6. Story of Prophet ‘Ibrāhīm

6. The Story of Sayyidnā ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم

Next, we have Abu Al-Ambiyā – father of the Prophets. Min ulul ‘azmi mina al-Rusūl, ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم . ‘Ibrāhīm, who was mentioned in 73 places in Qur’ān: in 25 Sūwar of Qur’ān. ‘Ibrāhīm, in English Abraham, Prophet of Allāh ﷻ. He was born in Babylon – Bābel, and he was from Al-Kaldāniyyīn – the Chaldeans, who live in modern day ‘Iraq. That is the origin of ‘Ibrāhīm; from the Chaldeans, and he lived, and he was born in Babylon – Bābel. ‘Ibrāhīm started his Da’wah to his father, he started preaching in the beginning to his father. Allāh ﷻ mentions to us that story in Qur’ān,

And mention in the Book (the Qur’ān) ‘Ibrāhīm. Verily! He was a man of truth, a Prophet. When he said to his father: “O my father! Why do you worship that which hears not, sees not and cannot avail you in anything? “O my father! Verily! There has come to me of knowledge that which came not unto you. So follow me. I will guide you to a Straight Path.”(Maryam – 19:41-43)

Now, look at this. ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  was very young when he did this. He was less than 16 years old. ‘Ibrāhīm is directing this Da’wah to a man that is not only older than him, but his father. ‘Follow me!’ A young man, less than 16 years old, telling a man that is older than him and his father, “Follow me!” Why is he telling him so? What was the justification that he has to tell his father to follow him? ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  told his father the reason why. He told him, “Qad Jā’anī Mina Al-`Ilmi Mā Lam Ya’tika – because I have knowledge that you do not have.”(Maryam – 19:41-43)

6.1 Leadership is for People with Understanding and Wisdom

His father had to follow him. So, the leadership should be given to the people of understanding and wisdom, and that is why we find that the best leaders, that ever lived, were the most knowledgeable: Dawūd عليه السالم , Sulaymān عليه السالم , Dhul Qarnayn, Muhammad ﷺ, who was a leader. And then after the Ambiyā, the Sahāba of Rasūlullāh ﷺ: Abū Bakr, ‘Umar Ibn Al- Khattāb, ‘Uthmān and ‘Ali, [May Allāh ﷻ be pleased with them], they were all scholars; the four of them were scholars. And then the best who came after these four Sahāba of Rasūlullāh ﷺ, was ‘Umar bin ‘Abdul ‘Aziz. But now when we have given the positions of leadership to the ignorant military leaders, everything ran corrupt! ‘Dhār al-Fasādu fi al-Barri wa al-bahr – corruption appeared on land, – and not only on land, even in the sea.

Allāh ﷻ says,

Evil (sins and disobedience of Allah) has appeared on land and sea because of what the hands of men have earned (by oppression and evil deeds)(Rūm – 30:41)

We have the ability, not only to corrupt land, we can also corrupt the sea. Look at the Fasād, that we have in the Muslim world and in the world of general, because the positions of leadership are given to the unfit, which Rasūlullāh ﷺ has said in the Hadīth, “One of the signs of the Day of Judgement is Imārat al-Sufahā – the leadership of the unfit, the ignorant, the foolish!”(Sunan Ibn Majah 4019, – Sahīh Muslim 10, – Mishkat al-Masabih 3700)

So ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  is telling his father, you have to follow me. And then he told him, “Fa Attabi`nī ‘Ahdika Şirāţāan Sawīyāan – if you follow me, I will guide you to the straight path.”(Maryam – 19:41-43)

6.2 The Father of ‘Ibrāhīm Rejects the Message of Islam

His father said,

He said: “Do you reject my gods, O ‘Ibrāhīm? If you stop not (this), I will indeed stone you. So get away from me safely before I punish you.”(Maryam – 19:46-47)

He said, “I will stone you; I will kill you.” For a father to say this is not easy. For a father to threaten his son, that he’s going to kill him is not easy, but this shows you the difference between Kufr and Īmān. This shows you how bad relations could become when the separation is Īmān and Kufr. The father is willing to kill the son. What was the response of ‘Ibrāhīm? He said,

’Ibrāhīm said: “Peace be on you! I will ask Forgiveness of my Lord for you. Verily! He is unto me, Ever Most Gracious.”(Maryam – 19:46-47) ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  is making Istighfār for someone who is a non-Believer. Is that allowed in Islam? No! Obviously at that time, ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  did not know that. He promised his father, that he will do Istighfār for him and he did Istighfār. ‘Ibrāhīm said,

“And forgive my father, verily he is of the erring.”(Ash-Shu’arā’ – 26:86)

But then Allāh ﷻ taught ‘Ibrāhīm the truth. Allāh ﷻ says,

“And [‘Ibrāhīm’s invoking (of Allāh) for his father’s forgiveness was only because of a promise he [‘Ibrāhīm] had made to him (his father). But when it became clear to him that he (his father) is an enemy to Allāh, he dissociated himself from him. Verily ‘Ibrāhīm was Al-Awwah (invoke Allāh with humility, glorify Him and remember Him much), and was forbearing.”(At-Tawbāh – 9:114) Awwāh is somebody who always is in a state of Khushū’, and asking Allāh ﷻ, and making Du’ā continuously. And Halīm is someone who is forbearing. So ‘Ibrāhīm only made Istighfār for his father, because of the promise, but when ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  knew that his father is one of the non- Believers and died on Kufr, ‘Ibrāhīm stopped.

6.3 The Father of Ibrāhīm will Appear to him on the Day of Judgment

There is a Hadīth mentioned in Bukhārī, that on the Day of Judgement, Allāh ﷻ will tell ‘Ibrāhīm that, I will fulfil my promises on you and I will not dishonour you. Because ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  has made a Du’ā, “Wa Lā Tukhzinī Yawma Yub`athūna – Oh Allāh, do not dishonour me on the Day of Resurrection.” And Allāh ﷻ accepted the Du’ā of ‘Ibrāhīm, so He will not dishonour ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  on the Day of Judgment. So ‘Ibrāhīm said, “What is a greater dishonour than punishing my father?” Because the father of ‘Ibrāhīm will come to him on the Day of Judgement, and this is mentioned in al- Bukhārī, and tell him, “Today I will not disobey you, today I will follow you.” On the Day of Judgement, the father of ‘Ibrāhīm will come and say, “On this day I will do whatever you want.” At that moment, ‘Ibrāhīm will tell Allāh ﷻ, “How come my father could be punished? This is a dishonour to me.” So Allāh ﷻ will tell ‘Ibrāhīm, “Look at your father.” So ‘Ibrāhīm will look at his father and will find him in the form of Du’bu’ – Hyena! ‘Ibrāhīm was talking with his father, and then he made Du’ā to Allāh ﷻ. Allāh ﷻ told him, “Look at your father.” So ‘Ibrāhīm will look at his father and find him in the form of a hyena. And then ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  will walk away from him, and the father will be thrown in Hellfire.(Sahih al- Bukhārī 4768, 4769, 3350)

‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم , when he was seeing his father in his physical form, it was difficult for him to have his father to go Hellfire. But when the veils were lifted, and Allāh ﷻ showed him the truth – that this man is not your father, this man does not belong to you, this man is different, and his father even came in different physical form. At that moment, ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  walked away from his father and disassociated himself from him. And then ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  told his father- after he told him, “I will ask Allāh to forgive you”, he said,

“And I shall turn away from you and from those whom you invoke besides Allāh. And I shall call on my Lord; and I hope that I shall not be unblest in my invocation to my Lord.”(Maryam – 19:48)

Wa ‘A`tazilukum means – I will disassociate myself from you, I will separate myself from you, I will be in seclusion from you.

6.4 Disassociate Yourself from Kufr and its People Like ‘Ibrāhīm did!

A very important principle for your survival as a Muslim: You have to have what is called ‘Uzla al-Shu’uriyyah – psychological separation from the environment of Kufr that is around you. ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم , immediately when his father chose Kufr, Ibrāhīm said that “I will disassociate myself from you, the society of the non-Believers.” ‘Wa ‘A`tazilukum’ – I will be separated from you. We, as Muslims, have an identity, that we have to protect. And we cannot blend in with the society, and be a sheep among the sheep, and follow the stream, and follow whatever everybody else is doing, and follow the crowd. We have an identity that we need to preserve, and we need to be separate and different. But that doesn’t mean that we have to separate ourselves physically from the society and live on monasteries, on top of mountains or in the forest or in the desserts. No, we could be a part of the society and be within the society, intermingling with the society, but in our hearts we are separate. So physically we are participating in, active participation with the society, but in our hearts, we have this psychological barrier and separation, where we always are carrying with us the understanding that we have an identity of being a Muslim. So, if you are able to be part of the society, but preserving your Muslim identity, that is better than separating yourself physically from it. Because then you can be an agent of change, and affecting others, and do Da’wah. But when you are secluded and alone then you’re only benefitting yourself, and nobody is benefitting from the good that you have.

6.5 ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  Gives Da’wah to his People

‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  made Da’wah to his people also. Allāh ﷻ says,

When he said to his father and his people: “What are these images, to which you are devoted?”(Al-Ambiyā – 21:52) What are these idols? And then he also told them in other Āyāt,

He said: “Do they hear you, when you call (on them)? Or do they benefit you or do they harm (you)?”(Ash-Shu’arā’ – 26:72-74) Do they respond to your Du’ā? I mean, a god that does not respond to your Du’ā, what God is he? And do they harm you or benefit you? Allāh ﷻ says,

They said, “Nay, but we found our fathers doing so.”(Ash-Shu’arā’ – 26:72-74) They did not disapprove what ‘Ibrāhīm said. They did not say, “Yes, they do accept our Du’ā, and yes they benefit us.” No, they didn’t argue with that. Their response was, “We are doing this because our fathers were doing it.” Just like when you talk to somebody, “What’s your religion and why are you doing this?” He says, “I was born a Christian. I was born Catholic, don’t argue with me. I was born like that.” This is Taqlīd of Al-ābā – following the forefathers, which Allāh ﷻ has mentioned in Qur’ān,

Verily, they found their fathers on the wrong path; So they (too) made haste to follow in their footsteps!(As-Sāffāt – 37:69, 70)

‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  said, He said: “Indeed you and your fathers have been in manifest error.”(Al-Ambiyā – 21:54-56) Clear statements! He said that you are in error, and this was a shock to the people, they couldn’t believe this statement, so they said,

They said: “Have you brought us the truth, or are you one of those who play about?”(Al-Ambiyā – 21:54-56) They thought that he is playing around. I mean, bluntly saying that you are wrong, and your fathers are wrong, and these idols cannot do you any good, and they are false. They said, “Are you joking?” Allāh ﷻ says,

He said: “Nay, your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, Who created them and of that I am one of the witnesses.(Al-Ambiyā – 21:54-56) And he said,

“Who has created me, and it is He Who guides me; And it is He Who feeds me and gives me to drink. And when I am ill, it is He who cures me. And Who will cause me to die, and then will bring me to life (again).”(Ash-Shu’arā’ – 26:78-81)

This is the God that I worship, this is Allāh ﷻ. So ‘Ibrāhīm told them that, I worship Allāh ﷻ, and Allāh ﷻ is your Lord and the Lord of the worlds.

6.6 ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم Destroys the Idols

And then ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  said silently to himself, he was speaking to himself.

“And by Allāh, I shall plot a plan (to destroy) your idols after you have gone away and turned your backs.”(Al-Ambiyā – 21:57)

He made a plan. He said, “I am going to destroy your gods.” Somebody heard ‘Ibrāhīm making that threat, but maybe they didn’t take it seriously. These people, they had a day in which they would go out of the town, and they would celebrate. All of them would go out in their Jāhiliyyah – Ignorance and they would go out in celebrations of Shayātins. So, they would go out of their town; all of them would go together. So, they came to ‘Ibrāhīm and told him, ‘Come on, let’s go!’ He said, “Qāla ‘Innī Saqīm – I am ill”. He wasn’t physically ill. What he meant is that I’m sick of what you are doing; “I am sick!”. He is not physically sick. They understood that he means, that he is physically ill, so they allowed him to stay. But what he had in mind is, that I am sick of this worship that you are doing. So, they left him alone, thinking that he is ill, and they all went out of town. ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  followed through his plan. He took his axe, and he went to the temple. He destroyed all of their idols except for the large-big one, the humongous one, the biggest one; he left him intact. He destroyed all of the rest, and then he hanged the axe on the shoulder of this large idol. When they came back.

Allāh ﷻ says, “So he broke them to pieces, (all) except the biggest of them, that they might turn to it.(Al-Ambiyā – 21:58-60) So they came back, they looked at these idols and said,

They said: “Who has done this to our aliha (gods)? He must indeed be one of the wrong-doers.”(Al-Ambiyā – 21:58-60) ‘Who is the one who did this?’ The ones who heard‘Ibrāhīm speak, came and said,

They said: “We heard a young man talking (against) them who is called‘Ibrāhīm (Abraham).”)Al-Ambiyā – 21:58-60)

6.7 Major Changes in History were done by the Youth

I want to turn your attention to two things in this Āyah. First of all, a young man, Fatā – young man. He was young. This is the responsibility that the youth need to realize, that major changes and Da’wah that was done, were done by the young. The second thing; when for example, I’m speaking with you and I’m telling you, “Muhammad called you”. It’s different than if I say, “A guy named Muhammad called you”. What’s the difference between the two? If I tell you Muhammad called you, or I told you a guy named Muhammad called you. When I tell you Muhammad called you, both of us know who Muhammad is. When I tell you that a guy named Muhammad called you, it’s either both of us, or one of us doesn’t know who Muhammad is. Over here they said, “We heard a young man called ‘Ibrāhīm” ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  wasn’t even known to the society, he was a young boy. He wasn’t even known to the society, and he is coming up with this change that will bring down a whole society. Carrying all of this load on his shoulder. A young boy, carrying all of this load on his shoulder, going against the whole society.

Allāh ﷻ says, “They said: “Then bring him before the eyes of the people, that they may testify.”(Al-Ambiyā – 21:61-63) They gathered all of the people, and they wanted to bring ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم , and put him in court in front of everyone. So, they brought everyone, and they said,

They said: “Are you the one who has done this to our gods, O‘Ibrāhīm?”(Al-Ambiyā – 21:61-63) He said, “No!”

[‘Ibrāhīm] said: “Nay, this one, the biggest of them (idols) did it. Ask them, if they can speak!”(Al-Ambiyā – 21:61-63)

That was the point of the lesson. That’s the point that ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  wants to drive home. “Go and inquire from your gods, let them tell you what happened.” If you believe that your gods can do anything, then maybe the big one did it. If you believe that your gods cannot do anything, then why are worshiping them? ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  said, “Nay, this one, the biggest one did it, ask them if they can speak.” This is the whole point. Allāh ﷻ says,

So they turned to themselves and said: “Verily, you are the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers).”(Al-Ambiyā – 21:64-67) ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  woke them up. It was a shock to them. So, for a moment, they woke up, and realized their insanity and their mistake and their foolishness. So, they started to think about their position, but then Shaitān came in with his influence, and his Waswasah, so he made them override that thought, and they went back to their ignorance again. They woke up for a while, but then they lost the opportunity and they said, Allāh ﷻ says,

Then they turned to themselves (their first thought and said): “Indeed you [‘Ibrāhīm] know well that these (idols) speak not!(Al-Ambiyā – 21:64-67)

Then they turned on their heads, meaning, they were going in the right way, they were starting to think, but then they fell down on their head’s upside down, and they said, “You know that they cannot speak.” Allāh ﷻ says,

[‘Ibrāhīm] said: “Do you then worship besides Allāh, things that can neither profit you, nor harm you? Fie upon you, and upon that which you worship besides Allāh! Have you then no sense?”(Al-Ambiyā – 21:64-67)

‘You have no understanding? No thinking? You are worshipping gods that cannot speak, cannot do you any harm, cannot even defend themselves? How can they defend you, when they’re not able to defend themselves? These gods are lying dead on the ground, they can’t even help themselves.’

6.8 The Da’wah and Hijra of Ibrahim

6.8a ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  is Thrown into the Fire but Rescued by Allāh ﷻ

They lost! In the battle of dialogue, they lost. Up till that moment, it was a dialogue between ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  and them. Whenever the Kuffār lose in the battle of dialogue, they don’t admit, and they go to the next level, and that is actual fighting and physical fighting. They did that with Muhammad ﷺ. Muhammad ﷺ had a dialogue with them, and they were arguing in the beginning, and they obviously, definitely lost. You cannot stand against the Hujjah of Allāh ﷻ – the evidence of Qur’ān – you can’t stand against it. So, when they lost in the field of dialogue, then they resulted to force. “Qālū Harriqūh – They said burn him!” ‘We can’t deal with him, we can’t debate with him with our minds, burn him!’

Allāh ﷻ says, “They said, “Burn him and help your aliha (gods), if you will be doing.”(Al-Anbiyā – 21:68) Burn him! This is an admission of failure. When they said burn him, this is an admission of failure, it’s an admission from their side that they are not able to have a dialogue with him. They lost and resorted to violence. It says in the books of Tafsīr, that they set up a fire, which took them days and days to gather the wood for it. And they set up this trench and they filled it with logs, and they set fire to it, and the flames were so high that a bird would fly over it and fall down dead. Huge fire! And they had to throw ‘Ibrāhīm with a catapult – Minjanīq. So, they put ‘Ibrāhīm in this catapult, and they threw him in the fire. ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  landed in the fire. Fire, which we know burns, but who’s the One who created fire? Allāh ﷻ. And who’s the One who made fire burn? Allāh ﷻ. Are the laws of nature mandatory on Allāh ﷻ? Does Allāh ﷻ has to follow them? Allāh ﷻ is the one who created these laws to start with. So Allāh ﷻ, who created the fire to burn, can make the fire an air conditioner. ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  landed in this fire that burns. Allāh ﷻ ordered the fire to be cool, because the fire is a servant of Allāh ﷻ.

Allāh ﷻ says,

We (Allāh) said: “O fire! Be you coolness and safety for ‘Ibrāhīm!”(Al-Anbiyā 21:69) It is said that ‘Ibrāhīm later would say that “The most pleasant moments that I had in my life, were those moments when I was sitting in the fire”. The best moments that he had in his life, the most peaceful moments were those moments when Allāh ﷻ told the burning fire, “O fire! Be you coolness and safety for ‘Ibrāhīm!”

6.8b Tawakkul – Ultimate Trust in Allāh ﷻWill Save You from All Harm

Allāh ﷻ can change everything for you. Allāh ﷻ made the sun stop for Yūsha’ bin Nūn. Allāh ﷻ made the sea split for Mūsā عليه السالم . Allāh ﷻ made all diseases vanish under the hand of Sayyidnā Īsā عليه السالم . Allāh ﷻ made the moon split for Muhammad ﷺ. Allāh ﷻ made the fire coolness and safety for ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم . Allāh ﷻ can do whatever He wants for the Believer. We have to have trust in Allāh ﷻ and Tawakkul that Allāh ﷻ will give you victory if you follow the orders of Allāh ﷻ. You don’t need anything else; you don’t need anything! All what you need is Allāh ﷻ. All what you need is Allāh ﷻ, Subhān’Allāh. And what was the Du’ā of ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  when he was thrown in the fire? Hasbiyy Al-Lāhu Wa Ni`ma Al- Wakīl – Allāh ﷻ is sufficient for me, Allāh ﷻ is enough. I do not need the help of anyone. Allāh ﷻ is sufficient for me, and He is the best disposer of affairs. I do not need anyone but Allāh ﷻ.

It says in the Hadīth narrated by Al-Bukhārī: Ibn Abbās said, “Hasbunā Al- Lahu Wa Ni`ma Al-Wakīl – Allāh ﷻ is sufficient for us and the Best disposer of our affairs.” ‘Ibrāhīm said it when he was thrown in the fire, and Muhammad ﷺ said it when he was threatened and told that the enemies are gathering for you, so fear them. That made them increase in their Īmān, and they said, “Allāh ﷻ is sufficient for us and He is the best disposer of affairs.(Sahih al- Bukhārī 4563, – Riyād as-Sālihīn 76, – ‘Āli `Imrān 3:173) When Rasūlullāh ﷺ was threatened that the enemies are mobilising and gathering to fight you, so fear them. The people were telling Muhammad ﷺ to fear the enemy, Allāh ﷻ says, “Fazādahum īmānā – that made their Īmān increase”. [‘Āli `Imrān 3:173]

Allāh ﷻ says,

And they wanted to harm him, but We made them the worst losers. And We rescued him and Lūt (Lot) to the land which We have blessed for the ‘Alamin (mankind and jinns).(Al-Anbiyā – 21:70, 71) And we will mention that [blessed land] later when we talk about the Hijrah of ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم .

6.8c The Dialogue with Nimrūd

After this event happened, the king of Babylon at that time was Nimrūd. So Nimrūd heard about this young man who performed this miracle and said, “Who is he? Bring him forward”. So, they brought ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم , this young man, to debate with the king – Nimrūd the powerful dictator, tyrant Nimrūd. So Nimrūd had this debate or dialogue with ‘Ibrāhīm السالميَلع. So,‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  told the king, “Allāh is the one who gives life, and the one who takes it away. Can you do that?” Nimrūd said, “Yes. I can give life and I can take it away.” “How?” He said, “Call two men from jail.” So, they brought these two men from jail. He commanded his soldiers to execute one of them, and he told the second one, “You are free.” He said, “See, I took away the life of this one, and I gave life to the other one.” But ‘Ibrāhīm didn’t mean this foolish, shallow meaning of giving life and death. ‘Ibrāhīm was talking about the miracle of life which is occurring in every single moment of the day and night, where Allāh ﷻ is giving life in every single moment of the day and night to a new creature. That is the meaning that ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  meant. But ‘Ibrāhīm is not going to go and argue with the king in this point, and this is a pointer to the way in debate. If we find that the opponent is trying to trap you in an insignificant point or discussion, leave it. ‘Ibrāhīm did not respond to this. ‘Ibrāhīm completely changed the subject, and since he saw that this man is stubborn and he is going to debate and dialogue in this way and argue in this fashion; I am going to get him from another angle, to close the discussion with him. I’m not going to go down that road with him. So, ‘Ibrāhīm completely left the issue of life and death alone, even though there’s a lot that could be said in it, but ‘Ibrāhīm did not debate that point. Fine, he chose another point. He said, “Allāh ﷻ brings the sun from the east, bring it from the west.”

Allāh ﷻ says, “Fabuhita Al-Ladhī Kafara – so the disbeliever was utterly defeated.”(Al-Baqarah – 2:258) He couldn’t speak. ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  shut him up with this argument. As I said, this is a pointer to discussion, because you could have discussed the point of life and death with him and told him, “No, this is not what I meant. What I meant is this and that”, and it would be an endless, fruitless discussion. ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  chose another angle and threw an evidence on him that cannot be rebutted. And he shut him off, that’s it. I will read the Āyāh to you. Allāh ﷻ says,

Have you not looked at him who disputed with ‘Ibrāhīm about his Lord (Allāh), because Allāh had given him the kingdom? When ‘Ibrāhīm said (to him): “My Lord (Allāh) is He Who gives life and causes death.” He said, “I give life and cause death.” ‘Ibrāhīm said, “Verily! Allāh causes the sun to rise from the east; then cause it you to rise from the west.” So the disbeliever was utterly defeated. And Allāh guides not the people, who are Zalimun (wrong-doers, etc.).(Al-Baqarah – 2:258)

6.9 ‘Ilm al-Yaqīn – Certain Faith and ‘Ain al-Yaqīn – Faith by Seeing

We can see in this discussion that ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  has a strong level of Yaqīn – a strong level of conviction, certainty in Allāh ﷻ. In the issue of life and death, ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  had ‘Ilm al-Yaqīn – certain knowledge. His knowledge was certain, you cannot shake the Īmān of ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  in this point. He knew that Allāh ﷻ is the one who gives life, and he knew that Allāh ﷻ is the one who takes it away. But ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  wants to reach to the level of ‘Ain al-Yaqīn. ‘Ain al-Yaqīn is certainty by seeing or witnessing. ‘Ibrāhīm had ‘Ilm al-Yaqīn – the knowledge of Yaqīn, certain knowledge, but he wants to reach to the level of certainty with witnessing or seeing. So, ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  has no doubts in Allāh ﷻ because this argument that he made with the king is based on certain knowledge, you cannot argue like that about life and death when your knowledge is shakeable or your Īmān is shakeable. Sometimes we read the Āyāh, the Āyāh that I am going to read right now, and we think that ‘Ibrāhīm had doubts in Allāh ﷻ. No, he didn’t! He had ‘Ilm al-Yaqīn – certain knowledge, but he just wants to reach to the level of ‘Ain al-Yaqīn.

Allāh ﷻ says, And (remember) when ‘Ibrāhīm said, “My Lord! Show me how You give life to the dead.”(Al-Baqarah – 2:260) Show me! He wants to see it. That does not mean that ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  does not believe in it. ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  does believe in it, and his argument with the king was based on that belief, but he wants to see it. So Allāh ﷻ asked him, “Do you not believe?” He [‘Ibrāhīm] said: “Yes (I believe), but to be stronger in Faith.”(Al-Baqarah – 2:260) I do believe, but I want to be stronger in faith. So Allāh ﷻ told ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  to take four birds, slaughter them, chop them into pieces, grind them together, mix these four birds together, mesh the flesh, so its inseparable and then split this mixture into four parts, and put one part on the top of a mountain. So, you have four mountains, a quarter of this ground birds, put a quarter of it on the top of each mountain and then call them. So ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  put these four quarters of ground birds on the tops of these four mountains, and then he called them, he said, “Come!” All of these four birds came together alive! So ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  witnessed the miracle of life in front of his eyes. Allāh ﷻ says,

And (remember) when ‘Ibrāhīm said, “My Lord! Show me how You give life to the dead.” He (Allāh) said: “Do you not believe?” He (‘Ibrāhīm) 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 Allāh is All-Mighty, All-Wise.”(Al-Baqarah – 2:260)

6.10 ‘Ibrāhīm’s Da’wah and His Hijrah [Migration] through Ash-Shaam

‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  made Da’wah to his people, and after all his efforts and the miracle of ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  being saved from the fire, nobody believed in ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  except his nephew. Allāh ﷻ says,

So Lūt believed in him [in ‘Ibrahim’s Message of Islamic Monotheism (Al-’Ankabūt – 29:26) Lūt عليه السالم  is the nephew of Sayyidnā ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم . After all of this effort, after this miracle happening in front of the eyes of this nation, nobody believed in him except his nephew Lūt عليه السالم . And they had to leave, they had to flee from the persecution and oppression of their homeland. They had to give up the land of their birth, and the land where they were raised up, and go and find another land to worship Allāh ﷻ.

Allāh ﷻ says, “He [‘Ibrāhīm] said: “I will emigrate for the sake of my Lord. Verily, He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.”(Al-’Ankabūt – 29:26) Where was ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  heading?

Allāh ﷻ says, “And We rescued him and Lūt (Lot) to the land which We have blessed for the ‘Alamin (mankind and jinns).(Al-Anbiyā – 21:71) And the blessed land is the holy land – Ash-Shaam [Levant], which is composed today of four countries because everything in the Muslim world has split up. In the past, it was Ash-Shaam. Now it is Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, and Jordan. And the centre of it all and the holiest of it is Jerusalem – Bayt al-Maqdis.

This is the direction Sayyidnā ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  was heading for. On the way he passed through a land called Harrān, in Ash-Shaam, and the people of Harrān used to worship the stars. They had a pretty flexible religion; they would go out at night-time, and they would look at the sky and everyone would make a choice and pick a star, and they would worship it. That was their ‘Ibādāh. Somebody would worship Venus; somebody would worship another star and that’s how their religion was. It is not very different from what we think of as ‘modern’ religions today. ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  had his own way of Da’wah. Subhān’Allāh, ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  had his style of Da’wah. You remember how he made his Da’wah to his people? He went and destroyed all of the idols, and then he hanged the axe on the biggest idol. ‘Ibrāhīm over here, how is he making Da’wah to these people? He went out with them at night; they went out to worship. The first star that comes up is not a star, but a planet and that is Venus. It’s the first star that shines in the sky after sunset. It looks like a star but it’s not, it’s Venus, the planet Venus. ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  said, Allāh ﷻ says,

When the night covered him over with darkness, he saw a star. He said: “This is my lord.”(Al-An’ām – 6:76, 77) In front everyone he said, “This is my lord”, and then the planet set. Allāh ﷻ says,

But when it set, he said: “I like not those that set.”(Al-An’ām – 6:76, 77) This cannot be my god because it sets, and then the next day, he saw the moon.

Allāh ﷻ says “When he saw the moon rising up, he said: “This is my lord.”(Al-An’ām – 6:76, 77) And then the moon set. Allāh ﷻ says,

But when it set, he said: “Unless my Lord guides me, I shall surely be among the erring people.”(Al-An’ām – 6:76, 77) So he said in front of everyone, “If Allāh does not guide me, I am going to be one of those who are misguided.” And then the sun came up. Allāh ﷻ says

When he saw the sun rising up, he said: “This is my lord. This is greater.”(Al-An’ām – 6:78, 79) And he pretended that he is worshipping the sun, and then the sun set. And then finally Sayyidnā ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  said and Allāh ﷻ says,

But when it set, he said: “O my people! I am indeed free from all that you join as partners in worship with Allāh. Verily, I have turned my face towards Him Who has created the heavens and the earth Hanifa (Islamic Monotheism, i.e. worshipping none but Allāh Alone) and I am not of Al- Mushrikun (Polytheists)”.(Al-An’ām – 6:78, 79) So ‘Ibrāhīm is doing this presentation in front of everyone. Now, there are some Mufassirīn who tend to think that in these Āyāt ‘Ibrāhīm was searching for the truth. So, they give the explanation that ‘Ibrāhīm didn’t know the truth and he was searching for the truth and in the end his search for the truth led him to worship Allāh ﷻ. So, in the beginning ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  started worshipping Venus, and then he worshipped the moon and then he worshipped the sun. Finally, ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  knew the truth and he worshipped Allāh ﷻ.

But Al-Mufassīr Ibn Kathīr strongly disagrees with this. He says, “This cannot be true. We cannot expect from a Nabi of Allāh to be misguided, to worship the sun and the moon and planets. If Allāh has created the human beings on Fitrah of Islam, if that is the original creation, how could a Nabi of Allāh ﷻ be misguided so bad that he would worship these stars and planets and not know the truth?”

And he mentions some other evidences to refute this claim, that this is the story of ‘Ibrāhīm searching for the truth. He says, “No! This was a Da’wah presentation that ‘Ibrāhīm was giving to the people.” And he said, “This comes after the Da’wah of ‘Ibrāhīm to his own homeland.” This comes after, because after ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  left, then he went to Harrān, and in Harrān the people used to worship the planets, [which was] not the homeland of ‘Ibrāhīm. In the homeland of ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  they used to worship the idols. So, after he moved out of Irāq, and he got to Harrān, he saw the people worshipping these planets, then he started giving them this presentation. Also, Ibn Kathīr says, that the Āyah that comes before these Āyāt that I recited to you, clearly shows that ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  was already given the guidance by Allāh ﷻ. And this Āyāh, as Allāh ﷻ says,

Thus, did we show ‘Ibrāhīm (Abraham) the kingdom of the heavens and the earth that he be one of those who have Faith with certainty.(Al-An’ām – 6:75)

This Āyāh is before the Āyāt that are talking about worshipping the sun and the moon and the star. In this Āyāh, Allāh ﷻ is saying, that We have shown ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, so that he can be of those who have faith with certainty; meaning that Allāh ﷻ has disclosed to Sayyidnā ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  some ‘ilm – some knowledge of the heavens and the earth that other people don’t have. And this special knowledge that Allāh ﷻ has disclosed to ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم , would elevate him to the level of Mūqin – certain faith. How can we then say that ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  was searching for the truth?

The word Muhājja or Hājjahu means they debated with him. We find that this word was not used with any other prophet more than ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  in Qur’ān. ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  was continuously in debates and dialogues with others about Islam. He made a debate and a dialogue with the king, he made a dialogue with his people and over here, he is making this dialogue and debate with the people of Harrān.

Allāh ﷻ says, “His people disputed with him. He said: “Do you dispute with me concerning Allāh while He has guided me, and I fear not those whom you associate with Allāh in worship. (Nothing can happen to me) except when my Lord (Allāh) wills something. My Lord comprehends in His Knowledge all things. Will you not then remember? And how should I fear those whom you associate in worship with Allāh (though they can neither benefit nor harm), while you fear not that you have joined in worship with Allāh things for which He has not sent down to you any authority. (So) which of the two parties has more right to be in security? If you but know.”(Al-An’ām – 6:80, 81)

Wa Hājjahu Qawmuhu – or it could be in general, because Qawmuhu could be referring to his people. ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  is saying, why should I fear your gods when I have Allāh with me? You are the ones who should be afraid! This could seem to be a regular statement; what’s the big deal about it? But think about it in the right context. ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  was one, and he is facing the whole, and he is telling them, I am not afraid of you, and I am not afraid of your threats, and I have no fear of your gods, because Allāh ﷻ is with me. Imagine you standing alone against a nation. It’s not simple, facing the whole society telling them, I am not afraid of anything. I have no fear of your gods, no fear of your threats, do whatever you want! And then, he is not only telling them, I don’t have any fear, but he is also telling them, I feel very secure, and you should feel insecure, because Allāh ﷻ is on my side, and you have no one to help you and support you. And then Allāh ﷻ confirms what ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  has said.

Allāh ﷻ says, “It is those who believe (in the Oneness of Allāh and worship none but Him Alone) and confuse not their belief with Zulm (wrong i.e. by worshipping others besides Allāh), for them (only) there is security and they are the guided.(Al-An’ām – 6:82) Allāh ﷻ will provide peace and security for the believers. Wa ‘Anzala As-Sakīnatahu – Allāh ﷻ has revealed His Sakīnah – tranquillity on the believers in some of the most critical moments, in Badr and in other difficult situations. Allāh ﷻ has given the Mu’mins peace, security, and tranquillity. And Allāh ﷻ is telling us that Allāh is the one who has given ‘Ibrāhīm that Hujjah – that ability to debate. Allāh ﷻ says,

And that was Our Proof which We gave ‘Ibrāhīm (Abraham) against his people. We raise whom We will in degrees. Certainly your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing.(Al-An’ām – 6:83)

6.11 Hijrah – Ibrāhīm’s Migration to Egypt

‘Ibrāhīm now made his Hijrah out of Harrān. Subhān’Allāh, ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  lived a life of Hijrah. So, he left Harrān, and he went to Egypt, when he got to Egypt the news was carried to the king of Egypt at that time, that there is a man who is accompanying the most beautiful woman. They were referring to Sārah, and this Hadīth is in Bukhārī.(Sahīh al-Bukhārī 3358)

Rasūlullāh ﷺ says, “‘Ibrāhīm never lied except three times.” And you’ll see that these three lies don’t even count as lies. “Two of them were for the sake of Allāh ﷻ.” When he said, “I am ill, I am sick”, and when he said, “The big one is the one who did it.” You remember when we talked about the people of ‘Ibrāhīm, that they would go out, they had this special night in which they would leave their town and go out and celebrate? All the town, they would leave. They would vacate the whole town; they would all go out and celebrate. So, they wanted ‘Ibrāhīm to come with them, but ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  had a plan. He wanted to stay behind because he had a plan in mind. But he can’t stay behind except if he has an excuse. So, they told him, “Why aren’t you coming with us?” He said, “I am sick.” What they understood is that he is physically ill. What ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  meant inside, is that he is sick of what they are doing. So that’s a lie because they understood something that he didn’t mean. He meant something other than what they understood. The second lie is when ‘Ibrāhīm destroyed all of the idols, he hanged the axe on the big idol and then when they came back and said, “Who is the one who destroyed the idols?”, ‘Ibrāhīm said, “He did it!” Now obviously ‘Ibrāhīm knows that he’s not the one who did it but ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  wants to drive a point home, he wants to tell them, go and talk to your gods, go and seek help from them if they can do you any help. So, these are the two [“lies”] that were done in the sake of Allāh ﷻ.

The third one was, when the king was told that there is a very beautiful woman accompanying ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم , Sārah. They wanted to take away Sārah from ‘Ibrāhīm and give her as a slave to the king. They came to ‘Ibrāhīm and they asked him, “Who is this woman with you?”. He said, “This is my sister”. He didn’t say she is my wife, because if he said that she is his wife, they would kill him and take her because they don’t want the husband of this woman to be alive when she is with the king. And then he went to Sārah and told her, “Listen, there is nobody on the face of earth believer except me and you, and they have come and asked me what is your relation to me. I said you are my sister. So do not disapprove me. Tell them you are my sister.” So, they came to Sārah and said, “What is your relation with this man?” She said, “He is my brother.”

They took Sārah to meet with the king, and the king wanted to place his hand on her. She made a Du’ā to Allāh ﷻ and said, “Oh Allāh! Take care of him!” His hand was paralysed. So, he told her, “Ask your God, ask Allāh to heal me and I will leave you alone”. So, she made a Du’ā to Allāh ﷻ to heal him, so his hand was moving again. He extended it again, he betrayed his word, he didn’t keep his promise. She made a Du’ā another time, his hand was paralysed another time. He said, “Make a Du’ā for me.” She made a Du’ā for him a second time, and his hand was released. He tried to grab her for the third time. He requested a Du’ā, she made a Du’ā for him his hand was freed. He said, “Innamā ji’tumūnī bi Shaitān – you have not presented me with a human woman, you have presented me with a devil.” He let her go, not only that, but to ward off her evil as he thought, he gave her a gift. He gave Sārah a gift; our mother Hājar as a slave. Sārah now, went back to Sayyidnā ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  and she had this gift with her; Hājar. And that is the story of Sayyidatnā Hājar.

In Sahīh Al-Bukhārī it mentions that ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  circumcised himself. He received the commandment of Allāh ﷻ to fulfil this Sunnah of Fitrah, and ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  did it when he was over 80 years old. He circumcised himself without any anaesthesia, without any pain killer, he did it himself; immediately following the commandments of Allāh ﷻ, even though he was over the age of 80.(Sahīh al-Bukhārī 6298, – Sahīh Muslim 2370)

6.12 The Children of ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم

And up till that moment ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  had no children. He reached the age of 80, no believers, no children, leading a lonely life, he is patient – Sabr. Sārah told ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم , that you can have Hājar as a wife. Sārah is the one who gave ‘Ibrāhīm the permission. So ‘Ibrāhīm married Hājar, with the hope that they would have a child. And then ‘Ibrāhīm was given the ‘Bishāra of ghulām halīm’. Allāh ﷻ has described Ismā’īlعليه السالم  with Hilm – which is mild, and gentle, and forbearing. While Ishāq عليه السالم  has been described in the Qur’ān as ‘Alīm – Knowledgeable. So, the Āyāt that say ghulām halīm – a forbearing mild gentle child, are talking about Ismā’īlعليه السالم  and the Āyāt that say ghulām ‘alīm – a knowledgeable child, are talking about Ishāq عليه السالم .

There is an interesting verse in the Bible that I want to recite to you, because it not only gives the glad tidings of Ismā’īlعليه السالم  but it goes even further. This verse in the Bible is in Genesis 17:20. It says, “And as for Ishmael I have heard thee, behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and will multiply him exceedingly. Twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.” So, the Bible is saying that Ismā’īl is blessed, and that Allāh ﷻ will multiply his children; and his children are the Arabs. And twelve princes – out of the descendants of ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  will be twelve princes. There is a Hadīth where Rasūlullāh ﷺ says, “There will be on this Ummah twelve Khulafā, all of them are from Quraish.”(Sahīh al-Bukhārī 7222, 7223, – Sahīh Muslim 1821, 1822)

Twelve, and Quraish are from the direct descendants of Ismā’īlعليه السالم . And this verse in the Bible is talking about twelve princes, and the twelve princes are twelve Khulafā. Four of them already passed; Abū Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthmān and ‘Ali [may Allāh be pleased with them]. Some would include ‘Umar ibn Abdul ‘Azīz. For sure we know about the four, and then Al-Mahdi is one also, and there are a few others left. Not only is the Bible giving us the glad tidings of Ismā’īlعليه السالم , but it’s also talking about the twelve Khulafā that will rule on this Ummah. If we have only four, or five or six of the Khulafā that passed, we have more than half left, and that is good news for this ummah.

6.13 Hijrah – Ibrāhīm’s Migration to Makkah

In Fath Al-Bāri – the commentary of Al-Bukhārī by Imām ibn Hajar al- ‘Asqalāni, he says that when ‘Ibrāhīm carried his young child and Hājar in their Hijrah, Ismā’īl عليه السالم  was about 2 years of age. ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم commanded his wife, Hājar, to accompany him on a long trip. So, they started this long traveling; ‘Ibrāhīm, and his wife Hājar and their young child Ismā’īl. And then suddenly in the middle of nowhere; desert, dry barren infertile desert, no settlement, no people, no houses, no villages, nothing! In the middle of nowhere, ‘Ibrāhīm stopped, and he told his wife Hājar and her son to stay there. And he left with them a sack filled with dates, and he left with them some water. Hājar couldn’t believe what was happening. “How could we be left over here? In the middle of nowhere; desert!” So, she followed ‘Ibrāhīm. “Are you going to leave us here? Who are you going to leave us with? There is no plants, there is no people, there is nothing! Who are you going to leave us with?” And ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  is not answering, and he is walking away, he didn’t even look back. And she repeated the question, “Who are you going to leave us with?” He is walking away, and she is following him. “‘Ibrāhīm how are you going to leave us here? There is nothing here, there’s no people.” And ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  is completely ignoring her and not even looking back.

Then finally she asked him a question, she said, “Is this a commandment from Allāh?” Finally, ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  responded and said, “Yes.” Sayyidatnā Hājar said, “Idhan lan yudayyi’unā Allāh – then Allāh ﷻ will not neglect us.” That’s it, she didn’t talk with him further [and accepted the command of Allāh] “Allāh will take care of us, He will not neglect us.” This is the Īmān of this mother, Hājar, the mother of Rasūlullāh ﷺ, this is her Īmān. She is in the desert, dry desert, no one is there, she doesn’t even have enough food, all what she has is dates and water; something that we would complain about if we were told to live on for one day, not to make a living off water and dates. And her husband is leaving her alone, a helpless mother. Hājar sat down, she would breast feed him and she would eat from those dates, drink from the water, until she ran out of dates, and ran out of water, and ran out of milk. Now Sayyidnā Ismā’īlعليه السالم  is crying and weeping, and Rasūlullāh ﷺ described him and said, “Yatalawwā – he was curling.” Ismā’īl was curling on himself because of the hunger, and he was hitting the ground with his feet, and he was crying as if he was dying. At that moment, Hājar could not sit down any further. Even though there is nowhere to go, but she couldn’t handle seeing her child dying in front of her eyes. So, she went on top of a mountain that was close to her, she climbed that mountain, and that mountain is As-Safa, and she looked from top of the mountain if she can see anyone, she saw no one. She walked down the mountain and then she ran through the valley, and then she climbed another mountain. The name of that mountain is Al-Marwa. And she got to the top of the mountain, looking around if she can see anyone, she saw no one. So, she walked down the mountain, ran through the valley and climbed on As-Safa again. And she kept on doing that for seven times. And that is the Sunnah of Sayyidatnā Hājar that we are doing today in Hajj, every one of us is making that Sa’ī [one of the rites of Hajj]. Subhān’Allāh, Sayyidatnā Hajar at that moment was afraid, had fear in her heart, she was running with worry. If she knew what will happen, she would be climbing those mountains with a big smile on her face. If she knew that the nations of the world, millions and millions of them are going to follow her tracks, and follow her Sunnah and follow her way, she would be making that trip with a big smile on her face. And this is the Rizq that Allāh ﷻ gives to you from the doors that you don’t expect. Allāh ﷻ says,

And whosoever fears Allāh and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine.(At-Talāq – 65:2-3)

6.14 The Well of Zamzam

When she got on top of Al-Marwa, and that’s the end of the seventh climbing, she heard a voice. So, she said, “Quiet!”. Who is she speaking to? She is speaking to herself out of confusion. She is telling herself, “Be quiet!”, and then she is trying to listen. She heard a voice again, she said, “La qad asma’ta in kāna layadaka al-ghawās – if you have any help, I am able to hear you, where are you?” And then she looked around to see in the spot where Ismā’īlعليه السالم  was laying down, the child, the two-year-old child, the helpless child, the child that is crying, helpless. She saw an angel, leader of the angels – Jibrīl عليه السالم  descended specially to that spot where Ismā’īlعليه السالم  was laying down, and the angel started picking up the dirt with his wing or with his foot, until water started flowing from the ground. Rizq of Allāh ﷻ that came for a helpless child. So, she came down, Sayyidatnā Hājar. This water of Zamzam came out through divine will of Allāh ﷻ; a commandment to the angel Jibrīl عليه السالم . When the water was coming out with the will of Allāh ﷻ, Sayyidatnā Hājar intervened by making a pool around the water; because this water was coming out in a desert, so she thought that this water is going to flow on the sand and go in the earth and she is not going to see it. She intervened and she started saying, “Zamzam, Zamzam!”, and she is collecting dirt around it to make a pool.

Rasūlullāh ﷺ says, “If Hājar would have left it alone, it would have been a flowing river.”(Sahīh al-Bukhārī 2368, 3364, 3365, – Riyād as-Sālihīn 1867) She intervened in it, if she would have left it alone, it would have been a flowing river, but she intervened, and it became the well of Zamzam. Now, Sayyidatnā Hājar has water, but she doesn’t have food and she doesn’t have company. So, she still needs the social needs and psychological needs.

There was a tribe called Jurhum, an Arab tribe, Bedouins travelling in that area. They saw in the sky birds hovering. Birds in the desert means water. They said, “We know that there is no water over there so what are these birds doing?” All of this that I am mentioning to you is from a long Hadīth in Bukhārī.(Sahīh al-Bukhārī 2368, 3364, 3365, – Riyād as-Sālihīn 1867)

So, they sent one or two men to go and investigate. So, the men went rushing. They came back with the good news that there is water in the middle of the desert. This group of Jurhum, they moved towards the source of water, and they arrived there to find this woman and her child. So, they asked a strange question, and they got an even stranger answer. Their question was, “Would you allow us to camp here?” What is strange about this? These are a group of men, fighters, in the middle of the desert, taking permission from a woman and her child. If they wanted, they could have eliminated her with the move of a hand, with a strike of a sword she could have been over with. But they were very noble, so they came and asked her that strange question, “Would you give us permission to stay here?” Because in the desert if you have water, that’s where you want to be, and they got a strange answer, she said, “Yes, but you have no rights in the water, the water belongs to us.” And what’s strange about the answer? The strange thing about is, that she is no position to negotiate and bargain, and she is, nevertheless, saying, “You have no right in the water. If you want to stay here, you have to stay on our terms, the water belongs to us.” But they accepted, they said, “Yes, we agree.” And that is how Jurhum came to stay in that area, and that is the beginning of the settlement.

6.14 The Du’ā of ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  for his Family and the Love for Ka’bah

Now let me go back. When ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  left Hājar and her son in that spot, ‘Ibrāhīm walked away until he got to Al-Thaniyya, and he made Du’ā for them. It’s not easy for a father, very old, to leave his only son and his wife in the middle of nowhere. It’s not easy. We do not feel safe leaving our families alone in settled, established, secure areas. It wasn’t easy for ‘Ibrāhīm to leave. So, he stopped and made Du’ā to Allāh ﷻ because its Him Who we seek help from; ‘Īyāka Na`budu Wa ‘Īyāka Nasta`īn – we seek help from no one but Allāh ﷻ. And he made a Du’ā. What was the Du’ā of ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم ?

Allāh ﷻ says, “[Ibrāhīm said,] “O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in an uncultivable valley by Your Sacred House (the Ka’bah at Makkah); in order, O our Lord, that they may perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), so fill some hearts among men with love towards them, and (O Allāh) provide them with fruits so that they may give thanks.(‘Ibrāhīm – 14:37) I have left my descendent, my family in a valley that is barren and dry – infertile, no rain, no trees can grow in that place, why? Liyuqīmū As-Salāata – so that they may establish prayer. In that moment of difficulty, in that moment which we would naturally think about the safety and the food and the drink of my child and my wife, ‘Ibrāhīm is thinking about Salāh. Something similar to it, because the Sahāba are trained under the head of the Ambiyā, Muhammad ﷺ.

When Rasūlullāh ﷺ was talking about Ad-Dajjāl, and Rasūlullāh ﷺ said that Dajjāl will remain among you for forty days, one day is equal to a year, one day is equal to a month and one day is equal to a week, and the rest of the days are like your regular days. So, one day is equal to a year. The Sahāba had a question about that; one day is equal to a year. What do you think their question was? I mean, Rasūlullāh ﷺ is talking about the big Fitnah of Ad-Dajjāl, and he is talking about a day that is equal to a year. What is the thought that came on the minds of the Sahāba? They said, “Hal takfīna fī al- salāt al-yawm – is it enough for us to pray in that day, like the prayer of one day?” [Sunan Ibn Mājah 4075] The Sahāba are thinking about Salāh in the time of Ad-Dajjāl. Rasūlullāh ﷺ is talking about Dajjāl and the Fitnah of Dajjāl and the Sahāba are thinking about Salāh.

Anyway, ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  said, “Liyuqīmū As-Salāata – so that they would establish prayer”. And then he made the Du’ā of the other needs. We are not saying, we do not seek assistance from Allāh ﷻ to give us Rizq. No! We don’t say that we don’t seek assistance from Allāh ﷻ to provide for us in Dunyā. No! We ask Allāh ﷻ for that, but we have to give the right proportion. We say, “Rabbanā ‘Ātinā Fī Ad-Dunyā Hasanatan Wa Fī Al- ‘Ākhirati Hasanatan – we ask Allāh ﷻ for Dunyā, and we ask Allāh ﷻ for Ākhirah. So ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  mentioned the duty of Islam; and that is the establishment of Salāh and then he said, “So fill some hearts among men with love towards them, and (O Allāh) provide them with fruits so that they may give thanks.”(‘Ibrāhīm – 14:37)

Subhān’Allāh, that Du’ā that was done in the desert, in the empty desert. Look at the fulfilment of the Du’ā of ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم . People are coming from all over the world to that place, there is no place in the world that is more loved than Makkah, because of the attraction that Allāh ﷻ put in that house. Allāh ﷻ has given an amazing description to the House of Allāh. Allāh ﷻ says,

And (remember) when We made the House (the Ka’bah at Makkah) a place of resort for mankind.(Al-Baqarah – 2:125) Mathābatan – when the young camel goes to play, after it plays for a while, it has to go back and see its mother. Allāh ﷻ says that the House of Allāh is Mathābatan – you go there, you get stuck. The love of the House of Allāh ﷻ enters your heart, and then when you leave there, when you leave from Makkah, you are always homesick. You want to go back and see Ka’bah again. And that is something that many people describe. They say that “When we see Ka’bah for the first time, then that’s it! We are hooked to it, and we can’t leave it for a long time.”

Allāh ﷻ puts the love of this House in the hearts of men; a fulfilment of the Du’ā of ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم .

So, the people of Jurhum, they stayed there, and they raised up Ismā’īl عليه السالم , and they taught him the Arabic language because ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  was not an Arab, neither was Ismā’īl عليه السالم . They were from Mesopotamia, Iraq, the Chaldeans.

6.15 The Journey of ‘Ibrāhīm  عليه السالم

Jurhum taught Ismā’īl the Arabic language because he grew up with them, so he learned the Arabic language. Rasūlullāh ﷺ said, “They adored him. They loved him so much, they married him one of their daughters and he lived with them.”(Sahīh al-Bukhārī 2368, 3364, 3365, – Riyād as-Sālihīn 1867)

The mother passed away, Hājar. And then ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  would make some visits. ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  is traveling always. So, he visited Makkah, and came to the house of Ismā’īl عليه السالم  and he knocked the door. So, his wife opened the door, ‘Ibrāhīm said, “Where is your husband?” She said, “He is not here.” So ‘Ibrāhīm asked her, “How is your living?” She said, “Miserable, we are having a miserable life.”, and she complained, “Our food is not good, our water is murky, thick, dirty and salty”. So ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  said, “Deliver my Salām to him.” He didn’t even tell her who he is, he said, “Deliver my Salām to him, and tell him to change his doorstep.” Ismā’īl came home, and Rasūlullāh ﷺ says, “As if he felt something.” Subhān’Allāh, he felt that his father was there. He didn’t see him, and his wife didn’t even say something, but he asked his wife, “Did anybody visit us?” She said, “Yes, an old man came, and he asked about you, and he told me to deliver Salām to you, and to tell you to change your doorstep.” Ismā’īlعليه السالم  said, “That was my father, and he is ordering me to separate from you. You are the doorstep, so go back home”, and he divorced her.

The People of Jurhum loved Ismā’īl so much, that they married him another wife. ‘Ibrāhīm made another trip a while later, he knocked the door. Ismā’īl wasn’t there so he asked the same questions to the wife. He said, “Tell me about your living?” She said, “Alhamdulillāh, the best living”, and she praised the lifestyle that they are leading; the simple lifestyle that they were leading, she praised it. She was happy and content, a righteous woman. So ‘Ibrāhīm wanted to get more details, so he asked, “What food do you eat?” She said, “We eat meat.” “What do you drink?” “Water.” That’s all what they used to have, meat and water. No desserts, no appetizers, no side dishes. Meat and water only. So, he made Du’ā for them and said, “Oh Allāh give them blessing in their food.” And Rasūlullāh ﷺ says, they did not have grains at that time, they didn’t know wheat and barley, if they had it, he would have made Du’ā for them to bless it for them, but they didn’t have it at that time. But he made Du’ā to Allāh ﷻ to bless for them their food and then he said, “When your husband comes back, deliver my Salām to him, and tell him to keep the doorstep.” So Ismā’īlعليه السالم  came back and said,“Did anybody visit us?” She said, “Yes, an old man came, and he is delivering you Salām and he is saying keep your doorstep.” He said, “That’s my father, you are the doorstep, and my father is telling me to keep you.”(Sahīh al-Bukhārī 2368, 3364, 3365. Riyād as-Sālihīn 1867)

Allāh ﷻ says, “My Lord! Grant me (offspring) from the righteous.”(As-Sāffāt – 37:100-101) This is a Du’ā that Sayyidnā ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  made. ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  reached to over 80 years old and he didn’t have any offspring, didn’t have any children, and he didn’t ask Allāh ﷻ to provide him with children, per say, but he said, “Mina As-Sālihīna – he has to be righteous. “Oh Allāh give me a righteous offspring.” Allāh ﷻ says,

“So We gave him the glad tidings of a forbearing boy.”(As-Sāffāt – 37:100-101)

We gave him the glad tidings of a child which is Halīm, and Halīm is – gentle, and mild and forbearing. These are the Akhlāq of Sayyidnā Ismā’īlعليه السالم . And Ismā’īlعليه السالم  grew up away from his father, in Makkah as we mentioned. And then when Ismā’īl عليه السالم  reached to the age in which he can go out with his father, in the age in which he became an adult and he is able to take responsibilities for himself, this age which Allāh ﷻ mentions in Qur’ān, “And, when he (his son) was old enough to walk with him,”(As-Sāffāt – 37:102)

Old enough to walk with him means that Ismā’īlعليه السالم  has grown up and is now able to take care of himself, and he is able to take responsibilities. And that is when the father starts seeing himself in his son. When your son is a child, you raise him up, but when your son is an adult, then you see the continuation of your life in him. And that is the age which Ismā’īlعليه السالم  reached.

6.16 The Dream of ‘Ibrāhīm  عليه السالم

When Ismā’īl started to go out with his father, Sayyidnā ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  saw a dream. Sayyidnā ‘Ibrāhīm saw a dream, and we know that the dreams of the Ambiyā are Wāhi. In that dream, Sayyidnā ‘Ibrāhīm was slaughtering his own son. Allāh ﷻ says,

And, when he (his son) was old enough to walk with him, he said: “O my son! I have seen in a dream that I am slaughtering you (offer you in sacrifice to Allāh), so look what you think!”(As-Sāffāt – 37:102) Fānžur Mādhā Tará – What do you think? What is your response?

‘Ibrāhīm will fulfil the order of Allāh ﷻ, no doubt! But he didn’t go, and Ismā’īl is in his sleep, and suddenly sacrifice his son, no! He told Ismā’īl, “This is the dream that I saw. Tell me what do you think?”

The answer of Sayyidnā Ismā’īlعليه السالم  should be studied deeply, and taken seriously by the society that we live in. This society that gives no rights to the parents; in which the children have no morals in the way they deal with their parents. In a society that would give rights to everyone, even to the perverted, but it would give no rights to the parents. In a society where the state has more authority over your children than you do. This response of Sayyidnā Ismā’īlعليه السالم  needs to be studied very carefully. Sayyidnā Ismā’īl said,

He said: “O my father! Do that which you are commanded, Inshā’Allāh (if Allāh will), you shall find me of As-Sābirīn (the patient ones).”(As-Sāffāt – 37:102)

If a parent would tell his child to provide for him, the son or the daughter won’t. And in the end of their lives, they are dumped in an elderly house. And Sayyidnā Ismā’īlعليه السالم  is giving the most valuable thing that he has; and that is his life. It’s not a matter of providing for his father for material provisions, or taking care of some needs of his father, he is giving his father his life, he is giving away his life.

And again, I say that’s important to study by us, the Muslims, because we are living in a society that gives no rights. The only group that have no rights are the parents, they have no rights whatsoever, they are disposable thing, they just raise up the children, they bear them, and they take care of them, they work for them and they sacrifice for them, and then when the children reach the age of 18, they have no obligation whatsoever towards these parents. And that is by law; the parent cannot take anything from their children after they reach the age of 18, by law! Nothing! The child does not have to obey, does not have to provide, does not have to take care, because this is an individualistic society. And it’s affecting the Muslims, it’s affecting us because we borrow from the environment, we live in.

Sayyidnā Ismā’īl said, “Af`al Mā Tu’umaru – Do whatever you are commanded to do”. Whatever Allāh ﷻ commanded you to do, do it. And then he said, “Satajidunī ‘In Shā’a Allāhu Mina Aş-Şābirīna – you will find me of those who are patient, Inshā’Allāh.” He didn’t say, “You WILL find me patient”, because we cannot guarantee our actions. We have no guarantee over what we are going to do this moment, let alone in the future. Everything that we do, we need to realize that it’s Taufīq from Allāh ﷻ. Allāh ﷻ is the one who made it accessible for us, and that is why we don’t say that we are going to do it, and put an end to it that way, no! We say we are going to do it Inshā’Allāh, and we ask Allāh ﷻ to assist us in doing so. And that is why in every Salāh we say, “Ahdinā As-Sirāta Al-Mustaqīm – guide us to the straight path”. It’s You who will guide us. Without Your help, we cannot do anything, without Your help we cannot worship You, and that is why we need to thank Allāh ﷻ for every good deed that we do, and then we need to thank Allāh ﷻ because He allowed us to thank Him.

6.17 ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  Fulfils the Command of Allāh ﷻ

And then Allāh ﷻ says, “Then, when they had both submitted themselves (to the Will of Allāh), and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead (or on the side of his forehead for slaughtering);(As-Sāffāt – 37:103)

The position Ismā’īlعليه السالم  was in, he was laying on the ground, and his father was holding the knife over his neck. When they were in that position Allāh ﷻ described it as follows. And the word ‘Aslamā and Islam, come from the same root. The root of the word ‘Aslamā and Islam is the same thing. Allāh ﷻ is saying that Ismā’īl and ‘Ibrāhīm, they submitted; when they were in that position, they were submitting to Allāh ﷻ. And that is Islam, because Islam is submission to Allāh ﷻ. You fulfil the commandments of Allāh ﷻ even if it’s against your will, even if it’s against your desires, even if it’s against what you like. Nobody would want to slaughter his son, and no son would want his life to be taken away, but they are doing it as a form of worship – Ibādah, and that is Islam – submission. This is the meaning of Islam. Falammā ‘Aslamā Wa Tallahu Liljabīni – when they were in that position, ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  had the knife on the neck of Ismā’īl عليه السالم , and he started to pass the knife over his neck, and then Allāh ﷻ called ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم . Allāh ﷻ says,

And We called out to him: “O ‘Ibrāhīm! You have fulfilled the dream (vision)!”(As-Sāffāt – 37:104-106) You have fulfilled it, the dream is fulfilled, and Allāh ﷻ told him, Verily, that indeed was a manifest trial.(As-Sāffāt – 37:104-106)

It was a test for you, and you have passed the test. Does Allāh ﷻ need the blood of Ismā’īl? Does Allāh ﷻ need the flesh of Ismā’īl? Does Allāh ﷻ need the life of Ismā’īl? Allāh ﷻ doesn’t need it! Allāh ﷻ says,

And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice (i.e. a ram);(As-Sāffāt – 37:107)

It was a test from Allāh ﷻ. Allāh ﷻ does not need the blood, Allāh ﷻ does not need the flesh, Allāh ﷻ does not need to take away the life of Ismā’īlعليه السالم . This was a test, and they both passed in the test. So Allāh ﷻ rewarded ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  with the sacrifice, a ram. Look at the results of Taqwā. It was an action of Taqwā that ‘Ibrāhīm did. Allāh ﷻ rewarded him for it, and now we sacrifice in Eid al-Adhā and Al-Hadiy in al-Hajj every year following the Sunnah of Sayyidnā ‘Ibrāhīm. Allāh ﷻ says about ‘Ibrāhīm:

And We left for him (a goodly remembrance) among generations (to come) in later times. Salāmun (peace) be upon ‘Ibrāhīm!”(As-Sāffāt – 37:108, 109)

After this event happened, Allāh ﷻ says, and we left Salām for ‘Ibrāhīm in the generations to come. And what is the present representation of that? What is the representation of the Salām on ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم ? How is that manifested? It is in the Tashahhud that we do in every Salāh. The Tashahhud that we do in every Salāh, we make Salāh and Salām on ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  and Muhammad ﷺ in every Salāh. Allāh ﷻ says, “Wa Taraknā `Alayhi Fī Al-‘Ākhirīna Salāmun `Alá ‘Ibrāhīma – and we left for him in the generations to come, peace on ‘Ibrāhīm.”(As-Sāffāt – 37:108, 109) We are asking Allāh ﷻ to grant ‘Ibrāhīm peace in every Salāh. Millions and millions of believers all over the world, throughout generations, five times a day and more, are asking Allāh  ﷻ to grant ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  peace.

6.18 Al-Ka’bah – Virtues Of ‘Ibrāhīm

6.18a Allāh ﷻ Chose Al-Ka’bah and its Spot to be Sacred

‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  came to Ismā’īlعليه السالم , by the way ‘Ibrāhīm made many visits to Makkah. One of these visits, in a Hadīth narrated by Bukhārī, ‘Ibrāhīm comes to Ismā’īl and tells him, “We have been commanded to build the House of Allāh ﷻ.” (Sahīh al-Bukhārī 3364, 3365)

So, ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  and Ismā’īlعليه السالم  started building the House of Allāh ﷻ. This spot of Al-Ka’bah, the spot itself, is sacred and holy since the earth was created. It is a sacred land since the time of Ādamعليه السالم . And that spot was known, and other Ambiyā used to make Hajj to that area; the spot itself. But there is a dispute and difference among the ‘Ulamā, whether Ādamعليه السالم  has built anything over there or not. Most likely the first one who established the house is ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم , but the spot itself was holy from before. It didn’t become holy the moment in which Al-Ka’bah was built on it. No! That spot itself is holy and sacred, just like Al-Masjid Al-Aqsā. When Rasūlullāh ﷺ visited Al-Masjid Al-Aqsā in the trip of Al-Isrā’, there wasn’t anything built there.

In fact, when ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattāb عنههللايض ّ ر opened Jerusalem, it was used as a dumpster, there was garbage in that spot, but still that was Al-Masjid Al-Aqsā, that was the holy sacred mosque. And then there are the Sahāba عنهمهللايض  ّر, and in the time of ‘Abdul Mālik ibn Marwān, they built the two mosques that are enclosed in that Haram, but before it was a piece of land. What makes Al-Ka’bah special? What makes the land under it special? When it’s a desert and nothing grows there? It’s a piece of land. Allāh ﷻ says,

And your Lord creates whatsoever He wills and chooses.(Al-Qasas – 28:68)

Allāh ﷻ chooses the best, and Allāh ﷻ chooses the worst, and Allāh ﷻ chooses what is in between. It’s up to Allāh ﷻ. Allāh ﷻ is the One who created the days, and Allāh ﷻ is the one who chose the best of them to be Friday. Allāh ﷻ is the One who created the days of the year and chose ‘Eid Al-Adhā and ‘Eid Al-Fitr to be the best. Allāh ﷻ created the months and chose Ramadān to be the holy month of fasting. Allāh ﷻ is the One who created the days and gave the most reward for the ten days of Dhul Hijjah. Allāh ﷻ is the One who created the nights, and Allāh ﷻ has given the special rewards in the nights of Ramadān. Allāh ﷻ also created the nights, and He has made the special night, Laylatul Qadr. Allāh ﷻ created the earth and He chose Makkah, and Medina and Bayt al-Maqdis to be special. Allāh ﷻ is The One Who created human beings, and He chose Muhammad ﷺ to be the best among them! Yakhluqu Mā Yashā’u Wa Yakhtāru – Allāh ﷻ creates whatever He wants, and then He chooses of them.(Al-Qasas – 28:68)

So that area doesn’t have to be a certain dimension, certain physical characteristics, certain shape, and certain plans for it to be special. These are not the conditions and requirements that apply to Allāh ﷻ, because Allāh ﷻ is free of all of these rules and regulations. Allāh ﷻ is The Creator.

6.18b The Du’ā of ‘Ibrāhīm and Ismā’īl (Peace be upon them)

So that spot was holy, sacred from the beginning of the creation of the earth. ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  and Ismā’īl عليه السالم  started building the House. Allāh ﷻ says,

And (remember) when ‘Ibrāhīm and (his son) Ismā’īl (Ishmael) were raising the foundations of the House (the Ka’bah at Makkah), (saying), “Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us. Verily! You are the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.” (Al-Baqarah – 2:127) ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  and Ismā’īlعليه السالم , when they were building the House of Allāh ﷻ, they had a Du’ā:

“Our Lord! And make us submissive unto You and of our offspring a nation submissive unto You, and show us our Manasik (all the ceremonies of pilgrimage – Hajj and ‘Umrah, etc.), and accept our repentance. Truly, You are the One Who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful.

Our Lord! Send amongst them a Messenger of their own (and indeed Allāh answered their invocation by sending Muhammad Peace be upon him), who shall recite unto them Your Verses and instruct them in the Book (this Qur’ān) and Al-Hikmah (full knowledge of the Islamic laws and jurisprudence or wisdom or Prophethood, etc.), and sanctify them. Verily! You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.”(Al-Baqarah – 2:128, 129)

“Oh, Allāh! Accept it from us.” ‘Ibrāhīm and Ismā’īl asked Allāh ﷻ to accept it from them, and they asked Allāh ﷻ to make them submissive to Allāh ﷻ – Muslimīn, and they asked Allāh ﷻ to make their descendants submissive to Allāh ﷻ, and then they asked Allāh ﷻ to send among these people a Nabi. Who is that Nabi? It is Muhammad ﷺ, and Allāh ﷻ accepted the Du’ā.

6.18c The Three Elements of Their Du’ā

They asked Allāh ﷻ to give this Nabi three things:

Yatlū `Alayhim ‘Āyātika – He recites on to them Your verses

Wa Yu`allimuhumu Al-Kitāba Wa Al-Hikmata – and he teaches them the Book and wisdom.

What is wisdom? Sunnah of Rasūlullāh ﷺ

Wa Yuzakkīhim – sanctify them and purify them

So, Muhammad ﷺ purifies us, Tazkiyyah – purifies us. Following the way of Muhammad ﷺ is a purification for us, because if you look at the Da’wah of Muhammad ﷺ, you see that he has started out with men that had hearts like rock, and then look at how Rasūlullāh ﷺ carried them from this state, and he elevated them to make them the best generation that lived on the face of the earth. Allāh ﷻ accepted the Du’ā of ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  and sent to this Ummah, Muhammad ﷺ.

6.19 Several Qualities of ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم

We will finish up with the story of ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  by mentioning some of his qualities.

‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  is from Ulul-’Azmi Min al-Rusūl

‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  is from Ulul-’Azmi Min al-Rusūl. I can’t find an exact translation of it, but there are five Ulul-’Azam, and these are the greatest Ambiyā of Allāh ﷻ: 1. Muhammad ﷺ, 2. ‘Ibrāhīm, 3. Mūsā, 4. ‘Īsā, 5. Nūh (Peace be upon them).

And Ibn Kathīr says that the second greatest among them, after Muhammad ﷺ, is ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم . ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  was mentioned in Qur’ān about 73 times, in 25 places.

‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  is Khalīl’ullāh

‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  is the one whom Allāh ﷻ has called in Qur’ān, Khalīl. Khalīl’ullāh – the friend of Allāh. Allāh ﷻ has chosen ‘Ibrāhīm to be his friend. ‘Ibrāhīm lived a lonely life; he would travel from one place to another around the world, making Hijrah. He lived in Iraq for a while, in Harrān, in Bayt Al-Maqdis, in Egypt, he visited Makkah a few times, all of this traveling in difficult conditions, and ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  was driven out of his homeland, no believers with him except his nephew Lūt عليه السالم , and then he went all over these other countries, and he didn’t have many followers with him. Allāh ﷻ told ‘Ibrāhīm that, I am your friend. You don’t need any friends in this world, because I am your friend.

‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  was a nation by himself

Also, Allāh ﷻ has given ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  a name that wasn’t given to anybody else in Qur’ān. You know when we are talking about Muhammad ﷺ, “O Muhammad ﷺ have patience and stay with the ones who remember Allāh ﷻ in night and day.”

We Need to Have an Environment of Īmān Around Us: Allāh ﷻ is commanding Muhammad ﷺ to stay with the believers. Nūh عليه السالم ; when his people came and told him, “Leave these weak people alone”, he said, “No, these are the believers with me. I will be with them; I will remain with them.” These Ambiyā had believers around them, Allāh ﷻ told them to remain with these believers. Why? Because we need to have an environment of Īmān. We need to live in an environment of Īmān, we need to have this support around us. It’s difficult for a human being to live alone. We need to have the support, and Allāh ﷻ is commanding Muhammad ﷺ to stay with the believers. Allāh ﷻ is commanding Nūh عليه السالم  to stay with the believers. We know that Hūdعليه السالم  was with the believers, Sālih عليه السالم  stayed with the believers, Mūsā عليه السالم  stayed with the believers and so on and so forth. ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  is different. First of all, ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  was making Hijrah for all of his life. And then in many places he would go, he would be the only believer. He went to Egypt, he told his wife, “Me and you are the only believers here”. When he was making Da’wah to his people in Iraq, only him and Lūt عليه السالم  were the Believers. So Allāh ﷻ gave ‘Ibrāhīm a name that wasn’t given to anybody else, and that is Kāna Ummah – he was a nation by himself. ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  was a nation, he was an Ummah. He didn’t have anybody with him, he was alone, but ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  counts as a nation, as a whole Ummah. ‘Kāna Ummatan’ Allāh ﷻ said,

Verily, ‘Ibrāhīm (Abraham) was an Ummah (a leader having all the good righteous qualities), or a nation, obedient to Allāh, Hanifa (i.e. to worship none but Allāh), and he was not one of those who were Al-Mushrikun (polytheists, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allāh, and those who joined partners with Allāh).(An-Nahl – 16:120) ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  was an Ummah.

‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  had a lot of Khushū’ of Allāh ﷻ

And then Allāh ﷻ said, “Qānitāan – he had a lot of Khushū’”. He had Khushū’ of Allāh ﷻ in the night and day; 24 hours, he was in the state of Khushū’. ‘Qānitāan Lillāh’

‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  was a Hanīf

And also, Allāh ﷻ says, “Hanīfāan Wa Lam Yaku Mina Al-Mushrikīna”. Hanīf means he stayed away from all Shirk. Everyone was trying to pull him to Shirk, he stayed away from it, and that is Hanīf. It is Ikhlās ‘alā Basīra – he had sincerity and understanding.

‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  completed all the Commands given to him

And Allāh ﷻ says,

And (remember) when the Lord of ‘Ibrāhīm (Abraham) [i.e., Allāh ﷻ] tried him with (certain) Commands, which he fulfilled.(Al-Baqarah – 2:124)

Allāh ﷻ has tested ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  with some commands. Allāh ﷻ says, “Fa’atammahunna – he completed them all.” He completed them all and that’s why Allāh ﷻ says about ‘Ibrāhīm,

And of ‘Ibrāhīm (Abraham) who fulfilled (or conveyed) all that (what Allāh ordered him to do or convey).(An-Najm – 53:37) ‘Ibrāhīm has fulfilled.” He fulfilled what Allāh ﷻ wanted from him, he fulfilled it all. Wa ‘Ibrāhīma Al-Ladhī Wa Ffá.

‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم  is an Imām – A leader for mankind

And Allāh ﷻ says about ‘Ibrāhīm,

He (Allāh) said (to him), “Verily, I am going to make you a leader (Prophet) of mankind.”(Al-Baqarah – 2:124) I will make you an Imām, a leader for mankind, someone who will be a role model for everyone to follow. And Allāh ﷻ says about him, “Wa Ja`alnā Fī Dhurrīyatihi An-Nubūwata – We made all of the prophets after him, from his descendants”. All of the Ambiyā of Allāh ﷻ and the Rusūl that came after ‘Ibrāhīm, were from the descendants of ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم . This is the story of Sayyidnā ‘Ibrāhīm عليه السالم .

Leave a comment