Ibrahim's Sacrifice
Ibrahim (AS) leaves Hajar and Ismail (AS) in the desert, Zamzam springs up, and father and son build the Kaaba, in a six-chapter audiobook for ages 7 to 12.
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What is Ibrahim's Sacrifice about?
Ibrahim's Sacrifice is an Islamic audiobook for children aged 7 to 12 about the tests of the Prophet Ibrahim (AS), and how his obedience to Allah led to the founding of Makkah, the building of the Kaaba and the rites of Hajj.
Ibrahim and Sarah are old and have no children. Ibrahim prays for a righteous son, and after he marries Hajar, Ismail (AS) is born. Then Allah commands Ibrahim to take Hajar and the baby on a long journey south, to a dry valley with nothing in it but a thorn tree, and to leave them there. When Hajar learns that Allah has ordered it, she says that Allah will protect them. Her water runs out, and she runs seven times between two hills looking for help, until an angel strikes the ground and water flows: the spring of Zamzam. The Jurhum tribe settle beside it, and the valley becomes Makkah.
Years later, Ibrahim sees in a dream that he must sacrifice his son. Ismail answers, "Do as you are commanded, and you will find me, if Allah wills, among the patient." In the story, they drive the devil away with stones (a narration of Ibn Abbas), and at the last moment Allah calls to Ibrahim that he has proved his faithfulness, and a ram is sacrificed instead. Later, father and son build the Kaaba, praying as they lay the stones, and Allah teaches them the rites of Hajj.
Told in six chapters and read by Edmund Dane, it ends with the prayer Muslims say in every salah, asking Allah to bless Muhammad ﷺ as He blessed Ibrahim. It is a Miraj original.
What your child will learn
- Ibrahim and his family trusted Allah even when His commands were very hard.
- Allah provides for those who trust Him, as He gave Hajar the water of Zamzam.
- Ismail (AS) was patient and obedient to Allah and to his father.
- The rites of Hajj remember Ibrahim, Hajar and Ismail.
- Allah answers the duas of those who ask Him.
Chapters
- Ibrahim Longs for a Son
- A Hard Journey
- Desperate Search for Water
- Mecca & Ismail Grow
- Faithfullness Rewarded
- Building the House & the Rites of Hajj
Where this audiobook comes from
- Surah As-Saffat 37:99-111: Ibrahim prays for a righteous son, sees in a dream that he is sacrificing him, and his son says he will be patient; Allah ransoms him with a great sacrifice.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 3364: Ibrahim leaves Hajar and Ismail near the Kaaba at Allah's command; she runs between the two hills, Zamzam springs up, the Jurhum settle, and later Ibrahim and Ismail build the Kaaba.
- Surah Ibrahim 14:37: Ibrahim prays for his family, left in a valley without crops near Allah's sacred House.
- Surah Al-Baqarah 2:125-129: Ibrahim and Ismail raise the foundations of the House, praying for it to be accepted and for a messenger from among their descendants.
- Surah Al-Hajj 22:26-27: Ibrahim is told to purify the House and to call people to Hajj.
- Surah An-Nisa 4:125: Allah took Ibrahim as a close friend.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 3370: The Prophet ﷺ taught his companions to ask Allah to bless Muhammad ﷺ and his family as He blessed Ibrahim and his family.
Talk about it afterwards
- How did Hajar feel when Ibrahim left her in the valley, and what did she say?
- Why do pilgrims walk between Safa and Marwa today?
- What did Ismail say when his father told him about the dream?
- What did Ibrahim and Ismail pray for as they built the Kaaba?
Words to know
- Kaaba
- The House of Allah in Makkah, which Muslims face when they pray.
- Zamzam
- The well in Makkah that began as the spring Allah gave Hajar and Ismail.
- Safa and Marwa
- The two hills Hajar ran between; pilgrims walk between them during Hajj.
- Hajj
- The pilgrimage to Makkah that every Muslim who is able makes once in their life.
- Khalilullah
- The close friend of Allah, a name given to Ibrahim.
Frequently asked questions
What age is Ibrahim's Sacrifice suitable for?
Children aged 7 to 12. It is long, and Hajar's fear in the desert and the test of the sacrifice are told in detail, so older children may like to hear it a chapter at a time.
Is Ibrahim's Sacrifice based on the Qur'an and hadith?
Yes. The sacrifice is in Surah As-Saffat, the building of the Kaaba in Surah Al-Baqarah, and Hajar's search for water in Sahih al-Bukhari. The Qur'an does not name the son; most scholars say it was Ismail (AS). Some details, such as the devil visiting Hajar, come from later tellings.
Is Ibrahim's Sacrifice good for Hajj and Eid al-Adha?
Yes. It explains where the rites of Hajj come from and tells the story behind the sacrifice Muslims make at Eid al-Adha.
How long is Ibrahim's Sacrifice?
About 41 minutes, in six chapters.
