28: Abraham Escapes Fire

When every one had departed from the temple, the priests closed the temple and went away. Then Abraham took the axe and cut off the feet of all the idols, except the great god Baal. At its feet he placed the axe, amid the ruins which the statues made, for they, through being old and composed of pieces, fell in pieces. Thereupon, Abraham, going forth from the temple, was seen by certain men, who suspected him of having gone to thieve something from the temple. So they laid hold on him, and having arrived at the temple, when they saw their gods so broken in pieces, they cried out with lamentation: “Come quickly, O men, and let us slay him who bath slain our gods!” There ran together there about ten thousand men, with the priests, and questioned Abraham of the reason why he had destroyed their gods.
    
         Abraham answered: “Ye are foolish! Shall then a man slay God? It is the great God that bath slain them. See you not that axe which he bath near his feet? Certain it is that he desireth no fellows.”
    
         ‘Then arrived there the father of Abraham, who, mindful of the many discourses of Abraham against their gods, and recognizing the axe wherewith Abraham had broken in pieces the idols, cried out: “It bath been this traitor of a son of mine, who bath slain our gods! for this axe is mine.” And he recounted to them all that had passed between him and his son.
    
          ‘Accordingly the men collected a great quantity of wood, and having bound Abraham’s hands and feet put him upon the wood, and put fire underneath.
    
           ‘Lo’ God, through his angel, commanded the fire that it should not burn Abraham his servant. The fire blazed up with great fury, and burned about two thousand men of those who had condemned Abraham to death. Abraham verily found himself free, being carried by the angel of God near to the house of his father, without seeing who carried him; and thus Abraham escaped death.’
 

 An Islamic Perspective and Commentary
by
Ishaq Zahid 

 

Abraham (peace be on him) is referred to as “Friend of God” in the Holy Quran. Here are two citations from the Quran on his conversation with his father and how God saved Abraham from the Fire.

019.041 (Also mention in the Book (the story of) Abraham: He was a man of Truth, a prophet. 019.042 Behold, he said to his father: “O my father! why worship that which heareth not and seeth not, and can profit thee nothing? 019.043 “O my father! to me hath come knowledge which hath not reached thee: so follow me: I will guide thee to a way that is even and straight. 019.044 “O my father! serve not Satan: for Satan is a rebel against (God) Most Gracious. 019.045 “O my father! I fear lest a Penalty afflict thee from (God) Most Gracious, so that thou become to Satan a friend.” 019.046 (The father) replied: “Dost thou hate my gods, O Abraham? If thou forbear not, I will indeed stone thee: Now get away from me for a good long while!” 019.047 Abraham said: “Peace be on thee: I will pray to my Lord for thy forgiveness: for He is to me Most Gracious. 019.048 “And I will turn away from you (all) and from those whom ye invoke besides God: I will call on my Lord: perhaps, by my prayer to my Lord, I shall be not unblest.” 019.049 When he had turned away from them and from those whom they worshipped besides God, We bestowed on him Isaac and Jacob, and each one of them We made a prophet. 019.050 And We bestowed of Our Mercy on them, and We granted them lofty honour on the tongue of truth.

021.051 We bestowed aforetime on Abraham his rectitude of conduct, and well were We acquainted with him. 021.052 Behold! he said to his father and his people, “What are these images, to which ye are (so assiduously) devoted?” 021.053 They said, “We found our fathers worshipping them.” 021.054 He said, “Indeed ye have been in manifest error – ye and your fathers.” 021.055 They said, “Have you brought us the Truth, or are you one of those who jest?” 021.056 He said, “Nay, your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, He Who created them (from nothing): and I am a witness to this (Truth). 021.057 “And by God, I have a plan for your idols – after ye go away and turn your backs”.. 021.058 So he broke them to pieces, (all) but the biggest of them, that they might turn (and address themselves) to it. 021.059 They said, “Who has done this to our gods? He must indeed be some man of impiety!” 021.060 They said, “We heard a youth talk of them: He is called Abraham.” 021.061 They said, “Then bring him before the eyes of the people, that they may bear witness.” 021.062 They said, “Art thou the one that did this with our gods, O Abraham?” 021.063 He said: “Nay, this was done by – this is their biggest one! ask them, if they can speak intelligently!” 021.064 So they turned to themselves and said, “Surely ye are the ones in the wrong!” 021.065 Then were they confounded with shame: (they said), “Thou knowest full well that these (idols) do not speak!” 021.066 (Abraham) said, “Do ye then worship, besides God, things that can neither be of any good to you nor do you harm? 021.067 “Fie upon you, and upon the things that ye worship besides God! Have ye no sense?”.. 021.068 They said, “Burn him and protect your gods, If ye do (anything at all)!” 021.069 We said, “O Fire! be thou cool, and (a means of) safety for Abraham!” 021.070 Then they sought a stratagem against him: but We made them the ones that lost most! 021.071 But We delivered him and (his nephew) Lut (and directed them) to the land which We have blessed for the nations.