when he was eighty years old, using an adze (qadūm). ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Isḥāq related the same report from Abū al-Zinād, and ʿAjlān likewise transmitted it from Abū Hurayrah; Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr also narrated it from Abū Salamah, from Abū Hurayrah.

Muslim likewise recorded it (1) through Qutaybah with this chain.

In another wording it states: “Abraham was circumcised after he had reached eighty years of age, and he circumcised himself with an adze (qadūm).” (2) The qadūm is a tool; some, however, have said it is the name of a place. This version does not preclude the possibility that he was older than eighty—Allah knows best—for a ḥadīth that will be cited under the account of his death, narrated by Abū Hurayrah from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, says: “Abraham was circumcised when he was one hundred and twenty years old, and he lived another eighty years thereafter.” Ibn Ḥibbān recorded it in his Ṣaḥīḥ (3).

This chain contains no mention of the episode of the sacrificial son, and it recounts Abraham’s—peace be upon him—visits only three times, the first being after Ishmael married following Hājar’s death. How could Abraham have left them, from the time the child was small—as the report alleges—until his marriage without once checking on their condition? It is related that the earth would be folded up for him, and it is also said that he rode the Burāq when he travelled to them; so how could he neglect to look in on them while they were in extreme hardship and pressing need? It appears that part of this narrative is drawn from the Isrāʾīliyyāt and embellished with some statements ascribed to the Prophet, yet it contains no mention of the sacrifice. We have already demonstrated, in Sūrat al-Ṣāffāt (4), that the one intended for sacrifice was Ishmael, according to the sound view.

[The Story of the Sacrifice]

Allah the Exalted says:

“Indeed, I will go to my Lord; He will surely guide me. (99) My Lord, grant me a child from among the righteous. (100) So We gave him good tidings of a forbearing boy. (101) And when he reached the age to walk with him, he said, ‘My dear son, I have seen in a dream that I must sacrifice you, so consider what you think.’ He replied, ‘My dear father, do as you are commanded; you will find me, Allah willing, among the steadfast.’ (102) Then, when they had both submitted and he had laid him down on his forehead, (103) We called out to him, ‘O Abraham! (104) You have fulfilled the vision. Thus do We reward those who do good. (105) Surely this was the manifest trial, (106) and We ransomed him with a mighty sacrifice. (107) We left for him praise among later generations: (108) “Peace be upon Abraham.” (109) Thus do We reward those who do good. (110) He was indeed one of Our believing servants. (111) And We gave him glad tidings of Isaac—a prophet from among the righteous— (112) and We blessed him and Isaac; but among their descendants are those who do good and those who clearly wrong themselves.” (al-Ṣāffāt 37:99–113)