Question:

Do the followers of Umar report that the Imam and Prophet Abraham (a.) bowed to a tyrant and even offered him his own wife?

Answer:

Abu Hurairah reported, that Prophet Muhammad (s.) said: ,,Abraham (a.) migrated with Sarah (a.) and entered a city with her, where there was one of the kings or tyrants. It was said: ,,Abraham entered with a woman, who is one of the most beautiful women.” Therefore the tyrant made Abraham (a.) come and said: ,,O Abraham, who is this lady you have with you?” He said: ,,My sister.” Then he turned back to Sarah and said: ,,Do not deny my testimony, for I have told them that you are my sister. By God, there is no believer in the land except you and me!” After that he sent her to the tyrant, so that he rose up to her. She performed the ablution of prayer, performed the prayer and said: ,,God, when I believe in You and Your Messenger and guard my shame except for my husband, do not let the disbelievers overpower me!” He groaned until he set his legs in motion, whereupon she said: ,,God, if he dies, then they will say: ,,She murdered him!” He regained his strength and rose up to her, whereupon she stood up, performed the ablution of prayer, performed the prayer and said: ,,God, when I believe in You and Your Messenger and guard my shame except for my husband, do not let the disbelievers overpower me!” He groaned until he set his legs in motion, whereupon she said: ,,God, when he dies, they will say: ,,She murdered him!” He regained his strength for the second or third time and said: ,,By God, you have not given me anyone but a Satan. Bring her to Abraham and give her a reward.” Thereupon, she went back to Abraham (a.) and said: ,,I felt that God would humiliate the disbeliever and would send us a slave girl.” [Sahih Al-Bukhari, Hadith 2104]

حدثنا أبو اليمان أخبرنا شعيب حدثنا أبو الزناد عن الأعرج عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم هاجر إبراهيم عليه السلام بسارة فدخل بها قرية فيها ملك من الملوك أو جبار من الجبابرة فقيل دخل إبراهيم بامرأة هي من أحسن النساء فأرسل إليه أن يا إبراهيم من هذه التي معك قال أختي ثم رجع إليها فقال لا تكذبي حديثي فإني أخبرتهم أنك أختي والله إن على الأرض مؤمن غيري وغيرك فأرسل بها إليه فقام إليها فقامت توضأ وتصلي فقالت اللهم إن كنت آمنت بك وبرسولك وأحصنت فرجي إلا على زوجي فلا تسلط علي الكافر فغط حتى ركض برجله قال الأعرج قال أبو سلمة بن عبد الرحمن إن أبا هريرة قال قالت اللهم إن يمت يقال هي قتلته فأرسل ثم قام إليها فقامت توضأ تصلي وتقول اللهم إن كنت آمنت بك وبرسولك وأحصنت فرجي إلا على زوجي فلا تسلط علي هذا الكافر فغط حتى ركض برجله قال عبد الرحمن قال أبو سلمة قال أبو هريرة فقالت اللهم إن يمت فيقال هي قتلته فأرسل في الثانية أو في الثالثة فقال والله ما أرسلتم إلي إلا شيطانا ارجعوها إلى إبراهيم وأعطوها آجر فرجعت إلى إبراهيم عليه السلام فقالت أشعرت أن الله كبت الكافر وأخدم وليدة

Muhammad Al-Basri reported, that Abu Hurairah said: ,,Abraham (a.) lied only three times. Two instances of those were because of God like his statement: ,,I am sick.” (37:89) And his statement: ,,Rather this great one of them may have done it.” (21:63) And when he and Sarah came one day to a tyrant, they said to him: ,,Here is a man, who has with him a woman, who is among the most beautiful of women.” Therefore the tyrant sent for Abraham (a.) and asked him about her saying: ,,Who is this lady?” He said: ,,My sister.” Then he went to Sarah and said: ,,O Sarah, there is no believer on the face of the earth except me and you. That one asked me and I told him that you are my sister, so do not deny my statement!” Abraham (a.) sent Sarah to the tyrant and when she came in to him, he groped her with his hand, whereupon he was overcome with something and he said: ,,Call upon God for me and I will not hurt you.”Therefore she called God and he came to himself. After that, he groped her the second time, whereupon something similar or more strenuous came over him and he said: ,,Call on God for me and I will not hurt you.” Therefore she called upon God and he came to himself. After that he called some of his guards to him and said: ,,You have not brought me a human being, you have brought me a Satan.” He gave her Hagar as a servant and she went to Abraham (a.) while he stood in prayer and moved his hand questioningly. She said: ,,God defeated the plot of the disbelievers and the indecent and made Hagar our servant.” Abu Hurairah said: ,,This is your mother, o sons of the water of the heaven.” [Sahih Al-Bukhari, Hadith 3179]

حدثنا محمد بن محبوب حدثنا حماد بن زيد عن أيوب عن محمد عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال لم يكذب إبراهيم عليه السلام إلا ثلاث كذبات ثنتين منهن في ذات الله عز وجل قوله إني سقيم وقوله بل فعله كبيرهم هذا وقال بينا هو ذات يوم وسارة إذ أتى على جبار من الجبابرة فقيل له إن ها هنا رجلا معه امرأة من أحسن الناس فأرسل إليه فسأله عنها فقال من هذه قال أختي فأتى سارة قال يا سارة ليس على وجه الأرض مؤمن غيري وغيرك وإن هذا سألني فأخبرته أنك أختي فلا تكذبيني فأرسل إليها فلما دخلت عليه ذهب يتناولها بيده فأخذ فقال ادعي الله لي ولا أضرك فدعت الله فأطلق ثم تناولها الثانية فأخذ مثلها أو أشد فقال ادعي الله لي ولا أضرك فدعت فأطلق فدعا بعض حجبته فقال إنكم لم تأتوني بإنسان إنما أتيتموني بشيطان فأخدمها هاجر فأتته وهو قائم يصلي فأومأ بيده مهيا قالت رد الله كيد الكافر أو الفاجر في نحره وأخدم هاجر قال أبو هريرة تلك أمكم يا بني ماء السماء

Comment:

We read something similar in the Bible:

,,And it came to pass, when Abraham came into Egypt, that the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. And when the princes of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her before Pharaoh. Then the woman was brought into the house of pharao. And it went well with Abraham for her sake; and he got sheep and oxen, and donkeys and menservants and maidservants, and female donkeys and camels. But the LORD smote Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, the wife of Abraham.Then Pharaoh called Abraham and said: ,,What have you done to me! Why have you not told me that she is your wife? Why did you say: ,,She is my sister”? So that I would take her to be my wife? And now behold, there is your wife; take her and go!” And Pharaoh appointed men for his sake to escort him and his wife and all that he had.” [Genesis 12:14-20]

ولما اقترب أبرام من مصر استرعى جمال ساراي أنظار المصريين وشاهدها أيضا رؤساء فرعون فأشادوا بها أمامه. فأخذت المرأة إلى بيت فرعون فأحسن إلى أبرام بسببها وأجزل له العطاء من الغنم والبقر والحمير والعبيد والإماء والأتن والجمال ولكن الرب ابتلى فرعون وأهله ببلايا عظيمة بسبب ساراي زوجة أبرام فاستدعى فرعون أبرام وسأله: ماذا فعلت بي؟ لماذا لم تخبرني أنها زوجتك؟ ولماذا ادعيت أنها أختك حتى أخذتها لتكون زوجة لي؟ والآن ها هي زوجتك، خذها وامض في طريقك وأوصى فرعون رجاله بأبرام، فشيعوه وامرأته وكل ما كان يملك