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Ibrahim Nabi (AS) was born and brought up in the house of his father, Nahour. In the Quran-e-majeed, Allah has mentioned Ibrahim (AS) as the son of Azar, who was actually his grandfather from his mother’s side.
Ibrahim (AS) was brought up by Azar in the era of his enemy Nimrood. Nimrood was also an astrologer and foresaw that a child would be born in his city upon whose hands his dynasty would fall.
Nimrood ordered his subjects to stay away from their wives for a year. Azar was aware that his daughter was pregnant but kept it a secret. When she gave birth to a child, Azar decided to surrender him to Nimroud, but his daughter implored him not to do so. Instead she offered to flee the city with the baby.
She left with the baby (Ibrahim) at night and left him in a cave where she would return every night and feed him. She would always find Ibrahim (AS) sucking his fingers that secreted milk in abundance. She would then shift him from cave to cave as a precaution until he grew up and became strong and mature.
Ibrahim Nabi (AS) was endowed with spiritual understanding from an early age. Allah enlightened his heart and mind and gave him wisdom from childhood.
Ibrahim's (AS) people had a big temple full of idols, in the middle of which was a niche that accommodated the big gods.
Ibrahim Nabi (AS) tried to instill in his people the belief in the oneness of Allah. He ordered them to renounce the worship of idols. He said to them: "Do you observe that which you have been worshipping, you and your ancestors? Verily! They are enemies to me, save the Lord of Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists). It is Allah who has created me and it is He who guides me and it is He who feeds me and gives me to drink. And when I am ill, it is Allah who cures me; and He who will cause me to die and then will bring me to life again and He who I hope will forgive me my faults on the Day of Resurrection." (26:69-82 Quran).
To convince them that the idols could neither do them harm nor good, Ibrahim Nabi (AS) destroyed all the idols except the biggest of them. When the people saw the broken idols they said: "Who has done this to our gods? He must indeed be one of the wrongdoers." Someone said: "We heard a young man talking against the idols who is called Ibrahim." Ibrahim was called to court. "Are you the one who has done this to our gods, O Ibrahim?” they asked. Ibrahim replied: "I did not do it; it was the biggest idol who did it. Ask the idols, if they can speak!" Allah has mentioned this incident in Sura tul Anbiyaa.
The people realized their beliefs were wrong for the idol could provide no answer, but very soon they lapsed back to their old faith and paid no heed to Ibrahim (AS). Ibrahim (AS) said: "Do you then worship besides Allah, things that can neither profit you nor harm you? Disgrace upon you, and upon that which you worship besides Allah!” (21:59-67)
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