Abraham’s Blog 2: Difficult Times
It’s not easy being a patriarch. I challenged my people about their idolatry, standing up against my own father and was nearly burnt to death in the process:
‘When he said to his father and his people: What are these images to whose worship you cleave? They said: We found our fathers worshipping them. He said: Certainly you have been, (both) you and your fathers, in manifest error. They said: Have you brought to us the truth, or are you one of the triflers? He said: Nay! your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, Who brought them into existence, and I am of those who bear witness to this: And, by Allah! I will certainly do something against your idols after you go away, turning back. So he broke them into pieces, except the chief of them, that haply they may return to it. They said: Who has done this to our gods? Most surely he is one of the unjust. They said: We heard a youth called Ibrahim speak of them. Said they: Then bring him before the eyes of the people, perhaps they may bear witness. They said: Have you done this to our gods, O Ibrahim? He said: Surely (some doer) has done it; the chief of them is this, therefore ask them, if they can speak. Then they turned to themselves and said: Surely you yourselves are the unjust; Then they were made to hang down their heads: Certainly you know that they do not speak. He said: What! do you then serve besides Allah what brings you not any benefit at all, nor does it harm you? Fie on you and on what you serve besides Allah; what! do you not then understand? They said: Burn him and help your gods, if you are going to do (anything). We said: O fire! be a comfort and peace to Ibrahim … And We delivered him as well as Lut (removing them) to the land which We had blessed for all people.’ (Qur’an 21.52–71)
Famines were a regular occurrence in my part of the world. On one occasion I took refuge in Egypt. Although God had watched over me in my travels I feared for my life thinking that the Egyptians would kill me so they could take my beautiful wife Sarai (though she was quite elderly). I tried to pass her off as my sister, so of course they did take her (I guess you’ve heard of karma!), thinking that she was an unattached woman. God intervened again sending great plagues, Pharaoh was repentant, and challenged me about not being straight with him. He was furious with me, only the polite version records that he said ‘Go away!’ (Genesis 12) What can I say, it happened again later (Genesis 20), God really intervened the second time, God said to the king:
‘You’re dead alright
This can’t be.
I know you acted honestly,
I called ‘Halt!’ out of mercy
I made you keep your hands away
Now send her back today
Her husband is a prophet
I listen to his prayers
If you don’t give her back
You’ll be saying yours … too late.
The king called me,
‘What have you done?
I did nothing wrong.
You’ve spoiled our land
Gone beyond the pale.
What was it about us
That you treat us thus?’
This is what I said,
‘I thought, ‘They’re all unbelievers,
No time or place for God
They’ll kill me for Sarai
Because they think I’m odd.’
How wrong I was, the truly honourable are those we think the worst of while those of us who make a stand often have a fall.
My journey of learning continues …
