Prophet Ibrahim’s story is one of the Quraan’s most important and interesting tales. From his birth until his death, the prophet Ibrahim was an exemplar for all mankind. His life holds many stories one can learn from and of course, teach their kids about. He is a beloved figure with unprecedented faith, patience, and devotion to Allah. For that, he is named (the friend of Allah).
Children learn faster when they get the information from a story. Who doesn’t love storytelling anyway? If you want to introduce your children to the essential stories of Islam, the story of Prophet Ibrahim is a perfect starting point. In today’s article, we’ll take you on a journey through the following:
• The Birth of Prophet Ibrahim
• Prophet Ibrahim story in the Quran
• The Story of Ibrahim and Ismail in the Quran
• Lessons from the Story of Prophet Ibrahim in the Quran
• How to Share Prophet Ibrahim’s Story with Your Children
Let’s get started.
The Birth of Prophet Ibrahim
Think of a time and a world where almost everyone believed in multiple gods. They even worshipped idols they made with their own hands from stone and wood. Imagine a child who would grow up to change this and guide people toward believing in one true God. That’s the story of Prophet Ibrahim, in simple words.
Now let’s dig deeper.
Ibrahim’s father, Azar, was a well-known idol-maker himself. The only logical thing for his son is to do the same, or at least worship the same. But that was not the case! As a child, Ibrahim had a natural sense of what was right. It was something like divine guidance from when he was little! He couldn’t understand why people worshipped things that couldn’t hear, see, or help them. Why do they offer food and gifts to these so-called gods? He began to question the world around him. He felt something was wrong!
That was mentioned in the Quran in Surah Maryam and Al-An’am.
إِذْ قَالَ لِأَبِيهِ يَـٰٓأَبَتِ لِمَ تَعْبُدُ مَا لَا يَسْمَعُ وَلَا يُبْصِرُ وَلَا يُغْنِى عَنكَ شَيْـًۭٔا
˹Remember˺ when he said to his father, “O dear father! Why do you worship what can neither hear nor see, nor benefit you at all? Surah Maryam, 42
وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَٰهِيمُ لِأَبِيهِ ءَازَرَ أَتَتَّخِذُ أَصْنَامًا ءَالِهَةً ۖ إِنِّىٓ أَرَىٰكَ وَقَوْمَكَ فِى ضَلَـٰلٍۢ مُّبِينٍۢ ٧٤
And ˹remember˺ when Abraham said to his father, Ȃzar, “Do you take idols as gods? It is clear to me that you and your people are entirely misguided.” Surah Al-An’am, 74
The answers from his father didn’t satisfy him. He felt there was something bigger—something more! So what did he do? Let’s find out.
Prophet Ibrahim in the Quran
In his early life, Prophet Ibrahim was curious. He started to search for the truth: who created such a vast universe, and who created him? He was very wise beyond his age, as mentioned in Surah Al-Anbiya, Ayah 51:
۞ وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَآ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ رُشْدَهُۥ مِن قَبْلُ وَكُنَّا بِهِۦ عَـٰلِمِينَ ٥١
Surely We had bestowed wisdom upon Ibrahim even earlier, and We knew him well.
This desire and curiosity led him to the vast desert and night sky. He started to explore the universe around him, looking up at the stars, the moon, and the sun. What if any of them is God? He wondered.
(75) فَلَمَّا جَنَّ عَلَيْهِ اللَّيْلُ رَأَىٰ كَوْكَبًا ۖ قَالَ هَٰذَا رَبِّي ۖ فَلَمَّا أَفَلَ قَالَ لَا أُحِبُّ الْآفِلِينَ (76) فَلَمَّا رَأَى الْقَمَرَ بَازِغًا قَالَ هَٰذَا رَبِّي ۖ فَلَمَّا أَفَلَ قَالَ لَئِن لَّمْ يَهْدِنِي رَبِّي لَأَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الضَّالِّينَ (77) فَلَمَّا رَأَى الشَّمْسَ بَازِغَةً قَالَ هَٰذَا رَبِّي هَٰذَا أَكْبَرُ ۖ فَلَمَّا أَفَلَتْ قَالَ
يَا قَوْمِ إِنِّي بَرِيءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ (78) إِنِّي وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِي فَطَرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ حَنِيفًا ۖ وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ (79)
When the night grew dark upon him, he saw a star and said, “This is my Lord!” But when it set, he said, “I do not love things that set.” Then when he saw the moon rising, he said, “This one is my Lord!” But when it disappeared, he said, “If my Lord does not guide me, I will certainly be one of the misguided people.” Then when he saw the sun shining, he said, “This must be my Lord—it is the greatest!” But again when it set, he declared, “O my people! I totally reject whatever you associate ˹with Allah in worship˺. I have turned my face towards the One Who has originated the heavens and the earth—being upright—and I am not one of the polytheists.” Surah Al-An’am (6:74-79)
As you can see from this Quraan verse, the more he contemplated and wondered about the universe, the more he realized that none of these creations could be Allah! Through his contemplation, he became certain of one thing: there is only one true God, Allah. Ibrahim’s life was forever transformed, and his heart was filled with great peace. It was time for him to invite people to believe in Allah.
Challenging the idol worshippers
Think of this: the son of the man who makes the statues they worship is telling them to stop doing it! How outrageous does this sound?
He first starts to talk with his father to try to convince him to abandon this idol worshipping and only worship Allah.
إِذْ قَالَ لِأَبِيهِ يَـٰٓأَبَتِ لِمَ تَعْبُدُ مَا لَا يَسْمَعُ وَلَا يُبْصِرُ وَلَا يُغْنِى عَنكَ شَيْـًۭٔا ٤٢ يَـٰٓأَبَتِ إِنِّى قَدْ جَآءَنِى مِنَ ٱلْعِلْمِ مَا لَمْ يَأْتِكَ فَٱتَّبِعْنِىٓ أَهْدِكَ صِرَٰطًۭا سَوِيًّۭا ٤٣
When he said to his father, “O my father, why do you worship that which does not hear and does not see and will not benefit you at all?. O my father, indeed there has come to me of knowledge that which has not come to you, so follow me; I will guide you to an even path. [Quran 19:42-43]
However, his father refused and got angry with him and even threatened to stone him!
قَالَ أَرَاغِبٌ أَنتَ عَنْ ءَالِهَتِى يَـٰٓإِبْرَٰهِيمُ ۖ لَئِن لَّمْ تَنتَهِ لَأَرْجُمَنَّكَ ۖ وَٱهْجُرْنِى مَلِيًّۭا ٤٦
“Have you no desire for my gods, O Abraham? If you do not desist, I will surely stone you, so avoid me a prolonged time [Quran 19:46]
This didn’t make him give up. On the contrary, he stood up against the idol worshippers.
إِذْ قَالَ لِأَبِيهِ وَقَوْمِهِۦ مَا هَـٰذِهِ ٱلتَّمَاثِيلُ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنتُمْ لَهَا عَـٰكِفُونَ ٥٢ قَالُوا۟ وَجَدْنَآ ءَابَآءَنَا لَهَا عَـٰبِدِينَ ٥٣ قَالَ لَقَدْ كُنتُمْ أَنتُمْ وَءَابَآؤُكُمْ فِى ضَلَـٰلٍۢ مُّبِينٍۢ ٥٤ قَالُوٓا۟ أَجِئْتَنَا بِٱلْحَقِّ أَمْ أَنتَ مِنَ ٱللَّـٰعِبِينَ ٥٥ قَالَ بَل رَّبُّكُمْ رَبُّ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ٱلَّذِى فَطَرَهُنَّ وَأَنَا۠ عَلَىٰ ذَٰلِكُم مِّنَ ٱلشَّـٰهِدِينَ ٥٦
˹Remember˺ when he questioned his father and his people, “What are these statues to which you are so devoted?”. They replied, “We found our forefathers worshipping them.” He responded, “Indeed, you and your forefathers have been clearly astray.” They asked, “Have you come to us with the truth, or is this a joke?” He replied, “In fact, your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, Who created them ˹both˺. And to that I bear witness.” Surah Al-Anbiya (21:51–56)
First, he tried to talk to them, but obviously, it didn’t work out! So he thought of making his point smartly. So what did he do?
On the evening of a big celebration, Ibrahim knew they would leave their temple at night. So he waited till they left and then walked in and, using his axe speak, destroyed all the idols, leaving only the largest one intact. When the people asked him who had done this, Ibrahim suggested they ask the remaining idol. I mean, shouldn’t the remaining one be able to tell or at least protect them? When they told him that they could not speak, he stunned them with the question, “Then how can you worship things that can neither speak nor see? They can’t even protect themselves.
وَتَٱللَّهِ لَأَكِيدَنَّ أَصْنَـٰمَكُم بَعْدَ أَن تُوَلُّوا۟ مُدْبِرِينَ ٥٧ فَجَعَلَهُمْ جُذَٰذًا إِلَّا كَبِيرًۭا لَّهُمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِ يَرْجِعُونَ ٥٨ قَالُوا۟ مَن فَعَلَ هَـٰذَا بِـَٔالِهَتِنَآ إِنَّهُۥ لَمِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ ٥٩
قَالُوٓا۟ ءَأَنتَ فَعَلْتَ هَـٰذَا بِـَٔالِهَتِنَا يَـٰٓإِبْرَٰهِيمُ ٦٢ قَالَ بَلْ فَعَلَهُۥ كَبِيرُهُمْ هَـٰذَا فَسْـَٔلُوهُمْ إِن كَانُوا۟ يَنطِقُونَ ٦٣ فَرَجَعُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ فَقَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّكُمْ أَنتُمُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ ٦٤ ثُمَّ نُكِسُوا۟ عَلَىٰ رُءُوسِهِمْ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ يَنطِقُونَ ٦٥ قَالَ أَفَتَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُكُمْ شَيْـًۭٔا وَلَا يَضُرُّكُمْ ٦٦ أُفٍّۢ لَّكُمْ وَلِمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ ٦٧
˹Then he said to himself,˺ “By Allah! I will surely plot against your idols after you have turned your backs and gone away.” So he smashed them into pieces, except the biggest of them, so they might turn to it ˹for answers˺. They protested, “Who dared do this to our gods? It must be an evildoer!” Some said, “We heard a young man, called Abraham, speaking ˹ill˺ of them.” They demanded, “Bring him before the eyes of the people, so that they may witness ˹his trial˺.” They asked, “Was it you who did this to our gods, O Abraham?” He replied ˹sarcastically˺, “No, this one—the biggest of them—did it! So ask them, if they can talk!” So they came back to their senses, saying ˹to one another˺, “You yourselves are truly the wrongdoers!” Then they ˹quickly˺ regressed to their ˹original˺ mind-set, ˹arguing,˺ “You already know that those ˹idols˺ cannot talk.” He rebuked ˹them˺, “Do you then worship—instead of Allah—what can neither benefit nor harm you in any way? Shame on you and whatever you worship instead of Allah! Do you not have any sense?” Surah Al-Anbiya (21:57-67)
This clever act didn’t just make people think; it set the stage for a moment that changed everything. Prophet Ibrahim’s story was just starting as a prophet of Allah. and Allah didn’t leave his faithful prophet stranded!
The Miracle of the Fire
Imagine the anger of the people when they saw their idols destroyed. Adding to this, Prophet Ibrahim made a valid point. However, they were too proud and angry at the same time! In their fury, they decided to take revenge for their idol and punish Ibrahim by burning him!
قَالُوا۟ حَرِّقُوهُ وَٱنصُرُوٓا۟ ءَالِهَتَكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ فَـٰعِلِينَ ٦٨
They concluded, “Burn him up to avenge your gods, if you must act.” Surah Al-Anbiya (21:68)
They dug a huge pit and filled it with wood. But here’s where the story takes a miraculous turn. Allah commanded the fire to be cool and safe for Ibrahim. So instead of him meeting his death burned alive, it was his first miracle as a prophet! The fire only burned his chains, and he walked out of the fire without a sweat or even smoke coming from his clothing. Everyone cried in astonishment: “Ibrahim’s God has saved him from the flames!”
قُلْنَا يَـٰنَارُ كُونِى بَرْدًۭا وَسَلَـٰمًا عَلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ ٦٩ وَأَرَادُوا۟ بِهِۦ كَيْدًۭا فَجَعَلْنَـٰهُمُ ٱلْأَخْسَرِينَ ٧٠
We ordered, “O fire! Be cool and safe for Abraham!” They had sought to harm him, but We made them the worst losers. Surah Al-Anbiya (21:69-70)
This story shows us the power of faith and that Allah’s protection is always with us. Things don’t really end here for our beloved prophet. Let’s look at one of the hardest tests anyone can go through in the prophet’s Ibrahim story.
The Story of Ibrahim and Ismail in the Quran
The story of Ibrahim and his son, Ismail, is one of the most touching stories in Islam.
Let’s think about it.
If someone had asked you to sacrifice your child, would you have done it? The most obvious answer to this is absolutely not. If Allah the Almighty asked you to do so,?
That’s exactly what happened in the story of Ibrahim and Ismail in the Quraan.
After many years of praying, Allah blessed Ibrahim with a son, Ismail.
“So We gave him good tidings of a forbearing boy.” Saffat 37:101
Prophet Ibrahim was thankful and joyful that Allah gave him what he had been asking for for a very long time now. But soon, his joy faced an unimaginable test.
Allah’s Command: A Father’s Complete Obedience
One night, Ibrahim had a dream in which Allah commanded him to sacrifice his beloved son, Ismail. Can you imagine how difficult that must have been for a father who loved his son so much? But what makes this story truly special is not just Ibrahim’s submission but also Ismail’s reply. When Ibrahim told him about the dream, Ismail encouraged his father to do as Allah had commanded.
فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ ٱلسَّعْىَ قَالَ يَـٰبُنَىَّ إِنِّىٓ أَرَىٰ فِى ٱلْمَنَامِ أَنِّىٓ أَذْبَحُكَ فَٱنظُرْ مَاذَا تَرَىٰ ۚ قَالَ يَـٰٓأَبَتِ ٱفْعَلْ مَا تُؤْمَرُ ۖ سَتَجِدُنِىٓ إِن شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ ١٠٢
And when he reached with him [the age of] exertion, he said, “O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I [must] sacrifice you, so see what you think.” He said, “O my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Allah wills, of the steadfast.”
I don’t think any of us can comprehend such faith and trust in Allah! For this faith and complete obedience, Allah again never leaves his obedient prophets stranded!
As Ibrahim prepared to do what he was commanded, at the very last second, Allah intervened. Instead of Ismail, a ram was provided for the sacrifice.
فَلَمَّآ أَسْلَمَا وَتَلَّهُۥ لِلْجَبِينِ ١٠٣ وَنَـٰدَيْنَـٰهُ أَن يَـٰٓإِبْرَٰهِيمُ ١٠٤ قَدْ صَدَّقْتَ ٱلرُّءْيَآ ۚ إِنَّا كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِى ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ ١٠٥ إِنَّ هَـٰذَا لَهُوَ ٱلْبَلَـٰٓؤُا۟ ٱلْمُبِينُ ١٠٦ وَفَدَيْنَـٰهُ بِذِبْحٍ عَظِيمٍۢ ١٠٧
And when they had both submitted and he put him down upon his forehead, We called to him. “O Abraham, You have fulfilled the vision.” Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good. Indeed, this was the clear trial.And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice. Saffat, 103-107
This act of mercy not only saved Ismail but also turned the story into a powerful symbol of faith and submission. That’s why, every year during Eid al-Adha, Muslims make sacrifices in honor of this great story. By doing so, we obey Allah’s command and sacrifice for him, just as Prophet Ibrahim did.
As you can see, the story of the prophet Ibrahim isn’t just one! it’s many events with valuable lessons we can always remember and, most importantly, teach our children. So what are those lessons? Keep reading to find out!
Prophet Ibrahim story for kids: Lessons and morals
Every part of Prophet Ibrahim’s life has an interesting story you can tell your kids! But more importantly, you should always make sure to highlight the lessons and morals of these stories. Let’s look at some of the key lessons:
Strong Faith in Allah
It’s not easy to hold on to your beliefs when everyone around you is different. One of the biggest lessons from Ibrahim’s life is the importance of having strong faith in Allah (SWT). No matter what he faced, Ibrahim never wavered in his belief. He didn’t worship idols, even though everyone was doing it! They threw him into a living fire, yet he didn’t back down! and for this, Allah saved him miraculously. This should teach us to always trust Allah and have faith, even when things seem impossible.
Your kids may not always be surrounded by people of the same faith or mindset. Teach them that no matter how different people are around them, Allah is always there, and he will always protect them!
The power of patience and perseverance
Imagine waiting for something you want so deeply that it takes longer than expected. Some people may lose hope, get frustrated, or even be angry! However, we must trust that Allah’s timing is always right.
Prophet Ibrahim waited and prayed to have a son; Allah gave him Ismael at the right time as a reward for his patience. He was even tested on the thing he wanted the most. Yet he always obeyed and trusted Allah’s plan. And for this, Allah rewarded him and didn’t make him lose his child after all.
This teaches children that good things come to those who are patient and trust in Allah’s plan. And even if they didn’t get what they asked for right now, Allah knows best and always has the best plan for their life.
The Importance of Sacrifice
The story of Ibrahim and Ismail is all about being willing to give up what you love most for the sake of Allah. This is a powerful lesson for kids. It will help them understand that sometimes we need to put our faith first. Our love and obedience for Allah should always be above everything else, even the things we love most.
It’s really important to share such valuable lessons with your children. It grows with them, and it helps turn them into good Muslims. They will always have these values in the back of their minds, guiding them. But the question is, what is the best way to do so? Let’s find out!
How to Share Prophet Ibrahim’s Story with Your Children
Sharing the story of Prophet Ibrahim with your children can be a wonderful experience. But it’s important to think about their age and how they understand the world.
For younger children, focus on the main exciting parts of the story—the moments that are easy to picture. Use simple language and talk about the miracles, like the fire that couldn’t burn Ibrahim or the ram that Allah sent in place of Ismail. These parts of the story help keep them interested and make the story more relatable.
With older children, you can dig a little deeper. After telling them the story, invite them to think about what they might have learned from this. Ask them about their opinion and why they think that this happened. Talk about the lessons of faith, sacrifice, and obedience. This not only helps them understand the story better but also helps them apply these lessons to their own lives.
Use visuals and activities to teach your children about Prophet Ibrahim’s story.
Learning with pictures, storybooks, and videos is so much fun. It makes the story come alive for kids. Furthermore, it helps them always remember it. Additionally, there are more fun activities available to make learning more engaging. You can find some fun activities here.
At Islamic Galaxy, we offer various resources, including books, videos, and fun activities. We also have interactive learning tools such as quizzes and other games. These are designed to go along with the story of Prophet Ibrahim and help your children understand it even more. It also creates an interactive, fun experience to learn about Quranic stories.
Conclusion
Prophet Ibrahim’s story in the Quran isn’t just a tale—it’s a powerful narrative filled with valuable lessons. It teaches children important lessons and values like faith, obedience, patience, and sacrifice. As parents, sharing this story with your children helps them grow into strong, faithful Muslims. So why not explore the great resources on Islamic Galaxy website to bring this story to life for your children and continue their journey of learning and growth? We hope this article was helpful for you and will be for your children! Happy learning
