What did Ibrahim ( as ) know about previous Prophe

[realizm]

In the Qur'an, Allah ( swt )  teaches us that Prophet Ibrahim first turned to the sun and the moon before he realised there was only one God who is superior to all those things.

Were there no remaining traditions from prophets that came before him,  like Sheet, Idriss, Nuh, ( as ) etc... ?

[Qa'im]

The Caliph al-Ma'mun said to Imam ar-Rida [a], "I testify that you are truly the son of the Messenger of Allah. Tell me about the meaning of Allah's words regarding Abraham [a], ‘When the night covered him over, he saw a star. He said, 'This is my Lord'.’” (6:76)   

Imam ar-Rida [a] replied, "Verily, Abraham [a] had to deal with three groups: one group worshiped Venus, another group worshiped the moon, and the third group worshiped the sun. This happened when he left his underground hiding - the place where 'When the night covered him over, he saw a star. He asked, ‘Is this my Lord?’' (6:76) - he saw Venus. He asked ‘Is this my Lord?’ in the form of questioning and denying. ‘But when it set, he said, ‘I love not those that set.’(6:76) - he said this because setting is one of the characteristics of the created, not one of the characteristics of the Eternal.    

‘When he saw the moon rising in splendour, he said, 'This is my Lord.’' (6:77) - he asked ‘Is this my Lord?’ in the form of questioning and denying. ‘But when the moon set, he said, ‘Unless my Lord guide me, I shall surely be among those who go astray.’’ (6:77) - he meant that he would have gone astray, if his Lord had not guided him.    

The next morning, ‘When he saw the sun rising in splendour, he said [in a questioning and denying manner], ‘This is my Lord. This is the greatest (of all). But when the sun set’ - he faced the three groups of people and said - ‘O my people! I am indeed free from your [guilt of] associating partners with Allah. For me I have set my face, firmly and truly, towards Him Who created the heavens and the Earth, and never shall I set partners for Allah.' (6:78-79)   

Abraham [a] said this to clarify the error of their beliefs to them. He wanted to prove to them that it is not right to worship things like Venus, the moon or the sun, but rather, their Creator - the Creator of the heavens and the Earth - deserves to be worshiped. The reasons that he presented to his people were revealed by Allah. Allah had revealed them to Abraham [a], as Allah says, ‘That was the reasoning about Us, which We gave to Abraham [to use] against his people.’’" (6:83)

    فَقَالَ الْمَأْمُونُ: أَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ ابْنُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ حَقّاً. فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: (فَلَمَّا جَنَّ عَلَيْهِ اللَّيْلُ رَأى كَوْكَباً قالَ هذا رَبِّي).   فَقَالَ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَقَعَ إِلَى ثَلاثَةِ أَصْنَافٍ؛ صِنْفٍ يَعْبُدُ الزُّهْرَةَ وَصِنْفٍ يَعْبُدُ الْقَمَرَ وَصِنْفٍ يَعْبُدُ الشَّمْسَ، وَذَلِكَ حِينَ خَرَجَ مِنَ السَّرَبِ الَّذِي أُخْفِيَ   فِيهِ. فَلَمَّا جَنَّ عَلَيْهِ اللَّيْلُ فَرَأَى الزُّهْرَةَ فَقَالَ: هَذَا رَبِّي، عَلَى الإِنْكَارِ وَالاسْتِخْبَارِ، فَلَمَّا أَفَلَ الْكَوْكَبُ قالَ: لا أُحِبُّ الآْفِلِينَ، لأنَّ الأُفُولَ مِنْ صِفَاتِ الْحَدَثِ لا مِنْ صِفَاتِ الْقِدَمِ.    فَلَمَّا رَأَى الْقَمَرَ بازِغاً قالَ: هذا رَبِّي، عَلَى الإِنْكَارِ وَالاسْتِخْبَارِ، فَلَمَّا أَفَلَ قالَ: لَئِنْ لَمْ يَهْدِنِي رَبِّي لاكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الضَّالِّينَ. يَقُولُ لَوْ لَمْ يَهْدِنِي رَبِّي لَكُنْتُ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الضَّالِّينَ.    فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ وَرَأَى الشَّمْسَ بازِغَةً قالَ: هذا رَبِّي، هذا أَكْبَرُ مِنَ الزُّهْرَةِ وَالْقَمَرِ، عَلَى الإِنْكَارِ وَالاسْتِخْبَارِ لا عَلَى الإِخْبَارِ وَالإِقْرَارِ، فَلَمَّا أَفَلَتْ قالَ لِلأَصْنَافِ الثَّلاثَةِ مِنْ عَبَدَةِ الزُّهْرَةِ وَالْقَمَرِ وَالشَّمْسِ: (يا قَوْمِ إِنِّي بَرِيءٌ مِمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ إِنِّي وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِي فَطَرَ السَّماواتِ وَالأَرْضَ حَنِيفاً وَما أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ) وَإِنَّمَا أَرَادَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ بِمَا قَالَ أَنْ يُبَيِّنَ لَهُمْ بُطْلانَ دِينِهِمْ وَيُثْبِتَ عِنْدَهُمْ أَنَّ الْعِبَادَةَ لا تَحِقُّ لِمَا كَانَ بِصِفَةِ الزُّهْرَةِ وَالْقَمَرِ وَالشَّمْسِ وَإِنَّمَا تَحِقُّ الْعِبَادَةُ لِخَالِقِهَا وَخَالِقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَكَانَ مَا احْتَجَّ بِهِ عَلَى قَوْمِهِ بِمَا أَلْهَمَهُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَآتَاهُ كَمَا قَالَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: (وَتِلْكَ حُجَّتُنا آتَيْناها إِبْراهِيمَ عَلى قَوْمِهِ).    

(`Uyoon Akhbar ar-Rida, Volume 1, Chapter 15)

[realizm]

3 hours ago, Qa'im said:

The Caliph al-Ma'mun said to Imam ar-Rida [a], "I testify that you are truly the son of the Messenger of Allah. Tell me about the meaning of Allah's words regarding Abraham [a], ‘When the night covered him over, he saw a star. He said, 'This is my Lord'.’” (6:76)   

Imam ar-Rida [a] replied, "Verily, Abraham [a] had to deal with three groups: one group worshiped Venus, another group worshiped the moon, and the third group worshiped the sun. This happened when he left his underground hiding - the place where 'When the night covered him over, he saw a star. He asked, ‘Is this my Lord?’' (6:76) - he saw Venus. He asked ‘Is this my Lord?’ in the form of questioning and denying. ‘But when it set, he said, ‘I love not those that set.’(6:76) - he said this because setting is one of the characteristics of the created, not one of the characteristics of the Eternal.    

‘When he saw the moon rising in splendour, he said, 'This is my Lord.’' (6:77) - he asked ‘Is this my Lord?’ in the form of questioning and denying. ‘But when the moon set, he said, ‘Unless my Lord guide me, I shall surely be among those who go astray.’’ (6:77) - he meant that he would have gone astray, if his Lord had not guided him.    

The next morning, ‘When he saw the sun rising in splendour, he said [in a questioning and denying manner], ‘This is my Lord. This is the greatest (of all). But when the sun set’ - he faced the three groups of people and said - ‘O my people! I am indeed free from your [guilt of] associating partners with Allah. For me I have set my face, firmly and truly, towards Him Who created the heavens and the Earth, and never shall I set partners for Allah.' (6:78-79)   

Abraham [a] said this to clarify the error of their beliefs to them. He wanted to prove to them that it is not right to worship things like Venus, the moon or the sun, but rather, their Creator - the Creator of the heavens and the Earth - deserves to be worshiped. The reasons that he presented to his people were revealed by Allah. Allah had revealed them to Abraham [a], as Allah says, ‘That was the reasoning about Us, which We gave to Abraham [to use] against his people.’’" (6:83)

    فَقَالَ الْمَأْمُونُ: أَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ ابْنُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ حَقّاً. فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: (فَلَمَّا جَنَّ عَلَيْهِ اللَّيْلُ رَأى كَوْكَباً قالَ هذا رَبِّي).   فَقَالَ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَقَعَ إِلَى ثَلاثَةِ أَصْنَافٍ؛ صِنْفٍ يَعْبُدُ الزُّهْرَةَ وَصِنْفٍ يَعْبُدُ الْقَمَرَ وَصِنْفٍ يَعْبُدُ الشَّمْسَ، وَذَلِكَ حِينَ خَرَجَ مِنَ السَّرَبِ الَّذِي أُخْفِيَ   فِيهِ. فَلَمَّا جَنَّ عَلَيْهِ اللَّيْلُ فَرَأَى الزُّهْرَةَ فَقَالَ: هَذَا رَبِّي، عَلَى الإِنْكَارِ وَالاسْتِخْبَارِ، فَلَمَّا أَفَلَ الْكَوْكَبُ قالَ: لا أُحِبُّ الآْفِلِينَ، لأنَّ الأُفُولَ مِنْ صِفَاتِ الْحَدَثِ لا مِنْ صِفَاتِ الْقِدَمِ.    فَلَمَّا رَأَى الْقَمَرَ بازِغاً قالَ: هذا رَبِّي، عَلَى الإِنْكَارِ وَالاسْتِخْبَارِ، فَلَمَّا أَفَلَ قالَ: لَئِنْ لَمْ يَهْدِنِي رَبِّي لاكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الضَّالِّينَ. يَقُولُ لَوْ لَمْ يَهْدِنِي رَبِّي لَكُنْتُ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الضَّالِّينَ.    فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ وَرَأَى الشَّمْسَ بازِغَةً قالَ: هذا رَبِّي، هذا أَكْبَرُ مِنَ الزُّهْرَةِ وَالْقَمَرِ، عَلَى الإِنْكَارِ وَالاسْتِخْبَارِ لا عَلَى الإِخْبَارِ وَالإِقْرَارِ، فَلَمَّا أَفَلَتْ قالَ لِلأَصْنَافِ الثَّلاثَةِ مِنْ عَبَدَةِ الزُّهْرَةِ وَالْقَمَرِ وَالشَّمْسِ: (يا قَوْمِ إِنِّي بَرِيءٌ مِمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ إِنِّي وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِي فَطَرَ السَّماواتِ وَالأَرْضَ حَنِيفاً وَما أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ) وَإِنَّمَا أَرَادَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ بِمَا قَالَ أَنْ يُبَيِّنَ لَهُمْ بُطْلانَ دِينِهِمْ وَيُثْبِتَ عِنْدَهُمْ أَنَّ الْعِبَادَةَ لا تَحِقُّ لِمَا كَانَ بِصِفَةِ الزُّهْرَةِ وَالْقَمَرِ وَالشَّمْسِ وَإِنَّمَا تَحِقُّ الْعِبَادَةُ لِخَالِقِهَا وَخَالِقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَكَانَ مَا احْتَجَّ بِهِ عَلَى قَوْمِهِ بِمَا أَلْهَمَهُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَآتَاهُ كَمَا قَالَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: (وَتِلْكَ حُجَّتُنا آتَيْناها إِبْراهِيمَ عَلى قَوْمِهِ).    

(`Uyoon Akhbar ar-Rida, Volume 1, Chapter 15)

Great post, makes a lot of sense.