Prophet Abraham or Ibrahim (peace be upon him) is the central figure of the three major religions of the world. More than half the world's population regard him with great honour and utmost respect. Prophet Ibrahim a.s. did not gain any significant following during his time. On the contrary, he faced the opposition of his own people, including his own father, Azar.
The stories of Ibrahim (a.s.), such as how Allah saved him from the fire and his willingness to sacrifice his only son, Ismail (a.s.), are among the most frequently cited events from his life. However, another aspect of his life holds great significance and needs to be looked into as well.
Ibrahim a.s. was a man of reasoning and intellect, who questioned his people from a young age when it came to their beliefs. His understanding of faith even before prophethood shows his clarity of thought and sufficiency of intelligence. In his quest for the search for the true Creator, we shall look upon some of the incidents from his life that reflect the rationality in his thoughts.
Reasoning with his father, Azar
Ibrahim a.s. grew up amidst idol worshippers. His father was a professional sculptor who made different idols for his people to worship. Ibrahim a.s. began to question this practice. He found his father making the idols with his own hands, only later to be worshipped as a creator. This compelled him to question his father.
[Mention] when he said to his father, "O my father, why do you worship that which does not hear and does not see and will not benefit you at all? [Qur'an 19:42]
Ibrahim a.s. never understood why his people worshipped the creations rather than worshipping the Creator. He wondered what could be the point of worshipping an entity that could neither hear their prayers nor see them and was of no benefit to them. This, however, angered his father. He could not come up with any satisfactory answer, so he warned Ibrahim a.s. that if he ever questions their faith, he will be severely punished.
[His father] said, "Have you no desire for my gods, O Abraham? If you do not desist, I will surely stone you, so avoid me a prolonged time." [Qur'an 19:46]
Let us pause here and reflect upon the two principles that this conversation presents. One of Ibrahim a.s. who seeks the truth. And the other, his father Azar, decides not to reflect upon the truth. Nor does he consider his questions worthy enough to be answered. Rather he warns him against questioning their faith and practices.
While this attitude seals a person's heart from witnessing the truth, Ibrahim a.s. being the righteous one demonstrates an excellent character and does not quiver with the slightest rudeness or arrogance in his behaviour towards his father. His response to his father was,
[Abraham] said, "Peace will be upon you. I will ask forgiveness for you of my Lord. Indeed, He is ever gracious to me. [Qur'an 19:47]
This shows the nobility and humility of Ibrahim a.s. We sometimes fail to show a humble attitude while being the right one in an argument. Winning an argument inflates our ego and we tend to look down upon the other person as intellectually inferior.
While it is important to use our reasoning and understanding, we must never let go of our kindness and humility towards others. Rationality should not lead to arrogance.
Ibrahim a.s. confronts his people
The conversation of Ibrahim a.s. with his people yet again shows the courage of Ibrahim a.s. to question the beliefs of their forefathers. He did not follow a religion for the mere reason that his ancestors had been following the same. Instead, we find him with a simple and clear understanding right from the beginning, that the right to be worshipped belongs to the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth.
And We had certainly given Abraham his sound judgement before, and We were of him well-Knowing. When he 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." They said, "Have you come to us with truth, or are you of those who jest?" He said, "[No], rather, your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth who created them, and I, to that, am of those who testify. [Qur'an 21:51-56]
This conversation shows the straightforwardness of the words of Ibrahim a.s. He questioned them about the basis of their belief. All they could reply was, "We found our fathers worshippers of them." And Ibrahim a.s. relied on his own understanding rather than blindly following his ancestors.
This should not be misunderstood that Ibrahim a.s. had doubts about whether there existed a creator or not. He never doubted the existence of God. He, very well understood that the Lord is the One who created them as well as him. His dissatisfaction lay solely as to why his people worshipped the idols that they had themselves created. It was from this practice that he completely dissociated himself.
Ibrahim a.s. breaks the idols
Ibrahim a.s. tried his best to explain to both, his father as well as his people not to blindly follow their forefathers. But all his efforts did no good and only turned them further away from him. Eventually, he decided to make one more attempt. He wanted to show his people that what they worshipped was incapable of protecting themselves against any harm, let alone protecting their worshippers. So while everyone was gone, Ibrahim a.s. decided to break the idols.
Then he turned to their gods and said, "Do you not eat? What is [wrong] with you that you do not speak?" And he turned upon them a blow with [his] right hand. [Qur'an 37:91-93]
We shall further discover that Ibrahim a.s. did not break the idols out of his mere hatred towards idol-worshipping or intending to seek revenge. Had it been so, he would have broken the idols and quietly left the place. However, he stayed to explain his people and bring them to the right path.
For this reason, he broke all the idols but left the largest one, their main deity, untouched. So when they found that someone had broken all the idols in their absence, they all turned to Ibrahim a.s. in suspicion and anger. Ibrahim a.s. told them the main deity must have done it and is the strongest of all, they should rather question him.
So he made them into fragments, except a large one among them, that they might return to it [and question]. 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 Abraham." 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 Abraham?"
He said, "Rather, this - the largest of them - did it, so ask them if they should [be able to] speak." [Qur'an 21:58-63]
Ibrahim a.s. endlessly tries to reason with them and bring it to their knowledge that what they have been worshipping is a created and lifeless entity that can neither speak nor hear them. In fact, his argument even made them reflect upon their own beliefs for a while, but they eventually shed their doubts and turned back to blame Ibrahim a.s. of wrongdoing.
So they returned to [blaming] themselves and said [to each other], "Indeed, you are the wrongdoers." Then they reversed themselves, [saying], "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 to you and to what you worship instead of Allah. Then will you not use reason?" [Qur'an 21:64-67]
This was the last effort he made towards guiding his people. After this, they sought to kill Ibrahim a.s. and burn him alive. However, Allah saved him from the fire. Although Ibrahim a.s. did not further argue with his people, however, people of the city began talking about him and the news of this new faith from a man then denounces the idols spread all over the place.
The king of Babylon
Ibrahim a.s. lived in the ancient city of Babylon. His news reached the king of Babylon. The Qur'an does not mention his name, however, it is estimated that these incidents took place during the time of King Nimrood. He was an arrogant and tyrant ruler who claimed himself to be a god. When the news of Ibrahim a.s. reached him, he ordered that the man be brought before him. Ibrahim a.s. conversed with the king and his conversation is narrated in the following verses:
Have you not considered the one who argued with Abraham about his Lord [merely] because Allah had given him kingship? When Abraham said, "My Lord is the one who gives life and causes death," he said, "I give life and cause death." [Qur'an 2:258]
Some sources narrate that the king commanded his guards to bring two prisoners before him. He then killed one of them and set the other one free. This was how he demonstrated that he was capable of giving life and death. Ibrahim a.s. however, understood that there would be no point in debating with him over this matter, so he simply responded by saying,
"Indeed, Allah brings up the sun from the east, so bring it up from the west." So the disbeliever was overwhelmed [by astonishment], and Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people. [Qur'an 2:258]
The king became speechless. Ibrahim a.s. clearly understood his Creator and all that He is capable of. His understanding, reasoning, and clear ability to distinguish between the creation and the Creator are manifested in all his examples. He questioned his people about how they knew, what they believed in, to be the truth. And for this, he put before them the simplest of arguments that they failed to answer.
Inner thoughts and reflections
Rationality in the thoughts of Ibrahim a.s. is reflected in how he perceived his God. During his time, there were people that worshipped celestial bodies including the moons, the sun and the stars. While Ibrahim a.s. questioned reasonably his people about worshipping the idols they carved out with their own hands, he also pondered over the belief of people worshipping the celestial. He reflected and questioned his own thoughts in the same way he questioned his people. A similar and equally rational argument was put forward by him while he thinks about the celestial bodies.
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 Allah. 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 Allah." [Qur'an 6:76-79]
Ibrahim a.s. believed in the truthfulness of the One God. He contemplated upon the signs of the Creator found in nature. He understood that the stars, the moon and the sun are, but creations of the Creator. And since no one had seen the Creator, he dissociated himself from those worshipping god in different forms. The search for truth brought him closer to God and made him a "Friend of Allah". And even though Ibrahim a.s. gained a handful of followers, Allah blessed him with a legacy of prophets and messengers among his progenies and made the house of Allah built by him, the Qibla for Muslims.
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