Prophet Ibrahim
During the olden times, people
everywhere used to carve stones and make idols for worship. These
statues were considered as gods, and people bowed and prayed before
them. Namrud, the King of Babylonia, was once informed by his
astrologers that someone was going to be born who would destroy his
kingdom. He would teach people another religious concept: that of
worshipping none but only one God.
On hearing that, Namrud gave orders
that no woman would conceive, hence no child would be born in his
kingdom. If any child was born, it would be killed immediately. The
mother of Prophet Ibrahim became pregnant. But by the will of Allah, no
sign of pregnancy was to be seen. When the time of birth of the child
came nearer, she went out of the town and hid in a cave. There, Prophet
Ibrahim was born. She then covered the child with a cloth, closed the
mouth of the cave with stones and returned home without the child. She
told nobody of what had happened.
The child was alone in the cave with no
one to care for him. He was sucking the milk which flowed of his fingers
- by the grace of Almighty God. The child grew up under Allah's
protection. From time to time, his mother would come secretly to the
cave to watch him. This went on for thirteen years. On one occasion when
the mother visited the son, he beseeched her to take him out of the
cave. The mother warned that he would be killed by the King it he came
to know about him. But the child insisted that he be brought out of the
cave as 13 years had been a long time.
Thus Prophet Ibrahim came out of the
cave for the first time. It was late in the evening when the sun was
setting. When the night grew dark, he saw a star and he said, "Is this
my Lord?" But when it set, he said, "I love not the setting ones." Then,
when he saw the moon rising he said: "Is this my Lord?" But when it set,
he said, "If my Lord had not guided me I would have certainly been among
the mistaken ones. Then he saw the sun rising and said, "Is this my
Lord?" Is this the greatest?". But when it also set, he said, "O, my
people! Surely. I am clear of what you set up with Allah. Surely, I have
turned myself wholly to the One Who created the heavens and the earth. I
am not of the ones who believe and worship anything else other than
Allah - the one God.
The people, at that time were not only
idol-worshippers but they were also worshipping the stars, the sun, the
moon etc. All the time, he was making them realize their error in their
choice of 'gods'. He was showing his people what they called a god, did
not deserve to be called god and worshipped if it disappeared at times.
So Prophet Ibrahim started preaching the belief of One God and
persuading his people not to worship anything else but Allah, the one
and only God.
Once, it was the time of annual
festival in the town and according to their custom, Namrud, the King,
went out of town with all his people to celebrate the day. Prophet
Ibrahim did not accompany them but stayed behind. He went to the temple
where all the idols were kept, and broke all of them one by one. He left
the biggest idol untouched, but put the axe on its shoulder.
When the King and his people returned
they were very angry to see their idols destroyed. He said that he would
kill the person who had caused that damage. The people told him that it
must be a young man, named Ibrahim who always preached against the
worship of idols. He must have destroyed them.
When Prophet Ibrahim was asked if it
was he who broke the idols. He replied, "Why do you not ask the chief
(of the idols) who is standing safe. Perhaps he has done it, that is if
your idol gods can speak, ask them as to who broke them." Thus Prophet
Ibrahim did not utter a lie denying what he had done. He only wanted the
people to first ask their own idols as to who had done it?
Namrud got very angry and asked his
people their opinion. Every one suggested that Prophet Ibrahim be
punished by burning him alive in a big fire.
So, Prophet Ibrahim was jailed, while
Namrud ordered that all available firewood in the forest be collected
and be heaped up in one open place. When this was done, it was set
alight. The fire burnt fiercely and widely for days and days. It had
generated so much heat that no bird dared to fly nearby. At the
appointed day on which Prophet Ibrahim was to be put in the fire and
burnt, Namrud with his large army and followers came out to that place
to watch. On seeing the huge fire and the intense heat, he began to
ponder as to how it would be possible to convey Prophet Ibrahim into the
fire. Suddenly Satan, the devil, came and suggested that a type of a
crane be prepared which could be used to hurl Prophet Ibrahim into the
fire. This would cut out the need of any assistance of human hands to do
the risky job of delivering the Prophet into the raging fire.
The crane was constructed and Prophet
Ibrahim was lifted and readied to be dumped into the fire. On seeing
this tragic happening. the angels in the heaven and all the creatures in
the sky became deeply upset. Taking permission from Almighty Allah, one
by one, they all came to Prophet Ibrahim to inquire if they could be of
any help to him. The Prophet said that he was seeking help and
protection from none of them. The one from whom he expected help (that
is Almighty Allah), was fully aware of the dangerous situation in which
he was and would help him if need be.
Just then, the angel, Jibrail came to
the Prophet and gave him a ring on which the following was inscribed
(written):
"There is no God but Allah"
"Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah"
"I depend and rely upon Allah"
"I submit my affair to the will of
Allah."
Prophet Ibrahim put the holy ring on
his finger and the grace and blessing of Allah began to be showered upon
him. Then came the command from Allah, "O fire! Be nothing but coolness
and peace for Ibrahim."
Thus the burning fire instantly lost
its heat and no harm came to the Prophet.
It is related that when Prophet Ibrahim
was being thrown into the fire, the angels in the heaven and the birds
in the air cried in protest. One of them, a small weak bird decided to
burn itself along with the Prophet. As it was flying towards the fire,
the angel Jibrail was sent by Allah to inquire the reason why it was
going to commit suicide! The angel stopped the bird on the ground and
asked it to explain its strange action - that of trying to burn itself
along with Prophet Ibrahim. The bird said: "Don't you know that the
friend of God is to be burnt in the fire? As it is not within my
strength to save him, I am showing my sorrow and sympathy by
accompanying him into the fire!"
The angel conveyed this incident to
Allah. Then came a command from Allah to tell the bird that it would be
rewarded for its sincere feeling shown for the Prophet. It was asked
what it wished to have so that the wish be fulfilled. The bird in reply
said: "I do not wish to have anything from this world. All I wish is to
constantly remember Allah in prayer. There are a thousand and one names
of Allah. I know hardly a hundred names. I wish to be taught the
remaining names. Almighty Allah fulfilled its desire. As it flew from
tree to tree, it went on singing the names of Allah, thus remembering
Him day and night.
To respect and sympathies with the
friends of Allah; to remember Allah constantly in prayer is better than
fulfilling worldly desires. This is what the little weak bird has shown
to us. These are the acts of virtue which would one day undoubtedly earn
great rewards from Allah. |