Why did Hz. Ibrahim (Abraham) vow to sacrifice his son to Allah if he had a son?

- Is there such a verse or hadith? – How can a father think of such a thing?

Dear Brother / Sister,

We have not been able to find any verses of the Quran or hadiths stating that Hz. Ibrahim vowed to sacrifice his son.

The information that Hz. Ibrahim made such a vow when he received the divine glad tiding that he would have a son existing in some tafsir books has no sound foundation. As a matter of fact, in some resources where this story exists, this information is attributed to only one tafsir scholar called Suddi. (see Tabari, Qurtubi, the interpretation of verses 37/101-102 of as-Saaffat)

That Hz. Ibrahim saw a dream about sacrificing his son and tried to act in accordance with that dream exist both in the Quran and the Bible. Thus, the revelation texts of heavenly religions agree unanimously on the issue.

“He (Ibrahim) said: ‘I will go to my Lord! He will surely guide me! "O my Lord! Grant me a righteous (son)!" So We gave him the good news of a boy ready to suffer and forbear."

"Then, when (the son) reached (the age of) (serious) work with him, he said: 'O my son! I see in vision that I offer thee in sacrifice: Now see what is thy view!’ (The son) said: ‘O my father! Do as thou art commanded: thou will find me, if Allah so wills one practising Patience and Constancy!’” (as-Saaffat, 37/99-102)

This issue is not about an order to really slaughter a person. On the contrary, Allah subjected Hz. Ibrahim, whom He wanted to accept as a sincere friend and from whose offspring most of the prophets came, to a great test. As a matter of fact, this fact of testing is underlined clearly in the following verses of the Quran:    

"So when they had both submitted their wills (to Allah), and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead (for sacrifice), We called out to him ‘O Abraham! "Thou hast already fulfilled the vision!’ - thus indeed do We reward those who do right. For this was obviously a trial-And We ransomed him with a momentous sacrifice." (as-Saaffat, 37/103-107)

It is known that Hz. Ibrahim saw that dream three nights on end, on the eighth, ninth and tenth nights of the month of Dhul-Hijja, i.e. on tarwiya, arafa and eid nights. Since the dreams of prophets and their interpretations are regarded as revelation, Hz. Ibrahim regarded and interpreted it like that; thus, receiving such a revelation meant receiving an order that had to be fulfilled.   

Thereupon, he did not try to do it by force; he informed his son about it and asked his view in order to consult him how to fulfill this order; thus, he wanted to make his son gain rewards and thawabs by obeying the order. 

You can think what a high feeling of compassion the father who addressed his son by saying, "O my son!" had in his heart and what a great love of duty and love of Allah prevailed in his heart when he told his son about it.

You can think and feel what a great trial and what a terrific divine test it was.

His tender-minded child, who understood that it was such a divine order and who knew that Allah was together with those who showed patience, said, " O my father! Do as thou art commanded: thou will find me, if Allah so wills one practising Patience and Constancy." (Elmalılı, Hak Dini, the interpretation of the verses in question)

According to the detailed information given in the resources, Hz. Ibrahim decided to fulfill the order he received in his dream and was about to do it when Allah sent him a gorgeous ram through Jibril (Zamakhshari, the interpretation of the verses in question) since he passed the great test of surrendering to which Allah subjected him and wanted him to sacrifice the ram instead of his son.  

Hz. Ibrahim struggled against idolaters by facing such great dangers as to risk being burnt; in addition, he obeyed the order to sacrifice his son without any hesitation; in return for this great self-sacrifice, Allah prevented him from being burnt in fire and saved his son from death. 

The statement "Thus indeed do We reward those who do right" in one of the verses that follow indicates those bestowals and tells us that Hz. Ibrahim's name was enabled to be mentioned with greetings and respect among the generations after him and that his name was eternalized.

As a matter of fact, Hz. Ibrahim has a respected place in the heavenly religions today. We, Muslims, mention all prophets with respect, especially Hz. Ibrahim by praying for him along with our own prophet in the supplications starting with "Allahumma salli..." and "Allahumma barik...".

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