The Story of Prophet Ibrahim Abraham in Islam

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيم

Praise be to God the Creator of the world, the One Who exists without beginning, without end, without location, without a “how” and Who does not depend on time. Nothing resembles Him in anyway and He hears and sees everything without organs. Whatever you imagine, God is different from that. May the elevation in degree and preservation of his community of what he fears for it, be granted to our master MuHammad Al-‘Amin, the Honest One, who called for following Islam, the religion of truth, the religion of all the Prophets: of the First, Adam, to the last MuHammad.

The people of Babel did not believe in God

The people of Babylon lived their life enjoying all kinds of riches. But they forgot that all they had were endowments from Allâh Almighty. They followed what Satan decorated for them – they crafted idols with their own hands and then worshipped them. These idols could not do anything of benefit or otherwise.

Nimrud was the name of their king, who was deceptive and arrogant. He claimed to be god and ordered his subjects to worship him alone.

The Prophet Ibrahim Abraham called them to Islam

The Prophet Ibrâhîm Abraham was born into these shocking surroundings. Allâh inspired Prophet Ibrahim Abraham with the proper belief from his early childhood. Prophet Ibrâhîm Abraham worshipped only Allâh. He knew that Allâh did not resemble any of His creation. Prophet Ibrâhîm Abraham also knew that Allâh is the Creator of the entire universe and all of its entities.

When Prophet Ibrâhîm received the Islamic revelations, he called his people to worship Allâh alone. He ordered them to leave worshipping the idols that they crafted and decorated, and to avoid slaughtering the animals for them. Lots of his people disobeyed him and they became more arrogant. Nimroud the king was among the first to disobey.

Prophet Ibrâhîm Abraham saw that the people continued to worship idols. They rejected Prophet Abraham’s call and the clear signs that he came with. Accordingly, he decided to do something with these idols to prove to his people that they were only objects and did not deserve to be worshipped. Perhaps then they would realize their deep ignorance.

The destruction of statues by Prophet Ibrahim Abraham

It was customary that every year, people would make a celebration for their idols, during which they would go outside the city to the gardens.

At the time, Prophet Ibrâhîm Abraham took advantage and entered the house where all the idols were kept and worshipped. There he saw a big idol and on its left and right were smaller ones. He held an axe in his right hand and went on smashing all the small idols until they were all destroyed. He then hung the axe on the big one’s neck, so that when his people returned they could see for themselves that these things could not even protect themselves. How can they worship them instead of worshipping Allâh the Almighty?

The wrath of the people of Prophet Ibrahim Abraham

When his people returned they knew that it was Prophet Ibrâhîm Abraham that destroyed their idols and because of their deep ignorance they could not understand the reason Ibrahim did this. They were furious. They wanted to take revenge. They chose the most severe punishment, to burn him alive.

In a huge ditch, the blasphemers placed all the wood they could collect. They lit the wood, its high flames crackled and roared like no one had ever seen or heard before. It was so intense that it burned the birds that flew above it. The blasphemers could not even come close enough so as to throw prophet Ibrâhîm Abraham in it.

The preparation of the fire and the intervention of Iblis the devil

There Satan the cursed came to them in a shape of a man and taught them how to make a catapult, this was not known before. It was said that Hayzin was the first man among them to make it and Allâh made the ground swallow him.

The attempt to burn the prophet Ibrahim Abraham. God has preserved His Prophet

The people started tying Prophet Ibrahim’s hands and shoulders and he was saying:

« لا اله الا انت سبحانك – لك الحمد ولك الملك لا شريك لك »

(Lâ ‘ilâha ‘il-lâ ‘anta subHânaka laka l-Hamdu wa laka l-mulku lâ charîka lak)

which means: « Only Allâh the Exalted is the true God, all thanks are due to Him. He has no partner and is the true Owner of everything. »

As prophet Ibrâhîm Abraham was thrown in the fire he said in full reliance on Allâh:

« حسبنا الله ونعم الوكيل »

(Hasbuna l-Lâhu wa ni`ma l-wakîl)

which means: « Allâh’s support is enough for me. He is the best to rely upon. »

Allâh gave prophet Ibrahim a great miracle, the fire did not burn him, and did not hurt him, yet it burnt the ties that tied him:

« قُلْنَا يَا نَارُ كُونِي بَرْدًا وَسَلامًا عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ »

(qulnâ yâ nâru kûnî bardan wa salâman `alâ ‘Ibrâhîm)

which means: « Allâh ordered the fire to be cold and safe on Ibrâhîm. » [surat Al-‘Anbiyâ, ‘âyah 69]. People stood looking at the horrific fire from a far distance.

Days went by and the king had no doubt that the fire had consumed prophet Ibrâhîm. Then he saw prophet Ibrâhîm seated and a man sitting right next to him that looked like him. He said to his people « I saw as if Ibrahim was alive, I think I am seeing things, build me a high stand to see what is the matter. » So they did and as he looked from it he saw Ibrâhîm and next to him another man that looked identical to him. He yelled « oh Ibrâhîm can you get out of the fire. » Ibrahim said « Yes. » The king then asked « Are you afraid of being burnt if you stay in it? » Ibrâhîm answered « No. »

Allâh saved Ibrahim from the fire and when he got out he was asked « who was the one sitting next to you », he answered « that was the angel of shades, Allâh has sent him to give me good company. »

The stubbornness of the king and his idolatrous people

Prophet Ibrâhîm was given great miracles, even though Nimroud the king and many of his people did not believe in Allâh and remained on their blasphemy. Very few believed in Prophet Ibrâhîm and kept it in secret in fear of their king.