Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.)
Quran References:
Prophet Ibrahim (AS) is mentioned 69 times in the following Ayats in the Quran.
(Quran, 2:124-127, 2:130, 2:132-133, 2: 135-136, 2:140, 2:258, 2:260, 3:33, 3:65, 3: 67-68, 3:84, 3:95, 3:97, 3:113, 3:124, 4:154, 4:125, 4:163, 6:74-75, 6:83-84, 6:161-163, 9:114, 11:69, 12:6, 14:35, 14:37, 14:39, 14:41, 16:120-121, 16: 123-124, 19:41, 19:46, 21:51, 21:60, 21:62, 21:69, 22:26, 22:43, 22:46, 26:69, 26:75, 26:87, 29:16, 29:18, 37:83, 37:104, 37:109-110, 37: 112-113, 43:26, 43:28, 43:36, 60:4, 60:6-7, 60:8, 60:10, 87:19)
Prophet Ibrahim (AS) is one of the six Prophets who have a Surah named after them in the Quran.
Early Life of Ibrahim and His Rejection of Idolatry:
From an early age, Allah SWT enlightened Prophet Ibrahim’s heart and gave him wisdom.
From his childhood, Ibrahim (AS) realised that his father (Azar) made some strange statues. One day, he asked him what he was making and his father replied: these are the statues of gods.
Prophet Ibrahim (AS) had a lot of hate for these statues and he could not understand how people could make these statues with their own hands and then worship what they made.
Prophet Ibrahim Debating With His People:
Prophet Ibrahim (AS) would often debate with his people and he would tell them that the statues had no benefit and could not be worshipped as partners with Allah SWT.
The conflict between Ibrahim (AS) and his people began and they would argue and threaten Ibrahim.
Prophet Ibrahim (AS) tried to influence the people to believe in Allah SWT alone.
Prophet Ibrahim’s Dua For His Father:
Ibrahim (AS) then told his father about how Allah SWT blessed him with knowledge and told him to follow the guidance of the straight path.
Ibrahim’s father responded: Do you reject my Gods? If you do not stop this, I will indeed stone you, so get away from me before I punish you.
Ibrahim replied: Peace be on you; I will ask forgiveness of my Lord for you.
Prophet Ibrahim Questions the People about the Idols:
Ibrahim (AS) then asked the idolaters: Do the idols see you when you prostrate before them, do they benefit you in any way?
The people argued that they knew the idols were lifeless, but their forefathers had worshipped them.
Prophet Ibrahim (AS) then told them that their forefathers were wrong. This angered the people and they said: Are you condemning our gods and our forefathers?
Ibrahim (AS) replied: I come to you with a true religion, I have been sent guidance from our Lord who alone is worthy of worship, unlike the dumb idols which are just stone and wood.
Destruction of the Idols:
Prophet Ibrahim (AS) then waited until there was a festival on the other side of the city.
The people of the city had left food in front of their idols as they believed that their ‘gods’ would eat the food that was provided.
Ibrahim (AS) took a sharp axe and approached the idols.
Prophet Ibrahim (AS) asked all the statues around him: ‘will you not eat of the offering before you’ (Quran, 37:91)
He asked the idols: ‘What is wrong with you that you cannot speak?’ (Quran, 37:92)
Ibrahim (AS) then raised his axe and destroyed all the idols apart from the final one that remained, who he left the axe with.
When the people returned, they were shocked to see their gods destroyed and they began to question who did this and Ibrahim came to their minds.
Prophet Ibrahim (AS) was then arrested and they asked him if he was responsible for breaking the idols. Ibrahim replied: ask the biggest idol which was still around, he must be the culprit.
When hearing this, the idolaters knew that the idol could not speak or move and realised the senselessness of their beliefs. However, because of their arrogance, they refused to admit that their beliefs were wrong.
Thrown into the Fire:
The idol worshippers gathered around and came to the conclusion that they should burn Ibrahim (AS).
Allah SWT mentions that Prophet Ibrahim argued: ‘How can you worship what you carve with your own hands?’ (Quran, 37:95)
They dug a deep pit filled with firewood and ignited it and Prophet Ibrahim (AS) was thrown into the fire.
Allah SWT then commanded the fire: ‘O fire! Be you coolness and safety for Abraham’ (Quran, 21:69)
The fire submitted to Allah’s command and it became cool.
Prophet Ibrahim (AS) walked out of the fire untouched without a single mark on his body and the people present were amazed by this miracle. Many of the people now followed Ibrahim (AS) and accepted his message.
Debate Between Prophet Ibrahim and King Nimrod:
The Quran mentions a debate between Prophet Ibrahim (AS) and a tyrant king (Nimrod) who argued about the power of Allah SWT.
When Prophet Ibrahim (AS) declared that Allah gives life and causes death, the king arrogantly claimed that he had the same power. However, Ibrahim (AS) then informed him that Allah SWT brings the sun from the east, so he challenged the king to bring it from the west.
The king was left speechless and because of his inability to answer, it exposed the weakness of his claim, demonstrating that only Allah SWT has true power over the universe.
This debate is mentioned in Surah Al-Baqarah, where Allah SWT says: ‘Are you (O Prophet) not aware of the one who argued with Abraham about his Lord because Allah had granted him kingship? (Remember) when Abraham said: “My Lord is the One Who has power to give life and cause death.” He argued, “I too have the power to give life and cause death.” Abraham said: “Indeed, Allah brings the sun from the east, so bring it from the west.” And so the disbeliever was dumbstruck. And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people. (Quran, 2:258)
Prophet Ibrahim Continuing His Mission:
Prophet Ibrahim (AS) continued to call people to believe in Allah SWT alone.
At this time, there was only two people who believed in Allah SWT alone, they were Sarah, his wife and his nephew, the Prophet Lut (AS).
When Ibrahim (AS) realised that no one else was going to believe in Allah SWT, he decided to leave the city with his wife and nephew Lut (AS).
Family & the Birth of Ismail:
Ibrahim’s wife became sterile, and she had been given an Egyptian woman called Hajar.
Sarah then offered Hajar in marriage to the Prophet Ibrahim (AS). This was because, she wanted her husband to have a child and she knew that she could not provide him with that.
Eventually, Hajar gave birth to her son Ismail (AS) when Prophet Ibrahim (AS) was an old man.
The Miracle of the Birds:
One day, Prophet Ibrahim asked Allah SWT to show him how He brought the dead back to life.
Allah SWT commanded him to take four birds, cut them up and mingle their body parts.
Allah then ordered Ibrahim (AS) to divide them into four portions and place them on top of four different hills, then call back the birds in Allah’s name.
Prophet Ibrahim (AS) did this and immediately, the parts of the birds reformed back to their original bodies and the birds flew back to Ibrahim.
Allah SWT mentions this story in the following verse of the Quran: “And remember when Abraham said, “My Lord! Show me how you give life to the dead.” Allah responded, “Do you not believe?” Abraham replied, “Yes I do, but just so my heart can be reassured.” Allah said, “Then bring four birds, train them to come to you, ˹then cut them into pieces,˺ and scatter them on different hilltops. Then call them back, they will fly to you in haste. And (so you will) know that Allah is Almighty, All-Wise.” (Quran, 2:260)
Visit of the Angels:
On another occasion, Angels Jibril, Israfil and Mikail came in human shapes and visited Ibrahim (AS).
Prophet Ibrahim (AS) invited them into his tent and told his wife Sarah to prepare food for them. He then realised that the guests wouldn’t eat and he got very scared.
One of the angels then said: Do not fear, we do not eat, we are Allah’s angels.
One of the angels then turned towards Sarah and conveyed the glad tidings of Ishaq (Ibrahim’s son).
The Quran on Prophet Ibrahim (AS):
In Surah Al-Baqarah, Allah SWT calls Ibrahim (AS) a leader (Imam) for all people. Allah SWT says: ‘I will certainly make you into a role model for the people.’ (Quran, 2:124)
Allah SWT also praised Prophet Ibrahim (AS) by referring to him as His ‘close friend.’ Allah says: ‘Allah chose Abraham as a close friend.’ (Quran, 4:125)
Allah SWT praised Prophet Ibrahim (AS) as a one man nation. Allah says: ‘Indeed, Abraham was a model of excellence: (a nation) devoted to Allah, perfectly upright and he was not of those who associate others with Allah’. (Quran, 16:120)
Prophet Ibrahim’s Death:
It was said that Prophet Ibrahim (AS) died at the age of 175.