Prophet Ibrahim's (May peace be upon him) love for Allah Most High

A bondsman has come into this world to acquire the realization (Ma’arifah) of the Lord Almighty and to be busy worshipping Him day and night.  The realization of Allah Most High reaches its perfection through 3 ways.

 

(1)    Realization of the self, which is gained by sacrificing oneself.

(2)    Realization of attributes, which is gained by sacrificing one’s progeny.

(3)    Realization of actions, which is gained by sacrifice of money.

 

Unless and until these 3 sacrifices are given, the love of Allah Most High cannot be gained and neither can any bondsman become perfect without sacrifices.  (Ruh Al Bayan, Vol. 7, Pg. No. 474)

 

Prophet Ibrahim (May peace be upon him) gave all these sacrifices in love for Allah Most High.

 

Sacrificing wealth in the path of Allah Most High

 

One among the signs of love is that the lover doesn’t like to see anything else apart from his beloved, he wants to listen to the mention of his beloved and all he wants to talk about is his beloved.

 

Prophet Ibrahim (May peace be upon him) was so absorbed in the love of Allah that he himself would be busy in remembrance of Allah and if he heard the mention of Allah from anyone else, he would enjoy it so much that he would ask the person to repeat it again and again, so much so that if he had to sacrifice anything to hear the mention of Allah, he would not hesitate to do it.

 

Allah Most High had granted his friend, Prophet Ibrahim (May peace be upon him) great quantities of wealth as given in Tafseer Ruh Al Bayan:

 

Translation: He had 5000 flocks of sheep and 5000 slaves.  The sheep dogs had leashes of gold.  The angels were surprised that he had such wealth and along with all this he is the friend (Khaleel) of Allah Most High and is seated on the station of divine friendship.  The angels were surprised at this merging of wealth and divine friendship.  (Ruh Al Bayan, Vol. 7, Pg. No. 474, Surah As Saffaat 104-105)

 

Thus to express his station, Allah Most High tested him by sending an angel in the guise of a man.  The angel sat on a high mound on the path through which Prophet Ibrahim (May peace be upon him) would take his goats and started the mention of Allah in a loud voice:

 

Translation: My Lord is sublime and great.  He is the sustainer (Rabb) of angels and Hadhrat Jibreel (May peace be upon him).

 

When Hadhrat Ibrahim (May peace be upon him) heard the mention of his beloved, there was an upsurge in the desire to meet Him.  He told the angel:

 

Translation: O human!  Mention the name of my Lord again.  I will give you half of my wealth.  The angel again performed the Tasbeeh (glorification) of Allah Most High.  Prophet Ibrahim (May peace be upon him):  Mention the name of my Lord again!  Whatever goats, slaves and whatever you see is all yours.  (Ruh AL Bayan, Vol. 7, Pg. No. 474, As Saffaat, 104/105)

 

By spending his wealth in the love of Allah Most High, Prophet Ibrahim (May peace be upon him) showed that one should be so annihilated in the love of Allah Most High that the love of wealth should not stop one from spending in the path of Allah Most High.  If Allah has granted this world and worldly wealth, then one should try to gain the hereafter by spending that wealth and one should ask of Allah the high stations of the hereafter.  On the contrary, being so submersed in the love of material wealth that one forgets the hereafter and hesitating to spend the wealth in the path of Allah Most High does not befit a bondsman of Allah.