Ibrahim's Sacrifice
Religious Studies: KS3, topic 1.1.7
Ibrahim's Sacrifice
The Qur'an has a different version of the story of the sacrifice. It describes the story of Ibrahim (the Arabic name for Abraham) and his son Ismail, rather than Isaac.
Ibrahim
- In the Qur'an, Ibrahim and Ismail are in Saudia Arabia, in Mecca.
- Ibrahim had a dream in which he was ordered to sacrifice his son Ismail.
- At first, he wasn’t sure but then he understood that it was a message and a command from God/Allah.
- Even though Ibrahim loved his son, he accepted Allah’s instructions.
Ibrahim at Mount Arafat
- Ibrahim took his son to the top of Mount Arafat and in his hands, he had a knife and a rope.
- Ibrahim told his son that Allah has decided that he must be sacrificed.
- Ismail obediently accepts that he must be sacrificed.
- Ismail asks that his hands and legs are tied to stop him from struggling during the sacrifice.
- Ismail also asks his father to blindfold himself so that he doesn't see Ismail's suffering.
Stopping the sacrifice
- Ibrahim began the sacrifice, but Allah replaces Ismail with a ram and Ismail is unharmed.
- Allah tested Ibrahim to see his dedication in his submission (Islam) to his creator.
- This story teaches Muslims to be obedient and dedicated to Allah at all times, like Ibrahim.
Comparing the two accounts
- When studying the story it would be easy to get lost in the debate about where it happened and who it happened to.
- But, It is more sensible to focus on the common details in the story.
- Abraham/Ibrahim was fully committed to God despite the pain of the situation. This is the important thing to focus on.
Test yourself on Ibrahim's Sacrifice
In the Qur'an, where did Ibrahim take his son to be sacrificed?
How does Allah stop the sacrifice of Ismail?