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Ibrahim
A (Abraham)
was a Rasul (Messenger)
of Allah (God), who is
respected equally in all the three major religions of the
world - Islam, Christianity and Judaism.
All of these three religions
emerged from the Middle East.
Rusul
(Messengers) of Islam,
Christianity and Judaism were all from the family
of Ibrahim A (Abraham).
And
We bestowed on him [Ibrahim (Abraham)], Ishaq
(Isaac) and Ya’qub (Jacob), and We ordained among his
offspring Prophethood and the Book [i.e. the Taurat
(Torah) (to Musa – Moses), the Injil
(Gospel) (to “Isa – Jesus), and the Qur-an
(to Muhammad S), all from the offspring of Ibrahim
(Abraham)], and We granted him reward in this world; and verily,
in the Hereafter he is indeed among the righteous.
Surah
(Chapter) Al-Ankabut
(The
Spider)
The Qur-an 29:27
Ibrahim
A (Abraham) was born
in a place called
Ur
in 'Iraq.
People of
Ur
used to worship stars and idols.
Azar,
the father of Ibrahim A (Abraham)
was a carpenter, who used to make wooden idols of gods
for worship.
Ibrahim
A (Abraham) was always searching for
the true God to worship. Eventually he found the truth and
became a believer in Allah
(God).
Even in his childhood, Ibrahim
A (Abraham) never worshipped idols.
He knew that the idols were made by people like his
father and was convinced that worshipping idols was
wrong.
He tried to reason with them that those idols
can not hear, speak or do any thing; then how could they grant
their wishes or help them in times of trouble? He tried to
tell them not to follow wrong traditions of their forefathers
and seek refuge in Allah (God)
– Lord of the universe
And
recite to them the story of Ibrahim (Abraham)
When
he said to his father and his people: “What do you worship?”
They
said” We worship idols, and to them we are ever devoted.”
He
said: “Do they hear you, when you call on (them)?”
“Or
do they benefit you or do they harm (you)?”
They
said: “(Nay) but we found our fathers doing so.”
He
said: “Do you observe that which you have been worshipping
-
“You
and your ancient fathers?
Verily they are enemies to me, save the Lord of the 'Alamin
(mankind, jinn and all that exists),
“Who has created me, and it is He Who guides me.
“And it is He Who feeds me and gives me to drink.
“And when I am ill, it is He who cures me.
“And
Who will cause me to die, and
then will bring me to life (again).
“And Who, I hope, will forgive me my faults on the Day of
Recompense, (the Day of Resurrection).
Surah
(Chapter) Ash -Shu’ara” (The
Poets) The Qur-an 26:69-82
Ibrahim
A (Abraham)
knew that his father was wrong by worshipping idols. His father
became very angry at him, when he requested him to stop the
wrong practice.
He threatened to punish his son severely.
He
(the father) said: “Do you reject my gods, O Ibrahim
(Abraham)? If you stop
not (this), I will indeed stone you. So get away from me safely
(before I punish you).”
Surah
(Chapter) Maryam (Mary)
The Qur-an 19:46
Ibrahim
A (Abraham)
knew that his father and people like him would not listen
to him. Still, he prayed to Allah (God) for
his forgiveness.
Ibrahim
(Abraham) said: “Peace be on you! I will ask Forgiveness of
my
Lord for you. Verily He is unto me Ever Most Gracious.
Surah
(Chapter) Maryam (Mary)
The Qur-an 19:47
Ibrahim
A (Abraham)
prayed for his father but he realized that his father was
an enemy of Allah (God)
and parted ways with him.
“And
Ibrahim’s (Abraham) invoking (of Allah)
for his father’s forgiveness was only because of a promise
he [Ibrahim (Abraham)] had made to him (his
father).
But when it became clear to him [Ibrahim (Abraham)]
that he (his father) is an enemy of Allah, he
disassociated himself from him. Verily Ibrahim
(Abraham) was Awwah (one who invokes Allah
with humility, glorifies Him and remembers Him much)
and was forbearing.”
Surah
(Chapter) At-Taubah
(The Repentance)
The Qur-an 9:114
Ibrahim
A (Abraham)
had the responsibility to bring his people to the Path of
Allah (God). He vowed to destroy
all idols of his village.
“And by Allah, I shall plot a
plan (to destroy) your idols after you have gone
away and turned your backs.”
Surah
(Chapter) Al-Anbiya”
(The Messengers) The
Qur-an 21:57
Once,
people of his town had gone to a fair. Ibrahim
A (Abraham) got inside the main temple
of his town, when no one saw him going inside the temple.
Ibrahim
A (Abraham) smashed all the idols of the temple with
a hammer, except the biggest idol of that temple, and
placed the hammer on its shoulder.
So he broke them to pieces, (all) except
the biggest of them, that they might
turn to it.
Surah
(Chapter) Al-Anbiya” (The
Messengers) The Qur-an 21:58
When
people of his town returned from the fair, they were shocked
to see their idols broken. They immediately suspected
Ibrahim A (Abraham), because he always preached
against idol-worship.
They said: “Who has done this to our
alihah (gods)? He must be indeed be one
of the Zalimun (wrong-doers).”
They
said: “We heard a young man talking against them, who
is called Ibrahim (Abraham).”
Surah
(Chapter) Al-Anbiya”
(The Messengers) The
Qur-an 21:59-60
They
summoned Ibrahim
A (Abraham) to enquire about their broken idols.
They
said: “Then bring him before the eyes of the people, that
they
may testify.”
Surah
(Chapter) Al-Anbiya” (The
Messengers) The Qur-an 21:61
Ibrahim
A (Abraham) came to the. They asked him whether he was the
one that had broken their idols.
Ibrahim
A (Abraham) told them that they should ask their idols
about the incident. By looking at the scene it seemed
as if the largest idol had done that since there was a hammer
on its shoulder.
The
people of his town said that idols could not speak
or tell stories, nor could they move to cause damage to other
idols.
Then they turned to themselves (their
first thought and said): “Indeed you
[Ibrahim (Abraham)] know well that these (idols)
speak not!”
Surah
(Chapter) Al-Anbiya” (The
Messengers) The Qur-an 21:65
Ibrahim
A (Abraham) asked them that since these idols
could not speak, nor move, nor could they save themselves,
how can they harm or profit them. He further told them that
these idols cannot fulfill their wishes either, because they
do not have any powers.
[Ibrahim (Abraham)] said:
Do you then worship besides Allah, things that can
neither profit you, nor harm you?
“Fie upon you, and upon that which you
worship besides Allah! Have you then no sense?”
Surah
(Chapter) Al-Anbiya”
(The Messengers) The
Qur-an 21:66-67
People
from the town of Ibrahim A (Abraham)
did not like it and got furious by his answer. They decided
to punish Ibrahim A (Abraham) by burning
him alive.
They said: “Burn him and help your alihah
(gods), if you will be doing.”
Surah
(Chapter) Al-Anbiya”
(The Messengers) The
Qur-an 21:68
They
made a large fire and threw Ibrahim A
(Abraham) in it, but Allah (God) protected him.
We
(Allah) said: “O fire! Be you coolness and safety for
Ibrahim (Abraham)!”
Surah
(Chapter) Al-Anbiya”
(The Messengers) The
Qur-an 21:70
Ibrahim
A (Abraham)
continued spreading the word of Allah (God).
Once,
Ibrahim A
(Abraham) went to the court of the king
of his land. Because of his power, the King thought that he
had control over life and death. Ibrahim
A (Abraham) told him that only Allah (God)
controls life and death.
The
kind did not agree with Ibrahim A (Abraham).
To prove his point, he called two people of his court and
got one of them killed and allowed the other one to go.
The
King told Ibrahim A (Abraham) that he
had proven that he controls life and death, not Allah
(God); as he gave death to one and life to the other person.
Ibrahim
A (Abraham) gave him a simple task to actually
prove the same point. He told the King that Allah
(God) makes the sun rise from east
every day; can he make the sun rise from west just once?
The
King did not have any answer to that.
Have you not looked at him who disputed
with Ibrahim (Abraham) about His
Lord (Allah), because Allah had given him the
kingdom? When Ibrahim (Abraham) said (to
him): “My Lord (Allah) is He Who gives life and causes
death.” Ibrahim (Abraham) said, “Verily! Allah
brings the sun from the east;
then bring it you from the west.” So the unbeliever was utterly
defeated.
And Allah guides not the people who are Zalimun
(wrong-doers).
Surah
(Chapter) Al-Baqarah (The Cow)
The Qur-an 2:258
Ibrahim
A (Abraham)
began spreading the message of Allah (God) among his
people, but they did not agree with him and wanted him to
leave their town.
Ibrahim
A (Abraham) migrated (Made Hijrah) from Ur,
with his wife Sarah and his nephew Lut
A (Lot), also a Rasul (Messenger) of Allah
(God).
Ibrahim
A (Abraham) stayed in Filastin
(Palestine) for some
time before moving to Misr
(Egypt) to spread the
Message of Allah
(God).
In
the beginning the King of Misr
(Egypt) tried to misbehave
with his family, but when he found out that Ibrahim
A (Abraham) was a Rasul (Messenger) of Allah
(God), he repented and sent his daughter Hajar
(Hagar) to serve him.
Ibrahim
A (Abraham) and his wife Sarah
did not have any child after many years of their marriage.
Sarah asked Ibrahim A (Abraham)
to marry Hajar (Hagar), to get an heir. Soon
after their marriage, Hajar (Hagar) gave birth
to a son Isma'il A (Ishmael).
Sarah
still did not have any child of her own. She began to feel
uncomfortable in living with Hajar (Hagar) and
her son Isma'il A (Ishmael).
One
day Sarah told Ibrahim A
(Abraham) that she did not want to live with Hajar
(Hagar)
and her son Isma'il A
(Ishmael), any more. Allah (God) commanded
Ibrahim
A (Abraham) to take Hajar
(Hagar) and Isma'il
A (Ishmael) to a far away place. After a long journey, they
arrived at the valley of Makkah in Arabia.
That was a very hostile place and the valley was completely
barren. The valley of Makkah was on the route
of caravans that traveled between Sham
(Syria) and Yaman (Yemen), but
did not stop there because there was no water or vegetation
in that area. No one lived there because the area was inhabitable.
Ibrahim
A (Abraham) told Hajar
(Hagar) that he is leaving them
in the valley of Makkah to fulfill the wish
of Allah (God). He
prayed for the safety of Hajar
(Hagar) and Isma'il A
(Ishmael) before returning.
He
prayed to Allah (God) to look after his family
before he embarked on his return journey.
“O our Lord! I have made some of my
offspring to dwell in an uncultivable valley
by Your Sacred House (the Ka’bah at Makkah) in order,
O our Lord, that they
may perform As-Salah (Iqamat-as-Salah).
So fill some hears among men with
love towards them, and (O Allah) provide them with
fruits so that they may give
thanks.
Surah
(Chapter) Ibrahim (Abraham)
The Qur-an 14:37
Ibrahim
A (Abraham) returned to Misr
(Egypt) after leaving some
food and water for Hajar (Hagar) and Isma'il
A (Ishmael).
The
supply of water exhausted some time after Ibrahim
A (Abraham) went back to Sarah. When infant
Isma'il A (Ishmael) got very thirsty,
his mother Hajar (Hagar) went in search of water.
She put Isma'il A (Ishmael) on ground
and ran atop a hillock to locate water. When she could not
see any source of water from there, she ran down and climbed
another nearby hillock. She ran between these two hills several
times but could not locate any source of water within the
visible distance. In desperation, Hajar (Hagar)
prayed to Allah (God) for help.
Allah
(God) sent Jibril A (Gabriel), a Malak
(Angel) to help them, and
made the spring of Zamzam to appear there.
Hajar
(Hagar) and Isma'il A (Ishmael) settled
near the Zamzam well, in the
valley of Makkah. As time went by, they
began serving the caravans which passed through that area.
The valley of Makkah became a popular stop for
the caravans because of water.
With
time, nomadic tribes, which usually roamed in search of water,
settled down near Zamzam. This was the beginning
of the city of Makkah.
Muslims
commemorate the Sa’i (Attempt)
of Hajar (Hagar) in finding water for her son
Isma’il A (Ishmael) as a key ritual to
Hajj (Pilgrimage to the Ka’bah)
and ‘Umrah (Lesser Pilgrimage to the Ka’bah);
by running between the hills of Safa
and Marwah seven times.
Back
in Misr
(Egypt),
Sarah gave birth to Ishaq A (Isaac)
when she was quite old.
Allah
(God) sent Mala”ikah
(Angels) to give Ibrahim
A (Abraham) the good news of his second son.
Has
the story reached you, of the honored guests [three angels;
Jibril (Gabriel) along with another two] of Ibrahim
(Abraham)?
When they came in to him and said: “Salam,
(peace be upon you)!” He
answered: “Salam, (peace be upon you),” and
said: “You are a people
unknown to me.”
Then
he turned to his household, and brought out a
roasted calf [as the property of Ibrahim (Abraham)
was mainly cows].
And placed it before them, (saying):
“Will you not eat?”
Then
he conceived fear of them (when they ate not). They said:
“Fear not.” And
they gave him glad tidings of a son having knowledge (about
Allah and His
religion of True Monotheism).
Then
his wife came forward with a loud voice: she smote her face,
and said:
“A barren old woman!”
They
said: “Even says so your Lord. Verily, He is the All-Wise,
the All-Knower.”
Surah
(Chapter) Adh
Dhariyat (The Winds
that Scatter) The Qur-an 51:24-30
Although
Ibrahim A (Abraham) had another son Ishaq
A (Isaac); he was always worried about Hajar
(Hagar) and Isma'il A (Ishmael) and always
prayed
to Allah
(God) for their well being.
Finally, he decided to visit his family; he had left in the
valley of Makkah many years ago. He thanked
Allah
(God) when he
found Hajar (Hagar) and Isma'il
A (Ishmael) living there happily.
After
his first trip to his family in a long time, Ibrahim
A (Abraham) continued to visit
them in Makkah.
During
several such trips to Makkah, Ibrahim
A (Abraham) constructed the Ka'bah with
the help of his elder son Isma'il A (Ishmael).
And
(remember) when Ibrahim (Abraham) and (his son)
Isma’il (Ishmael) were raising the foundations
of the House (the Ka’bah at Makkah), (saying), “Our
} Lord! Accept (this service) from us. Verily! You are the
All-Hearer, the All-Knower.”
Surah
(Chapter) Al-Baqarah
(The Cow) The Qur-an
2:127
Allah
(God) told Ibrahim A
(Abraham) about the site for the
construction of the Ka'bah.
And (remember) when We showed Ibrahim
(Abraham) the site of the (Sacred) House (the Ka’bah
at Makkah) (saying): “Associate not anything (in worship)
with Me, [La ilaha illallah (none
has the right to be worshipped but Allah) – Islamic
Monotheism], and sanctify My House for those who circumambulate
it, and those who stand up (for prayer), and those who
bow (submit themselves with humility and obedience to
Allah), and make prostration (in prayer);”
Surah
(Chapter) Al
Hajj (The Pilgrimage)
The Qur-an 22:26
Ibrahim
A (Abraham) and Isma’il
A (Ishmael) prayed to Allah
(God) after constructing the Ka'bah
for the people of Makkah.
“Our Lord! Send amongst them
a Messenger of their own (and indeed Allah answered
their invocations by sending Muhammad S), who shall
recite unto them Your Verses and instruct them in the Book
(this Qur’an) and Al-Hikmah (full knowledge
of the Islamic laws and jurisprudence or wisdom or Prophethood),
and purify them. Verily! You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.”
Surah
(Chapter) Al-Baqarah
(The Cow) The Qur-an
2:129
After
his visits to Makkah, Ibrahim
A
(Abraham) used to return to his first wife
Sarah and his younger son Ishaq
A (Isaac).
He came to settle down at Makkah
with Hajar (Hagar) and Isma'il
A (Ishmael), after Sarah died. His younger
son Ishaq A (Isaac) had grown up by then.
Once,
while Ibrahim A (Abraham) was
living in Makkah, he saw a dream that Allah
(God) wanted him to sacrifice his son Isma'il
A (Ishmael), who being his elder son was very dear
to him. Being an obedient servant of Allah (God),
he without any hesitation, decided to sacrifice Isma'il
A (Ishmael).
Ibrahim
A (Abraham) told Isma'il A
(Ishmael) about his decision, who
readily agreed for it. He was also glad to know that he was
chosen by his Lord, Allah
(God) for the sacrifice. Ibrahim
A (Abraham) took Isma'il A (Ishmael)
near the hill of Marwah for performing the sacrifice.
Ibrahim
A (Abraham) and Isma'il A
(Ishmael) both got ready for the sacrifice. Allah
(God) saved Isma'il A (Ishmael) in time
and replaced him with a ram.
Allah
(God) rewarded both of them for their steadfastness
and total submission and faithfulness to Him.
And,
when he (his son) was old enough to walk with him, he said:
“O my son!
I have seen a dream that I am slaughtering you (offering you
in sacrifice
to Allah).
So look what you think! He said: “O my father! Do that which
you are commanded, Insha” Allah (if Allah
wills), you shall find me of As-Sabirun
(the patient).”
Then,
when they had both submitted themselves (to
the Will of Allah), and he had laid him prostrate on his
forehead (or on the side of his forehead for slaughtering);
We
called out to him: “O Ibrahim (Abraham)!
You
have fulfilled the dream!” Verily thus do we reward the Muhsinin
(ggod-doers).
Verily,
that indeed was a manifest trial.
And
We ransomed him with a great sacrifice (i.e. a ram);
And
We left for him (a goodly remembrance)
among the later generations.
“Salam
(peace) be upon Ibrahim
(Abraham)!”
Surah
(Chapter) As-Saffat
(Those Ranged in Ranks)
The Qur-an 37:102-109
Muslims
remember this great sacrifice all over the world and
sacrifice animals to commemorate the event
during ‘Id-al-Adh-ha
(The Festival of Sacrifice)
each year.
This
sacrifice is done in the month of Dhul
Hijjah (Twelfth month
of the Islamic Calendar).
Ibrahim
A (Abraham) was especially blessed by Allah
(God), for coming out successfully from severe tests that
He subjected him to.
And (remember) when the Lord of Ibrahim
(Abraham) [i.e. Allah] tried him with (certain)
commands, which he fulfilled. He (Allah) said (to him),
“Verily, I am going to make you an Imam
(a leader) for mankind (to follow you).” [Ibrahim
(Abraham)] said, “And of my offspring (to make leaders).”
(Allah) said, “My Covenant (Prophethood) includes
not Zalimun (Polytheists and wrong-doers).”
Surah
(Chapter) Al-Baqarah (The Cow)
The Qur-an 2:124
Allah
(God) amply rewarded Ibrahim A (Abraham)
for his obedience.
And
We bestowed on him [Ibrahim (Abraham)], Ishaq
(Isaac) and Ya’qub, and We ordained among his offspring
Prophethood and the Book [i.e. the Taurat (Torah) (to
Musa – Moses), the Injeel (Gospel) (to ‘Isa
– Jesus), and the Qur’an (to Muhammad S), all from
the offspring of Ibrahim (Abraham)], and We
granted him his reward in this world; and verily, in the Hereafter
he is indeed among the righteous.
Surah
(Chapter) Al-‘Ankabut (The
Spider) The Qur-an 29:27
Isma'il
A (Ishmael) and Ishaq A (Isaac)
both sons of Ibrahim A (Abraham), became
Rusul (Messengers)
of Allah (God).
Ya'qub
A (Jacob), the grandson of Ibrahim A
(Abraham) from his younger son Ishaq A
(Isaac) also became a Rasul
(Messenger) of Allah
(God).
A
large number of Rusul
(Messengers) come from his family as a result
of Allah’s (God) pleasure with him.
There
were two branches of his family from both of his sons:
Isma'il
A
(Ishmael)
Elder
son of Ibrahim A (Abraham)
Descendants
of Isma'il A
(Ishmael)
settled in Arabia. Quraysh
and other Arab tribes were from his family.
Muhammad
S, the last Rasul
(Messenger) of Allah
(God), was a direct descendant
of Isma'il A
(Ishmael).
Ishaq
A (Isaac)
Younger
son of Ibrahim A (Abraham)
His
son Ya'qub A (Jacob) was also a Rasul
(Messenger) of Allah (God).
Ya'qub
A (Jacob) was also known as Isra'il.
Many
other Rusul (Messengers)
of Allah (God) were his descendants.
Yusuf
A (Joseph),
Musa A (Moses), Dawud
A (David), Yahya A (John), Sulayman
A (Solomon) and 'Isa A
(Jesus) were from his family.
All
Rusul (Messengers)
of Islam, Christianity,
and Judaism were from the family of Ibrahim
A (Abraham).
Millions
of Muslims visit the Ka’bah constructed
by Ibrahim
A
(Abraham) with the help of his elder son Isma'il
A
(Ishmael), to perform
Hajj (Pilgrimage to the Ka'bah)
every year in the month of Dhul Hijjah.
Muslims also flock to the Ka’bah throughout
the year for performing ‘Umrah (Lesser Pilgrimage
to the Ka’bah).
Allah
(God) has made Hajj (Pilgrimage to
the Ka'bah) a Fard (Compulsory)
for every Muslim once in their life-time, if they can
afford the expenses and the rigors of the journey.
In it are manifest signs (for example),
the Maqam (place) of Ibrahim (Abraham);
whoever enters it, he attains security. And whosoever enters
it, he attains security. And Hajj (pilgrimage
to Makkah) to the House (Ka’bah) is a duty that mankind
owes to Allah, those who can afford the expenses (for
one’s conveyance, provision and residence); and whoever disbelieves
[i.e. denies Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah), then
he is a disbeliever of Allah], then Allah stands
not in need of the ‘Alamin (mankind,
jinn and all that exists).
Surah
(Chapter) Al ‘Imran (The Family
of ‘Imran) The Qur-an 3:97
Ibrahim
A (Abraham)
also received a Book from Allah (God), with
the same Message that other Rusul (Messengers) including
Muhammad S, had received.
Verily, We have sent the revelation to you (O Muhammad
S) as We sent the revelation to Nuh (Noah) and the
Prophets after him; We (also) sent the revelation to Ibrahim
(Abraham), Isma’il (Ishmael), Ishaq (Isaac),
Ya’qub (Jacob), and Al-Asbat [the offspring
of the twelve sons of Ya’qub (Jacob)], ‘Isa
(Jesus), Ayyub (Job), Yunus (Jonah), Harun
(Aaron), and Sulayman (Solomon); and to Dawud
(David) We gave the Zabur (Psalms).
Surah
(Chapter) An-Nisa” (The Woman)
The Qur-an 4:163
Allah
(God) commanded Muhammad S to
follow the religion of Ibrahim A
(Abraham).
Then, We have sent the revelation to
you (O Muhammad S saying): “Follow the
religion of Ibrahim (Abraham) Hanif
(Islamic Monotheism – to worship none but
Allah) and he was not of the Mushrikun
(polytheists, idolaters and disbelievers).
Surah
(Chapter) An-Nahl (The Bee)
The Qur-an 16:123
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