فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ السَّعۡىَ قَالَ يٰبُنَىَّ اِنِّىۡۤ اَرٰى فِى الۡمَنَامِ اَنِّىۡۤ اَذۡبَحُكَ فَانْظُرۡ مَاذَا تَرٰىؕ قَالَ يٰۤاَبَتِ افۡعَلۡ مَا تُؤۡمَرُ
سَتَجِدُنِىۡۤ اِنۡ شَآءَ اللّٰهُ مِنَ الصّٰبِرِيۡنَ
فَلَمَّاۤ اَسۡلَمَا وَتَلَّهٗ لِلۡجَبِيۡنِۚ ١٠٣
وَنَادَيۡنٰهُ اَنۡ يّٰۤاِبۡرٰهِيۡمُۙ
قَدۡ صَدَّقۡتَ الرُّءۡيَا ۚ اِنَّا كَذٰلِكَ نَجۡزِى الۡمُحۡسِنِيۡنَ
اِنَّ هٰذَا لَهُوَ الۡبَلٰٓؤُا الۡمُبِيۡنُ
وَفَدَيۡنٰهُ بِذِبۡحٍ عَظِيۡمٍ
And when he reached with him [the age of] exertion, he said, "O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I [must] sacrifice you, so see what you think." He said, "O my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Allāh wills, of the steadfast."
103 And when they had both submitted and he put him down upon his forehead,
We called to him, "O Abraham,
You have fulfilled the vision." Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good.
Indeed, this was the clear trial.
And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice,
[Al-Quran 37:102-107]
This is a story of Faith (Iman) and Submission (Islam).
The Quran relates the great sacrifice demanded from Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام): to sacrifice his only child, and the child's complete submission to what was required of his father. The physical expression of this complete submission was the father putting his son down upon his forehead: the posture of prostration.
The amazing submission of this young man, Ishmael (Ismail عليه السلام), is amazing. He was not a baby. He was old enough to work along with his father (Q38:102). He was probably twelve or thirteen years old.* Generally, when boys are entering their teens, they show inclination to assert their independence, not submission, and that also to a dream. He was old enough to mock his old man. He was old enough to run away. This young Ishmael (Ismail عليه السلام) submits, willingly, assuring his father of his steadfastness, if Allah Wills (اِنۡ شَآءَ اللّٰهُ مِنَ الصّٰبِرِيۡنَ). He goes down in prostration, placing his forehead upon the ground. He is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice: lose his life, and embrace death, for the sake of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى .
Allah was testing the father and son. Both passed with flying colours. Allah had bigger plans for them. Ishmael (Ismail عليه السلام) was replaced with a great sacrifice. He is to assist his father Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام) in purifying Allah's house, for the worshippers, and also raise its foundation:
Just like his descendant Muhammad ﷺ was a Prophet and Messenger of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى , so also The Quran informs us that Ishmael (Ismail عليه السلام) was also a Prophet and Messenger of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى :
وَاذۡكُرۡ فِى الۡـكِتٰبِ اِسۡمٰعِيۡلَ اِنَّهٗ كَانَ صَادِقَ الۡوَعۡدِ وَكَانَ رَسُوۡلًا نَّبِيًّا ۚ ٥٤
وَ كَانَ يَاۡمُرُ اَهۡلَهٗ بِالصَّلٰوةِ وَالزَّكٰوةِ وَكَانَ عِنۡدَ رَبِّهٖ مَرۡضِيًّا ٥٥
And mention in the Book, Ishmael. Indeed, he was true to his promise, and he was a messenger and a prophet.
And he used to enjoin on his people prayer and zakāh and was to his Lord pleasing [i.e., accepted by Him].
[Al-Quran 19:54-55, Translation: Saheeh International]
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* Age of Ishmael (Ismail عليه السلام):
According to The Quran, Surah as-Saffaat, Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام) was given the glad tidings of a forbearing son (Q37:101 فَبَشَّرۡنٰهُ بِغُلٰمٍ حَلِيۡمٍ)** after his migration (Q38:99 وَقَالَ اِنِّىۡ ذَاهِبٌ اِلٰى رَبِّىۡ سَيَهۡدِيۡنِ), and prayer for a righteous son (Q38:100 رَبِّ هَبۡ لِىۡ مِنَ الصّٰلِحِيۡنَ).
The Quran, Surah as-Saffaat, also states that the son at the time of the sacrifice dream was old enough to work with his father (Q37:102 فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ السَّعۡىَ قَالَ يٰبُنَىَّ اِنِّىۡۤ اَرٰى فِى الۡمَنَامِ اَنِّىۡۤ اَذۡبَحُكَ فَانْظُرۡ مَاذَا تَرٰىؕ قَالَ يٰۤاَبَتِ افۡعَلۡ مَا تُؤۡمَرُ سَتَجِدُنِىۡۤ اِنۡ شَآءَ اللّٰهُ مِنَ الصّٰبِرِيۡنَ ). Boys can start lifting weights as early as the age of seven or eight years, but ideally by the age twelve or thirteen, the age of puberty.
According to The Quran, Surah as-Saffaat, after the attempted sacrifice (Q37:103), Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام) was given the glad tidings of a prophet by the name of Isaac (Ishaq عليه السلام) (Q37:112 وَبَشَّرۡنٰهُ بِاِسۡحٰقَ نَبِيًّا مِّنَ الصّٰلِحِيۡنَ), and that they were blessed (Q37:113 وَبٰرَكۡنَا عَلَيۡهِ وَعَلٰٓى اِسۡحٰقَؕ وَ مِنۡ ذُرِّيَّتِهِمَا مُحۡسِنٌ وَّظَالِمٌ لِّنَفۡسِهٖ مُبِيۡنٌ). We know about his son Jacob / Israel (Yaqub عليه السلام) , his son Joseph (Yusuf عليه السلام), and from the Bani Israel: Moses (Musa عليه السلام) and Aaron (Haroon عليه السلام). It is a matter of fact that there was a continuous line of prophets among their descendants till Messenger Jesus (Isa عليه السلام).
According to The Bible, the age difference between Ishmael (Ismail عليه السلام) and Isaac (Ishaq عليه السلام) was fourteen years.
At the age of seventy-six, Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام) was granted Ishmael (Ismail عليه السلام) through Hagar (Bibi Hajra رضي الله عنها).
At the age of one hundred, Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام) was granted Isaac (Ishaq عليه السلام) through Sarah (Bibi Sara رضي الله عنها).
So, assuming the good news about Isaac (Ishaq عليه السلام) was given immediately after the attempted sacrifice of the first born: Ishmael (Ismail عليه السلام), who was only son at the time, , the Age of Ishmael (Ismail عليه السلام) was most probably twelve or thirteen years at the time he and his father attempted to carry out the dream that Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام) had seen.
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Also read:
Ignorant of The Law of Sacrifice
The Possessors of The Stone & Hijr-e-Ismail
Seventy Men & The Torah in Seventy Languages
Muhammad ﷺ, a Messenger like Moses: The Qibla
Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام), the excellent example
The Quran, the Pharaoh, Exodus and the Promised Day!
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Lat updated on: June 14, 2024
