The 25 Prophets: (6) Ibrahim (AS) (Abraham)

IBRAHIM (AS) (ABRAHAM)

After the death of Saleh (AS), people lived for a long time worshiping the one God and going the straight way. Slowly they started again to go astray and getting into worshipping idols. Paganism therefore spread out everywhere and reached into Iraq, Palestine and into the Arabian subcontinent. Here God again had to send someone to guide these people back into the right track. He therefore sent one of his persevering (Uli Lazm) Prophets who was one of the high ranking among the Prophets. He was made a Prophet while he was very young, no more than sixteen years old.

He was Ibrahim bin Taarikh bin Nahoor bin Saarough bin Arou bin Faligh bin Shalikh bin Arfakhshad bin Saam bin Nuuh (AS). He is a descendant of Saam son of Nuuh (AS). In the Quraan his father's name has been mentioned as Aazar, this might have been his real name or his nickname. Some scholars, however, say he was his paternal uncle, although in the Quraan he is mentioned as his father. God is the most Knowledgeable.

Ibrahim (AS) has been mentioned in the holly Quraan seventy three times in twenty-five Suras. The Lord relates about lbrahim in Surat Al-Nahl (The Bee) (xvi) verses 120-121:

Abraham was indeed a model, devoutly obedient to God, (And) true in faith and he joined no gods with God. He showed his gratitude for the favors of God, who chose him, and guided him to a Straight Way.

In a town of Babel, north of Iraq, a town at that time well advanced in all respects, people lived a life of high standard and had all the worldly comforts. But these people were in total darkness, forgetting their creator, God (The Almighty), and all the good things that He had given them. Instead they took to the worshipping of idols, they used to carve these idols out of wood and stone and then bow down to them, instead of bowing down to their Lord the Almighty.

Ibrahim (AS) one day said to his father and his people when he saw them worshipping idols: "What do you worship?"

They said: "We worship idols, and we remain constantly in attendance on them."

He said to them. "Do they listen to you when you call (on them), or do you good or harm?"

They said: "No, but we found our fathers doing thus (what we do)."

He said: "You have taken (for worship) idols besides God?"

This means they had inherited Paganism from their forefathers without asking themselves whether it was right or wrong. 'Therefore Ibrahim (AS) was constantly trying to guide them and getting them to leave the worship of many gods, and to worship the only one God and their Cherisher.

Among these people there was Namroud bin Kuwsh who was their king. He was a very strong and powerful king, and since these people were in darkness, this king took the advantage of misguiding his people. He told them that he was their king and god and that they had therefore not only to obey him but they also had to worship him. And why not? Unlike their idols he could talk, see and hear. He gave them protection and cherished them. He could make poor, rich and the rich into nothing.

The Birth of Ibrahim (AS)

One day king Namroud was told by his counselors that there would come a man from within his kingdom who would remove Paganism, and start to call on people to worship only one God. He therefore gave his orders to separate men from women, and also any newborn that was a boy to be slain.

In a town of Bakhuthaar in Al-Koufa, Iraq (also known as Aaram), Ibrahim's mother became pregnant but no one could tell, as her pregnancy did not show. When she was about to give birth, she went into hiding, and gave birth to this beautiful boy who she then brought home with her.

The husband asked her: "And who this baby might be?"

She said: "He is your son." That was to be Ibrahim (AS).

He said to her: "Woman! Don't you know my position with the king, and how respectable our house is? What are we going to do when the king comes to know of this boy?"

She replied to him: "Don't you worry a thing, the king will not know; if he comes to know then I know what to do."

Ibrahim (AS) was kept inside the house and was not allowed to go out until he grew up. One day he told his mother that he wanted to go out because he was tired of being cooped up inside. His mother warned him about the king who would kill him if he came to know about him.

Azaar, Ibrahim's father was a carpenter who used to carve the idols and sell to the people for worshipping. Ibrahim (AS), however, God had guided him since he was very young. He knew that these idols which didn't see or hear could not help anyone and so were not worth worshipping. He advised his father not to worship these idols.

Ibrahim (AS) said to his father: "You take these idols for gods? For I see you and your people are making a terrible mistake."

He never stopped advising his father, he told him: "0 my father! Why worship that which does not hear or see and can not help you? 0 my father! It has come to me knowledge which has not reached you, so follow me and I will guide you to a way that is even and straight. 0 my father! I don't serve Satan, for Satan is a rebel against God Most Gracious. 0 my father I fear a penalty will come to you from God Most Gracious, so that you become to Satan a friend."

His father said: "Do you hate my gods, O Ibrahim? If you don't stop this I will stone you. Now get away from me!"

Ibrahim (AS) said: "Peace be on you, I will pray to my Lord for your forgiveness."

This is how much Ibrahim (AS) loved his father and wanted to put him in the right path, with gentle persuasive tone he tried to advise him. Despite all this argument, he still said to him that he would pray for his forgiveness from his Lord.

One day Ibrahim (AS) said to his Lord: "My Lord! Show me how You give life to the dead."

The Lord said: "Don't then believe?"

He said: "Yes! But to satisfy my own understanding."

His Lord said: "Take four birds, tame them to you and cut them to pieces. Keep a portion of them on every hill, and call them, they will come to you with speed. Then know that God is exalted in Power and Wise."

Ibrahim (AS) had complete faith in God's power, but wanted, with God's permission; to give an explanation of that faith to his own heart and mind.

Ibrahim (AS) Breaks the Idols

Ibrahim (AS) had decided that he had to do something to these idols so as to remove the roots of paganism. He openly told his people of his intentions. He said to them: "And by God, I have a plan for your idols after you go away and turn your backs." He was therefore waiting for the opportunity to do this act, a time when these idols were not under guard.

It was customary among these people to celebrate for their idols every year on a particular day. They used to go outside their town for a picnic, but before they went out they would bring a lot of food and keep in their temple near their gods so as to bring them good luck. After a day of enjoyment they would come back to their gods and eat the food that was left in the temple.

When they were going out on that day they asked Ibrahim (AS) to join them, he refused to do so and he gave them the excuse that he was not well. He found this to be the best opportunity for him to break the idols, as they would be unguarded on that day. After everybody had gone, Ibrahim (AS) went into the temple and found the food kept on the floor near the idols.

He shouted to the idols: "Why are you not eating the food?"

He did not hear a reply so he said: "Why don't you utter?"

Here he started kicking them with his feet and took an axe and started breaking them to pieces one by one, save the biggest one and kept the axe on its shoulder so that the people might turn to it when they came back. He left the temple his heart filled with joy leaving behind him food, pieces of stones and wood strewn on the floor of the temple.

When the people returned that evening, they went straight to their temple so that they would eat the food that was to bring them good luck. On entering the temple they were shocked by what they saw, pieces of their idols and food strewn all over the floor. They asked each other in surprise as to who might have done this sinful act. There were some people who had earlier heard Ibrahim (AS) of his intention to break these idols, so they said: "We heard a youth talk of them, he is called Ibrahim."

Here they knew that it was Ibrahim (AS), who did this, so they said: "Then bring him before the eyes of the people, that they may bear witness."

He was therefore brought in front of the chiefs and the people gathered to witness and hear the judgement. This is actually what Ibrahim (AS) had wanted; to be judged in front of the people so that he could prove to them that these gods they were worshiping were nothing but pieces of stones and wood.

They said to him. "Are you the one that did this to our gods, 0 Ibrahim?"

He said: "No! This was done by this - their biggest one! Ask them, if they can speak intelligently!"

They were confounded with shame and said: "You know full well that these (idols) do not speak."

Ibrahim (AS) said "Jo you then worship, besides God, things that can neither be of any good to you nor do you harm? Fire upon you, and upon the things that you worship besides God! Have you no sense?"

As soon as they admitted in so many words that the idols could not speak, Ibrahim (AS) delivered his final attack: "Then why do you worship such useless impotent creatures?" After that, there remained nothing but the argument of violence, which they, being the party in power, proceeded to exercise.

They then said: "Burn him and protect your gods, if you do (anyhing at all)"

The judgement on him was that he was to be burnt alive. They therefore collected firewood and made a large bonfire, and Ibrahim (AS) was to be thrown in it using a large catapult. He therefore stood in front of the fire without despair, putting his Faith and trust to his Lord, here Angel Jibril came and asked him: "0 Ibrahim! Do you request anything?"

Ibrahim (AS) said: "From you no, but relate this my position to your Lord He knows best."

Ibrahim (AS) was therefore thrown into the burning fire, but with the supremacy of the Lord the fire was harmless.

We said: "0 Fire thou cool, and (a means of) safety for

Abraham!" [Anbiyaa (Prophets)69]

The fire therefore became cool and harmless and Ibrahim (AS) stayed in it comfortably praying. Here we note that God had said to the fire to be cool and safe. If He had said, 'be cool' only, it might have been too cold for Ibrahim (AS) to bear.

The people sat anxiously waiting to see the result of it, but when the fire subsided they saw in front of their own eyes Ibrahim (AS) come out of it unharmed. When they saw him come out without a mark they were astounded and the news about his miraculous escape from the fire quickly spread out, and people used talked about it everywhere. They said "Ibrahim's God had saved him from the burning fire." However, even after what they saw in front of their own eyes they did not believe in God.

When the news reached king Namroud, he summoned Ibrahim (AS) to him and told him: "I hear you are going round publicizing a new religion of worshiping a new god."

Ibrahim (AS) said to him: "I am only preaching to the people to worship the one God and leave the worshiping of idols."

King Namroud said: "And what does this god of yours do that I can not do?"

Ibrahim (AS) said: "My Lord gives life and death." The king said: "I give life and death too."

Here the king brought two people in front of him and judged them both to be killed; he then ordered one to be spared and one to be killed as if he has given life and death.

Ibrahim (AS) said: "But it is God that causes the sun to rise from the east, can you then make it rise from the west?"

Thus the king was confounded by this argument and was ashamed for what he was saying.

Ibrahim (AS) continued with his hard work of preaching to the people, but in vain. He only managed to get as his followers one lady by the name of Sarah bint Haaraan who is the grand daughter of his paternal uncle, and a man by the name of Lut (Lot) Later on Ibrahim (AS) married Sarah, and Lut (AS) became a Prophet. Ibrahim together with Lut (AS) and Sarah then went to a town known as Aawr and later went to Harran and on to Palestine, preaching to the people about the worship of the one God (The Almighty).

The people of Harran (The Chaldeans) [Chaldea anciently a country on the Euphrates in Asia], they used to worship the stars. Ibrahim (AS) wanted to show these people that what they did was not correct. One night he joined them in their worship session as if he were one of them.

He saw a star and said: "This is my Lord." But when it set, he said: "I don't like gods those that disappear."

When he saw the moon rising in splendor, he said: "This is my Lord." But when the moon set, he said: "Unless my Lord guides me, I shall surely be among those who go astray."

When he saw the sun rise in splendor, he said: "This is my Lord; this is the greatest (of all)." But when the sun set, he said: "0 my people! I am indeed free from your (guilt) of giving partners to God. For me, I have set my face, firmly and truly towards Him Who created the Heavens and the Earth, and never shall I give partners to God."

His people disputed with him and threatened him with the dire consequences of his rebellion, because they felt that what he said about their gods might go against him. On the contrary, he knew that it was the Godless who had no just grounds for fear.

He said: "You dispute with me about God, when He (Himself) has guided me? I fear not (the beings) you associate with God. Unless my Lord wills, (nothing can happen). My Lord comprehends in his knowledge all things. Will you not (yourselves) be admonished? How should I fear (the beings) you associate with God, when you fear not to give partners to God without any warrant having been given to you? Which of (us) two parties have more right to security? (Tell me) if you know."

Here Ibrahim (AS) decided to move to Egypt. When he arrived in Egypt the king immediately came to know that a man with the most beautiful woman had just arrived. Sarah was one of the most beautiful ladies created on earth. The king wanted this woman for himself; he therefore summoned her to his palace. He also ordered that if the man who was with her was her husband then he should be Killed. Ibrahim (AS) therefore told his wife that if she was asked about him she should say that he was her brother (brother in God's religion). When the king's envoy came and asked Ibrahim (AS) about his relation with the lady, he said that she was his sister.

So they took Sarah to the king; and while she was on her way there she kept on praying to her Lord. She was saying: "0 my Lord! I have believed in You and in Your Prophet and have kept the private part of my body clean for my husband only. 0 my Lord! Please don't let this pagan overpower my feelings."

She was brought to the king, and when he approached her and wanted to touch her, his arm got paralyzed. He started shouting and when his people came to his aid they could not do a thing. Sarah got very scared and prayed to her Lord to release the king from this, and he was released but he tried again the second and third time and the same thing happened to him. In the end the king called his people and said: "Take away this woman from here; she is not a human being but a Satan."

The king gave Sarah a woman slave by the name of Hagar, and she left to return to her husband.

Ibrahim (AS) lived in Egypt for a long time preaching to the people to worship the one God, but they were stubborn and never wanted to believe in him. In the end he decided to move on and went to Palestine. He left there with his wife Sarah and their woman slave Hagar and lived a comfortable life with a few People who believed him.

Ibrahim (AS) died at the age of one hundred and seventy five and was buried in Hebron also known as Al-Khalil. 

Reference: The Twenty five Prophets (The Parable of the Apostles Mentioned in the Holy Quraan)", by Nassir ibn Issa ibn Said Al-Kindy. (p 39-49)