He explained to them the beauty of Allah's creation, His
power and wisdom. Idol worship is detested by Allah, for Allah is the Lord of
the universe Who created mankind, guided him, provided him with food and drink,
and cured him when he was sick, and Who will cause him to die and be raised up
again. It was He to Whom Abraham prayed and Who would forgive his sins on the
Day of Judgment. However, they would not give up but clung fast to idolatry.
Abraham left his father's house and abandoned his people and
what they worshipped. He decided to do something about their state of
disbelief, but did not reveal it. He knew that there was going to be a great
celebration on the other bank of the river which would be attended by all the
people. Abraham waited until the city was empty, then came out cautiously,
directing his steps towards the temple. The streets leading to it were empty
and the temple itself was deserted, for the priests had also gone to the
festival outside the city.
Abraham went there carrying a sharp ax. He looked at the
stone and wood statues of the gods and at the food laid in front of them as
offerings. He approached one of the statues and asked: The food in front of you
is getting cold. Why don't you eat?" The statue kept silent and rigid.
Abraham asked the other statues around him: "Will you not eat (of the
offering before you)?" Surah 37: 91
He was mocking them for he knew they would not eat. He once
again asked then: "What is the matter with you that you do speak
not?" Surah 37: 92
He then raised his ax and started smashing the false gods
worshipped by the people. He destroyed them all except one, on whose neck he
hung the ax. After this his anger subsided and he felt at peace. He left the
temple. He had fulfilled his vow to show his people a practical proof of their
foolishness in worshipping something other than Allah.
When the people returned, they were shocked to see their
gods smashed to pieces, lying scattered all over the temple. They began to
guess who had done that to their idols, and Abraham's name came to their minds.
Allah the Almighty said: They said: "Who has done this
to our aliah (gods)? He must indeed be one of the wrongdoers." They said:
"We heard a young man talking (against) them who is called Abraham."
They said: "Then bring him before the eyes of the people, that they may
testify." They said: "Are you the one who has done this to our gods,
0 Abraham?" (Abraham) said: "Nay, this one, the biggest of them
(idols) did it. Ask them, if they can speak!"
So they turned to themselves and said: "Verily, you are
the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers)." Then they turned to themselves
(their first thought and said). "Indeed you (Abraham) know well that these
(idols) speak not!" (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 21:
59-67
Furious, they demanded that Abraham be arrested and tried.
Abraham did not resist. This was precisely what he had been aiming for, so that
he could show them up in public for their foolish beliefs.
At the trial they asked him if he was responsible for
breaking the idols. Smiling, he told them to ask the biggest idol, which was
still whole. He told them that he must be the culprit! They replied that he
knew well that the idol could not speak or move, which gave Abraham the chance
to prove the foolishness of worshipping these lifeless objects.
They then realized the senselessness of their beliefs;
however, their arrogance would not allow them to admit their foolishness. All
they could do was use their power of authority - as tyrants usually do - to
punish Abraham. They kept him in chains and planned their revenge.
Anger was burning in their hearts. They decided to throw
Abraham into the biggest fire they could build. All the citizens were ordered
to gather wood as a service to their gods. Ignorant, sick women vowed that if
they were cured they would donate so much wood to burn Abraham. For several
days they collected fuel.
They dug a deep pit, filled it with firewood and ignited it.
They brought a catapult with which to cast Abraham into the fire. Abraham was
put on the catapult, his hands and feet tied. The fire was ready with its
flames reaching the sky. The people stood away from the pit because of the
great heat. Then the chief priest gave his order to cast Abraham into the fire.
The angel Gabriel came near Abraham's head and asked him:
"0 Abraham, do you wish for anything?" Abraham replied: "Nothing
from you."
The catapult was shot, and Abraham was cast into the fire,
but his descent into the blaze was as a descent on steps in a cool garden. The
flames were still there, but they did not burn, for Allah the Almighty had
issued His command: "0 fire! Be you coolness and safety for Abraham."
Surah 21: 69
The fire submitted to the will of Allah, becoming cool
and safe for Abraham. It only burned his
bonds, and he sat in the midst of the fire as if he were sitting in a garden.
He glorified and praised Allah the Almighty, with a heart that contained only
his love for Allah. There was not any vacant space therein for fear, awe, or
worry. It was filled with love only.
Fear and awe were dead, and the fire was turned into
coolness, making the air pleasant. Those who love Allah as Abraham did do not
fear.
Almighty Allah declared: Those (i.e., believers) unto whom
the people (hypocrites) said: "Verily, the people (pagans) have gathered
against you (a great army), therefore, fear them." But it (only) increased
them in Faith, and they said: 'Allah (Alone) is Sufficient for us, and He is
the Best Disposer of affairs (for us)."
So they returned with Grace and Bounty from Allah. No harm
touched them; and they followed the good Pleasure of Allah. And Allah is the
Owner of Great Bounty. It is only Satan that suggests to you the fear of his
Auliya supporters and friends (polytheists, disbelievers in the Oneness of
Allah and in His Messenger Muhammad), so fear them not, but fear Me, if you are
(true) believers."
Surah 3: 173-175
The throng, the chiefs, and the priests sat watching the
fire from a distance. It was burning their faces and nearly suffocating them.
It kept burning for such a long time that the disbelievers thought it would
never be extinguished.
When it did burn out, they were greatly amazed to find
Abraham coming out of the pit untouched by the fire. Their faces were black
from the smoke, but his was bright with the light and grace of Allah. The
raging fire had become cool for Abraham and had only charred the ropes which
held him. He walked out of the fire as if he were walking out of a garden.
Cries of astonishment were heard from the heathens. They wanted to harm him,
but We made them the worst losers. Surah 21:70
This miracle shamed the tyrants, but it did not cool the
flame of anger in their hearts. However, after this event many of the people
followed Abraham, although some kept their belief a secret for fear of harm or
death at the hands of the rulers.
Abraham had established a definite reasoning against
idolators. Nothing was left for him except to reason against the people who
proclaimed themselves gods.
When the king, Namrud, heard of Abraham's safe exit from
the fire he became very angry. He feared that the status of godhead he had
proclaimed for himself was now challenged by an ordinary human being. He
summoned Abraham to the palace and held a dialogue with him, which Allah the
Almighty recounted: Have you not thought
about him who disputed with Abraham about his Lord (Allah), because Allah had
given him the kingdom? When Abraham said (to him). 'My Lord (Allah) is He Who
gives life and causes death." He said: "I give life and cause death."
Abraham said: "Verily! Allah causes the sun to rise from the east; then
cause it you to rise from the west." So the disbeliever was utterly
defeated. And Allah guides not the people who are Zalimeen (wrongdoers, etc.).
Surah 2: 258
Abraham's fame spread throughout the entire kingdom. People
talked about how he had been saved from the blazing fire and how he had debated
with the king and left him speechless. In the meantime, Abraham continued
calling people to believe in Allah, exerting a great effort to guide his people
to the right path.
He tried every means to convince them. However, in spite of
his love and care for his people, they felt angry and deserted him. Only one
woman and one man of his people shared his belief in Allah. The woman's name
was Sarah and she became his wife. The man's name was Lot (Lut), and he became
a prophet.
When Abraham realized that no one else was going to believe
in his call, he decided to emigrate. He left his people and traveled with his
wife and Lot to a city called Ur, then to another called Haran, and then to
Palestine.
Allah the Almighty told us: So Lot believed in him
(Abraham's message of Islamic Monotheism). He (Abraham) said: "I will
emigrate for the sake of my Lord. Verily. He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.
Surah 29: 26
After Palestine, Abraham traveled to Egypt, calling people
to believe in Allah wherever he traveled, judging fairly between people, and
guiding them to truth and righteousness.
Abu Hurairah narrated that Abraham did not tell a lie except
on three occasions, twice for the sake of Allah (Exalted and Almighty) when he
said:
"I am
sick," (when his people were holding a festival in honor of their gods,
Abraham excused himself by saying he was sick; see Surah 37: 89), and when he
said: "(I have not done this but) the big idol has done it." The
(third was) that while Abraham and Sarah (his wife) were going (on a journey),
they passed by (the territory of) a tyrant. Someone said to the tyrant: 'This
man (i.e., Abraham ) is accompanied by a very charming lady." So, he sent
for Abraham and asked him about Sarah saying: "Who is this lady?"
Abraham said: "She is my sister."
Abraham went to Sarah and said: "0 Sarah! There are
no believers on the surface of the earth except you and me. This man asked me
about you and I have told him that you are my sister, do not contradict my
statement." The tyrant then called Sarah, and when she went to him, he
tried to take hold of her with his hand, but (his hand got stiff and) he was
confounded. He asked Sarah: "Pray to Allah for me, and I shall not harm
you." So Sarah asked Allah to cure him and he got cured. He tried to take
hold of her for the second time, but (his hand got as stiff as or stiffer than
before and) he was more confounded. He again
requested Sarah: "Pray to Allah for me, and I will not harm you."
Sarah asked Allah again, and he became all right. He then called one of his
guards (who had brought her) and said: 'You have not brought me a human being
but have brought me a devil."
The tyrant then gave Hajar as a maid servant to Sarah. Sarah
came back (to Abraham) while he was praying. Abraham, gesturing with his hand,
asked: "What has happened?" She replied: "Allah has spoiled the
evil plot of the infidel (or immoral person) and gave me Hajar for
service." Abu Hurairah then addressed his listeners saying:'That (Hajar)
was your mother, 0 Bani Ma-is-Sama (i.e., the Arab, the descendants of Ishmael,
Hajar's son)."
Abraham's wife Sarah was sterile. She had been given an
Egyptian woman, Hajar, as a servant. Abraham had aged, and his hair was gray
after many years spent in calling people to Allah. Sarah thought that she and
Abraham were lonely because she could not have a child.
Therefore, she offered her husband her servant Hajar in
marriage. Hajar gave birth to her first son Ishmael (Ismail) when Abraham was
an old man.
Abraham lived on earth worshipping Allah and calling people
to monotheism, but he was journeying to Allah, knowing that his days on earth
were limited and that they would be followed by death, and finally,
resurrection. The knowledge of life after death filled Abraham with peace,
love, and certitude.
One day, he begged Allah to show him how He brought the
dead back to life. Allah commanded Abraham
to take four birds, cut them up, mingle their body parts, divide them into four
portions, and place them on top of four different hills, then call back the
birds in Allah's name. Abraham did as he was told. Immediately the mingled
parts of the birds separated to join their original bodies in different places,
and the birds flew back to Abraham.
Almighty Allah revealed: And (remember) when Abraham said:
'My Lord! Show me how You give life to the dead." Allah said: "Do you
not believe?" Abraham said: "Yes (I believe), but to be stronger in
Faith." He said: "Take four birds, then cause them to incline towards
you (then slaughter them, cut them into pieces), and then put a portion of them
on every hill, and call them, they will come to you in haste. And know that
Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise." Surah 2: 260
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