This alongside all the other articles on the stories of the prophets has been taken from Ṣaḥīḥ Qiṣaṣ al Anbiyāʾ (Authentic Stories of the Prophets) by Salim ibn ʿId al Hilali who revised Ibn Kathir’s (Qiṣas al Anbiyāʾ) Stories of the Prophets by removing weak, fabricated, repeated reports and unreliable Isra’ili reports, he only kept the Quran verses, sound hadiths and reports from the Salaf.
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The Story of the Sacrificial Son (Ishmael)
Mention of the Birth of Ishaq عليه السلام
Summary
The Sacrificial Son Ismail عليه السلام
When Ibrahim عليه السلام migrated from his people for the sake of Allah, he supplicated, asking his Lord to grant him a righteous child. Allah, exalted is He, answered him and gave him glad tidings of a forbearing boy, who was Ismail عليه السلام, his first child and firstborn, born to him in old age. Ismail grew until he could walk and work alongside his father, sharing in his efforts and service.
Allah tested Ibrahim عليه السلام with a dream in which he was commanded to slaughter this beloved son, who had come after a long wait and whom he had already left in the empty valley of Makka in obedience to Allah.
Knowing that the dreams of the prophets are revelation, Ibrahim عليه السلام informed his son gently, saying that he saw himself slaughtering him, and asked for his view.
Ismail عليه السلام showed perfect patience and submission, saying that his father should do what he was commanded and that, if Allah willed, he would be among the patient. Father and son both submitted to the command of Allah. Ibrahim عليه السلام laid his son down on his forehead so that the neck would be exposed and he would not have to look at his face while slaughtering him.
At that moment Allah called to him that he had fulfilled the vision. The purpose of the test had been reached: Ibrahim’s obedience, his readiness to sacrifice his son for Allah, just as he had previously offered himself to the fire and his wealth to guests.
Allah described this as the clear test and ransomed the boy with a great sacrifice. The well known understanding is that this was a ram, and reports mention that its horns remained in the Kaʿbah for generations, linking this sacrifice to Makka where Ismail عليه السلام lived.
Evidence That The Sacrificial Son Is Ismail عليه السلام
From the order of the verses in Surat as Saffat, Ibn Kathir and many imams understood that the sacrificial son is Ismail عليه السلام. Allah first mentions the story of the sacrifice and the ransom, then says,
“And We gave him glad tidings of Ishaq, a prophet from among the righteous, and We blessed him and Ishaq, and among their offspring are those who do good and those who clearly wrong themselves.”
This shows that the glad tidings of Ishaq عليه السلام as a prophet came after the sacrifice, not that Ishaq was the one being sacrificed. To attach the words about Ishaq directly to the earlier “forbearing boy” is a forced reading.
The scripture of the People of the Book speaks of Ibrahim being commanded to sacrifice “his only son” or “his firstborn” and then inserts the name Ishaq. This addition cannot be correct, because Ishaq عليه السلام was neither the only son nor the firstborn.
Those descriptions belong only to Ismail عليه السلام. The alteration was driven by envy of the Arabs, since Ismail عليه السلام is the father of the Arabs of the Hijaz and the ancestor of the Prophet ﷺ, while Ishaq عليه السلام is the father of Yaqub عليه السلام and the Children of Israel.
Many salaf and later imams held that the sacrificial son is Ismail عليه السلام, and the sound report from Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما affirms this.
A group who said that it was Ishaq عليه السلام mainly relied on Isra’ili reports taken from Kab al Ahbar and similar sources, without a sound hadith from the Prophet ﷺ that would require leaving the apparent sense of the Qur’an.
Muhammad ibn Kab al Qurazi رحمه الله used the verse,
“So We gave her glad tidings of Ishaq, and after Ishaq, Yaqub,”
as a clear proof. The glad tidings of Ishaq عليه السلام and of Yaqub عليه السلام coming after him cannot be combined with a command to slaughter Ishaq while he is still young before Yaqub is born, because that would contradict the earlier promise.
The Glad Tidings And Birth Of Ishaq عليه السلام
After mentioning the sacrifice and ransom, Allah relates separately the story of Ishaq عليه السلام. The angels came as guests to Ibrahim عليه السلام and Sarah عليها السلام on their way to destroy the people of Lut عليه السلام. Ibrahim, thinking they were human guests, honoured them by quickly preparing a roasted calf from the best of his cattle.
When they did not eat, he became afraid, until they informed him that they were sent to the people of Lut and that he should not fear.
Sarah عليها السلام was standing and serving the guests. She laughed with joy at what she heard of Allah’s vengeance on the corrupt people who opposed Lut عليه السلام. At that moment the angels gave her glad tidings of Ishaq and, after him, Yaqub.
She was an old barren woman and her husband was an old man, so she struck her face in amazement and said that this was a strange matter. The angels told her not to marvel at the command of Allah and invoked the mercy and blessings of Allah on the people of that house.
Ibrahim عليه السلام also expressed amazement at first, seeking reassurance and increasing joy, and the angels reminded him that they were giving him glad tidings in truth and that none despairs of the mercy of his Lord except those who are astray.
Thus Ishaq عليه السلام was born by the mercy of Allah in the old age of his parents, and from him came Yaqub عليه السلام.
Allah says that He blessed Ibrahim and Ishaq and that in their descendants there are doers of good and those who clearly wrong themselves.
Different Honours Of Ismail And Ishaq عليهما السلام
In the verses, Ismail عليه السلام is described as a forbearing boy and is shown as the sacrificial son in Makka, the firstborn of Ibrahim عليه السلام and the forefather of the Arabs and of the Prophet ﷺ.
Ishaq عليه السلام is described as a boy who will have knowledge and as a prophet from among the righteous, born to Sarah عليها السلام in her old age, from whom came Yaqub عليه السلام and the line of prophets among Banu Israʾil.
Each of them has his own honour, blessing and مقام, and both are from the righteous believing servants of Allah.
Full Article
The Story of the Sacrificial Son (Ishmael)
وَقَالَ إِنِّي ذَاهِبٌ إِلَى رَبِّي سَيَهْدِينِ رَبِّ هَبْ لِي مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ فَبَشَّرْنَاهُ بِغُلَامٍ حَلِيمٍ فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ السَّعْيَ قَالَ يَا بُنَيَّ إِنِّي أَرَىٰ فِي الْمَنَامِ أَنِّي أَذْبَحُكَ فَانظُرْ مَاذَا تَرَىٰ قَالَ يَا أَبَتِ افْعَلْ مَا تُؤْمَرُ ۖ سَتَجِدُنِي إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الصَّابِرِينَ فَلَمَّا أَسْلَمَا وَتَلَّهُ لِلْجَبِينِ وَنَادَيْنَاهُ أَنْ يَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ قَدْ صَدَّقْتَ الرُّؤْيَا ۚ إِنَّا كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَهُوَ الْبَلَاءُ الْمُبِينُ وَفَدَيْنَاهُ بِذِبْحٍ عَظِيمٍ وَتَرَكْنَا عَلَيْهِ فِي الْآخِرِينَ سَلَامٌ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ إِنَّهُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَبَشَّرْنَاهُ بِإِسْحَاقَ نَبِيًّا مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ وَبَارَكْنَا عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَىٰ إِسْحَاقَ ۚ وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِهِمَا مُحْسِنٌ وَظَالِمٌ لِنَفْسِهِ مُبِينٌ
He said, I am going to my Lord, He will guide me. My Lord, grant me a righteous child. So We gave him glad tidings of a forbearing boy. Then when he reached the age to walk with him, he said, My dear son, I see in my sleep that I am slaughtering you, so look what you think. He said, My dear father, do what you are commanded.
You will find me, if Allah wills, among those who are patient. Then when they had both submitted and he laid him down on his forehead, We called out to him, O Ibrahim, you have fulfilled the vision. Truly We thus reward those who do good.
Truly this is the clear test. And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice. And We left for him among later people, Peace be upon Ibrahim. Thus We reward those who do good.
Truly he is one of Our believing servants. And We gave him glad tidings of Ishaq, a prophet from among the righteous.
And We blessed him and Ishaq, and among their offspring are those who do good and those who clearly wrong themselves. (as Saffat: 99–113)
Allah, exalted is He, tells of His Khalil Ibrahim عليه السلام that when he migrated away from the land of his people, he asked his Lord to grant him a righteous child.
So Allah, exalted is He, gave him glad tidings of a forbearing boy, and he is Ismail عليه السلام, because he was the first child born to him, at the age of eighty six years of the Khalil. There is no disagreement about this among the communities, for he was his first child and his firstborn.
His words, exalted is He, My dear son, when he reached the age to walk with him, mean that he grew up and became able to go with his father, helping him in his needs just as he did.
Mujahid said about His words when he reached the age to walk with him that it means he grew up, travelled, and was able to do what his father did of going about and working.
When matters were like this, Ibrahim عليه السلام saw in a dream that he was being commanded to slaughter this son of his. There is a hadith from Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه, raised to the Prophet ﷺ, that he said, The dreams of the prophets are revelation. (It is a hasan hadith. It was narrated by Ahmad ibn Mani in his Musnad, as in al Mataliib al Aliyah 3129, by at Tabari in Jami al Bayan 12/90, by Ibn Abi Asim in as Sunnah 463, by at Tabarani in al Muajam al Kabir 12302, and by al Hakim 2/431 and 4/396 with a good chain.
Al Hafidh mentioned it in Fath al Bari 1/289 and attributed it to Muslim, and that is a mistake. See also the comment of our shaykh on as Sunnah. It was also said by Ubayd ibn Umayr.)
This was a test from Allah, mighty and majestic, for His Khalil, in that he was commanded to slaughter this dear son who had come to him when he was old and had reached advanced age, after his Lord had already commanded him to settle that boy and his mother in an empty land and a valley where there was no familiar sound, no companion, no crop and no livestock.
He obeyed the command of Allah in that and left them there, trusting in Allah and relying on Him. So Allah made a way out and relief for them, and provided for them from where they did not expect.
Then, after all of that, he was commanded to slaughter this son whom he had set apart in obedience to the command of his Lord, his firstborn and only child, who at that time had no brother besides him. Yet he answered his Lord, obeyed His command, and hurried to carry it out.
Then he presented the matter to his son so that it would be easier and lighter on his own soul than if he were to seize him suddenly and slaughter him by force. So he said, My dear son, I see in my sleep that I am slaughtering you, so look what you think.
That forbearing boy, the joy of the heart of his father, the Khalil Ibrahim عليه السلام, hastened to answer and said, My dear father, do what you are commanded. You will find me, if Allah wills, among those who are patient.
This answer is the height of soundness and obedience, both to the father and to the Lord of all creation.
Allah, exalted is He, says, Then when they had both submitted and he laid him down on his forehead. It is said, they submitted, meaning that they both surrendered to the command of Allah and firmly resolved upon that.
At that point Ibrahim عليه السلام laid him down on his forehead, placing him on the side of his face so that he would not see him at the moment of slaughter. It is also said that he laid him on his forehead so that his neck would be quite clear for the blade.
When it was like that and he was about to strike him with the knife, Allah called out to him, O Ibrahim, you have fulfilled the vision, meaning that you have carried out what you were commanded in the dream.
The intended purpose of testing you, your obedience, your hastening to comply with the command of your Lord, and your offering of your son as a sacrifice has been achieved, just as you were willing to offer your own body to the fire, and just as your wealth is constantly given to the guests.
That is why He said, exalted is He, Truly We thus reward those who do good. Truly this is the clear test, meaning the obvious and manifest trial. (This is like the hadith in al Bukhari 138 which mentions this meaning.)
His words, exalted is He, And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice, mean that We made for him, in place of slaughtering his son, what He provided him of something to slaughter as a ransom instead.
The well known position among the majority is that it was a white ram with black around its eyes and with horns. He saw it tied to a tree, and he sacrificed it. As for what is narrated from Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما that it was a wild sheep, and from al Hasan that it was a mountain goat whose name was Jarir, these reports are not authentic from them.
Most of what is in this area of reports is taken from Israili traditions. In the Qur an there is sufficiency concerning what happened of this tremendous event and amazing test, namely that he was ransomed with a great sacrifice.
It has been related in a hadith that it was a ram. This is in the narration from Safiyyah bint Shaybah رضي الله عنها. She said, A woman from Banu Sulaym, who had delivered most of the people of our house, told me that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent to Uthman ibn Talhah.
On one occasion she said that she asked Uthman, Why did the Messenger of Allah ﷺ call you that day He said, The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me, I saw the two horns of the ram when I entered the House and I forgot to tell you to cover them, so cover them, for it is not fitting that there be in the House anything that distracts the person who is praying.
Sufyan said, The two horns of the ram remained hanging in the House until the House was burned, and they were burned. Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما also related that the head of the ram remained hanging at the water spout of the Kabah until it dried out. (This hadith is in Musnad Ahmad 4/68 and 5/380, and its chain is authentic.)
The fact that it was a ram alone is proof that the sacrificial son is Ismail عليه السلام, because he was the one who was living in Makka. As for Ishaq عليه السلام, we do not know that he came to Makka in his childhood at all, and Allah knows best.
This is what is apparent from the Qur an. Rather it is almost a clear statement that the sacrificial son is Ismail, because he mentioned the story of the sacrifice, then said after it,
وَبَشَّرْنَاهُ بِإِسْحَاقَ نَبِيًّا مِّنَ الصَّالِحِينَ
And We gave him glad tidings of Ishaq, a prophet from among the righteous.
Anyone who makes this an adjectival clause attached to what came before has strained the language. The basis of those who say that the sacrificial son is Ishaq is only Israili traditions, and the scripture they rely upon has distortion, especially in this particular matter, beyond any doubt and with no way out from acknowledging that.
For in their scripture it is said that Allah commanded Ibrahim to slaughter his son, his only son, and in another copy, his firstborn, Ishaq.
The word Ishaq here is an insertion, false and fabricated, because he was neither the only son nor the firstborn. Those descriptions belong only to Ismail, because he was the first child, and for a long period he had no brother besides him.
What drove them to this was envy of the Arabs, for Ismail is the father of the Arabs who dwell in the Hijaz, from whom the Messenger ﷺ is, while Ishaq is the father of Yaqub, who is Israel, and they ascribe themselves to him.
They wanted to draw this honour to themselves, so they distorted the speech of Allah and added into it, and they are a people given to false accusation. They did not accept that favour is in the hand of Allah, He gives it to whom He wills.
A group of the salaf (early muslims) and others said that the sacrificial son is Ishaq. They only took that, and Allah knows best, from Kab al Ahbar or from the writings of the People of the Book.
There is no sound hadith from the infallible Prophet ﷺ about that which would require us to leave the apparent meaning of the noble Book.
That is not understood from the Qur an. Rather what is understood, indeed what is clearly indicated when one reflects, is that the sacrificial son is Ismail, as we have mentioned. Allah knows best.
How excellent is the argument of Muhammad ibn Kab al Qurazi رحمه الله for it being Ismail and not Ishaq, when he used the verse,
فَبَشَّرْنَهَا بِإِسْحَاقَ وَمِنْ وَرَاءِ إِسْحَاقَ يَعْقُوبَ
So We gave her glad tidings of Ishaq, and after Ishaq, Yaqub. (Hud: 71)
He said, How can there be glad tidings of Ishaq and that Yaqub will be born after him, then Allah commands him to slaughter Ishaq while he is still a small boy, before Yaqub is born This cannot be, for it would contradict the earlier glad tidings, and Allah knows best.
As Suhayli objected to this proof, summarising his point by saying that His words, So We gave her glad tidings of Ishaq, are a complete sentence, and His words, and after Ishaq, Yaqub, are another sentence that is not under the scope of the glad tidings.
He said, It is not correct from the point of Arabic grammar for Yaqub to be in the genitive case dependent on the preposition which entered upon Ishaq, unless that preposition is repeated with it. It is not allowed to say, I passed by Zayd and after him Amr, without saying, and by Amr, and similar constructions.
He said, Rather His words, and after Ishaq, Yaqub, are in the accusative, dependent on an implied verb, meaning, and We granted after Ishaq, Yaqub.
He regarded this as decisive, and he gave preference to the position that the sacrificial son is Ishaq based on His words, When he reached the age to walk with him, saying that Ismail was not with him, because in his childhood he was with his mother among the mountains of Makka. So how could he be walking with him
This is open to consideration, because it has been related that the Khalil would travel many times riding al Buraq to Makka, to look in upon his family and his son, then return. Allah, exalted is He, knows best.
Among those who related the view that the sacrificial son is Ishaq are Kab al Ahbar, and it is reported from Umar, al Abbas, Ali, Ibn Masud, Masruq, Ikrimah, Said ibn Jubayr, Mujahid, Ata, ash Shabi, Muqatil, Ubayd ibn Umayr, Abu Maysarah, Zayd ibn Aslam, Abdullah ibn Shuqayq, az Zuhri, al Qasim, Ibn Abi Burdah, MakhuI, Uthman ibn Hadir, as Suddi, al Hasan, Qatada, Abu al Hudhayl and Ibn Sabit.
Ibn Jarir (At Tabari) chose this view. It is also one of the two narrations from Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما.
However the sound report from him, and from most of those just named, is that the sacrificial son is Ismail عليه السلام. Mujahid, Said, ash Shabi, Yusuf ibn Mihran, Ata and many others narrated from Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما that he said, He is Ismail عليه السلام.
Ibn Jarir narrated from Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما that he said, The one who was ransomed is Ismail, and the Jews claim that he is Ishaq, and the Jews have lied. (This is in Jami al Bayan of Ibn Jarir 10/513.)
Abdullah the son of Imam Ahmad said that his father said, He is Ismail. Ibn Abi Hatim said, I asked my father about the sacrificial son, and he said, The correct position is that he is Ismail عليه السلام. (This is in the Tafsir of Ibn Abi Hatim 10/3223 and 18238.)
Ibn Abi Hatim said, It has also been narrated from Ali, Ibn Umar, Abu Hurayrah, Abu at Tufayl, Said ibn al Musayyab, Said ibn Jubayr, al Hasan, Mujahid, ash Shabi, Muhammad ibn Kab, Abu Jafar Muhammad ibn Ali and Abu Salih that they said, The sacrificial son is Ismail عليه السلام.
Al Baghawi also transmitted this from ar Rabi from Anas, and from al Kalbi and Abu Amr ibn al Ala.
It is also narrated from Muawiyah, and this view was held by Umar ibn Abd al Aziz and Muhammad ibn Ishaq ibn Yasar. Al Hasan al Basri used to say, There is no doubt about this.
Muhammad ibn Kab informed that he mentioned this argument of his, by using the verse after the story, So We gave her glad tidings of Ishaq and after Ishaq, Yaqub, to Umar ibn Abd al Aziz when he was caliph and he was with him in Sham.
Umar said to him, This is something I had not looked into before, and I certainly see it as you have said.
Then he sent for a man who was in Sham, who had been a Jew and accepted Islam and whose Islam became good, and people thought that he was one of their learned men.
Umar asked him, Which of the two sons of Ibrahim was he commanded to slaughter He replied, Ismail, by Allah, Commander of the Believers, and the Jews know that, but they envy you, people of the Arabs, because your father is the one who had this matter from Allah and had the virtue that Allah mentioned for him because of his patience in what he was commanded.
So they deny that and claim that it was Ishaq, because Ishaq is their father.
We have laid out this issue in full, with its evidences and narrations, in our book of Tafsir, and to Allah belongs all praise and favour. (This is in Ibn Kathir’s tafsir 7/36 and what comes after it.)
Among those who investigated this question with a rare precise investigation is his companion the Imam Ibn al Qayyim al Jawziyyah رحمه الله in Zad al Maa’d. (See Zad al Madad 1/71–75.)
Mention of the Birth of Ishaq عليه السلام
Allah, exalted is He, says
وَبَشَّرْنَاهُ بِإِسْحَاقَ نَبِيًّا مِّنَ الصَّالِحِينَ وَبَارَكْنَا عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَىٰ إِسْحَاقَ ۚ وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِهِمَا مُحْسِنٌ وَظَالِمٌ لِنَفْسِهِ مُبِينٌ
And We gave him glad tidings of Ishaq, a prophet from among the righteous. And We blessed him and Ishaq, and among their offspring are those who do good and those who clearly wrong themselves. (as Saffat: 112–113)
The glad tidings of his birth had come from the angels to Ibrahim and Sarah when they passed by them on their way to the towns of the people of Lut to destroy them because of their disbelief and shamelessness, as will be explained in its place, Allah willing.
Allah, exalted is He, says
وَلَقَدْ جَاءَتْ رُسُلُنَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ بِالْبُشْرَىٰ قَالُوا سَلَامًا قَالَ سَلَامٌ فَمَا لَبِثَ أَنْ جَاءَ بِعِجْلٍ حَنِيذٍ فَلَمَّا رَأَىٰ أَيْدِيَهُمْ لَا تَصِلُ إِلَيْهِ نَكِرَهُمْ وَأَوْجَسَ مِنْهُمْ خِيفَةً ۖ قَالُوا لَا تَخَفْ إِنَّا أُرْسِلْنَا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِ لُوطٍ وَامْرَأَتُهُ قَائِمَةٌ فَضَحِكَتْ فَبَشَّرْنَاهَا بِإِسْحَاقَ وَمِنْ وَرَاءِ إِسْحَاقَ يَعْقُوبَ قَالَتْ يَا وَيْلَتَىٰ أَأَلِدُ وَأَنَا عَجُوزٌ وَهَٰذَا بَعْلِي شَيْخًا ۖ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَشَيْءٌ عَجِيبٌ قَالُوا أَتَعْجَبِينَ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ ۖ رَحْمَتُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ ۚ إِنَّهُ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ
Our messengers came to Ibrahim with good news. They said, Peace. He said, Peace, and he did not delay before he brought a roasted calf.
Then when he saw that their hands did not reach out to it, he regarded them with suspicion and felt some fear of them. They said, Do not fear, we have been sent to the people of Lut. His wife was standing by and she laughed.
So We gave her glad tidings of Ishaq, and after Ishaq, Yaqub. She said, Woe to me, shall I give birth when I am an old woman and this, my husband, is an old man Truly this is a strange thing.
They said, Do you marvel at the command of Allah The mercy of Allah and His blessings be upon you, people of the house. He is Praiseworthy, Glorious. (Hud: 69–73)
And He, exalted is He, says
وَنَبِّئْهُمْ عَنْ ضَيْفِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِذْ دَخَلُوا عَلَيْهِ فَقَالُوا سَلَامًا قَالَ إِنَّا مِنْكُمْ وَجِلُونَ قَالُوا لَا تَوْجَلْ إِنَّا نُبَشِّرُكَ بِغُلَامٍ عَلِيمٍ قَالَ أَبَشَّرْتُمُونِي عَلَىٰ أَنْ مَسَّنِيَ الْكِبَرُ فَبِمَ تُبَشِّرُونَ قَالُوا بَشَّرْنَاكَ بِالْحَقِّ فَلَا تَكُنْ مِنَ الْقَانِطِينَ قَالَ وَمَنْ يَقْنَطُ مِنْ رَحْمَةِ رَبِّهِ إِلَّا الضَّالُّونَ
And tell them about the guests of Ibrahim. When they entered upon him and said, Peace, he said, We are afraid of you.
They said, Do not be afraid, we give you glad tidings of a boy who will have knowledge. He said, Do you give me glad tidings when old age has touched me So of what do you give me glad tidings They said, We give you glad tidings with the truth, so do not be of those who despair.
He said, And who despairs of the mercy of his Lord except those who are astray (al Hijr: 51–56)
And He, exalted is He, says
هَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ ضَيْفِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْمُكْرَمِينَ إِذْ دَخَلُوا عَلَيْهِ فَقَالُوا سَلَامًا قَالَ سَلَامٌ قَوْمٌ مُنْكَرُونَ فَرَاغَ إِلَىٰ أَهْلِهِ فَجَاءَ بِعِجْلٍ سَمِينٍ فَقَرَّبَهُ إِلَيْهِمْ قَالَ أَلَا تَأْكُلُونَ فَأَوْجَسَ مِنْهُمْ خِيفَةً قَالُوا لَا تَخَفْ ۖ وَبَشَّرُوهُ بِغُلَامٍ عَلِيمٍ فَأَقْبَلَتِ امْرَأَتُهُ فِي صَرَّةٍ فَصَكَّتْ وَجْهَهَا وَقَالَتْ عَجُوزٌ عَقِيمٌ قَالُوا كَذَٰلِكِ قَالَ رَبُّكِ ۖ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْحَكِيمُ الْعَلِيمُ
Has the story come to you of the honoured guests of Ibrahim When they entered upon him and said, Peace, he said, Peace, a people unknown. Then he slipped away to his family and brought a fatted calf, and he brought it near to them and said, Will you not eat Then he felt some fear of them.
They said, Do not fear, and they gave him glad tidings of a boy who would have knowledge. Then his wife came forward with a loud cry, and struck her face and said, An old barren woman They said, Thus has your Lord said. Truly He is the Wise, the Knowing. (adh Dhariyat: 24–30)
Allah, exalted is He, relates that when the angels came to the Khalil, he at first thought they were human guests.
So he treated them as guests are treated and roasted a calf for them from the best of his cattle. When he brought it close to them and presented it, he saw that their hands did not reach towards it. He became suspicious of them and felt fear, as is the nature of the one who sees a guest decline food.
They said, Do not fear, we have been sent to the people of Lut, to destroy them because of their disbelief and wrongdoing.
At that time Sarah عليه السلام was standing, and she laughed out of joy at what she heard of Allah’s vengeance upon that wicked people who had opposed the call of Allah’s prophet Lut عليه السلام, and persisted in their evil and shameless behaviour.
She was standing serving the guests, as is the custom of the people of virtue among the Arabs and others.
When she laughed, Allah, exalted is He, said, So We gave her glad tidings of Ishaq and after Ishaq, Yaqub, meaning that the angels gave her these glad tidings.
His words, exalted is He, Then his wife came forward with a loud cry and struck her face, describe how she cried out and struck her face with her hand out of amazement at this glad tidings. She said,
يَا وَيْلَتَىٰ أَأَلِدُ وَأَنَا عَجُوزٌ وَهَٰذَا بَعْلِي شَيْخًا
Woe to me, shall I give birth when I am an old woman and this, my husband, is an old man
For she was old and barren, and her husband was an old man. She was amazed at that in her state. That is why she said, Truly this is a strange thing.
The angels said to her,
أَتَعْجَبِينَ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ ۖ رَحْمَتُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ
Do you marvel at the command of Allah The mercy of Allah and His blessings be upon you, people of the house. He is Praiseworthy, Glorious.
That is, do not be amazed at the command of Allah, for if He wills something He says to it, Be, and it is. His mercy and blessings upon you, people of this house, from your Lord, for He is Praiseworthy in His attributes, Glorious in His actions.
Ibrahim عليه السلام also showed amazement when he first heard the glad tidings, as a way of seeking confirmation and feeling joy. He said,
أَبَشَّرْتُمُونِي عَلَىٰ أَنْ مَسَّنِيَ الْكِبَرُ فَبِمَ تُبَشِّرُونَ
Do you give me glad tidings when old age has touched me So of what do you give me glad tidings
They said,
بَشَّرْنَاكَ بِالْحَقِّ فَلَا تَكُنْ مِنَ الْقَانِطِينَ
We give you glad tidings with the truth, so do not be of those who despair.
He replied,
وَمَنْ يَقْنَطُ مِنْ رَحْمَةِ رَبِّهِ إِلَّا الضَّالُّونَ
And who despairs of the mercy of his Lord except those who are astray
The two boy who would have knowledge and forbearing boy mentioned in the verses are Ishaq and his brother Ismail عليهما السلام, each of them suited to his own مقام of patience. His Lord described him with truth of promise and patience. He said in the other verse, So We gave her glad tidings of Ishaq and after Ishaq, Yaqub.
This is what Muhammad ibn Kab al Qurazi and others used as proof that the sacrificial son is Ismail, and that Ishaq could not have been commanded to be slaughtered after the glad tidings already came of Ishaq and that Yaqub would come after him.
The meaning of His words, and after Ishaq, Yaqub, is that she would live to enjoy the presence of her son Ishaq, and that after him his son Yaqub would be born, so that the eyes of both parents would be cooled by him just as they had been cooled by the birth of his father before him.
If that had not been meant, there would have been no benefit in mentioning Yaqub and singling him out by name among all the descendants of Ishaq. The fact that he is singled out indicates that they would enjoy him and be happy with his existence, just as they had been gladdened by the birth of his father before him.
Allah, exalted is He, says elsewhere
وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ إِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ كُلًّا هَدَيْنَا
And We granted him Ishaq and Yaqub. Each of them We guided. (al Anam: 84)
And He says
فَلَمَّا اعْتَزَلَهُمْ وَمَا يَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ وَهَبْنَا لَهُ إِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ
When he went aside from them and from what they worshipped apart from Allah, We granted him Ishaq and Yaqub. (Maryam: 49)
According to the People of the Book, Yaqub عليه السلام is the one who first established the Furthest Masjid, which is the Masjid of Iliyya in Bayt al Maqdis, may Allah ennoble it. This is a reasonable view, which is supported by what we have mentioned of the hadith.
On this understanding, the building of the Furthest Masjid by Yaqub عليه السلام would have been forty years after the building of the Sacred Masjid by the Khalil and his son Ismail عليهما السلام. (This is in the Book of Genesis chapters 28 and 35 and also see Zad al Madad 1/49.)
Their building of the Sacred House took place after Ishaq already existed, because when Ibrahim عليه السلام supplicated he said,
وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ رَبِّ اجْعَلْ هَٰذَا الْبَلَدَ آمِنًا وَاجْنُبْنِي وَبَنِيَّ أَنْ نَعْبُدَ الْأَصْنَامَ رَبِّ إِنَّهُنَّ أَضْلَلْنَ كَثِيرًا مِنَ النَّاسِ ۖ فَمَنْ تَبِعَنِي فَإِنَّهُ مِنِّي ۖ وَمَنْ عَصَانِي فَإِنَّكَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ رَبَّنَا إِنِّي أَسْكَنْتُ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِي بِوَادٍ غَيْرِ ذِي زَرْعٍ عِنْدَ بَيْتِكَ الْمُحَرَّمِ رَبَّنَا لِيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ ۖ فَاجْعَلْ أَفْئِدَةً مِنَ النَّاسِ تَهْوِي إِلَيْهِمْ وَارْزُقْهُمْ مِنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَشْكُرُونَ رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ تَعْلَمُ مَا نُخْفِي وَمَا نُعْلِنُ ۗ وَمَا يَخْفَىٰ عَلَى اللَّهِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي وَهَبَ لِي عَلَى الْكِبَرِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّي لَسَمِيعُ الدُّعَاءِ رَبِّ اجْعَلْنِي مُقِيمَ الصَّلَاةِ وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِي ۚ رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلْ دُعَاءِ رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الْحِسَابُ
And when Ibrahim said, My Lord, make this city safe, and keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols. My Lord, they have indeed led many among the people astray. So whoever follows me is truly of me, and whoever disobeys me, then You are indeed Forgiving, Merciful.
Our Lord, I have settled some of my offspring in a valley with no cultivation near Your Sacred House, our Lord so that they may establish the prayer.
So make the hearts of some people incline towards them, and provide them with fruits so that they may give thanks.
Our Lord, You know what we conceal and what we reveal, and nothing is hidden from Allah in the earth nor in the heaven. Praise be to Allah who has granted me in my old age Ismail and Ishaq. Truly my Lord is the Hearer of supplication.
My Lord, make me one who establishes the prayer, and from my offspring. Our Lord, accept my supplication. Our Lord, forgive me and my parents and the believers on the Day when the reckoning is raised. (Ibrahim: 35–41)
As for what is mentioned in the hadith, that Sulayman ibn Dawud عليهما السلام, when he completed the building of Bayt al Maqdis, asked his Lord for three things, as we have mentioned when speaking about His words, He said, My Lord, forgive me and grant me a kingdom that will not belong to anyone after me, this will come in his story.
The intended meaning, and Allah knows best, is that Sulayman renewed its building and completed it. We have already mentioned that there were forty years between the two masjids. No one has said that there were forty years between Sulayman and Ibrahim except Ibn Hibban in his book of divisions and types.
He has not been followed in that and he did not have any precedent for it, and Allah, exalted is He, knows best what is correct. (See Ibn Kathir’s Tafsir 4/34 and also Ibn Hibban, al Taqasim wa al Anwa 14/120, edition of Ihsan.)
