Al-Anbiya 21:51

<h2>The Story of Ibrahim and his People</h2><p>Allah tells us about His close Friend Ibrahim, peace be upon him, and how He bestowed upon him guidance aforetime, i.e., from an early age He inspired him with truth and evidence against his people, as Allah says elsewhere:</p><div class="arabic uthmani">وَتِلْكَ حُجَّتُنَآ ءَاتَيْنَـهَآ إِبْرَهِيمَ عَلَى قَوْمِهِ</div><p>(And that was Our proof which We gave Ibrahim against his people) 6:83. The point here is that Allah is telling us that He gave guidance to Ibrahim aforetime, i.e., He had already guided him at an early age.</p><div class="arabic uthmani">وَكُنَّا بِهِ عَـلِمِينَ</div><p>(and We were Well-Acquainted with him.) means, and he was worthy of that. Then Allah says:</p><div class="arabic uthmani">إِذْ قَالَ لاًّبِيهِ وَقَوْمِهِ مَا هَـذِهِ التَّمَـثِيلُ الَّتِى أَنتُمْ لَهَا عَـكِفُونَ </div><p>(When he said to his father and his people: "What are these images, to which you are devoted") This is the guidance which he had been given during his youth: his denunciation of his people's worship of idols instead of Allah. Ibrahim said:</p><div class="arabic uthmani">مَا هَـذِهِ التَّمَـثِيلُ الَّتِى أَنتُمْ لَهَا عَـكِفُونَ</div><p>("What are these images, to which you are devoted") meaning, which you worship with such devotion.</p><div class="arabic uthmani">قَالُواْ وَجَدْنَآ ءَابَآءَنَا لَهَا عَـبِدِينَ </div><p>(They said: "We found our fathers worshipping …

And We verily gave Abraham of old his proper course, and We were Aware of him,

We bestowed aforetime on Abraham his rectitude of conduct, and well were We acquainted with him.

And indeed We bestowed aforetime on Ibrahim (Abraham) his (portion of) guidance, and We were Well-Acquainted with him (as to his Belief in the Oneness of Allah, etc.).

We gave Abraham his integrity formerly, and We knew him well.