ABRAHAM: THE FATHER OF PROPHETS – PART II: MIGRATION OF ABRAHAM
God blesses Abraham (PBUH) with a son to become a prophet
Only a woman named Sarah and a man named Lot believed in God, and followed Abraham (PBUH). He realized that nobody else would listen to him, and decided to emigrate for the cause of God and to spread His Message elsewhere. Before leaving, he tried once again to convert his father to Islam, but to no avail. Abraham (PBUH) said to his father and his people: “We are free of you and of whatever you worship besides God. We have rejected you and there has arisen between us and you enmity and hatred forever unless you believe in God and Him alone.”
Abraham (PBUH), Lot and Sarah started their long travel. They crossed Babylon, went through Syria and Palestine calling people to God, helping the poor and doing good deeds. By that time Abraham (PBUH) married Sarah. Their hope was to have children who would spread the Message of God after their death. As for Lot, he immigrated to the land of Sodom and settled there.
Time went by and no children were born to Sarah. She realized she was sterile. She accepted her fate and submitted to the will of God.
Abraham (PBUH) and Sarah moved to Egypt where the king gave Sarah a woman to be her servant. The woman’s name was Hagar. Sarah was seeing Abraham’s hair getting white, and it grieved her to see his chance of having any child slipping away. She offered Hagar her servant as a wife to her husband, and prayed God to bless Hagar and Abraham (PBUH) with a child. And so came Ismail, a baby boy born to Hagar.
How unselfish Sarah was! For her, the need to have an offspring who would carry the Message after Abraham (PBUH) was greater than her pride. Fourteen years later God rewarded Sarah with a son, Isaac in spite of her old age.
Young Ismail and his mother alone in the desert of Mecca
Abraham (PBUH) woke up one day and asked Hagar to prepare herself and baby Ismail for a long travel. Abraham (PBUH) and Hagar kept walking, crossed a fertile land followed by barren mountains till they arrived at the Arabian Desert. Abraham (PBUH) brought Hagar to a high hill called Al-Marwa, made her and her baby sit under a tree, placed a bag of dates and some water near her, and set out homeward. Hagar ran after him and said: “Are you going to leave us in this desert where there is no one to keep us company?” She repeated this many times but he would not look back at her. She asked: “Has God ordered you to do so?” He said yes. “Then He will not neglect us.” She said. Abraham (PBUH) walked away until he got out of their sight, he raised his hands and prayed God:
“Our Lord, I have settled some of my offspring in a valley of no vegetation, by Your Sacred House, so that they may perform the prayers. So make the hearts of some people incline towards them, and provide them with fruits, that they may be thankful” (Qur’an 14:37).
Zamzam
Hajar went on nursing Ismail and drinking from the water until it was all used up. She became very thirsty and the child was crying. She left him on the al-Marwa hill and hurried to the nearest hill, as-Safa. She stood there and started looking at the valley keenly so that she might see somebody, but she could not see anybody. She descended from as-Safa, crossed the valley running and reached al-Marwa hill. She stood and started looking but could see nobody. She kept running between as-Safa and al-Marwa seven times. When she reached al-Marwa for the last time, she was exhausted, she sat next to the baby. Then she heard a voice. She stood up and said: “O whoever you might be! Have you got something to help me?’ She saw an angel, Angel Jibreel, digging the earth until water flowed! She built a little basin around it. She scooped water with her hands, drank, filled her water-skin, and nursed her baby. The place from which water flowed was Zamzam. Muslims till this day drink from the holy water of Zamzam, and during Hajj they walk between as-Safa and al-Marwa seven times to commemorate this event.
Some Arabs traveling through Makkah saw birds flying around Al-Marwa. “They must be flying around water.” They said. When they arrived at the water, they found Hagar and asked her: “Would you allow us to stay with you, and use the water from your well?” She agreed and was pleased by their company. The people sent for their families, settled there and became permanent residents. The whole valley became alive. Ismail grew up, learned Arabic, and later married a woman from amongst the Arabs.
Meanwhile, Abraham (PBUH) who had not seen his son since he was a baby, came back to Makkah to visit him. Upon arriving, he heard that Hajar had died, but Ismail was still living there. Abraham (PBUH) was yearning to see his son whom he loved and missed a lot. He saw Ismail under a tree near Zamzam, sharpening his arrows. When he saw his father, Ismail rose up, hugged him and greeted him. It was the happiest moment for both father and son. But God wanted to put them to test, and it was a tough test indeed. During one night, Abraham (PBUH) had a dream. He came to Ismail and said: “And when he reached with him [the age of] exertion, he said, “O, my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I [must] sacrifice you, so see what you think.” He said, “O, my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if God wills, of the steadfast” (37:102).
They had both submitted to the will of God. Abraham (PBUH) laid his son prostrate, put his forehead on the ground and directed a sharp knife towards his neck. At this very moment, God called him: “O, Abraham (PBUH)! You have fulfilled the dream! Thus do We reward the good doers!” A big sheep was sent down from heaven to be slaughtered instead of Ismail, which Abraham (PBUH) did, and they both had a big celebration that day. This event is celebrated every year by all Muslims. It is Eid Al-Adha where we slaughter the sacrificial sheep.
Abraham (PBUH) and Ismail kept on calling people to worship God. At that time there was no place built for the worship of God. Abraham (PBUH) wished there could be such a place where people would be in peace, and concentrate solely for the worship of God. His wish was answered when God ordered him to build the Sacred House, the Ka’bah.
Abraham (PBUH) said to Ismail: “O Ismail, God has given me an order, will you help me execute it?” “Yes I will.” Ismail said. “God has ordered me to build a house here.” He said, pointing to a hillock higher than the land surrounding it. They went towards the place and started building the foundations of the Ka’bah Ismail brought the stones and Abraham (PBUH) built the walls, and when the walls became high, Ismail brought a large stone and put it in front of his father who stood over it and carried on building, while Ismail was handing him the stones.
Both of them went on building and going around the Ka’bah, saying: “O, our Lord accept this service from us.” When they finished the building, Angel Gabriel descended from heaven and showed Abraham (PBUH) the rituals of Hajj. Then Abraham (PBUH) stepped on the stone and called on people: “O, people obey your Lord.” This large stone which Abraham (PBUH) stepped on is still there to this day near the Ka’bah. It is called Maqam Abraham (PBUH).
Thus ends the story of Abraham (PBUH), the father of the prophets. From him descended all the prophets who came later, including Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, peace and blessings of God are upon them all. Abraham (PBUH) devoted all his life calling others to the worship of One God. Alone he stood against his people, his father, and even the mighty king of Babylon, and never flinched. Yet his method was always to gradually persuade them by bringing irrefutable proofs, that most often embarrassed those who refused to accept the Truth, but as God said: “Any whom God leaves to stray, there is none to guide!”
Source: Why Islam
LESSONS FROM THE STORY OF THE PROPHET ABRAHAM
By Muhammad Solaiman
The Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him, PBUH) is one of the greatest prophets of Islam. He combined pure innate instinct, spirituality, reason and wisdom. Prophet Abraham (PBUH) lived in a community of polytheists who worshipped idols and celestial bodies.
Although his father used to manufacture and worship idols, since his very young age, Abraham (PBUH) refused to worship idols. When he grew up he protested against the practices of his father and community and tried to guide them to God.
Abraham (PBUH) devoted his whole life to convey the message of God (Da’wa). Although he used rational and wisdom, he was faced with rejection, anger and hatred. You may get more glimpses from Abraham’s story from the article ABRAHAM: THE FATHER OF PROPHETS – PART I.
Behind each story and each divine command in the Glorious Quran, there are always pearls of wisdom. The aim of this article is to highlight some valuable lessons from the story of Abraham as mentioned in the Glorious Qur’an. These lessons might help us to convey the message of God.
1.Do not accept things for granted
Abraham (PBUH) questioned what his community accepted for granted. He realised that it is nonsense to worship helpless idols which are of no benefit or harm to him or his people. Abraham (PBUH) also used to contemplate in the creation of heaven and earth.
“In the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the day and the night are evidence (of the existence of God) for people of reason” (Qur’an 3:190).
One night, Abraham (PBUH) went up to a mountain leaned against a rock and looked up to the sky. He contemplated and questioned the notion of taking stars, the moon and sun as gods. Abraham’s rational led him to disbelieve in the idols and celestial bodies and to believe in God alone, the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth.
“So when the night covered him [with darkness], he saw a star. He said, ‘This is my lord.’ But when it set, he said, “I like not those that disappear. And when he saw the moon rising, he said, “This is my lord.” But when it set, he said, “Unless my Lord guides me, I will surely be among the people gone astray. And when he saw the sun rising, he said, “This is my lord; this is greater.” But when it set, he said, “O, my people, indeed I am free from what you associate with God. Indeed, I have turned my face toward He who created the heavens and the earth, inclining toward truth, and I am not of those who associate others with God” (Qur’an 6:76-79).
2.God possesses everything
Abraham (PBUH) taught us that everything is in the hands of God. It is God Who creates us; guides us and gives us from His bounty all our needs. He heals us if we get sick and he decrees for us when to come to this life and when we leave. Therefore, we should always turn to and worship Him.
“And relate to them the story of Abraham, when he said to his father and his people, ‘What do you worship?’ They said, ‘We worship idols, and we remain devoted to them.’ He said, ‘Do they hear you when you pray? Or do they benefit you, or harm you?’ They said, ‘But we found our ancestors doing so.’ He said, ‘Have you considered what you worship, you and your ancient ancestors? They are enemies to me, but not so the Lord of the Worlds. He, who created me and guides me. He, who feeds and waters me. And when I get sick, He heals me. And who I aspire that He will forgive me my sin on the Day of Recompense” (Qur’an 26:69-82).
In the verse above, we notice the close and intimate relationship between Abraham and God. His words reflect his warm feelings and love. They flow smoothly on his tongue expressing his gratitude for God’s innumerable gifts. Abraham drew the attention of his people to the fact that God alone is the One who created and maintained him and the One who feeds and heals him. Therefore, whatever he does to serve God is little compared to his generosity.
“Indeed, Abraham was forbearing, tender-hearted, oft-returning (to God)” (Qur’an 11:75).
3.Faith gives us courage
Abraham (PBUH) alone, challenged his entire community. He did not fear or the consequences of his opposition.
“And how should I fear what you associate (the idols) while you do not fear that you have associated with God that for which He has not sent down to you any authority? So which of the two parties has more right to security, if you should know?” (Qur’an 6:81).
4.Trust in God
a) When his community wanted to cast him in the fire, Abraham didn’t care because he trusted that God would suffice him the harm of the fire.
“Indeed there has been an excellent example for you in Abraham and those with him, when they said to their people: ‘… Our Lord, upon You we put our trust, and to You we have returned, and to You is the destination'” (Qur’an 60:4).
This reminds us of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his followers when they didn’t care for the enormous threats they had from the powerful idolaters of Makkah.
“Those (believers) to whom some people said: “Look, those people have gathered against you, therefore be fearful of them.” But it increased them only in faith, and they responded: “God is sufficient for us; how excellent a Guardian He is” (Qur’an 3:173).
b) Although Abraham (PBUH) had his first son Ishmael at an old age, he left him with his wife Hagar alone in the arid Arab desert. He trusted that God would take care of them in the harsh conditions of the desert.
5.Love of God means obedience and sacrifice
Once the Prophet Abraham (PBUH) is mentioned, what comes first to our minds is his obedience and sacrifices. Abraham got his first child Ishmael, from Hagar, when he was over 80 years old. Of course, he was eager to enjoy watching his child grow up. However, when God ordered him to move him with his mother to the Arabian Desert and leave them there, he did so without hesitation.
When Ishmael was old enough to be helpful to his old father, Abraham (PBUH) saw in a vision that he should sacrifice him. Indeed, this was the hardest test. However, Abraham and Ishmael obeyed God’s will with full submission to Him.
“When his son was old enough to work with him, he said, “My son, I have had a dream that I must sacrifice you. What do you think of this?” He replied, “Father, fulfil whatever you are commanded to do and you will find me patient, by the will of God” (Qur’an 37:102).
6.Faith teaches us generosity
Abraham (PBUH) was generous. He knew that every guest comes with a blessing to the host. Upon receiving the three Angels who appeared in the form of handsome youths, Abraham (PBUH) roasted for them a whole calf. They then refused to eat and told him that they were Angles sent to destroy the sinful community of the prophet Lot.
“And certainly did Our messengers come to Abraham with good tidings; they said, ‘Peace’. He said, ‘Peace,’ and did not delay in bringing [them] a roasted calf” (Qur’an 11:69).
7.Use reason to convey the message of God
God has given mankind a pure instinct (Fitrah) that helps them to be inclined to the truth. However, sometimes the circumstances hinder them from seeing the truth. In order to convey the message of God, the Muslim needs to refine the instinct of people by urging them to use their rational to find out the truth.
Abraham by destroying the idols wanted his people to learn to use their rational and realise that idols were helpless and they do not deserve to be worshipped.
“When he (Abraham) said to his father and his people, ‘What are these statues to which you are devoted?’ ‘They said, ‘We found our fathers worshippers of them’. He said, ‘You were certainly, you and your fathers, in manifest error…. your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth who created them, and I, to that, am of those who testify’. So he made them (the statues) into fragments, except the biggest among them … They said, ‘Who has done this to our gods? … He said, ‘Rather, this – the largest of them – did it. Ask them if they are able to speak'” (Qur’an 21:52-63).
Abraham took the opportunity of his open debate with the Babylonian king, Nimrod, to logically prove to his people that the king couldn’t be God.
“Have you not considered the one who argued with Abraham about his Lord? … When Abraham said, ‘My Lord is the one who gives life and causes death,’ he said, ‘I give life and cause death.’ Abraham said, ‘Indeed, God brings up the sun from the east, so bring it up from the west’. So the disbeliever was overwhelmed, and God does not guide the wrongdoing people” (Qur’an 2: 258).
8.No matter where to convey the message of God
When nobody listened to Abraham in Babylon, he decided to travel to other places to spread the message of God. Abraham, Sarah, his wife, and Lot (PBUT) started a long journey to Syria and Palestine to call people to God. While Lot settled in the land of Sodom, Abraham (PBUH) and Sarah continued their journey to Egypt.
This reminds us of the migration of some of the followers of the prophet Muhammad to Abyssinia (Ethiopia today) and then the migration of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his followers to Madinah.
We learn from this section that our mission is to convey the message of God and it doesn’t matter where we do so.
9.Islam denies racism
Abraham (PBUH) was not in his Da’wa confined to the Babylonians only. He went to Syria, Palestine and Egypt. He was aware that the message of God is universal and not for certain people or race.
Abraham (PBUH) had a second wife from Egypt. He left her and his son to settle in the Arabian Desert and convey God’s message to the Arabs who live in this desert. This teaches us that the message of God (Islam), is universal and it does not belong to a particular community or race.
“O, people! We created you from a male and a female and made you races and tribes, that you may know one another. The best among you in the sight of God is the most righteous” (Qur’an 49:13).
In the Farewell Sermon of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) at the end of his pilgrimage he said:
“O, people your Lord is one and your father Adam is one. There is no favour of an Arab over a non-Arab, nor a non-Arab over an Arab, and neither white skin over black skin nor black skin over white skin, except by righteousness” (Narrated in Musnad Aḥmad, 22978).
10.Da’wa needs patience and endurance
The Muslim must be patient in his Da’wa. He should realise that what has been hardwired in the heads of non-Muslims since their birth cannot be changed easily.
Abraham’s father refused to believe in God and insisted on worshipping idols. His people were also blinded with their traditions and they refused to believe in God. However, Abraham persistently pursued his Da’wa. Even after being thrown into the fire, he remained composed. He did not avenge or compromised his beliefs with theirs. Instead, he openly debated with their king Nimrod to show the Babylonians that he was not God.
Because of the hostility of the Babylonians, Abraham was forced to leave his hometown, which is naturally dear to him. He obeyed God and left his son and wife in the desert. He was also prepared to slay his son. Isn’t that a unique endurance?
“Indeed, Abraham was forbearing, compassionate, and tender-hearted person” (Qur’an 11:75).
Because of his exceptional ability to endure, Abraham (PBUH) was honoured by God, by considering him his friend.
“And who is better in religion than one who submits himself to God while being a doer of good and follows the religion of Abraham, inclining toward truth? And God took Abraham as a friend” (Qur’an 4:125).
Following the footsteps of the Prophet Abraham and the Prophet Muhammad means to learn from them patience, perseverance and endurance.
11.The message of all the prophets of God is the same
The entire family of Abraham (PBUH) was dedicated to the service of God. Both his sons, Isaac and Ishmael (PBUT) were prophets. They both conveyed the same message of God conveyed by their father Abraham (PBUH), albeit in different places.
Thus, all subsequent Abraham’s descendant prophets like Jacob, Mosses, Jesus and Muhammad (PBUT) conveyed the same message of God. The essence of their message is the oneness of God and His obedience (Islam).
Whenever people turn away from the message of God, a prophet was sent to guide them. On the basis of this fact, when Jesus (PBUH) was sent to the Jews many of them followed him and when Muhammad (PBUH) was sent as the seal of prophets, many Jews and Christians followed him.
“Religion with God is Islam. Those to whom the Scripture was given differed only after knowledge came to them, out of envy among themselves. Whoever rejects the signs of God—God is quick to take account” (Qur’an 3:19).
12.Start Da’wa with your parents and be kind to them
Abraham started his Da’wa first with his father. He was kind and persuasive to his father even though his father was cruel and rejected him.
“He said to his father, ‘O, my father, why do you worship what can neither hear, nor see, nor benefit you in any way? O, my father, there has come to me knowledge that never came to you. So follow me, and I will guide you along a straightway. O, my father, do not worship the devil. The devil is disobedient to the Most Gracious. O, my father, I fear that a punishment from the Most Gracious will afflict you, and you become an ally of the devil’. He (the father) said: ‘Do you reject my gods, O, Abraham? If you stop not (this), I will indeed stone you. So get away from me safely before I punish you’. Abraham said: ‘Peace be on you! I will ask Forgiveness of my Lord for you. Verily! He is unto me, Ever Most Gracious'” (Qur’an 19:42-47).
“Our Lord, forgive me and my parents and the believers in the Day the account is established” (Qur’an 14:41).
13.Polygamy was a normal practice of prophets
Polygamy was not introduced by Islam as conveyed by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Abraham married Sarah and Hagar and other prophets like Solomon and David (PBUT) had several wives.
Polygamy satisfied Abraham’s wish to have a son. At the same time, polygamy allowed him to keep his beloved wife, Sara, who persevered with him his long life journey. Polygamy sometimes helps to solve many social problems. For instance, it could have solved the problem of single European ladies after the death of several million men in the first and second world wars.
On the other hand, the marriage of Hagar and her settlement with her son in the Arabian Desert resulted in the widespread of Islam in this area. Today, the message of Islam conveyed by Abraham, Muhammad and all the prophets (PBUT) is followed by almost one-fourth of the population of the world.
14.Don’t wait for the results
Our duty is just to call people for the truth, no matter whether they become Muslims or not. In spite that Abraham was rational and persuasive and in spite of the miracle of the fire, his people rejected him. All the outcome of his Da’wa was only the guidance of his nephew Lot (PBUH) and his wife Sarah.
This means that although Abraham seeded the message of Islam, he did not see its fruits. However, the fruit of the seed of Abraham (PBUH) today is more than 1.8 billion Muslims. They all love him, appreciate his efforts and walk in his footsteps and the footsteps of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Therefore, in our Da’wa we should be keen to put the seed of Islam, even though we may not see the fruits.
Interestingly, the increase in the number of Muslims to represent one-fourth of the world’s population is found in several prophecies in the Bible. For instance in Genesis (17:20), God promised to make of the seeds of Ishmael a big nation. Obviously, God meant in this prophecy a nation that follows Islam, His Straight Path.
“And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation” (Genesis 17:20).
15.Try different approaches of Da’wa
Abraham used several approaches in his Da’wa.
- He started by advising his father and then his people. He discussed rationally the falsehood of worshipping idols.
- He practically demonstrated the incapability of their idols to protect themselves when he broke them.
- He debated with Nimrod, the king of Babylon, and demonstrated to his community that he was not a god.
- He left Babylon and migrated to convey the message of God in other places to other people.
Muslims have learnt the lesson and today, they use different methods of Da’wa to convey the message of God.
16.God protects His prophets from misguidance
Therefore, God created His prophets with good innate instinct and He guarded them against misguidance even in their early lives. God wanted to set them to be good examples for their people and to guide them to His Straight Path.
“We gave Abraham his guidance formerly, and We were well-acquainted with him” (Qur’an 21:51).
This leads us to the conclusion that it is inconceivable that these prophets would get drunk, sleep with their daughters and fornicate with the wives of their followers. Therefore, Muslims consider all these stories in the Bible untrue.
17.Sons should help their fathers
Abraham (PBUH) didn’t rebuild the House of God in Makkah (Ka’bah) alone. Abraham and Ishmael collaborated to build it together.
“And when Abraham was raising the foundations of the House and Ishmael, (saying), “Our Lord, accept [this] from us. Indeed You are the Hearing, the Knowing” (Qur’an 2:127).
18.The pilgrimage to Makkah was proclaimed by Abraham
When Abraham (PBUH) completed the structure of the Ka’bah, God commanded him to call the people to pilgrimage (Hajj). Abraham (PBUH) pleaded, “O God! How shall my voice reach all of those people?” God told him that his duty was only to call and it was up to God to make it reach the people. So, Abraham (PBUH) called out people to perform Hajj.
“And proclaim unto mankind the pilgrimage. They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel (every transport). They will come from every distant point” (Qur’an 22:27).
God fulfilled his promise and hence, every year, millions of Muslims respond to the call of Abraham and gather in Makkah for pilgrimage. Pilgrimage is the largest gathering of humans on the Earth. Muslims from all the corners of the world, whenever they can, leave everything behind and travel to Makkah to demonstrate their submission to God. They walk in the footsteps of the Prophets Abraham and Muhammad (PBUT) and renew their covenant with God to obey and serve Him.
Conclusion
Abraham (PBUH) conveyed the message of God to his father and community in Babylon. He also travelled to Syria, Palestine and Egypt to spread the words of God. Both Abraham and his descendant prophets, like, Isaac, Ishmael, Jacob, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad (PBUT) conveyed the same message of Islam.
The prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is the seal of the prophets. Therefore, it is our duty, as his followers, to spread the message of God to all the corners of the Earth. We should walk in his footsteps and in the footsteps of Abraham (PBUH) and should learn from their reason, patience, endurance, love and wisdom.