MASTER OF THE PROSTRATORS

IMAM ZAIN-UL-ABEDEEN(A.S.) PROPHET ISMA'IL'S SACRIFICE

 Let us start with the verses of the Noble Qur’an relating to the sacrifice.

Sura al-Saffat verse 99 to 109:

“Ibrahim said ‘I will go to my Lord who will guide me’ and he prayed ‘Lord grant me a righteous son’ We gave him the glad news of the birth of a forbearing son. When his son was old enough to work with him, he said, ‘My son, I have had a dream that I must sacrifice you. What do you think of this?’ He replied, ‘Father, fulfill whatever you are commanded to do and you will find me patient, by the will of Allah’. When they both agreed and Ibrahim had laid down his son on the side of his face (for slaughtering). We called to him, ’Ibrahim, you have fulfilled what you were commanded to do in your dream. Thus do We reward the righteous ones. It was certainly an open trial. We ransomed his son with a great sacrifice and perpetuated his praise in later generations. Peace be with Ibrahim”

Hazrat Ibrahim is called the “Father of Prophets”. He was in his seventies but did not have any children with Bibi Sarah. Both were very fond of children. Bibi Sarah advised him to marry their servant Bibi Hajerah (Hagar) so that they can have a baby in the house.

Hazrat Ibrahim married Bibi Hajerah and Hazrat Ismail was born.

A time came when disagreement grew between his two wives and at last one day Hazrat Ibrahim brought Hazrat Ismail, who was still an infant and Bibi Hajerah to the place where the present city of Makkahis located. He left some food and water and left.

When water was finished, Bibi Hajerah went in search of help. She first climbed the Mount Safa and looked around then ran to the opposite side and climbed the Mount Marwah. She kept on running between these mountains in search of water but found nothing. Hazrat Ismail was dragging his feet on the ground and to her surprise she saw a spring of water erupted near his feet. She quenched the thirst of the baby. During the Hajj, Muslims repeat her act of running between these mountains. The spring is still there and is called Zamzam and Hajjis drink this sacred water and take with them. Noble Qur’an Sura al-Baqarah verse 158 “Safa and Marwa (Names of two places in Makkah) are reminders of Allah. It is no sin for one who visits the Sacred House (In Makkah) to walk seven times between Safa and Marwa. Whoever willingly does a good deed in obedience to Allah, he will find Allah All-knowing and fully Appreciative."

When Hazrat Ismail grew up then Allah commanded them to reconstruct The House of Allah; The Kaabaa. Hence, these two prophets extended the walls of Kaabaa. Allah then revealed this verse in The Noble Qur’an Sura al-Hajj verses 26-27 “When We prepared for Ibrahim the place to build the Sacred House, We told him not to consider any thing equal to Me and to keep the House clean for those walking around it, those standing, bowing down, and prostrating in prayer. (We commanded Ibrahim), Call people for Hajj. They will come on foot and on lean camels from all the distant quarters.”

When Hazrat Ismail was about 14 years of age, one day Hazrat Ibrahim told him that he had a dream which showed as if he was sacrificing him (Ismail). What was his decision. By the way he saw that dream 3 times. Unlike regular people, Prophet’s dreams are real and a command by Allah to do certain act. Hazrat Ismail was also a prophet and he was fully aware that it was a command of Allah. He replied to his father that he should comply with Allah’s command and that, by the Will of Allah, he will be among the patient ones.

Next day Hazrat Ibrahim picked up a knife and a rope and took Hazrat Ismail along with him and both proceeded towards Arafaat, a suburb of Makkah. When Hazrat Hajerah inquired as to why he was taking a knife and a rope, he replied that he might need it at his friend’s house to slaughter a goat. At Mina, Shaytan tried to persuade him to abandon the sacrifice. He refused to listen and as he was bothering the prophet, he threw stone at him 7 times. During Hajj, Muslims go to the place “Jamaraat” and repeat the sunnat-e-Ibrahimi and they also throw stones 7 times. Prophet Ibrahim blind-folded himself so that he may not witness the pain and distress of his son. He also tied-up Hazrat Ismail’s hands and legs to reduce struggle during the sacrifice. He placed the knife on Hazrat Ismail’s throat and kept cutting. When he had finished the sacrifice and removed the blindfold, he was both surprised and delighted to see his son was safe. Instead, a goat was slaughtered.

Allah has the knowledge of our intentions and in this case also Hazrat Ibrahim was blindfolded and he thought he had sacrificed his son but by Allah’s order he was replaced by a goat.

As mentioned above, Sura al-Saffat verse 107 “We ransomed his son with a great sacrifice”. This great sacrifice was the Martyrdom of Imam Hussain. In Karbala, when Imam Hussain (a.s.) was talking to his son, Hazrat Ali Akbar, The Ismail of Karbala, and forecasted that they all were going towards death. Hazrat Ali Akbar asked “Father, are we not on the Right Path?”When Imam Hussain (a.s.) replied in affirmative then he said “We are not worried about death”. Similarly, when Hazrat Qasim ibne Hasan wanted permission to go to the battlefield, Imam Hussain (a.s.) asked him “Qasim! How do you see death?” He replied “Sweeter than honey”

For a moment, just compare these youths. Hazrat Ismail was a prophet and when his father narrated his dream about sacrifice in Allah’s way, he replied that in the face of death, he will be found among “the patient ones”. In Karbala, the grandsons of Imam Ali (a.s.) were welcoming death!

Similarly, once Hazrat Ibrahim inquired from Allah as to how He revives the dead as stated in the Noble Quran, Sura al-Baqara verse 260“When Ibrahim prayed ‘ Lord show me how you bring the dead back to life,’ the Lord said, ‘ Do you not yet believe? Ibrahim replied ‘I believe but want more confidence for my heart’ Allah told him,’ Take four birds, induce them to come to you, cut and scatter their bodies leaving parts on every mountain top, then call them and they will swiftly come to you.’ Know that Allah is

Majestic and Wise.” Imam Ali (a.s.)’s faith in Allah was at the zenith of faiths as he said “There will not be any change in my faith even if the curtains are lifted!”

So every year, Muslims from all over the world congregate in the Holy City of Makkah to perform Hajj and repeat all the above-mentioned acts including running between the Mounts of Safa and Marwa called “Sa’ee”, throwing stones to the three Shaytaan called "Rammi-e-Jamaraat”, slaughters a goat and drink water of Zamzam.