History of Prophet Ismail A.S

As previously mentioned in the history of Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.), when Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) and his wife Sarah desired a child, Allah granted them Prophet Ismail (A.S.) from the second wife of Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.). Then, an angel gave him a prediction that he would have a son and name him Ismael, and that his descendants would proliferate greatly.

Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) had a profound love for Prophet Ismael (A.S.), as mentioned in the history of Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.). In obedience to Allah’s directive, Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) was instructed to take Hagar and Prophet Ismail (A.S.) to Makkah. Following divine guidance, he left them with a water bottle and some dates beneath a tree. As Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) turned to depart, Hagar sought assurance, questioning if he followed Allah’s directive. His affirmative response reassured her, and she placed her trust in Allah’s plan, expressing, “If Allah has commanded, He will take care of us, and it will be sufficient.”

Then, Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) leave but discreetly observed his family from a distance behind a rock. Concealed, he prayed to Allah, entreating, “Our Lord, I have settled some of my descendants in an uncultivated valley near Your sacred House, our Lord, that they may establish prayer. So make hearts among the people incline toward them and provide for them from the fruits that they might be grateful.”

Facing a challenging situation in accordance with Allah’s command, Hagar fervently prayed, “O lord am in the situation due to your order please be ally of this aged women.” At that time, Prophet Ismail (A.S.) was a few months old.

Initially, she had water and dates; time passed swiftly. However, as their provisions dwindled and Hagar’s chest ceased to yield milk, Prophet Ismail (A.S.) became thirsty. Overwhelmed with concern, Hagar ascended the restless Safa mountain, anxiously scanning the surroundings for any sign of water, while keeping a watchful eye on Prophet Ismail (A.S.).

Unfortunately, there was no indication of water on Safa mountain. Filled with grief, Hagar descended and hastened towards the nearby Marwa mountain, climbing swiftly. Fearful that her child might be taken by a wild animal, she descended to the valley floor from the mountain. At this point, she slowed down, allowing a clear view of the child from the mountain’s vantage point. Though she looked around, no water source was in sight. She retraced her steps to Safa mountain, repeating this heartfelt journey seven times, frantically searching for water and ensuring the safety of her beloved child.

In the seventh round, as Hagar stood on the mountain, a reassuring voice echoed from nature, calming her fears. Upon returning to her child, she witnessed a miraculous event— the infant Ismail scraped the ground with his feet and water springing out, a waterfall emerging beside him. Overjoyed, she gathered mud and stones to create a basin-like structure. The water, miraculously, never ceased, she quench her thirst and fill her bottle.

In another narratives, when Hagar heard the comforting sound and approached her child, she beheld Angel Jibrael (A.S) standing beside a waterfall named Ab-e-Zamzam. Inquisitive, he asked Hagar about her identity. She identified herself as the wife of Prophet Ibrahim (A.S) and the mother of his child. Jibrael (A.S) questioned her about the one to whom she had been entrusted in the desert, and she responded, “Allah.” In response, Jibrael (A.S) assured her that Allah is sufficient. With a strike of Angel Jibrael (A.S)’s heel, the waterfall, known as Zamzam, began to flow. After the angel brought solace to Hagar, assuring her of Allah’s divine plan, she was informed that the child, Prophet Ismail (A.S), with Prophet Ibrahim (A.S), would one day contribute to the construction of Allah’s House. Allah does not forsake the inhabitants of His sacred place.

A caravan named Jurhum Sani from Yemen observed birds flying in the vicinity, deducing that where birds were present, water might be found. Upon sending a man to investigate, he discovered Hagar and her child sitting near a miraculously flowing waterfall.

The caravan, amazed by this phenomenon, sought permission from Hagar to stay there. She gave permission to stay to find solace from solitude but retained control over the water source. The people of Jurhum Sani settled in the area, and over time, the population grew. What was initially a small village expanded as more individuals arrived. Prophet Ismail (A.S.) learned Arabic from the new inhabitants, enriching his knowledge and connecting with the community.

While Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) resided in Palestine, he would occasionally visit Hagar and his son, Prophet Ismail (A.S.). Behind this wisdom to create Kaaba by Prophet Ismael (A.S.) and to propagate the lineage of Prophet Ismael (A.S.) and establish the Arab nation. Allah accepted all the prayers of Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.). Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) accepted all the orders of Allah and doesn’t hesitate for seconds. Allah accepts all his prayers, and from a helpless child and a woman, he created a whole country, and by them, today, all of Makkah is blessed.

Then Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) came there with the order of Allah to see his child and wife. On that place, the Jurhum people created good buildings and took responsibility for Hazrat Ismail (A.S.)’s expenses, then Hagar got relief. Prophet Ismail (A.S.) received good nourishment. By these things, Ibrahim (A.S.) also got relieved.

When Prophet Ismail (A.S.) turned 7 years old, Allah gave the order to Ibrahim (A.S.) to sacrifice his loveliest thing for Divine Pleasure. Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) saw the dream on the first night of Zil Hajj that someone told him to sacrifice his loveliest thing in the way of Allah. When he awoke, he sacrificed some goats. On the second night, he had the same dream and sacrificed some buffaloes. The pattern continued, and on the eighth day of Zil Hajj, he was ordered in the dream to sacrifice Prophet Ismail (A.S.) for the trial by Allah. Again, on the ninth night, he received the order to sacrifice Prophet Ismail (A.S.) for the trial by Allah. On the night of the 10th of Zil Hajj, he once again dreamt of sacrificing Prophet Ismail (A.S.) for the slogan of Islam.

Respecting the divine order, Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) went to the Kaaba and informed his wife that he had to take Ismail (A.S.) to a friend’s house. His wife bathed Prophet Ismail (A.S.), dressed him in new clothes, combed his hair, and applied fragrance. After preparing Hazrat Ismael (A.S.), he was entrusted to Allah, and Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) took Prophet Ismail (A.S) to Mina and he silently taking a knife with him.

When Prophet Ibrahim said to Ismail, ‘I have seen in a dream that I am to sacrifice you in the way of Allah.’ To this, Ismail responded with a firm ‘Yes, Father, I agree.

Then, in the spiritual countenance, Satan came and told Hagar, Do you know where Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) took your son? Hagar replied, He went to his friend’s residence. He informed her that Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) had taken their son to be slaughtered. Hagar pondered, Whose father could do such a thing, and how could the Friend of Allah, Khalilullah, do this? He then acknowledged, “Yes, you are right, but Prophet Ibrahim (A.S) received a divine order. Then she affirmed, If it’s the order of Allah, then I wholeheartedly agree. Even if I had thousands of children like him, I would willingly sacrifice them in the way of Allah. After that, Satan departed from there disappointed.

The Satan then went to Prophet Ismail (A.S.) to weaken faith, but Prophet Ismail (A.S.) affirmed that this life was singular, and if he had thousands, he would willingly sacrifice them. The Satan left with disappointment.

Then he also attempted to implant obsessive thoughts in Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.), but Ibrahim (A.S.) recognized him and struck him with something, causing him to flee from there.

In the Quran, it is mentioned:

“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. Then when they submitted ˹to Allah’s Will˺, and Abraham laid him on the side of his forehead ˹for sacrifice˺. We called out to him, O Abraham! You have already fulfilled the vision. Indeed, this is how We reward the good-doers. That was truly a revealing test.  And We ransomed his son with a great sacrifice, and blessed Abraham ˹with honourable mention˺ among later generations: Peace be upon Abraham.  This is how We reward the good-doers. He was truly one of Our faithful servants.” {As-Saffat Ayat 102-111}

It was a fat-tailed sheep, and this sheep ate grass from heaven for 40 years. The Angel Jibrael took this sheep from heaven and instructed Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) to sacrifice it instead of his son. Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) complied with this directive.

There are Alternate Narratives, that Prophet Ismail (A.S.) recommended using a sharp knife, but the knife failed to even remove a single hair from him. In frustration, the knife was struck against a rock. Miraculously, Allah endowed the knife with the ability to speak, and it questioned whose command it should follow – Prophet Ibrahim’s or Allah’s. Though Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) had ordered it to cut, Allah had commanded it not to cut. In this moment, Angel Jibrael (A.S.) appeared, bringing a fat-tailed sheep, and together they pronounced takbeer. These takbeers became a tradition for the generations to come.

When Prophet Ismail (A.S.) reached the age of 15, the community arranged his marriage to a woman from their own family. During this period, his mother Hagar passed away, and she was laid to rest nearest to the Hajr-e-Aswad.

When Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) returned to see his family, he was saddened to hear about Hagar’s demise. However, upon his arrival, he did not have the chance to meet Prophet Ismail (A.S.) as he was not present at that moment. He inquired about the situation from his daughter-in-law, and she expressed her concerns about the challenging and difficult circumstances they were facing. In response, Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) instructed her to convey his will to his son, advising him to change the doorstep of his house and then he departed.

Upon Prophet Ismail’s (A.S.) return, his wife informed him about Prophet Ibrahim’s (A.S.) visit and conveyed his will. Prophet Ismail (A.S.) understood the significance of this will – it was a directive to divorce his current wife. Consequently, he divorced her. He entered into a second marriage with the daughter of Jurham’s leader, Muḍaḍ bin Amaro.

After this second marriage, Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) visited Makkah once again. However, on this occasion, he still did not have the opportunity to meet with Prophet Ismail (A.S.). Inquiring about the circumstances from his daughter-in-law, she responded with praise and glorification of Allah. Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) then advised Prophet Ismail (A.S.) to maintain the doorstep of his house. He depart for Palestine.

Afterward, Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) came again, and he found Prophet Ismail (A.S.) placing arrows under the tree near Zamzam. Upon seeing each other, they embraced warmly, expressing the affectionate bond that only a loving father and an obedient son can share. This reunion was after a prolonged period.

During this heartfelt meeting, they collaborated to build the Kaaba, as narrated in the history of Ibrahim (A.S.), and invited people to come and perform Hajj.

Through divine revelation, Allah informed Prophet Ibrahim (A.S) of the precise location. With the assistance of Prophet Ismail (A.S), Prophet Ibrahim (A.S) excavated and established the sacred site as directed by Allah.

Before Makkah became Mukarrama, the sacred city was known as Bakka, a place of blessings and a guiding light for the entire world. Tafsir Fatah al-Aziz elucidates that the construction of the Kaaba began in Zilqada and concluded on the 25th of Zilqada.

As the construction of the Kaaba reached the height of Adam, Prophet Ibrahim (A.S) directed Prophet Ismail (A.S) to bring a rock and stand on it to complete the wall. Jibrael (A.S) instructed him on where to place the Hajre Aswad to starting point of the circumambulation around the Kaaba.

As the walls of the Kaaba extended, the stone bearing Prophet Ibrahim’s (A.S) footprints also lengthened. Subsequently, the call to perform Hajj was extended to the people of the world.

Prophet Ismail (A.S.) qualities are also mentioned in the Quran:

“And mention in the Book ˹O Prophet, the story of˺ Ismael. He was truly a man of his word, and was a messenger and a prophet. He used to urge his people to pray and give alms-tax. And his Lord was well pleased with him.“

Allah blessed Prophet Ismail (A.S.) with twelve sons through Muḍaḍ’s daughter.