Imagine a world where dreams were not just simple figments of our imagination, but a form of divine communication from Allah the Almighty. Such was the case for Prophet Ibrahim, who once saw a dream that would test his unwavering faith and devotion to Allah. But what was this dream? And what did it entail? And more importantly, how did Prophet Ibrahim react to it?

Once upon a time, in the land of Arabia, there lived a righteous man named Ibrahim. His heart was filled with love and devotion for Allah. For years, he prayed fervently for a child who would continue his legacy of spreading the message of Allah after him. And Allah, in His infinite mercy, blessed Prophet Ibrahim with a son whom he named Ismael. As Ismael grew older, Prophet Ibrahim’s love for him also grew stronger, but he never allowed his love for his son to overshadow his love for Allah.

When Ismael (peace be upon Him) reached an age where he could hang out with his father, a tender age, Prophet Ibrahim(peace be upon Him) saw a dream (perhaps, a revelation) in which Allah commanded him to sacrifice his beloved son, Ismael. It was a difficult command to follow, but he knew that he had to obey Allah’s command. Even Allah(S.W.T) mentions in the Qur’an:

إِنَّ هَـٰذَا لَهُوَ ٱلْبَلَـٰٓؤُا۟ ٱلْمُبِينُ

That was truly a revealing test.

It’s important for us to pause here and reflect on Prophet Ibrahim’s reaction to this divine command. Did he question the wisdom behind this revelation? Did he try to derive sense from this dream, like many of us would have done?
This child that he was commanded to sacrifice was Isma`il (peace be upon him), a fantastic, phenomenal child who was patient, wise and righteous. He was also the first child of whom glad tidings were given to Ibrahim (peace be upon him) after many years of not having children.

Did he ask for an alternate interpretation for this dream or did he try to change the ruling of his dream?

Take a moment and think about it. If you and I can trust a doctor or a mechanic with our body or our car, how dare we question Allah (S.W.T) when there could be nothing more authentic and clear than His commands?When he shared this dream with his son and asked him about his opinion and thoughts on it, what did his son reply?

يَـٰٓأَبَتِ ٱفْعَلْ مَا تُؤْمَرُ ۖ سَتَجِدُنِىٓ إِن شَآءَٱللَهُ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ

“O my dear father! Do as you are commanded. Allah willing, you will find me steadfast.”

Look at the righteousness of Prophet Ismael (peace be upon Him). He did not hesitate to agree to Allah’s command. Instead, he showed remarkable faith and courage. He accepted the commandment and told his father to do as he was commanded, and that Allah willing, he would find him steadfast.
This also shows that deep down he knew that he cannot handle this test without Allah’s assistance. This teaches us a lesson that without Allah’s help, we cannot achieve anything.

As they made their way to the designated place of sacrifice, Prophet Ibrahim laid him on the side of his forehead and prepared to carry out Allah’s command. But at that moment, Allah called out to Ibrahim and said, “O Ibrahim! You have fulfilled the dream!”

يَـٰٓإِبْرَٰهِيمُ قَدْ صَدَّقْتَ ٱلرُّءْيَآ ۚ

“O Ibrahim! You have already fulfilled the vision.”

Allah then replaced Ismael (peace be upon Him) with a fine, horned, white ram, and Ibrahim realized that it was a test of his faith and obedience to Allah. Allah accepted his willingness to sacrifice his son and rewarded him for his steadfastness.
Ismael, who had shown exemplary character and devotion to Allah throughout the entire ordeal, grew up to become a Prophet himself, preaching the message of Allah to his people.

Muslims commemorate this sacrifice every year during Eid ul Adha. It is a time to remember the sacrifice made by Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon Him) and Prophet Ismael (peace be upon Him), and to reflect on the values of faith, sacrifice, and obedience that they embodied. It is a reminder that our ultimate goal in life is to please Allah and that we should be willing to make sacrifices to achieve that goal. It teaches us to prioritize our faith above all else and to be grateful for the bounties that Allah has bestowed upon us and express gratitude for them while striving to detach ourselves from worldly entanglements.

As we reflect on the story of Prophet Ibrahim and Ismael’s sacrifice, we too can learn valuable lessons about faith, devotion, and submission to Allah.
Are we willing to submit ourselves entirely to Allah’s will, even when it means sacrificing something we hold dear?
Are we willing to let go of our attachments to worldly possessions and focus on our devotion to Allah?

May Allah bless these Prophets and grant us the strength to follow in their footsteps of faith and submission to Him.