إِبْرَاهِيم
Ibrahim (Abraham)
The friend of God who questioned idols, survived fire, and raised the Kaaba
Ibrahim is described in the Quran as a nation unto himself — a model of devotion who confronted his own people's idolatry, was thrown into fire for it and emerged unharmed, and later, with his son Ismail, raised the foundations of the Kaaba. His story runs through the Quran as the root of the monotheistic line that continues through Ishaq, Yaqub, and eventually Muhammad ﷺ.
"What are these statues?"
Ibrahim confronts his father and his people over the statues they worship, and they answer only that they found their fathers doing the same. He tells them plainly that they and their fathers have been in clear error, and declares that their Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth — the One who created them. He then breaks the idols into fragments, sparing only the largest, so that his people might question it themselves.
۞ وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَآ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ رُشْدَهُۥ مِن قَبْلُ وَكُنَّا بِهِۦ عَٰلِمِينَ
And We had certainly given Abraham his sound judgement before, and We were of him well-Knowing
إِذْ قَالَ لِأَبِيهِ وَقَوْمِهِۦ مَا هَٰذِهِ ٱلتَّمَاثِيلُ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنتُمْ لَهَا عَٰكِفُونَ
When he said to his father and his people, "What are these statues to which you are devoted?"
قَالُوا۟ وَجَدْنَآ ءَابَآءَنَا لَهَا عَٰبِدِينَ
They said, "We found our fathers worshippers of them."
قَالَ لَقَدْ كُنتُمْ أَنتُمْ وَءَابَآؤُكُمْ فِى ضَلَٰلٍۢ مُّبِينٍۢ
He said, "You were certainly, you and your fathers, in manifest error."
قَالُوٓا۟ أَجِئْتَنَا بِٱلْحَقِّ أَمْ أَنتَ مِنَ ٱللَّٰعِبِينَ
They said, "Have you come to us with truth, or are you of those who jest?"
قَالَ بَل رَّبُّكُمْ رَبُّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ٱلَّذِى فَطَرَهُنَّ وَأَنَا۠ عَلَىٰ ذَٰلِكُم مِّنَ ٱلشَّٰهِدِينَ
He said, "[No], rather, your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth who created them, and I, to that, am of those who testify.
وَتَٱللَّهِ لَأَكِيدَنَّ أَصْنَٰمَكُم بَعْدَ أَن تُوَلُّوا۟ مُدْبِرِينَ
And [I swear] by Allah, I will surely plan against your idols after you have turned and gone away."
فَجَعَلَهُمْ جُذَٰذًا إِلَّا كَبِيرًۭا لَّهُمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِ يَرْجِعُونَ
So he made them into fragments, except a large one among them, that they might return to it [and question].
"O fire, be coolness and safety"
When the people discover who broke their idols, they bring Ibrahim before them. He tells them to ask the largest idol itself, if it can speak — a challenge that leaves them silently returning to blame each other before reasserting their anger at him. They resolve to burn him for it. God's response is a single command to the fire itself: to become coolness and safety upon Ibrahim. The plan meant to destroy him instead makes his opponents the ones who lose.
قَالُوا۟ مَن فَعَلَ هَٰذَا بِـَٔالِهَتِنَآ إِنَّهُۥ لَمِنَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ
They said, "Who has done this to our gods? Indeed, he is of the wrongdoers."
قَالُوا۟ سَمِعْنَا فَتًۭى يَذْكُرُهُمْ يُقَالُ لَهُۥٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمُ
They said, "We heard a young man mention them who is called Abraham."
قَالُوا۟ فَأْتُوا۟ بِهِۦ عَلَىٰٓ أَعْيُنِ ٱلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَشْهَدُونَ
They said, "Then bring him before the eyes of the people that they may testify."
قَالُوٓا۟ ءَأَنتَ فَعَلْتَ هَٰذَا بِـَٔالِهَتِنَا يَٰٓإِبْرَٰهِيمُ
They said, "Have you done this to our gods, O Abraham?"
قَالَ بَلْ فَعَلَهُۥ كَبِيرُهُمْ هَٰذَا فَسْـَٔلُوهُمْ إِن كَانُوا۟ يَنطِقُونَ
He said, "Rather, this - the largest of them - did it, so ask them, if they should [be able to] speak."
فَرَجَعُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ فَقَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّكُمْ أَنتُمُ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ
So they returned to [blaming] themselves and said [to each other], "Indeed, you are the wrongdoers."
ثُمَّ نُكِسُوا۟ عَلَىٰ رُءُوسِهِمْ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ يَنطِقُونَ
Then they reversed themselves, [saying], "You have already known that these do not speak!"
قَالَ أَفَتَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُكُمْ شَيْـًۭٔا وَلَا يَضُرُّكُمْ
He said, "Then do you worship instead of Allah that which does not benefit you at all or harm you?
أُفٍّۢ لَّكُمْ وَلِمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ
Uff to you and to what you worship instead of Allah. Then will you not use reason?"
قَالُوا۟ حَرِّقُوهُ وَٱنصُرُوٓا۟ ءَالِهَتَكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ فَٰعِلِينَ
They said, "Burn him and support your gods - if you are to act."
Raising the foundations of the House
God tells Ibrahim He is making him a leader for the people; Ibrahim asks whether this covenant extends to his descendants, and is told it does not include the wrongdoers among them. He and his son Ismail raise the foundations of the Kaaba together, asking God to accept the work from them, to make them and their descendants people submitted to Him, to show them their rites of worship, and — in a supplication that reaches across the Quran to the coming of a final messenger — to send among their descendants a messenger who would recite God's verses and teach the Book and wisdom.
۞ وَإِذِ ٱبْتَلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِۦمَ رَبُّهُۥ بِكَلِمَٰتٍۢ فَأَتَمَّهُنَّ ۖ قَالَ إِنِّى جَاعِلُكَ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَامًۭا ۖ قَالَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِى ۖ قَالَ لَا يَنَالُ عَهْدِى ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ
And [mention, O Muhammad], when Abraham was tried by his Lord with commands and he fulfilled them. [Allah] said, "Indeed, I will make you a leader for the people." [Abraham] said, "And of my descendants?" [Allah] said, "My covenant does not include the wrongdoers."
وَإِذْ جَعَلْنَا ٱلْبَيْتَ مَثَابَةًۭ لِّلنَّاسِ وَأَمْنًۭا وَٱتَّخِذُوا۟ مِن مَّقَامِ إِبْرَٰهِۦمَ مُصَلًّۭى ۖ وَعَهِدْنَآ إِلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِۦمَ وَإِسْمَٰعِيلَ أَن طَهِّرَا بَيْتِىَ لِلطَّآئِفِينَ وَٱلْعَٰكِفِينَ وَٱلرُّكَّعِ ٱلسُّجُودِ
And [mention] when We made the House a place of return for the people and [a place of] security. And take, [O believers], from the standing place of Abraham a place of prayer. And We charged Abraham and Ishmael, [saying], "Purify My House for those who perform Tawaf and those who are staying [there] for worship and those who bow and prostrate [in prayer]."
وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَٰهِۦمُ رَبِّ ٱجْعَلْ هَٰذَا بَلَدًا ءَامِنًۭا وَٱرْزُقْ أَهْلَهُۥ مِنَ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ مَنْ ءَامَنَ مِنْهُم بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْءَاخِرِ ۖ قَالَ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَأُمَتِّعُهُۥ قَلِيلًۭا ثُمَّ أَضْطَرُّهُۥٓ إِلَىٰ عَذَابِ ٱلنَّارِ ۖ وَبِئْسَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ
And [mention] when Abraham said, "My Lord, make this a secure city and provide its people with fruits - whoever of them believes in Allah and the Last Day." [Allah] said. "And whoever disbelieves - I will grant him enjoyment for a little; then I will force him to the punishment of the Fire, and wretched is the destination."
وَإِذْ يَرْفَعُ إِبْرَٰهِۦمُ ٱلْقَوَاعِدَ مِنَ ٱلْبَيْتِ وَإِسْمَٰعِيلُ رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّآ ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ
And [mention] when Abraham was raising the foundations of the House and [with him] Ishmael, [saying], "Our Lord, accept [this] from us. Indeed You are the Hearing, the Knowing.
The vision and the great ransom
Ibrahim prays for a righteous child and is given the good news of a forbearing son. When the boy is old enough to work alongside him, Ibrahim tells him of a vision in which he must sacrifice him, and asks what he thinks. The son answers that he will find him, God willing, among the steadfast. As both submit to what has been shown them and Ibrahim lays him down, God calls out that the vision has already been fulfilled — Ibrahim has passed the trial — and ransoms the boy with a great sacrifice instead. God leaves for Ibrahim a lasting mention among later generations: peace upon Ibrahim.
رَبِّ هَبْ لِى مِنَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ
My Lord, grant me [a child] from among the righteous."
فَبَشَّرْنَٰهُ بِغُلَٰمٍ حَلِيمٍۢ
So We gave him good tidings of a forbearing boy.
فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ ٱلسَّعْىَ قَالَ يَٰبُنَىَّ إِنِّىٓ أَرَىٰ فِى ٱلْمَنَامِ أَنِّىٓ أَذْبَحُكَ فَٱنظُرْ مَاذَا تَرَىٰ ۚ قَالَ يَٰٓأَبَتِ ٱفْعَلْ مَا تُؤْمَرُ ۖ سَتَجِدُنِىٓ إِن شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ
And when he reached with him [the age of] exertion, he said, "O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I [must] sacrifice you, so see what you think." He said, "O my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Allah wills, of the steadfast."
فَلَمَّآ أَسْلَمَا وَتَلَّهُۥ لِلْجَبِينِ
And when they had both submitted and he put him down upon his forehead,
وَنَٰدَيْنَٰهُ أَن يَٰٓإِبْرَٰهِيمُ
We called to him, "O Abraham,
قَدْ صَدَّقْتَ ٱلرُّءْيَآ ۚ إِنَّا كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِى ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ
You have fulfilled the vision." Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good.
إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَهُوَ ٱلْبَلَٰٓؤُا۟ ٱلْمُبِينُ
Indeed, this was the clear trial.
وَفَدَيْنَٰهُ بِذِبْحٍ عَظِيمٍۢ
And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice,
وَتَرَكْنَا عَلَيْهِ فِى ٱلْءَاخِرِينَ
And We left for him [favorable mention] among later generations:
سَلَٰمٌ عَلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ
"Peace upon Abraham."
كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِى ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ
Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good.