I’ve never felt Ibraheem AS’s story till now. We know every single part of his story. We know that there is no other prophet that was tested the way Ibraheem AS was tested. We know that he is considered the ‘Friend’ of Allah.
Today, I finally understood.
Forget the fact that he’s a prophet and just think for a moment that he’s a man. A man that begged and begged for a child.
A man that waited 86 years to have a son. Raises this son. And after every curve ball thrown at him – he is told to sacrifice his son.
Let’s not use the word sacrifice.
He was commanded by Allah to kill his own son.
Ibraheem AS didn’t ask – why? Why do you want me to kill my son? What did my son do to you, Allah? Why did you give me a son after 86 years and then now you want me to just kill him?
He heard and he obeyed.
But no – feel the story. Our parents tell us all the time that the son becomes an animal by the will of Allah and that’s why we sacrifice on the day of Eid. But no – stop your understanding of the story. Rewind.
Your son is in front of you. The son you begged Allah for.
Like a degree you begged Allah for. Like the MCAT score you begged Allah for. Like the husband or wife you begged Allah for. Like the house or car or laptop you begged Allah for. And Allah says to burn it. Allah says to give it back to him and go on with life without it.
Allah asks for Ibraheem AS’s son back.
Just close your eyes and think for a moment: the person you love most. Allah tells you to slaughter them. And He doesn’t give you any justifications or reasonings. It is simple – I am Allah.
Imagine sharpening your knife and swiftly, sliting this person’s neck. This person you love unbearably. This person you waited years for.
For a moment, try to live that. You just lost the person you love, the person you made dua to get for years and years and years.
Ibraheem AS DID IT. He DID it. Allah asked him and he did it.
And we? We TRY to pray our prayers on time. We TRY to pray with quality.
We question. And questioning is not wrong. Question – find the answers – find the rationale, research.
But look to who you are questioning and in what tone.
Why should I wear hijab? Why should I pray five times? Why should I avoid letting my gaze wander and watching soft porn passed off as a good story line. Why should I avoid getting too comfortable with my cousins or classmates or coworkers of the opposite gender? Why should I stop listening to music?
Because He’s Allah and you’re human. You were given free will – so disobey if you please. For your disobedience doesn’t hurt Him.
But Ibraheem AS – he will be the first to be gifted cloth on the Day of Judgement.
He was willing to give up everything he loved for the sake of Allah.
We can’t give up time, give up the boy or the girl, give up the bollywood or netflix, give up some sleep for qiyaam.
We aren’t asked to give back His gifts.
We are asked to be thankful enough.
We are asked to give to the poor and the orphans.
We are asked of so much less than those before us.
And yet we give even less than that.
Allah, I don’t even know how I claim to love you, how I ask you for the highest levels of Jannah because I don’t deserve the dirt under the feet of the slaves of yours that have past. But I’m begging, make me better. Make me pious. Make me religious. Make me worthy of your Jannah.
Aameen
