THE PROPHET IBRAHIM

Before the Holy Prophet Muhammad was born there were other prophets.
Adam was the first Prophet of God and Muhammad was the last. After Muhammad
there are no more prophets. The Prophet Ibrahim is one of the Prophet of Allah. The
name Ibrahim means “loving father”.
At that time, Ibrahim’s people did not believe in one God. They worshipped
idols of wood and stone. They worshipped the sun, the moon, the stars. Ibrahim knew
that idols wer not gods. The sun rises and sets. The light of the sun is stronger and
brighter than the light of the moon and the stars. Finally Ibrahim knew that there was
only one God, Allah. Allah made the sun and the moon and the stars and He put them
in the sky.
Ibrahim spoke to his people. “ Why do you worship these pieces of wood and
stone? They can not help you. They are dead things. They are useless. Destroy them.
There is only one God, Allah.” The people said,” We do this because our fathers and
our grandfathers and our ancestors did it. They believed in their gods. We believe in
them, too. We do not believe in one God. There are many gods.”
One day when the people were not there, Ibrahim went into the temple and he broke
their idols. He broke them, all except one very big idol. When the people came back
they saw the broken idols. The said to ibrahim. “ Did you destroy our idols ?” He
said,” No, I did not.” “ Then who destroyed them ?”, they asked. “ It was the big idol
there,” said Ibrahim. “ It destroyed all the others.” “It did not do that,” they said. “
Why not?” asked Ibrahim. “ Because it can not move,” they said. “ Why don’ you ask
it ?” said Ibrahim, “All these idols are stupid and useless.”
The people were angry. They made a very big fire and they threw Ibrahim into
it. Allah saved the life of His Prophet. Allah made the flames of the fire cold and they
did not burn Ibrahim. ( adopted from ‘English for Islamic Students’ )

Glossary :
Prophet : Nabi
Idol : berhala
To worship : menyembah
Ancestor(s) : nenek moyang
Flame(s) : nyala api
Useless : Tidak bermanfaat

True ( T ) or False ( F ) ?

1. Ibrahim was the first prophet. T/F

2. There were no more prophets after Ibrahim. T/F
3. Ibrahim’s people were not Muslims. T/F
4. Ibrahim did not believe in his people’s idols. T/F
5.Ibrahim told the people, “ Destroy your idols. They are useless.” T/F
6. The ancestors of Ibrahim’s people also worshipped idols. T/F
7. Ibrahim went into the temple when the people were not there and
broke all the idols. T/F
8. The big idol destroyed all the other idols. T/F
9. The people were very angry because Ibrahim did not believe in
their idols. T/F
10. The fire did not burn Ibrahim. T/F
 The Prophet Muhammad and a Spider’s Web

Muhammad tried to tell God’s Message to the people of Mecca, but they did
not listen. Why didn’t they listen to Muhammad ? They didn’t listen because they did
not want to change their lives. Many of them were merchants. They bought and sold
things. They made a big prophet. They worshipped their idols in the Kaabah. Their
lives were very bad. They gambled and drank wine.
Muhammad told them about the Message from God. They did not want to
listen. They wanted only to make a prophet, to gamble and to drink wine. Muhammad
told them not to do these things. They did not listen. They did not like Muhammad.
They said,’This man wants us to destroy our idols. He wants us to believe in one God.
He does not want us to drink wine or gamble.
Finally many of the people of Mecca wanted to kill Muhammad. Muhammad
knew about this. He left his house and went to the house of his friend, Abu baker. At
night the Meccans went to Muhammad’s house. They carried long knives. They ran
into muhammad’s house. They wanted to kill him. He was not there.
In Muhammad’s bed was his nephew, Ali. Muhammad and Abu Bakar left
Mecca. They went quickly into the hills close to the town. The hills were very high.
Muhammad and Abu baker were very tired. Finally they found a large cave. They
went into this cave. Abu Bakar said,’ The Meccan can not find us here.’
Very soon the Meccans also came to the hills. They wanted to find
Muhammad and Abu baker. They wanted to kill them. Finally they came to the front
of the cave. Muhammad and Abu Bakar sat quietly inside the cave. They did not
speak. One man said,’Look in that cave. Perhaps Muhammad is hiding here.’The man
said,’No, they are not in this cave.’ Another man said,’ Why aren’t they in the cave ?
The first man said,’ Because there is a spider’s web across the front of the cave.’ ‘A
spider web?’ said the other. ‘Well, you are right, They can not be in the cave.’ The
Meccans went away. So through the work of a little spider, Allah save the lives of the
Holy Prophet and his friend, Abu Bakar.
( Adopted from ‘ English for Islamic Study )

Glossary :
A merchant : pedagang
Profit(s) : keuntungan/laba
Gamble(s)/ed : bejudi
Wine : anggur
Spider’s web : sarang laba-laba

Answer the questions correctly !

1.Were the people of Mecca’s live very bad ? Why ?

2. Why did not the people of Mecca like Muhammad ?
3. Did the people of Mecca want to kill Muhammad ?
4. What did Muhammad do when he knew they want to kill him ?
5. Who did Muhammad leave Mecca with ?
6. Where did Muhammad and his friend hide ?
7. Did the people of Mecca want to find Muhammad ?
8. They did believe that Muhammad was hiding in the cave ?
9. What was across the front of the cave ?
10. Did the Meccans go away ?