Ibrahim and Ismail: complete submission to Allah
Allah Almighty says:
فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ السَّعْيَ قَالَ يَا بُنَيَّ إِنِّي أَرَىٰ فِي الْمَنَامِ أَنِّي أَذْبَحُكَ فَانظُرْ مَاذَا تَرَىٰ ۚ قَالَ يَا أَبَتِ افْعَلْ مَا تُؤْمَرُ ۖ سَتَجِدُنِي إِن شَاءَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الصَّابِرِينَ
“When he was old enough to work with him, he said, ‘My dear son, I have seen in a dream that I must sacrifice you, so see what you think.’ He said, ‘My dear father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Allah wills, among the patient.’”
(Surat al-Saffat 37:102)
When Ismail reached the age where he could walk, work and accompany his father, Ibrahim عليه السلام said to him, “My dear son, I have seen in a dream that I am slaughtering you.”
This was not an ordinary dream. The dreams of prophets are revelation from Allah. For us, dreams are of different types. Some may be true dreams from Allah. Some may be from Shaytan. Some may simply be confused dreams, or the result of what a person ate before sleeping, or what was on their mind. But for the prophets, their visions are revelation.
There is a discussion among the scholars about which son was meant here. Some said it was Ishaq عليه السلام, but the stronger view is that it was Ismail عليه السلام.
Some scholars of tafsir also referred to narrations found in the Torah, where Allah commanded Ibrahim عليه السلام to sacrifice his only son. The wording here is significant: his only son. At that time, Ibrahim عليه السلام had only one son, and that was Ismail عليه السلام. Ishaq عليه السلام was born later, approximately thirteen years after Ismail عليه السلام.
Therefore, the first son born to Ibrahim عليه السلام was Ismail, not Ishaq. There is broad agreement among scholars, including Jewish scholars, that Ismail عليه السلام was Ibrahim’s firstborn son.
The sequence of the Qur’anic verses in surah Safaat also supports this understanding. Ibrahim عليه السلام left his people and made dua to Allah while he still had no children. Allah then gave him glad tidings of a son. The apparent meaning of the passage is that this refers to the first child granted in response to that dua — namely Ismail عليه السلام.
Imagine the weight of this command. Ibrahim عليه السلام had waited so long for a child. Then Allah gave him Ismail, a forbearing son. Allah describes him as حليم, forbearing, patient and gentle. Then, when this beloved son reached the age where he could accompany his father, Allah tested Ibrahim عليه السلام with the command to sacrifice him.
This was not a small matter. It was huge. It was heavy. Ibrahim عليه السلام could not get his head around it as an ordinary father. Yet he knew it was from Allah.
And look at Ismail عليه السلام. He did not say, “How could you do this to me? You are my father. How can you want to kill me?” Instead, he said:
يَا أَبَتِ افْعَلْ مَا تُؤْمَرُ
“My dear father, do as you are commanded.”
This shows the tarbiyah of Ismail عليه السلام. He was not just like this by accident. He was the product of his mother’s upbringing. Hajar عليها السلام had looked after him and raised him with the best character, trust and submission to Allah.
When Ibrahim عليه السلام left Hajar and Ismail in Makkah, she asked him, “Has Allah commanded you to do this?” When he indicated yes, she said, “Then Allah will not abandon us.”
So Ismail عليه السلام mirrored his mother’s trust. She had said, “Allah will not abandon us,” and he said, “You will find me, if Allah wills, among the patient.”
سَتَجِدُنِي إِن شَاءَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الصَّابِرِينَ
“You will find me, if Allah wills, among the patient.”
This is true submission: سمعنا وأطعنا — “We hear and we obey.”
Allah Almighty then says:
فَلَمَّا أَسْلَمَا وَتَلَّهُ لِلْجَبِينِ
“Then, when they had both submitted, and he laid him down on his forehead.”
(Surat al-Saffat 37:103)
Both of them submitted. Ibrahim submitted to the command of Allah, and Ismail submitted to the command with patience.
The word الجبين refers to the side of the forehead or face. Some narrations mention that Ismail عليه السلام asked his father to turn his face away, so that Ibrahim would not look at him and become overwhelmed by compassion, which might make it harder for him to fulfil the command of Allah.
There are different stories that mention Ibrahim placing the knife on Ismail’s throat and it not cutting, or that a piece of metal was placed on his neck. These details are not authentic. What matters is the Qur’anic moment itself: both father and son had fully submitted.
Ibrahim عليه السلام was in agony inside. He was a father. He loved his son. But he placed the command of Allah above everything.
Then Allah called out to him:
وَنَادَيْنَاهُ أَن يَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ
قَدْ صَدَّقْتَ الرُّؤْيَا ۚ إِنَّا كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ
إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَهُوَ الْبَلَاءُ الْمُبِينُ
“And We called out to him, ‘O Ibrahim, you have fulfilled the vision.’ Indeed, this is how We reward those who do good. This was truly the clear test.”
(Surat al-Saffat 37:104–106)
Allah did not want Ibrahim to kill his son. Allah wanted to test his submission. He wanted to test where Ibrahim’s heart was.
This is similar to the difference between Maryam عليها السلام and Hajar عليها السلام. When Zakariyya عليه السلام entered upon Maryam in the mihrab, he found provision with her. He asked, “Where is this from?” She replied, “It is from Allah.” Allah provided for her directly.
But when Maryam عليها السلام was giving birth to Isa عليه السلام, Allah told her:
وَهُزِّي إِلَيْكِ بِجِذْعِ النَّخْلَةِ
“Shake the trunk of the palm tree towards you.”
(Surat Maryam 19:25)
Why? Because now part of her heart was attached to her child. So Allah commanded her to make an effort, then He provided for her.
Likewise, Allah was testing Ibrahim عليه السلام. Was his heart attached to Allah completely, or was part of it attached to his son in a way that would come before Allah?
Ibrahim passed the test.
Allah says:
وَفَدَيْنَاهُ بِذِبْحٍ عَظِيمٍ
“And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice.”
(Surat al-Saffat 37:107)
Allah replaced Ismail with a great sacrifice. This is where the udhiyah comes from, the sacrifice connected to Eid al-Adha.
The scholars differed on the ruling of the udhiyah. According to the Hanafi school, it is wajib for those who are able. Other scholars considered it a confirmed Sunnah. But all agree that it is a great act of worship and a continuation of the legacy of Ibrahim عليه السلام.
Allah Almighty showed us through this story that if you are willing to submit to His command, He will open a way for you. Allah did not command Ibrahim because He wanted Ismail to die. He commanded him to test his commitment.
We are also tested. Many times, Allah tests our commitment. The more He loves a person, the more He may test them, not to break them, but to elevate them to another level.
Then Allah says:
وَتَرَكْنَا عَلَيْهِ فِي الْآخِرِينَ
سَلَامٌ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ
كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ
“And We left for him honourable mention among later generations: peace be upon Ibrahim. This is how We reward those who do good.”
(Surat al-Saffat 37:108–110)
Allah preserved the name of Ibrahim عليه السلام until the end of time. Every year, millions remember him. Every Eid al-Adha, the ummah remembers his submission. Every salah, we send salutations upon him.
سَلَامٌ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ
“Peace be upon Ibrahim.”
This is how Allah rewards the muhsinin — those who worship Him with excellence, sincerity and complete submission.
Based on the Tafseer Class delivered by Shaykh Haytham Tamim