Surah as-Saffat (Those Lined Up) 37 : 99

Overview (Verses 99 - 102)

The Great Sacrifice
 
The sūrah moves on to the second episode it relates of Abraham’s history. After he was saved from the fire, he closed that chapter of his life to begin a new phase: “And Abraham said I will go to my Lord: He is sure to guide me.” (Verse 99) His words indicate that he was migrating, this in both a mental and physical sense. He was abandoning everything: his father, family, home, people and land, leaving them all behind and going to his Lord, free of all concerns. He thus surrendered himself to his Lord, assured that He would give him guidance and care, setting him on the right path. It is a migration from one state to another, abandoning all ties and bonds in favour of one bond that remains pure and strong. His words express complete faith and unqualified surrender.
 
Until that moment, Abraham was without children. He had left behind his relations, friends and all that was familiar to him. Needless to say, his relations with those who threw him in the fire suffered a final breakdown. Therefore, he went to his Lord, praying to Him to grant him believing offspring: “Lord! Grant me a righteous son.” (Verse 100) And God answered his true servant’s prayer: “We gave him the happy news that he will have a forbearing son.” (Verse 101) The son was most probably Ishmael, as clearly inferred from his life story and from the sūrah itself. Indeed, we can see the mark of his forbearance in his youth. We can also imagine the delight experienced by Abraham in his new abode, where he was a stranger, at the birth of this son described by God as a ‘forbearing son.’
 
It is time for us now to look at the glorious attitude that Abraham’s life story represents, drawing from it an inspiring lesson as presented by God Almighty to the Muslim community.
 
When the boy was old enough to work with his father, Abraham said: My son! I have seen in a dream that I must sacrifice you. Tell me, then, what you think.’ [ashmael ] said My father.! Do as you are bidden, and, God willing, you will find me to be patient in adversity.’ (Verse 102)
 
What effect will faith not produce? We see here Abraham in his old age, cut off in a foreign land, having deserted his homeland and his people, being given a child. The child turns out to be a model son, with his forbearance confirmed by God Himself. Hardly had Abraham enjoyed his son’s company and seen his youth blooming so as to become his companion and assistant, when he sees in his dream that he should slaughter him. He understands that it is a sign from God requiring sacrifice. What is his attitude now? He does not hesitate for a moment. The thought of disobedience does not even occur to him. He thinks only of submission. It is true that the dream was only a signal, not a clear and direct order issued through revelation. It was a signal by his Lord though, and that was enough for Abraham to comply, not to delay, and not even to ask why.
 
Moreover, his compliance did not betray any feeling of distress, horror or panic; it was marked by calm acceptance and reassurance, reflected in his words as he put this most grave matter to his son: “My son! I have seen in a dream that I must sacrifice you. Tell me, then, what you think.” (Verse 102) These are the words of a man in full control of himself and his feelings, knowing that he is only doing his duty and trusting that it behoves him to comply. We do not see any element of panic driving a person to do even what he feels to be repugnant, in order to get it done and finished with.
 
That it was hard for Abraham is beyond doubt. He was not required to send his only son to war, nor to put him to a task that would end in his death. Nothing of the sort. Instead he was required to undertake the task himself, by his own hand. And what task was that? It was to slaughter his own son by way of sacrifice. This was the order he received calmly, the one that he put to his son and asked him to consider carefully. He did not take his son by surprise and do what was bidden. Rather, he puts the question to him as if it were both normal and familiar. To Abraham, the question was one of obedience. Since his Lord wanted something, so be it, without hesitation. His son should also know and accept it willingly, with submission so that he too would earn the reward of obeying God and experience the pleasure of submission to Him. He himself had known that pleasure and now wants his son to feel it as the pure goodness that surpasses all else that life can offer.
 
What does the son say as his father proposes to slaughter him in fulfilment of what he saw in a dream? The son also rises to the sublime standard his father had earlier attained: “He said: My father! Do as you are bidden, and, God willing, you will find me to be patient in adversity.” (Verse 102) This is not a response of mere obedience and resignation. It is a response marked with acceptance and certainty. His reply begins with, ‘My father!’ The prospect of his death does not cause him to panic or to forget his manners and love of his father. “Do as you are bidden.” He also feels the same as his father, taking the dream as a signal, which means an order. This is sufficient to make him willing to carry it out without hesitation.
 
Furthermore, we see in Ishmael’s response proper manners with his Lord, and recognition of the limits of his ability in the face of hardship. Therefore, he seeks his Lord’s help to overcome his weakness. He attributes to God the grace of helping him to obey and make the sacrifice: “God willing, you will find me to be patient in adversity.” (Verse 102) He does not press the matter as a heroic act on his part. Nor does he describe it as facing the danger and caring little for the consequences. He does not give himself any credit in the matter; he simply attributes it all to God who has helped him in carrying out His orders with patience in adversity. This is an example of perfect humility before God, trust in Him, combined with complete obedience and submission to His will.