The Story of Prophet Ibrahim (AS) and the Connection to Eid al-Adha: A Tale of Faith, Sacrifice, and Divine Guidance
The story of Prophet Ibrahim (AS) holds a special place in Islamic history and serves as a true testament to unwavering faith, exceptional courage, and immense dedication to serving Allah (SWT). This profound narrative encapsulates his remarkable journey, his relationship with faith, and his ultimate sacrifice that continues to inspire believers around the world. One of the most significant events in the story of Ibrahim (AS) and its relevance in modern times is the sacrifice of his son Ismail, which is celebrated annually by Muslims around the world on Eid al-Adha.
Early Life and Divine Revelation
Prophet Ibrahim (AS) was born in the ancient city of Ur in Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq) during the time of idol worship. Despite being raised in a society steeped in polytheism, Ibrahim (AS) was guided towards monotheism and the worship of the One True God. He questioned the validity of worshipping lifeless statues and yearned for spiritual enlightenment. His righteous intellect led him to deep reflections, eventually receiving divine revelations from Allah (SWT). With every step, his faith grew stronger, and he devoted his entire being to serving the Almighty.
1.The Spiritual Search of Prophet Ibrāhīm (AS)
Prophet Ibrāhīm (عليه السلام) was deeply troubled by the widespread idol worship that surrounded him. From a young age, he questioned the worship of man-made statues that neither speak nor respond, nor benefit or harm. His natural inclination toward truth and pure fitrah led him to seek the real Creator—the one who rules over the heavens and the earth.
To guide his people gently toward monotheism, he adopted a method of reasoning that they could understand: observing the celestial bodies they admired and sometimes even worshipped.
The Reflection on the Star, the Moon, and the Sun
Allah ﷻ says
{فَلَمَّا جَنَّ عَلَيْهِ ٱلَّيْلُ رَءَا كَوْكَبٗا قَالَ هَٰذَا رَبِّي فَلَمَّآ أَفَلَ قَالَ لَآ أُحِبُّ ٱلۡأٓفِلِينَ}
“When the night covered him [with darkness], he saw a star. He said, ‘This is my Lord.’ But when it set, he said, ‘I do not like those that disappear.'”
— Surah al-Anʿām (6:76)
Quran.com/6/76
Ibrāhīm (عليه السلام) used this moment to challenge the concept of a temporary god. A true Lord cannot disappear; He must be ever-present and unchanging. Then he saw the moon, larger and more luminous than the star.
فَلَمَّا رَأَى الْقَمَرَ بَازِغًا قَالَ هَٰذَا رَبِّي ۖ فَلَمَّا أَفَلَ قَالَ لَئِن لَّمْ يَهْدِنِي رَبِّي لَأَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الضَّالِّينَ وَلَمَّا رَأَى الشَّمْسَ بَازِغَةً قَالَ هَٰذَا رَبِّي هَٰذَا أَكْبَرُ ۖ فَلَمَّا أَفَلَتْ قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ إِنِّي بَرِيءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ
And when he saw the moon rising, he said, ‘This is my lord.’ But when it set, he said, ‘Unless my Lord guides me, I will surely be among the people gone astray.’ And when he saw the sun rising, he said, ‘This is my lord; this is greater.’ But when it set, he said, ‘O my people, indeed I am free from what you associate with Allah.”
— Surah al-Anʿām (6:77)
Quran.com/6/77
Again, the moon vanished, and he realized—this too could not be his Lord. The verse shows his complete reliance on Allah’s guidance and his rejection of anything that is impermanent or limited.
Then he witnessed the sunrise and saw the grandeur of the sun.
{فَلَمَّا رَءَا ٱلشَّمۡسَ بَازِغَةٗ قَالَ هَٰذَا رَبِّي هَٰذَآ أَكۡبَرُ فَلَمَّآ أَفَلَتۡ قَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ إِنِّي بَرِيٓءٞ مِّمَّا تُشۡرِكُونَ}
“When he saw the sun rising, he said, ‘This is my Lord; this is greater.’ But when it set, he said, ‘O my people, indeed I am free from what you associate with Allah.'”
— Surah al-Anʿām (6:78)
Quran.com/6/78
Though the sun was more powerful than the star or the moon, it too set. From this, Ibrāhīm (عليه السلام) concluded that none of these creations are worthy of worship. His Lord is the One who never disappears, who is Eternal, and who created all these signs.
The Declaration of Tawḥīd (Monotheism)
After this process of reasoning, Ibrāhīm (عليه السلام) declared:
{ إِنِّي وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِي فَطَرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ حَنِيفًا }
“Indeed, I have turned my face toward the One who created the heavens and the earth, inclining toward truth, and I am not of those who associate others with Allah.”
— Surah al-Anʿām (6:79)
Quran.com/6/79
This powerful declaration not only affirmed his own submission to Allah ﷻ but also set the foundation for Islamic monotheism (tawḥīd). It also exposed the falsehood of idol worship through rational and spiritual insight.
Lessons from this Story
- Faith Can Begin with Reflection
Ibrāhīm (عليه السلام) teaches us that the signs of Allah are everywhere—in the sun, the moon, the stars—and contemplating them can lead to belief in the One True God. - Challenging Falsehood with Wisdom
He didn’t confront his people violently but used reasoning to help them think and question their beliefs. - Truth is Consistent
Ibrāhīm (عليه السلام) was looking for a God who does not change, disappear, or fail. That is only Allah ﷻ.
2. Prophet Ibrāhīm (ʿalayhi as-salām) and the Destruction of the Idols
Prophet Ibrāhīm (ʿalayhi as-salām) was born into a society deeply entrenched in idol worship. His own father, Āzar, was a craftsman who carved idols with his hands and called people to worship them. But Ibrāhīm (AS), even from a young age, was disturbed by this practice. His pure fiṭrah (natural disposition) and the light of divine guidance led him to question these lifeless statues.
He addressed his father and people directly:
﴾يَـٰٓأَبَتِ لِمَ تَعْبُدُ مَا لَا يَسْمَعُ وَلَا يُبْصِرُ وَلَا يُغْنِى عَنكَ شَيْـٔٗا﴿
“O my father, why do you worship that which neither hears nor sees and will not benefit you at all?”
— Surah Maryam (19:42)
Read at Quran.com
Despite their rejection and mockery, Ibrāhīm (AS) was determined to show them the futility of idol worship. So, when the people left for a festival, he entered their temple where the idols were placed. He struck them all down with an axe, except the largest idol, which he left untouched.
When the people returned and saw their gods destroyed, they were furious. They suspected Ibrāhīm (AS), who had already spoken out against idol worship.
They confronted him, and he boldly declared:
﴾بَلْ فَعَلَهُ كَبِيرُهُمْ هَـٰذَا فَسْـَٔلُوهُمْ إِن كَانُوا يَنطِقُونَ﴿
“Rather, this—the largest of them—did it, so ask them, if they should [be able to] speak.”
— Surah al-Anbiyāʾ (21:63)
Read at Quran.com
His argument exposed their falsehood. They were silenced—unable to defend their gods or their beliefs.
﴾فَرَجَعُوا إِلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ فَقَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّكُمْ أَنتُمُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ﴿
“So they turned to themselves and said, ‘Indeed, you are the wrongdoers.’”
— Surah al-Anbiyāʾ (21:64)
Read at Quran.com
As his influence grew, Prophet Ibrahim (AS) faced opposition from the ruling elite. The tyrannical King Nimrod, threatened by Ibrahim’s (AS) message of monotheism, accused him of treason. In an attempt to discredit Ibrahim (AS), Nimrod decided to throw him into a blazing fire. However, Allah (SWT) commanded the fire to be cool and peaceful, preserving Ibrahim (AS) unharmed.
﴾قُلْنَا يَـٰنَارُ كُونِى بَرْدًۭا وَسَلَـٰمًا عَلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ﴿
“We said, ‘O fire, be coolness and safety upon Ibrāhīm.’”
— Surah al-Anbiyāʾ (21:69)
Read at Quran.com
By the will of Allah ﷻ, the fire became cool, and Ibrāhīm (AS) emerged unharmed.
Key Lessons from This Story
- Tawḥīd (Oneness of Allah): Ibrāhīm (AS) stood alone against a nation of idolaters, driven by truth and certainty in Allah ﷻ.
- Courage in Dawah: He challenged the beliefs of his own family and society without fear.
- Logic and Wisdom: His method of breaking the idols and leaving the largest one was a powerful argument, exposing the irrationality of idol worship.
- Divine Support: When standing for truth, Allah ﷻ protects His servants in miraculous ways.
3.The Sacrifice of Ismail and the Connection to Eid al-Adha
Prophet Ibrahim (AS) was blessed with a son named Ismail (AS). As a testament to his unwavering faith and obedience to Allah’s (SWT) commands, Ibrahim (AS) received a divine dream instructing him to sacrifice his beloved son. Committed to submitting to the will of Allah (SWT), both Ibrahim (AS) and Ismail (AS) accepted this immense trial with grace and trust. Just as Ibrahim (AS) was about to sacrifice his son, Allah (SWT), in His infinite mercy, intervened and replaced Ismail (AS) with a ram. This event symbolizes the importance of complete submission to the Creator and the willingness to sacrifice for the sake of Allah. Muslims commemorate this event every year by performing the act of sacrifice during Eid al-Adha, which serves as a reminder of the significance of obedience and devotion to Allah (SWT).
The Story of Hājar and the Sacrifice of Ismāʿīl (AS)
After many years of longing for a child, Prophet Ibrāhīm (عليه السلام) was blessed with a son, Ismāʿīl (عليه السلام), through his wife Hājar. This was a gift from Allah ﷻ after long years of duʿāʾ and hope. Yet, soon after Ismāʿīl’s birth, Ibrāhīm (AS) was commanded by Allah to take Hājar and the infant to a barren desert land — the valley of Makkah, which at the time had no water, no people, and no vegetation.
Despite the apparent hardship, Hājar never protested. When she asked her husband why he was leaving them in such a place and he remained silent, she understood and asked:
“Did Allah command you to do this?”
When he nodded, she replied with unshakable trust:
“Then He will not abandon us.”
This moment of faith is monumental. Her saʿy (striving) between the hills of Ṣafā and Marwah in search of water for her child became an act so beloved to Allah that it became part of the rites of Ḥajj.
(Surah Ibrāhīm 14:37)
رَبَّنَآ إِنِّيٓ أَسۡكَنتُ مِن ذُرِّيَّتِي بِوَادٍ غَيۡرِ ذِي زَرۡعٍ عِندَ بَيۡتِكَ ٱلۡمُحَرَّمِ رَبَّنَا لِيُقِيمُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ فَٱجۡعَلۡ أَفۡـِٔدَةٗ مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ تَهۡوِيٓ إِلَيۡهِمۡ وَٱرۡزُقۡهُم مِّنَ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَشۡكُرُونَ
“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.”
(Qur’an 14:37)
From this barren land, Allah ﷻ caused the well of Zamzam to gush forth beneath Ismāʿīl’s feet— an everlasting miracle and mercy that flows to this day.
The Ultimate Test: The Dream of Sacrifice
Years later, when Ismāʿīl (عليه السلام) became a young boy capable of walking and helping his father, Prophet Ibrāhīm (عليه السلام) saw a dream in which he was commanded to sacrifice his son. Dreams of prophets are considered revelation, and this was a test of submission that would define the legacy of Ibrāhīm (AS) for all time.
(Surah As-Ṣāffāt 37:102)
فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ ٱلسَّعۡيَ قَالَ يَٰبُنَيَّ إِنِّيٓ أَرَىٰ فِي ٱلۡمَنَامِ أَنِّيٓ أَذۡبَحُكَ فَٱنظُرۡ مَاذَا تَرَىٰۚ قَالَ يَٰٓأَبَتِ ٱفۡعَلۡ مَا تُؤۡمَرُۖ سَتَجِدُنِيٓ إِن شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ
“And when he reached with him [the age of] exertion, he said, ‘O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I [must] sacrifice you, so see what you think.’ He said, ‘O my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Allah wills, of the patient.'”
(Qur’an 37:102)
This shows the submission (islām) not only of the father but also of the son, Ismāʿīl (AS), who accepted Allah’s command without hesitation.
Allah’s Mercy: A Sacrifice Replaced
As Ibrāhīm (AS) laid down his son to fulfill Allah’s command, a great moment of Divine Mercy occurred:
(Surah As-Ṣāffāt 37:107)
﴿وَفَدَيۡنَٰهُ بِذِبۡحٍ عَظِيمٖ﴾
“And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice.”
(Qur’an 37:107)
Allah ﷻ replaced Ismāʿīl with a ram from Jannah. This event is commemorated every year during Eid al-Adḥā, where Muslims around the world slaughter an animal in remembrance of Ibrāhīm’s sacrifice and as a symbol of their own devotion and submission to Allah.
A Legacy of Faith and Sacrifice
The story of Hājar and Ismāʿīl (عليهما السلام) alongside Ibrāhīm (عليه السلام) teaches us timeless lessons:
- Trust in Allah’s decree, even when the path seems impossible.
- Submit wholeheartedly, as true believers do.
- Sacrifice for Allah’s sake always results in greater mercy.
- Rely on Allah, for His mercy never fails the patient and sincere.
Their legacy lives in every Ḥajj, every sip of Zamzam, every saʿy between Ṣafā and Marwah, and every drop of blood sacrificed on Eid al-Adḥā.
Legacy and Lessons
The story of Prophet Ibrahim (AS) offers several lessons for believers today. It teaches us the significance of questioning prevailing beliefs, seeking true knowledge, and adhering to monotheism amidst societal pressures. Ibrahim’s (AS) unmatched resilience in the face of adversity serves as a powerful example of fortitude and inspires us to remain steadfast in our faith. Moreover, his unwavering trust in Allah (SWT) and willingness to sacrifice everything for His sake remind us of the supreme importance of devotion and obedience to the Divine.
The Rebuilding of the Kaʿbah: A Symbol of Tawḥīd and Legacy
After passing the immense trial of the sacrifice, Prophet Ibrāhīm (عليه السلام) was honored by Allah ﷻ with another noble mission: to raise the foundations of the Kaʿbah. This sacred structure in Makkah had existed since the time of Prophet Ādam (عليه السلام), but over time it had been neglected. Allah ﷻ chose Ibrāhīm and his son Ismāʿīl (عليهما السلام) to rebuild it as a place of pure worship, free from all forms of shirk (association with Allah).
(Surah Al-Baqarah 2:127)
﴿وَإِذۡ يَرۡفَعُ إِبۡرَٰهِيمُ ٱلۡقَوَاعِدَ مِنَ ٱلۡبَيۡتِ وَإِسۡمَٰعِيلُ رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلۡ مِنَّآۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ﴾
“And [mention] when Ibrāhīm was raising the foundations of the House and [with him] Ismāʿīl, [saying], ‘Our Lord, accept [this] from us. Indeed You are the Hearing, the Knowing.'”
(Qur’an 2:127)
This duʿāʾ is a testimony to their humility. Though chosen by Allah for such a noble task, Ibrāhīm and Ismāʿīl (عليهما السلام) did not boast — instead, they prayed for acceptance, recognizing that no deed holds value without Allah’s approval.
A Prayer for the Future Ummah
During the rebuilding, Prophet Ibrāhīm (عليه السلام) made another remarkable duʿāʾ — not just for his descendants, but for us, the Ummah of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. He prayed for a Messenger to be raised from among the people of Makkah to teach the Qur’an and purify their souls.
(Surah Al-Baqarah 2:129)
﴿رَبَّنَا وَٱبۡعَثۡ فِيهِمۡ رَسُولٗا مِّنۡهُمۡ يَتۡلُواْ عَلَيۡهِمۡ ءَايَٰتِكَ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ وَٱلۡحِكۡمَةَ وَيُزَكِّيهِمۡۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ﴾
“Our Lord, and send among them a Messenger from themselves who will recite to them Your verses and teach them the Book and wisdom and purify them. Indeed, You are the Exalted in Might, the Wise.”
(Qur’an 2:129)
This was fulfilled many centuries later with the coming of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the final Messenger and seal of the Prophets.
The Black Stone and Maqām Ibrāhīm
- As they built the Kaʿbah, Ismāʿīl (عليه السلام) brought the stones while Ibrāhīm (عليه السلام) constructed the walls. To place the final stones, Ibrāhīm stood on a large stone — which miraculously softened and preserved his footprints — this is known as Maqām Ibrāhīm and still stands today beside the Kaʿbah.
- The Black Stone (al-Ḥajar al-Aswad) was also placed by Ibrāhīm (عليه السلام) in the eastern corner of the Kaʿbah. It is kissed or touched by pilgrims in emulation of the Prophet ﷺ during Ṭawāf.
A Legacy of Tawḥīd and Prayer
The rebuilding of the Kaʿbah by Ibrāhīm and Ismāʿīl (عليهما السلام) is not merely a historical event — it is a spiritual foundation for the Ummah of Tawḥīd. It reminds us of:
- Sincere worship: A structure raised purely for the worship of Allah alone.
- Humble servitude: Even Prophets prayed for acceptance.
- Concern for future generations: Their duʿāʾ was not for wealth or fame, but for guidance and knowledge.
Every prayer facing the Qiblah, every Ṭawāf, every Hajj, and every ʿUmrah is a revival of the devotion and sacrifice of these two Prophets.
The story of Prophet Ibrahim (AS) and the sacrifice of his son Ismail carry enormous theological and practical significance for Muslims around the world, especially on the occasion of Eid al-Adha. Muslims commemorate this event by performing the sacrifice of an animal as a sign of gratitude and devotion to Allah (SWT). The invaluable lessons in the story of Prophet Ibrahim (AS) serve as a reminder of the importance of faith, obedience, and devotion to the Creator. As believers, we should strive to embrace these qualities in our daily lives and emulate the remarkable legacy of Prophet Ibrahim (AS).