THE PROPHET ADAM (peace be upon him)
Adam is an Arabic word for man. He was the progenitor of human race. He
is reckoned to be the first prophet by the Muslims. He was also the first
man whom Almighty Allah had created from the elements of clay. The Holy
Qur'an affirms:
"0' mankind!
Surely We created you from dust.
" (30:20)
The gradual process of man's physical development has been referred to in
the following Verses of the Holy Qur'an:
"He began the creation of man from
dust. Then He made his progeny of an extract of water held in light esteem.
Then He made him complete and breathed into him of His spirit and made for
you ears and eyes and heart.
" (32: 7-9)
According to the latest scientific researches the man has been created from
clay with all its element and their inherent properties. It is discovered
by a chemical analysis of the human body that a defect occurs in its normal
functioning when the quantity of any of these element gets diminished. In
such case vitamins are used to supplement the deficiency and restore normal
health.
The Creation of Prophet
Adam:
Before the creation of mortal, Almighty Allah directed all the angels to
assemble. Thousands upon thousands of angels (created from light) and Jinns
(created from fire) gathered in groups. They bowed respectfully in the presence
of Almighty Allah. The Creator of the universe declared that he intended
to create the man and sought their counsel. The angels and Iblis (Satan)
disapproved the idea and pointed out that human beings would cause disorder
on the earth. They would make mischief and shed blood indiscriminately.
The Holy Qur'an gives a description of this event in the following Verses:
"And when your Lord said
to the angels: I am about to appoint a vicegerent in the earth. They said:
Will you place therein such as will cause disorder in it or shed blood ?
We celebrate your praise and extol your holy names. He answered: I know
what you know not."
(
2:30)
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Angels were asked to make Obeisance to Adam:
Allah taught Adam the names of all things and inculcated into his mind the
knowledge of their properties. The Holy Qur'an says:
"And He taught Adam the names of all
things; then presenting them to the angels, He said: Tell Me the names of
these if you are right
." (2: 31)
The angels did not know their names and said:
"Glory be to You. We have no knowledge
except what You have taught us. Surely, You are Knowing, the Wise." (2:
32)
After that Allah questioned Adam in the presence of all angels about the
names of different objects. He gave correct answers on the basis of this
superiority. Allah asked all the angels to bow as a mark of respect to Adam
who was created so miraculously. The Holy Qur'an affirms:
"0' angels! Fall down making obeisance
to Adam
" (15:29)
Angels Prostrated but Iblis Refused:
When the angels heard the Commandment of Almighty Allah, they all complied
without hesitation. They bowed with respect and admiration to the new creation
and that was Adam. However Iblis (Satan) did not surrender on various pretexts
and stood still. The Holy Qur'an says:
"And when We said to the angels: Make
obeisance to Adam, they did obeisance, not so Iblis, he refused and was haughty
and he was of the: rejecters.
" (2:34)
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Challenge of Iblis:
Iblis disobeyed Allah and became defiant. He arrogantly refused to accept
the authority of a creature who was made of rubbish. Iblis thought himself
superior to human being. As a result, God expelled Satan from the Garden
of Bliss and deprived him of all Divine favours. Satan requested Almighty
Allah to allow him to exist until the Day of Judgement. I would bring most
of the descendants of Adam under my sway. I would lead them astray from
the Right Path. Allah gave him respite. The conversation between God and
Iblis has been narrated in the Holy Qur'an as follows:
"Iblis said:
Give me respite till the Resurrection Day. Allah said: Be you among those
who are given respite. He said: Because You have thrown me out of the way,
I will certainly lie in wait for them on Your Straight Path. Then will assault
them from before them and behind them, from their right and from their left,
nor will You find most of them grateful
." (7: 14-18)
Devil is, in fact, an evil spirit which temps the man to indulge in sins.
It invites the heart to do bad deeds and disobey Allah. It tries to weaken
our sense of morality but if we are spiritually too strong to yield to its
temptations, we become immune from all sins. Those who follow the Commandments
of Allah, invite God's grace to protect them. On the other hand those who
deliberately follow the wrong way, are responsible because they put themselves
into the hands of Evil Spirit.
Hawa Created:
In order to remove the lonesomeness of Adam, a female mate named Hawa (Eve)
was created. The Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) and his wife Hawa were
given a place in the Garden (of Bliss) to reside. The Holy Qur'an affirms:
"And O' Adam!
Dwell you and your wife in the Garden (of Bliss) and eat therefrom wherever
you will but approach not this tree lest you should be: among the wrong-doers
." (7: 20)
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Trial of Prophet Adam:
The Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) and his wife Eve continued enjoying
each others company and carefully avoiding that specific prohibited tree.
Iblis became very jealous when he saw the favours of the Almighty Allah
on the Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) and he began to devise ways and means
to humiliate them. He kept on making evil suggestions to the couple in a
sneaky way. He tried to persuade them to approach the prohibited tree.
One day the Iblis sympathetically said to them:
"Your Lord
has only forbidden you this tree lest you should become angels or immortals,
and he swore to them saying: Surely, I am a sincere counsellor unto you.
So he beguiled them by deceit.
" (7:22)
On hearing this both Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) and Eve became curious.
They started wondering as to why God did not want them to approach the specific
tree. This temptation gradually became stronger but Allah guided them alright
and warned that not to be taken in by the evil suggestions of Iblis. The
Holy Qur'an says:
"Then We said: O' Adam! Verily, this
Iblis is an enemy to you and your wife, so let him not get you both out of
the Garden so that you are landed in misery.
" (20: 117)
The Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) and his wife used to live happily in
the Garden of Bliss. They were endowed with the knowledge to discriminate
between good and evil. They were also warned of the power of evil. They
overpowered all sorts of evil temptations at first and tried hard to ward
off the influence of Satan. But he made numerous attempts to misguide them
off and on. Finally Satan succeeded in his mission and made them approach
that specific tree. Instantly evil consequences appeared. The Holy Qur'an
says:
"When they both tasted
of the tree, their private parts became manifest to each other and they both
began to cover themselves with the leaves of the trees (in the garden), and
their Lord called them saying: Did I not forbid you both from that tree and
tell you that Satan was your avowed enemy. They said: Our Lord! We have
wronged ourselves. If you forgive us not and bestow not upon us Your mercy,
we shall surely be of the losers."
(7: 23, 24)
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The Prophet Adam and Hawa Feel Penitence:
The Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) and Eve followed the temptations of
Iblis and were deprived of the heavenly bliss. They were, however, overflowed
with grief. They requested Almighty Allah to forgive them. Allah, the Most
Merciful accepted their repentance and chose them for His mercy. At the
same time He dispelled them from the Garden of Bliss. They became ordinary
people. They had to live like us for only a certain span of life on this
earth. They would be recreated again to be judged for their actions on the
Day of Judgement.
Allah gives Directions:
They lived for many years. Allah sent directions and guidance to the Prophet
Adam (peace be upon him). He taught others about the religion of Allah.
He advised his followers to do good and avoid evils. He told the people
to act upon the Commandments of Allah and follow his guidance. It would
serve the purpose of shield to do away with the attacks of the devil. Allah
says:
"Whoso shall follow My Guidance,
on them shall come no fear, nor shall they grieve. But those who will disbelieve
and treat Our Signs as lies, they shall be the inmates of the fire and they
shall abide therein."
(2:38 2: 39,
2:40)
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THE PROPHET SHETH (peace be upon him)
Sheth was the third son of the Prophet Adam (peace be upon him). When he
was born, his father, the Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) had attained the
age of 130 years. Allah conferred upon him the honour of prophethood after
his father. It is said that Allah revealed to him fifty small portions of
scripture. When the Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) was on death bed, he
appointed Sheth as his successor and advised his descendants to follow him
and live peacefully in perfect harmony. He tried to guide his followers
to the right path but some of them were depraved by the Satan. They began
to worship his self-made portrait. He passed away at the age of 912 years.
Anush, his son won a remarkable position after him. In the fourth century
there existed in the Egypt a sect of Gnostics, calling themselves Sethians.
They regarded Sheth as a divine emanation.
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THE PROPHET IDRIS (peace be upon him)
As a result of the efforts of the Prophet Sheth (peace be upon him) some
people began to believe in Allah. As the time passed they began to worship
the statue of their prophet. They became polytheists, irreligious and faithless.
They adopted indecent ways of life. Under such circumstances Allah sent
the Prophet Idris (peace be upon him) for the reformation and guidance of
those who had gone astray. The Holy Qur'an makes mention of him in the following
Verse:
"Commemorate
Idris in the Book, verily he was a man of truth and a Prophet and We raised
him to a lofty station."
(19: 56)
Preaching and Opposition:
The Prophet Idris (peace be upon him) preached monotheism. He directed his
people to abandon idol-worship. He emphasised them not to be captivated
by the love of wealth and property. He advised them to abstain from drinking
wine and other intoxicants. Only a few men paid heed to his teachings but
majority of the people opposed him bitterly. The Prophet Idris (peace be
upon him) did not lose heart and continued preaching with unshakeable constancy.
He is appreciated for his firm faith and forbearance in the following Verses
of the Holy Qur'an:
"All (Isma'il, Dhul-Kifl and Idris) were men of constancy and patience.
We admitted them into Our mercy, for they were of the righteous ones."
(21:85,86)
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Migration to Egypt:
In spite of untiring efforts the Prophet Idris (peace be upon him) could
not attain considerable success and felt disgusted with the indifferent attitude
of the public. He was directed to migrate to Egypt and settle on the bank
of the river Nile. He preached the religion of Allah among various tribes
and admonished them to be good and civilised. Consequently he brought about
a remarkable change in the moral and social life of the people.
Some Sayings of the Prophet Idris:
His lectures were full of admonition and good advice. Some of his sayings
are given below:
1. Do not feel jealous of the prosperity of others.
2. He who has unlimited desires, is deprived of the wealth of contentment.
3. One should be sincere in acts of devotion.
4. It is an act of grave sin to take false oaths.
5. Patience is a key to victory.
6. He who controls his passions, is fortunate. Only a good act will be
a living intercessor before Allah on the Day of Judgement.
7. One who is desirous of attaining perfection in knowledge, should have
no concern with immoral acts.
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The Learned Prophet:
The Prophet Idris (peace be upon him) was born one hundred years after the
death of Prophet Adam (peace be upon him). He was the first man who learnt
to write. It is said that thirty portions of Allah's sacred scriptures were
revealed to him. He was the inventor of the science of astronomy and arithmetic.
The Last Events:
The Prophet Idris (peace be upon him) was taken alive to Heavens at the age
of 365 years. Ibn Jarir relates in Rauzatul Ahbab that the Prophet Idris
(peace be upon him) was the special friend of one of the angels of heaven.
The angel took him up into the heavens and when they arrived in the fourth
heaven, they met the Angel of Death. The angel questioned the Angel of Death
how many years there were remaining of the life of the Prophet Idris(peace
be upon him). The Angel of Death said: Where is Idris because I have been
commanded to end his life. The Prophet Idris (peace be upon him) then remained
in the fourth heaven and he died in the wings of his angel friend who had
taken him from earth.
Hazrat Ka'b (Raziallah Anho) said
that
the Prophet Idris (peace be upon him) asked
the Angel of Death: " I'd like to taste the essence of death" ,The
angel take out his soul from his body and he was dead and
then get it back so the Prophet live again, then The Prophet asked
the angel: "I want to see how the Hell is like? " the angel driven
the Prophet across the Hell , The Prophet asked the angel: "I want
to Cross it" so the angel obeyed. Then The Prophet asked the
angel: " I want to see the Paradise " the angel took him to heaven
and after The Prophet entered the Paradise, the angel requested
The Prophet to return to his place The Prophet replied :"Allah
says that every soul must taste the essence of death and so I
tasted it, no soul should enter the Paradise until it cross over
the fire of Hell and I crossed it, And one should entered the
Paradise will never be asked to leave", So why should you asked me
to return ?
Allah
ordered the angel:" whatever The Prophet
has said and done is the same as I like, taught and
permitted.
The Prophet Idris (peace be upon him) then remained
in the heaven by the Permission of Allah (Subhana ho taala).
Mutwaslah was one of his distinguished son who made his mark.
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THE PROPHET NUH (peace be upon him)
Moral Degradation:
The Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) had left his progeny in a state of social
and moral health but gradually they began to forget the teachings of Allah.
They adopted the wrong path and indulged in corruption and depravity. They
became mean, evil-doers and greedy. They cheated and hurt one another.
They began to worship idols and forgot to pray to Almighty Allah. The entire
society had been split up into different sections and this state of affairs
had given birth to oppression and injustice.
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The Advent of Prophet Nuh:
Under these circumstances Allah, the Most Merciful, wanted the people to
be good again. He sent Nuh as His apostle for the reclamation of the depraved
humanity dwelling in that part of the earth which is called 'Iraq in the
present era. Those people believed in Allah but they associated other gods
with Allah, the Supreme. The priests of these deities exercised great control
over all affairs. The people offered sacrifices in the name of their deities
to please them. They spent the money lavishly and thus their condition became
miserable. The Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him) like other prophets was sincere,
pious, patient and trustworthy. He was strong in his will and determination.
Angel Gabriel (Jibra'il) conveyed him the teachings from Allah. He was
commanded to reform the people who had been led astray by the Satan. He
kept on preaching the faith of Allah and directed the people to pray to One
God. He advised them to refrain from doing evil deeds. The Holy Qur'an
affirms his endeavours to reform his people in the following Verses:
"He (Nuh) said: 0' my people!
serve Allah. There is no god other than Him. If you refuse, verily I fear
for you chastisement of a grievous day. The Chiefs of his people said: Most
certainly we perceive you in clear error. He said: O' my
people! There is no error in me but I am an Apostle from the lord of the
worlds. I deliver to you the message of my Lord and I counsel you right
(7: 59,60)
Again in the following Verses the Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him) warned
his people by declaring:
"O' my people! Surely
I am a plain warner to you bidding you to serve Allah and be mindful of your
duty to Him, and obey me so that He may forgive your faults."
(71:2-4)
The Prophet Nuh was opposed:
Most of the people did not believe in the Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him).
They made fun of him and ridiculed him as a mad man. Whenever he tried
to convey the message of Allah to them, they began to thrust their fingers
into their ears. They persisted in their infidelity and proudly disdained
his counsel to do good deeds. The people were so stubborn under the influence
of their priests that they paid no heed to the message of Allah and their
aversion rapidly increased. At last in sheer disgust the Prophet Nuh (peace
be upon him) had to cry out:
"My Lord! Leave not
upon land any dweller from among the disbelievers. For surely if You leave
them, they will lead astray Your servants and will not beget any but immoral
ungrateful offspring.
My Lord! Forgive me and my parents and him who enters my house believing,
and the believing males and females and do not increase the unjust in aught
but destruction."
(71: 26-28)
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Preparation of an Ark:
Consequently Almighty Allah answered the prayer of Prophet Nuh (peace be
upon him) by asking him to build an ark (a very big boat). The Prophet Nuh
(peace be upon him) knew that Allah planned to drown all those sinners who
had rejected His Commandments. He began to build the ark with the help of
his followers. They went on working constantly from dawn to dusk. When
the boat began to take shape, the disbelievers made fun of them. The transgressors
thought that the Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him) and his followers were becoming
crazy and were losing their balance of mind. The Holy Qur'an says:
"And he began to build
the ark and whenever the chiefs among his people passed by him, they deride
him but he said: Though you scoff at us now, we will scoff at you in Hereafter."
(11:38)
Calamity befalls:
When the big ark was completed, the sky became cloudy. It started to rain
in torrents. The streams became bulging with water. The Valleys were in
the grip of food. There was water everywhere. The lightning was frightening
and the thunder made the hearts pound fast. Every one was scared and worried
except the Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him) and his Followers. The Holy Qur'an
gives the description of this terrible deluge in the following Verses:
"So We opened the
gates of the heavens with water pouring down and We caused the earth to gush
forth its springs, so the water of the heavens and the earth gathered together
according to measure already ordained."
(54: 11, 12)
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The Prophet Nuh (peace be upon trim) called on his family and followers to
embark the boat. They came rushing to the ark. There was a special place
in the boat for all the animates including human beings and their animals.
The ark sailed amid waves like mountains while the streams of water were
rising fast and filling many houses with water through the windows and the
doors. Many houses collapsed and dashed to the ground. Some of them tried
to swim but in vain. They were in a pathetic condition but they deserved
it. The son of Nuh was separated from him because he was an evil-doer.
The Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him) prayed to his Lord and said:
"Surely, my son belongs to my family and Your promise is true. Allah said:
Surely, he is not of your family. He is of evil conduct, therefore ask not
of Me that of which you have no knowledge."
(11:45, 46)
In the meantime the water rose higher and higher. The whole area was under
the sway of flood and all the disbelievers were drowned. The Prophet Nuh
(peace be upon him) and his followers were safe and sound in the ark which
was floating without any obstruction of huge waves. Finally the rain stopped
and the water abated. The sky became clear.
The Prophet Nuh and his followers Remain Safe:
The Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him) and his believers sheltered in a safe
place. They built new houses and worked hard in the fields. The next generation
which sprang up from the survived believers included God-fearing persons.
They worshipped one God and acted according to His teachings. The Prophet
Nuh (peace be upon him) lived for about 950 years. After this dreadful destruction
the people abstained from committing sins for sometime. Afterwards they
began to be loose in their actions.
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THE PROPHET HUD (peace be upon him)
Hud was the Prophet sent to the Bani Ad for their reformation. His lineage
genealogy joins with the Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him) and his sons. The
Prophet Hud (peace be upon him) belonged to the Bani Ad. They were the descendants
of Sam.
Outstanding Qualities of the Adites:
The Adites quarrelled with the children of Ham and left Babylon. They peopled
a district in southern Arabia contiguous to Umman, Yaman and Hadramaut.
There they built palaces, erected temples and worshipped deities and stars.
The names of their chief deities were Saqi'ah, Salimah, Raziqah and Hafizun.
The people belong to the Bani Ad were tall in stature and were skilful masons.
Allah had given them abundance of wealth, cattle, children and gardens.
They had attained a considerable degree of civilisation. Among them flourished
the famous king Shaddad. He built a magnificent palace near Adal. It was
known as the Garden of Iram. He was mighty king and his conquests extended
to Syria, 'Iraq and the frontier of sub-continent of Indo-Pakistan. These
people were proud of their achievements and considered themselves to be
invincible. They were indulged in sins and committed acts of injustice and
violence. Instead of expressing a deep sense of gratitude to the Almighty
Allah for the favours He had bestowed upon them, they became transgressors
and showed disobedience to Him.
The Prophet Hud appears and Preaches:
The Prophet Hud (peace be upon him) appeared among them for their guidance.
He tried his best to bring them back to the worship of One God. He directed
them to give up evil practices. He advised them to abstain from committing
sins. They paid no heed to the teachings and warnings of their Prophets.
The Holy Qur'an says:
"And to the Ad We sent
their brother Hud. He said: 0' my people! Serve Allah, you have no god other
than Him. Will you not then keep away from evil and be mindful of your duty
to Him. The Chiefs of those who disbelieved from among his people said:
Most surely, we see you in folly and indeed we think you to be of the liars.
He said: O' my people! There is no folly in me but I am an Apostle of the
Lord of the Worlds. I convey to you the message of my Lord and I am a sincere
adviser to you."
(7:65)
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The Deluge is Descended:
The people did not listen to him and disobeyed the Commandments of Allah.
For this disobedience the wrath of Allah came down upon them. A drought
of unusual severity and a violent storm nearly annihilated the majority of
the people of the Bani Ad. The Holy Qur'an describes:
"As to the Ad,
they were destroyed by a roaring violent blast which He made to prevail over
them for seven nights and eight days un-intermittingly so that you mightest
have seen the people therein prostrate as if they were hollow trunks of palm
tree."
(69:6,7)
This storm had such a devastating effect as all the proud and disobedient
people were completely destroyed but the Prophet Hud (peace be upon him)
and his followers remained safe and sound. The Holy Qur'an says:
"So We delivered
him and those with him by mercy from Us and We cut off the last of those
who treated Our Signs as lies and were disbelievers"
(7:72)
Afterwards the remnant who survived established themselves in Yaman. The
grave of the Prophet Hud (peace be upon him) is in Hadramaut. It is visited
by the Arabs in the month of Rajab.
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THE PROPHET SALIH (peace be upon him)
Salih was sent as a Prophet to the Bani Thamud to rectify their depraved
people. The Thamudites were the descendants of Thamud, a grandson of Sam.
They lived in Wadi al-Qura and al-Hajr between Syria and Hijaz. They worshipped
idols and thought them very powerful. They believed that their idols provided
them with food and rain, preserved them from all dangers and restored them
to health when they were ill. This tribe flourished more than two centuries
after Ad. Its people were famous for their longevity and enormous bulk.
They built spacious buildings in the caves of the mountains and attained
considerable powers.
Slaughtering of She-Camel:
The Prophet Salih (peace he upon him) was commissioned by Allah to invite
the tribe to the worship of One God but they turned a deaf ear to his preaching.
Whenever the Prophet Salih (peace be upon him) spoke ill of their deities,
they behaved impudently towards him. At last they hatched a plan to put
him to death. Allah fixed a she-camel as a sign and warned them that if
they slew her, they would be overtaken by the chastisement from Allah.
There is nothing strange in fixing she-camel as a sign. It is an admitted
fact that Ka'bah, a constructed House, is one of the signs of Allah. Whoso
tries to destroy it, perishes himself. Similarly she-camel was one of the
signs of God. The Prophet Salih (peace be upon him) demanded that she should
be allowed to graze in the pastures and drink water from the springs. The
stubborn people slaughtered the she-camel provided by God while it was grazing
in the pastures.
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Chastisements Befalls:
When they were about to execute their final plan against Prophet Salih (peace
be upon him), they were destroyed by God's punishment. A visitation befell
them and they were exterminated by volcanic eruption which showered stones
upon them. The calamity which overtook the Bani Thamud was very terrible.
Description in the Holy Qur'an:
Some references regarding the Prophet Salih (peace be upon him) and his people
are as under:
"And to the Thamud We sent their brother Salih. He said: 0' my people: Serve
Allah. You have no god other than Him. Clear proof, indeed, has come to
you from your Lord. This is as Allah's she-camel for you, a sign. Therefore,
leave her alone to pasture on God's earth and do not do her any harm. Otherwise
painful chastisement will overtake you. And remember when He made you successors
after Ad and settled you in the land. You made mansions on its plains and
hew out houses in the mountains; remember, therefore, Allah's benefits and
do not act corruptly in the land making mischiefs. The Chiefs of those who
behaved proudly among his people said to those who were considered weak,
to those who believed from among them: Are you sure that Salih is sent by
his Lord ? They said: Surely, we are believers in what he has been sent with.
Those who were haughty said: Surely, we deny of what you believe in. So
they slew the she-camel and revolted against their Lord's Commandments and
they said: O' Salih! Bring us of what you have threatened us with if you
are one of the Apostles. Then the earthquake overtook them so they became
motionless bodies in their abodes."
(7: 73-78)
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THE PROPHET LUT (peace be upon him)
The Advent of Prophet Lut:
The Prophet Lut (peace be upon him) was contemporary of Prophet Ibrahim (peace
be upon him). He was a nephew and follower of the Faith of his uncle. He
was the resident of Ur, an ancient town in Mesopotamia God conferred prophet-hood
upon him.
He was commanded to leave his native land and go to Sodom and Gomorra to
warn and reform the people who were indulged in grave sins such as homosexual
intercourse and robbery. The Holy Qur'an says:
"And Lut (remember) when he said to his folk: Will you commit abomination
such as no creature ever did before. Lo! you come with lust unto men instead
of women. Nay, but you are wanton folk."
(7:80, 81)
In another Verse the Holy Qur'an throws a light on the character of those
sinning people. It says:
"What? Do you
not come to males and commit robbery on the highways and do evil deeds in
your meeting?"
(29: 29)
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The Prophet Lut Preaches and is Opposed:
The Prophet Lut (peace be upon him) was an alien to those people. He began
to preach the religion of God energetically. He advised the people to guard
themselves against the punishment from God. He exhorted them to abandon
sinful ways. He told them that God had created woman for them to satisfy
their lust. They did not listen to the admonitions of their Prophet. They
ridiculed and threatened him of dire consequences. They retorted that he
would be expelled from that town in case he did not stop preaching and rebuking
them. The Holy Qur'an affirms:
"And the answer
of his people was only that they said (to one another): Turn them out of
your township. They are folk who seek to keep pure."
(7:82)
The same idea is expressed in the following Verses:
"They said:
If you desist not, 0' Lut, you will soon be of the outcast. He said: I am,
in fact, of those who hate your conduct. My Lord! save me and my household
from what they do."
(26: 167-169)
Gradually time passed by and the Prophet Lut (peace be upon him) did not
achieve remarkable success on reforming those sinful persons. They were
shamelessly addicted to grave sins and his warnings simply exasperated them.
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Angels Appear as Guests:
One day three angels in the disguise of handsome young boys came to Prophet
Lut (peace be upon him) and they conveyed to him a special message from Almighty
Allah. The Prophet Lut (peace be upon him) and his followers were directed
to leave the town because something very dreadful was going to happen. When
the people got wind of the visit of charming boys they tried to invade the
house of Prophet Lut(peace be upon him) and demanded of him to deliver the
guests to them. The Prophet was much upset and he said:
"O' my people!
Here are my daughters! They are purer for you! Beware of Allah and degrade
me not in (the presence of) my guests. Is there not among you any upright
man ?"
(11: 78)
They rejected this appeal of the Prophet and said:
"Well, you know
that we have no right to your daughters and well, you know what we want."
(11:79)
The Prophet was much disappointed and said:
"Would that I had strength to resist you or had some strong support."
(11: 80)
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The Angels Convey Message:
The Prophet Lut (peace be upon him) warned the people of the inevitable punishment
in case they insisted on committing indecency. They laughed and doubted
his character. When all efforts were ended in smoke, the angels who were
in the form of human beings, said:
"O' Lut, Lo!
We are messengers of thy Lord; they shall not reach thee. So travel with
thy people in a part of the night and not one of you turn round all save
thy wife."
(11:81)
The Prophet Lut is Delivered and his Nation Destroyed:
The Prophet Lut (peace be upon him) and his adherents left the city in the
fagging part of the night and took shelter in a place of safety. Soon after
an uproar took place. A sudden tremendous noise shock the earth. It was
a scary and dreadful earthquake. The houses crumbled down and lofty buildings
smashed to nothing but rubble. The rocks that went up in the air hit those
who tried to escape. All arrogant sinners were completely destroyed. The
Prophet Lut (peace be upon him) and his followers were saved but his wife
could not survive because she sympathised with the sinners. The Holy Qur'an
gives a brief description of this mishap in the following Verses:
"Then the (awful)
cry overtook them at the sunrise: And We utterly confounded them, and We
rained upon them stones of heated clay. Lo! therein verily are portents
for those who read the signs."
(15:73-75)
The Prophet Lut (peace be upon him) was admitted to God's mercy and was declared
to be one of the righteous. He died in Palestine and was buried at Bani
Na'ima near Hebron.
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THE PROPHET IBRAHIM (peace be upon
him)
The Advent of Ibrahim:
Long ago Almighty Allah gave the honour of His choice to a man called Ibrahim.
He became the Prophet. His native Mesopotamia is the present southern 'Iraq.
He was an ideal model for mankind. Speaking highly of him the Holy Qur'an
says:
"Ibrahim was indeed
a paragon of virtue, obedient to Allah, ever inclined to Him and he was not
of those who set up equals to Allah. He was ever grateful for His favours,
We chose him and guided him to a straight path; and We bestowed on him good
in this world and in the Hereafter, he will surely be among the righteous."
(16: 121-123)
His Nation was Staunch Worshippers of Idols:
In the days of the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) ignorance prevailed
upon the minds of the people. Most of the people had no knowledge of Allah
and His teachings. They worshipped the sun, the moon and the stars. They
were astronomers and maintained the records of the movements of the planets.
They prayed to the idols made of wood and stone and made many offerings
for them. The priests enjoyed a prominent place in the society. They commanded
respect among their followers. They were paid well. The poor people were
ruled by the chiefs. They were subjected to their cruelty and injustice.
The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was the son of Terah whose surname
Adhar was popularly known. He was a doll carver and a staunch worshipper
of idols. He did all he could to compel Ibrahim (peace be upon him) to worship
the handicrafts of man but flatly refused to do so. He hated even an idea
of worshipping the idols which could neither see, nor hear, nor speak.
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The Prophet Ibrahim's Preaching:
The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) received the message of Allah through
a special angel Gabriel (Jibra'il). Gradually he was commanded to start
preaching. As he was a strong man in his will and determination, he worked
very hard. He began his mission in the teeth of opposition. He argued with
his people with great vigour regarding the folly of worshipping the idols.
The Holy Qur'an says:
"When he said
to his father and his people: What are these images to which you are so devoted
? They replied: We found our fathers worshipping them. He said: Then you
as well as your fathers have indeed, been in manifest error. They said:
Is it really the truth that you have brought for us or are you jesting ?
He replied: Nay, your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth; He brought
them into existence and I am of those who bear witness to this, and by Allah,
I will certainly plan against your idols after you have gone away and turned
your backs."
(21: 53-58)
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Opposition by the People and Discussion with the King:
The people paid no heed to his teachings. They insisted on their ways. They
did not refrain from worshipping the twinkling stars, shining moon and ugly
idols. The priests kept on encouraging the people to disbelieve in the Prophet
Ibrahim (peace be upon him). They were afraid lest they should be deprived
of their priesthood if the people abandoned idol-worship. As a matter of
fact the king Nemrùd in that area thought himself to be god. He had
a big castle and many soldiers at his disposal. He desired to argue with
the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) one day. They met to hold discussions:
The king looked at the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) mockingly for
a while. Then he said: What is this thing you are calling the people for?
Why do you persuade the People to worship God Who is invisible? The Prophet
Ibrahim (peace be upon him) replied boldly: My God is the One: Who gives
and takes away life. Nemrud answered arrogantly: I have also the power to
do that. I can kill the persons and can spare them also. The Prophet Ibrahim
(peace be upon him) asked a clever question that caught every one by surprise.
He said: My God causes the sun to rise from the East and set it in the West.
Can you make it come from the east? On hearing the king remained silent
because he knew that no man had the power to do so.
Breakage of the Idols:
After a few days a special event took place. There was a grand ceremony
outside the locality and every one had to participate in the celebrations.
Most of the evil-doers drank; liquor and became noisy and wild. They were
losing their balance of mind in a state of intoxication. There was a great
hustle. Almost every one from the town attended the ceremony except the
Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him). He had a special plan in his mind.
He proceeded towards the Temple escaping the sight of others. When he entered
the Temple, he saw there many statues which stood motionless and helpless.
The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) lifted his heavy axe and began to
smite the idols turn by turn. The idols fell to the ground with a big thud.
The floor was loaded with numerous noses, ears, heads, arms, legs and other
parts of the idols. He broke all the idols in the sanctuary but spared the
Chief one. He did so to demonstrate that the idols had no power to cause
harm to any one or bestow benefits upon others. They were as helpless as
mere stones and it is against the dignity of human beings to pay homage to
them. When the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) finished his job, he
left the Temple cautiously making sure that no one had seen him.
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Decision to Burn Ibrahim Alive:
When the celebrations came to an end, the people returned. The priests went
directly towards the Temple as usual and some people accompanied them. They
saw that the idols were smashed to pieces. The floor was littered with stones
and the Chief idol was standing with an axe hanging down along its neck.
The priests began to scream and became confused. The people rushed to the
Temple on hearing a deafening hue and cry. Every one was in a furious mood.
They wanted to know who had dared do this trouble to the idols. They wished
to take revenge. Then some one said that the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon
him) would have done so because he consistently spoke ill of our gods and
advised the people to worship One God. The Holy Qur'an relates:
"Then he broke them
into pieces except the Chief of them that haply they may return to him.
They said: Who has done so to our gods? Most surely he is one of the evil-doers.
We heard a youth called Ibrahim making mention of them."
(21:57)
The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was summoned to appear before the
king. When he came, he was asked if he had destroyed all those idols. He
remained silent for a while. Afterwards he directed the king to ask the
chief idol on whose neck was hung the axe with which the havoc was done.
The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was mocking and making fun of those
stupid people who worshipped helpless, dumb and deaf idols made of stones.
The king as well as the priests did not like to prolong their discussions
because the arguments of the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) were very
sound and convincing. The Holy Qur'an relates:
"Then they
said to Ibrahim: Is it you who has done so to our gods? He replied: Well,
some one has surely done this. Here is the chief of them, so ask them if
they can speak. Then they turned towards one another and said: You yourselves
are surely in the wrong. Then they were made to hung down their heads out
of shame and said to Ibrahim: Certainly you know that they do not speak."
(21: 65-68). Although they felt ashamed yet they remained stubborn. They
decided to burn the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) alive for causing
destruction to their idols.
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Fire does not Burn The Prophet Ibrahim:
A big furnace was prepared for this purpose. The Prophet Ibrahim (peace
be upon him) was tied with a rope and he could hardly move. He was quite
calm and cheerful believing firmly that Allah would save him. He did not
even resist and the spectators were amazed at his attitude.
The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was thrown in the centre of the furnace.
The flames of the fire were blazing. They sizzled and hissed but the Almighty
Allah ordered the fire not to harm His friend Ibrahim (peace be upon him):
"We said:
0' fire! Be thou a means of comfort and security for Ibrahim."
(21:70)
The transgressors thought that the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) had
burnt to death. They did not hear the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him)
shouting with pain. Some time later the people saw the prophet Ibrahim (peace
be upon him) walking out of the fire safe as if nothing had touched him.
They were much surprised to see him.
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Migration to Palestine:
In spite of this miracle the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) could not
have a large number of people following his teachings. He went on preaching
and underwent a chain of tests and trials to prove his obedience and sincerity.
When his people tortured the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him), he was
ordered to leave that area and go to the blessed land which is now called
Palestine. In compliance with the Commandment of Almighty Allah the Prophet
Ibrahim (peace be upon him) did not lose a moment's rest without getting
in touch with the people and teaching them about God and His message. Nothing
seemed to discourage him.
Birth of the Prophet Isma'il and Migration
to Makkah:
As the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) had no off-spring from his first
wife Sarah, he entered into matrimonial alliance with another woman called
Hajira (Hagar). He prayed for a son in all sublimity and his prayer was
granted. Some time later Hajira announced happy news that she was expecting
a baby. As time passed she gave birth to Isma'il (Ishmael). Soon after
God ordered the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) to take his wife Hajira
and the Prophet Isma'il (peace be upon him) to the valley of Bathã
(Makkah). In accordance with the Divine Commandment he set out on a long
and troublesome journey. They arrived at the spot after a long time. It
was hilly area without any trees and water. They set up their tents and
looked around but nothing was visible except sand. The Prophet Ismail (peace
be upon him) had attained the age of a few months only when the event of
migration took place. He began to cry because of thirst. His mother began
to look for water but it was not available anywhere.
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Zam Zam is Discovered:
She ran desperately in quest of water between two hillocks called Safa and
Marwa but found no water. She came back to her thirsty infant and was surprised
to see the spring of Zam Zam emerged from beneath the foot of the Prophet
Isma'il (peace be upon him). She heaved a sigh of relief. She quenched the
thirst of her baby with water. Many people from far and wide came to the
spot where Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and his family had settled.
Gradually this locality named Makkah became the birth place of Islam.
Vision of the Prophet Ibrahim Regarding the Sacrifice of the Prophet Isma'il:
The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) went back to Palestine to join his
first wife, the beloved Sarah. He received a Commandment in his vision to
sacrifice his only son, Isma'il. The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him)
had no hesitation in complying with what he was ordered to do but his son
was infant at that time. He had to wait until he grew older. Due to delay
the temptation of not doing what he was supposed to do, was certainly there.
But the Prophet Ibrahim (peace he upon him) had a solid faith in Allah and
his life was all dedicated to His' service. So he kept on waiting until
Prophet Isma'il (peace be upon him) became a teenager. One day the father
told his son about the dream. To his great surprise he saw that Prophet
Isma'il (peace be upon him) had no objection and was willing to be sacrificed
as Allah had willed it. He said:
"O' my father! Do what you have been commanded to do; then you will find
me of the patients."
(37: 10, 11)
This was a hard decision for a young man to take and it was a moment of great
faith in Allah.
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The Ordeal of Sacrifice of Prophet Ismail:
On the tenth of Dhil Hijja the father and his beloved son walked side by
side. A young lad possessed forbearance and the old man was full of determination
and spirit to complete submission to Allah. Their purpose was to carry out
the orders of their Lord. Nothing was dearer to them than the service of
Allah. They proceeded towards Mina with a sharp butcher's knife that, the
old shaky Ibrahim had in his hand. Many a thought and memories of the past
must have crossed in their minds. Finally they reached a special spot.
The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) looked at his loving son whereas
Prophet Isma'il (peace be upon him) cast a glance at his, father obediently
and cheerfully. The father laid his son prostrate on the ground. He was
standing beside him. His heart was beating violently. He was shaking with
emotions when he drew the knife across the neck of his son. It was a moment
of action, an action that was very hard to put into practice.
God highly appreciated them for their obedience and they heard a voice:
"0' Ibrahim! you have indeed shown the truth of the vision. Surely do We
reward the doers of good."
(37:105)
When Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) fulfilled the command of the dream,
he was ordered not to sacrifice his own son. A ram was provided in his stead.
The Prophet Isma'il (peace be upon him) stood up and the ram was sacrificed.
So the moment of suspense came to an end and both the father and the son
expressed a deep sense of happiness and gratitude. From that time until
today, the savage custom human sacrifice has been absolutely abolished.
Glad Tidings Regarding the Birth of Prophet Ishaq:
When the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) displayed his unstinted submission
to the orders of Allah by trying to sacrifice his beloved son Ismail he
was informed of a glad-tiding regarding the birth of baby from Sarah, his
first wife. The Holy Qur'an affirms:
"And We gave
him the good news of Ishaq (Isaac), a Prophet among the good ones and We
showered our blessings on him and on Ishaq, and of their offspring are the
doers of good and also those who are clearly unjust to their ownselves."
(37: 112, 113)
Time passed by and Sarah, the old lady got pregnant. At last she gave birth
to a male baby and they gave him the name of Ishaq. Later on Isma'il (peace
be upon him) proved to be the Prophet of the Muslims and Ishaq (peace be
upon him) became the Prophet of the Jews.
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Re-construction of Ka'bah:
The first House of Allah, the Ka'bah was erected by the Prophet Adam (peace
be upon him). It was reconstructed by the Prophet Ibrahim and the Prophet
Isma'il (peace be upon them). The Muqam-e-Ibrahim is still outside the enclosure.
It is a place of marble-like stone on which he stood to raise the walls
of the sanctuary at Makkah. This stone contains the sunken imprints of the
feet of the great Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him). The Holy Qur'an testifies
to the hallowed sanctity of this stone by declaring it to be one of the Signs
of Allah. It says:
"We made the
House a resort for men and a place of security after saying: Take as your
place of worship the spot where Ibrahim stood to pray. And We enjoined Ibrahim
and Isma'il by saying: Purify My House for those who visit it and those who
meditate therein; and those who bow down and those who prostrate themselves."
(Surah Baqarah 2
verse 125)
Burial Place:
The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) lived for 175 years. His life was
full of happenings, tests and trials. He had a firm faith in Allah. He
never missed a moment's rest in calling for the message of Allah. He gained
thousands upon thousands of believers. When he passed away, he was buried
in Hebron, twenty miles south-west of Jerusalem.
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