Ihyaaud Deen An Effort to Revive Deen in Totality
Allah Ta’ala had tested Nabi Ebrahim (‘alaihis salaam) with various trials and tribulations and he passed each trial with distinction, displaying and exhibiting the highest levels of Islam (submission) at all times.
In essence, from the great sacrifices he made for the pleasure of Allah Ta’ala, it can be concluded that he embodied the true spirit of Islam by totally surrendering his heart, mind, body and entire life to the command of Allah Ta’ala, his Beloved, to fulfil whatever was demanded of him on every occasion.
It is for this reason that Allah Ta’ala exclusively mentioned this path to be the path of Nabi Ebrahim (‘alaihis salaam).
The Test of Leaving His Home
Among the first sacrifices which Nabi Ebrahim (‘alaihis salaam) made for the sake of Allah Ta’ala was the sacrifice of leaving his home and town.
His father and his community were idol worshippers who were steeped in shirk and kufr. In fact, his father was an idol manufacturer, and hence his home was the idol factory through which the idol industry thrived and flourished.
Nabi Ebrahim (‘alaihis salaam) went to his father, and in a loving and respectful manner, he urged his father to repent from idol worship and embrace Islam.
The inspirational words of da’wah (inviting to imaan) which Nabi Ebrahim (‘alaihis salaam) spoke on that occasion have been recorded in the Qur’aan Majeed. Among the words he spoke to his father were the following:
یٰۤاَبَتِ لِمَ تَعۡبُدُ مَا لَا یَسۡمَعُ وَ لَا یُبۡصِرُ وَ لَا یُغۡنِیۡ عَنۡکَ شَیۡئًا ﴿۴۲﴾
O my beloved father! Why do you worship that (idol) which can neither hear, nor see, nor benefit you in any way? (Surah Maryam V.42)
However, instead of listening to the voice of reason and intelligence, his father became enraged and retorted:
اَرَاغِبٌ اَنۡتَ عَنۡ اٰلِہَتِیۡ یٰۤـاِبۡرٰہِیۡمُ ۚ لَئِنۡ لَّمۡ تَنۡتَہِ لَاَرۡجُمَنَّکَ وَ اہۡجُرۡنِیۡ مَلِیًّا ﴿۴۶﴾
Are you averse to my gods, O Ebrahim? If you do not desist (from your way and continue to speak out against my idols) then I will definitely stone you, and stay away from me for a long time! (Surah Maryam V.46)
The father and family of Nabi Ebrahim (‘alaihis salaam) were opposed to the deen of Islam. Hence, despite him trying to explain to them the wrongs they were involved in, they were not prepared to accept and reform their condition.
It was then that Nabi Ebrahim (‘alaihis salaam) made the great sacrifice of leaving his family and home as the environment was one of kufr and disbelief.
The Test of Leaving His Hometown
Nabi Ebrahim (‘alaihis salaam) thereafter invited his people to Allah Ta’ala. He addressed them saying:
مَا ہٰذِہِ التَّمَاثِیۡلُ الَّتِیۡۤ اَنۡتُمۡ لَہَا عٰکِفُوۡنَ ﴿۵۲﴾
What are these idols to which you remain devoted? (Surah Ambiyaa V. 21)
His people attempted to justify their worship of idols saying, “We found our forefathers worshipping them.” Nabi Ebrahim (‘alaihis salaam) informed them that their forefathers had been misguided, and he invited them to Allah Ta’ala saying:
بَلۡ رَّبُّکُمۡ رَبُّ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الۡاَرۡضِ الَّذِیۡ فَطَرَہُنَّ ۫وَ اَنَا عَلٰی ذٰلِکُمۡ مِّنَ الشّٰہِدِیۡنَ ﴿۵۶﴾
(No!) Rather, your Rabb is the Rabb of the heavens and earth, the One who has created them, and I am from those who testify to this!” (Surah Ambiyaa V. 56)
However, his people were obstinate and adamant and refused to accept. Therefore, when his people were later engaged in their festival, Nabi Ebrahim (‘alaihis salaam) went to their idols and began to break them. Nabi Ebrahim (‘alaihis salaam) only left the biggest idol intact and hung the axe around its neck.
When the people returned from their festival and saw their idols smashed to pieces, they were furious. They suspected Nabi Ebrahim (‘alaihis salaam) of being the one who had broken their idols and thus summoned him.
Nabi Ebrahim (‘alaihis salaam) came and stood before them, in open view of all the people. They asked Nabi Ebrahim (‘alaihis salaam), “Did you do this to our gods, O Ebrahim?”
Seeing that all the people were present, Nabi Ebrahim (‘alaihis salaam) immediately seized the opportunity to invite them to Islam and prove to them that their idols are useless and powerless created entities that cannot do anything or help anyone.
Hence, he gestured towards the biggest idol, which had the axe around its neck, and said, “No, rather this one – the largest of them – did it, so ask them, if they are able to speak.”
Confronted by the undeniable truth, the people were forced to acknowledge and accept that their idols were useless and lifeless.
They had to admit defeat and said to Nabi Ebrahim (‘alaihis salaam), “You know that these idols are unable to speak!” Nabi Ebrahim (‘alaihis salaam) then concluded his argument saying:
اَفَتَعۡبُدُوۡنَ مِنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰہِ مَا لَا یَنۡفَعُکُمۡ شَیۡئًا وَّ لَا یَضُرُّکُمۡ ﴿ؕ۶۶﴾ اُفٍّ لَّکُمۡ وَ لِمَا تَعۡبُدُوۡنَ مِنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰہِ ؕ اَفَلَا تَعۡقِلُوۡنَ ﴿۶۷﴾
Are you then worshipping, besides Allah, that which cannot benefit you in the least, nor cause you any harm? Uff to you and that which you worship besides Allah! Do you not understand? (Surah Ambiyaa V. 67)
However, despite being shown the error of their ways, his people still refused to bring imaan in Allah Ta’ala.
Thus, Nabi Ebrahim (‘alaihis salaam) moved away from his hometown and people who were not prepared to accept tauheed.
