Allah the Exalted said, “We said, ‘O fire, be coolness and safety for Abraham’ ” (al-Anbiyāʾ 21:69). “Coolness” is the opposite of heat, and “safety” the opposite of destruction, for fire is normally hot, burning, and ruinous. Yet Allah commanded that particular fire to become cool and safe for him, and so it became exactly that.

Some commentators, quoting Israelite reports, allege that when Allah declared, “O fire, be coolness and safety for Abraham” (al-Anbiyāʾ 21:69), every fire on earth turned cool. This is incorrect, because the address was directed to a specific fire: “O fire, be cool.” The grammarians explain that when the wording comes in this form, the noun—though indefinite—becomes “an intended indefinite,” meaning it applies only to the fire into which Abraham was thrown. That is the sound view; all other fires remained as they were.

The scholars further note that Allah coupled “Be cool” with “and safe,” for had He sufficed with “Be cool,” the fire might have become so cold that it would have destroyed him. Everything, after all, obeys His command. Reflect on His words: “Then He turned to the heaven while it was smoke and said to it and to the earth, ‘Come, willingly or unwillingly.’ They said, ‘We come willingly’ ” (Fussilat 41:11). Their reply—“We come”—demonstrates complete submission to Allah’s order.

The second khalīl who said, “Allah is sufficient for us and He is the best trustee,” was the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) together with his Companions. After the Battle of Uhud, when they were told, “The people have gathered against you; they are coming to Madinah to finish you off,” they responded, “Allah is sufficient for us and He is the best trustee.” Allah then revealed: “So they returned with favor from Allah and bounty; no harm touched them, and they pursued the good pleasure of Allah. Allah is the Possessor of tremendous bounty” (Āl ʿImrān 3:174).