Why Did Abraham Pray for His Unbelieving Father?

 

Abraham’s father, Azar, was the man among his people who shaped idols out of wood or stones. Abraham started his mission by calling him to desist from idol-worship and turn towards God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth. When he encountered the inexplicable opposition of his father, he left him, saying: ‘I will pray for forgiveness for you,’ and because of this promise, he asked God’s pardon for him, saying, ‘Forgive my father, for that he is one of those who go astray!’(Shu‘ara, 26.86).

Some have regarded Abraham’s asking God’s forgiveness for his father as a lapse, as his father was an unbeliever. However, it is difficult to regard it as a lapse. For, first of all, Abraham was a Prophet deputed by God to call people to the truth and salvation. Like every Prophet, he was so caring towards all of God’s servants that he grieved himself to death if they did not follow God’s way to happiness and salvation in both worlds. We can discern in the following verses to what extent he desired his father's guidance:

(Also) mention in the Book (the story of) Abraham: He was a man of truth, a Prophet. Behold, he said to his father: ‘My father, why worship you that which hears not and sees not, and can profit you nothing? My father, surely there has come to me the knowledge which has not reached you, so follow me; I will guide you to a straight, even way. O my father, serve not Satan, for Satan is a rebel against the Most Merciful. O my father, I fear lest a penalty afflict you from the Most Merciful, so that you become a friend to Satan.’ (Maryam, 19.41-45)

It was Abraham’s duty to call them to worship the One God regardless of their persistent rejection. Although the Qur’an openly stated that As to those who unbelieve, it is the same to them whether you warn them or not, for they will not believe (al-Baqara, 2.6), God’s Messenger never gave up warning them. Besides calling his father to the truth, Abraham prayed for his father until, as stated in the Qur’an, it became clear to him that his father was an enemy to God. When Abraham was convinced that his father was an enemy to God, he dissociated himself from him (al-Tawba, 9.114). God Almighty mentions this not as a lapse on Abraham’s part, but as a virtue, saying: For Abraham was most tender-hearted, forbearing. He also introduces Abraham’s conduct as an excellent example to follow:

There is for you an excellent example (to follow) in Abraham and those with him. They said to their people: ‘We are clear of you and whatever you worship besides God. We have rejected you, and there has arisen enmity and hatred forever between us and you, unless you believe in God and Him alone.’ But Abraham said to his father: ‘I will pray for forgiveness for you, although I have no power (to get) anything on your behalf from God.’ – ‘Our Lord! In You we have put our trust, and to You we turn in repentance; to You is the final return.’ (al-Mumtahana, 60.4)

As indicated above, Abraham’s prayer for his father was because of a promise he had made to him (al-Tawba, 9.114), and when it became clear to him that his father was an enemy to God, he dissociated himself from him and gave up praying for his forgiveness.

It should finally be noted here that some interpreters of the Qur’an do not accept that Azar was the father of Abraham. Although it is not a defect on the part of Abraham to descend from an unbelieving father, for God Almighty brings forth the living out of the dead, and brings forth the dead out of the living (Al ‘Imran, 3.27), the Qur’an always uses for Azar the word, Ab, meaning also uncle, step-father or foster-father or grandfather. Although the Prophet Abraham was prohibited to ask forgiveness for Azar, we see in the Qur’an that he asked forgiveness for his parents in his old age, saying: Our Lord! Forgive me, my parents, and all believers on the day that the Reckoning will be established’ (Abraham, 14.41). In this prayer, he uses the word, walid for father, meaning the one who begets him. It is therefore a strong probability that Azar was not his father who begot him. According to the Bible, the real father of Abraham was Terah. However, God knows best.