Collection: Ancient City of Ur

The narrative of People of 'Ur' through various Quranic verses:

[Quran 21:51]
 وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَآ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ رُشْدَهُۥ مِن قَبْلُ وَكُنَّا بِهِۦ عَـٰلِمِينَ ٥١۞

And indeed, We had granted Abraham sound judgment early on, for We knew him well [to be worthy of it].

[Quran 21:52]
إِذْ قَالَ لِأَبِيهِ وَقَوْمِهِۦ مَا هَـٰذِهِ ٱلتَّمَاثِيلُ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنتُمْ لَهَا عَـٰكِفُونَ ٥٢

[Mention] when he questioned his father and his people, “What are these statues to which you are so devoted?”

[Quran 21:53]
قَالُوا۟ وَجَدْنَآ ءَابَآءَنَا لَهَا عَـٰبِدِينَ ٥٣

They replied, “We found our forefathers worshipping them.”

[Quran 21:54]
قَالَ لَقَدْ كُنتُمْ أَنتُمْ وَءَابَآؤُكُمْ فِى ضَلَـٰلٍۢ مُّبِينٍۢ ٥٤

He responded, “Indeed, you and your forefathers have been clearly astray.”

[Quran 21:55]
قَالُوٓا۟ أَجِئْتَنَا بِٱلْحَقِّ أَمْ أَنتَ مِنَ ٱللَّـٰعِبِينَ ٥٥

They asked, “Have you come to us with the truth, or is this a joke?”

[Quran 21:56]
قَالَ بَل رَّبُّكُمْ رَبُّ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ٱلَّذِى فَطَرَهُنَّ وَأَنَا۠ عَلَىٰ ذَٰلِكُم مِّنَ ٱلشَّـٰهِدِينَ ٥٦

He replied, “In fact, your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, Who created them [both]. And to that I bear witness.”

[Quran 21:57]
وَتَٱللَّهِ لَأَكِيدَنَّ أَصْنَـٰمَكُم بَعْدَ أَن تُوَلُّوا۟ مُدْبِرِينَ ٥٧

[Then he said to himself,] “By Allah! I will surely plot against your idols after you have turned your backs and gone away.”

[Quran 21:58]
فَجَعَلَهُمْ جُذَٰذًا إِلَّا كَبِيرًۭا لَّهُمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِ يَرْجِعُونَ ٥٨

So he smashed them into pieces, except the biggest of them, so they might turn to it [for answers].

[Quran 21:59]
قَالُوا۟ مَن فَعَلَ هَـٰذَا بِـَٔالِهَتِنَآ إِنَّهُۥ لَمِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ ٥٩

They protested, “Who dared do this to our gods? It must be an evildoer!”

[Quran 21:60]
قَالُوا۟ سَمِعْنَا فَتًۭى يَذْكُرُهُمْ يُقَالُ لَهُۥٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمُ ٦٠

Some said, “We heard a young man, called Abraham, speaking [ill] of them.”

[Quran 21:61]
قَالُوا۟ فَأْتُوا۟ بِهِۦ عَلَىٰٓ أَعْيُنِ ٱلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَشْهَدُونَ ٦١

They demanded, “Bring him before the eyes of the people, so that they may witness [his trial].”

[Quran 21:62]
قَالُوٓا۟ ءَأَنتَ فَعَلْتَ هَـٰذَا بِـَٔالِهَتِنَا يَـٰٓإِبْرَٰهِيمُ ٦٢

They asked, “Was it you who did this to our gods, O  Abraham?”

[Quran 21:63]
قَالَ بَلْ فَعَلَهُۥ كَبِيرُهُمْ هَـٰذَا فَسْـَٔلُوهُمْ إِن كَانُوا۟ يَنطِقُونَ ٦٣

He replied [sarcastically], “No, this one—the biggest of them—did it. So ask them, if they can talk.”

[Quran 21:64]
فَرَجَعُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ فَقَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّكُمْ أَنتُمُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ ٦٤

So they came back to their senses, saying [to one another], “You yourselves are truly the wrongdoers!”

[Quran 21:65]
ثُمَّ نُكِسُوا۟ عَلَىٰ رُءُوسِهِمْ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ يَنطِقُونَ ٦٥

Then they [quickly] regressed to their [original] mind-set, [arguing], “You already know that those [idols] cannot talk.”

[Quran 21:66]
قَالَ أَفَتَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُكُمْ شَيْـًۭٔا وَلَا يَضُرُّكُمْ ٦٦

He rebuked [them], “Do you then worship—instead of Allah—what can neither benefit nor harm you in any way?

[Quran 21:67]
أُفٍّۢ لَّكُمْ وَلِمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ ٦٧

Shame on you and whatever you worship instead of Allah! Do you not have any sense?”

[Quran 21:68]
قَالُوا۟ حَرِّقُوهُ وَٱنصُرُوٓا۟ ءَالِهَتَكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ فَـٰعِلِينَ ٦٨

They concluded, “Burn him up to avenge your gods, if you must act.”

[Quran 21:69]
قُلْنَا يَـٰنَارُ كُونِى بَرْدًۭا وَسَلَـٰمًا عَلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ ٦٩

We ordered, “O fire! Be cool and safe for Abraham!”

[Quran 21:70]
وَأَرَادُوا۟ بِهِۦ كَيْدًۭا فَجَعَلْنَـٰهُمُ ٱلْأَخْسَرِينَ ٧٠

They had sought to harm him, but We made them the worst losers.

[Quran 11:101]

وَمَا ظَلَمْنَـٰهُمْ وَلَـٰكِن ظَلَمُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ ۖ فَمَآ أَغْنَتْ عَنْهُمْ ءَالِهَتُهُمُ ٱلَّتِى يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍۢ لَّمَّا جَآءَ أَمْرُ رَبِّكَ ۖ وَمَا زَادُوهُمْ غَيْرَ تَتْبِيبٍۢ ١٠١

We did not wrong them, rather they wronged themselves. The gods they invoked beside Allah were of no help at all when the command of your Lord came, and only contributed to their ruin.

Please Note:

In Islamic tradition, there are no specific references to the city of 'Ur' being destroyed by Allah. However, 'Ur' is known as the birthplace and it's the location of which Prophet Abraham (Ibrahim) used to live. This was where Abraham challenged idol worshippers. Pictures/Videos from this site often shows where Abraham lived and where idols were found.