheists, did not feel secure from associating partners with Allah. No person feels secure from it.