Let us look at another situation which many believe is the most difficult situation, the most serious affliction, and the most severe trial that Prophet Ibrahim AS was subjected to, during his mission to calling to Allah.
Allah described it as:
إِنَّ هَـٰذَا لَهُوَ ٱلْبَلَـٰٓؤُا۟ ٱلْمُبِينُ
Indeed, this was the clear trial.
It was more difficult than facing king Nimrud who was an unjust and oppressive tyrant. Ibrahim AS challenged him with the powerful truth and logic and was indifferent to any torment that he may suffer as a result of this challenge. And it is was easier for him than the day that he was thrown into the fire because he broke the idols that his people worshipped. This situation was the most difficult faced by Ibrahim AS and if the Quran did not narrate this story, one would say that it is fiction:
فَبَشَّرْنَـٰهُ بِغُلَـٰمٍ حَلِيمٍ
So We gave him good tidings of a forbearing boy.
فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ ٱلسَّعْىَ قَالَ يَـٰبُنَىَّ إِنِّىٓ أَرَىٰ فِى ٱلْمَنَامِ أَنِّىٓ أَذْبَحُكَ فَٱنظُرْ مَاذَا تَرَىٰ ۚ قَالَ يَـٰٓأَبَتِ ٱفْعَلْ مَا تُؤْمَرُ ۖ سَتَجِدُنِىٓ إِن شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ
And when he was old enough to work with him, he said, “O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I [must] sacrifice you, so tell me what you think.” He said, “O my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Allah wills, of the steadfast.”
فَلَمَّآ أَسْلَمَا وَتَلَّهُۥ لِلْجَبِينِ
And when they had both submitted and he put him down upon his forehead,
وَنَـٰدَيْنَـٰهُ أَن يَـٰٓإِبْرَٰهِيمُقَدْ صَدَّقْتَ ٱلرُّءْيَآ ۚ إِنَّا كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِى ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ
And We called out to him: “O Ibrahim! You have fulfilled the vision.” Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good.
Unleash your imagination and think about this situation. A man who reached an advanced age was blessed with a son who then worked with him and assisted him with the hardships of life. Ibrahim AS’s heart became attached to him, then he saw in a dream that he slaughtered him?! Simply a dream. Jibra`eel AS did not descend commanding him with this grave matter. But in the hadith narrated by Ibn Abbas:
“the dreams of Prophets are Divine Inspiration”
He was ordered to slaughter. If it was killing by drowning in the sea, or throwing off a cliff it would have been easier than slaughtering. However, we are talking about Ibrahim AS. Yes, it was an indication, just an indication, not a direct revelation or a direct command, but merely a vision from his Lord. This was enough for Ibrahim AS to respond and comply without complaining and asking Allah why should he sacrifice his only son. And at the same time, he was not annoyed, disturbed or in turmoil when he responded. He responded with acceptance, contentment, reassurance and calm.
Ibrahim AS is a wonderful and unique model of fully complying with Allah’s command and absolute submission to His decree as indicated in the Quran:
إِذْ قَالَ لَهُۥ رَبُّهُۥٓ أَسْلِمْ ۖ قَالَ أَسْلَمْتُ لِرَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
When his Lord said to him, “Submit”, he said “I have submitted [in Islam] to the Lord of the worlds.” [Al Baqarah 2: 131]
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