لطفا منتظر باشید ...
Ibrahim
He is
Ibrahim (Abraham) son of: Tarih, Nasoor, Sarough, and his descent goes
to Sam, son of Noah, as stated in the Torah. However, the Holy Koran
had mentioned that his father's name was "Azar". There has been
a debate about this issue.
Genealogists
differed about whether Azar was really the father of Ibrahim or not.
One opinion suggested that Azar was not the father of Ibrahim because
Allah (s.w.t.) says in his Holy Koran that Ibrahim refrained from
asking forgiveness for his father whose name appeared as "Azar" in
the Koran, and that he has disavowed him after discovering that he is
an enemy of Allah. Others are of the opinion that Azar was the
grandfather of Ibrahim (on his mother's side), which suggests that
his grandfather was an unbeliever. Moreover, historical sources
differed about the birthplace of prophet Ibrahim. Some historians
mentioned that he was born in a village
near Damascus named "Barzah" in the Qassiyoon Mountain. Others suggest,
he was born in Babel, Iraq, and the reason why his birthplace was said
to be born in Barzah was because he had prayed there after he came to
help his nephew Lut.
Ibrahim
was born after his father reached seventy-five years of age; he was
the eldest son of Azar. As he became a youth, Ibrahim got married to
Sarah, who was barren. He then migrated with his father and his wife
to the holy land and settled in Har'ran, a village near Al-Sham
whose people used to worship idols.
The
circumstances that Ibrahim (a.s.) lived in:
A
Idolatry:
The
environment that Ibrahim was born in did not differ from the one that
Noah lived in with respect to idolatry, which was then prevalent in
Babel so that every city, rather every province, had its own deity and
all the deities were joined to one big deity.
In
such an environment and circumstances, Allah (s.w.t.) bestowed upon
Ibrahim and gave him conscious awareness and gave him the belief in
one God Who is dominating the whole universe {And
certainly We gave to Ibrahim his rectitude before, and We knew him
fully well.}(Al-Anbiya:
51). So Ibrahim was resolved to guide his people and to dismantle
nulls and voids and the superstitions that they believed in from their
grandfathers. He went to them with advice, asking them about their
gods {When he said to his father and his
people: What are these images to whose worship you cleave?} (Al-Anbiya:
52).
Ibrahim
wanted to liberate his people from idolatry by showing them the path
of consciousness and guidance and that what they are doing is delusion
and against human natural disposition which is based on monotheism,
and that idolatry is false and misleading, and because Allah Who
created everything is alone the healer and the One who gives life and
takes it away; He is the Provider, the Forgiving {Who
created me, then He has shown me the way: And He Who gives me to eat
and gives me to drink: And when I am sick, then He restores me to
health. And He Who will cause me to die, then give me life; And Who, I
hope, will forgive me my mistakes on the day of judgment.}(Al-Shuara:
78-82).
B
- Ibrahim warns his father:
Ibrahim
started his call by talking with the closest to him. So he started
with his father who was on top of the idol worshippers. He even used
to carve and sell idols. It was hard for Ibrahim to see his father
doing this, so he urged him to stop while warning him of the
consequences of his disbelief in Allah. So with kindness and
tenderness as well as with a language of disapproval, Ibrahim
approached his purpose and addressed his father {O
my father! why do you worship what neither hears nor sees, nor does it
avail you in the least:}(Maryam:
42). In return, Ibrahim did not describe himself as a
well-informed scholar, but all what he has is a knowledge he acquired
from Allah. So, he was hopeful that his fathers would follow him - so
as to guide him to a straight path-, and not to follow Satan who is
the enemy who leads to aberration and eventually to torment {O
my father! truly the knowledge has come to me which has not come to
you, therefore follow me, I will guide you on a right path: O my
father! serve not the Shaitan, surely the Shaitan is disobedient to
the Beneficent Allah: O my father! surely I fear that a punishment
from the Beneficent Allah should afflict you so that you should be a
friend of the Shaitan.}(Maryam:
43-45).
But
the father did not listen to his son's advices but rather scorned him saying {Do you dislike my
gods, O Ibrahim?}(Maryam:
46). He also threatened to stone him if he does not desist from
doing so. But Ibrahim despite this harsh treatment faced his father
with magnanimity and peaceful acceptance {He
said: Peace be on you}(Maryam:
47). He also promised him to ask Allah forgiveness for him, and
if his mission would harm him then Ibrahim would be ready to isolate
himself from him and his people and the idols they used to worship.
Facing his father's stubbornness and insistence to worship idols,
Ibrahim decided to disavow himself from his father {surely
He is ever Affectionate to me:}(Maryam:
47).
C
- Ibrahim breaks the idols:
After
he faced his father's renunciation for his mission and after he
realized that his father was an enemy of Allah, Ibrahim decided to
pursue his mission. So, he went to the idols themselves with an
intention to destroy them so as to establish the evidence to his
people that these idols would neither harm nor avail them.
Ibrahim
waited for an opportunity to carry out his objective. It was a holiday
in their traditions, and his father tried to take him out with him to
participate in the ceremony perhaps this would bring in happiness to
him. So Ibrahim accepted his father's invitation. But as he went
out, he came up with an excuse to be left behind. So, he looked at the
stars and told his father that he was going to have the plague. The
people got scared of him and left him alone. He then went to where the
idols were with food and drinks in front of them (as people claimed
they eat and drink).
When
he reached the temple, Ibrahim went to the idols, saying with mockery
{What! do you not eat?}(As-Saaffat:
91). And since these idols were speechless they did not reply,
then he heaped them up with an ax and turned them into small pieces
and left the chief idol with the ax in his hand and then left the
temple.
People's
reaction of the idols' destruction:
When
the people returned and saw what happened to their idols, they asked
themselves about who would the perpetrator be. Some of them indicated
that there was a youth named Ibrahim who used to fault the idols and
mock at them. The news about the destruction of the idols reached the
rulers and Ibrahim was brought forward and
asked {Have you done this to our
gods, O Ibrahim?}(Al-Anbiya:
62). But Ibrahim, being
wise and tactful was able
to deny his relation to the incident, and referred them to the chief
idol who got angry of the others and destroyed them (He
said: Surely (some doer) has done it; the chief of them is this,
therefore ask them, if they can speak.)
Ibrahim's
words had great influence on the people. They started blaming one
another for accusing Ibrahim as they realized that these idols could
not speak. But soon they were wide-awake and shameful of their
ignorance; how can they ask speechless idols.
After
realizing that they were in trouble, the people tried to minimize the
effects of their defeat. Thus, they stopped arguing and disputing and
resorted to power and issued a death sentence (by burning) on Ibrahim.
But Allah's will was stronger than their intrigues. By His command
and will the fire that the people kindled turned into {a
comfort and peace to Ibrahim;}(Al-Anbiya:
69)
The
continuation of the mission; the proof of Allah's oneness:
Despite
the use of force against him ,Ibrahim never lost a chance to argue
with his people using all kinds of means to abolish the worshipping of
planets, the sun, and the moon. For this he employed a very precise
and subjective method so as not to degrade their idols and stultify
their beliefs because if he does so they will antagonize him. And for
his words to have the ability to penetrate their hearts {And
thus did We show Ibrahim the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and
that he might be of those who are sure. So when the night
over-shadowed him, he saw a star; said he: Is this my Lord? So when it
set, he said: I do not love the setting ones. Then when he saw the
moon rising, he said: Is this my Lord? So when it set, he said: If my
Lord had not guided me I should certainly be of the erring people.
Then when he saw the sun rising, he said: Is this my Lord? Is this the
greatest? So when it set, he said: O my people! surely I am clear of
what you set up (with Allah). Surely I have turned myself, being
upright, wholly to Him Who originated the heavens and the earth, and I
am not of the polytheists. }(Al-Anaam:
75-79).
Ibrahim
kept pace with his people and addressed them according to their minds
and perceptions so as to nullify their beliefs. He then turned to
prove Allah's divinity with the exclusion of all other creatures.
This was the conceitedness of that king (Nimrod) who
claimed divinity. After he asked to meet Ibrahim there had been a
dialogue endowed with profound significance that also revealed the
extensiveness of Ibrahim's awareness and perception. So the king
asked him about his god {My Lord is He
who gives life and causes to die}(Al-Baqara: 258). The king found himself in
an embarrassing situation {he said: I
give life and cause death}(Al-Baqara:
258), I take two men who deserve death so I kill one and by
this I am causing death and pardon the other and by that I am giving
life. But Ibrahim replied with firmness and confidence {Ibrahim
said: So surely Allah causes the sun to rise from the east, then make
it rise from the west; thus he who disbelieved was confounded; and
Allah does not guide aright the unjust people.}
(Al-Baqara: 258).
After
successfully wining this debate with the conceited king whereas
Ibrahim has proven that divine might is infinite, he asked Allah to
show him how He gives life to the dead. This issue did not lessen
Ibrahim's faith but was to restore his heart to confidence {And
when Ibrahim said: My Lord! show me how Thou givest life to the dead,
He said: What! and do you not believe? He said: Yes, but that my heart
may be at ease. He said: Then take four of the birds, then train them
to follow you, then place on every mountain a part of them, then call
them, they will come to you flying; and know that Allah is Mighty,
Wise.} (Al-Baqara:
260).
Ibrahim's
marriage to Sarah and his migration to Egypt:
Ibrahim
had settled for some time in Hirran where got married to his cousin
Sarah. And because of his people's renunciation of his mission, with
the exception of Lut, which widened the gap between him and his
people, Ibrahim decided to migrate {I
am fleeing to my Lord, surely He is the Mighty, the Wise.}(Al-Ankaboot:
26).
Ibrahim
headed towards Al-Sham known then as the Kanaan Land where he stayed
there for s short time. He was then forced along with some people to
leave Al-Sham due to severe distress that afflicted him. So he moved
to Egypt that returned from to Palestine along with his wife Sarah and
a female slave called Hajar.
Ibrahim's
marriage to Hajar:
Sarah
was a barren old woman and Ibrahim wanted to have a son. So, he called
Allah to bestow upon him a pious son and Sarah felt what was in his
mind. She asked him to marry his female slave Hajar, perhaps Allah
would endow him with a son. In deed Ibrahim got married to Hajar and
was blessed with a son whom he named Ismail (Ishmael).
Hajar
started to brag about her having a child something which evoked
jealousy in Sarah's soul who could not withstand Hajar's behavior.
So she asked Ibrahim to take her away .
Ibrahim
fulfilled Sarah's wish, which was also supported by the divine
auspices which revealed to him to take Hajar and Ismail to Mecca. So,
he walked with them until he was ordered to stop in an empty space
away from inhabited areas in the place where the Kaaba will be built.
Then he decided to return to Egypt and leave Hajar along with Ismail
there, where there was no water and food. But Hajar followed him and
tried several times to win over his sympathy, but he went on his way
back. Hajar finally realized that Allah (swt) has ordered Ibrahim to
leave her there and was contented.
Ibrahim
went back and his heart was broken but he yielded to his God while
supplicating these words {O our Lord!
surely I have settled a part of my offspring in a valley unproductive
of fruit near Thy Sacred House, our Lord! that they may keep up
prayer; therefore make the hearts of some people yearn towards them
and provide them with fruits; haply they may be grateful: O our Lord!
Surely Thou knowest what we hide and what we make public, and nothing
in the earth nor any thing in heaven is hidden from Allah:}(Ibrahim:
37-38).
Hajar
used all the food and water that Ibrahim left with them and thirst
started to creep into them. Thirst writhed Ismail, so Hajar rushed to
look for water in this barren land.
She
climbed an elevated place known as "As-Safa" but she couldn't
find a trace of water. Weary, she descended it as thirst started to
wear them out. She then climbed another elevated place called
"al-Marwa" and also could not find any water. So she went back and
forth from As-Safa to al-Marwa seven times. She then stopped and
rushed to her son as she saw the birds hovering over him. She rushed
to where her son was, and she saw the water gushing out so she scooped
up the water and gave her son to drink and drank herself.
It
happened that there was a group of people from the Borhom tribe
passing-by who saw the birds and wandered why they were hovering over
that place. Because this usually does not happen unless there is water
and they know before hand that water is not available in that area.
Thus, they sent one of them to find out what is happening there, and
he rushed back to bring the good news to them. And then the people
went to Hajar and asked her to accept their presence near by her
provided that water remains hers. Hajar welcomed them, and they
settled there until Ismail grew up and got married to a woman and
learned Arabic from her.
Ismail
consent to his father's request:
Ibrahim
did not forget his son, but kept
visiting him from time to time. Once Ibrahim dreamed that Allah
was commanding him to slaughter Ismail, and Ibrahim decided to carry
out this divine command. So, he put forth this to his son to test his
faith. Ismail agreed and told him to do whatever he is commanded to do
and that he will be loyal and content.
As
they both surrendered to Allah's fate and divine decree, Ibrahim
began to slaughter him
from his nape but the knife did not cut. Miraculously, Allah (swt)
redeemed him with a great slaughtering (ram), and so Ibrahim passed
Allah's test with flying colors .
Ibrahim
stayed away from his son for a long time, then he went back to him
when he was commissioned to carry out one of the greatest tasks in the
history of mankind , that is when Allah (s.w.t.) commanded him along
with Ismail to build the Kaaba. So they started building the Kaaba,
Ibrahim building and Ismail passing to him the blocks. They wanted to
have a burrow at the corner, so Gabriel suggested to him the Black
Stone. As they were building they were supplicating to Allah {And
when Ibrahim and Ismail raised the foundations of the House: Our Lord!
accept from us; surely Thou art the Hearing, the Knowing:}(Al-Baqara: 127) until they completed
building the Kaaba's walls.
After
finishing building the Kaaba Allah favored him with his care and
commanded him and Ismail to purify the place for the visitors and
Ibrahim called on Allah (s.w.t.) to make Mecca a safe place full of
good and subsistence {And when We made
the House a pilgrimage for men and a (place of) security, and: Appoint
for yourselves a place of prayer on the standing-place of Ibrahim. And
We enjoined Ibrahim and Ismail saying: Purify My House for those who
visit (it) and those who abide (in it) for devotion and those who bow
down (and) those who prostrate themselves. And when Ibrahim said: My
Lord, make it a secure town and provide its people with fruits, such
of them as believe in Allah and the last day. He said: And whoever
disbelieves, I will grant him enjoyment for a short while, then I will
drive him to the chastisement of the fire; and it is an evil
destination. And when Ibrahim and Ismail raised the foundations of the
House: Our Lord! accept from us; surely Thou art the Hearing, the
Knowing:
} (Al-Baqara: 125-127).
Ibrahim
was distinguished with certain characteristics
that are rarely found in prophets since he is the grandfather of the
prophets particularly the great prophet Mohammed (p.). Allah took him
up as a servant before making him a prophet and coupled his prophecy
with trueness so he was known to be very truthful {And
mention Ibrahim in the Book; surely he was a truthful man, a prophet.}
(Maryam:
41). And truthfulness was made to be one of the foundations
that prophecy rests on. Allah then took him up as an apostle to
communicate his God's mission. Then he took him up as a friend {and
Allah took Ibrahim as a friend.}
(Maryam: 41), then as an Imam {And
when his Lord tried Ibrahim with certain words, he fulfilled them. He
said: Surely I will make you an Imam of men. Ibrahim said: And of my
offspring? My covenant does not include the unjust, said He.} (Maryam: 41). Indeed, with all these
exalted and noble characteristics Ibrahim has turned into a nation in
itself who held all the virtues and who has devoted himself to the
worship of Allah {Lo! Abraham was a
nation obedient to Allah, by nature upright, and he was not of the
idolaters;} (An-Nahl:
120).
