Can you give me some brief information about Prophet Abraham's (pbuh) life?
Submitted by on Mon, 21/12/2009 - 19:26
Dear Brother / Sister,
Prophet Abraham (Ibrahim) is one of the great prophets most mentioned in the Quran. His religion is named “Khanif” in the Quran. A divine book of ten pages was sent down to Prophet Abraham. He is also the ancestor of Prophet Mohammad.
Prophet Abraham was born in Urfa, which was under Nemrud’s rule. Nemrud and his people used to worship idols, stars, the moon and the sun. Abraham’s father was also a pagan, earning his living by making idols and selling them. When Abraham was given the duty of prophethood, he firstly conveyed the message of the true religion to his father, yet he did not accept it.
Prophet Abraham wanted to show people that nothing is worth worshipping apart from Allah and when stars, the moon and the sun set and disappeared, he tried to direct people to the belief of Allah’s oneness by saying “La uhibbu’l-afilin (I love not those that set; they cannot be gods)”.
Moreover, he broke all the idols in the idol-house except the biggest idol in order to show his people how powerless and useless the idols they were worshipping were. For this reason, people questioned Prophet Abraham. Prophet Abraham said: “Maybe this big one did it, ask it, if it speaks.” And people said: “You know well that they cannot speak”. And Prophet Abraham said: “Do ye then worship, besides Allah, things that can neither be of any good to you nor do you harm?”.
Thereupon, a great controversy occurred between the king of the country, Nemrud, and Prophet Abraham. Eventually, Nemrud decided to punish Abraham by throwing him into fire. However, Allah ordered the fire “O fire, be cool and safe for Abraham” and the fire did not burn him.
Prophet Abraham tried to guide his nation to the true belief for some more time but the ignorant people did not want to accept it. Prophet Abraham migrated firstly to Harran and then to Egypt and lastly to Palestine with his wife Sarah, his nephew Lot and other true believers who trusted in his words.
After Prophet Abraham migrated, the people of the nation left behind and Nemrud were attacked by mosquitoes; Nemrud and many of them were destroyed in this disaster.
Prophet Abraham did not have a child although he grew quite old and he asked for a child from Allah and his prayer was accepted. Hajar gave birth to Prophet Ishmael who is also an ancestor of Prophet Muhammad. Later, his other wife Sarah gave birth to Prophet Isaac, who is the ancestor of succession of the prophets sent to Israelites.
After some time, Prophet Abraham was tested with an order to sacrifice his son Ishmael. Abraham took his son Ishmael and Ishmael’s mother Hajar to Makkah as Allah ordered. Later, he built the Kaaba, which is the first place of worship, with his son Ishmael and Ishmael settled down there. Our Prophet Muhammad, as a grandchild of his, came into the world in the same place after centuries.
Prophet Abraham was called “Khalillullah (Allah’s friend)” or “Khalilu’r-Rahman (Friend of the most Merciful)” because he always prayed for Allah’s friendship and he only expected help from Him.
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