No, Azar was not the
father but uncle of Prophet Ibrahim (a.s.).
His father’s name was
Tarukh, according to Al-Mizan, Majma-ul-Bayan, and Jawami ul Jami. Ibn Katheer
wrote, “Ibrahim (a.s.) was the son of Tarukh. When Tarukh was 75 years of age,
Ibrahim (a.s.) was born to him.” (volume 1 page 139) Also reported in al-Bidaya
wan Nahaya and History of Tabari (volume 1 page 119), The famous Sunni scholar
in Tafsir Tabari by Ibn Jarir al-Tabari (volume 7 page 158). Similarly, many
Shi’ite and Sunni scholars have confirmed the fact that Tarukh was the
biological father of prophet Ibrahim. A few of them are Tabarsi in Majma-ul-Bayan,
Neyshapuri in Qaraib-ul-Qur’an, Allama Fakhruddin Razi in Tafsir-ul-Kabeer,
Allama Alusi in Ruh-ul-Ma’ni. (volume 7 page 169)
The famous Sunni
scholar Suyuti writes in Masalak-ul-Hunafa quotes Fakhruddin Razi in Asrarul-Tanzil
stressed the forefathers of the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) were never
polytheist. He further argued that the prophets’ forefathers till Hazrat Adam
were the best in their times.
According to the
Shi’ite faith, all 124,000 prophets sent by Allah to guide the humanity were
infallible. Polytheism is one of the greater sins, hence no prophet or his
ancestor could be a polytheist.
Before we proceed to establish our contention, let us
discuss the enormity of Arabic language that for every word there are more than
one meaning to it. “Ab” has also many
meanings including teacher, father, ancestor, uncle. Each person who takes pains and exertion in the upbringing,
may be referred as “Ab”.
The Noble Prophet
(s.a.w.a.s.) said, “Ali and I both are the fathers of this community”
According to Jawami
ul Jami, the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) said, “Ceaselessly, Allah, the Sublime,
transported me from the purified lions of men into the purified wombs (of
mothers) and never had He polluted me with the filth of paganism”
Prophet Ibrahim promised his uncle Azar to pray for his
forgiveness, but when he saw that his uncle was in a state of disbelieve, then he stopped praying for him. (Surah al-Tawbah Ayah 114 refers to it.)
Prophet Ibrahim prays
for his parents in the following Ayah 41 of Surah Ibrahim, “Lord, on the Day of
Judgment, forgive me and my parents and all the believers.” Here the Arabic
word “Wa’lid” has been used which is the biological father.
Surah al-Baqarah Ayah
133 says, “Ney, were you witnesses when death approached Yaqoub (Jacob)? When
he said to his sons: what will you worship after me? They said: We will worship
your God and the God of your forefathers Ibrahim, Ismail and Is’haque, the One
(true) God alone and to Him do we submit.” Prophet Ismail was not Yaqoub’s
father or forefathers, but he was Yaqoub’s uncle. But in the Ayah the word
“aba” is used which is the plural of the word “Ab” Hence it is confirmed that
in Arabic the word “Ab” is used for uncle also.
Sources: The glorious Qur’an (Urdu
translation) by Ayatollah Nasir Makarem Shirazi
Shi’ite Encyclopedia,
Enlightening Commentary into the Light of Glorious Qur’an
