|
During the olden times, people
everywhere used to carve stones and make idols for worship. These statues
were considered as gods, and people bowed and prayed before them. Namrud,
the King of Babylonia, was once informed by his astrologers that someone
was going to be born who would destroy his kingdom. He would teach people
another religious concept: that of worshipping none but only one God.
On hearing that, Namrud gave orders
that no woman would conceive, hence no child would be born in his kingdom.
If any child was born, it would be killed immediately. The mother of
Prophet Ibrahim became pregnant. But by the will of Allah, no sign of
pregnancy was to be seen. When the time of birth of the child came nearer,
she went out of the town and hid in a cave. There, Prophet Ibrahim was
born. She then covered the child with a cloth, closed the mouth of the cave
with stones and returned home without the child. She told nobody of what
had happened.
The child was alone in the cave
with no one to care for him. He was sucking the milk which flowed of his
fingers - by the grace of Almighty God. The child grew up under Allah's
protection. From time to time, his mother would come secretly to the cave
to watch him. This went on for thirteen years. On one occasion when the
mother visited the son, he beseeched her to take him out of the cave. The
mother warned that he would be killed by the King it he came to know about
him. But the child insisted that he be brought out of the cave as 13 years
had been a long time.
Thus Prophet Ibrahim came out of
the cave for the first time. It was late in the evening when the sun was
setting. When the night grew dark, he saw a star and he said, "Is this
my Lord?" But when it set, he said, "I love not the setting ones."
Then, when he saw the moon rising he said: "Is this my Lord?" But
when it set, he said, "If my Lord had not guided me I would have
certainly been among the mistaken ones. Then he saw the sun rising and
said, "Is this my Lord?" Is this the greatest?". But when it
also set, he said, "O, my people! Surely. I am clear of what you set
up with Allah. Surely, I have turned myself wholly to the One Who created
the heavens and the earth. I am not of the ones who believe and worship
anything else other than Allah - the one God.
The people, at that time were not
only idol-worshippers but they were also worshipping the stars, the sun,
the moon etc. All the time, he was making them realise their error in their
choice of 'gods'. He was showing his people what they called a god, did not
deserve to be called god and worshipped if it disappeared at times. So
Prophet Ibrahim started preaching the belief of One God and persuading his
people not to worship anything else but Allah, the one and only God.
Once, it was the time of annual
festival in the town and according to their custom, Namrud, the King, went
out of town with all his people to celebrate the day. Prophet Ibrahim did
not accompany them but stayed behind. He went to the temple where all the
idols were kept, and broke all of them one by one. He left the biggest idol
untouched, but put the axe on its shoulder.
When the King and his people
returned they were very angry to see their idols destroyed. He said that he
would kill the person who had caused that damage. The people told him that
it must be a young man, named Ibrahim who always preached against the
worship of idols. He must have destroyed them.
When Prophet Ibrahim was asked if
it was he who broke the idols. He replied, "Why do you not ask the
chief (of the idols) who is standing safe. Perhaps he has done it, that is
if your idol gods can speak, ask them as to who broke them." Thus
Prophet Ibrahim did not utter a lie denying what he had done. He only
wanted the people to first ask their own idols as to who had done it?
Namrud got very angry and asked his
people their opinion. Every one suggested that Prophet Ibrahim be punished
by burning him alive in a big fire.
So, Prophet Ibrahim was jailed,
while Namrud ordered that all available firewood in the forest be collected
and be heaped up in one open place. When this was done, it was set alight.
The fire burnt fiercely and widely for days and days. It had generated so
much heat that no bird dared to fly nearby. At the appointed day on which
Prophet Ibrahim was to be put in the fire and burnt, Namrud with his large
army and followers came out to that place to watch. On seeing the huge fire
and the intense heat, he began to ponder as to how it would be possible to
convey Prophet Ibrahim into the fire. Suddenly Satan, the devil, came and
suggested that a type of a crane be prepared which could be used to hurl
Prophet Ibrahim into the fire. This would cut out the need of any
assistance of human hands to do the risky job of delivering the Prophet
into the raging fire.
The crane was constructed and
Prophet Ibrahim was lifted and readied to be dumped into the fire. On
seeing this tragic happening. the angels in the heaven and all the
creatures in the sky became deeply upset. Taking permission from Almighty
Allah, one by one, they all came to Prophet Ibrahim to inquire if they
could be of any help to him. The Prophet said that he was seeking help and
protection from none of them. The one from whom he expected help (that is
Almighty Allah), was fully aware of the dangerous situation in which he was
and would help him if need be.
Just then, the angel, Jibrail came
to the Prophet and gave him a ring on which the following was inscribed
(written):
"There is no God but
Allah"
"Muhammad is the Prophet of
Allah"
"I depend and rely upon
Allah"
"I submit my affair to the
will of Allah."
Prophet Ibrahim put the holy ring
on his finger and the grace and blessing of Allah began to be showered upon
him. Then came the command from Allah, "O fire! Be nothing but
coolness and peace for Ibrahim."
Thus the burning fire instantly
lost its heat and no harm came to the Prophet.
It is related that when Prophet
Ibrahim was being thrown into the fire, the angels in the heaven and the
birds in the air cried in protest. One of them, a small weak bird decided
to burn itself along with the Prophet. As it was flying towards the fire,
the angel Jibrail was sent by Allah to inquire the reason why it was going
to commit suicide! The angel stopped the bird on the ground and asked it to
explain its strange action - that of trying to burn itself along with
Prophet Ibrahim. The bird said: "Don't you know that the friend of God
is to be burnt in the fire? As it is not within my strength to save him, I
am showing my sorrow and sympathy by accompanying him into the fire!"
The angel conveyed this incident to
Allah. Then came a command from Allah to tell the bird that it would be
rewarded for its sincere feeling shown for the Prophet. It was asked what
it wished to have so that the wish be fulfilled. The bird in reply said:
"I do not wish to have anything from this world. All I wish is to
constantly remember Allah in prayer. There are a thousand and one names of
Allah. I know hardly a hundred names. I wish to be taught the remaining
names. Almighty Allah fulfilled its desire. As it flew from tree to tree,
it went on singing the names of Allah, thus remembering Him day and night.
To respect and sympathise with the
friends of Allah; to remember Allah constantly in prayer is better than
fulfilling worldly desires. This is what the little weak bird has shown to
us. These are the acts of virtue which would one day undoubtedly earn great
rewards from Allah.
Pasted
From :
|
