The Dream and Sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim (عليه السلام)
A Profound Test of Faith , Patience, & Perseverance
Chapter First
In Islam, Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) had a powerful dream that repeated for three consecutive nights. In it, Allah Almighty commanded him to sacrifice his beloved son. Since the dreams of prophets (peace be upon him) are true and a form of revelation (wahy), Ibrahim (peace be upon him) recognized this as a genuine command from Allah. It was not an ordinary dream but a profound test of faith and submission.
The Repetition of the Dream (Three Nights): Traditions from senior classical scholars and early authorities, including Ibn Abbas ( رحمة اللهRahmat Allah), Mujahid ( رحمة اللهRahmat Allah), Sa’id ibn Jubayr ( رحمة اللهRahmat Allah), Al-Hasan al-Basri ( رحمة اللهRahmat Allah), Qatadah ( رحمة اللهRahmat Allah), Imam Tabari ( رحمة اللهRahmat Allah), and Imam Ibn Kathir, ( رحمة اللهRahmat Allah) mercy of God, upon all of them, explain that the dream recurred for three consecutive nights—often during the month of Dhul-Hijjah (the Hajj season). This repetition distinguished it from deceptive dreams (from Shaytan) or mere thoughts. On the first night, Ibrahim (peace be upon him) pondered; by the third, he was fully convinced it was wahy (revelation).
the three-night repetition was a mercy from Allah to build certainty and highlight the test’s profundity, as dreams of prophets ( علیہ السلام) are protected and true (as seen with Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him). This method tested Ibrahim’s (peace be upon him) discernment and his immediate obedience, without needing a direct angelic message (like from Jibril علیہ السلام).
As Allah says in the Quran, the life of a believer is filled with trials. Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was already a paragon of faith: he had rejected idolatry, debated his people, and miraculously survived the fire trial. He later migrated to Syria ( the blessed land). After his marriage to Hazrat Sarah (peace be upon her), they had no children for a long time, despite constantly praying to Allah for righteous offspring. By this point in his life, Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was elderly and had deeply longed for a child.
Then, he married Hazrat Hajra (peace be upon her) as a second wife. After years of patience, Allah blessed him with a righteous son, Hazrat Ismail (peace be upon him), from Hazrat Hajra (peace be upon her) — a son described in the Quran as “gentle and forbearing” (37:101).
Later, Allah granted him another righteous son, Hazrat Ishaq (peace be upon him), from Hazrat Sarah‘s (peace be upon her) womb.
Ibrahim's Unwavering Faith and the Gift of Ismail (عليهما السلام)
When Hazrat Ismail (peace be upon him) had grown into a young boy and reached the age where he could work alongside his father, the time came to implement the dream. The dream was not random; it tested ultimate submission (tawhid and obedience) to Allah over worldly attachments, similar to the earlier fire test where Ibrahim (peace be upon him) trusted Allah against all odds.
The Dialogue Between Father and Son:
When the moment came, Ibrahim (peace be upon him) lovingly spoke to his son:
“My dear son, I saw in a dream that I must sacrifice you for the sake of Allah.”
Hazrat Ismail (peace be upon him) replied very respectfully:
“O my father, do as you are commanded. In sha’ Allah, you will find me patient and steadfast.”