But Allah said: "O fire, be coolness and peace for Abraham". (Koran xxi.69)
The people waited until the fire had completely died down, and it was
then that they saw Abraham still sitting there as though nothing had
happened! At that moment they were utterly confused. They were not,
however, moved by the miracle that had just happened before their very
eyes.
Still Abraham tried to persuade his own dear father, who was named
Azar, not to worship powerless, un-seeing, un-hearing statues. Abraham
explained that special knowledge had come to him and implored his
father, 'So follow me and I will lead you on the right path. O my
father! Don't serve the Devil.' But Azar would not listen. He
threatened his son with stoning if he continued to reject the gods of
Ur. He ordered Abraham to leave the city with these words: 'Depart from
me a long while.' Abraham said, 'Peace be upon you! I shall ask my
Lord's forgiveness for you. Surely He was ever gracious to me.' (Koran
xix.43-7)
Imagine how terrible it must have been for him to leave his home, |
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his family and all
that he knew, and set out across the wilderness into the unknown. But
at the same time, how could he have remained among people who did not
believe in Allah and who worshipped statues? Abraham always had a sense
that Allah cared for him and he felt Allah near him as he traveled. At
last, after a long hard journey, he arrived at a place by the
Mediterranean Sea, not far from Egypt. There he married a noble woman by
the name of Sarah and settled in the land of Palestine. Many years
passed but Abraham and his wife were not blessed with any children. In
the hope that there would be a child, and in keeping with tradition,
Sarah suggested that Abraham should marry Hagar, her Egyptian maid.
Soon after this took place, Hagar had a little boy named Ishmael. Some
time later Allah promised Abraham another son, but this time the mother
of the child would be his first wife, Sarah. This second son would be
called Isaac. Allah also told Abraham that from his two sons-Ishmael
and Isaac-two nations and three messages would be founded and because
of this he must take Hagar and Ishmael away from Palestine to a new
land. |
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