While Ibraaheem (AS) and Saarah his wife were going on a journey, they passed by the territory of a tyrant king. Someone said to the tyrant "This man (i.e. Ibraaheem) is accompanied by a very charming lady."
So, he sent for Ibraaheem (AS) and asked him about Saarah saying, "Who is this lady?" Ibraaheem (AS) said, "She is my sister." Ibraaheem went to Saarah and said, "O Saarah! There are no believers on the surface of the earth except you and I. This man asked me about you and I have told him that you are my sister, so don’t contradict my statement”
The tyrant then called Saarah and when she went to him, he tried to take hold of her with his hand, but his hand got stiff and he was annoyed, confused and surprised. He asked Saarah, “Pray to Allaah for me, and I shall not harm you.” So Saarah asked Allaah to cure him and he got cured. He tried to take hold of her for the second time, but his hand got as stiff as or stiffer than before and he became more annoyed, confused and surprised. He again requested Saarah "Pray to Allaah for me, and I will not harm you." Saarah asked Allaah again and he became all right.
He then called one of his guards who had brought her and said, "You have not brought me a human being but have brought me a devil" The tyrant then gave Hajar as a girl-servant to Saarah. Saarah came back to Ibraaheem while he was praying. Ibraaheem, gesturing with his hand asked, "What has happened?" She replied, "Allaah has spoiled the evil plot of the disbelieving or immoral person and gave me Hajar for service”. That Hajar became the mother of Bani Ma-is-Sama (the offspring of those who depend on rain for survival and those are the Arabs, the descendants of Ismaa’eel, Hajar’s son).” (Bukhari)
Abdullah bin Abbaas (RA) narrated: "The first lady to use a girdle was the mother of Ismaa'eel (AS). She used a girdle so that she might hide her tracks from Saarah. Ibraaheem brought her and her son Ismaa'eel while she was suckling him, to a place near the Ka'bah under a tree on the spot of Zam-zam, at the highest place in the mosque. During those days there was nobody in Makkah, nor was there any water. So he made them sit over there and placed near them a leather bag containing some dates, and a small water-skin containing some water, and set out homeward.
Ismaa'eel's mother followed him saying, "O Ibraaheem! Where are you going, leaving us in this valley where there is no person whose company we may enjoy, nor is there anything to enjoy?" She repeated that to him many times, but he did not look back at her. Then she asked him, "Has Allaah ordered you to do so?" He said, "Yes." She said, "Then He will not neglect us," and returned while lbraaheem (AS) proceeded onwards.
On reaching the Thaniyyah where they could not see him, Ibraheem faced the Ka’bah, and raising both hands, prayed to Allaah with the following words: saying the following prayers
“O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring dwell in a valley without cultivation, by Your Sacred House (Ka'bah at Makkah) in order, O our Lord, that they may offer prayer perfectly. So fill some hearts among men with love towards them, and provide them with fruits, so that they may give thanks." (Q14: 37)
Ismaa'eel's mother went on suckling Ismaa'eel and drinking from the water she had. When the water in the waterskin had all been used up, she became thirsty and her child also became thirsty. She started looking at him (i.e. Ismaa'eel) tossing in agony. She left him, for she could not endure looking at him, and found that the mountain of Safa was the nearest mountain to her on that land. She stood on it and started looking at the valley keenly so that she might see somebody, but she could not see anybody.
Then she descended from Safa and when she reached the valley, she tucked up her robe and ran in the valley like a person in distress and trouble, till she crossed the valley and reached the Marwa mountain where she stood and started looking, expecting to see somebody, but she could not see anybody. She repeated that running between Safa and Marwa seven times.
To be continued.
This article was culled from the publications of Deen Communication Limited