Monthly Archives: July 2022

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The Spirit of Wisdom 🤍

When Ibrahim’s (عليه السلام) firstborn son, Isma’il’ (عليه السلام) was old enough to walk around with his father and work with him, it was revealed in a dream to Ibrahim (عليه السلام) that he must sacrifice his son. Ismail did not question this command, just as his mother, Hajarah’ had not questioned it when Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) commanded Ibrahim (عليه السلام) to leave her and her baby son in the desert all those years ago.

Ibn Abbas (رَحْمَةُ الله عليه) narrated, ‘When the rituals were enjoined upon Ibrahim (عليه السلام), Shaytan appeared to him at the Masa and raced with him, but Ibrahim (عليه السلام)got there first. Then Jibrail’ took him (Ibrahim) to Jamrat Al-Aqabah and Shaytan appeared to him, so he stoned him with seven pebbles until he disappeared. Then he appeared to him at Al-Jamrah Al-Wusta and he stoned him with seven pebbles.’

In this narration, Ibrahim stoned Shaytan three times; in other narrations, Shaytan appeared separately to Ibrahim (عليه السلام)”, Hajarah ‘and Isma’il (عليه السلام)”. Each time, he tried to convince them that Ibrahim was about to commit a terrible crime; each time, they attested that if it was from Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) they must accept it. Each of them stoned Shaytan. (Tabari and Hakim)

It seems impossible to us that someone could be prepared to sacrifice their beloved child, the person most dear to them in the world, especially when obstacles have been placed in their way on three separate occasions. However, the family of Ibrahim (عليه السلام) were so forceful in their rejection of disobeying Allah that they threw stones at Shaytan. It is this stoning that we remember at Hajj.

As Ibrahim (عليه السلام) prepared a knife to sacrifice his son and a shroud to bury him in, he couldn’t face Isma’il’ (عليه السلام), so he turned his son’s face away. According to Ibn Kathir’s tafseer, they both remembered Allah and testified their faith in Him – Ibrahim (عليه السلام)* because he was about to make a sacrifice, and Isma’il because he was about to die. Then Ibrahim prepared to sacrifice his son—and when the knife was at Isma’il’s neck, he heard a voice calling to him to stop.

Ibrahim (عليه السلام) sacrificed a white-horned ram instead of his son, and, like the stoning of the pillars, we remember this sacrifice every year at Hajj. It represents the devotion of Ibrahim, who was ready to sacrifice his beloved son for Allah’s sake, and the reward and blessing they received from Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) as a result of their submission.

Remembering this journey every time we do Qurbani should bring us closer to Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) ; again, it is not the animal that matters, but our willingness to submit wholeheartedly to Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) .

Wishing you and your family peace, harmony, happiness, good health, and prosperity on the auspicious occasion of Eid-al-Adha. Eid Mubarak!

تَقَبَّلَ اللّهُ مِنَّ وَ مِنْكُمْ

peace #harmony #health #prosperity #eidmubarak #eidaladha #eid2022