The Story of Prophet Ismaeel

Prophet Ibraheem, who is also known as: The Father of the Prophets

The Birth of Isma'eel

Prophet Ibraheem عليه السلام once asked Allah to grant him good children, but his wife Sarah was barren and old.

She could not bear children. Sarah told Ibraheem to marry another lady called Hajar so he could have a child. Ibraheem married Hajar and prayed to Allah to grant him good children. Allah answered Ibraheem's prayer, and a son was born to Hajar. They named him Isma'eel. The name Isma'eel means "Allah Listens to prayers." When Isma'eel was born, Ibraheem was 86 years old.

Ibraheem Moved Hajar and Isma'eel to Makkah

Later, Ibraheem received an order from God to take his wife Hajar and their newborn son to the ruins of Al-Masjid- ul-Haram, or the Sacred House in Makkah. The masjid was built thousands of years. before the time of Ibraheem. Prophet Adam, with the help of angels, built that holy mosque to worship Allah. It was the first house built on Earth to worship God. This masjid crumbled and disap- peared many years after Prophet Adam died. Only the foundation of that house remained in place.

Ibraheem took his family and traveled south from Palestine to Arabia. After a long journey they reached Makkah. Makkah was then just a hot desert with barren mountains. Nobody lived there at that time because there was no water in the area.

Hajar's Trust in Allah

Ibraheem left his wife and infant at a valley near the ruins of Al-Masjid-ul-Haram. He left with her a sack of dates and a jug of water. There were no plants, no water and no people. Then he turned his back to leave. Hajar was scared to be left alone so she followed him. She grabbed his sleeve and said, "Why are you leaving us in this empty valley?" She begged, "Please don't go! We will die here." But Ibraheem gave no answer and contin- ued, not looking back.

Hajar followed Ibraheem and repeated her question many times, but she received no answer. Then when he was leaving the valley, he heard her voice coming to him, "Did Allah order you to do this?"

"Yes," he replied without Looking back.

With a faith that was unshakable, she surrendered to her God's will and said:

Then He will not leave us alone.

The Prayer of Ibraheem

When Ibraheem could no longer be seen by Hajar, he raised his hands to the sky and made a sincere dua'a to God:

﴿رَبَّنا إِنّي أَسكَنتُ مِن ذُرِّيَّتي بِوادٍ غَيرِ ذي زَرعٍ عِندَ بَيتِكَ المُحَرَّمِ رَبَّنا لِيُقيمُوا الصَّلاةَ فَاجعَل أَفئِدَةً مِنَ النّاسِ تَهوي إِلَيهِم وَارزُقهُم مِنَ الثَّمَراتِ لَعَلَّهُم يَشكُرونَ﴾

Oh Lord! Lo! I have settled some of my family in a valley of no plants near your holy house. Oh Lord! This I have done so that they may per- form prayer. Let then human heart feel inclined towards them, and provide them with food so that they may be thankful. [14:37]

Hajar Runs Between As- Safa and Al-Marwah

After several days, Hajar ran out of dates and water. She became hungry and thirsty, so her milk dried up. The baby Isma'eel also became hungry and thirsty, and started to cry in pain. Hajar's heart went out to him. Watching him cry and being unable to do anything really broke her heart. She left her baby near the ruins and walked towards the nearest hill. It was not far from her son, and she kept an eye on him. She climbed the hill called As-Safa' and looked for somebody, but she saw no one. She went down the hill and hurried in the other direction towards another hill called 'Al-Marwah', and looked. She found nothing. Then she hurried back to As- Safa, to keep an eye on her infant and search again for somebody. Hajar ran seven times between As-Safa and Al- Marwah. "Those seven times," the Prophet ﷺ said, "are what is called Sa'i." This is what Muslims do during Hajj or Umrah in memory of Hajar.

The Spring of Zamzam

Suddenly Hajar heard something. "Shush!" she said to herself. Then she listened attentively and saw an amazing sight. She saw an angel coming down next to Isma'eel. The angel hit the ground with the tip of his wing and water came gushing out. Hajar hurried and scooped the water with her two hands and the water gushed more and more. She drank and gave water to her infant. Hajar was made so happy by Allah's kind help. This water still flows today. It is called the Well of Zamzam.

The Start of Makkah

Some time later a caravan was traveling, coming from Yemen. They saw something strange. Birds were hovering in the sky. One of the tribesman said that there must be water where the birds were hovering. They sent their runner to scout the place. He came back con- firming that indeed there was water. They found Hajar liv- ing beside the well with her baby. They asked her permis- sion to settle down there and use the water in return for a payment. She agreed and thanked God for both the company of the people and the means for earning a living.

That is how the dua'a of Ibraheem was realized and Hajar's faith proved to be true Allah did not abandon her and her son alone. His plan was fullfilled only when his servants, Ibraheem and Hajar, trusted in Him.

Later, the Arabian tribe of Jurhum settled in the area. Ismaeel grew up amongst them and learned the Arabic language very well. He mar- ried an Arab woman from the tribe. Most of the Arab nation came from that family. The best of all creation, Prophet Muhammad, came from that branch. Prophet Isma'eel is the great grandfather of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

Ibraheem's Vision

Isma'eel grew up around the Sacred House. When he was about 12 years of age, Prophet Ibraheem came from Palestine to visit him and his mother Hajar. Soon after this, Prophet Ibraheem had a dream. In the dream Allah told Ibraheem that he would have to slaughter his beloved son Isma'eel! Prophet Ibraheem saw the dream again several times so he knew that Allah was ordering him to slaughter his son. He became very sad and worried. In spite of this, Prophet Ibraheem wanted to obey Allah. So, he told Isma'eel about the dream.

Isma'eel was a good and obedient son. He said to his father: 'Father, do whatever God commands you. You will find that I am patient if God so wills."
When Ibraheem was about to slaughter his son, God called him. Let's learn from Al-Qur'an what happened next.

﴿فَلَمّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ السَّعيَ قالَ يا بُنَيَّ إِنّي أَرى فِي المَنامِ أَنّي أَذبَحُكَ فَانظُر ماذا تَرى قالَ يا أَبَتِ افعَل ما تُؤمَرُ سَتَجِدُني إِن شاءَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الصّابِرينَ۝فَلَمّا أَسلَما وَتَلَّهُ لِلجَبينِ۝وَنادَيناهُ أَن يا إِبراهيمُ۝قَد صَدَّقتَ الرُّؤيا إِنّا كَذلِكَ نَجزِي المُحسِنينَ۝إِنَّ هذا لَهُوَ البَلاءُ المُبينُ۝وَفَدَيناهُ بِذِبحٍ عَظيمٍ۝وَتَرَكنا عَلَيهِ فِي الآخِرينَ۝سَلامٌ عَلى إِبراهيمَ۝كَذلِكَ نَجزِي المُحسِنينَ۝إِنَّهُ مِن عِبادِنَا المُؤمِنينَ۝وَبَشَّرناهُ بِإِسحاقَ نَبِيًّا مِنَ الصّالِحينَ﴾ [الصافات: ١٠٢-١١٢]

TRANSLITERATION

102. Falamma balagha ma'ah-us-sa'ya qala ya bunayya innee ara fil-manami annee athbahuk, fanthur matha tara, qala ya abatif'al ma tu'mar, satajidunee in sha'Allahu min- as-sabireen

103. Falamma aslama watallahu liljabeen

104. Wanadaynahu an ya ibraheem

105. Qad saddaqt-ar-ru'ya inna kathalika najzil-muhsineen

106. Inna hatha lahuwal-balaa'-ul-mubeen

107. Wafadaynahu bithibhin 'atheem

108. Watarakna 'alayhi fil-akhireen

109. Salamun 'ala ibraheem

110. Kathalika najzil-muhsineen

111. Innahu min 'ibadinal-mu'mineen

112. Wabashsharnahu bi-Is'haqa nabiyyam-min-assaliheen

UNDERSTOOD MEANING

[37:102] And when he [Isma'eel] reached working age, he said: O my son! Surely I have seen in a dream that I should sacrifice you; what do you think? He said: O my father! Do what you are ordered; if Allah wills, you will find me one of the patient people.

[37:103] So when they both submitted and he [Ibraheem] laid him [Isma'eel] down on his forehead,

[37:104] We called out to him saying: O Ibraheem! [37:105] You have indeed fulfilled the vision; surely this is

[37:106] Surely this is the sort of which differentiates, how We reward those do good deeds.

[37:107] And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice [sheep].

[37:108] And We kept alive for him among the later generations,

[37:109] "Peace be upon Ibraheem."

[37:110] This is how We reward those do good deeds.

[37:111] Surely he was one of Our believing servants.

[37:112] And We gave him the good news of Is'haq, a prophet and a righteous man.

Building Al-Ka'bah

Allah was very pleased with Ibraheem and young Isma'eel because they passed the difficult test of obedience. Therefore Allah wanted to honor Ibraheem and Isma'eel forever.

It is not difficult for someone to obey easy orders from Allah, but so hard to obey dif ficult ones. Only strong believers obey Allah in difficult times.

Allah ordered Ibraheem السلام to rebuild Al-Masjid Al-Haram and call all people to visit it for Hajj. So, he trav- eled once more from Palestine to Makkah. He found Isma'eel sitting near the ruins of the Sacred Masjid. Isma'eel was making arrows for hunting. He was a good hunter. When Isma'eel saw his father, he jumped up and hugged him. Prophet Ibraheem then said, "Oh Isma'eel, Allah ordered me to build a masjid here."

"Then obey your Lord, Father," Isma'eel answered.

"Allah orders you to help me, Ibraheem added.

"Of course I will help, Father," Isma'eel assured him.

Ibraheem looked for the foundation of the Sacred House that was built during the time of Adam. Then he and Isma'eel عليه السلام decided to build the bricks over the old foundation.

Ibraheem and Isma'eel were excited and started the work immediately. Isma'eel learned from his father not to delay God's work.

They were both happy to rebuild the first house of wor- ship on Earth. It is now called Al-Kabah, or the cubic building. Isma'eel worked hard stacking the bricks and Ibraheem laid them one after the other. Whenever his father needed something Isma'eel did it promptly for him. Isma'eel was truly a great son.

When the building was above shoulder-level, Isma'eel brought his father a big rock so he could step on it and complete the rest of Al-Ka'bah. This rock was later known as Maqam Ibraheem, or the Stand of Ibraheem. It is now dis- played near Al-Ka'bah in Al- Masjid Al-Haram in Makkah.

While Ibraheem and Isma'eel were building Al- Ka'bah they made dua'a to Allah to accept their work and good deeds.

﴿وَإِذ يَرفَعُ إِبراهيمُ القَواعِدَ مِنَ البَيتِ وَإِسماعيلُ رَبَّنا تَقَبَّل مِنّا إِنَّكَ أَنتَ السَّميعُ العَليمُ۝رَبَّنا وَاجعَلنا مُسلِمَينِ لَكَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِنا أُمَّةً مُسلِمَةً لَكَ وَأَرِنا مَناسِكَنا وَتُب عَلَينا إِنَّكَ أَنتَ التَّوّابُ الرَّحيمُ﴾ [البقرة: ١٢٧-١٢٨]

TRANSLITERATION

127. Wa-ith yarfa'u Ibraheem-ul-qawa'ida min-al-bayti wa-Isma'eelu rabbana taqabbal minna innaka antas- samee'ul 'aleem 128. Rabbana waj'aina mustimayni Laka wamin thurriyy atina ommatam-muslimatal-laka wa arina manasikana watub 'alayna innaka antat-tawwab-ur-raheen

UNDERSTOOD MEANING

[2:127] And when Ibraheem and Isma'eel were raising the foundations of the House, (Ibraheem prayed): Our Lord! Accept from us (this work). Truly You are the Hearer, the Knower.

[2:128] Our Lord! And make us submissive to you, and make our children a nation submissive to you, and show us how to worship you, and forgive us. Truly You are the Forgiver, the Merciful.

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