Tafsir of Surah As-Saffat - Verse 112

Ibrahim's Emigration, the Test of the Sacrifice of Isma`il, and how Allah blessed Him

Allah tells us that after He helped His close friend Ibrahim, peace be upon him, against his people, and after Ibrahim gave up hoping that they would ever believe despite all the mighty signs that they had witnessed, he emigrated away from them, and said:

وَقَالَ إِنِّى ذَاهِبٌ إِلَى رَبِّى سَيَهْدِينِ - رَبِّ هَبْ لِى مِنَ الصَّـلِحِينِ

(Verily, I am going to my Lord. He will guide me! My Lord! Grant me (offspring) from the righteous.) meaning, obedient children, in compensation for his people and relatives whom he had left. Allah said:

فَبَشَّرْنَـهُ بِغُلَـمٍ حَلِيمٍ

(So We gave him the glad tidings of a forbearing boy.) This child was Isma`il, peace be upon him, for he was the first child of whom glad tidings were given to Ibrahim, peace be upon him, and he was older than Ishaq. The Muslims and the People of the Book agree, and indeed it is stated in their Book, that Isma`il, peace be upon him, was born when Ibrahim, peace be upon him, was eighty-six years old, and Ishaq was born when Ibrahim was ninety-nine years old. According to their Book, Allah commanded Ibrahim to sacrifice his only son, and in another text it says his firstborn son. But here they falsely inserted the name of Ishaq. This is not right because it goes against what their own Scripture says. They inserted the name of Ishaq because he is their ancestor, while Isma`il is the ancestor of the Arabs. They were jealous of them, so they added this idea and changed the meaning of the phrase "only son" to mean `the only son who is with you,' because Isma`il had been taken with his mother to Makkah. But this is a case of falsification and distortion, because the words "only son" cannot be said except in the case of one who has no other son. Furthermore, the firstborn son has a special status that is not shared by subsequent children, so the command to sacrifice him is a more exquisite test.

فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ السَّعْىَ

(And, when he (his son) was old enough to walk with him,) means, when he grew up and started to go with his father and walk with him, for Ibrahim used to go every so often to check on his son and his mother in the land of Faran (i.e., Makkah), to see how they were doing. It was said that he used to ride on Al-Buraq, traveling there swiftly, and Allah knows best. It was reported from Ibn `Abbas, peace be upon him, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Ata' Al-Khurasani, Zayd bin Aslam and others that

فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ السَّعْىَ

(And, when he (his son) was old enough to walk with him,) means, when he became a young man and was able to work as his father did.

فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ السَّعْىَ قَالَ يبُنَىَّ إِنِّى أَرَى فِى الْمَنَامِ أَنِّى أَذْبَحُكَ فَانظُرْ مَاذَا تَرَى

(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. So look what you think!") `Ubayd bin `Umayr said, "The dreams of the Prophets are revelation," then he recited this Ayah:

قَالَ يبُنَىَّ إِنِّى أَرَى فِى الْمَنَامِ أَنِّى أَذْبَحُكَ فَانظُرْ مَاذَا تَرَى

(he said: "O my son! I have seen in a dream that I am slaughtering you. So look what you think!"). He told his son that in order to make it easier for him, and also to test his patience and resolve, at a young age, in obeying Allah and obeying his father.

قَالَ يأَبَتِ افْعَلْ مَا تُؤمَرُ

(He said: "O my father! Do that which you are commanded...") meaning, `obey the command of Allah and sacrifice me.'

سَتَجِدُنِى إِن شَآءَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الصَّـبِرِينَ

(if Allah wills, you shall find me of the patient.) meaning, `I will be patient and will seek the reward for that with Allah.' He, may peace and blessings be upon him, believed in what had been promised. Allah said:

وَاذْكُرْ فِى الْكِتَـبِ إِسْمَـعِيلَ إِنَّهُ كَانَ صَـدِقَ الْوَعْدِ وَكَانَ رَسُولاً نَّبِيّاً - وَكَانَ يَأْمُرُ أَهْلَهُ بِالصَّـلَوةِ وَالزَّكَـوةِ وَكَانَ عِندَ رَبِّهِ مَرْضِيّاً

(And mention in the Book Isma`il. Verily, he was true to what he promised, and he was a Messenger, (and) a Prophet. And he used to enjoin on his family the Salah and the Zakah, and his Lord was pleased with him.) (19:54-55).

فَلَمَّا أَسْلَمَا وَتَلَّهُ لِلْجَبِينِ

(Then, when they had both submitted themselves, and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead;) means, when both of them had pronounced the Shahadah and remembered Allah -- Ibrahim because he was about to offer a sacrifice and Isma`il because he was about to die. Or it was said that "submitted themselves" means that they submitted and followed the command of Allah; Ibrahim obeyed the command of Allah and Isma`il obeyed Allah and his father. This was the view of Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Ibn Ishaq, and others. lThe meaning of the phrase "and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead" is: he placed him facedown so that he could slaughter him from behind, and not have to see his face at the time of slaughter, so that it would be easier for him. Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Ad-Dahhak and Qatadah said:

وَتَلَّهُ لِلْجَبِينِ

(and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead;) means, "He turned him upside down on his face." Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "When the rituals were enjoined upon Ibrahim, peace be upon him, the Shaytan appeared to him at the Mas`a and raced with him, but Ibrahim got there first. Then Jibril, upon him be peace, took him to Jamrat Al-`Aqabah and the Shaytan appeared to him, so he stoned him with seven pebbles until he disappeared. Then he appeared him at Al-Jamrah Al-Wusta and he stoned him with seven pebbles. Then he laid him prostrate on his face. Isma`il, peace be upon him, was wearing a white shirt, and he said, `O my father, I do not have any garment in which I can be shrouded apart from this; take it off me so that you can shroud me in it.' He started to take it off, then he was called from behind:

أَن يإِبْرَهِيمُقَدْ صَدَّقْتَ الرُّؤْيَآ

(O Ibrahim! You have fulfilled the dream!) Ibrahim turned, and saw a fine, horned, white ram." Ibn `Abbas said, "We used to look for similar types of rams." Hisham mentioned this Hadith at length in Al-Manasik.

وَنَـدَيْنَـهُ أَن يإِبْرَهِيمُ قَدْ صَدَّقْتَ الرُّؤْيَآ

(We called out to him: "O Ibrahim! You have fulfilled the dream!") means, `the purpose of your dream has been fulfilled by your laying down your son to sacrifice him.' As-Suddi and others said that he passed the knife over Isma`il's neck, but it did not cut him at all, because a sheet of copper was placed between them. Ibrahim was called at that point, and it was said:

قَدْ صَدَّقْتَ الرُّؤْيَآ

(You have fulfilled the dream!) Allah says;

إِنَّا كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِى الْمُحْسِنِينَ

(Verily, thus do We reward the doers of good.) means, `this is how We deal with those who obey Us in things that are difficult for them; We make for them a way out.' As Allah says:

فَإِذَا بَلَغْنَ أَجَلَهُنَّ فَأَمْسِكُوهُنَّ بِمَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ فَارِقُوهُنَّ بِمَعْرُوفٍ وَأَشْهِدُواْ ذَوَى عَدْلٍ مِّنكُمْ وَأَقِيمُواْ الشَّهَـدَةَ لِلَّهِ ذَلِكُمْ يُوعَظُ بِهِ مَن كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجاً - وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لاَ يَحْتَسِبُ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَـلِغُ أَمْرِهِ قَدْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدْراً

(And whosoever has Taqwa of Allah, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him. Verily, Allah will accomplish his purpose. Indeed Allah has set a measure for all things.) (65:2-3). On the basis of this Ayah and this story, some of the scholars of Usul have stated that it is valid for a ruling to be abrogated before anyone is able to act upon it -- unlike some of the Mu`tazilah. The evidence for this is obvious, because Allah commanded Ibrahim, peace be upon him, to sacrifice his son, then He abrogated that and pointed out the ransom. The purpose of His command had been primarily to reward His close Friend for his patience and resolve in sacrificing his son. Allah says:

إِنَّ هَـذَا لَهُوَ الْبَلاَءُ الْمُبِينُ

(Verily, that indeed was a manifest trial.) meaning, it was clearly a test when he was commanded to sacrifice his son, so, he hastened to do it, in submission to the command of Allah and in obedience to Him. Allah said:

وَإِبْرَهِيمَ الَّذِى وَفَّى

(And of Ibrahim who fulfilled all that.) (53:37), and

وَفَدَيْنَـهُ بِذِبْحٍ عَظِيمٍ

(And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice). It was reported that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "A ram which had grazed in Paradise for forty years." Imam Ahmad recorded that Safiyyah bint Shaybah said, "A woman from Bani Sulaym, who was the midwife of most of the people in our household, told me that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent for `Uthman bin Talhah, may Allah be pleased with him." On one occasion she said, "I asked `Uthman, `Why did the Prophet call you' He said, `The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me,

«إِنِّي كُنْتُ رَأَيْتُ قَرْنَيِ الْكَبْشِ حِينَ دَخَلْتُ الْبَيْتَ فَنَسِيتُ أَنْ آمُرَكَ أَنْ تُخَمِّرَهُمَا فَخَمِّرْهُمَا، فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَكُونَ فِي الْبَيْتِ شَيْءٌ يَشْغَلُ الْمُصَلِّي»

(I saw the horns of the ram when I entered the House i.e., the Ka`bah, and I forgot to tell you to cover them up; cover them up, for there should not be anything in the House which could distract the worshipper.)"' Sufyan said, "The horns of the ram remained hanging in the House until it was burned, and they were burned too." This offers independent evidence that the one who was to be sacrificed was Isma`il, peace be upon him. The Quraysh had inherited the horns of the ram that Ibrahim sacrificed, and they had been passed down from generation to generation, until the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was sent. And Allah knows best.

Reports which state that the One Who was to be sacrificed was Isma`il, and that this is Correct with

Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Amir Ash-Sha`bi, Yusuf bin Mihran, Mujahid, `Ata' and others reported from Ibn `Abbas that it was Isma`il, peace be upon him. Ibn Jarir narrated that Ibn `Abbas said, "The one who was ransomed was Isma`il, peace be upon him. The Jews claimed that it was Ishaq, but the Jews lied." It was reported that Ibn `Umar said, "The sacrifice was Isma`il." Ibn Abi Najih said, narrating from Mujahid, "It was Isma`il, peace be upon him." This was also the view of Yusuf bin Mihran. Ash-Sha`bi said, "It was Isma`il, peace be upon him, and I saw the horns of the ram in the Ka`bah." Muhammad bin Ishaq reported from Al-Hasan bin Dinar and `Amr bin `Ubayd from Al-Hasan Al-Basri that he did not doubt that the one of the two sons Ibrahim was commanded to sacrifice was Isma`il, peace be upon him. Ibn Ishaq said, "I heard Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi say, `The one whom Allah commanded Ibrahim to sacrifice of his two sons was Isma`il.' We find this in the Book of Allah, because when Allah finishes the story of the one of the two sons of Ibrahim who was to be sacrificed, He then says:

وَبَشَّرْنَـهُ بِإِسْحَـقَ نَبِيّاً مِّنَ الصَّـلِحِينَ

(And We gave him the glad tidings of Ishaq -- a Prophet from the righteous), and

فَبَشَّرْنَـهَا بِإِسْحَـقَ وَمِن وَرَآءِ إِسْحَـقَ يَعْقُوبَ

(So, We gave her glad tidings of Ishaq and after Ishaq, of Ya`qub) (11:71). He mentions the son and the son of the son, but He would not have commanded him to sacrifice Ishaq when He had promised that this son would in turn have a son. The one whom He commanded him to sacrifice can only have been Isma`il." Ibn Ishaq said, "I heard him say that often." Ibn Ishaq reported from Buraydah bin Sufyan bin Farwah Al-Aslami that Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi told them that he mentioned that to `Umar bin `Abd Al-`Aziz, may Allah be pleased with him, when he was Khalifah, while he was with him in Syria. `Umar said to him, "This is something about which I have never given any thought, but I see that it is as you say." Then he sent for a man who was with him in Syria, a Jew who had become a Muslim and was committed to Islam, and he thought that he had been one of their scholars. `Umar bin `Abd Al-`Aziz, may Allah be pleased with him, asked him about that. Muhammad bin Ka`b said, "I was with `Umar bin `Abd Al-`Aziz. `Umar said to him, `Which of the two sons of Ibrahim was he commanded to sacrifice' He said, `Isma`il. By Allah, O Commander of the faithful, the Jews know this, but they were jealous of you Arabs because it was your father about whom Allah issued this command and the virtue that Allah mentioned was because of his patience in obeying the command. So they denied that and claimed that it was Ishaq, because he is their father."' `Abdullah bin Al-Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him, said, "I asked my father about which son was to be sacrificed -- was it Isma`il or Ishaq" He said, "Isma`il." This was mentioned in Kitab Az-Zuhd. Ibn Abi Hatim said, "I heard my father say, `The correct view is that the one who was to be sacrificed was Isma`il, peace be upon him."' He said, "And it was narrated that `Ali, Ibn `Umar, Abu Hurayrah, Abu At-Tufayl, Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Al-Hasan, Mujahid, Ash-Sha`bi, Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi, Abu Ja`far Muhammad bin `Ali and Abu Salih, may Allah be pleased with them all, said that the one who was to be sacrificed was Isma`il." Al-Baghawi said in his Tafsir, "This was the view of `Abdullah bin `Umar, Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib, As-Suddi, Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Mujahid, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi and Al-Kalbi." This was also reported from Ibn `Abbas and from Abu `Amr bin Al-`Ala'.

وَبَشَّرْنَـهُ بِإِسْحَـقَ نَبِيّاً مِّنَ الصَّـلِحِينَ

(And We gave him the glad tidings of Ishaq -- a Prophet from the righteous.) having given the glad tidings of the one who was to be sacrificed, who was Isma`il, Allah immediately follows that with mention of the glad tidings of his brother Ishaq. This is also mentioned in Surah Hud (11:71) and in Surat Al-Hijr (15:53-55).

نَبِيّاً

(a Prophet) means, from him there will come a righteous Prophet.

وَبَـرَكْنَا عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَى إِسْحَـقَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِهِمَا مُحْسِنٌ وَظَـلِمٌ لِّنَفْسِهِ مُبِينٌ

(We blessed him and Ishaq. And of their progeny are (some) that do right, and some that plainly wrong themselves.) This is like the Ayah:

قِيلَ ينُوحُ اهْبِطْ بِسَلَـمٍ مِّنَّا وَبَركَـتٍ عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَى أُمَمٍ مِّمَّن مَّعَكَ وَأُمَمٌ سَنُمَتِّعُهُمْ ثُمَّ يَمَسُّهُمْ مِّنَّا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

(It was said: "O Nuh! Come down (from the ship) with peace from Us and blessings on you and on the people who are with you, but people to whom We shall grant their pleasures (for a time), but in the end a painful torment will reach them from Us.") (11:48)

Which son was to be slaughtered? Was it Sayyidna Ismai1 (علیہ السلام) ? Or, was it Sayyidna Ishaq (علیہ السلام) ?

The Tafsir of the verses cited above has been described on the assumption that the son who was to be slaughtered was Sayyidna Ismail (علیہ السلام) . But, the truth of the matter is that there is a severe difference of opinion among commentators and historians about it. That this son was Sayyidna Ishaq (علیہ السلام) has been reported from among the Sahabah by Sayyidna ` Umar, Sayyidna ` Ali, Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn Mas` ud, Sayyidna ` Abbas, Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Abbas and Sayyidna Ka'b al-Ahbar ؓ ، and from among the Tabi` in by Said Ibn Jubayr, Qatadah, Masriq, ` Ikrimah, 'Ata', Muqatil, Zuhri and Suddiyy رحمۃ اللہ علیہم . Counter to this is the narrations from Sayyidna ` Ali, Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas, Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Umar, Sayyidna Abu Hurairah and Sayyidna Abu-t-Tufayl ؓ from among the Sahabah, and Said Ibn Musaiyyab, Said Ibn Jubayr, Hasan al-Basri, Mujahid, ` Umar Ibn ` Abd-ul-` Aziz, Sha'bi, Muhammad Ibn Ka` b al-Qurazi from among the Tabiin from whom it has been reported that that this son was Sayyidna Ismail (علیہ السلام) . It is to be noted that the names of Sayyidna ` Ali, Ibn ` Abbas and Sa;id ibn Jubayr appear in both groups. This is because reports of both views are attributed to them. (Usmani)

Out of the latter commentators, Hafiz Ibn Jarir at-Tabari has preferred the first view, while Hafiz Ibn Kathir and others have not only gone by the second view, but have also refuted the first one. Here, it is not possible to present a critique of arguments advanced by the two groups. Nevertheless, in terms of the descriptive arrangement of the noble Qur'an and the strength of Hadith narrations, the weightier view seems to be that the son of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) who was commanded to be slaughtered was but Sayyidna Ismail (علیہ السلام) . Relevant proof appears below:

1\. After having reported the whole event relating to the sacrifice, the noble Qur'an says in verse 112: وَبَشَّرْ‌نَاهُ بِإِسْحَاقَ نَبِيًّا مِّنَ الصَّالِحِينَ (And We gave him the good news of Ishaq, a prophet from among the righteous). This clearly tells us that the son who was to be sacrificed under Divine command was someone else - other than Sayyidna Ishaq - and the glad tidings of the birth of Sayyidna Ishaq (علیہ السلام) was given after the event of the sacrifice.

2\. Mentioned in this very glad tidings relating to Sayyidna Ishaq (علیہ السلام) is that he will be a prophet. In addition to this, it has been said in another verse that along with the glad tidings of the birth of Sayyidna Ishaq (علیہ السلام) it was also said that, later on, Sayyidna Ishaq (علیہ السلام) will have a son - Sayyidna Ya` qub (علیہ السلام) : فَبَشَّرْ‌نَاهَا بِإِسْحَاقَ وَمِن وَرَ‌اءِ إِسْحَاقَ يَعْقُوبَ (so, We gave her the good news about Ishaq, and about Ya` qub after Ishaq - Hud, 11:71). It clearly shows that he will live a long life to the extent that he will be blessed with an offspring. How could he, then, be commanded to slaughter that very offspring - before becoming a prophet - which would have given Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) the understanding that he has to become a prophet and the birth of Sayyidna Ya` qub (علیہ السلام) is due to come from his loins, therefore, the act of slaughtering cannot bring death to him. It is obvious that, in this situation, neither would this have been some major trial, nor had Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) been deserving of any praise on its implementation. This element of trial is possible only in a situation that Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) fully realizes that his son will die as a result of this act of slaughtering, and only then he takes the initiative of slaughtering him. This whole thing perfectly falls into place in the case of Sayyidna Ismail (علیہ السلام) because Allah Ta’ ala had made no prediction about his remaining alive and becoming a prophet.

3\. From the statement of the Qur'an it seems that the son who was to be slaughtered under Divine command was the first son of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) . Therefore, while migrating from his homeland, he had prayed for a son. In answer to this prayer, he was given the good news that he will have a son who will be forbearing. Then, about this very boy it was said that, by the time he grew old enough to work with his father, came the Divine order that he be slaughtered. This whole chain of events is telling us that this boy was the first son of Sayyidna Ibrahim علیہ السلام .

Now, it was Ismail (علیہ السلام) who was the first son of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) ، while Sayyidna Ishaq (علیہ السلام) was his second son. After that, no doubt remains about the fact that the son who was to be slaughtered under Divine order was but Sayyidna Isma` il (علیہ السلام) .

4\. Then, it is also nearly settled that this event of the sacrifice of a son has come to pass within the environs of Makkah al-Mukarramah. It is for this reason that the custom of sacrifice during the period of Hajj pilgrimage prevailed among the people of Arabia. In addition to that, the horns of the ram sent from Paradise as ransom for the son of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) have remained hanging in the Holy Ka'bah for years. Hafiz Ibn Kathir (رح) has reported several narrations in support, and has gone on to even quote ` Amir Sha'bi as saying: 'I have personally seen the horns of this ram in the Ka'bah' (Ibn Kathir, p.18, v.4). And Sufyan says: 'The horns of this ram remained hanging in the Ka'bah continuously until when (during the time of Hajjaj Ibn Yusuf) there was a fire in Ka'bah during which these horns were also burnt to ashes' (Ibn Kathir, p.17, v.2). Now it becomes fairly obvious that Sayyidna Ismail (علیہ السلام) was the one living in Makkah al-Mukarramah - not Sayyidna Ishaq (علیہ السلام) . Therefore, it is equally obvious that the command to slaughter related but to Sayyidna Ismail' - and not to Sayyidna Ishaq' (علیہ السلام) .

As for the narrations in which it has been said that different Sahabah and tabi'in have declared Sayyidna Ishaq (علیہ السلام) as the dhabih (the one to be slaughtered), Ibn Kathir has said:

'Allah knows best, but evidently all these sayings have come from Ka'b al-Ahbar. When he embraced Islam during the period of Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ ، he started telling him reports from his old (Jewish) books. On occasions, Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ listened to what he had to say. This provided room for others too. They too heard his narrations and started passing them on. These narrations were a bunch of absurdities. This ummah does not need even one word out of it. Allah knows best. - Tafsir Ibn Kathir, p.17, v.4)

This reasoning of Hafiz Ibn Kathir is fairly acceptable, because the basis of taking Sayyidna Ishaq (علیہ السلام) to be the dhabih (the one to be slaughtered) rests on Isra'ilite reports that take Sayyidna Ishaq (علیہ السلام) as dhabih instead of Sayyidna Ismail (علیہ السلام) . This event has been described in the current Bible in the following words:

"After these things God tested Abraham, and said to him, 'Abraham,' And he said, 'Here am I.' He said, 'Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering upon one of the mountains of which I shall tell you." (Genesis 22: 1, 2)

Here, the event of the slaughter has been attributed to Sayyidna Ishaq (علیہ السلام) . But, a little justice and proper investigation would reveal that the Jews have, following their traditional prejudice, interpolated in the text of the Torah - because, the word "your only son" in the very text of Genesis quoted above is telling us that the son whose sacrifice Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) was ordered to make was his 'only' son. Later on, in the chapter, it also appears: "you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me." (Genesis 22:12)

In this sentence too, it is explicitly said that this son was the 'only' son of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) . On the other hand, it is already established that Sayyidna Ishaq (علیہ السلام) was not his 'only' son. If the word 'only' can be applied to anyone, it has to be Sayyidna Ismail (علیہ السلام) alone. There are several other textual evidences from the Book of Genesis itself that bear testimony to the fact that the birth of Sayyidna Ismail (علیہ السلام) had taken place much before the birth of Sayyidna Ishaq (علیہ السلام) . For example:

"Now Sarai, Abram's wife, bore him no children. She had an Egyptian maid whose name was Hagar; and Sarai said to Abram, ' Behold now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children; go in to my maid; it may be that I shall obtain children by her....And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived....And the angel of the Lord said to her, 'Behold, you are with child, and shall bear a son; you shall call his name Ishmael;...Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram." (Genesis 16: 1-4 and 10-16)

In the next chapter, it appears:

"And God said to Abraham, 'As for Sarai your wife,...I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her;...Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said to himself, " Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child? And Abraham said to God, '0 that Ishmael might live in thy sight!' God said, 'No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac." (Genesis 17:15-20)

After that, the birth of Sayyidna Ishaq (علیہ السلام) has been described as follows:

"Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him." ( Genesis 21:5)

It becomes very clear from the texts quoted above that Sayyidna Ishaq (علیہ السلام) was fourteen years younger than Sayyidna Ismail (علیہ السلام) - and during this period of fourteen years, he was the 'only' son of Sayyidna Ibrahim Contrary to this, there was no time in the life of Sayyidna Ishaq (علیہ السلام) when he could be taken as the 'only' son of his father. Now, after that, when the Book of Genesis mentions the sacrifice of the son in chapter 22, we see that the word 'your only son' as used here is testifying to the fact that it means Sayyidna Ismail (علیہ السلام) while some Jewish scribe has added the word: "Issac" with it so that the line of Ishaq - and not the line of Isma` il (علیہ السلام) - receives this honor.

In addition to that, in this very Book of Genesis in the Bible, where Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) has been given the good news of the birth of Sayyidna Ishaq (علیہ السلام) ، it has also been mentioned there:

"I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall come from her" (Genesis 17:16)

. These extracts are taken from the revised standard version of the Bible published by the British and Foreign Bible Society 1952. And the next sentence in Genesis 17:19 is more clear on the point that the long life of Sayyidna Ishaq (علیہ السلام) was predicted well before his birth. It says, “ I will establish my covenant with him (Isaac) as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him." (Muhammad Taqi Usmani)

Now, in the matter of a son about whom it has already been announced that he will have children and nations will come from his progeny, how can an order be given that he should be sacrificed? This too tells us that this command related to Sayyidna Ismail (علیہ السلام) and not to Sayyidna Ishaq (علیہ السلام) .

After having seen these statements in the Bible, one comes to realize the truth of what Hafiz Ibn Kathir has said:

"It has been clearly stated in the sacred books of the Jewish people that, at the time Sayyidna Ismail (علیہ السلام) was born, the age of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) was eighty six years and when Sayyidna Ishaq (علیہ السلام) was born, his age was one hundred years. Then, it is also written in their books that Allah Ta` a1a had commanded Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) to slaughter his only son - and in another copy of the text, the word "firstborn" has been used instead of "only." So, the Jews have added the word "Ishaq" on their own by way of malignant imputation. There is no justification in declaring it as correct, because it is counter to what their books clearly say. They have added this word for the reason that Sayyidna Ishagi is their venerable forefather, while Sayyidna Ismail (علیہ السلام) is that of the Arabs. So envy drove them to add this word, while now they explain "only" as meaning: "the son, other than whom, there is no one else present with you at that time" - because, Sayyidna Ismail (علیہ السلام) and his mother were not present there at that time (therefore, given that sense, Sayyidna Ishaq (علیہ السلام) could be called "only" ). But, this interpretation is totally wrong amounting to a distortion of the text, because the word "only" is applied to a son whose father has no son other than him." – Tafsir lbn Kathir, p. 14, v. 4.

The same Ibn Kathir has also reported that someone from among the Jewish scholars had converted to Islam during the time of the pious caliph, ` Umar Ibn ` Abdul-` Aziz (رح) who asked him, "Which of the sons of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) was it who was commanded to be slaughtered?" He said, "By Allah, 0 Commander of the faithful, he was Sayyidna Ismail (علیہ السلام) . The Jews know it well. But, they say so because of their envy for you Arabs." (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, p. 14, v. 14)

In the light of these proofs, it is almost certain that Sayyidna Ismail (علیہ السلام) was the dhabih (the son Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) was commanded to slaughter). Allah is Pure and He knows best.

In the days of Abraham, polytheism was so dominant that its continuity in history had been long established. Now, any child born into this situation was influenced by the surrounding atmosphere and was so immersed in polytheism that no effort even at the level of the Prophet was successful in weaning him away from it. When Abraham left Iraq, after a long missionary struggle, there were only two believers with him—one his wife Sarah and the other his nephew, Lot. People did not adhere to the concept of the oneness of God, despite the utmost struggle on the part of Prophet Abaraham. So, Almighty God planned that a new race be brought into existence which should be nurtured far away from the atmosphere of polytheism. For this purpose, the area of Hijaz was selected. This area, being dry and without any vegetation, was desolate and uninhabited. The plan was that a devotee should be settled in this area where he would become the progenitor of a pure race. Hijaz (Mecca and Medina) was a waterless desert and to settle anyone in such arid surroundings amounted to sacrificing him alive. God ordered Abraham to offer his son Ishmael as a sacrifice, and in all obedience, Abraham submitted to God’s will. Abraham’s second son was Isaac. Prophethood continued in his line of descent until the advent of the last prophet who belonged to the Children of Ishmael (the younger brother of Isaac). The Prophet Muhammad brought about a revolution, which destroyed polytheism as a dominant school of thought.