Mohsin Aziz

The land is barren. Not a blade of grass. No sign of life. Nobody has ever lived there. It is inhospitable and is rightly called wadi ghair zee zara ì.e. valley where nobody lives and nothing grows.  From distance, one can see three silhouettes. What are these three people doing there? Who are they? An old man, a woman, and a newborn baby boy. The baby is still nursing.

The old man puts some dates and water in a water skin near the women and the infant and starts walking away. The woman gets worried and calls him asking ‘where are you going, Abraham, leaving us in this barren valley?’ Abraham kept quiet and kept walking. The women repeated her question but again did not get any answer. Abraham kept walking silently. When after repeatedly asking the question and not getting any answer, the woman understood that her husband is not acting on his own initiative but on divine instruction. Finally, she asked him:’Did Allah command you to do so?’ Ibrahim replied in affirmative. After confirming from Ibrahim that he was leaving his wife and child in the barren, lifeless valley at the command of Allah, Hajar said the famous sentence dripped in faith ‘ We are not going to be lost, since Allah Who has commanded you is with us’ (Sahih al Bukhari, 3363 and 3364).

Little did these three knew that they had been chosen for a very special task by their Lord. Who would have thought that their actions and their struggle to survive would one day become an article of faith for billions of Muslims from around the world. Who would have thought that a place where nothing grew and nobody lived would be a dream destination for billions. That they would weep and pray to be there. That the mere mention of the place would tear up the eyes of millions. Who would have thought that people would travel from all corners of the world using all possible means of transportation to reach there just once in their lifetime. This is the story of hajj and umrah, pilgrimages performed by millions every year. The story started with the arrival of these three to this place, then called Bakkah.

Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam. The other four are: Shahada (declaration of faith), Salaat (prayer), Zakaat (religious charity), and saum (fasting) in the month of Ramadan. Out of the five pillars of Islam, it is only hajj, which requires both health and wealth. That’s why it is required to be performed only once in a lifetime provided the person has means. It’s neither compulsory nor possible for the poor. Similarly, despite becoming much easier compared to the past, hajj is still a physically strenuous activity. It’s better to perform it as early as possible. Hajj is a special in the sense that each and every aspect of it is connected to the family of Ibrahim. All the arkan of the Hajj are connected to the different incidents related to either Ibrahim or his second wife Hajra or his son from Hajra, i.e. Ismail.

Ibrahim was a curious child from the beginning. His father, Azar, was an idol maker. He used to make idols that were worshipped by his nation. However, Ibrahim was not convinced that the statues made by his father were God’s to be worshipped. He refused to accept them as God’s and often used to ponder as to who is the real God. Ibrahim told his people that ‘Worship you that which you (yoursel) carve’ (Al Quran, Surah Al Saffat:95). Ibrahim’s story is full of sacrifices and unflinching faith in Allah. His life was total submission to Allah. He was put in fire, had to leave his home, had to leave his family in Makkah, and was asked to sacrifice his son. He did not hesitate even once. Quran describes his life beautifully.

‘When his Lord said to him ‘submit’, he said ‘I have submitted (in Islam) to the Lord of the world’s’  (Al Quran, Surah al Baqarah: 131).

Allah was so pleased with Ibrahim that He gave Ibrahim the title of  Khalilullah, i.e., friend of Allah. Quran declares that ‘And who  can be better in religion than who submits his face (himself) to Allah. And follow the relgion of Ibrahim Hanifa. And Allah did take Ibrahim as a khalil (Surah Al Nisa:125) and declared at another place in the Quran:

‘And who turns away from the religion of Ibrahim except him who befools himself? Truly, We chose him in this world, and verily, in the hereafter, he will be among the righteous (Al Quran, Surah al Baqarah:130).

He was married to Sarah. They were issueless. When Sarah was given a girl servant named Hajra (Hajar). Sarah suggested to Ibrahim that he should marry Hajar in the hope that they may have a child. Ibrahim married Hajar  by the command of Allah.

Hajra (Hajar)

The story of Hajar is very interesting. She was a servant of Ibrahim’s (a.s.) first wife, Sarah. Once, Ibrahim was travelling with Sarah, and they passed by the territory of a tyrant. The tyrant was told that Ibrahim was travelling with a very charming lady. He sent for Ibrahim and asked him,’Who is this lady?’ Ibrahim said, ‘She is my sister.’ Later, Ibrahim went to Sarah and told her that there were no believers on this earth except him and her. He told her,’ This man asked me about you, and I have told him that you are my sister, so you don’t contradict my statements. The tyrant then called Sarah, and when she went to him, he tried to take hold of her with his hand, but (his hand got stiff) he was confounded. He asked Sarah, ‘Pray to Allah for me, and I shall not harm you.’ So Sarah asked Allah to cue him, and he got cured. He tried to take hold of her for the second time, but  (his hand got as stiff as (or stiffer than) before and) was more confounded. He again requested Sarah, ‘Pray to Allah for me, and I will not harm you.’ Sarah asked Allah again, and he became right. He then called one of his guards (who had brought her) and said, ‘You have not brought me a human being but have brought me a devil.’ The tyrant then gave Hajar as a girl-servant to Sarah. Sarah came back to Ibrahim while he was offering salat. Ibrahim, gesturing with his hand, asked, ‘What has happened?’ She replied,’Allah has spoiled the evil plot of the infidel or immoral person) and gave me Hajar for service’ (Sahih al Bukhari,  3358).

Ismail (a.s.)

Ibrahim a.s. had two sons – Ismail and Ishaq. Ismail was the elder one born to the second wife of Ibrahim a.s.,  Hajra. The younger son, Ishaq a.s. was born to the first wife, Sarah. Both the sons were given prophethood like their father. Ibrahim had prayed for his family to be the establisher of prayer. Allah did accept the prayer of His friend. Not only were both sons given prophethood, but prophethood was given to their offspring as well. Among the descendents of Ishaq a.s. (Isaac),  there is an impressive list of well-known prophets till Isa a s. (Jesus). Starting with Ishaqs son Yaqub a.s. (Jacob) There is Yusuf (Joseph), Musa a.s. (Moses),  Harun a.s. (Aaron), Dawood a.s. (David),  Sulaiman a.s. (Solomon), Younus a.s. (Jonah), Zulkifli a.s. (Ezikeil), Alyasa a.s. (Elisha) , Ilyas a.s. (Elijah), Zakaria a.s. (Zachariah), Ayyub a.s. (Job),  Yahya a.s. (John)  and finally Isa a.s. (Jesus).

On the other hand,  there were no prophets in the lineage of Ismail a.s. for number of generations. There is only one Prophet among his progeny. It is the last messenger of Allah, Hazrat Mohammad s.a.w.

Hui pehlu e Amna se huwaida

Dua e Khalil aur naveed e Masiha

(Altaf Hussain Hali, 1889)

Ismail Zabihullah

It is established belief among Muslims that it was Ismail who was offered for slaughtering by Ibrahim a.s. hence, he is referred to as Ismail Zabihullah. However Jews claim that it was Ishaq a.s. (Isaac) who was offered for sacrifice. Imam Hamiduddin Farahi, in his research, has comphensively proven that it was Ismail who was offered for sacrifice (Farahi, Hamiduddin, 1999).

The Holy Quran mentions the sacrifice and submission of Ibrahim and Ismail in the following words:

‘And he said (after his rescue from the fire): ‘Verily! I am going to my God. He will guide me!. My Lord Grant me (offspring) from the righteous. So We gave him the glad tidings of a forebearing boy. And, when he (his son) was old enough to walk with him, he said, ‘O my son! I have seen in a dream that I am slaughtering you (offer you in sacrifice to Allah), so look what you think!’ He said! ‘O my father! Do that which you are commanded, InshAllah (if Allah will), you shall find me   As- sabirin (the patient ones, etc.’). Then, when they had both submitted themselves (to the will of Allah), and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead (or on the side of his forehead for slaughtering). And We called out to him: ‘O Ibrahim!’ You have fulfilled the dream! Thus do we reward the Muhsinun. Verily! That indeed was a manifest trial. And We ransome him with a great sacrifice (i.e., a Ram). And we left for him (a goodly remembrance) among generations (to come) in later times. Salamun (peace) be upon Ibrahim. Thus indeed do We reward the Muhsinun. Verily! He was one of Our believing slaves’ (Quran, Surah Al Saffat:99-111).

(To be continued in part 2)

References:

Altaf Hussain Hali (1889) Musaddas e  Hali, Musamma be Mad o Jazar e Islam. Maktaba Murtazvi: Delhi.

Al Quran. Interpretations of the meaning of THE NOBLE QURAN in the English language. Muhsin Khan. Darussalam Publications, 2011.

Farahi, Hamiduddin (1999) Al Raay al sahi fi man huwa al dhabih. Damascus: Darul Qalam.

Sahih al Bukhari (2015) The translation of the meaning of Sahih al Bukhari (Arabic-English) Vol 4. Ahadith 2738 to 3648. Translated by Muhammad Muhsin Khan. Darussalam : Riyadh.