Brothers and Sisters, all of us know the story of Ibrahims
sacrifice and we say that it was a test by Allah (taala). 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
:
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"For Allah did take Ibrahim for (an
intimate) friend " (4:125) |
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He is also described in surat an-Nahl as a model :
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"Ibrahim was indeed a model. Devoutly
obedient to Allah, and true in faith, and he joined not gods with Allah
" (16:20). |
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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 :
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" 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). |
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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 historys
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 :
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"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) |
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In another example in surat al-Anbiya :
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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) |
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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 :
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"So naught was the answer of (Ibrahims)
people except that they said : Slay him or burn him " (29:24) |
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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 Allahs
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 (taala) :
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"But Allah did save him from the
fire. Verily in this are signs for people who believe " (29:24). |
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Allah also says :
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"We said `O fire ! Be cool and a
means of safety for Ibrahim " (21:69). |
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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 Prophet
Ibrahim desperately longed for a son but his wife Hajar 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.
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"So we gave him the good news of a
forbearing boy" (37:101). |
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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 Ibrahims house as Ismail was quickly
growing under the sun of his fathers 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 (taala) 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 Allahs 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 ones 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 Ibrahims 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 (taala) demanded the sacrifice. Abrahams
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 :
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"O my Son, I see in a vision that I
offer you in sacrifice. Now see what is your view ? " (37:102) |
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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 Allahs will. Realising his
fathers distress, Ismail gave him these comforting words :
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"O my father ! Do as you are
commanded. You will find me, if Allah so wills, patient and constant "
(37:102) |
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Allah-u-Akbar ! Allah-u-Akbar ! Allah-u-Akbar !
Ibrahim had consulted his son who willingly offered himself to Allahs
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 Allahs grace, the knife did not cut.
Ibrahim received a sheep and was called by Allah :
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"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) |
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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,
Ismails, Ibrahims, everyones, 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 momentous 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 Ismails. Let us search
for them in ourselves and let us slaughter them to move towards Allah (taala).
Brothers and Sisters, let us revolt against the heartless worshippers that
we have become.