Fate of the People of Ibrahim (pbuh)
Question:
The Quran narrates the entire story of Abraham pbuh and his people, albeit in contrast to all other prophets mentioned does not discuss the actual fate of the people of Abraham pbuh. Why does Quran make an exception?
Answer:
Of course there are subtle references about the fate of the leaders of the opposition from among the original nation of Ibrahim (who were under the rule of Namroud), like 21:70. However you are right in that there are no details and specifications like for other nations and that even these subtle references do not seem to be about the whole nation of Ibrahim.
The Qur'an is not a book of history. It only narrates those historical events that have a specific message for the primary addressees of the Book. Among these stories, and the most repeated ones in the Qur'an, are the story of those nations who were punished or rewarded after rejecting or accepting a messenger of God. These stories were directly related to the polytheists and the people of the book at the time of the Prophet (pbuh).
It appears that Ibrahim's (pbuh) mission was not to remain with his original people enough to make them reach the reward and punishment stage (1). He had a very unique mission as a messenger. The focus of the Book about Ibrahim (pbuh) appears to be mostly on this unique mission, that was, to initiate the seeds of the two nations that later became the chosen nations of God in turn (i.e. Bani Israel and then Bani Ishmael).
In my understanding this is why the fate of the people under the rule of Namroud is not narrated in the Qur'an.
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Footnote:
1. It is the Sunnah of the Almighty, as illustrated and explained in the Qur'an, that when a messenger is sent to a nation, he normally stays with them enough to communicate the truth to them completely. As the result no excuse will remain for the nation. This means those who reject him would do that not due to not being convinced, but due to their arrogance. At this point the punishment of those rejectors will not wait till the day of judgement. It starts in this very world and continues to the hereafter. Just as the reward of those who help the messenger will start at this very world and continues to the hereafter.
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June 2013
The Quran narrates the entire story of Abraham pbuh and his people, albeit in contrast to all other prophets mentioned does not discuss the actual fate of the people of Abraham pbuh. Why does Quran make an exception?
Answer:
Of course there are subtle references about the fate of the leaders of the opposition from among the original nation of Ibrahim (who were under the rule of Namroud), like 21:70. However you are right in that there are no details and specifications like for other nations and that even these subtle references do not seem to be about the whole nation of Ibrahim.
The Qur'an is not a book of history. It only narrates those historical events that have a specific message for the primary addressees of the Book. Among these stories, and the most repeated ones in the Qur'an, are the story of those nations who were punished or rewarded after rejecting or accepting a messenger of God. These stories were directly related to the polytheists and the people of the book at the time of the Prophet (pbuh).
It appears that Ibrahim's (pbuh) mission was not to remain with his original people enough to make them reach the reward and punishment stage (1). He had a very unique mission as a messenger. The focus of the Book about Ibrahim (pbuh) appears to be mostly on this unique mission, that was, to initiate the seeds of the two nations that later became the chosen nations of God in turn (i.e. Bani Israel and then Bani Ishmael).
In my understanding this is why the fate of the people under the rule of Namroud is not narrated in the Qur'an.
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Footnote:
1. It is the Sunnah of the Almighty, as illustrated and explained in the Qur'an, that when a messenger is sent to a nation, he normally stays with them enough to communicate the truth to them completely. As the result no excuse will remain for the nation. This means those who reject him would do that not due to not being convinced, but due to their arrogance. At this point the punishment of those rejectors will not wait till the day of judgement. It starts in this very world and continues to the hereafter. Just as the reward of those who help the messenger will start at this very world and continues to the hereafter.
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June 2013
