The Sacrifice of Ibrahim علیہ السلام 🔪🐏

قال الله تعالى

فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ ٱلسَّعْىَ قَالَ يَـٰبُنَىَّ إِنِّىٓ أَرَىٰ فِى ٱلْمَنَامِ أَنِّىٓ أَذْبَحُكَ فَٱنظُرْ مَاذَا تَرَىٰ ۚ قَالَ يَـٰٓأَبَتِ ٱفْعَلْ مَا تُؤْمَرُ ۖ سَتَجِدُنِىٓ إِن شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ

Allah ﷻ says in the Qu’ran [Surah as-Saffat]:

Then when the boy [Ismail علیہ السلام] reached the age to work with him, Ibrahim علیہ السلام said, “O my dear son! I have seen in a dream that I ˹must˺ sacrifice you. So tell me what you think.”

He replied, “O my dear father! Do as you are commanded. Allah willing, you will find me steadfast.”

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From some narrations, it appears that this dream was shown to Sayyidna Ibrahim علیہ السلام for three consecutive days (Qurtubi). Then, it already stands settled that the dream of blessed prophets is a revelation.

Therefore, this dream meant that Allah ﷻ was asking Sayyidna Ibrahim علیہ السلام to slaughter his firstborn son. For that matter, this command could have been revealed directly through an angel. But, the wisdom behind communicating it through a dream was to unravel the obedience of Sayyidna Ibrahim علیہ السلام at its most sublime form. A command given through a dream could have a lot of room for interpretations and excuses by the human self. But, this was Sayyidna Ibrahim علیہ السلام . He did not take to the way of excuses. On the contrary, he simply bowed down (sans interpretations, sans hesitations) before the command of his Lord (Tafsir Kabir).

Commentators say that the age of Sayyidna Ismail علیہ السلام was thirteen years at that time. Some others say that he had crossed the age of puberty. (Tafsir Mazhari)