his kingdom. Every woman who gave birth to a boy in that month of that year, he would order that the infant be slaughtered. When Abraham's mother experienced labor pains, she went out at night to a cave that was near her and gave birth to Abraham inside it. She took care of the newborn's needs, then sealed the entrance of the cave and returned to her house. She would go to check on him in the cave to see how he was faring, and she would find him alive, sucking his thumb—and Allah knows best, for they claim that Allah the Almighty provided Abraham's sustenance within it through his sucking. They also claim that Azar asked Abraham's mother about her pregnancy, saying, "What became of it?" She replied, "I gave birth to a boy, and he died." He believed her and left the matter alone. They say that in his youth, a day for Abraham was like a month, and a month was like a year. Abraham, peace be upon him, did not remain in the cave, according to what they say, for more than fifteen months until he said to his mother, "Bring me out." So she brought him out in the evening. He looked and reflected upon the creation of the heavens and the earth, and said, "Indeed, He who created me and provided for me, fed me and gave me drink—He is my Lord; I have no god other than Him."

His saying, the Almighty and Exalted: "When he said to his father and his people: 'What do you worship?'"

15692 - Abu Zur'ah narrated to us, 'Amr ibn Hammad reported to us, Asbat reported from al-Suddi, who said:

Abraham began to call his people and warn them. His father would craft idols and give them to his son, who would then sell them. He would give them to him, and he (Abraham) would call out, "Who will buy what harms him and does not benefit him?" His brothers would return having sold their idols, while Abraham would return with his idols as they were.

His saying: "They said, 'We worship idols, and we remain devoted to them.'"

15693 - Muhammad ibn Yahya narrated to us, al-'Abbas ibn al-Walid informed us, Yazid ibn Zuray' reported to us, Sa'id reported from Qatada regarding His saying: "...devoted to them"—meaning: worshipping them.

His saying, the Almighty: "He said, 'Do they hear you when you call? Or do they benefit you or harm you?'"

15694 - And through the same chain from Qatada, who said: "Do they hear you when you call?"—meaning: Do your gods answer you when you call upon them?

15695 - Muhammad ibn al-'Abbas, the freedman of Banu Hashim, narrated to us, 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Salamah reported to us, Salamah ibn al-Fadl reported from Muhammad ibn Ishaq, who said: Abraham returned to his father Azar, having become upright in his path, knowing his way, and having dissociated himself from the religion of his people, although he did not confront them with this. He informed him that he was his son, and Abraham's mother informed him that he was her son and told him what she had done for his sake, so Azar was pleased with that and became very happy.