Surah “Ibrâhim -Abraham”

Name:

It has been named after the word “Ibrâhim” that has been taken from verse 35 “Recall that time when Ibrâhim had prayed”.  However, it does not mean that it contains the autobiography of Prophet Ibrâhim.  It is a symbolic name like the names of many other Sűrahs, means the Sűrah in which Prophet Ibrâhim has been mentioned.

 

Period of Revelation:

The common style of the speech is like the Sűrahs which were revealed during the last period of the stay in Makkah.  It appears that it has been revealed in the very near period of Sűrah Ar-Ra'ad.  Specially the verse 13 ("Finally the unbelievers said to their Rasools: "Either you have to come back to our Faith otherwise we shall expel you from our land."  Then, their Râbb sent Revelation towards them that: "WE will destroy these wrongdoers (Zâliműn)") clearly indicates at that time the persecution of the Muslims had reached to its limits and the people of Makkah were bent on expelling the Believers from there.  This is why the same warning has been repeated that was given to the former nations – that “WE will destroy these wrongdoers” and the Believers have been put at ease as former believers have been, verse 14 -- "And (WE) shall settle you in the land after them”.

 

Similarly, the harsh warning contained in the last Rakuh (vv. 43-52) also confirms that this Sűrah relates to the last part of the Makki period.

 

Main Theme and Purpose:

The people, who were refusing to accept the Prophethood of Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and were trying their utmost for the failure of his movement – have been warned.  However, instead of admonition this Sűrah has severe style of warning, scolding, reprimand.  This is because the admonition had already been made in the preceding Sűrahs, but in spite of that, the behavior of disbelievers of Quraish had been increasing day by day towards stubbornness, enmity, hostility, mischief, and persecution.

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