Namrood (Nimrod)

Namrood was the King of Babylon and was active during the times when Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) was vigorously opposing idolatry. He is said to be a strong man and a brilliant hunter. He was also a wily being and resorted to trickery and manipulation. Even though he had no right to the throne, he used his skills to garner a huge following and rise to the position of a King. He had proclaimed himself to be the Almighty and wanted to prove that there was no God except him.

Namrood also entered into many confrontations with prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) regarding his claim to be the ultimate God. He, thus, asserted that he could also do anything that Ibrahim’s God was capable of doing. When asked if he could give or take a life, he called a person from the street and sentenced him to death. Likewise, he also freed a person who had been sentenced to death. Using such measures, he proved that he could give and take life, but he was totally stumped when asked if he could also make the Sun set in the East. Although Ibrahim won the war of wits but Namrood got offended and ordered that Ibrahim be burnt alive. This is when a miracle occurred by God’s command and the fire burnt Ibrahim’s chains, sparing his body intact. It is said that following this event, Namrood was cursed to suffer for three lifetimes as he refused to accept Islam as a faith each time. Though the Quran does not explicitly mention his name, scholars have speculated that these events alluded to Namrood only.

Reference: Kya wo Namrood ki Khudaai thhi/Bandagi mein mera bhala na hua (Ghalib), Be-khatar kood pada aatish-e-Namrood mein ishq?Aql hai mahw-e-tamaasha-i-labe-baam abhi (Iqbal). Also see: https://www.rekhta.org/nazms/namruud-kii-khudaaii-ye-qudsiyon-kii-zamiin-noon-meem-rashid-nazms?lang=ur

Namrood was the King of Babylon and was active during the times when Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) was vigorously opposing idolatry. He is said to be a strong man and a brilliant hunter. He was also a wily being and resorted to trickery and manipulation. Even though he had no right to the throne, he used his skills to garner a huge following and rise to the position of a King. He had proclaimed himself to be the Almighty and wanted to prove that there was no God except him.

Namrood also entered into many confrontations with prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) regarding his claim to be the ultimate God. He, thus, asserted that he could also do anything that Ibrahim’s God was capable of doing. When asked if he could give or take a life, he called a person from the street and sentenced him to death. Likewise, he also freed a person who had been sentenced to death. Using such measures, he proved that he could give and take life, but he was totally stumped when asked if he could also make the Sun set in the East. Although Ibrahim won the war of wits but Namrood got offended and ordered that Ibrahim be burnt alive. This is when a miracle occurred by God’s command and the fire burnt Ibrahim’s chains, sparing his body intact. It is said that following this event, Namrood was cursed to suffer for three lifetimes as he refused to accept Islam as a faith each time. Though the Quran does not explicitly mention his name, scholars have speculated that these events alluded to Namrood only.

Reference: Kya wo Namrood ki Khudaai thhi/Bandagi mein mera bhala na hua (Ghalib), Be-khatar kood pada aatish-e-Namrood mein ishq?Aql hai mahw-e-tamaasha-i-labe-baam abhi (Iqbal). Also see: https://www.rekhta.org/nazms/namruud-kii-khudaaii-ye-qudsiyon-kii-zamiin-noon-meem-rashid-nazms?lang=ur