It is authentically reported in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim—as we shall shortly cite—that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

“I shall stand in a station to which every creature will turn for intercession, even Abraham.”(1)

In these words he extolled his forefather Abraham with magnificent praise, and they indicate that, after him, Abraham is the finest of all creation, both in this worldly life and on the Day when the Shin is laid bare.

Al-Bukhārī relates (2): “ʿUthmān ibn Abī Shaybah told us; Jarīr told us, from Manṣūr, from al-Minhāl, from Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, from Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to seek protection for al-Ḥasan and al-Ḥusayn, saying:

‘Your forefather would seek protection for Ismaʿīl and Isaac with these words: “I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from every devil and every poisonous creature and from every harmful eye.” ’ ”

The compilers of the Sunan (3) also transmitted it through the narration of Manṣūr.

The Most High says:

“And when Abraham said, ‘My Lord, show me how You give life to the dead.’ He said, ‘Do you not believe?’ He replied, ‘Indeed I do, but so that my heart may be at ease.’ He said, ‘Take four birds, draw them close to you, then place a part of them on every hill; then call them, and they will come to you in haste. And know that Allah is Almighty, All-Wise.’ ” (al-Baqarah 2:260)

The exegetes have mentioned several reasons for this request; we expanded on them at length in our Tafsīr (4) and set them out in full. In brief, Allah granted him what he asked. He commanded him to take four birds—there is a difference of opinion about their exact species (5), though the point remains the same—cut up their flesh and feathers, mix the pieces together, divide the mixture into portions, and place a portion on every mountain. Abraham complied, and he was then ordered to call them by his Lord’s permission. When he did, every limb flew to its counterpart and every feather to its match, until the body of each bird re-assembled exactly as before, while he watched the power of Him who says to a thing, “Be!” and it is. They came back to him swiftly, making the proof all the clearer and the sight all the more vivid than had they merely flown.

It is also said that he was instructed to keep their heads in his hand; each bird would come, take its head, and it would fit upon its body just as it had been—there is no deity but Allah.

Abraham (peace be upon him) already possessed certain knowledge of Allah’s power to raise the dead, a knowledge admitting no doubt. Yet he desired to witness it with his own eyes, to ascend from the level of knowledge by inference to that of knowledge by direct sight. Allah therefore answered his request and granted him the utmost of what he desired.