The Place of Prophet Abraham in Islam

The Place of Prophet Abraham in Islam

Faith, sacrifice, commitment and patience.

These are just some of the qualities that characterize Prophet Ibrahim or Abraham as he is called in English, God’s peace be upon him. He is revered in not just Islam, but in Christianity and Judaism as well. 

"Salam (peace) be upon Abraham!" God says in the Quran (37:109).

In Islam, Prophet Ibrahim is the friend of God and the father of Prophets (Ismail or Ishmael in English and Ishaq or Isaac in English; he is also the grandfather of Prophet Yaqub or Jacob. Peace be upon them all). He is also one of the ancestors of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.

In terms of beliefs, a Muslim must believe in all of the Prophets, including Abraham and his children and descendants. 

When it comes to the five pillars of Islam, the importance of Prophet Ibrahim becomes even more evident.

The second pillar of Islam is Salat, the obligatory five daily prayers. Every Muslim who has reached the age of puberty is accountable for their prayers. During one part of each of these five prayers, Muslims must ask God to send His blessings upon Prophet Ibrahim. Now calculate this: you've got more than a few million Muslims, every day, five times a day, in virtually every time zone on this planet asking God to send His blessings on Prophet Ibrahim in the course of his or her prayer.

As well, the direction in which every Muslim must face when praying is towards a structure Prophet Ibrahim built with his son Ismail: the Kaba, in Mecca, also called Makkah, in Saudi Arabia.

With regards to the Kaba, God says this about it: "The first House (of worship) appointed for men was that at Bakka (another name for Makkah); full of blessings and guidance for all kinds of beings: in it are signs manifest, the station of Abraham-whoever enters it attains security; pilgrimage thereto is a duty men owe to God-those who can afford the journey; but if any deny faith, God stands not in need of any of His creatures" (Quran 3:96-97).

This leads to the second way in which this Prophet, described as the intimate friend of God, (Quran 4:125), is revered: Hajj.

Hajj is the pilgrimage every Muslim must make to Makkah at least once in his or her lifetime. Hajj is also an obligation no Muslim is allowed to reject or ignore. It is in this rite that Prophet Ibrahim's importance becomes even more prominent.

In general, Prophet Ibrahim's centrality to this fifth pillar of Islam is indicated by the Prophet Mohammed's statement, “You must adhere to the traditions and rituals (of Hajj), for these have come down to you from (your forefather) Ibrahim in heritage (Tirmidhi). God’s peace and blessings be upon him. 

The Kaba is the central structure around which the Hajj takes place. No Hajj is valid without going around this structure built by Prophets Ibrahim and Ismail in counterclockwise fashion seven times.

Another connection to Prophet Ibrahim in Hajj is that Muslims who perform the Hajj or Umra (which is not compulsory) must run in the middle portion of the distance between Safa and Marwa (two hills close to the Kaba) seven times. This is a commemoration of the sacrifice of the wife of Abraham, Hajar (may God be pleased with her) for her son Prophet Ismail.

Prophet Ibrahim had settled his wife and son in the valley of Makkah by God's order to pioneer a civilization. It was from this civilization that Prophet Mohammed, peace and blessings be upon him, was born.

Finally, Prophet's Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his beloved son Ismail for the sake of God exemplifies not only his sincere devotion to God. The commemoration of this sacrifice is practiced with the sacrifice of an animal during Hajj and during one of the two Islamic holy days: Eid-ul-Adha.

Both father and son willingly submitted to God's command. God substituted a ram in Ismail's place at the last moment. God talks about this incident in the Quran (37:100-107).

The sacrifice that is offered by Muslims all over the world every year at Eid-ul-Adha is in commemoration of the supreme act and spirit of sacrifice offered by Prophet Abraham in lieu of his son Ismail.

Comments

These people went the wrong path, and Islam was sent to correct it. You still choose the path that angered the True God?

Location

Singapura

We understand that Prophet Abraham is the same Prophet Jews, Christian and Muslims follow. But Eid UL Azha is not celebrated by the Jews and Christian. Why only Muslims sacrifice animals on this day of Eid Ul Azha. Was it mandatory for the people of Abraham( Peace be on Him)? Abraham did not preach Islam but preach oneness of God. This point of faith equally followed by Jews, Christian and Muslim. Prophet Muhammad ( peace be on Him) preached Islam including oneness of God.Even during the time of Abraham his people did not sacrifice animal as a religious rituals. Why it is being done after advent of Islam? Md. Shahjahan Mia

Location

Dhaka, Bangladesh

HOW did muhammad know that it was abraham and ishmael built ka'aba?, and if so then where did abraham and sarah died and been buried, which land?. i need answers from the quran.

Location

MINNA, NIGER STATE

In the name of Allah, the most merciful most gracious.

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
وَالنَّجْمِ إِذَا هَوَىٰ1)
By the Star when it goes down,-

مَا ضَلَّ صَاحِبُكُمْ وَمَا غَوَىٰ (2)
Your Companion is neither astray nor being misled.
وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ (3) Nor does he say (aught) of (his own) Desire.
إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَىٰ (4) It is no less than inspiration sent down to him:
عَلَّمَهُ شَدِيدُ الْقُوَىٰ (5) He was taught by one Mighty in Power,
ذُو مِرَّةٍ فَاسْتَوَىٰ (6) Endued with Wisdom: for he appeared (in stately form);
وَهُوَ بِالْأُفُقِ الْأَعْلَىٰ (7) While he was in the highest part of the horizon:
ثُمَّ دَنَا فَتَدَلَّىٰ (8) Then he approached and came closer,
فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَىٰ (9) And was at a distance of but two bow-lengths or (even) nearer;
فَأَوْحَىٰ إِلَىٰ عَبْدِهِ مَا أَوْحَىٰ (10) So did (Allah) convey the inspiration to His Servant- (conveyed) what He (meant) to convey.
مَا كَذَبَ الْفُؤَادُ مَا رَأَىٰ (11) The (Prophet´s) (mind and) heart in no way falsified that which he saw.
أَفَتُمَارُونَهُ عَلَىٰ مَا يَرَىٰ (12) Will ye then dispute with him concerning what he saw?
وَلَقَدْ رَآهُ نَزْلَةً أُخْرَىٰ (13) For indeed he saw him at a second descent,
عِندَ سِدْرَةِ الْمُنتَهَىٰ (14) Near the Lote-tree beyond which none may pass:
عِندَهَا جَنَّةُ الْمَأْوَىٰ (15) Near it is the Garden of Abode.
إِذْ يَغْشَى السِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشَىٰ (16) Behold, the Lote-tree was shrouded (in mystery unspeakable!)
مَا زَاغَ الْبَصَرُ وَمَا طَغَىٰ (17) (His) sight never swerved, nor did it go wrong!
لَقَدْ رَأَىٰ مِنْ آيَاتِ رَبِّهِ الْكُبْرَىٰ (18) For truly did he see, of the Signs of his Lord, the Greatest!

I hope this answers your question brother .

Location

Russia

All prophet Ibrahim is preaching is serving of one God that means "islam". And what is Islam? Islam is an Arabic word meaning submission, it means that you totally submit to God, and worship Him only with no other partner. And sacrificing of ram every year is sunna. May Almighty ALLAH enlighting all of us & lead us to the right path. Amin. Frm Abd'hakeem

Location

Nigeria

muslims follow the sunnah of prophet ibrahim (abraham) by celebrating eidul adha and sacrfising the animals as a token of love and respect towards abraham why not jews and christians while they also claim they follow the path of abraham and are his descendents

Location

silchar

asa is not ishmal and issac brothers from the same father [society]why does Issac oppress his bro.

Location

decatur

i am a free mason amd a yogurt pot.i am adam and i stink ov pooo.i am also g--

Location

leicester

what quran says it is right b/c it is said by ALLAH.

Location

karachi

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