Surah al-Anbiya' (The Prophets ) 21 : 69

Overview (Verses 69 - 73)

When the Fire Was Made Cool
 
So, the unbelievers cried, ‘burn him!’ A different word, however, was also said at this point to render everything they said meaningless, and to reduce their schemes to nothingness. This was the supreme word that can never be countered: “But We said: Fire, be cool to Abraham, and a source of inner peace [for him].” (Verse 69) And thus the fire was cool and a source of inner peace for Abraham to enjoy and relax in.
 
How is this possible? Yet why do we even ask about this when it is only the word, ‘be’, that needs to be said for worlds and universes to come into existence and for universal rules to be set in operation: “When He wills a thing to be, He only says to it, ‘Be’– and it is.” (36: 82) We do not need to ask how the fire soothed rather than burnt Abraham when it is a well known phenomenon that fire burns all living tissues. For it was the One who said to the fire in the first place, ‘burn’ who also said to it in this instance, ‘be cool and a source of inner peace’. It is the same word that initiates its object at the moment it is said, whatever that object may be, whether it is familiar to us or not.
 
Those who compare God’s actions to those of human beings are the ones who ask how this could happen. On the other hand, those of us who understand that the two are widely different in both their nature and the means they employ neither ask such questions, nor do we try to find explanations, scientific or otherwise. The question is not one for analyses and explanations by human standards. Any method that tries to explain such miracles except by reference to God’s absolute power suffers a basic defect. God’s actions cannot be subjected to human standards or explained within the confines of man’s limited knowledge.
 
All we need to do is to believe that this actually took place, because the One who did it is able to make it happen. What He did to the fire to make it cool so that it gave Abraham inner peace, and what He did to Abraham so that the fire did not burn him are points the Qur’ān does not explain because our limited minds fall short of understanding them. On the other hand, we have no source of evidence other than the Qur’ānic text.
 
Transforming the fire so as to give Abraham coolness and inner peace is only one example of God’s infinite ability, even though they may not be totally contrary to what we are familiar with, as this one. There are countless other difficulties and circumstances that beset individuals and communities which, if allowed to run their course, would cause their total ruin. But then God administers just a small touch to bring about life instead of death, happiness instead of misery, and endless goodness instead of unmitigated evil. Thus we see how the command that made the fire cool, bringing peace to Abraham is frequently repeated in the life of individuals, groups and communities, as well as in the life of ideas and beliefs. This command is only a manifestation of the word which renders any scheme, effort or design futile, because it is the final say by the highest power.
 
“They sought to lay a snare for him, but We caused them to be the absolute losers.” (Verse 70) It is reported that the king who was Abraham’s contemporary was the Nimrod, the Aramaic king of Iraq. He and his supporters were destroyed by some punishment inflicted by God. The reports we have differ as to the details of this punishment. We have no way of verifying them. However, all that we need to know is that God saved Abraham from the torture prepared for him while his opponents who schemed against him were the ones to suffer utter loss. They are described in the Qur’ān as the ‘absolute losers’.
 
“We delivered him and Lot, [bringing them] to the land which We have blessed for all mankind.” (Verse 71) It was to the land of Palestine that he and his nephew, Lot, emigrated. This was the land to receive revelations from on high for a very long time and the area where prophets and messengers of Abraham’s descent were raised. This area incorporates the holy land where the second house of worship was built. It is a fertile land with rich tillage. All these blessings were added to that of the generations of prophets living there.
 
And We gave him Isaac and, as an additional gift, Jacob, and caused all of them to be righteous men, and We made them leaders to give guidance at Our behest. We inspired them to do good works, and to be constant in prayer, and to give regular charity. It is Us alone that they worshipped. (Verses 72-73)
 
Abraham left his home country where his family and community lived. So God compensated him with this blessed land as a better country to live in. He also gave him his son Isaac and grandson Jacob to be a better family than the one he had earlier. He also gave him a better community than his old one and raised from his offspring leaders to give mankind guidance. He inspired them to do all sorts of good works, to attend to their prayers and to give regular charity, or zakāt. They were obedient worshippers of God. All this was Abraham’s blessed compensation given by God for his perseverance when he was tested. It was a goodly compensation to fit his endurance in adversity.