When his father did not listen to him or heed his call, Ibrahim AS turned his attention to his people, calling them to the Truth and help them accept Allah as their one true God.

Undeterred by his father`s disbelief and threats, Ibrahim AS decided to channel his efforts towards bringing the people of his town towards the message of Allah, but they rejected his words and threatened him with violence. Ibrahim AS was given inspiration to adopt a different approach to change the hearts and minds of his people.

On the eve of a big celebration, Ibrahim AS knew that the townsfolk would be leaving to share a huge feast. When they had left, Ibrahim AS went into their temple to carry out a prophetic mission: to demolish their idols, except one, the largest idol, so that he could explain to them the error of their ways.

وَتَٱللَّهِ لَأَكِيدَنَّ أَصْنَـٰمَكُم بَعْدَ أَن تُوَلُّوا۟ مُدْبِرِينَ

By Allah! I will certainly plan against your idols when you turn and go away.”

فَجَعَلَهُمْ جُذَٰذًا إِلَّا كَبِيرًا لَّهُمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِ يَرْجِعُونَ

So he broke them all in pieces, except the biggest of them, so that they might turn to it.

When the townspeople returned, they were horrified. Their idols lay in ruins.

قَالُوا۟ مَن فَعَلَ هَـٰذَا بِـَٔالِهَتِنَآ إِنَّهُۥ لَمِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ

(On their return when they saw the plight of their idols), some asked, “Who has done this to our gods? He must surely be a wicked person!”

They quickly remembered that Ibrahim had been encouraging them to worship Allah alone and to submit to the monotheistic faith of Ibrahim.

قَالُوا۟ سَمِعْنَا فَتًى يَذْكُرُهُمْ يُقَالُ لَهُۥٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمُ

Others replied, “We heard a youth, called Ibrahim, talking about them.”

قَالُوا۟ فَأْتُوا۟ بِهِۦ عَلَىٰٓ أَعْيُنِ ٱلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَشْهَدُونَ

They said, “Then bring him here before the eyes of the people, so that they may witness how severely he is punished.”

They asked him:

قَالُوٓا۟ ءَأَنتَ فَعَلْتَ هَـٰذَا بِـَٔالِهَتِنَا يَـٰٓإِبْرَٰهِيمُ

When Ibrahim came, they asked, “O Ibrahim, are you the one who has done this to our gods?”

قَالَ بَلْ فَعَلَهُۥ كَبِيرُهُمْ هَـٰذَا فَسْـَٔلُوهُمْ إِن كَانُوا۟ يَنطِقُونَ

He replied, “This statue, the biggest of them all has done it! Ask them about it!”

فَرَجَعُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ فَقَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّكُمْ أَنتُمُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ

Thereupon they turned to search their own consciences, and said to themselves, “Surely you yourselves are the wrongdoers!”

ثُمَّ نُكِسُوا۟ عَلَىٰ رُءُوسِهِمْ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ يَنطِقُونَ

Confounded as they were, lowering their heads they said, “You know fully well that they cannot speak.”

And Ibrahim said:

قَالَ أَفَتَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُكُمْ شَيْـًٔا وَلَا يَضُرُّكُمْ

At this Ibrahim said, “Do you then worship these deities, instead of Allah, who can neither benefit nor harm you?

أُفٍّ لَّكُمْ وَلِمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ

Shame on you and on those deities you worship besides Allah! Have you no sense at all?”

They were silent, knowing that Ibrahim AS had made a valid point, but their pride wouldn’t allow them to reject the idols they’d been worshipping for generations. Anger surged in the crowd.

The crowd bade for Ibrahim AS to be burned. They wanted revenge for the damage to their idols and only Ibrahim AS’s blood would do.

قَالُوا۟ حَرِّقُوهُ وَٱنصُرُوٓا۟ ءَالِهَتَكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ فَـٰعِلِينَ

They concluded, “Burn him up to avenge your gods, if you must act.”

The decision to burn him alive was sanctioned by Nimrud, the king, and his priests. News travelled fast and thousands of people from all over the kingdom arrived to witness the execution.

A huge pit was dug in the ground and filled with wood. It was the biggest fire anyone had ever seen. Ibrahim AS was shackled, his hands and feet chained tightly together, and he was fitted into a giant catapult that would throw him in the fire. At that moment, Ibrahim AS was visited by the Angel Jibreel AS, who said: “Is there anything you wish for?” Ibrahim AS replied that his only wish was for Allah to be pleased with him. He could’ve asked for anything, but instead of begging for his life to be saved, he chose to ask for the blessing of Allah.

Allah would not allow the Prophet to be executed. He ordered the fire to be nothing but cool and peaceful for Ibrahim, and the fire obeyed, burning only Ibrahim’s chains.

قُلْنَا يَـٰنَارُ كُونِى بَرْدًا وَسَلَـٰمًا عَلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ

When they threw him in the fire, We commanded, “O fire! Be cool and comfortable for Ibrahim.”

Ibrahim walked out the fire without a bead of sweat upon his skin or hint of smoke coming from his clothing. Spectators gasped in amazement, crying: “Ibrahim’s God has saved him from the flames!”