Was Ibrahim ever commanded to physically kill/sacrifice his own son as an act of devotion for Allah?
We are going to go examine what the Quran says about this matter.
First I want to point out an Ayat/sign from Al-Kitab/The Book.
Al Quran 4:93 And whoever kills a believer INTENTIONALLY, then their recompense shall be Hell, abiding therein, and Allah will be displeased with them, and condemn them, and for them is prepared a great retribution.
4:93 states killing a believer intentionally is one the most detestable acts according to Allah. So an obvious question arises; Why would Allah or an Almighty being command their apostle to do an evil act which goes directly against the ‘creed’ that they are allegedly doing it for in the first place?
It’s an obvious paradox, and quite hypocritical behavior on the part of the one who orders it. So does Allah really command Ibrahim to physically kill his believing son as a test of devotion? Absolutely not. There is not one single verse in the Quran where Allah orders Ibrahim to physically kill or sacrifice his son.
Let’s look at this narrative of Ibrahim:
Al-Quran
37:100 “My Lord, grant me from among the righteous.”
37:101 So We gave him good news of a compassionate child.
37:102 And when he grew enough to work with him, he said: “My son, I have seen in a dream that I am sacrificing you. What do you think?” He said: “O my father, do what you are commanded to do. You will find me, Allah willing, patient.”
37:103 So when they both had submitted, and he was laid by his forehead.
37:104 And We called him: “O Ibrahim,”
37:105 “You have carried out the dream.” It was such that We rewarded the righteous.
37:106 Surely, this was a clear test.
37:107 And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice.
37:108 And We kept his mention for those who came later.
37:109 Peace be upon Ibrahim.
Notice that no where in this narrative does it say that Allah commanded Ibrahim to kill his son. Ibrahim saw himself doing it in a dream.
Yet, in 37:106-107 it states that this was a clear test and that is was a great sacrifice. To understand what kind of test and sacrifice this was we must first understand Ibrahim’s dream.
In the Quran, multiple accounts of dream interpretations are mentioned.
Such as 12:4—>12:100 12:36—>12:41 12:43—>12:47-49
(Before continuing, please look up the occurrences stated above)
Dreams are never literal, wether it be in psychology or the examples given in the Quran. However they can hold information about ones own self or surroundings in the form of metaphors/allegories. And this is precisely what Ibrahim’s dream was.
So how can we interpret Ibrahim’s dream? Now, we must check what his duties and or life’s goals were.
Ibrahim had a covenant with Allah:
2:124 And Ibrahim was >>>tested by words<<< from his Lord, which he fulfilled. IT said: “I will make you a leader for the people.” He said: “And also from my progeny?” IT said: “My pledge will not encompass the wicked.”
2:125 And We have made the House to be a model for the people and a security. And you shall take, from the station of Ibrahim, a place for making the contact. >>>>>And We entrusted to Ibrahim and Ismail: “You shall purify My House/Bayt for those who visit, and those who are devoted, and the kneeling, the prostrating.”<<<<<
2:127 And as Ibrahim raised from the House its foundations, >>along with Ismail<<<: “Our Lord accept this from us, You are the Hearer, the Knowledgeable.”
2:128 “Our Lord, and let us >>>submit<<< to You and from our progeny a nation submitting to You, and show us our rites, and forgive us; You are the Forgiver, the Merciful.”
(Link ^^^to^^^>>>37:103))
The dream of Ibrahim in 37:102-104 was reminding/instructing Ibrahim of his duty to raise The foundations of Al-bayt/The house and purify it. Along with his son Ismail. In order to achieve this great task however, Ibrahim must have had to sacrifice much of his own worldly desires. That is what sacrificing his son in the dream represented.
So where did this story of Ibrahim killing his son as an act of devotion for god come from?
Bible, book 1 (Genesis) chapter 22
Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
2 Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”
3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”
6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife.
The two stories differ immensely. Even with that people still mix them up. This is due to the obvious lack of individual study and blind following of ‘scholars’ and past traditions. People who came to Islam from Judaism and Christianity over the years also played a role. As many of them saw the story in the Quran and quickly assumed it was the same as the one in their bible without researching further.
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