Abraham And The Hajj

This text continues from the previous sub-portion of the collected tales of Abraham, "He Who Established The Covenants". SaB abbreviates Sahih Al-Bukhari, the primary source of this compiled text.

(35) And when We appointed to Abraham The House site, “Associate not one other thing with Me, and purify My House for those who ritualistically-circle (Heb.-chug, חוג) on foot, and those who stand, and those who bow, and those who prostrate. (36) And proclaim the Pilgrimage (Arab.-Hajj, Heb.-cha-gagh, חגג) to humanity. They will come to you on-foot, and on every lean camel. They will come from every distant mountain highway (37) that they may witness benefits for them. And mention God's name on known days over what He has provided them of bovine beast. So eat of them, and feed the destitute, the poor. (38) Then let them end their prescribed duties, and fulfil their vows, and ritualistically-circle the antique House on foot.”

(39) After Hargar died, (40) when Abraham was inspired, and he disclosed to his wife, “I desire to call on mine, those under me whom I left.”

(41) Abraham returned after Ishmael's marriage in order to see his previously abandoned family. However he did not find Ishmael there, (42) when he went there he greeted (43) his wife (44) and said, “Where is Ishmael?”

(45) When he asked about him, (46) she replied, “He has gone (out hunting) ( in search of provision).”

(47) Then he asked of her their state of living, and their well-being.

She answered plaintively, “We live in misery, we live in hardship, and destitution.”

(48) Abraham said, “When (your) husband returns, (convey my greetings to him, and) tell him to change the threshold of (his) gate.”

(49) When Ishmael came back he appeared to have sensed something.

He asked his wife, “Has anyone visited you?”

She replied, “Yes an old man who looked.......came to me asking of you, and I told him. Then he asked of our state of living. So I told him we are living in hardship and destitution.”

Then Ishmael said, “Did he offer you any advice?”

She said, “Yes, he told me to convey his greeting to you, and told you to change the threshold of your gate.”

(50) Thus she informed him when he came.

(51) Ishmael declared (to her), “(That was my father, and) (you are the threshold, so) he has ordered me to divorce you. Go (back) to your family.”

(52) So Ishmael divorced her and married another woman from amongst them.

Abraham stayed away for a period as God required. (53) Again Abraham was inspired to visit those under him whom he had left, and he informed his wife of his intention, (54) and came to call on (him) again.

(55) Abraham came to Ishmael's house asking, “Where is Ishmael?”

(56) Yet he did not find Ishmael, so he came to his new wife, asking her about him.

(57) (Ishmael's) wife replied, “He has gone (out hunting) (in search of provision).”

(58) And [she] added [to say], “Will you stay and take food and drink?”

(59) Abraham asked how they were getting on, and of their sustenance, and general state of living.

She answered, “We prosper, and have an abundance, praise God.”

(60) Abraham asked, “What kind of food (do you eat)?”

She answered, “(Our food is) meat.”

(He asked,) “(And) what do you drink?”

(She answered,) “(Our drink is) water.”

He said, “Oh my-God, bless their meat and (their) water.”

(61) For in this time they had no grain. If it had been otherwise then Abraham would have invoked God to bless that too. (62) Because of Abraham's invocation there are blessings, (63) [but] only if one lives at Makkah, having but these two things, one will have adequate proviso, otherwise there would be detriment to the body and countenance.

(64) Abraham said to Ishmael's wife, “When your husband comes, give my greetings to him, and tell him he should keep firm the threshold of his gate.”

When Ishmael came back he asked his wife, “Did anyone call on you?”

She answered, “Yes, a good looking old man came to me.”

She added to praise him and said, “He asked about you, and I told him. He also asked of our state of living. I told him we were in a sound state.”

Ishmael asked, “Did he offer you any advice?”

She said, “Yes, he told me to give you his greetings. Then he added that you should keep firm the threshold of your gate.”

Then Ishmael said, “That was my father, and you are the threshold. He has ordered me to keep you at my side.”

(65) Then Abraham stayed away from them for a period as God required.

(66) Once again Abraham was inspired to visit his family whom he had left, so he informed his wife of his decision (67) and called on them afterwards. (68) He (went and) (saw) Ishmael (under a tree,) (finding) [him] (behind the) (nearby) Zamzam spring, maintaining his arrows. (69) When Ishmael saw him he got up to welcome him.

(70) Abraham said, “Oh Ishmael, (your) God has given me an order (to build a House for Him).”

Ishmael said, “(Obey) your Lord, (do as [he] has ordered you).”

(71) Abraham said, “God has also instructed me that you help me undertake this work.”

(72) Abraham asked, “Will you help me?”

(73) Ishmael said, “(Then) I will (help you) (do so).”

(74) Abraham said, “God has ordered me to build a House here.”

He pointed to the modest hillock, surpassing the land about it. (75) (Then both of them got up) and Abraham (commenced) building as Ishmael (continually) brought (him) (the) stones.

(76) Then they raised the foundations of the House, (77) and both of them were saying, “Adonni (our-Lord), accept from us. Indeed You are The All-Hearing, The All-Knowing.”

(78) (And) when the (building) (walls) became high (and the elder could no longer lift the stones)(, Ishmael brought a particular stone, and placed it for Abraham.) He stood over the (stone of Al-Maqam (Shrine)), and (carried on building, as) Ishmael continued to hand him the stones.

(79) The prophet added, 'Then both of them went on building and going around the Kaaba,

(80) (and both of them were) saying, “Adonni, accept from us. Indeed You are The All-Hearing, The All-Knowing.”'

(81) And when We made The House (Kaaba) a place of return for all people, and security. And, take from-amongst Abraham's standing place; a place of prayer.

And We made a covenant with Abraham and Yishmael [that], “[You] purify My House for those who ritualistically-circle-on-foot, and those who seclude themselves for devotion and prayer, and those who bow down, and those who prostrate.”

(82) And when Abraham said, “Adonay, make this a secure city, and provide-for its people from varieties-of-fruit, whoever believed in God and the Last, the (Great-)Day, from-amongst them.”

He said, “And whoever disbelieved, I will grant him a little enjoyment, then I will force him to punishment; The Fire. And evil is-that destination!”

(83) And, Abraham when raising the foundations of The House, and Ishmael, “Accept from us, Adonni. Indeed You are The All-Hearing, The All-Knowing. (84) Adonay, make us, moreover, (together) submissive (muslim) to You. And from our seed, a submissive Ummah to Thee. And show us our deeds-and-rites of worship, and turn to us. Indeed You [are] The Oft-Returning, The Most Merciful. (85) Adonay, moreover, raise up a messenger from their midst to recite Your verses unto them, and to teach them The Book, and The Wisdom, and purify them. Indeed You [are] The Supreme, The All-Wise.”

(86) And who will turn away from Abraham's religion, except whoever befooled himself? And indeed We chose him in the illusory-world, and indeed, in the life after here, he [will] surely [be] amongst the righteous.

(87) When his Adon said to him, “Submit.”

He said, “I [have] submitted myself to the Universal Lord.”

(35) S22:26, (36) S22:27, (37) S22:28, (38) S22:29, (39) SaB, Vol.4,#583bi, (40) SaB, Vol.4,#584ap, (41) SaB, Vol.4,#583bj, (42) SaB, Vol.4,#584aq, (43) SaB, Vol.4,#583bl, (44) SaB, Vol.4,#584ar, (45) SaB, Vol.4,#583bk, bm, (46) SaB, Vol.4,#583bn/584as, (47) SaB, Vol.4,#583bo, (48) SaB, Vol.4,# 583bp/584at, (49) SaB, Vol.4,# 583bq, (50) SaB, Vol.4,#584au, (51) SaB, Vol.4,#583br/584av, (52) SaB, Vol.4,#583bs, (53) SaB, Vol.4,#584aw, (54) SaB, Vol.4,#583bt, (55) SaB, Vol.4,#584ax, (56) SaB, Vol.4,#583bu, (57) SaB, Vol.4,#583bv/584ay, (58) SaB, Vol.4,#584az, (59) SaB, Vol.4,#583bw, (60) SaB, Vol.4,#583bx/584ba, (61) SaB, Vol.4,#583by, (62) SaB, Vol.4,#584bb, (63) SaB, Vol.4,#583bz, (64) SaB, Vol.4,#583ca,(65) SaB, Vol.4,#583cb, (66) SaB, Vol.4,#584bc, (67) SaB, Vol.4,#583cc, (68) SaB, Vol.4,# 583cd/584bd, (69) SaB, Vol.4,#583ce, (70) SaB, Vol.4,#583cf/584be, (71) SaB, Vol.4,#584bf, (72) SaB, Vol.4,#583cg, (73) SaB, Vol.4,#583ch/584bg, (74) SaB, Vol.4,#583ci, (75) SaB, Vol.4,#583ck/584bh, (76) SaB, Vol.4,#583cj, (77) SaB, Vol.4,#583cm/584bi, (78) SaB, Vol.4,#583cl/584bj, (79) SaB, Vol.4,#583cn, (80) SaB, Vol.4,#583co/584bk, (81) S2:125, (82) S2:126, (83) S2:127, (84) S2:128, (85) S2:129, (86) S2:130, (87) S2:131.

Sahih Al-Bukhari, Vol.4,#583bx/584ba: Abraham shall be a blessing (Gen.12:2).

Sahih Al-Bukhari, Vol.4,#583ci: The issue of whether the Kaaba could have actually been rebuilt on the same original site in the time of Mohammad's success, but was not, due to the rampant pre-Islamic polytheism, is a matter of early tradition in Sunni Islam (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Vol.4,#587).

Sahih Al-Bukhari, Vol.4,#583cm/584bi, 583co/584bk: (S2:127).