The Sacred Quality of Sayyiduna Ibrahim  عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام

We perform these sacrifices in the memory of the Prophet of Allah, Sayyiduna Ibrahim عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام. It is mentioned in narrations: When Sayyiduna Ibrahim عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام laid down his son for sacrifice, he tied his hands and feet. Then he sat near his head, placed the knife on his neck, and said:

اِلٰہی!لَكَ الْحَمْدُ فِي الدَّهْرِ الْبَاقِي، رَزَقْتَنِي الْوَلَدَ عَلَى كِبَرِ سِنِّي، فَابْتَلَيْتَنِي بِهَذَا الْبَلَاءِ

"O Allah! All praise belongs to You forever and ever. You gave me a son in my old age, and then You tested me with this trial."

He further said:

فَإِنْ كَانَ هَذَا رِضَاكَ فَأَسْلَمُ لِأَمْرِكَ

"If Your pleasure is in this, then I bow my head before Your command for the sake of Your pleasure.^[1]

It is written in books: When Sayyiduna Ibrahim عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام said this, even the angels wept. They submitted in the court of Allah: "O Lord! These are Your Prophets. One is ready to sacrifice his son for Your pleasure, and the other is ready to be slaughtered for Your pleasure." Then Allah sent a ram from Paradise as a replacement of Sayyiduna Ismail عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام.^[2]

Dear Islamic brothers! We cannot truly know or reach the reality of the heart’s condition of these two great Prophets at the time of that magnificent sacrifice. However, these narrations show us a glimpse of those qualities. When Sayyiduna Ibrahim عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام was performing the sacrifice and Sayyiduna Ismail عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام was ready to be sacrificed, they had no worldly goal. There was no desire to be praised by others, nor for status or fame. Their hearts were trembling for only one thing: that Allah should be pleased with them.

The main philosophy of sacrifice is the pleasure of Allah. Therefore, when we sacrifice, there should be a passion for sincerity in the heart. It should be only for Allah. Our goal should not be to get praise or to show off. On one hand, the knife should be moving on the animal's neck, and on the other hand, our heart should be longing for Allah's pleasure. We should be praying in our hearts: "O Allah! Whatever I had, I have offered it. O Allah! Be pleased with me for the sake of Your Friend (Sayyiduna Ibrahim عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام)."