PROPHET IBRAHIM’S SUPREME SACRIFICE AND GREAT LESSON FROM IT
More than four thousand years ago, in the lap of Mesopotamia (the present day Iraq), a well known place called UR, Prophet Ibrahim was born in the house of Aazar. Aazar happened to be the chief priest of Namrud. Prophet Ibrahim denounced the polytheistic practices and called people towards One God. He earned the anger and opposition of his father, elders of the land and the king. First he was banished from his house and later on, when he broke the idols as a shock treatment to his people, punished by being thrown into fire. God saved him miracuclously. He left his native land and spent his whole life in spreading Monothiesm throughout the known world of that time.
He faced another test when he was asked to leave his wife, Hajira and his new born son Ismaeel in the uninhabited vallely of Makkah. He obeyed the command of God. Afterwards this valley became the town of Makkah where the firstever House of God (Bait-Allah), Kaba was built.
Finally Prophet Ibrahim was indirectly instructed throgh a dream to sacrifice his son, Ismaeel. Who willingly submitted to God’s command to seek His Pleasure. But God saved Ismaeel and accepted the supreme sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim without his shedding the blood of his son. At this very moment, God declared Prophet Ibrahim to be His friend and elevated him to the leader of mankind.
This event is celebrated every year by all Muslims by the name of Eid-ul-Adha where the believers remember the example of submitting to the Will of God shown by Prophet Ibrahim who was a model of Monotheism, sacrifice, potience and devotion.
Prophet Ibrahim was indeed a whole community by himself. For when there was not a single Muslim on earth. Prophet Ibrahim stood out as the sole standard bearer of Islam. He single handedly performed a task that was stupendous enough to have been performed by a whole community. He was the model and fountain-head for the whole world. Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) was commanded to follow the way of Prophet Ibrahim. So only the true followers of the Abrahamic way are Prophet Muhammad and his companions whose beliefs and actions show no trace of polytheism.
If we profess and proclaim that we stand for a revival of Islam, then we should individually and collectively, follow and emulate the noble models of Prophet Ibrahim and Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.). We must devote all our energies, to the cause of Monotheism, devotion and sacrifice. Let Prophet Ibrahim’s supreme sacrifice be a lesson to all of us.