The Story of Prophet Ibrahim
The Story of Abraham
In the ancient kingdom of Babylon, people worshipped idols as if they were gods. Ibrahim’s father, Aazer, was a skilled sculptor who crafted these idols from stone and wood. As a child, Ibrahim would watch his father work, often playing with the finished statues. But even then, he couldn’t understand why people worshipped these lifeless objects.
When Ibrahim asked his father about it, Aazer explained that the statues represented gods, and people would offer them food and gifts while asking for favours. This explanation didn’t sit well with Ibrahim. Deep in his heart, he felt it was wrong. How could statues made of wood and stone have any power? They couldn’t benefit or harm anyone—they were just objects.
As Ibrahim grew older, his conviction grew stronger. One night, he climbed a mountain to gaze at the sky and reflect on the wonders of creation. There, he heard a voice calling him—it was Allah, his Lord. Allah commanded Ibrahim to submit and become a Muslim. Overwhelmed, Ibrahim fell to the ground in prostration, declaring, “I submit to the Lord of the universe!” From that moment, his life was transformed, and his heart was filled with peace.
Ibrahim now had a mission: to guide his people to the truth and help them worship Allah alone. He began with his father, whom he loved dearly.
“O Father!” Ibrahim pleaded, “Why do you worship what cannot hear, see, or help you in any way? O Father, I have knowledge you do not. Follow me, and I will guide you to the straight path.” (Quran, Surah Maryam (The Chapter of Mary) #19 Verse 42-48).
But his father angrily rejected him and told him to leave.
Undeterred, Ibrahim turned to the people of his town, urging them to abandon their idols and worship Allah alone. But they mocked him and threatened him with violence. Realizing they wouldn’t listen, Ibrahim decided to take a different approach.
On the eve of a grand festival, when the townspeople left to celebrate, Ibrahim entered their temple. With determination, he destroyed all the idols except the largest one. When the people returned, they were horrified. “Who did this?” they demanded. Ibrahim pointed to the largest idol and said, “Perhaps this one did it. Ask him!” The people replied, “You know it cannot speak!” Ibrahim then said, “Then why do you worship things that cannot speak, see, or protect themselves? Have you lost your minds?”
The people were furious. They decided to punish Ibrahim by burning him alive. King Nimrod and his priests approved the execution, and a massive fire was prepared. Thousands gathered to witness the event. Ibrahim was shackled and placed in a catapult to be thrown into the flames. At that moment, the Angel Jibreel appeared and asked, “Do you wish for anything?” Ibrahim replied, “I only wish for Allah to be pleased with me.” He didn’t ask to be saved; he trusted in Allah’s plan.
Allah commanded the fire to be cool and peaceful for Ibrahim. When he was thrown into the flames, the fire burned only his chains, leaving him unharmed. Ibrahim walked out unscathed, without even a trace of smoke on his clothes. The crowd was stunned. “Ibrahim’s God has saved him!” they exclaimed.
Prophet Ibrahim’s story doesn’t end here. He went on to play a pivotal role in the history of Islam, and his legacy continued through his sons, Ismail and Ishaq, who also became prophets. His unwavering faith and trust in Allah serve as a timeless lesson for all of us.
Lessons from the Story:
Tawakkul (Trust in Allah): Just as Ibrahim trusted Allah to protect him from the fire, we too should place our trust in Allah, knowing He is the best of planners.
Courage in Da’wah: Ibrahim’s determination to spread the truth, even in the face of danger, teaches us to stand firm in our faith and call others to Allah with wisdom and patience.
Rejecting Falsehood: Ibrahim’s rejection of idol worship reminds us to worship Allah alone and avoid anything that distracts us from His path.
May Allah grant us the strength to follow in the footsteps of Prophet Ibrahim and remain steadfast in our faith. Ameen.
A film about the life of Prophet Ibrahim has been produced by IRIB, and can be found here:
Abraham, the Friend of God
This film is distributed by iFilm (part of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB)), and has been made available as an English language dubbed version by Salaam Media.