Surah 37. As-Saffat

So We gave him good news of a forbearing son.

  - Mustafa Khattab

So We gave him the good news of a boy ready to suffer and forbear. ^{4096 4097}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

This was in the fertile land of Syria and Palestine. The boy thus born was, according to Muslim tradition, the first-born son of Abraham, viz., Isma'il. The name itself is from the root Samia, to hear, because Allah had heard Abraham's prayer (verse 100). Abraham's age when Isma'il was born was 86 (Gen xvi. 16).

The boy's character was to be Halim, "forbearing". This title is also applied to Abraham (in ix. 114 and xi. 75). It refers to the patient way in which both father and son cheerfully offered to suffer any self-sacrifice in order to obey the Command of Allah. See next verse.

Then when the boy reached the age to work with him, Abraham said, 'O my dear son! I have seen in a dream that I 'must' sacrifice you. So tell me what you think.' He replied, 'O my dear father! Do as you are commanded. Allah willing, you will find me steadfast.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

Then when (the son) reached (the age of) (serious) work with him he said: "O my son! I see in vision that I offer thee in sacrifice: now see what is thy view!" (The son) said: "O my father! do as thou art commanded: thou will find me if Allah so wills one practicing Patience and Constancy!" ^{4098 4099}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Where did this vision occur? The Muslim view is that it was in or near Makkah. Some would identify it with the valley of Mina, six miles north of Makkah, where a commemoration sacrifice is annually celebrated as a rite of the Hajj on the tenth of Zul-Hijjah, the 'Id of Sacrifice, in Memory of this Sacrifice of Abraham and Isma'il (see' n.2l7 to ii. 197). Others say that the original place of sacrifice was near the hill of Marwa (the companion hill to Safa, ii. 158), which is associated with the infancy of Isma'il.

At what stage in Abraham's history did this occur? See n. 2725 to xxi. 69. It was obviously after his arrival in the land of Cannan and after Isma'il had grown up to years of discretion. Was it before or after the building of the Ka'ba (ii. 127)? There are no data on which this question can be answered. But we may suppose it was before that event, and that event may itself have been commemorative.

Then when they submitted 'to Allah's Will', and Abraham laid him on his forehead 'for sacrifice',

  - Mustafa Khattab

So when they had both submitted their wills (to Allah) and He had laid Him prostrate on his forehead (for sacrifice) ^{4100 4101}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Note that the sacrifice was demanded of both Abraham and Isma'il. It was a trial of the will of the father and the son. By way of trial the father had the command conveyed to him in a vision. He consulted the son. The son readily consented, and offered to stand true to his promise if his self-sacrifice was really required. The whole thing is symbolical. Allah does not require the flesh and blood of animals (xxii. 37), much less of human beings. But he does require the giving of our whole being to Allah, the symbol of which is that we should give up something very dear to us, if Duty requires that sacrifice.

Our version may be compared with the Jewish-Christian version of the present Old Testament. The Jewish tradition, in order to glorify the younger branch of the family, descended from Isaac, ancestor of the Jews, as against the elder branch, descended from Isma'il, ancestor of the Arabs, refers this sacrifice to Isaac (Gen. xxii. 1-18). Now Isaac was born when Abraham was 100 years old (Gen. xxi. 5), while Isma'il was born to Abraham when Abraham was 86 years old (Gen. xvi. 16). Isma'il was therefore 14 years older than Isaac. During his first 14 years Isma'il was the only son of Abraham; at no time was Isaac the only son of Abraham. Yet, in speaking of the sacrifice, the Old Testament says (Gen. xxii. 2): "And He said, Take now thy son, thine only son Issac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah: and offer him there for a burnt offering..." This slip shows at any rate which was the older version, and how it was overlaid, like the present Jewish records, in the interests of a tribal religion. The "land of Moriah" is not clear: it was three days' journey from Abraham's place (Gen. xxii. 4). There is less warrant for identifying it with the hill of Moriah on which Jerusalem was afterwards built than with the hill of Marwa which is identified with the Arab tradition about Isma'il.

We called out to him, 'O Abraham!

  - Mustafa Khattab

We called out to him "O Abraham! ⁴¹⁰²

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

In the Biblical version Isaac's consent is not taken; in fact Isaac asks, 'where is the lamb for sacrifice?' and is told that 'God would provide it'. It is a complete human sacrifice like those to Moloch. In our version it is as much a sacrifice by the will of Isma'il as by that of Abraham.

You have already fulfilled the vision.' Indeed, this is how We reward the good-doers.

  - Mustafa Khattab

"Thou hast already fulfilled the vision!" thus indeed do We reward those who do right.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

That was truly a revealing test.

  - Mustafa Khattab

For this was obviously a trial

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And We ransomed his son with a great sacrifice,¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Allah sent a ram to be sacrificed in place of Ishmael.

And We ransomed him with a momentous sacrifice: ⁴¹⁰³

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The adjective qualifying "sacrifice" here, 'azim, (great, momentous) may be understood both in a literal and a figurative sense. In a literal sense it implies that a fine sheep or ram was substituted. The figurative sense is even more important. It was indeed a great and momentous occasion, when two men, with concerted will, "ranged themselves in the ranks" of those to whom self-sacrifice in the service of Allah was the supreme thing in life.

and blessed Abraham 'with honourable mention' among later generations:

  - Mustafa Khattab

And We left (this blessing) for him among generations (to come) in later times: ⁴¹⁰⁴

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. above, xxxvii. 78-81 and n. 4083.

'Peace be upon Abraham.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

"Peace and salutation to Abraham!"

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

This is how We reward the good-doers.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Thus indeed do We reward those who do right.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

He was truly one of Our faithful servants.

  - Mustafa Khattab

For he was one of Our believing Servants.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

We 'later' gave him good news of Isaac- a prophet, and one of the righteous.¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 The birth of Isaac is announced after the story of sacrifice. So this is a proof that the son who was going to be sacrificed was Ishmael, not Isaac. This is also supported by 11:71, where Sarah is told that she would give birth to Isaac, who would (reach adulthood and) have a son by the name of Jacob.

And We gave him the good news of Isaac a prophet one of the Righteous. ⁴¹⁰⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Isaac was Abraham's second son, born of Sarah, when Abraham was 100 years of age. See n. 4101. He was also blessed and became the ancestor of the Jewish people. See next note.

We blessed him¹ and Isaac as well. Some of their descendants did good, while others clearly wronged themselves.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Abraham or Ishmael.

We blessed him and Isaac: but of their progeny are (some) that do right and (some) that obviously do wrong to their own souls. ⁴¹⁰⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

So long as the Children of Israel upheld the righteous banner of Allah, they enjoyed Allah's blessing, and their history is a portion of sacred history. When they fell from grace, they did not stop Allah's Plan: they injured their own souls.

And We certainly showed favour to Moses and Aaron,

  - Mustafa Khattab

Again (of old) We bestowed Our favor on Moses and Aaron. ⁴¹⁰⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The story of Moses is told in numerous passages of the Qur-an. The passages most illustrative of the present passage will be found in xxviii. 4 (oppression of the Israelites in Egypt) and xx. 77-79 (the Israelites triumphant over their enemies when the latter were drowned in the Red Sea).

and delivered them and their people from the great distress.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And We delivered them and their people from (their) Great Calamity; ⁴¹⁰⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

What could have been a greater calamity to them than that they should have been held in slavery by the Egyptians, that their male children should have been killed and their female children should have been saved alive for the Egyptians?