“And he said, ‘Indeed, I am going to my Lord; He will guide me. My Lord, grant me a child from among the righteous.’ So We gave him glad tidings of a forbearing boy. Then, when he had reached the age at which he could strive alongside him, he said, ‘My dear son, I have seen in a dream that I am sacrificing you. So consider: what do you think?’ He said, ‘My dear father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Allah wills, among the patient.’” (99–102)

“And he said,” meaning Abraham, “Indeed, I am going to my Lord”: that is, I am emigrating for the sake of my Lord. The meaning is: I shall leave the land of disbelief and go to that which pleases my Lord. He said this after coming out of the fire, just as he said, “Indeed, I am emigrating to my Lord” (al-Ankabut 29:26). “He will guide me”: to the place to which He has commanded me to go, namely Greater Syria.

Muqatil said: When he arrived in the Holy Land, he asked his Lord for a child, saying, “My Lord, grant me a child from among the righteous”—that is, grant me a righteous child, one of the righteous.

“So We gave him glad tidings of a forbearing boy.” It was said: a boy in his youth and forbearing in his maturity. Thus, this contains glad tidings that he would be a son and that he would live to reach an age at which he could be described as forbearing.

“Then, when he had reached the age at which he could strive alongside him”: Ibn Abbas and Qatadah said: this means walking with him to the mountain. Mujahid related from Ibn Abbas: when he had grown until his ability to work matched Abraham’s ability to work. (1) The meaning is that he had reached the age at which he could move about with him and assist him in his work. Al-Kalbi said: it means working in obedience to Allah, Exalted is He. This was also the view of Al-Hasan, Muqatil ibn Hayyan, and Ibn Zayd. They said: it means worshipping Allah, Exalted is He.

They differed regarding his age. It was said that he was thirteen years old, and it was said that he was seven years old.

“He said, ‘My dear son, I have seen in a dream that I am sacrificing you.’” The Muslim scholars differed concerning this boy whom Abraham was commanded to sacrifice, after the adherents of the two Scriptures had agreed that he was Isaac. One group said that he was Isaac. This was the view held among the Companions by Umar, Ali, Ibn Masud, and Ibn Abbas; and among the Successors and those after them by Kab al-Ahbar, Said ibn Jubayr, Qatadah, Masruq, Ikrimah, Ata, Muqatil, Al-Zuhri, and Al-Suddi. This was also a narration of Ikrimah and Said ibn Jubayr [from Ibn Abbas; and they said: this event took place in Greater Syria]. (2)

It is related from Said ibn Jubayr that he said: Abraham was shown in a dream that he was to sacrifice Isaac. (3) He travelled with him a month’s journey in a single morning, until he brought him to the place of sacrifice at Mina. Then, when Allah, Exalted is He, commanded him to slaughter the ram, he slaughtered it and travelled with him a month’s journey in a single afternoon; the valleys and mountains were folded up for him.

Others said that he was Ishmael. This was the view of Abdullah ibn Umar, and it was also the view of Said ibn al-Musayyib, Al-Shabi, Al-Hasan al-Basri, Mujahid, Al-Rabi ibn Anas, Muhammad ibn Kab al-Qurazi, and Al-Kalbi. It was likewise narrated by Ata ibn Abi Rabah and Yusuf ibn Mahik from Ibn Abbas, who said: the one ransomed was Ishmael.

Both views are related from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. Those who held that the sacrificed son was Isaac cited as evidence from the Quran His saying: “So We gave him glad tidings of a forbearing boy. Then, when he had reached the age at which he could strive alongside him” (al-Saffat 37:101). He commanded him to sacrifice the one of whom he had been given glad tidings, and the Quran contains no glad tidings of a son other than Isaac, as He says in Surat Hud: “So We gave her glad tidings of Isaac” (Hud 11:71).