Ishmael (prophet)

Template:Infobox Prophet Ishmael is one of God's prophets, the son of Abraham and Hagar. According to Shi'ites, he is Dhubihullah, the son whom Abraham was commanded to sacrifice to God. The Quran explicitly states his prophethood and praises him for qualities such as forbearance, keeping promises, and humility before divine verses.

According to Muslim scholars, the water of Zamzam flowed from the ground when Ishmael rubbed his foot as an infant, leading to the prosperity of Mecca. He assisted his father Abraham in rebuilding and purifying the Kaaba and, in addition to being the custodian of the Kaaba, performed the Hajj rituals every year. He is buried in Hijr Isma'il next to his mother Hagar's tomb.

Birth and Life

Abraham asked God for a righteous child, and God gave him the good news of the birth of a forbearing son. Quranic exegetes have identified this son as Ishmael, whose mother was Hagar.

Hagar was an Egyptian slave of Sarah, Abraham's first wife. Sarah, due to her barrenness, gave Hagar to Abraham and suggested that Abraham marry Hagar.

Verse 39 of Surah Ibrahim considers Ishmael's birth a gift from God to Abraham in his old age. According to historians, Hagar and Ishmael settled in Mecca near the House of God. The Holy Quran explicitly reports this. Ishmael married a girl from the Jurhum tribe.

According to the popular view, Ishmael was buried in Hijr Isma'il, next to the Kaaba, under the spout, and next to his mother's tomb. Some have also stated his burial place to be next to Hajar al-Aswad.

Prophethood of Ishmael

Ishmael's name is mentioned 12 times in the Quran. The Quran calls him one of God's prophets and, by mentioning his name alongside several prophets, speaks of the revelation descending upon him. According to Alusi, one of the Quranic exegetes, in verse 54 of Surah Maryam, Ishmael is called a messenger and prophet with greater clarity.

In addition to prophethood, the Quran praises Ishmael for qualities such as forbearance, patience, keeping promises, and humility and awe before divine verses.

The Quran describes Ishmael as righteous, beloved by God, blessed with guidance and special divine mercy, and among the good. It also speaks of his superiority among the worlds.

Sacrifice of Ishmael

Painting by Master Farshchian of the sacrifice of Ishmael

Main article: Sacrifice of Ishmael

According to the Quran, when Abraham's son reached adolescence, Abraham dreamt that he was slaughtering him. He asked his son's opinion on the matter. The son urged his father to carry out the divine command and promised patience and forbearance.

The Quran, without going into the details of this event, only reports its important parts and does not specify which of Abraham's sons would be sacrificed. Therefore, there is a difference of opinion between Shi'ites and Sunnis as to whether the sacrificed individual (Dhubih) was Ishmael or Isaac.

According to all Shi'ite exegetes and some Sunni exegetes, Ishmael was the one to be sacrificed. However, some other Sunni exegetes, in accordance with the biblical account, have considered Isaac to be the sacrificed one. The Prophet (PBUH) in a narration referred to himself as the son of two (sacrificed individuals, meaning) Dhubih, referring to Ishmael and his own father Abdullah.

Ishmael's Role in the Origin and Development of Mecca

Historians and most exegetes link the emergence of Zamzam, the gathering of tribes around it, and the prosperity and development of Mecca to Hagar and Ishmael's settlement near the Kaaba, under verse 37 of Surah Ibrahim. According to Tabari, Hagar and Ishmael lived in Hijr Isma'il. In a narration attributed to Imam Sadiq (A.S.), Hijr Isma'il is identified as their home.

According to Muslim scholars, the water of Zamzam flowed from the ground when Ishmael rubbed his foot, which is one of Ishmael's irhasat. Irhas is a supernatural event that occurs before a prophet's prophethood and is connected to him. Based on this, Zamzam has also been called "Ishmael's Well." With the emergence of the Zamzam spring, caravans stopped there, and several tribes gathered around it. A number of scholars, referring to the geographical location and lack of water in that area, have attributed the pleasantness and abundance of Zamzam water to the gathering of the Jurhum tribe and the emergence of the city of Mecca.

Ishmael and the Building of the Kaaba

The Quran reports that Abraham, by divine command, and with Ishmael's help, raised the foundations of the Kaaba and rebuilt it. Muslim scholars believe that the Kaaba existed before Abraham, but its traces had largely disappeared, and Abraham rebuilt it. In contrast, some exegetes believe that the Kaaba was first built by Abraham and Ishmael.

After the building of the Kaaba, Abraham and Ishmael were commanded to purify the House of God for those who circumambulate, those who reside there, those who bow, and those who prostrate.

Ishmael and the Custodianship of the Kaaba

According to historical reports, Ishmael was responsible for the administration of the House of God until the end of his life. Based on a narration attributed to Imam Sadiq (A.S.), Ishmael was the first to cover the Kaaba with a curtain and to roof the Kaaba with wood and mud on wooden pillars. Also, the pilgrims, seeing the Kaaba being roofed, decided to help Ishmael. They brought sacrifices with them, and Ishmael, with divine guidance, slaughtered the sacrifices and distributed them among the pilgrims.

Ishmael's Performance of Hajj

Abraham and Ishmael, during the construction of the Kaaba, asked God to show them how to worship and perform their rituals. Exegetes have interpreted "rituals" as Hajj rituals such as Tawaf, Sa'i between Safa and Marwa, Wuquf in Arafat, Ramy al-Jamarat, and similar acts, which God taught them.

The apparent meaning of some verses refers to Abraham and Ishmael performing the Hajj rituals. Based on some narrations, in the first Hajj, Gabriel accompanied Abraham and Ishmael from the beginning to the end of the rituals and taught them each act of Hajj. According to Shi'ite hadith scholars, Ishmael also performed Hajj in subsequent years.

Role of Ishmael's Descendants in the History of the Kaaba

Ishmael was responsible for the development and administration of the Kaaba and the Hajj rituals until the end of his life. After him, his son took over Ishmael's responsibilities. The administration of the Kaaba throughout many periods of history was always entrusted to Ishmael's descendants, who inherited it generation after generation. In some periods, due to religious deviation and some conflicts, the custodianship was not in the hands of Ishmael's descendants. The custodianship of the Kaaba was for a time in the hands of the Jurhum tribe. These positions remained in the hands of the Quraysh tribe, who were descendants of Ishmael, until the time of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

References

• Akhbar Makkah, Al-Azraqi, Muhammad ibn Abdullah, edited by Rushdi Al-Salih, Mecca, Maktabat al-Thaqafah, 1415 AH.
• Adwa' al-Bayan, Al-Shanqiti, Muhammad Amin, Beirut, Dar al-Fikr, 1415 AH.
• Bihar al-Anwar, Al-Majlisi, Muhammad Baqir, Beirut, Dar Ihya' al-Turath al-'Arabi, 1403 AH.
• Tarikh Ibn Khaldun, Ibn Khaldun, Abd al-Rahman ibn Muhammad, Beirut, Dar Ihya' al-Turath al-'Arabi, 1391 AH.
• Tarikh Tabari (Tarikh al-Umam wa al-Muluk), Al-Tabari, Muhammad ibn Jarir, edited by Muhammad Abu al-Fadl, Beirut, Dar Ihya' al-Turath al-'Arabi.
• Tarikh al-Ya'qubi, Ya'qubi, Ahmad ibn Ishaq, Beirut, Dar Sadir, 1415 AH.
• Al-Tibyan, Al-Tusi, Muhammad ibn Hasan, edited by Al-'Amili, Beirut, Dar Ihya' al-Turath al-'Arabi.
• Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Tafsir al-Qur'an al-'Azim), Ibn Kathir, Isma'il ibn Umar, edited by Mar'ashli, Beirut, Dar al-Ma'rifah, 1409 AH.
• Tafsir Baydawi (Anwar al-Tanzil): Al-Baydawi, Abdullah ibn Umar, edited by Abd al-Qadir, Beirut, Dar al-Fikr, 1416 AH.
• Tafsir al-Qummi, Al-Qummi, Ali ibn Ibrahim, edited by Al-Jaza'iri, Qom, Dar al-Kitab, 1404 AH.
• Al-Tafsir al-Kabir, Fakhr Razi, Muhammad ibn Umar, Qom, Daftar Tablighat, 1413 AH.
• Tafsir Kawthar, Ja'fari, Ya'qub, Qom, Intisharat Hijrat, 1377 SH.
• Tafsir Mujahid, Qurayshi Makhzumi, Mujahid ibn Jabr, edited by Abd al-Rahman ibn Muhammad, Islamabad, Majma' al-Buhuth al-Islamiyyah, undated.
• Tafsir Muqatil ibn Sulayman, Muqatil ibn Sulayman, edited by Ahmad Farid, Dar al-Kutub al-'Ilmiyyah, 1424 AH.
• Jami' al-Bayan: Tabari, Muhammad ibn Jarir, edited by Sidqi Jamil, Beirut, Dar al-Fikr, 1415 AH.
• Al-Khara'ij wa al-Jara'ih, Qutb Ravandi, Sa'id ibn Hibatullah, Qom, Mu'assasat al-Imam al-Mahdi, undated.
• Ruh al-Ma'ani, Alusi, Mahmud ibn Abdullah, Beirut, Dar Ihya' al-Turath al-'Arabi, undated.
• Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, Ibn Kathir, Isma'il ibn Umar, edited by Mustafa Abd al-Wahid, Beirut, Dar al-Ma'rifah, 1396 AH.
• Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, Ibn Hisham, Abd al-Malik ibn Hisham, edited by Muhammad Muhyi al-Din, Egypt, Maktabat Muhammad Ali Subayh, 1383 AH.
• Al-Safi, Fayd Kashani, Muhammad ibn Shah Murtada, Beirut, A'lami, 1402 AH.
• Sahih al-Bukhari, Bukhari, Muhammad ibn Isma'il, Beirut, Dar al-Fikr, 1401 AH.
• Ilal al-Shara'i, Shaykh Saduq, Muhammad ibn Ali, edited by Bahr al-'Ulum, Najaf, Al-Maktabat al-Haydariyyah, 1385 AH.
• Futuh al-Sham, Waqidi, Muhammad ibn Umar, Beirut, Dar al-Jil, undated.
• Qamus Kitab Muqaddas, Mister Hawks, Tehran, Asatir, 1377 SH.
• Qisas al-Anbiya, Al-Jaza'iri, Al-Sayyid Ni'matullah, Qom, Al-Rida, undated.
• Al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, Ibn al-Athir, Ali ibn Muhammad, Beirut, Dar Sadir, 1385 AH.
• Kitab Muqaddas, Translation: Fadil Khan Hamadani, William Glen and Henry Martyn, Tehran, Asatir, 1380 SH.
• Majma' al-Bayan, Tabarsi, Fadl ibn Hasan, edited by a group of scholars, Beirut, A'lami, 1415 AH.
• Muruj al-Dhahab, Mas'udi, Ali ibn Husayn, edited by As'ad Daghir, Qom, Dar al-Hijrah, 1409 AH.
• Mu'jam al-Buldan, Yaqut Hamawi, Yaqut ibn Abdullah, Beirut, Dar Sadir, 1995 CE.
• Al-Mizan, Sayyid Muhammad Husayn, Tabataba'i, Beirut, A'lami, 1393 AH.
• Nur al-Thaqalayn, Huwayzi, Abd Ali, edited by Rasuli Mahallati, Isma'iliyan, 1373 SH.
• Wasa'il al-Shi'ah, Hurr Amili, Muhammad ibn Hasan, Qom, Al al-Bayt, 1412 AH.