37:107 As-Saaffaat (Those drawn up in Ranks)

[ وَفَدَيْنَاهُ بِذِبْحٍ عَظِيمٍ } أي: صار بدله ذبح من الغنم عظيم، ذبحه إبراهيم، فكان عظيما من جهة أنه كان فداء لإسماعيل، ومن جهة أنه من جملة العبادات الجليلة، ومن جهة أنه كان قربانا وسنة إلى يوم القيامة.

وقوله تعالى "وفديناه بذبح عظيم" قال سفيان الثوري عن جابر الجعفي عن أبي الطفيل عن علي رضي الله عنه "وفديناه بذبح عظيم" قال بكبش أبيض أعين أقرن قد ربط بسمرة قال أبو الطفيل وجدوه مربوطا بسمرة في ثبير وقال الثوري أيضا عن عبدالله بن عثمان بن خثيم عن سعيد بن جبير عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما قال كبش قد رعا في الجنة أربعين خريفا. وقال ابن أبي حاتم حدثنا أبي حدثنا يوسف بن يعقوب الصفار حدثنا داود العطار عن ابن خثيم عن سعيد بن جبير عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما قال الصخرة التي بمنى بأصل ثبير هي الصخرة التي ذبح عليها إبراهيم فداء إسحاق ابنه هبط عليه من ثبير كبش أعين أقرن له ثغاء فذبحه وهو الكبش الذي قربه ابن آدم فتقبل منه فكان مخزونا حتى فدى به إسحاق وروي أيضا عن سعيد بن جبير أنه قال كان الكبش يرتع فى الجنة حتى شقق عنه ثبير وكان عليه عهن أحمر وعن الحسن البصري أنه قال كان اسم كبش إبراهيم عليه الصلاة والسلام جرير وقال ابن جريج قال عبيد بن عمير ذبحه بالمقام وقال مجاهد ذبحه بمنى عند المنحر. وقال هشيم عن سيار عن عكرمة عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما كان أفتى الذي جعل عليه نذرا أن ينحر نفسه فأمره بمائة من الإبل ثم قال بعد ذلك لو كنت أفتيه بكبش لأجزأه أن يذبح كبشا فإن الله تعالى قال في كتابه "وفديناه بذبح عظيم" والصحيح الذي عليه الأكثرون أنه يفدي بكبش وقال الثوري عن رجل عن أبي صالح عن ابن عباس في قوله تعالى "وفديناه بذبح عظيم" قال وعل وقال محمد بن إسحاق عن عمرو بن عبيد عن الحسن أنه كان يقول ما فدي إسماعيل عليه السلام إلا بتيس من الأروى أهبط عليه من ثبير. وقد قال الإمام أحمد حدثنا سفيان حدثني منصور عن خاله مسافع عن صفية بنت شيبة قالت أخبرتني امرأة من بني سليم ولدت عامة أهل دارنا أرسل رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إلى عثمان بن طلحة رضي الله عنه وقالت مرة إنها سألت عثمان لم دعاك النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم؟ قال: قال لي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم "إني كنت رأيت قرني الكبش حين دخلت البيت فنسيت أن آمرك أن تخمرهما فخمرهما فإنه لا ينبغي أن يكون في البيت شيء يشغل المصلي" قال سفيان لم يزل قرنا الكبش معلقين في البيت حتى احترق البيت فاحترقا وهذا دليل مستقل على أنه إسماعيل عليه الصلاة والسلام فإن قريشا توارثوا قرني الكبش الذي فدى به إبراهيم خلفا عن سلف وجيلا بعد جيل إلى أن بعث الله رسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم. "فصل في ذكر الآثار الواردة عن السلف في أن الذبيح من هو" "ذكر من قال هو إسحاق عليه الصلاة والسلام" قال حمزة الزيات عن أبي ميسرة رحمه الله قال: قال يوسف عليه عليه الصلاة والسلام للملك في وجهه ترغب أن تأكل معي وأنا والله يوسف بن يعقوب نبي الله ابن إسحاق ذبيح الله بن إبراهيم خليل الله وقال الثوري عن أبى سنان عن ابن أبي الهذيل أن يوسف عليه السلام قال للملك كذلك أيضا وقال سفيان الثوري عن زيد بن أسلم عن عبدالله بن عبيد بن عمير عن أبيه قال: قال موسى عليه الصلاة والسلام يا رب يقولون بإله إبراهيم وإسحاق ويعقوب فبم قالوا ذلك؟ قال: إن إبراهيم لم يعدل بي شيء قط إلا اختارني عليه وإن إسحاق جاد لي بالذبح وهو بغير ذلك أجود وإن يعقوب كلما زدته بلاء زادني حسن ظن وقال شعبة عن أبي إسحاق عن أبي الأحوص قال افتخر رجل عند ابن مسعود رضي الله عنه فقال أنا فلان بن فلان ابن الأشياخ الكرام فقال عبدالله بن مسعود رضي الله عنه ذاك يوسف بن يعقوب بن إسحاق ذبيح الله بن إبراهيم خليل الله. وهذا صحيح عن ابن مسعود رضي الله عنه وكذا روى عكرمة عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما أنه إسحاق وعن أبيه العباس علي بن أبي طالب مثل ذلك وكذا قال عكرمة وسعيد بن جبير ومجاهد والشعبي وعبيد بن عمير وأبو ميسرة وزيد بن أسلم وعبدالله بن شقيق والزهري والقاسم بن أبي برزة ومكحول وعثمان بن أبي حاضر والسدي والحسن وقتادة وأبو الهذيل وابن سابط وهذا اختيار ابن جرير وتقدم روايته عن كعب الأحبار أنه إسحاق وهكذا روى ابن إسحاق عن عبدالله بن أبى بكر عن الزهري عن أبي سفيان عن العلاء بن جارية عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه عن كعب الأحبار أنه قال هو إسحاق وهذه الأقوال والله أعلم كلها مأخوذة عن كعب الأحبار فإنه لما أسلم في الدولة العمرية جعل يحدث عمر رضي الله عنه عن كتبه قديما فربما استمع له عمر رضي الله عنه فترخص الناس في استماع ما عنده ونقلوا ما عنده عنه غثها وسمينها وليس لهذه الأمة والله أعلم حاجة إلى حرف واحد مما عنده وقد حكى البغوي القول بأنه إسحاق عن عمر وعلي وابن مسعود والعباس رضي الله عنهم ومن التابعين عن كعب الأحبار وسعيد بن جبير وقتادة ومسروق عكرمة وعطاء و مقاتل والزهري والسدي قال وهو إحدى الروايتين عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما وقد ورد في ذلك حديث لو ثبت لقلنا به على الرأس والعين ولكن لم يصح سنده. قال ابن جرير حدثنا أبو كريب حدثنا زيد بن حباب عن الحسن بن دينار عن علي بن زيد بن جدعان عن الحسن عن الأحنف بن قيس عن العباس بن عبدالمطلب رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في حديث ذكره قال "هو إسحاق" ففي إسناده ضعيفان وهما الحسن بن دينار البصري متروك وعلي بن زيد بن جدعان منكر الحديث وقد رواه ابن أبي حاتم عن أبيه عن مسلم بن إبراهيم عن حماد بن سلمة عن علي بن زيد بن جدعان به مرفوعا ثم قال قد رواه مبارك بن فضالة عن الحسن عن الأحنف عن العباس رضي الله عنه وهذا أشبه وأصح والله أعلم. "ذكر الآثار الواردة بأنه إسماعيل عليه الصلاة والسلام وهو الصحيح المقطوع به" قد تقدمت الرواية عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما أنه إسحاق عليه الصلاة والسلام والله تعالى أعلم وقال سعيد بن جبير وعامر الشعبي ويوسف بن مهران ومجاهد وعطاء وغير واحد عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما هو إسماعيل عليه الصلاة والسلام وقال ابن جرير حدثني يونس أخبرنا ابن وهب أخبرني عمرو بن قيس عن عطاء بن أبي رباح عن ابن عباس أنه قال المفدى إسماعيل عليه السلام وزعمت اليهود أنه إسحاق وكذبت اليهود وقال إسرائيل عن ثور عن مجاهد عن ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما قال الذبيح إسماعيل وقال ابن أبي نجيح عن مجاهد هو إسماعيل عليه السلام وكذا قال يوسف بن مهران وقال الشعبي هو إسماعيل عليه الصلاة والسلام وقد رأيت قرني الكبش في الكعبة وقال محمد بن إسحاق عن الحسن بن دينار وعمرو بن عبيد عن الحسن البصري أنه كان لا يشك في ذلك أن الذي أمر بذبحه من ابني إبراهيم إسماعيل عليه السلام قال ابن إسحاق وسمعت محمد بن كعب القرظي وهو يقول إن الذي أمر الله تعالى إبراهيم بذبحه من ابنيه إسماعيل وإنا لنجد ذلك في كتاب الله تعالى وذلك أن الله تعالى حين فرغ من قصة المذبوح من ابني إبراهيم قال الله تعالى "وبشرناه بإسحاق نبيا من الصالحين" ويقول الله تعالى "فبشرناها بإسحاق ومن وراء إسحاق يعقوب" يقول بابن وابن ابن فلم يكن ليأمره بذبح إسحاق وله فيه من الموعد بما وعده وما الذي أمر بذبحه إلا إسماعيل قال ابن إسحاق سمعته يقول ذلك كثيرا وقال ابن إسحاق عن بريدة بن سفيان الأسلمي عن محمد بن كعب القرظي أنه حدثهم أنه ذكر ذلك لعمر بن عبدالعزيز رضي الله عنه وهو خليفة إذ كان معه بالشام فقال له عمر إن هذا لشيء ما كنت أنظر فيه وإني لأراه كما قلت ثم أرسل إلى رجل كان عنده بالشام كان يهوديا فأسلم وحسن إسلامه وكان يرى أنه من علمائهم فسأله عمر بن عبدالعزيز رضي الله عنه عن ذلك قال محمد بن كعب وأنا عند عمر بن عبدالعزيز فقال له عمر أي ابني إبراهيم أمر بذبحه؟ فقال إسماعيل والله يا أمير المؤمنين وإن يهود لتعلم بذلك ولكنهم يحسدونكم معشر العرب على أن يكون أباكم الذي كان من أمر الله فيه والفضل الذي ذكر الله تعالى منه لصبره لما أمر به فهم يجحدون ذلك ويزعمون أنه إسحاق لأن إسحاق أبوهم والله أعلم أيهما كان وكل قد كان طاهرا طيبا مطيعا لله عز وجل وقال عبدالله بن الإمام أحمد بن حنبل رحمه الله سألت أبي عن الذبيح هل هو إسماعيل أو إسحاق فقال إسماعيل ذكره فى كتاب الزهد وقال ابن أبي حاتم وسمعت أبي يقول الصحيح أن الذبيح إسماعيل عليه الصلاة والسلام قال وروي عن علي وابن عمر وأبي هريرة وأبي الطفيل وسعيد بن المسيب وسعيد بن جبير والحسن ومجاهد والشعبي ومحمد بن كعب القرظي وأبي جعفر محمد بن علي وأبي صالح رضي الله عنهم أنهم قالوا الذبيح إسماعيل. وقال البغوي فى تفسيره وإليه ذهب عبدالله بن عمر وسعيد بن المسيب والسدي والحسن البصري ومجاهد والربيع بن أنس ومحمد بن كعب القرظي والكلبي وهو رواية عن ابن عباس وحكاه أيضا عن أبي عمرو بن العلاء وقد روى ابن جرير في ذلك حديثا غريبا فقال حدثني محمد بن عمار الرازي حدثنا إسماعيل بن عبيد بن أبي كريمة حدثنا عمر بن عبدالرحيم الخطابي عن عبيد الله بن محمد العتبي من ولد عتبة بن أبي سفيان عن أبيه حدثني عبدالله بن سعيد عن الصنابحي قال كنا عند معاوية بن أبي سفيان فذكروا الذبيح إسماعيل أو إسحاق فقال على الخبير سقطتم: كنا عند رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فجاءه رجل فقال يا رسول الله عد علي مما أفاء الله عليك يا ابن الذبيحين فضحك رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم" فقيل له يا أمير المؤمنين وما الذبيحان؟ فقال إن عبدالمطلب لما أمر بحفر زمزم نذر لله إن سهل الله له أمرها عليه ليذبحن أحد ولده قال فخرج السهم على عبدالله فمنعه أخواله وقالوا افد ابنك بمائة من الإبل ففداه بمائة من الإبل والثاني إسماعيل. وهذا حديث غريب جدا وقد رواه الأموي فى مغازيه حدثنا بعض أصحابنا أخبرنا إسماعيل بن عبيد بن أبي كريمة حدثنا عمرو بن عبد الرحمن القرشي حدثنا عبيد الله بن محمد العتبي من ولد عتبة بن أبي سفيان حدثنا عبدالله بن سعيد حدثنا الصنابحي قال حضرنا مجلس معاوية رضي الله عنه فتذاكر القوم إسماعيل أو إسحاق وذكره كذا كتبته من نسخة مغلوطة. وإنما عول ابن جرير في اختياره أن الذبيح إسحاق على قوله تعالى "فبشرناه بغلام حليم" فجعل هذه البشارة هي البشارة بإسحاق في قوله تعالى "وبشروه بغلام عليم" وأجاب عن البشارة بيعقوب بأنه قد كان بلغ معه السعي أي العمل ومن الممكن أنه قد كان ولد له أولاد مع يعقوب أيضا قال وأما القرنان اللذان كانا معلقين بالكعبة فمن الجائز أنهما نقلا من بلاد كنعان قال وقد تقدم أن من الناس من ذهب إلى أنه ذبح إسحاق هناك هذا ما اعتمد عليه في تفسيره وليس إليه بمذهب ولا لازم بل هو بعيد جدا والذي استدل به محمد بن كعب القرظي على أنه إسماعيل أثبت وأصح وأقوى والله أعلم.

Ibrahim's Emigration, the Test of the Sacrifice of Isma`il, and how Allah blessed Him

Allah tells us that after He helped His close friend Ibrahim, peace be upon him, against his people, and after Ibrahim gave up hoping that they would ever believe despite all the mighty signs that they had witnessed, he emigrated away from them, and said:

وَقَالَ إِنِّى ذَاهِبٌ إِلَى رَبِّى سَيَهْدِينِ - رَبِّ هَبْ لِى مِنَ الصَّـلِحِينِ

(Verily, I am going to my Lord. He will guide me! My Lord! Grant me (offspring) from the righteous.) meaning, obedient children, in compensation for his people and relatives whom he had left. Allah said:

فَبَشَّرْنَـهُ بِغُلَـمٍ حَلِيمٍ

(So We gave him the glad tidings of a forbearing boy.) This child was Isma`il, peace be upon him, for he was the first child of whom glad tidings were given to Ibrahim, peace be upon him, and he was older than Ishaq. The Muslims and the People of the Book agree, and indeed it is stated in their Book, that Isma`il, peace be upon him, was born when Ibrahim, peace be upon him, was eighty-six years old, and Ishaq was born when Ibrahim was ninety-nine years old. According to their Book, Allah commanded Ibrahim to sacrifice his only son, and in another text it says his firstborn son. But here they falsely inserted the name of Ishaq. This is not right because it goes against what their own Scripture says. They inserted the name of Ishaq because he is their ancestor, while Isma`il is the ancestor of the Arabs. They were jealous of them, so they added this idea and changed the meaning of the phrase "only son" to mean `the only son who is with you,' because Isma`il had been taken with his mother to Makkah. But this is a case of falsification and distortion, because the words "only son" cannot be said except in the case of one who has no other son. Furthermore, the firstborn son has a special status that is not shared by subsequent children, so the command to sacrifice him is a more exquisite test.

فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ السَّعْىَ

(And, when he (his son) was old enough to walk with him,) means, when he grew up and started to go with his father and walk with him, for Ibrahim used to go every so often to check on his son and his mother in the land of Faran (i.e., Makkah), to see how they were doing. It was said that he used to ride on Al-Buraq, traveling there swiftly, and Allah knows best. It was reported from Ibn `Abbas, peace be upon him, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Ata' Al-Khurasani, Zayd bin Aslam and others that

فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ السَّعْىَ

(And, when he (his son) was old enough to walk with him,) means, when he became a young man and was able to work as his father did.

فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ السَّعْىَ قَالَ يبُنَىَّ إِنِّى أَرَى فِى الْمَنَامِ أَنِّى أَذْبَحُكَ فَانظُرْ مَاذَا تَرَى

(And, when he (his son) was old enough to walk with him, he said: "O my son! I have seen in a dream that I am slaughtering you. So look what you think!") `Ubayd bin `Umayr said, "The dreams of the Prophets are revelation," then he recited this Ayah:

قَالَ يبُنَىَّ إِنِّى أَرَى فِى الْمَنَامِ أَنِّى أَذْبَحُكَ فَانظُرْ مَاذَا تَرَى

(he said: "O my son! I have seen in a dream that I am slaughtering you. So look what you think!"). He told his son that in order to make it easier for him, and also to test his patience and resolve, at a young age, in obeying Allah and obeying his father.

قَالَ يأَبَتِ افْعَلْ مَا تُؤمَرُ

(He said: "O my father! Do that which you are commanded...") meaning, `obey the command of Allah and sacrifice me.'

سَتَجِدُنِى إِن شَآءَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الصَّـبِرِينَ

(if Allah wills, you shall find me of the patient.) meaning, `I will be patient and will seek the reward for that with Allah.' He, may peace and blessings be upon him, believed in what had been promised. Allah said:

وَاذْكُرْ فِى الْكِتَـبِ إِسْمَـعِيلَ إِنَّهُ كَانَ صَـدِقَ الْوَعْدِ وَكَانَ رَسُولاً نَّبِيّاً - وَكَانَ يَأْمُرُ أَهْلَهُ بِالصَّـلَوةِ وَالزَّكَـوةِ وَكَانَ عِندَ رَبِّهِ مَرْضِيّاً

(And mention in the Book Isma`il. Verily, he was true to what he promised, and he was a Messenger, (and) a Prophet. And he used to enjoin on his family the Salah and the Zakah, and his Lord was pleased with him.) (19:54-55).

فَلَمَّا أَسْلَمَا وَتَلَّهُ لِلْجَبِينِ

(Then, when they had both submitted themselves, and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead;) means, when both of them had pronounced the Shahadah and remembered Allah -- Ibrahim because he was about to offer a sacrifice and Isma`il because he was about to die. Or it was said that "submitted themselves" means that they submitted and followed the command of Allah; Ibrahim obeyed the command of Allah and Isma`il obeyed Allah and his father. This was the view of Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Ibn Ishaq, and others. lThe meaning of the phrase "and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead" is: he placed him facedown so that he could slaughter him from behind, and not have to see his face at the time of slaughter, so that it would be easier for him. Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Ad-Dahhak and Qatadah said:

وَتَلَّهُ لِلْجَبِينِ

(and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead;) means, "He turned him upside down on his face." Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "When the rituals were enjoined upon Ibrahim, peace be upon him, the Shaytan appeared to him at the Mas`a and raced with him, but Ibrahim got there first. Then Jibril, upon him be peace, took him to Jamrat Al-`Aqabah and the Shaytan appeared to him, so he stoned him with seven pebbles until he disappeared. Then he appeared him at Al-Jamrah Al-Wusta and he stoned him with seven pebbles. Then he laid him prostrate on his face. Isma`il, peace be upon him, was wearing a white shirt, and he said, `O my father, I do not have any garment in which I can be shrouded apart from this; take it off me so that you can shroud me in it.' He started to take it off, then he was called from behind:

أَن يإِبْرَهِيمُقَدْ صَدَّقْتَ الرُّؤْيَآ

(O Ibrahim! You have fulfilled the dream!) Ibrahim turned, and saw a fine, horned, white ram." Ibn `Abbas said, "We used to look for similar types of rams." Hisham mentioned this Hadith at length in Al-Manasik.

وَنَـدَيْنَـهُ أَن يإِبْرَهِيمُ قَدْ صَدَّقْتَ الرُّؤْيَآ

(We called out to him: "O Ibrahim! You have fulfilled the dream!") means, `the purpose of your dream has been fulfilled by your laying down your son to sacrifice him.' As-Suddi and others said that he passed the knife over Isma`il's neck, but it did not cut him at all, because a sheet of copper was placed between them. Ibrahim was called at that point, and it was said:

قَدْ صَدَّقْتَ الرُّؤْيَآ

(You have fulfilled the dream!) Allah says;

إِنَّا كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِى الْمُحْسِنِينَ

(Verily, thus do We reward the doers of good.) means, `this is how We deal with those who obey Us in things that are difficult for them; We make for them a way out.' As Allah says:

فَإِذَا بَلَغْنَ أَجَلَهُنَّ فَأَمْسِكُوهُنَّ بِمَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ فَارِقُوهُنَّ بِمَعْرُوفٍ وَأَشْهِدُواْ ذَوَى عَدْلٍ مِّنكُمْ وَأَقِيمُواْ الشَّهَـدَةَ لِلَّهِ ذَلِكُمْ يُوعَظُ بِهِ مَن كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجاً - وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لاَ يَحْتَسِبُ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَـلِغُ أَمْرِهِ قَدْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدْراً

(And whosoever has Taqwa of Allah, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him. Verily, Allah will accomplish his purpose. Indeed Allah has set a measure for all things.) (65:2-3). On the basis of this Ayah and this story, some of the scholars of Usul have stated that it is valid for a ruling to be abrogated before anyone is able to act upon it -- unlike some of the Mu`tazilah. The evidence for this is obvious, because Allah commanded Ibrahim, peace be upon him, to sacrifice his son, then He abrogated that and pointed out the ransom. The purpose of His command had been primarily to reward His close Friend for his patience and resolve in sacrificing his son. Allah says:

إِنَّ هَـذَا لَهُوَ الْبَلاَءُ الْمُبِينُ

(Verily, that indeed was a manifest trial.) meaning, it was clearly a test when he was commanded to sacrifice his son, so, he hastened to do it, in submission to the command of Allah and in obedience to Him. Allah said:

وَإِبْرَهِيمَ الَّذِى وَفَّى

(And of Ibrahim who fulfilled all that.) (53:37), and

وَفَدَيْنَـهُ بِذِبْحٍ عَظِيمٍ

(And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice). It was reported that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "A ram which had grazed in Paradise for forty years." Imam Ahmad recorded that Safiyyah bint Shaybah said, "A woman from Bani Sulaym, who was the midwife of most of the people in our household, told me that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent for `Uthman bin Talhah, may Allah be pleased with him." On one occasion she said, "I asked `Uthman, `Why did the Prophet call you' He said, `The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me,

«إِنِّي كُنْتُ رَأَيْتُ قَرْنَيِ الْكَبْشِ حِينَ دَخَلْتُ الْبَيْتَ فَنَسِيتُ أَنْ آمُرَكَ أَنْ تُخَمِّرَهُمَا فَخَمِّرْهُمَا، فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَكُونَ فِي الْبَيْتِ شَيْءٌ يَشْغَلُ الْمُصَلِّي»

(I saw the horns of the ram when I entered the House i.e., the Ka`bah, and I forgot to tell you to cover them up; cover them up, for there should not be anything in the House which could distract the worshipper.)"' Sufyan said, "The horns of the ram remained hanging in the House until it was burned, and they were burned too." This offers independent evidence that the one who was to be sacrificed was Isma`il, peace be upon him. The Quraysh had inherited the horns of the ram that Ibrahim sacrificed, and they had been passed down from generation to generation, until the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was sent. And Allah knows best.

Reports which state that the One Who was to be sacrificed was Isma`il, and that this is Correct with

Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Amir Ash-Sha`bi, Yusuf bin Mihran, Mujahid, `Ata' and others reported from Ibn `Abbas that it was Isma`il, peace be upon him. Ibn Jarir narrated that Ibn `Abbas said, "The one who was ransomed was Isma`il, peace be upon him. The Jews claimed that it was Ishaq, but the Jews lied." It was reported that Ibn `Umar said, "The sacrifice was Isma`il." Ibn Abi Najih said, narrating from Mujahid, "It was Isma`il, peace be upon him." This was also the view of Yusuf bin Mihran. Ash-Sha`bi said, "It was Isma`il, peace be upon him, and I saw the horns of the ram in the Ka`bah." Muhammad bin Ishaq reported from Al-Hasan bin Dinar and `Amr bin `Ubayd from Al-Hasan Al-Basri that he did not doubt that the one of the two sons Ibrahim was commanded to sacrifice was Isma`il, peace be upon him. Ibn Ishaq said, "I heard Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi say, `The one whom Allah commanded Ibrahim to sacrifice of his two sons was Isma`il.' We find this in the Book of Allah, because when Allah finishes the story of the one of the two sons of Ibrahim who was to be sacrificed, He then says:

وَبَشَّرْنَـهُ بِإِسْحَـقَ نَبِيّاً مِّنَ الصَّـلِحِينَ

(And We gave him the glad tidings of Ishaq -- a Prophet from the righteous), and

فَبَشَّرْنَـهَا بِإِسْحَـقَ وَمِن وَرَآءِ إِسْحَـقَ يَعْقُوبَ

(So, We gave her glad tidings of Ishaq and after Ishaq, of Ya`qub) (11:71). He mentions the son and the son of the son, but He would not have commanded him to sacrifice Ishaq when He had promised that this son would in turn have a son. The one whom He commanded him to sacrifice can only have been Isma`il." Ibn Ishaq said, "I heard him say that often." Ibn Ishaq reported from Buraydah bin Sufyan bin Farwah Al-Aslami that Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi told them that he mentioned that to `Umar bin `Abd Al-`Aziz, may Allah be pleased with him, when he was Khalifah, while he was with him in Syria. `Umar said to him, "This is something about which I have never given any thought, but I see that it is as you say." Then he sent for a man who was with him in Syria, a Jew who had become a Muslim and was committed to Islam, and he thought that he had been one of their scholars. `Umar bin `Abd Al-`Aziz, may Allah be pleased with him, asked him about that. Muhammad bin Ka`b said, "I was with `Umar bin `Abd Al-`Aziz. `Umar said to him, `Which of the two sons of Ibrahim was he commanded to sacrifice' He said, `Isma`il. By Allah, O Commander of the faithful, the Jews know this, but they were jealous of you Arabs because it was your father about whom Allah issued this command and the virtue that Allah mentioned was because of his patience in obeying the command. So they denied that and claimed that it was Ishaq, because he is their father."' `Abdullah bin Al-Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him, said, "I asked my father about which son was to be sacrificed -- was it Isma`il or Ishaq" He said, "Isma`il." This was mentioned in Kitab Az-Zuhd. Ibn Abi Hatim said, "I heard my father say, `The correct view is that the one who was to be sacrificed was Isma`il, peace be upon him."' He said, "And it was narrated that `Ali, Ibn `Umar, Abu Hurayrah, Abu At-Tufayl, Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Al-Hasan, Mujahid, Ash-Sha`bi, Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi, Abu Ja`far Muhammad bin `Ali and Abu Salih, may Allah be pleased with them all, said that the one who was to be sacrificed was Isma`il." Al-Baghawi said in his Tafsir, "This was the view of `Abdullah bin `Umar, Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib, As-Suddi, Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Mujahid, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi and Al-Kalbi." This was also reported from Ibn `Abbas and from Abu `Amr bin Al-`Ala'.

وَبَشَّرْنَـهُ بِإِسْحَـقَ نَبِيّاً مِّنَ الصَّـلِحِينَ

(And We gave him the glad tidings of Ishaq -- a Prophet from the righteous.) having given the glad tidings of the one who was to be sacrificed, who was Isma`il, Allah immediately follows that with mention of the glad tidings of his brother Ishaq. This is also mentioned in Surah Hud (11:71) and in Surat Al-Hijr (15:53-55).

نَبِيّاً

(a Prophet) means, from him there will come a righteous Prophet.

وَبَـرَكْنَا عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَى إِسْحَـقَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِهِمَا مُحْسِنٌ وَظَـلِمٌ لِّنَفْسِهِ مُبِينٌ

(We blessed him and Ishaq. And of their progeny are (some) that do right, and some that plainly wrong themselves.) This is like the Ayah:

قِيلَ ينُوحُ اهْبِطْ بِسَلَـمٍ مِّنَّا وَبَركَـتٍ عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَى أُمَمٍ مِّمَّن مَّعَكَ وَأُمَمٌ سَنُمَتِّعُهُمْ ثُمَّ يَمَسُّهُمْ مِّنَّا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

(It was said: "O Nuh! Come down (from the ship) with peace from Us and blessings on you and on the people who are with you, but people to whom We shall grant their pleasures (for a time), but in the end a painful torment will reach them from Us.") (11:48)

Then We ransomed him the one whom he had been commanded to sacrifice namely Ishmael or Isaac — two different opinions — with a mighty sacrifice a mighty ram from Paradise the same one that Abel had offered as as sacrifice Gabriel peace be upon him brought it and the lord Abraham sacrificed it as he cried Allāhu akbar ‘God is Great’.

In verse 107, it was said: وَفَدَيْنَاهُ بِذِبْحٍ عَظِيمٍ (And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice.). In Hadith reports, it is said that on hearing this voice from the heavens, Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) looked up and saw Sayyidna Jibra'il (علیہ السلام) with a ram. From some reports, it appears that it was the same ram that was offered as sacrifice by Habil (Abel), the son of Sayyidna 'Adam (علیہ السلام) . Allah knows best. In short, a present of this ram of Paradise was made to Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) ، and he sacrificed it in lieu of his son as commanded by Allah. This sacrificial animal was called: عَظِیم (` azim: great) because it had come by way of mercy from Allah, and no one can entertain any doubt about the acceptance of its sacrifice. (Tafsir Mazhari, and others)