Prophet Ibrahim [PBUH]

Prophet Ibrahim [PBUH]

The father of Prophets and the second of the four Messengers with Will



Allah says [And Allah took Abraham for Khalil] an-Nisa' 4:125. Ibrahim [PBUH] was named as "al-Khalil", i.e. the intimate friend. Khalil in Arabic indicates 'mixing'; which refers to 'mixing love with soul'. that is why it has been said:

[You penetrated into the path of my soul, this is how al-Khalil was named so]

Al-Khalil is 'what is mixed'. In Arabic language, its direct meaning is 'friend, or companion' from 'Khalla'. It also may have come from 'Khulla' or 'Khilla'. 'Khalla' means a path in the sand, as it penetrates it, or wine, as acidity penetrates through it. 'Khilla' is the sword sheath or the need as a friend is supposed to satisfy any lack or need of his friend.

'Love' is called 'Khulla' because it penetrates the soul, it is badly needed, or its influence in the soul is like the influence of the arrow penetration. Prophet Ibrahim [PBUH] was called 'al-Khalil' because of his consistent need to Allah, Almighty, at all times. All in all, 'Khulla' means the penetration and the mixture of love with the soul.

One reason for calling him 'al-Khalil' is that he [PBUH] used to host people in his house, which was on the road, to the extent that he was called 'the father of guests'. One year, people became hungry out of poverty, so they gathered at the door of Ibrahim asking for food. Prophet Ibrahim used to receive annual supplies from a friend in Egypt. So, he sent his servants with camels to this friend asking for supplies. His friend said 'if Ibrahim wants supplies only for himself alone, I might be able to, but he wants supplies for his guests too, and we are suffering of hunger and poverty as well'. On their way back, the servants passed by some 'wet dust', so they filled their jars with it, as they were embarrassed of the hungry people waiting for them. When they told Ibrahim [PBUH] of what happened, he felt sad about the people on his door, and he went to sleep. Sarah [AAH] was asleep, and when she got awake, she asked whether the servants arrived. She went to the jars and opened them to find the best kind of flour. She baked it and fed the people. Prophet Ibrahim [PBUH] woke up to smell bakery. He asked Sarah about such a smell. She replied that it was made of flour sent by his Egyptian Khalil. He replied 'it is sent by my Khalil, Allah, Almighty'. From this time on, Allah called him 'al-Khalil'.

He was called 'al-Khalil', also because his love for Allah has no deficiency and because of his sincere love, need, continuous obey to Allah. Because of his too-much love for Allah, angels envied him and said to Allah 'O, Lord, Ibrahim worships You, because You have given him alot.' Allah replied 'No, he worships Me out of fear and desire'. They said 'No'. Allah replied 'Choose a group of you and go, test him!'. They went to him [PBUH] in his worshipping place. The first said 'Glory', the second said 'Holy', the third said 'Our Lord' and the fourth said 'The Lord of angels and spirit'. Prophet Ibrahim asked them to repeat what they said, but they remained silent. He asked them to take a quarter of his money and repeat what they said, but they remained silent. He asked them to take half of his money and repeat what they said, but they remained silent. He asked them to take three quarters of his money and repeat what they said, but they remained silent. He offered all his money, but they still remained silent. He asked them to take him, his money and his children and repeat what they said. Then, they knew that the name of Allah was more important for him than all of these. So, they repeated it.

Allah said [And remember when his Lord tried Ibrahim with certain words which he fulfilled. He said, ‘I will make thee Imam for men.’ Ibrahim asked, ‘And from among my offspring?’ He said, ‘My covenant does not embrace the transgressors] al-Baqara 2:124. In the interpretation of this verse, it has been said that Prophet Ibrahim was tested by some words that he obeyed; sumitting his body to fire, his son to sacrifice and his food to guests. They also said that it was ten attributes, five of them in the head; rinsing the inner mouth, sniffing water and blowing it out, cutting down mustache, brushing teeth, and brushing hair from the middle (some also say leaving the beard), and five in the body; clipping fingernails, shaving hair of the genital organs, removing hair of the armpit, ... to the end of is said about that.

Here is what was said about the previous verse by the great scholars: 'words' were a sort of 'Awrad' done by Prophet Ibrahim [PBUH]. When he finished it, Allah said to him 'I will make thee a Leader of men' [Imam]. Prophet Ibrahim said to Him 'And from among my offspring?', which means 'make them Imams!'. Allah said 'My covenant does not embrace the transgressors', which means that transgressors from among Ibrahim's offspring will not be Imams.

If Allah wants to make one of his saints a leader to be followed and a preacher, He tests him. If he is patient and satisfied, He chooses him and makes him closer, lets him to His Hadra. He becomes Imam to be followed and a preacher. Imamship remains in his offspring, if they follow his path. Whoever is unlike this, he is not qualified to be Imam. If he asks for it, he will not be complete in his preach. Therefore, some said 'whoever claimed witnessing Beauty before being made polite with the Glory, reject him as he is a fraud!'

To be continued...



Edited by Ahmed Abbas

Translated by Nahed Aboel-Hasan


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site : http://almagalla.info/2011e/apr3.htm