he raised the foundations of the House. Ishmael would bring the stones while Abraham built. When the walls became high, Ishmael brought this stone, set it before him, and Abraham stood upon it, continuing to build while Ishmael handed the stones up to him, the two of them saying, “Our Lord, accept this from us; indeed, You alone are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing” (Quran 2:127).

In another narration: Abraham set out with Ishmael and Ishmael’s mother, carrying a shinna (1) in which there was some water. Ishmael’s mother drank from the shinna and her milk flowed for her infant until they reached Makkah. There he left her beneath a large tree, then Abraham turned back toward his family. Ishmael’s mother followed after him, and when they reached Kadāʾ she called to him from behind: “Abraham, to whom are you leaving us?” He answered, “To Allah.” She replied, “I am content with Allah.” She returned, continued to drink from the shinna, and her milk kept flowing for her child. When the water was finally gone she said, “If I were to go and look, perhaps I might notice someone.” She walked off, ascended Ṣafā, looked and looked to see whether she could perceive anyone, but she saw no one. When she came down to the valley she hurried, then reached Marwah, and she repeated that several times. Then she said, “If I go back and see what the child is doing…” She went back and looked, and there he was in the same condition, as though he were gasping to death. Her heart could not bear it, so she said, “If I go and look, perhaps I will notice someone.” She went, ascended Ṣafā, looked and looked but perceived no one, until she had completed seven circuits. Then she said, “If I go back and see what he has done…”—and suddenly she heard a voice. She said, “Help me, if you have any good!” It was Gabriel, who struck the ground with his heel like this and pressed his heel into the earth so that water gushed forth. Ishmael’s mother was astonished and began to scoop it up (2)… and he related the rest of the story at length. Al-Bukhari recorded all of these versions.

al-dawḥah: a large tree. His expression qaffā means: he turned away.