Click here to download this article as a pdf
Allah Ta’ala blessed Hazrat Sayyiduna Ibrahim (Alaihis Salaam) with many favours and excellences, and these not only manifest the exalted status of the Khaleel of Allah Ta’ala, but it also manifests the status and excellence of the most exalted creation of Allah Ta’ala, His Beloved, our Master, Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam).
Among those excellences, Allah Ta’ala granted Sayyiduna Ibrahim (Alaihis Salaam) the certainty of sight by showing him everything in the heavens and the earth. Allah Ta’ala states in the Holy Qurān:
وَ كَذٰلِكَ نُرِیْۤ اِبْرٰهِیْمَ مَلَكُوْتَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضِ وَ لِیَكُوْنَ مِنَ الْمُوْقِنِیْنَ ؕ
And likewise We show Ibrahim the entire kingdom of the heavens and the earth and so that he be of those who believe with certainty of sight. {Surah 6:75}
Allah Ta’ala showed the entire heavens and the earth to Sayyiduna Ibrahim (Alaihis Salaam) to this extent that the reality of the sun, moon, mountains, trees, oceans and everything else was manifested to him. {Tazkiratul Ambiya}
He was shown all of the signs and wonders and without doubt the seven heavens were manifested to him such that he saw everything in the heavens to the extent that his vision reached till the Arsh of Allah Ta’ala. Similarly, the seven earths were manifested to him such that he saw everything in the earths. {Tafseer Roohul Ma’āni}
It is stated that Sayyiduna Ibrahim (Alaihis Salaam) was made to stand on the Sakhra (rock) of Baitul Muqaddas and the heavens were manifested to him to the point that he saw the Arsh, Kursi, all the wonders of the heavens and even his place in Jannah. Even the earths were manifested to him until he saw till the lowest earth and saw all the wonders of the earths. Furthermore, it is stated that every manifest and hidden thing was placed in front of him such that even the actions of the creation were not hidden from him. {Tafseer Khazāin-ul-Irfān}
SubhānAllah! What a status Allah Ta’ala granted to Sayyiduna Ibrahim (Alaihis Salaam) that he was blessed with the vision of everything in the heavens while standing on the earth! Who can then understand the status granted to our Beloved Rasool (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) that he was taken on a journey on the Night of Me’rāj and physically shown everything in the heavens and beyond. From this we can understand the difference in status between the Khaleel and the Habeeb of Allah Ta’ala.
It is narrated from Hazrat Sayyiduna Maula Ali (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) that Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, “When Hazrat Ibrahim (Alaihis Salaam) had witnessed the kingdoms of the heaven and the earth, he saw a person hiding in a far away place, engrossed in committing sin. But because he had witnessed what he was doing, he made Dua against that person and Allah Ta’ala destroyed him. Thereafter, Sayyiduna Ibrahim (Alaihis Salaam) became aware of another person’s sins as well, so he made Dua against him also and Allah Ta’ala destroyed him as well.
Following that, he became aware of yet another person committing sin and he had only made the intention of making Dua against that person also, when Allah Ta’ala prevented him from doing so and said, ‘O Ibrahim! You are Mustajāb-ud-Da’wāt (a person whose Duas are accepted by Allah Ta’ala). Do not make Dua for the destruction of My servants because my servants are of three kinds; either they are sinners but they will repent and I will accept their repentance, or they will remain as sinners themselves but in their progeny there will be such pious people who will fill the earth with glorification (meaning that they will glorify Allah Ta’ala so much that through their blessings others will also become engrossed in the remembrance of Allah Ta’ala), or they will die in the state of sinfulness and they will be in the grasp of My Divine Power, and it will be My Will, whether I forgive them or punish them.’” {Tafseer Roohul Ma’āni}
SubhānAllah! If Sayyiduna Ibrahim (Alaihis Salaam) could see the sins people were committing even if it was far away in a hidden place, then undoubtedly Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) sees our deeds, and it hurts him when we commit sins. Furthermore, we can see how merciful our Beloved Rasool (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) is, that when he sees us engrossed in sins, instead of making Dua for our destruction, he makes Dua of forgiveness for us. Even when the people of Tāif insulted him, stoned him and oppressed him, to the extent that Hazrat Jibreel (Alaihis Salaam) presented himself and offered to destroy the people of Tāif, Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) still showed compassion towards them and prevented them from destruction, hoping for believers to emerge from their progeny. He is indeed the greatest manifestation of the Mercy of Allah Ta’ala.
May Allah Ta’ala grant us true love and honour for Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) and the Taufeeq to appreciate being in the Ummah of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), Āmeen.