Stories of The Prophets

The Sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim (a)

One night Ibrahim had

a bad dream.

He dreamt Allah told

him to sacrifice Ismail.

Ibrahim thought it was

Shaytan playing nasty

tricks on him.

The next night Ibrahim had

the same horrid dream.

Ibrahim knew that

Allah would only

ask him to do such

a thing if he had good

reason.

Even though he loved

his son dearly, he was

prepared to do this

difficult thing for Allah.

Ibraim told

Ismail they

had to go to

Mount Arafat.

He took a knife

and a rope with him.

On the way they passed

a place called Mina.

The devil, Shaytan, came

to Ibrahim and

tried to talk him

out of sacrificing

his son.

Ibrahim turned his back

on him and would not listen.

When they reached Mount

Arafat, Ibrahim told Ismail

what Allah wanted him to do.

Ismail listened and accepted

what was to happen. He was

an exceptional child.

He too was a

great prophet.

Ismail told his father to tie

his hands and legs and blindfold

himself so he would not struggle and

make his father even more upset than

he was going to be and Ibrahim was

blindfolded so he would not see his

son suffer.

Ibrahim did as Ismail

had said. He then took

the knife and did what

Allah had told him to

do. When he took

the blindfold from his

eyes he looked down, not

at his son but at a

dead ram.

Ismail was at his side.

Ibrahim was afraid.

He thought he had disobeyed

but then he heard a voice

telling him not to worry.

Allah looks after his

followers. Ibrahim and Ismail

had passed a difficult test.

Each year, during the

month of Dhul Hijjah,

many Muslims, from all

over the world, travel

to Makkah.

They want to remember

what Ibrahim and

Ismail did.

In the month of Dhul Hijjah

these pilgrims go to Makkah,

Mina and Arafat.

They visit places

where Ibrahim and Ismail

lived and preached.

They give a sacrifice just

as Allah commanded

Ibrahim to do. The pilgrims

sacrifice animals in

memory of the deed.

We must obey

Allah's commands

as Ibrahim and

Ismail did. We

obey by doing

the things we

know are right,

praying, obeying

our parents and

always telling

the truth.