Story of Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.)
Allah sent His messengers repeatedly because man has a tendency to forget Allah. These prophets showed man the Right Path. Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) was also one of these prophets.
The family in which Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) was born used to make idols, sell them in the markets and worship them. Similarly, all the people of that country worshipped such gods and goddesses, forgetting Allah. They would bow down before them and seek the fulfillment of their wishes from them; they would worship stars, the sun and the moon too. In this way they had deified many gods, leaving God.
Recognition of God by Hazrat Ibrahim [A.S.]
After Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) attained some age one observed what his family and people had been doing and wondered how the idols made by them could have the strength to accomplish their tasks and incur loss or profit to them. This thought often haunted him. One night is so happened that he saw a bright star in the sky and the people started worshipping it. Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) said, “It is my Lord.” But, soon the star began to disappear, the disappearing star do not appeal me”.
After some time, the shining moon appeared and Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) said, “This is my Lord.” But that too disappeared after sometime on which he said, “This too is not my lord. He is someone else. Had He not shown me the Right Path, I too would have gone astray like my people”.
With the outset of the morning rose the sun, bright and shinning. Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) said,
“Yes, this is milord. This is the biggest.” But came the evening and the sun too hid its face.
Disappointed, Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) said to his people, “Brothers, I have got fed up with these “gods”. They seem to be subservient to someone’s command and abide by laws made by someone to fulfill his wish. They can neither rise nor disappear according to their own will.
“Brothers, I will worship only Him who created the earth and the heavens and on whose orders are moving the sun and the moon. My Lord is one and I do not accept anyone else as His associate. It is not correct to worship the sun and the moon as they themselves are moving on my Lord’s direction. I have abandoned all of them and become the worshipper of Allah alone. I cannot associate anyone else with Him.”
When his people heard all this, they said to Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) “It has been the practice of our forefathers to worship these things. Were our ancestors stupid? Would they not understand anything?”
Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) said, “Do you really make a dispute Allah, who showed me the Right Path. I am not scared of you nor do I fear your gods and goddesses, whom you have made associates of Allah. Everything happens according to my Lord’s will. He is All-Powerful, All-knowing.
“And why should I fear those things which you have made Allah’s associates since I know well that it is false and has no substance. All this is concocted by you yourselves. Those who have faith in Allah are strong and on the Right Path.
Advice to Father
When Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) realized that Allah had shown him the Right Path and given the knowledge to discover the right thing, he one day talked his father who would make idols, sell them in the markets and also worship them. He said, “My father, why do you worship the idols who can neither hear nor see, nor are of any worth for you. My father, all that you are doing is Shaitan’s business. I advise you not to obey Shaitan as he himself has been distracted and has disobeyed Allah. I fear lest Allah’s wrath befall you. Then even your friendship with Shaitan will not come to your rescue.
“My father, Allah has given me knowledge and if you please. I can show you the Right Path.”
After hearing all this, the father of Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) got very much annoyed and said: “So, you have finally turned your face from our gods and goddesses. Listen, if you don’t turn back, I will stone you too much. Get out of my sight.”
Saddened at his father’s harsh words, Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) said, “All right, turn me out if you so desire. I can only pray to my Allah to bless you, forgive your sins and show the Right Path. I am prepared to give up the gods and goddesses whom you worship but do not want to leave and forget my Lord.”
Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) was turned out of his house. He gave up everything for the sake of truth.
Continuous Preaching
Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) told the people at his village what he had said to his father. He would preach them what he had accepted as truth. He said, “What is this that you make these idols with your own hands and then worship them. Can these idols incur you any benefit or are they capable of harming you?”
They replied, “But this has been the tradition of our forefathers and we have seen that they too used to worship idols in the same manner.”
“Brothers, “replied Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) “you are mistaken idol-worship is always wrong whether done by you or by your elders. An evil does not become a virtue only because it has been done by someone earliest. It is absurd to say that an age-old tradition is always good. Man should apply his own mind and judge what is good and what is bad.”
They said, “Well, you call idol-worship as wrong and not a good thing but please tell us if you have anything better and truer than this. It is not a joke or game to declare at will any thing as bad”.
"Why not?," answered Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.), “I tell you that you’re true Lord I He who is the Lord of this earth and the heavens and created all these.”
The people listened to all this but could not refute since they knew that the creator and the Lord of this universe is someone else but it was very difficult for them to give up idol-worship practiced by their elders. They would listen to what Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) said but do what they wished. Therefore, he one day thought; “Now I will play a trick in their absence.”
New Style of Preaching
On day when all of them had gone somewhere leaving Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) behind, he pulled down all their idols except the big one. When they returned they got very angry and said, “Who has behaved like this with our gods it must be the handiwork of someone very cruel.” “Who else, “intervented one of them”, but the young man called Ibrahim (A.S.). We should call him and show to all the people what he has done.”
When Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) went there, they asked him, “O Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.), have you done all this to our god”?
Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) replied, “Why don’t you ask this big one. It would have done all this. It will tell you everything if it can speak.”
Hearing this, all of them started thinking and wondering that they worshipped such gods as could not look after themselves what to say of others. Ashamed, they said to Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.), “You know that this big one cannot speak. Now, please you tell us how all this happened.”
Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) said, “Brothers, just think that you have rejected Allah and worship those who can incur you neither profit nor loss. I am fed up with you as well as your gods and goddesses whom you worship. It is strange that cannot you understand who is the real Lord and the Master of your fate.”
Decision to Kill the Prophet
All the people become furious at this as they could now come to know whose handiwork it was to destroy the idols. They suggested to throw Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) into fire as revenge. Soon a big heap of firewood was set aflame and Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) thrown into it.
And Lo. and behold, the fire became cool by the command of Allah because He had to assign him several tasks. We have not been told how it happened, but it so happened that Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) was saved from the fire.
None can kill whom Allah wants to save. The enemies Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) had done their work and thrown him into fire believing that his fate was sealed. But how can fire burn a thing unless ordered by its Creator to do so. One who can enable it to burn something is also capable of turning it into harmless and cool.
Migration (Hijrat)
By now Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) had fully know that his people would not accept what he had said to them and now it was futile to further preach them. Therefore, he decided to move to some other country and invite people there to the Path of Allah.
Leaving his house, his father, other family members, relatives and everything behind, Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) started traveling from one place to another and preached Allah’s teachings to the people and invited them to the fold of Allah. Now Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) had become very old.
Service of Islam by the two sons
In his old age, Allah endowed Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) with two sons, Hazrat Ismael (A.S.), the elder, and Hazrat Ishaq (A.S.) the younger.
Like a man prepared to utilize all his means to accomplish a task, Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) decided to involve his two sons in the task which he had been doing all through his life. He left Hazrat Ishaq (A.S.) in Syria and settled Hazrat Ismael (A.S.) at a place in Arabia where Makkah is situated.
Leaving his wife and the elder son at the lonely and barren field, he prayed to Allah, “O my Lord, I have left my offspring at a land which is completely barren.
O Lord, save me and my sons from worshipping idols as many people have gone astray and begun to worship idols and forget you. Lest my sons should also follow them. O my Lord, I have settled my sons in this part of the earth. So that they establish Namaz. O my Lord, provide them food and water and create various kinds of fruits by your infinite mercy.”
Test Case for Hazrat Ibarahim
Calling Allah’s name is easy but dedicating one’s entire life for His sake is not. Allah also tests those who decide to tread His Path. Similarly, when Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) decided to give up the religion of his fore fathers and adopt Allah’s Deen, he was put to a severe test by Allah. He had to abandon his land, abode and everything and put his life at stake. With all this, he proved that nothing is dear to him before Allah’s will. But one test still remained for him and it was to be seen whether his love for his sons was any more than for Allah.
Sacrifice of the Son
It so happened that one night Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) saw in his dream that he was slaughtering his son, Ismael (A.S.) He soon realized its implication and called Ismael (A.S.) and told him what he had seen in the dream. After listening to this and also realizing what Allah demanded of his father, Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.), the son of a man who had never gone against the will of his Lord given up everything to please his Allah and given away his sons for the establishment of Allah’s Deen, replied: “My father obey the command given by Allah. You will, God willing, find me steadfast.”
How good were those fathers to whom nothing was dearer than Allah and the sons who got ready even to sacrifice their lives at the call of Allah. As a matter of fact, whatever we possess belongs to Allah and no to us. This is what Islam means; that is what man should accept and be prepared to sacrifice everything in the way of Allah when called for. He should learn that he will obey Allah’s command and nothing will be dearer to him than Allah.
So, when the two noble servants of Allah Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) (may Allah bless them both) got ready to execute Allah’s order and the moment Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) laid down his son, Ismael (A.S.), it was proved that to Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) Allah’s commandment was dearer than his own son, and that was what was to be judged, Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) materialized what he had seen in his dream and like a Muslim, got ready to sacrifice the thing which was dearest to him at the will of Allah.
Allah accepted his sacrifice and said, “No doubt, you have materialized your dream and now there is no need to sacrifice your son.”
Lesson for us
All of us are also Muslim and believe that whatever we possess is not ours but belongs to Allah. We have also affirmed to obey Allah’s orders, to reject others nor care for others wishes. There is a lesson also for us in what Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) had done. That is why we commemorate it every year by sacrificing animals on Baqr-Eid (Eidul Azha). When we sacrifice the God-given animals in his way, we, in fact, refresh our belief that our life and property belong to Allah and after ready to sacrifice everything in His way when called to do so.
Allah’s Friend
How severe tests were Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) put to; He lost his abode, was expelled from his country, thrown into fire and had to wander from one country to another. But he proved himself up to the mark and, above all, surprised everyone by getting ready to sacrifice his beloved son at the slightest instance of his Lord. That is why Allah called him as His friend and made him the leader of the mankind.
When told by Allah that “we make you the leader of world,” Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) asked Him if the same status was being awarded to his sons also. On this Allah replied.” See, my declaration is not for those who tread the wrong Path and oppress themselves.” It is not true that a person is dear to Allah only because he belongs to a particular race of family. But the one who does good deeds and passes one’s life with the belief in Allah as one’s Lord and sustainer, is dear to Allah.
Construction of Kaabah
After this Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) began to construct Kaabah by the order of Allah. Kaabah is a place in the Arabian city of Makkah and was exclusively built for the worshippers of Allah. While raising its walls, Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) and Hazrat Ismael (A.S) were busy in praying, “O our Lord, accept our effort. You are the listener to our supplications and All-wise. You are fully aware that we are building this house only to earn your pleasure. O Lord make us true Muslims and created such persons (Muslims) amongst us as would obey only your orders. Teach us how to worship you and forgive our sings. You are the Merciful the Forgiver.
“O our Lord, create amongst us a prophet who would recite your scriptures and convey your orders to the people, enable them to understand your Deen and clean them of evils. “O our Lord, you are All-Powerful, all-wise.”
At the completion of the world on Kaabah Allah ordered Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) to keep it clear of the filth of idol worship.
He told him that it was Allah’s house only and asked him, therefore, to keep it from those associating others with Allah and turns it into a house of peace so that people from all over the world could come there and return after learning the lesson of worshipping only one God.
Then these people should spread the message of the oneness of God all over the world, circumambulate the house, and bow down before Allah, i.e., practice Salat.
Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) fulfilled Allah’s command and made Kaabah the biggest centre of the oneness of God.
This is the description of the life and teachings of Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.). Now think how great a stupid he is who neglects these things. The best thing for a man is to recognize his true sustainer and obey only His orders. This is what Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) displayed during his entire lifetime. Whenever his Lord ordered him to perform some task, he did it immediately said,” I am an obedient servant of only the Lord of this entire universe.”
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