06. The Story of Prophet Ibrahim (AS)

The Story of Prophet Ibrahim (AS)

 

A Faithful Servant of Allah

Prophet Ibrahim (AS) was a man of great faith. He was born in a time when his people worshipped idols and did not believe in the one true God, Allah. Despite the beliefs of his family and people, Ibrahim (AS) always knew in his heart that there is only one true God.

 

The Questioning of the Idols

One day, when Ibrahim (AS) was a young man, he looked around at the idols that his people worshipped. He asked them, “Why do you worship these statues? Do they hear you, or do they give you anything?” But the idols didn’t answer, for they were lifeless.

Ibrahim (AS) then saw a star in the sky and thought, “This must be my Lord.” But when the star disappeared, he said, “I do not love those that disappear.” He then saw the moon and thought, “This must be my Lord.” But when the moon also disappeared, he said, “If my Lord does not guide me, I will be among the misguided people.” Finally, he saw the sun rising and said, “This is surely my Lord.” But when the sun set, he said, “My Lord is the One who created the heavens and the earth.” Ibrahim (AS) then realized that only Allah, the Creator of everything, is worthy of worship.

 

The Fire of King Namrud

Ibrahim (AS) boldly spoke out against the idol worship of his people, and his actions made the king, Namrud, very angry. The king ordered that Ibrahim (AS) be thrown into a huge fire to punish him for speaking against the idols. But by Allah’s will, the fire did not harm Ibrahim (AS). Instead, it became cool and peaceful for him. When the people saw this miracle, they were astonished, but many of them still refused to believe in the one true God.

 

The Sacrifice of Ibrahim (AS)

One of the most well-known stories of Ibrahim (AS) is his willingness to sacrifice his beloved son, Ismail (AS), in obedience to Allah. Allah commanded Ibrahim (AS) in a dream to sacrifice his son. Ibrahim (AS) did not hesitate and told Ismail (AS) about the dream. Ismail (AS) accepted the command with full trust in Allah, saying, “Do as you are commanded.”

As Ibrahim (AS) was about to sacrifice his son, Allah sent a ram to be sacrificed in place of Ismail (AS), showing that Ibrahim (AS) had passed the test of obedience. This is commemorated every year during Eid al-Adha.

 

Building the Ka’bah

In another act of obedience, Ibrahim (AS) and his son Ismail (AS) were commanded by Allah to rebuild the Ka’bah, the sacred house of worship in Makkah. Ibrahim (AS) and Ismail (AS) worked together to build the Ka’bah, which became the most important place for Muslims to worship Allah.

 

✦ Lessons from Prophet Ibrahim (AS):    1. True faith in Allah: Ibrahim (AS) showed complete trust in Allah, even when he was asked to make great sacrifices.  2. Courage to stand up for truth: He courageously spoke out against idol worship, despite the dangers.  3. Obedience to Allah’s commands: Ibrahim (AS) teaches us to always obey Allah’s commands, no matter how difficult it may seem.  4. Patience and trust in Allah’s plan: Even in the face of trials, Ibrahim (AS) showed patience and trust in Allah’s wisdom.

Prophet Ibrahim (AS) is an example of strong faith, obedience, and trust in Allah. His life teaches us to have complete faith in Allah and to be ready to sacrifice for His sake.

 

 

REFERENCE:

Ibn Kathir, Stories of the Prophets;

Translated and adapted by Umme Abdul Rahman’

Graduate Alim/Alimah.

Founder & Director of imsjeddah.com.