Eid Mubarak to all muslims on the list. Below, is a touching story about
Prophet Ibrahim- khalil-ul-Allah (p.b.u.h). A lengthy reading, but
nonetheless very interesting. May Allah (s.w.t) strengthen our IMAN.
God Speed!
Pa Mambuna
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The Story of Ibrahim's Sacrifice
Author Unknown, may Allah reward him/her
Brothers and Sisters, all of us know the story
of Ibrahim's sacrifice and we say that it
was a test by Allah (ta'ala). But do we really
understand what Ibrahim went through ?
Do we appreciate what it was like to be Ibrahim
? Can we grasp in thought what
happened ? Why is it that we regard Ibrahim as
the father of faith ? What was it that he
achieved ?
Ibrahim (saw) is distinguished in the Quran with
the title of khalil-ul-Allah (the intimate
friend of Allah). In surat an-Nisa, Allah says :
"For Allah did take Ibrahim for (an
intimate) friend " (4:125)
He is also described in surat an-Nahl as a model
: "Ibrahim was indeed a model.
Devoutly obedient to Allah, and true in faith,
and he joined not gods with Allah "
(16:20).
Ibrahim was born among the star- and
idol-worshipping people of Chaldea, in the home
of Azar, his father, the idol-maker of the
tribe. Ibrahim was among the kuffar, but not of
them, like a spring of tawheed (monotheism)
arising out of the swamp of shirk
(polytheism). The Quran tells us in surat
al-An`aam : " Lo ! Ibrahim said to his father
Azar : Do you take idols for God ? For I see you
and your people in manifest error ? "
(6:74).
From the revolt in the house of Azar, his
father, Ibrahim went on to challenge the
polytheism of his people. Indeed Ibrahim is know
as history's great idol- smasher, as the
founder of monotheism and the crusher of
ignorance.
There are numerous verses in the Quran which
describe how Ibrahim argued against
idol-worshippers, his rational arguments against
sceptics and those who worshipped
celestial bodies, how he deals with unbelievers,
how he preaches to his people. For
instance, in surat al-Baqara Allah says : "Hast
thou not turned thy vision to one who
disputed with Abraham about his Lord, because
God granted him power ? Abraham
said : ` My Lord is He who giveth life and
death.' He said : `I give life and death.' Said
Abraham : `But it is God that causeth the sun to
rise from the East : Do then cause it to
rise from the West.' Thus was he confounded who
(in arrogance) rejected Faith. Nor
doth God give guidance to a people unjust."
(2:258)
In another example in surat al-Anbiya : We
bestowed aforetime on Abraham his
rectitude of conduct, and well were We
acquainted with him. Behold ! he said to his
father and his people, `What are these images to
which ye are (so assiduously) devoted
?' They said, `We found our fathers worshipping
them.' He said, 'Indeed ye have been
in manifest error -- ye and your fathers.' They
said, 'Have you brought us the Truth, or
are you one of those who jest ?' He said, `Nay,
your Lord is the Lord of heavens and
the earth, He who created them (from nothing) :
I am a witness to this (truth). And by
God, I have a plan for your idols -- after ye go
away and turn your backs.' So he broke
them to pieces, (all) but the biggest of them,
that they might turn (and address
themselves) to it. They said, `Who has done this
to our gods ? He must indeed be some
man of impiety ! ' They said, `We heard a youth
talk of them : he is called Abraham.'
They said, `Then bring him before the eyes of
the people, that they may bear witness.'
They said, `Art thou the one that did this with
our gods, O Abraham ?' He said, `Nay,
this was done by -- This is their biggest one !
Ask them, if they speak intelligently !' So
they turned to themselves and said, ` Surely ye
are the ones in the wrong !' Then were
they confounded with shame: (they said) `Thou
knowest full well that these idols do not
speak !' (Abraham) said, Do ye then worship,
besides God, things that can neither be of
any good to you nor do you harm ? Fie upon you,
and upon the things that ye worship
besides God ! Have ye no sense ?' They said,
`Burn him and protect your gods, if ye do
(anything at all) !' (21:51-68)
As usual, when falsehood is defeated on
intellectual grounds it resorts to plotting and
oppression. The response of his people to his
da`wa is given in surat al-Ankabut : "So
naught was the answer of (Ibrahim's) people
except that they said : Slay him or burn him
" (29:24) Ibrahim could have given up his
message and his beliefs to save himself from
the fire of Nimrod. Nut he chose martyrdom. He
chose to die for Allah's message to
live. He chose to step into the fire of
ignorance and tyranny in order to save humanity
from the fire of ignorance and tyranny. So he
was cast into the fire.
But Allah had a different plan for Ibrahim and
he was unhurt by the grace of Allah
(ta'ala) : "But Allah did save him from the
fire. Verily in this are signs for people who
believe " (29:24). Allah also says : "We said `O
fire ! Be cool and a means of safety for
Ibrahim' " (21:69). his miracle did not refrain
the idol-worshippers from continuing for
very long years their plots, persecution, abuse,
cruelty and isolation against Ibrahim but
he remained uncompromising, unshakeable in his
beliefs, patient in his suffering, gentle in
his manners until he made his hijra (he
migrated) to the lands of Aram nad Canaan.
He left the land of his fathers to become a
stranger in the land of promise.
Brothers and Sisters, it was indeed a land of
promise. A land where Ibrahim continued a
lifetime of struggle, da`wa, movement, bearing
alone the heavy responsibility of the
mission of Tawheed (monotheism) in an age of
darkness, oppression, prejudice and
ignorance. Ibrahim did not have children. And
through- out his century of prophethood
and service of God, as Ibrahim grew older, his
desire to have a son grew stronger. The
now old Prophet Ibrahim desperately longed for a
son but his wife Sarah was barren.
"O my Lord ! Grant me a righteous son !"
(37:100) was his call to Allah.
Against every expectation, Allah fullfilled his
promise of making Ibrahim the seed of a
great line of Prophets, the root of the great
universal religions. "So we gave him the
good news of a forbearing boy" (37:101).
Allah brought mercy to the agedness, loneliness,
hopelessness and anguish of his
trustworthy Messenger. For Ibrahim, Ismail was
not just a son for a sonless father, he
was the end of a life of waiting, the reward of
a century of suffering, the fruit of his life,
the hope after despair and the young boy of an
old father.
Ismael being the promise of future generations
was in some sense the whole world for
Ibrahim.
So there was joy and rejoicing in Ibrahim's
house as Ismail was quickly growing under
the sun of his father's love.
But Allah decided that it was not to remain so.
Brothers and Sisters, Ibrahim was to be tried
once more. Ibrahim had a vision in which
he was commanded by Allah to slaughter his only
son.
Brothers and Sisters, why should Ibrahim, whose
entire life was devoted to
prophethood, to Jihaad, to removing ignorance,
to laying the foundations of tawheed be
tried once again ?
Is it because man should not rest ?
Is it because man should not be deceived by 100
years of Jihad and victories ?
Is it because he should not think of himself
without weakness ?
Is it for the fact that whatever we fix our eyes
upon in this world will blind us ?
And finally, is it because the higher the
spiritual height we reach, the greater is the danger
of falling ?
Brothers and Sisters, it is not possible to
convey in words what it must have meant for
Ibrahim to be commanded by Allah (ta'ala) to
sacrifice his only son Ismail. The
magnitude of the pain does not allow the
imagination to enclose it. It inspires fear and
trembling.
How can Ibrahim take his beloved son, the fruit
of his life, the joy of his heart, the
meaning of his living and staying, his Ismail,
and hold him on the ground, put a knife to
his throat and kill him ?
If it were only the slaughter of Ibrahim at the
hand of Ismail, how easy ! But no ! The
young Ismail must die and the old and aged
Ibrahim must remain !
Ibrahim, the steel-like idol-smasher must have
felt torn apart !
Within him, there must have been a war, the
greatest jihad. Which war ? The war
between God and Ismail ! The difficulty of
choice !
Who should Ibrahim choose ?
Love of God or Love of self ?
Prophethood or Fatherhood ?
Loyalty to God or loyalty to family ?
Faith or Emotion ?
Truth or Reality ?
Consciousness or Instinct ?
Responsibility or Pleasure ?
Duty or Right ?
Tawheed (Monotheism) or Shirk (Polytheism) ?
Advancing or Remaining ?
To Become or To Be ?
And finally, God or Ismail ?
What should Ibrahim choose ?
Brothers and Sisters, Ibrahim did not choose
immediately. He doubted and wavered
under the crushing force of pain and anguish.
Only after the third vision did he finally
decide to carry out Allah's command. This is
reflected in the hajj ritual of stoning the
three idols representing Iblis who tempted
Ibrahim to disobey Allah.
When a `truth' enhances one's earthly life, most
people become seekers of truth. But
when a truth opposes life and leads to problems,
loss and dangers the seekers of truth
are few in number.
Iblis works wherever he finds traces of fear,
weakness, doubt, despair, envy selfishness
and even great affection towards someone or
something. Iblis sometimes blows logical
reasons, intellectual and religious
justifications to achieve his ends.
For instance we may imagine that, under the
powerful crush of his pain and distress,
Ibrahim could have used many justifications.
Perhaps the meaning of dhebh (slaughter) is
just metaphorical and means kill your `ego'.
Perhaps `Ismail' might be a general noun
and not Ibrahim's son. Perhaps ``slaughter
Ismail'' actually means ``slaughter the love of
Ismail''. Ibrahim could have also tried many
interpretations of his vision.
But Ibrahim, khalil-ul-Allah, the intimate
friend of God, had faith in Allah and he knew
that Allah (ta'ala) demanded the sacrifice.
Abraham's conscience would make a
mockery of all these logical justifications and
reasons.
Ibrahim chose the Love of God over the Love of
self, Prophethood over Fatherhood,
Loyalty to God over Loyalty to family, Truth
over Reality, Consciousness over Instinct,
Responsibility over Pleasure, Duty over Right,
Tawheed over Shirk. He preferred
Advancing to Remaining.
Ibrahim chose God and gave up Ismail.
Brothers and Sisters, in Mina, an amazing and
frightening conversation between a father
and a son took place.
Ibrahim said to Ismail : "O my Son, I see in a
vision that I offer you in sacrifice. Now
see what is your view ? " (37:102)
What frightening words for a child to hear !
Ismail could have kept silent. He could have
asked Ibrahim to refrain.
But Ismail had also faith. He submitted to
Allah's will. Realising his father's distress,
Ismail gave him these comforting words : "O my
father ! Do as you are commanded.
You will find me, if Allah so wills, patient and
constant " (37:102)
Allah-u-Akbar ! Allah-u-Akbar ! Allah-u-Akbar !
Ibrahim had consulted his son who willingly
offered himself to Allah's command. The
choice of Ibrahim was sacrifice. That of Ismail
was self-sacrifice : Martyrdom.
This gave Ibrahim strength. Ibrahim tied his
heart to God, he took the Ismail of his life in
one hand and the knife of his faith in the other
and he walked until he reached the place
of sacrifice. Ibrahim was suffering while
believing and at every moment it was possible
for him to retract and turn back. Yet he layed
Ismail on the ground, putting his face
away from him to give strength to his crushed
soul and paralysed hand. And so he
slaughtered Ismail. But, by Allah's grace, the
knife did not cut.
Ibrahim received a sheep and was called by Allah
:
"O Ibrahim ! You have confirmed the Vision Thus
indeed do We reward those who do
right This is indeed the manifest trial !"
(37:104-105)
Allah-u-Akbar ! Allah-u-Akbar ! Allah-u-Akbar !
Brothers and Sisters, Ibrahim gained everything
and kept Ismail. This means that the
God of Ibrahim is not thirsty for blood like the
Inca gods or Hindu godesses were thirsty
of blood.
It is the people, the servants of God who are
hungry, and hungry of sheep meat.
And, symbolically, the only blood shed in this
story is the blood of Iblis.
Brothers and Sisters, this means that from the
very beginning God did not want Ismail to
be slaughtered. He wanted Ibrahim to be the
slaughterer of Ismail. When he became so,
the slaughter became useless.
God, from the beginning, wanted Ismail to be the
slaughter of God. And when it
happened, his sacrifice became useless.
Mankind has needs but God has no needs. He is
Self-Sufficient. Allah (ta`ala) in His
Wisdom raised Ibrahim to the highest peak of
sacrificing his Ismail without sacrificing
Ismail. Allah (ta`ala) promoted Ismail to the
highest peak of being the great sacrifice of
God without bringing any harm to him.
This event is not about the torment and torture
of mankind but about the perfection of
humanity, the freedom from the prison of
instinct and selfishness and about the elevation
of spirit.
This momentous event also teaches us, through
Ibrahim, that human life, Ismail's,
Ibrahim's, everyone's, acquires its meaning and
value from God -- The Source of
Creation -- and not from nature. It signifies
that the good things in life, represented by
Ismail, derive their value not from the mere
fact that they exist and can be valued,
enjoyed and delighted in, but from God, The
Source of Creation Himself. Ibrahim was,
in some sense, giving back Ismail to receive him
again on the proper basis.
Brothers and Sisters, different people organise
differently their loyalty to God, to the
family and to the nation or the state. A secular
mind owes and absolute duty to the
nation (and the family) whereas a religious
conscience owes absolute duty to God. For a
secular mind Ibrahim was willing to MURDER
Ismail but for a religious conscience he
was willing to SACRIFICE Ismail. Ibrahim
therefore instructs that we should owe
absolute duty only to God and it is our
relationship to God which ought to transcend and
determine out relation to family/nation and not
vice-versa.
Brothers and Sisters, there still is a lot to
understand and discover about this momentus
event. These are only a few possible meanings.
Only a few, and just possible, because
as Ibrahim taught us to be less complacent and
more critical about having attained faith,
we should be less complacent and more critical
about having attained understanding.
Brothers and Sisters, the Ismail of Ibrahim was
his son. But you, who is your Ismail ?
what is it ?
Your degree ? Your reputation ? Your position ?
Your money ? Your home ? Your car
? Your beloved ? Your family ? Your knowledge ?
Your title ? Your dress ? Your fame
? Your soul ? Your spirituality ? Your Beauty ?
Your strength ? Your career ?
How does one know ?
Well, you know this yourself. One can only give
its signs to you.
Whatever is in your eyes which holds the place
of Ismail in the eyes of Ibrahim !
Whatever weakens you on the way of faith !
Whatever stops you in your movement !
Whatever brings doubt to your responsibility !
Whatever has enchained your freedom !
Whatever leads you to compromise and
justification !
That very thing which deafens your ears before
the Message of Truth !
Whatever calls you to remain with yourself !
Whatever causes you to flee from your duty !
Whoever or Whatever keeps you behind in order to
remain with her/him or it !
Brothers and Sisters, these are the signs of our
Ismail's. Let us search for them in
ourselves and let us slaughter them to move
towards Allah (ta'ala) and to remove the
real knife from the throat of oppressed Muslims
from Bosnia to Kashmir, from somalia
to Palestine.
Brothers and Sisters, let us revolt against the
heartless worshippers that we have
become.
Remember our Eid is not a Eid of victory. It is
the Eid of sacrifice (adha).
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