Le prophète Abraham avait quitté son pays et était allé en Égypte et habitait dans le pays de Guérar. Sarah, sa femme, était une très belle femme et Abraham craignait pour sa vie à cause de la beauté de Sara et parce que les hommes de ce pays ne craignaient pas Allah le Créateur. Il décida alors de dire que Sara était sa soeur.
Abimelech, king of the land of Gerar, sent for Sarah to live in his palace and be his wife: “From there Abraham journeyed toward the territory of the Negeb and lived between Kadesh and Shur; and he sojourned in Gerar. And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent and took Sarah.” – Taurat, Genesis 20:1-2.
Le prophète Abraham, en dépit d'être un prophète d'Allah, a démontré sa faiblesse en tant qu'être humain à cette occasion. En disant que Sara était sa sœur, il doutait de la parfaite protection d'Allah. Il a estimé qu'il ne serait pas coupable de mensonge en présentant Sarah comme sa sœur; car elle était la fille de son père, mais pas celle de sa mère, cela est mentionné à la fois dans la Taurat et dans les Hadiths. Mais cette dissimulation de la véritable relation entre eux n'était pas juste. Aucune déviation de la stricte intégrité ne peut trouver l'approbation d'Allah.
Allah then gave King Abimelech a dream to reveal the truth about Sarah: “But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.” Now Abimelech had not approached her. So he said, “Lord, will you kill an innocent people? Did he not himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this.” Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore, I did not let you touch her. Now then, return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you, and you shall live. But if you do not return her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.” – Taurat, Genesis 20:3-7.
Allah’s plans are perfect, He is faithful and true. Abimelech told his servants about the dream that very morning, and then called Abraham to bring Sarah back to her husband: “Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me things that ought not to be done.” – Taurat, Genesis 20:9.
“Then Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and male servants and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and returned Sarah his wife to him. And Abimelech said, “Behold, my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you.” To Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. It is a sign of your innocence in the eyes of all who are with you, and before everyone you are vindicated.” Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, and also healed his wife and female slaves so that they bore children. For the Lord had closed all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.” – Taurat, Genesis 20:14-18.
Allah a une fois de plus donné la preuve qu'Il révèle la vérité à travers les rêves et que Ses plans et objectifs n'échouent pas, même si un prophète échoue. A travers cette situation inhabituelle, le roi Abimélec a reconnu la souveraineté d'Allah et Sa miséricorde, de plus, Allah a fait éviter au roi de commettre une grave erreur, car il ignorait la vérité, et Abraham a eu l'occasion de s'expliquer et même d'intercéder pour arrêter le malédiction prédite pour la maison royale. Aussi, Allah a protégé Sara et a pourvu au prophète Abraham.