Who was Prophet Hazrat Ibrahim – story?

Allah has sent 124,000 Prophets out of which one was Hazrat Ibrahim عليه السلام, the son of Azar Ibn Nahor (Terah). He was not only a Prophet but a Rasool of Allah.

• 6 differences between a Rasool and Nabi
• Biblical Name: Prophet Abraham.
• Prophet Ibrahim عليه السلام is also called Khaleel-Allah (friend of Allah).

Hazrat Ibrahim Date of Birth

Prophet Ibrahim عليه السلام date of birth goes back to 1996 BC when he was born in the city of ‘Ur’ in Babylonia, present-day Iraq, and died in 1821 BC at the age of 175 years.

At the time of Prophet Ibrahim عليه السلام birth, the city of ‘Ur’ in Babylonia was the largest city in the world with almost 65,000 inhabitants.

He was born into a family of idolaters. He is accepted by all 3 major faiths Jews, Christians, and Muslims.

Prophet Ibrahim in Quran

The name of Prophet Ibrahim عليه السلام is mentioned 69 times in the Holy Quran at different places. In fact, the name of his father Azar is also mentioned in the Holy Quran. – Al-An’am 6:74

Prophet Ibrahim Prophethood

When Hazrat Ibrahim عليه السلام became the prophet, he started preaching about Islam and started with his father Azar Ibn Nahor but he refused to listen to him and threatened to stone him to death if he continues this practice – Maryam 19:46

He preached to his people that the idols he worships are nothing but a piece of stone but they also did not listen to him.

The destroyer of Idols

One day when the people of ‘Ur’ were outside the town to celebrate a festival, Azar asked Ibrahim to accompany them but he told a lie that he is sick.

Prophet Ibrahim عليه السلام smashed all their idols except the biggest one.

• When they came back, they inquired Who dared do this to our gods?
• People said: We heard a young man, called Ibrahim, speaking ill of them.

They called him for a trial.

• They asked, “Was it you who did this to our gods, O Ibrahim?”
• Hazrat Ibrahim عليه السلام replied sarcastically, “No, this one—the biggest of them—did it! So ask them, if they can talk!”
• Source: Al-Anbya 21:57-67

Burn Ibrahim alive

Upon this, the jury decided to burn Prophet Ibrahim عليه السلام alive to avenge their gods.

When they lit the fire, its flames were touching the skies. They had never seen a fire like this before. No one could dare to go near the fire due to its enormous flames so one of them named Hazan invented the Lithobolos machine to throw Hazrat Ibrahim عليه السلام into the fire.

Jibrael عليه السلام came to ask if Ibrahim needs his help but he refused. The angel of rain came to ask the same question but Ibrahim refused him too. 

Then, Allah ordered the fire to be cool and safe for Abraham! As a result, Prophet Ibrahim عليه السلام remained safe in the burning fire. Some historians claimed that they lived in the fire for 40 days.

Once Hazrat Ibrahim عليه السلام said, I have never lived better days and nights in my life than those spent in the fire.

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: When Ibrahim was thrown into the fire, there was no beast on earth that did not try to put it out, apart from the house lizard that blew on it. Therefore, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ commanded that lizards should be killed. – Sunan Ibn Majah 3231

Balıklıgöl is the site in Urfa, Turkey is believed to be the place where Prophet Ibrahim عليه السلام was thrown into the fire by Nimrod for refusing to submit to the worshipping of idols.

Prophet Ibrahim and Nimrod

When the king of Canaan, Nimrod, was informed about Hazrat Ibrahim عليه السلام, he demanded his presence. Nimrod told Ibrahim to introduce him to Allah as he used to call himself the God.

• Nimrod bin Canan bin Cush bin Haam Ibn Noah.
• Nimrod had spread idolatry in his kingdom and considered himself to be the god and owner of the earth.
• Ibrahim said: My Lord is the One Who has the power to give life and cause death.
• Nimrod replied: I too have the power to give life and cause death.
• Ibrahim said: Allah causes the sun to rise from the east. So make it rise from the west.
• Nimrod was speechless after that. – Al-Baqarah 2:258

Death of Nimrod

Nimrod died due to a tiny mosquito that had entered his brain through the nasal duct. It caused immense pain. When he could not withstand the pain, he ordered his people to hit him hard on his head which used to give him some relief. 

It continued for almost 40 days until Nimrod died in 1638 BC. This is how Allah avenges those who stand against Him. The one who forced people to call him a god also instructed them to hit him on his head.

Marriage with Sara (first wife)

After this, Prophet Ibrahim عليه السلام migrated to Syria along with his brother Nahor and the wife of Nahor Malika and Prophet Lot عليه السلام.

There he met Sara عليه السلام, the daughter of the King of Syria Haran, and married her on the condition that he will not marry again.

Some Islamic schoalrs claim that three women were prophets i.e. Sara عليه السلام, the mother of Prophet Musa عليه السلام and Maryam عليه السلام. However, the majority disagrees with this claim.

3 lies of Prophet Ibrahim

Once Ibrahim عليه السلام was traveling with his wife Sara عليه السلام and passed by Egypt which had a cruel King. The King was told that there is a man traveling to his land with a beautiful woman.

He summoned Hazrat Ibrahim عليه السلام and asked who is traveling with her upon which he lied that Sara عليه السلام is his sister. The King summoned Sara عليه السلام tried to grab Sara عليه السلام hand with bad intentions but he was frozen.

He requested Sara عليه السلام to pray for him with a promise that he will not touch her again. Sara عليه السلام prayed and he was released by Allah. Then he gifted Hajar عليه السلام to Sara عليه السلام and let her go.

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: Prophet Ibrahim عليه السلام did not lie about anything at all except for three

• ‘Verily I am sick (37:89)’ while he was not sick. – As-Saffat 37:89
• And his saying about Sarah: ‘She is my sister’.
• and his saying: ‘Nay, this one, the biggest of them did it.’ – Al-Anbya 21:63
• Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3166

Birth of Prophet Ismail

When Prophet Ibrahim عليه السلام did not have any child even after 20 years of marrying Sara عليه السلام, she requested him to go to Hajar عليه السلام. Hajar was a slave of Sara عليه السلام.

Hajar عليه السلام got pregnant and gave birth to Prophet Ismail عليه السلام in 1910 BC when Hazrat Ibrahim was 86 years old.

Upon this, Sara عليه السلام got jealous and requested Ibrahim to take both of them away from her.

Migration to Makkah

In around 1900 BC, Allah ordered Prophet Ibrahim عليه السلام to migrate to Makkah (which was a barren desert with no population at that time) along with Hajar عليه السلام and the infant Ismail.

Upon reaching the place we know as Holy Kaaba today, Hazrat Ibrahim عليه السلام was asked to leave his child and wife for the sake of Allah. He, thus departed leaving his newborn and wife in the middle of a desert all alone. What happened after that is covered in the story of Prophet Ismail.

The dream of Prophet Ibrahim

Prophet Ismail عليه السلام grew up becoming a pious Muslim. Prophet Ibrahim عليه السلام came back to Makkah after 8 years of leaving them alone.

When he reunited with his family, he dreamt thrice that Allah is demanding the sacrifice of his son, Prophet Ismail عليه السلام.

One day he took Prophet Ismail عليه السلام with him who happily accompanied his father.

Upon reaching Mina, Hazrat Ibrahim عليه السلام asked his son’s opinion on the order of slaughter given to him by Allah Almighty. Prophet Ismail عليه السلام asked his father to carry Allah’s order.

Shaitan appeared 3 times

Shaitan then went to Ibrahim عليه السلام to convince him not to commit the sacrifice.

• He appeared at first Jamarat but Prophet Ibrahim عليه السلام threw seven stones at him.
• On Ibrahim’s way, shaitan reappeared at the second jamarat, and again Ibrahim threw seven stones at him.
• The same reappearance of shaitan and his stoning by Ibrahim took place at the third Jamarat.

Allah liked this act so much that he made pelting at Jamarat a wajib act of Hajj.

Ismail’s sacrifice

Allah wanted to test the faith of Hazrat Ibrahim عليه السلام, when he was about to slaughter his son, a sheep was sent to be replaced with Prophet Ismail عليه السلام.

Allah liked this act so much that he made the sacrifice of a sheep compulsory for all Muslims on Eid ul Adha.

Building the Holy Kaaba

Around 1890 BC Allah ordered Prophet Ibrahim عليه السلام to build a house of Allah which we know today as the Holy Kaaba. Prophet Ismail عليه السلام helped his father by bringing stones to build the Holy Kaaba while Ibrahim would place them to build high walls.

Hazrat Ibrahim عليه السلام offered two rakat prayers after the completion of the construction of the Holy Kaaba 🕋 at the place where Maqam Ibrahim stands today. Allah liked it so much that He made it Wajib to perform 2 Nafal after Tawaf behind it.

Birth of Prophet Ishaq

In fact, when the angels (Jibrael, Mikael, and Israfil) came to destroy the people of Lut, they first came to see Prophet Ibrahim عليه السلام and gave them the good news of the birth of Prophet Ishaq عليه السلام and the grandson Prophet Yaqub عليه السلام.

Upon this Sara عليه السلام laughed that how can I have a child in this old age, and my husband here is an old man? – Hud 11:72

• Angels responded: “Are you astonished by Allah’s decree?” Indeed, He is Praiseworthy, All-Glorious.”

Prophet Ishaq عليه السلام was born in 1896 BC when Ibrahim was 100 years old and Sara عليه السلام was 90 years old. When Prophet Isaac was 8 days old, Ibrahim circumcised him, as God commanded him. – Genesis 21:4

Prophet Ibrahim Children

Prophet Ibrahim عليه السلام had 8 sons and two of them were Prophets. He is also known as the father of Prophets. It is said that Sara عليه السلام died in 1859 BC at the age of 127 years. After this, Hazrat Ibrahim عليه السلام married Keturah and had 6 sons with her.

1. Prophet Ishaq عليه السلام.
2. Prophet Ismail عليه السلام.
3. Zimran (son).
4. Jokshan (son).
5. Medan (son).
6. Midian (son).
7. Ishbak (son).
8. Shuah (son).

• Prophet Lot عليه السلام was his nephew (the son of his brother Haran).
• Prophet Yaqub عليه السلام was his grandson. He is also called Israel and Bani Israel means the children of Prophet Yaqub.
• Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was born in the 62nd generation of Prophet Ismail عليه السلام.
• Shajra Nasab of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

Grave of Prophet Ibrahim

Prophet Ibrahim عليه السلام died in 1821 BC at the age of 175 years in present-day Palestine. He is buried in the cave of the Patriarchs, which is known as Masjid Khalil these days.

Masjid Khalil has been constructed on the land that Prophet Ibrahim عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ purchased in 1859 BC. When his wife Sarah عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ died, he buried her at this place and then decided it make it a family graveyard. There are four prophets in his family who are buried here;

• Prophet Ibrahim عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ and his wife Sara.
• Prophet Ishaq عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ and his wife Rebecca.
• Prophet Yaqub عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ and his wife Leah.
• Prophet Yusuf عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ.
• Hazrat Ibrahim Grave location.