was born in Prophet Ibraheem Iraq. His father, whose name was Aazar, would carve idols from wood and sell them to the idol worshippers. Prophet Ibraheem  led his life in continuous struggle to comprehensively establish Islam. He is mentioned with praiseworthy titles in the Quran which help us to understand his distinguished character.

Prophet Ibraheem  was endowed with knowledge of Allah from a very young age. He rejected the practice of idol worship and urged his father to worship Allah, the one and only God. He argued with his father to abandon his idolatry and worship Allah alone, but the latter became enraged and displayed haughtiness and arrogance. When Ibraheem  further argued with his father that the idols did not have the ability to harm or benefit, his father told his son to leave his house or be stoned to death.  Ibraheem  replied with (what means): “…'Peace [i.e., safety] will be upon you. I will ask forgiveness for you of my Lord. Indeed, He is ever gracious to me. And I will leave you…” [Quran: 19:47-48]

 addressed the issue of worshipping kings and rulers such as Namrooth, king of Prophet Ibraheem Ur in Chaldea (Babylon) who alleged being a god. This tyrannous king claimed the ability of giving life and causing death to human beings. Prophet Ibraheem  refuted this allegation by a decisive sentence when he asked the king to cause the sun to rise from the west. The king Namrooth realised his disability to accomplish such a task, and therefore his allegation of being a god was refuted.

He, may Allah exalt his mention, continued his struggle against idolatry and followed every possible way to prove the Tawheed (Oneness of Allah) by offering evidence and logical arguments. He asked his people (what means): "…'What do you worship?' They said: 'We worship idols [as did our fathers] and remain to them devoted.' He [Ibraheem] said: 'Do they hear you when you supplicate? Or do they benefit you, or do they harm?'" [Quran: 26:70-73]

He, may Allah exalt his mention, reminded them that there was only One God, the Lord of all creation, who controlled life, death and resurrection. He, may Allah exalt his mention, urged his own father to desist from worshipping idols and said that he had learned from his own experience that Allah alone was worthy of worship.

He, may Allah exalt his mention, was shown by Allah the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth, so that he might be convinced of the faith in his Creator; The Quran narrates (what means): "So when the night covered him [with darkness], he [Ibraheem] saw a star. 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 (what means): "'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 Allah. Indeed, I have turned my face [i.e., self] toward He who created the heavens and the earth, and I am not of those who associate others [in worship] with Allah.'" [Quran: 6:76-79]

The people jeered at him, remonstrated with him, and even stoned him; they tried to frighten him into believing that their idols would destroy him and his God would not be able to save him. 

But Ibraheem  responded with (what means): "…'do you argue with me concerning Allah while He has guided me? And I fear not what you associate with Him [and will not be harmed] unless my Lord should will something'…" [Quran: 6:80-81]

After he had no hope of their response, he crept in stealth to their idols and smashed them all, except for the largest one. When the people knew that Ibraheem  had been the doer, they prepared a huge fire wherein he was thrown. But he emerged safe from the fire by the Grace of Allah.

 left his people for After this, Ibraheem Palestine, accompanied by his wife, Sarah, and his nephew, Loot, may Allah exalt their mention. When they passed by the territory of a tyrant king, someone told that tyrant that a stranger had come accompanied by a very charming lady. The king ordered that the lady be brought to him.  When the lady (Sarah) was brought to him, he tried to take hold of her but, by a miracle of Allah, his hand became rigid. He then gave Sarah, may Allah exalt her mention, a maidservant by the name of Hajar, may Allah exalt her mention. 

As Ibraheem and Sarah, may Allah exalt their mention, had reached old age with no children, Sarah, may Allah exalt her mention, offered her servant Hajar, may Allah exalt her mention, to her husband as a wife in order that he could have a child from her, as this was the wish of Ibraheem .

From Hajar, may Allah exalt her mention, Ibraheem  was given a son named Ismaa'eel, despite being eighty-six years of age. Allah the Glorious and Mighty then commanded Ibraheem  to take his wife and beloved son to a barren place (Makkah) and to leave them there, alone, where no food, water, or human life was to be seen. The wife, may Allah exalt her mention, heartily accepted this command, as it was Allah’s will.  It was only occasionally that Ibraheem  did visit his bitterly suffering wife and son. On one such visit, Allah commanded him to offer his son as a sacrifice, which was the most difficult test for his faith.

The son obeyed his father’s accomplishment of Allah’s will. Just as Ibraheem  was about to slaughter Isma'eel  Allah ransomed him for a ram.  Allah revealed to Ibraheem  that this was a trial for him in which he succeeded.

Ibraheem and his son, Isma'eel, may Allah exalt their mention, then built the Sacred House of Allah, the Ka’bah, in Makkah (see Quran: 14:35–41]). Prophet Ibraheem  established the rites of Hajj as enjoined by Allah (see [Quran: 22:26-30]). He taught people Tawheed (see [Quran: 60:4]), Allah’s Attributes (see [Quran 26:77-84]), belief in the Day of Resurrection (see [Quran 2:260])…. etc.

As a concluding statement, it is worth noting that this story of Ibraheem  teaches us, among many other things, that it is the relationship between a Muslim and his Lord and brother Muslims that should be given precedence over blood relationships.

Ibraheem Smashes the Idols

He  knew that there was to be a great celebration on the far bank of the river which would be attended by all the people. Ibraheem  waited until the city was empty, and then came out cautiously, directing his steps towards the temple. The streets leading to it were empty and the temple itself was deserted, for the priests had also gone to the festival outside the city.

Ibraheem  went there carrying a sharp axe. He looked at the stone and wooden statues of the gods and at the food laid in front of them as offerings. He  approached one of the statues and asked: "The food in front of you is getting cold; why don’t you eat?" The statue was silent and rigid. Ibraheem, may Allah exalt his mention, asked the other statues around him (what means): "…'Do you not eat?'" [Quran: 37:91]

He was mocking them, for he knew they would not eat. He once again asked (what means): "'What is [wrong] with you that you do not speak?'" [Quran: 37:92]

He  then raised his axe and began smashing the false gods worshiped by the people. He  destroyed them all, except one, around whose neck he hung the axe. After this, his irritation subsided and he felt at peace. He, may Allah exalt his mention, then left the temple, having fulfilled his vow to show his people a practical proof of their foolishness in worshiping something other than Allah.

When the people returned, they were shocked to see their gods smashed to pieces, lying scattered all over the temple. They began to guess who had done that to their idols, and Ibraheem’s name came to their minds.

Allah the Almighty Says (what means): "They said: 'Who has done this to our gods? Indeed, he is of the wrongdoers.' They said: 'We heard a young man mention them who is called Ibraaheem.' They said: 'Then bring him before the eyes of the people that they may testify.' They said: 'Have you done this to our gods, O Ibraaheem?’ He said: 'Rather, this – the largest of them – did it, so ask them, if they should [be able to] speak.' So they returned to [blaming] themselves and said [to each other]: 'Indeed, you are the wrongdoers.' Then they reversed themselves, [saying to Ibraaheem]: 'You have already known that these do not speak!' He said: 'Then do you worship instead of Allah that which does not benefit you at all or harm you? Uff [i.e., an exclamation of disgust] to you and to what you worship instead of Allah. Then will you not use reason?'" [Quran: 21:59-67]