Haajar and her infant quickly ran out of the little provisions and water they had. She had to start her hard journey and face her calamity in the middle of the barren desolate desert. Her infant Ismaa‘eel became thirsty to the extent that he cried out of dreadful thirst. Thus, she ran searching for water between the mountains of As-Safa and Al-Marwah while knowing that there was no water there, but it was hope that overwhelmed this believing, sincere and optimistic woman that perhaps she might find water therein or see a convoy to give water to her infant and save his life and hers from the destruction which had become so close and almost certain!

The heart of Haajar was torn apart out of pain and fear and her infant was crying out of extreme thirst. Thereupon, she was amazed when she saw water flowing and bubbling under her infant's feet with which he was striking the earth due to extreme thirst! This incident was the beginning of the existence of this blessed water; the water of Zamzam from which people have constantly drunk throughout the generations so that they could quench their thirst and cure their diseases by the order and power of Allah The Almighty, the Creator of water and of mankind as the Prophet informed us that: "The water of Zamzam fulfills the purpose for which it is drunk." In addition, the emergence of this blessed water was the origin for the settlement of some convoys and their resting in this valley which is surrounded by black mountains because of the sun and the hot weather. The pilgrim should remember this great history and the determination of this patient woman and these incidents that give us hope. He should remember this while performing Sa‘y (walking) between As-Safa and Al-Marwah as this reminds us of the Sa‘y of Haajar between them in search of water.

Let our women take Haajar as a model of female success and Divine Honor of the righteous woman. Many are the women who need to follow the model of Haajar, the great mother and the patient wife, especially when the Muslim woman loses her Muslim husband while he is fighting in the Cause of Allah or calling to Him, or loses her son in the fields of Jihaad or other work, or loses some worldly profit as a result of adhering to her religion, creed, Hijaab or worship. She shows patience, sacrifices and seeks the reward from Allah, being confident that she is definitely succeeding and that Allah The Exalted will never let her down and will recompense her with a fine compensation. She lives full of hope and despair never finds a way to her heart!

The Ultimate Sacrifice and Compliance

Ibraaheem returned to visit his family which he had left in this dry land and was confident that Allah The Almighty would not abandon his family. He found his son Ismaa‘eel, whom he left an infant, had become an adolescent who was full of vitality and sparkle. Thus, he loved him and his heart was attached to him. However, trials are always directly proportional to faith. Ibraaheem saw in his sleep a vision which he narrated to be about the apple of his eye, Ismaa‘eel (what means): {And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice.} [Quran 37:107] This is a lesson for those fathers who are too miserly to devote their sons to Allah The Exalted, His call and to reviving His Sharee‘ah. You find such a father - a miser - warning his son against being with a group of righteous callers to Allah, thinking that this would protect his son from the assault of the oppressors in this world who are used by Satan to block the road of uprightness and calling to Allah before the youth who are committed to their religion. Would these fathers prevent their sons from proceeding in this way no matter how much this costs them after knowing that Ibraaheem was not too miserly to refrain from sacrificing his son for the Sake of Allah and complied with His order?

Furthermore, there is another lesson here for sons and daughters in obeying their parents when they order them with what is good. Thus, will mankind hear of such obedience and compliance? Ismaa‘eel did not hesitate to obey his father even though he knew that the cost of this obedience was him being slaughtered!

Therefore, the heads of the father and the son were raised due to greatness, obedience, compliance and submission to the command of Allah, who granted them life and everything else, despite the attacks and whispers of Satan. The relief of Allah was always very near. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And when they had both submitted and he put him down upon his forehead, We called to him, "O Ibraaheem (Abraham), You have fulfilled the vision." Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good. Indeed, this was the clear trial. And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice.} [Quran 37: 103-107]

That is what happened. When they entrusted their affairs to their Lord and yielded without hesitation, the purpose was achieved, which is obeying Allah and complying with His orders. Thereupon, the knife abstained, by the will of its Lord, from cutting the neck of Ismaa‘eel and Allah The Almighty ransomed him with a great ram. Thus, such a sacrificial slaughter became an act of the Sunnah, for those who have the financial capacity, on the ‘Eed of Adh'haa on the Day of Nahr (slaughtering).