[2] Sufi tradition ascribes to Ibrahim countless acts of righteousness and his humble lifestyle, which contrasted sharply with his early life as the king of Balkh (itself an earlier centre of Buddhism).

Ibrahim was born into the Arab community of Balkh as the king of the area in around 730 CE, but he abandoned the throne to become an ascetic.

Ibrahim abhorred begging and worked tirelessly for his livelihood, frequently grinding grain or tending orchards.

In addition, he is also said to have engaged in military operations on the border with Byzantium and his untimely death is supposed to have occurred on one of these naval expeditions.

[5] According to the records of the Chishti Order of Sufism, he is among their early masters and was also taught for some time by al-Fuḍayl ibn ʻIyāḍ.

Attar's Tazkirat, for example, remains one of the richest sources on Ebrahim's conversion and early life as the king of Balkh.

English poet Leigh Hunt's poem "Abou Ben Adhem" is a story of Ibrahim ibn Adham.

[12] In turn, the musical Flahooley features a genie named Abou Ben Atom, played in the original 1951 Broadway production by Irwin Corey.