(… وَكَيْفَ أَخَافُ مَا أَشْرَكْتُمْ) (And how should I fear what you associate…): The question word used here shows amazement.

(… وَلَا تَخَافُونَ أَنَّكُمْ أَشْرَكْتُم بِاللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ عَلَيْكُمْ سُلْطَانًا… ) (…while you do not fear that you have associated with Allah that for which He has not sent down to you any authority?…): Here, the point of conflict is specified. What is the actual purpose of an argument or debate? Is it so that one person will win over another via his arguments? Of course, it is not! It is when a person will present his idea or opinion, and the next person will give an opposing opinion, with the goal of arriving at the truth. So, what matters is arriving at the truth in the matter being debated about, not who wins over who. As such, Prophet Abraham (PBUH) says: { while you do not fear that you have associated with Allah that for which He has not sent down to you any authority??}. It is the sovereign proof of knowledge, since knowledge is an actual matter which through it, an issue can be verified logically. Therefore, we realize the sovereignty of knowledge, proofs and evidence.

(  فَأَيُّ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ أَحَقُّ بِالْأَمْنِ ۖ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ… ) (…So which of the two parties has more right to security, if you should know?): Here is the equal opportunity that the Prophet Abraham (PBUH) placed between him and those who were arguing with him.

The word (security) here, means everything connected to a person’s safety, be it internally, socially, or with regards to his life in the hereafter. As such, the Messenger (saws) said:

“Whoever among you wakes up feeling safe and secure within himself, is physically healthy, with food for the day, it is as if he acquired the whole world.”[1]

[1] Sunan at-Tirmidhi: Book of Asceticism, Hadith No. 2346.