Al-Hajj Al-Mabroor

“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 (offer you in sacrifice to Allâh), so look what you think!’”
(As-Sâffât, 37: 102)
Ibrâhîm wanted to inform his son Ismâ‘îl about what would
happen. But how did Ismâ‘îl, the Prophet, receive the Trial decreed
by Allah? He replied as the Noble Qur’an narrates to us (what
means):
“He said: ‘O my father! Do that which you are commanded,
Inshâ' Allâh (if Allâh will), you shall find me of As-Sâbirin (the
patient ones, etc.).’” (As-Sâffât, 37: 102)
Ismâ‘îl loved Allah more than his life and soul. So, the old man
and the youth hastened with the knife, but will the devil leave the
obedience of Allah be fulfilled without spoiling it? Of course not,
his mission is to ruin the obedience shown to Allah on earth.
Satan came to Khalîl Allah (the close servant to Allah), Ibrâhîm, to
ruin the summit of faith. He came to Ibrâhîm asking him: What do
you intend to do to your son? What is the meaning of slaughtering
him when you are an old man in need of him? How could you
believe such a dream? It is a lie.
It is narrated that the devil was personified to one of the
worshippers as a lad who served him for long. Once the old man
went to perform the Fajr (Dawn) Prayer on a rainy day and muddy
ground. The incarnate devil held the lamp for the old man while
rising and falling in the mud. The people wondered how that old
man tortured thus the lad who accompanied him on such a rainy
muddy night. Whereas the pious man simply told them to leave
him suffer for the One Who decreed sufferance upon him is Allah.
As though Allah has cast in the soul of that old man that this boy is
a devil.
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