AL ASHARI SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY

 *Hazrat Ibrahim (Peace be upon him) – Part 2*

“And remember Ibrahim when he said to his people, ‘Worship Allah and fear Him. That is better for you, if you only knew. You only worship idols besides Allah and you produce a falsehood. Indeed, those you worship besides Allah do not possess for you any provision. So seek from Allah provision and worship Him and be grateful to Him. To Him you will be returned. And if you deny me — then nations before you have already denied their messengers. And upon the messenger is only clear conveyance.’

Have they not seen how Allah originates creation, then repeats it? Indeed, that is easy for Allah. Say, ‘Travel through the land and observe how He began creation. Then Allah will produce the final creation. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent. He punishes whom He wills and has mercy upon whom He wills, and to Him you will be returned. And you will not cause failure to Allah upon the earth or in the heaven. And you have not besides Allah any protector or any helper.’

Those who disbelieved in the signs of Allah and the meeting with Him — they have despaired of My mercy, and they will have a painful punishment. Then the answer of his people was not but that they said, ‘Kill him or burn him,’ but Allah saved him from the fire. Indeed in that are signs for a people who believe.

And Ibrahim said, ‘You have only taken idols besides Allah as a bond of affection among you in worldly life. Then on the Day of Resurrection you will deny one another and curse one another, and your refuge will be the Fire, and you will not have any helpers.’ So Lut believed him. And Ibrahim said, ‘Indeed, I will emigrate to my Lord. Indeed, He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.’ And We gave him Ishaq and Yaqub, and placed prophethood and the Book among his descendants. And We gave him his reward in this world, and indeed, he is in the Hereafter among the righteous.

And, O Prophet, mention in the Book Ibrahim. Indeed, he was a man of truth, a prophet. 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? O my father, indeed there has come to me of knowledge that which has not come to you, so follow me; I will guide you to a straight path. O my father, do not worship Satan. Indeed Satan has ever been, to the Most Merciful, disobedient. O my father, indeed I fear that there will touch you a punishment from the Most Merciful so you would be to Satan a companion.’

He said, ‘Have you turned away from my gods, O Ibrahim? If you do not desist, I will surely stone you, so avoid me a prolonged time.’ Ibrahim (Peace be upon him) said, ‘Peace be upon you. I will ask forgiveness for you from my Lord. Indeed, He is ever gracious to me. And I will leave you and those you invoke other than Allah and will invoke my Lord. I expect that I will not be in invocation to my Lord unhappy.’

And thus did We show Ibrahim the realm of the heavens and the earth that he would be among the certain. So when the night covered him, he saw a star. He said, ‘This is my Lord.’ But when it set, he said, ‘I like not those that set.’ 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.’ Then 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.’

And his people argued with him. He said, ‘Do you argue with me concerning Allah while He has guided me? And I fear not what you associate with Him unless my Lord should will something. My Lord encompasses all things in knowledge; then will you not remember? And how should I fear what you associate while you do not fear that you have associated with Allah 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?’

Those who believe and do not mix their belief with injustice — those will have security, and they are rightly guided. And that was Our argument which We gave Ibrahim against his people. We raise by degrees whom We will. Indeed, your Lord is Wise and Knowing.”

_Source: Al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, Imam Ibn Kathir_