The Story of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham, AS) Part 1

The story of Prophet Ibrahim (Peace be upon him), also known as Abraham in the Judeo-Christian tradition, is a captivating tale of faith, sacrifice, and divine guidance. As one of the most esteemed prophets in Islam, his life serves as a beacon of inspiration for believers around the world. Let’s delve into the fascinating narrative of Prophet Ibrahim and glean valuable lessons from his extraordinary journey.

Introduction To The Early Life Of Prophet Ibrahim (Peace be upon him)

Prophet Ibrahim was born into a society steeped in idolatry and ignorance. The head of the family was not even an ordinary idolater but was one who totally rejected Allah and who used to make the idols with his own hands. Despite being surrounded by polytheism, he intuitively rejected the worship of idols and sought the truth. His innate longing for spiritual enlightenment led him on a profound quest for divine guidance.

Into that family Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham, Peace be upon him was born, destined to stand against his own family, against the entire system of his community. In brief, he stood against all kinds of polytheism. Prophet Ibrahim’s (Peace be upon him) Childhood He was endowed with spiritual understanding from an early age. Allah enlightened his heart and mind and gave him wisdom from childhood. Allah the Almighty stated:

“Indeed We bestowed earlier on Abraham his (portion of) guidance, and We were Well Acquainted with him (as to his Belief in the Oneness of Allah). (Q 21:51)

During his early childhood Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham, Peace be upon him realized that his father made strange statues. One day, he asked him about what he was doing. His father replied that he made statues of gods. Prophet Ibrahim (Peace be upon him) was astonished and he spontaneously rejected the idea. Being a child he played with such statues sitting on their backs as people sit on the backs of donkeys and mules.

One day his father saw him riding the statue of Mardukh and he became furious. He ordered his son not to play with it again. Prophet Ibrahim (Peace be upon him) asked: “What is this statue, Father? It has big ears, bigger than ours.” His father answered: “It is Mardukh, the god of gods, son! These big ears show his deep knowledge.” This made Prophet Ibrahim (Peace be upon him) laugh, he was only seven years old at that time.

Prophet Ibrahim’s rejection of idol worship and his quest for truth

Years passed and Prophet Ibrahim’s (Abraham, Peace be upon him grew. Since his childhood, his heart had been full of hatred for these idols. He could not understand how a sane person could make a statue and then worship what he had made. He noticed that these idols did not eat, drink, or talk and they could not even turn themselves right side up if someone turned them upside down. How, then could people believe that such statues could harm or benefit them?

Prophet Ibrahim’s (Abraham, Peace be upon him) people had a big temple full of idols, in the middle of which was a niche accommodating the biggest gods which were of different kinds, qualities and shapes. Abraham, who used to go to the temple with his father when he was a child, greatly despised all that wood and stone. What surprised him was the way his people behaved when they entered the temple; they bowed and started to cry, begging and imploring their gods for help as if the idols could hear or understand these requests!

At first, such a sight seemed funny to Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham, Peace be upon him), but later he began to feel angry. Was it not astonishing that all those people could be deceived? What added to the problem was that his father wanted him to be a priest when he was grown. He wanted nothing more from his son than that he revere those statues, yet Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham, Peace be upon him) never stopped displaying his hatred and disdain for them.

The divine revelation and Prophet Ibrahim’s (Abraham, Peace be upon him) journey towards monotheism (Islam)

One night Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham, Peace be upon him) left his house to go to a mountain. He walked alone in the dark until he chose a cave in the mountain where he sat resting his back against its wall. He looked at the sky. He had hardly seen it when he remembered that he was looking at planets and stars which were worshipped by some people on Earth. His young heart was filled with tremendous pain. He considered what was beyond the moon, the stars, and the planets (i.e. Allah) and was astonished that these celestial bodies were worshipped by men when they had been created to worship and obey their Creator, appearing and disappearing at His command.

Prophet Ibrahim’s (Abraham, Peace be upon him) Reason With The Celestial Bodies (Stars, Moon, Sun)

Almighty Allah revealed: “Thus did We show Prophet Ibrahim’s (Abraham, Peace be upon him) the kingdom of the heavens and the earth that he be one of those who have Faith and certainty. When the night covered him over with darkness he saw a star.

He said: “This is my lord.” But when it set, he said: “I like not that those who set.” When he saw the moon rising up he said: “This is my lord.” but when it set he said: “Unless my Lord guides me, I shall surely be among the erring people.”

When he saw the sun rising up he said: “This is my lord, This is greater.” But when it set, he said: “O my people! I am indeed free from all that you join as partners in worship with Allah. Verily, I have turned my face towards Him Who has created the heavens and the earth Hanifan (Islamic Monotheism, i.e. worshipping none but Allah Alone) and I am not of the Polytheists (those who worship others besides Allah).”

His people disputed with him. He said: “Do you dispute with me concerning Allah while He has guided me and I fear not those whom you associate with Allah in worship? (Nothing can happen to me) except when my Lord (Allah) wills something. My Lord comprehends in His Knowledge all things. Will you not then remember?

“And how should I fear those whom you associate in worship with Allah (though they can neither benefit nor harm), while you fear not that you have joined in worship with Allah things for which He has not sent down to you any authority. So which of the two parties has more right to be in security? If you but know.” It is those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah and worship none but Him Alone) and confuse not their belief with disbeliefs (wrong, i.e. by worshipping others besides Allah); for them  only there is security and they are the guided.

And that was Our proof which We gave Abraham against his people. We raise whom We will in degrees. Certainly your Lord is All Wise, All Knowing. (Quran 6:75-83)

In that debate, Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham, Peace be upon him) clarified to his people that these celestial bodies do not serve as deities and cannot be worshipped as partners with Allah the Almighty. Indeed these bodies are created things, fashioned, controlled, managed, and made to serve. They appear sometimes and disappear at others, going out of sight from our world. However, Allah the Almighty does not lose sight of anything, and nothing can be hidden from Him. He is without end, everlasting without disappearance. There is no other deity but Allah.

Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham, Peace be upon him) made clear to them, first that the celestial bodies are unworthy of worship and second that they are among the signs of Allah. Almighty Allah commanded:

“And from among His Signs are the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. Prostrate not to the sun nor to the moon, but prostrate to Allah Who created them if you really worship Him. (Quran  41:37)

Prophet Ibrahim’s (Abraham, Peace be upon him) reasoning helped to reveal the truth, and then the conflict between him and his people began for the worshippers of the stars and planets did not stand mute. They began arguing and threatening Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham, Peace be upon him). Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham, Peace be upon him) replied:

“Do you dispute with me concerning Allah while He has guided me, and I fear not those whom you associate with Allah in worship? Nothing can happen to me except when my Lord (Allah) wills something. My Lord comprehends in His Knowledge all things. Will you not then remember? How should I fear those whom you associate in worship with Allah (though they can neither benefit or harm), while you fear not that you have joined in worship with Allah things for which He has not sent down to you any authority?

So which of the two parties has more rights to be in security? If you but know! It is those who believe (in the oneness of Allah and worship none but Him Alone) and confuse not their belief with disbelief (wrong by worshipping others besides Allah), for them only there is security and they are the guided.” (Quran 6:80-82)

Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham, Peace be upon him) Reason With The Idolaters (Idol Worshippers)

The curtains are drawn on the first category of the people, those who were worshipping celestial bodies (sun, moon, stars). The next situation reveals the second group, those who were practicing idolatry. Allah gave Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham, Peace be upon him) the reasoning he needed the first time and every time he
argued with his people. Almighty Allah declared:

“And that was Our Proof which We gave Abraham against his people. We raised whom We will in degrees. Certainly your Lord is All Wise, All Knowing. (Quran 6:83)

Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham, Peace be upon him) did his best to make his people heedful to the belief in the oneness of Almighty Allah and to the worship of Him alone. He bade them to firmly renounce the worship of idols. He said to his father and his people:

“What are these images, to which you are devoted?” they said: “We found our fathers worshipping them.” He said: “Indeed you and your fathers have been in manifest error.” They said: “Have you brought us the truth, or are you one of those who play about?” He said: “Nay, your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, Who created them and of that I am of the witnesses.” (Quran 21:52-56)

Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham, Peace be upon him) reasons with his Father

All was finished between Abraham and his people and the struggle began. The most amazed and furious was his father (as it is well known) didn’t only worshipped idols but sculpted and sold them as well. Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham, Peace be upon him)felt that it was his duty as a good son to advise his father against this evil so that he could be saved from Allah’s punishment.

Being a wise son he did not make his father feel foolish, nor did he openly laugh at his conduct. He told him that he loved him, thereby hoping to generate fatherly love. Then he gently asked him why he worshipped lifeless idols who could not hear, see or protect him. Before his father could become angry he hastily added:

“O my father! Verily! There has come to me of knowledge that which came not unto you. So follow me. I will guide you to a Straight Path. O my father! Worship not Satan. Verily! Satan has been a rebel against the Most Beneficent (Allah). O my father! Verily! I fear lest a torment from the Most Beneficent (Allah) overtake you as that you become a companion of Satan (in the Hellfire).”

He (the father) said: “Do you reject my gods, O Abraham? If you stop not this, I will indeed stone you. So get away from me safely before I punish you.” Abraham said: “Peace be on you! I will ask Forgiveness of my Lord for you. Verily! He is unto me, Ever Most Gracious. And I shall turn away from you and from those whom you invoke besides Allah.” (Quran 19:43-48)

Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham, Peace be upon him) debates with the Idolaters

His father’s harsh treatment did not stop Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham, Peace be upon him) from delivering the message of truth. Angry and sad to see people prostate before idols, he was determined to stamp out these practices and went to the town to debate with the people knowing full well that he might suffer harm. Like a wise doctor searching for the cause of a sickness to prescribe the proper cure, or like a judge who questioned the accused sharply so that he mighty detect the truth, Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham, Peace be upon him) asked them:

“Do the idols see you when you prostrate before them? Do they benefit you in any way.” They quickly tried to defend their beliefs. They argued that they knew the idols were lifeless but that their forefathers had worshipped them; to them this was proof enough for their belief. Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham, Peace be upon him) explained that their forefathers had been wrong. This angered them and they retorted: “Are you condemning our gods and our forefathers? Or are you just joking?”

Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham, Peace be upon him)showed no fear as he replied: “I am serious. I come to you with a true religion. I have been sent with guidance from our Lord Who alone is worthy of worship, Who is the Creator of the heavens and the earth, and Who regulates all affairs of life, unlike the dumb idols which are just stone and wood.” To convince them that the idols could not harm him, he challenged: “I have already
condemned them; if they had any power they would have harmed me by now!”

Before you continue reading the next part, kindly read some of the lessons we can learn from this first part of the story: