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.
Sun Mar 04, 2007 10:15 am