Safa and Marwah

The desert was hot and barren. No tree, no source of water, no nothing. She looked at her husband in disbelief. He wanted to leave her and their baby alone in the middle of the desert? Only one question crossed her mind. Is this a command from Allah? Yes, her husband said. Then you must go she said. She watched him walking away, slowly disappearing from her sight leaving behind some water and food behind which finished soon enough. Her baby started crying. She became desperate and started looking for water. In her state of helplessness, she put down her baby and started to run to Safa hill. No water there. So she ran to the opposite Marwah hill. No water there too. The baby keep on crying. In her panic she ran from Safa to Marwah hill to and fro for seven times. Suddenly the baby stop crying and she saw a water pool gushing out at the end of her baby's feet. Subhanallah, praise be to Allah for sending this source of water. Not long after kabilah or groups of travelers stopped there and a town slowly build up.

That was the story of Prophet Ibrahim or Abraham, his wife Hajar and their son, Prophet Ismail or Isaac. When the order came down from Allah to leave his beloved wife and baby son in the middle of nowhere, he abided. When Hajar was told she was to be left behind because it was the command of Allah, she abided. Would you do the same if you are in their position? May Allah give us the strength to be abiding servants.

The town is Mecca. The water source is Zam Zam water that never run dry until today. A lot of the rituals during Hajj are to commemorate the sacrifices that Prophet Ibrahim and his family have done in order to obey Allah. Going to and fro from Safa to Marwah for seven times and ending up at Marwah hill while performing Sa'e during my Hajj six years ago, I can't imagine what Hajar had gone through for the place is indoor inside Masjidil Haram now. No more scorching hot sun on top of our head. No more sand and stone on the ground. What we are doing is nothing compared to what Prophet Ibrahim's family has gone through. Prophet Ibrahim in his prayer has asked Allah to bless his descendants. Indeed all the Prophets that came after him are his lineage.

Ya Allah. Blessed the family of Prophet Ibrahim. Blessed the family of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. Bless us all. Ameen.

lineage - lineal descent from an ancestor; ancestry.

Follow the story of Prophet Ibrahim, the father of Prophets, at http://www.islamicity.com/Mosque/ibrahim.htm