NAF's World

In traditions across the world, the spirit of sacrifice has been regarded as one of the highest human values. Among those who excelled in this quality were the prophets, rishis and seers. From these noble souls was Prophet Ibrahim, may peace be upon him. He was born in Babylon (now Iraq) in an affluent family and his father was a priest. But Ibrahim was different. He realized at a young age the futility of the ways of his people, the irrationality of their beliefs and the ruling class’s utter disregard for justice.

He sacrificed his position of honor as the future priest when he questioned the superstitious beliefs of his father and his people. For this, he was ridiculed and attempts were made on his life. The ruler of Babylon, Nimrod, possessed unquestioned authority over his people, condemning the innocent to death and freeing the damned and regarding himself as god. Ibrahim questioned the arrogance and injustice of the king and debated with him rationally.

But when his people did not listen to him, he left them to their ways and traveled far, serving people and calling them to the way of God until he arrived in a valley in the Arabian Desert now called Makkah. There, under divine commandment, he built the Kaaba, the house of worship and the centre of pilgrimage. But his test was not over as he was, in his old age, commanded to sacrifice his beloved son, Isma’il. He resisted the temptations of the devil and pressed forward with the sacrifice, in complete obedience to his Lord. However, God was not in need of blood, it was only a means to test Ibrahim’s steel through the fire of sacrifice. So a goat was accepted in place of his son.