THE GREAT SACRIFICE

Eid al-Azha is the Divine order to remember the sacrifice of the Prophet Ibrahim and his son Prophet Is’mail. Prophet Ibrahim saw in a dream that he was slaughtering his son. He saw this dream for two nights. Prophet Ibrahim prayed for a son for many years and Allah granted him Is ‘mail at the age of 90 years. When Prophet Is ‘mail was of the age of 11 or 12 years, then Prophet Ibrahim saw the dream.

The Glorious Qur’an describes the event in the following manner in Surah al-Sa’ffat Ayahs 102 to 108, “When his son was old enough to work with him, he said, “My son, I have had a dream that I must sacrifice you. What do you think of this?” He replied, “Father, fulfill whatever you are commanded to do and you will find me patient, by the Will of Allah.” When they both agreed and Ibrahim laid down his son on the side of his face (for slaughtering), We called to him, Ibrahim! you have fulfilled what you were commanded to do in your dream. “Thus, do We reward the righteous ones. It was certainly an open trial. We ransomed his son with a great sacrifice and perpetuated his praise in later generations.” After Prophet Ibrahim opened his eyes, he saw that a ram was slaughtered and his son was standing nearby smiling!

There are many interpretations for what the “great sacrifice” was. Some commentators suggested that the ram was the “great sacrifice”. There is no comparison between a Prophet and a ram. Yet some others say that the “King of Martyrs” the Infallible Imam Husayn ibn Ali (a.s.)’s sacrifice in Karbala was the “great Sacrifice”. Imam Husayn (a.s.) cannot be the ransom for Prophet Is ‘mail as it is universally accepted that the Infallible Imams (a.s.) are superior to all the Prophets except the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.). The martyrdom of Imam Husayn (a.s.) was known to the Prophets Adam, Nuh, and Ibrahim. At the time of the sacrifice of Prophet Is ‘mail, the seeds of the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.), the Chief of the Women of the world Sayyida Fatima Zahra (s.a.) and all the Infallible Imams (a.s.), were in the loins of Prophet Is ‘mail and if he would have been slaughtered at that time, the seeds of all Imams would have destroyed. 

The famous companion of the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.), Jabir ibn Abdullah al-Ansari inquired from the Infallible Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) about it and he (a.s.) replied, “O Jabir, there is an interior of the Qur’an and an interior of the interior. And it has an exterior and an exterior of the exterior of the Qur’an.” There are many meanings of the Ayahs of the Qur’an. If one believes in the apparent meaning, it does not mean that one denies the inner interpretations.

   

According to Jabir ibn Abdullah al-Ansari that Fazal narrates that Imam Ali al-Reza (a.s.) said, “Prophet Ibrahim wished that if he would have been allowed to slaughter his son with his own hands, he would have been eligible for the rewards of grief-stricken people. Thus, Allah revealed to him, “O Ibrahim! Who is more beloved to you among all the creatures? Ibrahim replied: O My Lord! None among your creatures is as much beloved to me as Your beloved, Muhammad.” The revelation asked: Is he more precious to you or your own self? He said that he was more beloved to him than himself. Then he was asked whether Muhammad’s son was more beloved to him or his own son (Ismail). Ibrahim replied, “His (Muhammad’s) son is more beloved to me.” At that time Allah informed Ibrahim, “Would you be more aggrieved upon his oppressive slaughter or upon the slaughter of your son by your own hands under My orders?” Ibrahim replied that he would be more aggrieved on the slaughter of Prophet’s son at the hands of the enemies. Then the Almighty informed him that a group would think that they are from nation of Muhammad and after Muhammad they would unjustly slay his son like a ram is slaughtered. And those people would be eligible for the divine wrath due to this act. Hearing this incident, Ibrahim (a.s.) became restless and his heart became aggrieved and began to weep.” At that time, Almighty Allah revealed: O Ibrahim! The grief you would have suffered due to slaughtering Ismail with your own hands, We have ransomed it with this restlessness that you experienced due to Husayn and his slaying and I have bestowed you with the highest position of the grief-stricken people; and that is the aim of the divine saying, “And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice.”

Sources: The Glorious Qur’an, Bihar-ul-Anwar by Allama Majlisi, Understanding Karbala by Allama Saeed Akhter Rizvi