The story of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham)

The story in short

Arabic name

إبراهيم

English name

Abraham

Named in the Quran

69 times

Sent to

His people and his father, who worshipped idols, and later the people of Makkah through his son Ismail

Main surahs

Al-Anam, Al-Anbiya, As-Saffat

In the list of 25

6 of 25 · one of the Ulul Azm

In short: Ibrahim grew up among idol worshippers, including his own father. He reasoned with them, broke their idols and was thrown into a fire, which Allah made "coolness and safety" for him. He left his wife Hajar and baby Ismail in the valley of Makkah, where Zamzam sprang up. He was willing to sacrifice his son at Allah's command, and the son was ransomed. Father and son then built the Kaaba, and Ibrahim called people to Hajj. Allah "took Ibrahim as an intimate friend" (4:125).

The story of Ibrahim

Reasoning with his people

Ibrahim asked his father Azar: "Do you take idols as deities?" (6:74). He showed his people that the star, the moon and the sun all set, so none of them could be God, and declared: "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" (6:79). Allah says this was "Our argument which We gave Ibrahim against his people" (6:83). He spoke to his father with great gentleness, "O my father", and when his father threatened to stone him, he answered: "Peace will be upon you. I will ask forgiveness for you of my Lord" (19:42-47).

The idols and the fire

While his people were away, Ibrahim broke their idols into pieces, all but the largest. When they asked who had done it, he said: "Rather, this, the largest of them, did it, so ask them, if they should be able to speak." They knew that idols cannot speak, and he asked: "Then do you worship instead of Allah that which does not benefit you at all or harm you?" (21:62-66). They decided to burn him. Allah said: "O fire, be coolness and safety upon Ibrahim" (21:69). Ibn Abbas said that Ibrahim's words when he was thrown into the fire were: "Hasbunallahu wa nimal-wakil", Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best Disposer of affairs.¹

He also faced a ruler who argued with him about his Lord. Ibrahim said: "Indeed, Allah brings up the sun from the east, so bring it up from the west." The disbeliever was left speechless (2:258).

Hajar, Ismail and Zamzam

Ibrahim took Hajar and their baby Ismail to the empty valley of Makkah and left them with a bag of dates and a skin of water. Hajar asked: "Has Allah commanded you to do this?" He said yes. She said: "Then He will not abandon us." When the water ran out, she ran seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwah looking for help, until the angel struck the ground and Zamzam gushed out.² That run is the origin of the sai of Hajj and Umrah. Ibrahim's dua for them is in the Quran: "Our Lord, I have settled some of my descendants in an uncultivated valley near Your sacred House" (14:37).

The sacrifice

When the boy was old enough to work with him, Ibrahim told him: "O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I am slaughtering you, so see what you think." The son replied: "O my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Allah wills, of the steadfast" (37:102). When both had submitted, Allah called out that he had fulfilled the vision, and "We ransomed him with a great sacrifice" (37:104-107). Muslims remember this every Eid al-Adha.

Building the Kaaba

"And when Ibrahim was raising the foundations of the House and with him Ismail, saying, 'Our Lord, accept this from us. Indeed, You are the Hearing, the Knowing'" (2:127). Allah then told him to call people to Hajj, and they would come on foot and on every lean camel from every distant pass (22:27). Earlier, angels had visited him in the form of guests and given him and Sarah the glad tidings of Ishaq (11:69-73). In the Miraj, the Prophet ﷺ saw Ibrahim in the seventh heaven, leaning against al-Bayt al-Mamur.³ Every Muslim sends blessings on him in each prayer, in the salat Ibrahimiyyah.⁴

Key verses

Lessons from the story

• Tawheed can be reached by reason. Ibrahim used his people's own eyes to show them the truth.
• Kindness to parents continues even when they reject your faith.
• Reliance on Allah: "Hasbunallahu wa nimal-wakil" in the fire, and "He will not abandon us" in the desert.
• Submission is complete obedience, even when the command is hard, and Allah turns it into mercy.
• Hajj, sai, Zamzam and the sacrifice of Eid all keep the memory of this family alive.

Where it is in the Quran

The main passages about Ibrahim, with links to read and listen to each surah:

• Surah Al-Anam 6:74-83
• Surah Al-Anbiya 21:51-73
• Surah As-Saffat 37:83-113
• Surah Maryam 19:41-50
• Surah Al-Baqarah 2:124-141
• Surah Ibrahim 14:35-41

What is authentic, and what is not

The Quran does not name the ruler who argued with Ibrahim. The name Namrud (Nimrod) comes from the books of history and tafsir. The Quran also does not name the son who was to be sacrificed in Surah As-Saffat. Most scholars held it was Ismail, because the glad tidings of Ishaq come after the story (37:112), while some early scholars said Ishaq. Ibn Kathir argued strongly for Ismail. The size of the fire and the length of time Ibrahim stayed in it come from later reports.

We follow Ibn Kathir's Qasas al-Anbiya only where it rests on the Quran and sound hadith. Isra'iliyyat are reports taken from earlier scriptures and storytellers. Scholars allow mentioning them only when they do not contradict the Quran and Sunnah, and they are never treated as certain.

Questions

Sources

1. Sahih al-Bukhari 4563, from Ibn Abbas.
2. Sahih al-Bukhari 3364, from Ibn Abbas.
3. Sahih al-Bukhari 3207; Sahih Muslim 162.
4. Sahih al-Bukhari 3370.
5. Ibn Kathir, Qasas al-Anbiya, chapter on Ibrahim, and his tafsir of 37:99-113.
6. Quran: Arabic from the Tanzil Uthmani text, English by Sahih International. In quotations within the text, the prophets' names are given in their Arabic form (Musa for Moses, Ibrahim for Abraham).

The rulings on this page are pending review by the scholars on our team.