Prophets Stories In Islam

Part 3: Prophet Ibrahim (as) Breaks The Idols

Ibrahim (as) explained to them the beauty of Allah's (swt) creation, His power, and wisdom. Idol worship is detested by Allah for Allah is the Lord of the universe who created mankind, guided him and provided him with food and drink and cured him when he was sick and who will cause him to die and be raised up again. It was He to whom Ibrahim (as) prayed and who would forgive his sins on the Day of Resurrection. However, they would not give up but clung fast to idolatry. Ibrahim (as) left His father's house and abandoned his people and what they worshipped. He decided to do something about their state of disbelief, but did not reveal it. He knew that there was going to be a great celebration on the bank of the river which would be attended by all the people. .
They used to have this festival, a holy festival that they all come out of the city and get out to the open, get out to the desert and worship the idols there. Maybe introduce new idols, maybe come up with new beliefs. And it was a must on everyone to come out and participate in that festival. So everyone used to come out. When they told Him (as) let's go, we want to go and pray.
He (as) said: "Indeed, I am (about to be) ill." (37:89)
I am sick. He says what? I am sick.
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Now, He (as) was not physically ill, but what He meant is; I am sick of what you people are doing, I am not coming with you. So He just said... I am sick, He didn't finish the sentence obviously.
He says,"I am sick and I am not coming with you."
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So they went away, when they all went away. Ibrahim (as) went to the temple carrying a sharp axe. He looks at all these idols and He says: "yes, talk to me! Talk to me!"
So naturally there was no answer, that is by nature. It's a stone, it's a stick.
He looked at the stone and wood statues of the gods and at the food laid in front of them as offerings.
So He (as) says: "Will you not eat of the offering before you? What is (wrong) with you that you don't speak? And He turned upon them a blow with (His) right hand." (37:91-93)
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He approached one of the staues and asked: "The food in front of you is getting cold. Why don't you eat? The statue kept silent and rigid.
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He started hitting them, and destroying them one by one and He's asking them questions as He's destroying them. What are going to do? Can you help yourself? You can't help yourself, you can't help anyone else."
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Here you are, one gone, two gone, three gone, the whole lot of them gone. And left the main one, the head of all the Idols as they believed, left it untouched. What did He (as) do? He (as) put the axe in front of it. So when they came from a happy festival, everyone was smiling, everyone was pleased and then they came into the city, they were shocked to see the idols being destroyed and demolished.
When the people returned, they were shocked to see their gods smashed to pieces, lying scattered all over the temple. They began to guess who had done that to their Idols.
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Allah (swt) said: "They said: Who has done this to our Gods? He must indeed be one of the wrongdoers.
They said: we heard a young man talking against them who is called Ibrahim.
They said: Then bring him before the eyes of the people, that they may testify.
They said: Are you the one who has done this to our Gods, O Ibrahim?
Ibrahim said: Nay, This one, the biggest of them (Idols) did it, Ask them, if they can speak!
So they turned to themselves and said: verily you are the zalimun.
Then they turned to themselves: Indeed you (Ibrahim) know well that these Idols speak not?
Ibrahim said: Do you then worship besides Allah, things that can neither profit you nor harm you? If upon you, and upon that which you worship besides Allah! Have you then no sense?" (21:59-67)
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He (as) wanted to make this point, Go and ask him, maybe that he could respond back to you. They said, "Are you making fun of us? You know they can't respond. You are from the oppressors." He (as) said: "I am from the oppressors or you are the one who oppress yourselves?"
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By worshipping such Idols, such lords, they don't even speak, hear, see. They went back to their selves, deep inside they were saying to themselves, this young man is really making a very good point. If these were our lords they could have protected themselves. Then they turned around because of pride.
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They turned against their logical sense, their common sense, they turned around what they really think of. They decided, we need to punish Him.
They said: "Burn Him and support your Gods, if you are to act." (21:68)
So His father tells Him: "You better keep quiet my son. If you don't keep quiet, and stop asking all these silly questions, I will stone you to death personally."
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And now the community is saying burn him.