Lessons of Faith from the Family of Prophet Abraham

Let's learn from this good and blessed family.

Let's learn how Prophet Abraham built his family, how he raised, taught, and protected its members, and how they overcame all difficulties until their reputation rose and their status was elevated.

Whenever the breezes of Hajj (pilgrimage) blow upon us, we remember Prophet Abraham. We recall his fragrant life story, and we learn many lessons and morals from his stances and qualities.

Indeed, the stories of the prophets are all guidance and mercy for the believers: "There was certainly in their stories a lesson for those of understanding." [Quran 12:111]

And the story of the father of the prophets and the leader of the monotheists (Hanif), Abraham (peace be upon him) – the noblest of those of strong resolve after our Prophet and Master Muhammad (peace be upon him) – is a story full of signs, admonitions, lessons, and significances.

Therefore, we must learn from the fragrant biography of the good and blessed household of Prophet Abraham, and see how his success, and the success of his household members in difficult trials, was a reason for their elevation and selection, to the extent that Allah made him a leader for the people, as Allah Almighty said: "And [mention, O Muhammad], when Abraham was tried by his Lord with commands and he fulfilled them. [Allah] said, 'Indeed, I will make you a leader for the people.'" [Quran 2:124]

Although he was a prophet and a messenger, one of the messengers of strong resolve, the intimate friend (Khalil) of the Most Merciful, and the father of the prophets (peace be upon him and our Prophet), he was subjected to trials that could be described as "tests of death," so to speak. He was tested in himself when his people threw him into the fire. Then he was tested by being commanded to take his wife Hajar and his son Ishmael to an uncultivated valley. Then he was tested by being commanded to leave them in that place. Then he was tested by seeing in a dream that he was slaughtering his own son – and the visions of prophets are true. Allah even described this situation as a clear trial, saying: "Indeed, this was the clear trial." [Quran 37:106]

So, Allah did not take Abraham as an intimate friend until after He had tested him extensively.

The beautiful thing is that in all these difficult tests, Prophet Abraham succeeded, fulfilled, completed, and perfected what he was commanded and obligated to do.

Come, in this blessed time, let us learn from this good and blessed family. Let's learn how Prophet Abraham built his family, how he raised, taught, and protected its members, and how they overcame all difficulties until their reputation rose and their status was elevated.

• We saw in the story of Abraham with his father, his people, and with Nimrod that Islam and religion are the solid foundation upon which life is built, and on which there is no compromise. The world may pass away and become insignificant, but religion is never insignificant to a Muslim.

• And safety, all safety, lies in submission to Allah. The foundation of Islam is only made firm through submission to Allah and surrendering to His command.

Hajar in Mecca

When the command came to Prophet Abraham to settle in Mecca – at a time when there were no signs of human life there – and to leave his wife and son in this place, Prophet Abraham knew with absolute certainty and conviction that Allah, who had saved him from death by burning in the fire after he was thrown into it, saw them and heard them. He is most knowledgeable of them and most merciful to them, He manages their affairs, and is capable of protecting and providing for them. He is the best Disposer of affairs, the best Protector, the best Helper, the best Sustainer, the best Guarantor, and the best Guardian.

As for Lady Hajar (peace be upon her), we learn many lessons from her:

The First Lesson: Submission and Obedience

When Abraham left her and her infant in the desert, with no shelter, food, or water, she went after him, asking to understand, not to object: "O Abraham, did Allah command you to do this?" He gestured yes. She said, "Here?" He gestured yes. She said: "Then He will not let us perish."

And Hajar believed her Lord, so her Lord affirmed her belief. He treated her according to her intention and faith, and the answer came to her exactly as she had said when her husband departed. She heard Gabriel (peace be upon him) addressing her: "Do not fear being lost, for here is a House of Allah that this boy and his father will build, and Allah does not abandon His people."

And Allah does not abandon those who fear Him, nor does He disappoint those who hope in Him.

The Believing Psyche

It would have been possible for Lady Hajar to succumb to the nature of a woman's psyche, which might have led her to feel like a victim – oppressed, alone, estranged, and weak.

But she dealt with the situation with the psyche of a believer, which does not know all those negative feelings. She dealt with it with the psyche of a believing woman who overcomes all those negative feelings, so faith filled her heart with all good feelings and meanings.

The psyche of a believer fills her heart with certainty, reliance (Tawakkul), submission to Allah's command, faith, contentment, hope, optimism, obedience, and responsiveness to Allah's command.

Whoever deals with difficulties with this psyche overcomes them and changes history, and this is indeed what Lady Hajar did, by the grace and help of Allah.

She was able to overcome all difficult circumstances, even the most difficult conditions and situations. She overcame human weakness and the harshness of the surrounding environment. No human being can do that except through faith, certainty, contentment, and reliance.

So, she had Tawfiq (divine success/enablement) in her life (and this Tawfiq is a rare currency that all people seek, but it cannot be bought from shops, stores, malls, or commercial centers; we only attain it from Allah: "My success is only by Allah. Upon Him I have relied, and to Him I return." [Quran 11:88]).

She had Tawfiq from Allah, and the effect of this Tawfiq appears at the end of every deed, every journey, at the end of the academic year, at the end of life; one reaps the fruit of all one has done in life.

Some who raise slogans of "women's rights" might see this as an injustice and oppression towards Hajar, and that she had the right to a spacious dwelling, generous maintenance, and to live free, strong, and independent. But Hajar chose the path that leads to success, prosperity, victory, and Tawfiq; a path through which she gained the honor of her home being adjacent to the House of Allah, the honor of participating in building the Sacred City, Mecca, the honor of participating in laying the foundation stone for the Sacred House of Allah (the Kaaba), the honor of being the mother of Prophet Ishmael, from whose lineage would later come the Seal of the Prophets and the Master of Mankind, Muhammad ibn Abdullah, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).

This high honor is not attained except through this path: the path of faith and certainty, the path of striving and reliance, the path of action and patience.

As for those who raise glittering slogans and false words, like feminist slogans, here they are at the end of their lives, admitting regret, loneliness, and deprivation of a husband and child, after wasting their youth in amusement and play, far from the true role of a woman as a wife and mother. They now fight against the feminist ideas they advocated in their youth, ideas that bring misery to women, not happiness. These ideas are exploited by anyone who wants to ease their forbidden path to women. We seek refuge in Allah from all these evils.

The Second Lesson: Faith and Reliance (Tawakkul)

Lady Hajar combined the two pillars of Tawakkul in a unique practical model:

The first is attachment to Allah alone with certainty, faith, and trust, not to anyone or anything else, no matter how influential it may seem. So, your heart should not be attached to any means, power, will, or action.

The second is responding to Allah and obeying Him through striving and working, as an act of worship and to rise above the baseness of mere passive dependence. So, she rose to work, strove diligently, and was active in service.

These are truly the two pillars of Tawakkul: purity of heart (Safa) and its integrity/virtue (Muru'ah). It is no wonder these two hills were named As-Safa and Al-Marwah.

And when faith and certainty reached their peak with Lady Hajar, and when she exerted the utmost effort, energy, and striving she could, then victory, provision, relief, aid, and support descended from Allah.

At this very moment, Allah permitted the water of Zamzam to gush forth from beneath the feet of Prophet Ishmael (peace be upon him). Lady Hajar was hoping for water sufficient for her and her son, and then came a provision from Allah sufficient for her and her son, and sufficient for many nations after them, from that time until this day, and until Allah wills. This alone is a great sign testifying to the truthfulness of the prophets and messengers.

How great is this certainty, how beautiful is this devotion, how sweet is this faith, and how wonderful is this obedience! Her certainty in her Lord, the Lord of the worlds, and her devotion to her beloved husband, who had no say in the matter except that he was commanded and he obeyed, and he had the great honor of being commanded and obeying when the Commander is Allah, Glorified is He, the Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, the Lord of the worlds.

Therefore, this stance was immortalized, and the mention of this blessed household was elevated. People remember it every year. So, remember it, learn it, learn from it, and teach it to your children and your families, so that it may be a beacon illuminating our path in this world, and teaching us that making a good life begins first with Islam, monotheism (Tawhid), faith, certainty, obedience, responsiveness, love for Allah, and attachment to Him alone.

And to commemorate this struggle and excellent reliance on Allah, Allah Almighty made what Hajar did – her Sa'i (walking) between As-Safa and Al-Marwah while searching for water and food – a rite of Hajj and Umrah: "Indeed, as-Safa and al-Marwah are among the symbols of Allah. So whoever makes Hajj to the House or performs 'umrah - there is no blame upon him for walking between them. And whoever volunteers good - then indeed, Allah is appreciative and Knowing." [Quran 2:158].