Stories of the Prophets | Episode (9) | The story of Abraham, peace be upon him (3)

0:00 Stories of the Prophets

0:02 Stories of the Prophets—

0:05 Peace be upon them.

0:07 Blessings of Allah

0:09 followed by

0:11 peace

0:13 be upon the best of all creation,

0:15 altogether.

0:17 They were resolute messengers,

0:20 exalted in rank

0:22 and full of light.

0:24 The Story of Abraham (Ibn Turan),

0:26 peace be upon him.

0:28 In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.

0:33 In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.

0:35 Praise be to Allah, Lord of all the worlds,

0:37 and peace and blessings

0:39 be upon our Prophet Muhammad,

0:41 and upon his family and Companions

0:43 all together.

0:45 To proceed:

0:47 In Mecca, the sacred land,

0:49 alongside the Jurhum tribe—

0:51 an Arab tribe—

0:53 Hagar, the mother of Ishmael, lived

0:55 with her son Ishmael.

0:57 Meanwhile in Palestine,

0:59 the blessed land,

1:01 Abraham,

1:03 peace be upon him, was living

1:05 far away from his only son,

1:07 whom he had long awaited.

1:09 He was blessed with him in his old age,

1:11 after long patience and supplication,

1:13 a long time coming.

1:15 So he loved him with an immense love,

1:17 yet he

1:19 was compelled to leave him in Mecca,

1:21 far away from him,

1:23 in compliance with the command of Allah Almighty.

1:25 But he used to visit him

1:27 from time to time.

1:31 Ishmael, peace be upon him,

1:33 grew up little by little,

1:35 and when he reached

1:37 the age of striving alongside him—

1:39 that age

1:41 when a child is dearest

1:43 to his father,

1:45 as he walks with him, goes out,

1:47 and comes back,

1:49 an age when the hardship of raising him has passed

1:51 and his benefit has arrived—

1:53 and just as

1:55 his love had firmly taken root in his father's heart,

1:57 Allah, Glorified and Exalted, willed

1:59 to test the heart of His intimate friend,

2:01 Abraham, peace be upon him,

2:03 so that his heart might be purified exclusively

2:05 for the love and intimacy of his Lord,

2:07 transcending the love of

2:09 anything besides Him.

2:11 Abraham, peace be upon him, saw

2:13 in a dream

2:15 that he was sacrificing his son Ishmael.

2:17 And the dreams of the prophets are

2:19 divine truth.

2:21 So what, one wonders, was

2:23 Abraham's stance?

2:25 He submitted,

2:28 Abraham obeyed the command of his Lord

2:30 and surrendered to His will.

2:32 He came to his son,

2:34 the apple of his eye,

2:36 and said,

2:38 "O my dear son,

2:40 “And when (his son) was old enough to walk with him, (Abraham) said: O my dear son, I have seen in a dream that I must sacrifice thee. So look, what thinkest thou? He said: O my father! Do that which thou art commanded. Allah willing, thou shalt find me of the steadfast.” (37:102)

2:42 I have seen in a dream that I am to sacrifice you,

2:44 so see what you think."

2:46 He presented the matter to him gently

2:48 so that it would be comforting to his heart

2:50 and easier for him to bear,

2:52 rather than taking him by force

2:54 and slaughtering him against his will.

2:56 And the reply came from

2:58 the dutiful and gentle son,

3:00 both having surrendered to the command of Allah,

3:02 the Most High, the Supreme:

3:04 "O my father, do what

3:06 you are commanded;

3:08 for we have no choice but to obey Him.

3:10 No escape.

3:12 You will find me, if Allah wills,

3:14 to be of the patient."

3:17 Ah, if only I knew—

3:19 should we marvel at a father

3:21 who is about to slaughter his son,

3:23 or marvel at a son who willingly agrees,

3:25 aiding his father

3:27 in seeking the pleasure of his Creator?

3:29 Truly,

3:31 “And when a token cometh unto them, they say: We will not believe till we are given that which Allah's messengers are given. Allah knoweth best with whom to place His message. Humiliation from Allah and heavy punishment will smite the guilty for their scheming.” (6:124)

3:33 it was his divine mission.

3:36 The father went out with his son,

3:38 the very piece of his heart.

3:40 He went out, knife in hand,

3:42 to slaughter his son as an offering

3:44 to Allah, Lord of all the worlds.

3:46 At those critical moments,

3:48 Satan appeared to them

3:50 on the road,

3:52 in the guise of a well-wishing man,

3:54 and spoke to them both

3:56 to turn them away from the command of

3:58 their Lord.

4:00 He tried to appeal to the heart

4:02 of Abraham out of compassion for his son,

4:04 but Abraham, peace be upon him, pelted him

4:06 with seven pebbles,

4:08 and Satan turned back in flight.

4:10 Then Abraham

4:13 and Ishmael, peace be upon them both,

4:15 continued on their way.

4:17 Satan appeared to them

4:19 once again,

4:21 trying to dissuade the son from obedience,

4:23 so Abraham,

4:25 peace be upon him, pelted him again

4:27 with seven pebbles,

4:29 and he sank into the ground.

4:31 Then he appeared to them a third time,

4:33 trying

4:35 to influence them by playing on the plight of

4:37 Ishmael's mother—

4:39 how would the poor woman fare

4:41 when she learned of her son's death?

4:43 So Abraham,

4:45 the intimate friend of Allah, pelted him again with seven pebbles,

4:47 and he sank into the ground,

4:49 never to return.

4:52 When they reached the place

4:54 they intended,

4:56 fully surrendered to the command of Allah, Glorified and Exalted,

4:58 and resolved

5:00 to carry out what they had been commanded,

5:02 at that moment,

5:04 Abraham laid his son,

5:06 Ishmael, prostrate on his face,

5:08 placing his forehead

5:10 on the ground.

5:12 He intended to sacrifice him from behind his neck,

5:14 so that his eyes would not meet

5:16 the eyes of his son

5:18 and cause his resolve to falter.

5:20 Thus the execution began:

5:22 Abraham, peace be upon him, invoked the name of Allah

5:24 and magnified Him,

5:26 while the boy recited the testimony of faith

5:28 facing death with patient endurance.

5:30 Abraham passed the knife

5:32 over the neck of his son,

5:34 but it would not cut.

5:36 He tried again and again,

5:38 yet the decree of Allah is supreme:

5:40 fire does not burn

5:42 nor does the knife

5:44 cut unless He wills.

5:46 For Allah is predominant over His affair.

5:48 At that moment,

5:51 the intimate friend was called from the heavens:

5:53 "O Abraham,

5:55 you have indeed fulfilled the vision!

5:57 You confirmed it in your heart,

5:59 and you confirmed it

6:01 through your action.

6:03 The purpose of your test has been fulfilled through your readiness

6:05 and swift response to

6:07 the command of your Lord,

6:09 offering your child as a sacrifice;

6:11 indeed, you both passed the trial."

6:13 And Allah provided

6:15 for Abraham, peace be upon him,

6:17 in place of his son,

6:19 a ram to slaughter instead of his son.

6:21 So Abraham, peace be upon him,

6:23 sacrificed it,

6:25 and the ritual sacrifice thereafter became

6:27 a Sunnah for the Muslims.

6:29 Ibn al-Qayyim,

6:32 may Allah have mercy on him, said:

6:34 "When he offered his son for Allah's sake,

6:36 and the son offered

6:38 himself for Allah's sake,

6:40 Allah multiplied his offspring,

6:42 blessed it,

6:44 and increased it until it filled the earth,

6:47 placing prophethood and the Scripture

6:49 exclusively within his lineage,

6:51 and bringing forth from among them

6:53 Muhammad,

6:54 Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

6:56 Allah the Almighty said:

6:58 "My Lord, grant me

7:00 [a child] from among the righteous."

7:04 So We gave him good tidings of a boy

7:06 who was forbearing.

7:08 And when

7:10 he reached with him the age of exertion,

7:12 he said, "O my son,

7:14 O my son,

7:16 “And when (his son) was old enough to walk with him, (Abraham) said: O my dear son, I have seen in a dream that I must sacrifice thee. So look, what thinkest thou? He said: O my father! Do that which thou art commanded. Allah willing, thou shalt find me of the steadfast.” (37:102)

7:18 he said, "O my son,

7:20 indeed I have seen

7:22 in a dream

7:24 that I must sacrifice you,

7:26 so see what you think."

7:28 He said, "O my father,

7:30 do as you are commanded;

7:32 you will find me,

7:34 if wills

7:36 Allah,

7:38 among the patient."

7:40 And when

7:42 they had both submitted and he put him down

7:44 upon his forehead,

7:46 We called out to him,

7:48 "O

7:50 Abraham,

7:52 You have fulfilled

7:54 the vision."

7:56 Indeed, We thus

7:58 reward the doers of good.

8:00 Indeed,

8:02 this was

8:04 the trial,

8:06 clear and manifest.

8:08 And We ransomed him

8:10 with a great sacrifice.

8:12 Then he departed,

8:16 Abraham (peace be upon him),

8:18 to the land of Palestine.

8:20 And he stayed there as long as willed

8:22 Allah, then he came

8:24 after that to Mecca

8:26 to visit his son.

8:28 He found him sharpening an arrow

8:30 under a tree near

8:32 the water of Zamzam.

8:34 When Ishmael saw him,

8:36 he stood up to greet him,

8:38 and he did as a father does

8:40 with his son, and a son with his father.

8:42 Then said

8:44 Abraham (peace be upon him)

8:46 to his son,

8:48 "O Ishmael,

8:50 indeed Allah has commanded me with a matter."

8:52 Ishmael replied,

8:54 "Then do what your Lord has commanded you."

8:56 He asked,

8:58 "And will you assist me?"

9:00 He answered, "Yes, I will assist you."

9:02 He said,

9:04 "Indeed, Allah has commanded me to build for Him

9:06 a House right here,"

9:08 pointing to a raised mound of soil

9:10 elevated above its surroundings

9:12 of the ground.

9:15 So Ishmael responded to his father,

9:17 and he began to work,

9:19 raising the foundations

9:21 of the House.

9:23 Ishmael began bringing

9:25 the stones,

9:27 while Abraham was building,

9:29 until when the structure grew high,

9:31 Ishmael brought this

9:33 stone and placed it

9:35 for him, so he stood upon it—

9:37 Abraham—while he was building.

9:39 So it is now

9:41 the Station of Abraham (Maqam Ibrahim).

9:43 And both of them continued building the House,

9:45 supplicating,

9:47 "Our Lord, accept from us;

9:49 indeed, You are the Hearing,

9:51 the Knowing."

9:53 And the footprints of

9:55 Abraham (peace be upon him) were imprinted

9:57 upon the stone on which he used to stand

9:59 while building the House.

10:01 Thus, Allah immortalized this

10:03 stone,

10:05 commanding us to take it as a place of prayer,

10:07 praying behind it

10:09 after circumambulating the House.

10:11 Then Allah the Almighty commanded

10:14 Abraham (peace be upon him)

10:16 to proclaim among the people

10:18 to journey to this Sacred

10:20 House and to perform

10:22 the rites therein.

10:24 Abraham said,

10:26 "How far can my voice reach?"

10:28 So Allah the Almighty said,

10:30 "Your duty is to call,

10:32 and Ours is to convey."

10:34 So Abraham (peace be upon him) stood

10:36 upon Mount Abu Qubays,

10:38 placed his two fingers

10:40 in his ears,

10:42 and turned his face to the right,

10:44 to the left, to the east,

10:46 and to the west, shouting:

10:48 "O people!

10:50 Indeed, your Lord

10:52 has built a House for you,

10:54 and has prescribed upon you

10:56 the pilgrimage to this House,

10:58 so respond to your Lord!"

11:00 And he was answered by

11:02 everyone destined to perform pilgrimage,

11:04 from the loins of the fathers

11:06 and the wombs of the mothers:

11:08 "Labbayk Allahumma

11:10 labbayk" (Here I am, O Allah, at Your service, here I am).

11:12 And Abraham (peace be upon him) prayed

11:14 for blessing upon the people of Mecca,

11:16 and Allah answered

11:18 his supplication,

11:20 so Mecca became a blessed land,

11:22 its provision coming to it from everywhere;

11:24 “Allah coineth a similitude: a township that dwelt secure and well content, its provision coming to it in abundance from every side, but it disbelieved in Allah's favours, so Allah made it experience the garb of dearth and fear because of what they used to do.” (16:112)

11:26 and he prayed, "And make it also

11:28 a land of security,"

11:30 so that whoever enters it fears neither for himself

11:32 nor for his wealth.

11:34 Then Abraham returned,

11:37 peace be upon him,

11:39 to the land of Palestine

11:41 after completing the mission

11:43 and calling the nation.

11:46 And one day,

11:48 the angels came to Abraham

11:50 (peace be upon him) in

11:52 the form of guests.

11:54 They entered upon him while he did not know them,

11:56 and he (peace be upon him) was

11:58 noble and hospitable.

12:00 So he went swiftly and stealthily

12:02 and slaughtered for them a calf,

12:04 fat and well-fed,

12:06 then roasted it over the fire,

12:08 then presented it to his guests

12:10 for them to eat from it.

12:12 But these

12:14 guests were not

12:16 like other guests;

12:18 for when he placed

12:20 the food before them,

12:22 they did not stretch their hands toward it

12:24 and did not eat from it.

12:26 So Abraham (peace be upon him) grew fearful

12:28 of them,

12:30 because it was customary

12:32 that a guest

12:34 who does not eat the food

12:36 presented to him

12:38 must harbor ill intent

12:40 toward his host, or harbor

12:42 resentment against him.

12:44 When the angels perceived from

12:46 Abraham (peace be upon him)

12:48 his fear, they reassured him

12:50 and informed him that they were

12:52 angels

12:55 sent by Allah the Almighty

12:57 to bring upon the people of Lot

12:59 punishment and destruction.

13:01 They also gave him good tidings

13:03 of Sarah giving birth

13:05 to their son,

13:07 Isaac (peace be upon him),

13:09 and after Isaac,

13:11 Jacob (peace be upon him).

13:13 Allah the Almighty said:

13:15 "And certainly there came

13:17 Our messengers

13:19 to Abraham with good tidings;

13:21 they said, 'Peace.'

13:23 He said, 'Peace,'

13:25 and did not delay in

13:27 bringing

13:29 a roasted calf.

13:31 But when

13:33 he saw their hands

13:35 not reaching toward it,

13:37 he felt distrust toward them

13:39 and conceived

13:41 a fear of them.

13:43 They said, "Fear not,

13:45 for we have been sent

13:47 to the people of Lot."

13:49 And his wife

13:51 was standing by,

13:53 standing by,

13:55 and she laughed.

13:57 So We gave her good tidings

13:59 of Isaac,

14:01 and We gave her good tidings

14:03 of Isaac,

14:05 and after

14:07 Isaac, Jacob.

14:09 She said, "Woe unto me!

14:11 Shall I bear a child when I am

14:13 an old woman,

14:15 and this husband of mine

14:17 is an old man?

14:19 Indeed, this is a strange thing!"

14:21 They said,

14:23 "Do you wonder at

14:25 the decree of Allah?

14:27 May the mercy of Allah

14:29 and His blessings be upon you,

14:31 O people of the house!

14:33 Indeed, He is Praiseworthy,

14:36 Glorious."

14:38 Abraham, peace be upon him, lived

14:41 Abraham, peace be upon him,

14:43 after that in Palestine

14:45 for as long as Allah had decreed for him

14:47 to live,

14:49 until he lived to see his grandson Jacob,

14:51 peace be upon him.

14:53 It has been authentically established that Abraham,

14:55 peace be upon him, was circumcised

14:57 when he was eighty

14:59 years old. And we were informed by

15:01 the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

15:03 that he was the most resembling

15:05 of people to his forefather Abraham,

15:07 peace be upon him.

15:09 And Abraham, peace and blessings be upon him, had been favored by

15:11 peace be upon him,

15:13 Allah Almighty, Who honored him,

15:15 chose him, and perfected

15:17 His favor upon him:

15:19 that he was a truthful prophet;

15:21 He described him as righteous,

15:23 forbearing,

15:25 compassionate,

15:27 and sound

15:29 of heart;

15:31 and that He had granted him right judgment;

15:33 and that Abraham, peace be upon him,

15:35 fulfilled all his duties;

15:37 and that He, Glorified and Exalted is He,

15:39 exalted his

15:41 status,

15:43 and took him from among

15:45 all creation as an intimate friend.

15:49 The Jews and the Christians disputed concerning Abraham, peace be upon him,

15:51 concerning Abraham, peace be upon him,

15:53 each group

15:55 claiming affiliation to him,

15:57 and that he, peace be upon him,

15:59 was one of them.

16:01 So Allah Exalted absolved him

16:03 of that, saying:

16:05 "Abraham was not

16:07 a Jew, nor

16:09 a Christian,

16:11 nor a Christian,

16:13 but

16:15 he was an upright

16:17 Muslim,

16:19 but

16:21 he was an upright

16:23 Muslim,

16:25 and he was not of the polytheists."

16:29 And Allah Almighty informed us

16:31 that the closest of people

16:33 to Abraham, peace be upon him,

16:35 are those who followed him,

16:37 and our Prophet Muhammad,

16:39 peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

16:41 and the believers of his Ummah;

16:43 these are they.

16:46 The Almighty said:

16:48 "Indeed, the closest of people

16:51 to Abraham

16:53 are those who followed him,

16:55 and this Prophet,

16:57 and this Prophet,

16:59 and those who

17:01 believe.

17:03 And Allah is the Ally

17:05 of the believers."

17:09 Allah Almighty has mentioned

17:11 Abraham, peace be upon him,

17:13 sixty-nine times in the Qur'an.

17:15 Among the most important lessons

17:17 and morals derived

17:19 from his story, peace be upon him, are:

17:21 First:

17:24 We are commanded

17:26 to follow Abraham, peace be upon him;

17:28 for Allah Almighty said:

17:30 "There has already been for you

17:32 an excellent pattern

17:34 in Abraham and those

17:36 with him."

17:38 Therefore, we must delve deeply

17:40 into studying his biography, peace be upon him,

17:42 so that we may follow him properly.

17:44 Second:

17:47 The best of exhortations

17:49 are those with which Abraham, peace be upon him, enjoined

17:51 his sons,

17:53 when he said to them:

17:55 “The same did Abraham enjoin upon his sons, and also Jacob, (saying): O my sons! Lo! Allah hath chosen for you the (true) religion; therefore die not save as men who have surrendered (unto Him).” (2:132)

17:57 "So remain steadfast upon it,

17:59 and do not die except

18:01 while you are Muslims."

18:04 Third:

18:06 Generous hospitality,

18:08 as demonstrated by him in the incident

18:10 of the angel guests,

18:12 which contains many manners

18:14 for whoever reflects upon them,

18:16 such as greeting with peace and honoring guests.

18:18 Fourth:

18:20 Allah Almighty's generosity

18:22 toward His allies,

18:24 as He protected them during trials

18:26 and granted them, as a reward for

18:28 their patience, the offspring they longed for.

18:30 Fifth:

18:33 The prescribed nature of migration for the sake of Allah;

18:35 if a person is persecuted

18:37 in his religion in a land,

18:39 he must migrate

18:41 from that land,

18:43 just as the Prophet of Allah, Abraham,

18:45 peace be upon him, did.

18:48 Sixth:

18:51 Absolute trust in the victory of Allah Almighty,

18:53 even if it takes a long time.

18:55 For Abraham, peace be upon him,

18:57 said as he was being thrown into the fire:

18:59 "Sufficient for me is Allah, and He is the best

19:01 Disposer of affairs."

19:03 And so victory came from Allah, Mighty and Majestic.

19:05 Seventh:

19:07 Whoever fears Allah,

19:09 He will make for him a way out;

19:11 for Allah saved Sarah

19:13 from that tyrannical,

19:15 oppressive king,

19:17 and Allah protected Hagar

19:19 in that barren valley

19:21 wherein there was

19:23 neither vegetation nor water.

19:26 Eighth:

19:28 Trials and tribulations

19:30 are sent by Allah, Glorified and Exalted, upon His creation;

19:32 a person is tested in accordance with

19:34 the strength of his faith.

19:36 Therefore, the people afflicted with the severely

19:38 tested are the prophets,

19:40 then the next best, then the next best.

19:42 And when Allah loves a servant,

19:44 He tests him

19:46 to elevate his rank

19:48 with Him.

19:51 Ninth:

19:53 The noble standing of Abraham with Allah Almighty.

19:55 For Abraham,

19:57 peace be upon him, prayed

19:59 that Allah would not disgrace him on the Day they are resurrected,

20:01 and Allah answered

20:03 his supplication.

20:05 It was narrated in the tradition:

20:07 Abraham will meet his father

20:09 Azar on the Day of Resurrection,

20:11 and Azar's face will be covered with darkness

20:13 and dust.

20:15 Abraham will say to him,

20:17 "Did I not tell you

20:19 not to disobey me?"

20:21 His father will reply,

20:23 "Today I will not disobey you."

20:25 Abraham will then say,

20:27 "O Lord!

20:29 You promised me that You would not disgrace me

20:31 on the Day they are resurrected,

20:33 and what disgrace is greater

20:35 than my father being far removed from mercy?"

20:37 Allah Almighty will say,

20:39 "I have forbidden Paradise to the disbelievers."

20:43 Then He will say,

20:45 "O Abraham!"

20:47 "What is under your feet?"

20:49 So he will look,

20:51 and behold, there will be a slaughtered animal covered in filth,

20:53 which will then be taken by its legs

20:55 and cast into the Fire.

20:57 To be continued,

21:01 Allah willing.

21:03 And Allah knows best.

21:05 Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.

21:07 And may peace and blessings

21:09 be upon our Prophet Muhammad,

21:11 and upon his family and companions

21:13 all together.

21:17 You were listening to Stories

21:19 of the Prophets.

Stories of the Prophets | Episode (9) | The story of Abraham, peace be upon him (3)

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