The Revelation to Ibrahim:
A Glimpse into the Divine Decree
The Quran confirms that Ibrahim (Abraham) was granted a divine revelation
yet many overlook its depth and significance.
It is often assumed that Musa (Moses) was among the earliest prophets to receive scripture,
but the Quran states otherwise:
“This has been revealed in the previous scriptures.
The scriptures of Ibrahim and Musa.”
(87:18-19)
What was in the scriptures of Ibrahim?
The answer unfolds in Surah Adh-Dhariyat (51),
where a seemingly ordinary visit from divine messengers reveals profound truths about
fate, time, and the preordained decrees of past, present, and future nations.
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The Guests of Ibrahim:
A Decree of Life and Death
The account begins with the arrival of angelic guests to Ibrahim.
Their first revelation is a decree of life:
“He then became fearful of them.
They said: Do not fear, and they gave him good news of a knowledgeable son.”
(51:28)
But the conversation quickly takes a more profound turn. Ibrahim,
sensing the messengers’ greater purpose, asks:
“He said: What is your undertaking, O messengers?”
(51:29)
What follows is not just an answer—it is a revelation of divine decree.
The angels reveal their mission regarding the people of Lut (Lot),
but in a striking detail, they speak in the past tense:
“But We only found in it one house of those who had submitted.
And We left in it a sign for those who fear the painful retribution.”
(51:35-37)
Unlike other accounts where the angels announce their impending task
(as seen in Surahs 11, 15, and 29),
here they speak as if the event has already happened.
This suggests that what Ibrahim is receiving is not just news
but a vision of the divine decree, a script of what is already written and must inevitably unfold.
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A Revelation Beyond Time:
Past, Present, and Future
The angels then expand their revelation, detailing nations long after Ibrahim’s time
including Musa and the Pharaoh, who lived centuries later:
“And also Moses,
for We sent him to Pharaoh with a clear authority…”
(51:38)
This is followed by references to the past destruction of the people of Ad, Thamud, and Nuh:
“And in Ad:
When We sent upon them the destructive wind.”
(51:41)
“And in Thamud:
When it was said to them: Enjoy yourselves for a while.”
(51:43)
“And the people of Nuh before,
surely they were a transgressing people.”
(51:46)
These were not just historical accounts
they were revealed to Ibrahim as part of the grand decree,
a book containing the fate of all nations, inscribed before their existence.
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The Overlooked Answer to Ibrahim’s Question
The Quran weaves a subtle yet profound connection between
Ibrahim’s initial interaction with the angels and the divine revelation he receives.
When his guests first arrive, he presents food, but they do not eat.
He asks:
“So he brought it near them.
He said: What! will you not eat?”
(51:27)
Later in the Surah, the answer appears—though often dismissed as unrelated:
“I do not desire from them any sustenance,
and I do not desire that they should feed Me.”
(51:57)
This statement, spoken in a divine voice, mirrors the interaction between Ibrahim and the angels. The refusal of sustenance signifies the nature of these messengers—not bound by human needs, but bearers of divine decree.
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The Angels’ Final Instructions to Ibrahim
As the messengers conclude their revelation,
they give Ibrahim divine instructions regarding his people:
“Then turn your back upon them for you are not to blame;”
(51:54)
“And continue to remind, for surely the reminder profits the believers.”
(51:55)
Additionally, they offer two declarations, affirming their role as divine warners:
“Therefore fly to Allah, surely I am a plain warner to you from Him.”
(51:50)
“And do not set up with Allah another god: surely I am a plain warner to you from Him.”
(51:51)
These verses further confirm that the angels were not merely delivering a single message
but revealing a divine decree that encompasses past, present, and future events.
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The Revelation of the Believers’ Future
Ibrahim was not only shown the decrees of destruction
he may have also received visions of the believers’ future.
When he prays for his descendants,
he speaks with certainty about future pilgrims visiting the sacred site,
despite having just left his progeny in a barren land:
“Our Lord,
I have resided some from my progeny in a valley with no vegetation,
near Your Restricted Sanctuary.
My Lord,
so that they may hold the contact prayer.
So let the hearts of the people incline towards them
and give provisions to them of the fruits that they may give thanks.”
(14:37)
This aligns with another decree in Surah Al-Baqarah:
“And when We made the House a pilgrimage for men and a (place of) security, and:
Appoint for yourselves a place of prayer on the standing-place of Ibrahim.
And We enjoined Ibrahim and Ismail, saying:
Purify My House for those who visit (it)
and those who abide (in it) for devotion
and those who bow down and those who prostrate themselves.
And when said Ibrahim,
‘My Lord, make this a city secure and provide its people with fruits,
(to) whoever believed in Allah and the Last Day.’
He said,
‘And whoever disbelieved,
[then] I will grant him enjoyment a little;
then I will force him to (the) punishment (of) the Fire, and evil is the destination.’”
(2:125-126)
Was Ibrahim shown a vision of the future believers performing Hajj?
If so, this further supports the idea that his revelation was not just historical,
but an all-encompassing record of past, present, and future events written by divine decree.
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The Hidden Revelation in Surah 51
The common mistake is to stop reading at the mention of Musa,
assuming the passage shifts topics.
Yet, when read in context, it becomes clear that Ibrahim was orally given details of the divine decree
a book beyond time, revealing the inevitable fates of nations long before they arose.
This is not just a narrative
it is an invitation to look deeper into the Quran’s structure and meaning.
The revelation to Ibrahim challenges our perception of time, destiny, and divine knowledge.
A script was given to Ibrahim.
A decree written before the existence of those it describes.
A book containing the fate of nations across time.
What remains is for us to recognize its significance.