Part of Stories of the Prophets (series completed)
· Lesson 10 of 15
Stories of the Prophets | Episode (10) | The story of Ishmael and Isaac, peace be upon them
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Transcript
Machine translation — may contain errors
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Stories of the Prophets, peace be upon them.
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May Allah's blessings be followed by peace,
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Upon the best of all creation.
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The Messengers of Strong Will possess a exalted status.
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The Story of Ishmael and Isaac, peace be upon them.
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In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
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Praise be to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.
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Blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad,
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And upon his family and all his Companions.
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To proceed:
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There, in Mecca, the Sacred City,
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Ishmael, peace be upon him, grew up.
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In the course of detailing the story of the Prophet of Allah, Abraham (peace be upon him),
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We learned the reason Ishmael came with his mother to Mecca.
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We also learned how Ishmael was put forward for sacrifice at the hand of his father,
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And how he was ransomed with a momentous sacrifice.
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We learned as well how Ishmael helped his father in building the Kaaba.
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All of this constituted one aspect of the life of the Prophet of Allah, Ishmael (peace be upon him).
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In this gathering,
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We will learn about another aspect of his life, Allah willing.
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Ishmael (peace be upon him) grew up among the tribe of Jurhum,
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And he learned Arabic from them,
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Becoming one of the most eloquent and finest among them,
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Winning their deep admiration.
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When he reached young adulthood,
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They married him to a woman from among them.
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Sometime after that, his mother Hagar passed away.
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After a period of time,
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Abraham (peace be upon him) came to Mecca
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To check on his son's condition.
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He did not find Ishmael at home,
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So he asked his wife about him.
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She said:
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"He has gone out hunting to seek food for us."
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She did not realize that the inquirer was her husband's father.
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Then Abraham (peace be upon him) asked her about their livelihood and condition.
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She said:
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"We are in a miserable state,"
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Complaining to him of their hardship and poverty.
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Abraham (peace be upon him) said to her:
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"When your husband returns,
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Convey my greetings of peace to him,
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And tell him:
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'Change the threshold of your door.'"
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Then Abraham (peace be upon him) left, returning to Palestine.
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Ishmael (peace be upon him) returned from his hunting trip,
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And asked his wife:
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"Did anyone visit you?"
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She replied, "Yes,
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An old man of such-and-such description came to us,
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And he asked us about you,
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So I informed him.
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He also asked about our livelihood,
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And I told him that we are in distress and hardship."
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He said:
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"Did he advise you with anything?"
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She said, "Yes,
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He instructed me to convey his greetings of peace to you,
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And says to you:
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'Change the threshold of your door.'"
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Ishmael (peace be upon him) said:
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"That was my father, Abraham.
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He has commanded me to separate from you.
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Return to your family."
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So he divorced her.
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Then the Prophet of Allah, Ishmael (peace be upon him), married
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Another woman from Mecca.
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Abraham stayed away from them for as long as Allah willed.
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Then he visited them after some time,
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And again did not find his son Ishmael.
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So he asked his wife about him,
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And she said:
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"He has gone out hunting to seek food for us."
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He asked her about their livelihood and condition,
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And she said:
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"We are in good health and abundance,"
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And she praised Allah, the Exalted and Glorious.
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So he asked her:
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"What is your food?"
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She said:
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"Meat."
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He said:
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"And what is your drink?"
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She said:
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"Water."
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Whereupon Abraham (peace be upon him) prayed:
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"O Allah, bless for them their meat and water."
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Then he said to her:
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"When your husband returns,
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Convey my greetings of peace to him,
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And instruct him to keep the threshold of his door firm."
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When Ishmael (peace be upon him) returned home,
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He asked his wife:
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"Did anyone come to you?"
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She said, "Yes,
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A handsome old man came to us,
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Of such-and-such description,"
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And she spoke highly of him.
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"He asked me about you,
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So I informed him;
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And he asked me about our livelihood,
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So I informed him that we are well."
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Ishmael asked:
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"Did he advise you with anything?"
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She said, "Yes,
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He conveys his greetings of peace to you,
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And commands you to keep the threshold of your door firm."
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He said:
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"That was my father,
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And you are the threshold;
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He has commanded me to keep you."
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When Ishmael (peace be upon him) reached full maturity,
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Allah revealed divine inspiration to him,
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So he became a Prophet,
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Sent to the Arabs in the Peninsula and its surroundings.
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He called his people to monotheism (*Hanifiyyah*), the creed of his father Abraham (peace be upon him),
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And to the worship of Allah alone, without any partner.
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He fulfilled the message in the most complete manner,
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Spreading pure monotheism across the Arabian Peninsula.
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Thus Mecca became a land of monotheism,
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Knowing neither idols nor polytheism,
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And it remained for a long period upon the creed of Ishmael (peace be upon him),
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Until 'Amr ibn Luhayy al-Khuza'i brought idols to Mecca and the Arabian Peninsula,
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And the people began worshipping them.
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Thus, he was the first to alter the religion of Abraham (peace be upon him),
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And the one who introduced polytheism into the Arabian Peninsula.
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Indeed, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saw him
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Dragging his intestines in the Hellfire.
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Allah Almighty has mentioned Ishmael (peace be upon him) in the Qur'an twelve times,
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Across eight surahs,
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Describing him therein with noble attributes.
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Among those attributes were truthfulness and faithfulness to covenants.
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Allah commanded His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)—
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And commanded us following him—to mention the story of His Prophet Ishmael (peace be upon him),
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For he was truthful to his promise and never broke it.
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Among his greatest fulfillments was his patience during the sacrifice,
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When he said to his father: "You will find me, Allah willing, among the patient."
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He fulfilled that pledge and yielded to his father to sacrifice him.
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Another instance was his promise to his father Abraham, the Intimate Friend of Allah (peace be upon him),
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To assist him in building the House,
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And he fulfilled his promise,
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Just as Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, narrated in His Book, saying:
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“And when Abraham and Ishmael were raising the foundations of the House, (Abraham prayed): Our Lord! Accept from us (this duty). Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Hearer, the Knower.” (2:127)
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“And when Abraham and Ishmael were raising the foundations of the House, (Abraham prayed): Our Lord! Accept from us (this duty). Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Hearer, the Knower.” (2:127)
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"Indeed, You are the Hearing, the Knowing."
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It has also been reported that he promised a man to meet him at a certain place,
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So Ishmael (peace be upon him) arrived, but the man forgot.
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Ishmael waited for that man throughout his day and night,
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And when the next day came, the man arrived,
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So Ishmael (peace be upon him) said to him:
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"I have remained here waiting for you since yesterday."
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This praiseworthy trait is a characteristic of all the Prophets,
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But Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, singled out Ishmael (peace be upon him) for praise because of it
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To honor and exalt him, as he was renowned for it
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And it was particularly prominent in his character.
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Among the qualities of the Prophet of Allah, Ishmael (peace be upon him), was also
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His deep devotion to calling others to Allah and rectifying society.
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He began with his own family and inner circle,
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As he used to command them to perform prayer and pay zakat.
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Thus, he combined personal righteousness with reforming others,
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Calling to Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, his close family
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And all the followers of his faith.
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Among his attributes was also attaining Allah Almighty's pleasure,
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Due to his compliance with his Lord's command and his diligence in obeying Him,
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As well as his eager pursuit of His pleasure.
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So Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, was pleased with him,
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Making him among His elite servants and close allies.
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Allah Almighty said:
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“And make mention in the Scripture of Ishmael. Lo! he was a keeper of his promise, and he was a messenger (of Allah), a prophet.” (19:54)
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"Indeed, he was truthful to his promise, and he was a Messenger and a Prophet."
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“He enjoined upon his people worship and almsgiving, and was acceptable in the sight of his Lord.” (19:55)
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“He enjoined upon his people worship and almsgiving, and was acceptable in the sight of his Lord.” (19:55)
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Fakhr al-Din al-Razi said regarding the verse of Allah Almighty:
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“He enjoined upon his people worship and almsgiving, and was acceptable in the sight of his Lord.” (19:55)
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"It represents the pinnacle of praise,
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Because the one with whom Allah is pleased
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Is the one who succeeds in every act of obedience to the highest degrees."
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Ishmael (peace be upon him) was also described with patience,
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As Allah Almighty said:
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"And Ishmael, Enoch, and Dhul-Kifl;
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Each was of the patient.
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And We admitted them into Our mercy;
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Indeed, they were of the righteous."
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Thus, he was described alongside the other mentioned Messengers with patience.
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A servant does not truly deserve the title 'patient'
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Until he fulfills patience in all its forms.
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He (peace be upon him) was also described as being among the chosen best,
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As the Lord, Blessed and Exalted be He, testified to that for him,
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Saying:
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"And remember Ishmael, Elisha, and Dhul-Kifl;
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And all are among the chosen best."
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What is meant by 'the chosen best'
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Are those whose conditions are complete in righteous deeds, noble character,
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Praiseworthy qualities, and sound traits.
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He (peace be upon him) was also described with forbearance (*hilm*),
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In the statement of Allah Almighty:
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"So We gave him good tidings of a forbearing boy."
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Forbearance means composure and deliberation in matters,
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Which is a hallmark of the wise.
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He was also described with strength and resolve,
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As manifested in his actions,
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Including what Allah Almighty mentioned
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Of his raising, together with his father, the foundations of the Ancient House.
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Raising the foundations undoubtedly required
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[He possessed] physical strength,
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as peace be upon him
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was an exceptionally skilled and powerful archer.
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Indeed, he, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
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"Shoot, O children of Ishmael,
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for your father was an archer."
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He, peace be upon him, was also described as being
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favored above other creatures.
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For Almighty Allah informed us
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concerning Ishmael and a number of the prophets
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and messengers, peace be upon them,
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that He favored them over all the worlds.
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Allah Almighty said:
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“And Ishmael and Elisha and Jonah and Lot. Each one (of them) did We prefer above (Our) creatures,” (6:86)
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“And Ishmael and Elisha and Jonah and Lot. Each one (of them) did We prefer above (Our) creatures,” (6:86)
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Ishmael, peace be upon him,
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was favored in several respects,
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most notably
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that Allah Almighty made
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from his offspring our Prophet Muhammad,
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peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
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the Seal of the Prophets and the Master of the Messengers—
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may Allah's blessings and peace be upon them all.
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In the land of Palestine,
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Isaac, peace be upon him, was born.
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He was the second son
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of the Intimate Friend of Allah, Abraham, peace be upon him.
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His mother was Sarah,
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to whom the angels brought the glad tidings of his birth
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when they came as guests
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to her husband Abraham, peace be upon him,
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while they were on their way
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to destroy the people of Lot.
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Allah Almighty bestowed
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upon Abraham, peace be upon him,
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his son Isaac
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after he had grown advanced in age and surpassed
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one hundred years of age,
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as a sign of the supreme power of Allah Almighty.
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Allah Almighty said:
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“And tell them of Abraham's guests,” (15:51)
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"When they entered upon him
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and said, 'Peace!'"
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“(How) when they came in unto him, and said: Peace. He said: Lo! we are afraid of you.” (15:52)
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"They said, 'Be not afraid.'"
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“They said: Be not afraid! Lo! we bring thee good tidings of a boy possessing wisdom.” (15:53)
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"He said, 'Do you give me good tidings
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although old age has overtaken me?
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Of what then do you bring good tidings?'
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They said, 'We bring you good tidings in truth.'"
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“They said: We bring thee good tidings in truth. So be not thou of the despairing.” (15:55)
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"He said, 'And who despairs of the mercy of his Lord
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except those who are astray?'"
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Then his wife Sarah came forward,
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and when she learned of the destruction of the people of Lot,
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she laughed and rejoiced
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because she knew of their vile conduct
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and their corrupted natural disposition.
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Then, when the angels brought her the glad tidings
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and told her that she would give birth to Isaac,
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and after Isaac would live to see Jacob,
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she struck her face with her hands out of modesty
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and said, "How can I bear a child
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when I am an old, barren woman?"
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These were two factors that precluded childbearing,
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"and besides this, my husband is an old man!
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This is indeed an astonishing thing!"
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Allah Almighty said:
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"And Our messengers came to Abraham with glad tidings;
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they said, 'Peace!'
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He said, 'Peace.'"
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“And Our messengers cam unto Abraham with good news. They said: Peace! He answered: Peace! and delayed not to bring a roasted calf.” (11:69)
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"But when he saw their hands
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not reaching toward it, he mistrusted them
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and felt a apprehension of them."
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“And when he saw their hands reached not to it, he mistrusted them and conceived a fear of them. They said: Fear not! Lo! we are sent unto the folk of Lot.” (11:70)
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"And his wife was standing by, so she laughed.
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Whereupon We gave her glad tidings of Isaac."
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“And his wife, standing by laughed when We gave her good tidings (of the birth) of Isaac, and, after Isaac, of Jacob.” (11:71)
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"She said, 'Woe to me! Shall I bear a child while I am an old woman,
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and this husband of mine is an old man?'"
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“She said: Oh woe is me! Shall I bear a child when I am an old woman, and this my husband is an old man? Lo! this is a strange thing!” (11:72)
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“They said: Wonderest thou at the commandment of Allah? The mercy of Allah and His blessings be upon you, O people of the house! Lo! He is Owner of Praise, Owner of Glory!” (11:73)
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"'May the mercy of Allah and His blessings be upon you, O people of the house!
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Indeed, He is Praiseworthy and Glorious.'"
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And he renewed for them the landmarks of their religion,
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warning and admonishing them against disobeying the command of Allah Almighty,
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until his appointed time arrived,
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when he was nearly one hundred and eighty years old.
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He was then buried beside the grave of his father, Abraham the Intimate Friend, peace be upon him,
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in the blessed land of Palestine.
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To be continued, if Allah wills.
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And Allah knows best.
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Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds,
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and may peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad,
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and upon his family and all his Companions.