Lessons We Learn From Prophet Ibrahim's Life

Imam Rida (Pbuh) said: "I heard my father say: "Allah assigned Ibrahim (pbuh) to be his Khaleel (friend) because he sought no one and asked no one but Allah."" (1)

Imam Al-Askari (Pbuh) said: "Allah assigned Ibrahim to be his Khaleel because of he always sent his prayers upon Mohammad and AL Mohammad (Pbut), because he frequently prostrated himself on the ground, because he used to offer food to people and because he used to pray in the depth of nights when people are asleep." (2)1

It was narrated that when the messengers came to Ibrahim (pbuh) and he offered them food, they said we will not eat until you tell us the price of the food. He said: "When you start eating say: "In the name of Allah." When you finish eating say: "Thanks for Allah."" Jibraeel who was the leader of the other four with him said: "Allah was indeed right when he assigned him to a Khaleel."

Imam Sadiq (Pbuh) said: "When Ibrahim was casted into the fire, Jibraeel caught him as he was falling in the air and said to him: "Do you need anything?" He said: "Not from you."

When he fell on the ground he supplicated Allah and said: "O Allah, O One and Only, O Self-Subsistent, O Who never begot and was never born and has no peer." Then the fire went off and it was cold and peaceful to him by the command of Allah. Namroud looked at Ibrahim and saw him in a green garden with an old man talking to him. The old man was Jibraeel. (3)

It was narrated that he was the first one to have sand turned into flour for him. This happened when he went to his friend in Egypt to borrow food from him. He didn’t find him at home. He didn’t want to go back with an empty donkey. Thus he filled the sacks with sand. When he reached home he left the donkey outside because he is shy. He didn’t want Sarah his wife to know that. He went in the house and slept.

Sarah went to the donkey and opened the sacks and saw that they were filled with the best kinds of flour. Thus she baked and offered her husband food. Ibrahim (pbuh) said: "Where did you get that from?" She said: "From the flour that you brought from your friend in Egypt." He said: "Truly he is my friend but not the one in Egypt." After that he became Khaleel. He thanked Allah, praised him and ate. (4)

Ibrahim was pure and devoutly obedient to Allah. He stated the ten purifications. Five in the head and five in the body.

In the head: Cutting hair, shaving the moustache, leaving the beard to grow, Siwak and flossing.

In the body: Washing after mating, purification with water, cutting nails, shaving the hair of the body and circumcising . (5)

It was narrated that one day Ibrahim (pbuh) woke up and saw a white hair in his beard and so he said: "Thanks for Allah who made me reach this age without disobeying Him for an instant."

Ibrahim had great hospitality. One day people came to him and he had nothing in the house to offer them. He thought to sell the wood of the house to a lumberjack but he didn’t because he knew that the lumberjack would turn the wood into an idle. After he led them to their rooms he left his home carrying a piece of cloth and prayed. After he prayed he didn’t find the cloth he carried with him. He realized that Allah solved his matters. When he came in he saw Sarah cooking. He said to her: "Where did you get that from?" She said: "This is what you sent with that man." Allah had ordered Jibraeel to take the sand where Ibrahim prayed along with the stones and carry them in the cloth. Then Allah turned the sand into flour, the round stones into meat and the tall stones into carrots. (6

Namroud said to Ibrahim: "Who is your lord?" Ibrahim said: "My lord is he who revives and kills." Namroud said: "I revive and kill." Ibrahim said: "How do you revive and kill?" He said: "I bring two men who are sentenced to death. I free one and kill one. I revived one and killed one." Ibrahim said: "If you are honest, revive the one you killed. Other than that. My lord brings the sun from the east. Bring it from the west. {Then the one who disbelieved was astounded.} (7)

Allah bestowed upon Ibrahim a ring that has six letters: "There is no god but Allah; There is no way or power but with Allah; I depend on Allah in all my matters; I rely on Allah; Allah is enough to suffice me." Then Allah inspired to him: "Wear this ring and I will turn fire to be cold and peaceful to you." (8)

It was narrated that when Ibrahim was placed in the catapult and thrown into the fire he didn’t fear as Moussa and his people feared Firaon. This is because when Ibrahim was placed in the catapult, he depended on what is in his seeds of lights of the arguments of Allah Mohammad (Pbuhp) and his household (Pbut).

When Ibrahim beheld the dominion of the skies and lands, he saw a man fornicating. Thus he cursed him and so the man died. The same thing happened with two other fornicating men. Then Allah inspired to Ibrahim: "O Ibrahim, you supplications are accepted directly. Don't damn my servants because If I pleased I wouldn’t have created them. I created my creatures in three kinds. A servant who worships me with no peer and so I reward him. A servant who worships other than me and so I doom him. A servant who worships other than me but I bring out from his seeds others who worship me."

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(1) 'Ilal Al-Sharai' Book P23

(2) Same Source.

(3) Same Source.

(4) Tafseer Al-Qummi P:141

(5) Same Source: P167

(6) Bihar Al-Anwar 12/11

(8) Tafseer Al-Qummi P:76

(9) Amali Al-Sadouq P274.