The Story of Ibrahim and his People Allah tells:وَلَقَدْ اتَيْنَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ رُشْدَهُ مِن قَبْلُ وَكُنَّا بِه عَالِمِينَAnd indeed We bestowed aforetime on Ibrahim his guidance,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:وَتِلْكَ حُجَّتُنَأ ءَاتَيْنَـهَأ إِبْرَهِيمَ عَلَى قَوْمِهِAnd 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. وَكُنَّا بِه عَالِمِينَand We were Well-Acquainted with him.means, and he was worthy of that.Then Allah says:إِذْ قَالَ لاَِبِيهِ وَقَوْمِهِ مَا هَذِهِ التَّمَاثِيلُ الَّتِي أَنتُمْ لَهَا عَاكِفُونَ