Maryam
Sakeenah beautifully describes Ibrahim’s (as) strong faith
in monotheism, of which every Haji is reminded, when carrying out the sacred
rituals at the House of Allah (swt).
“I will go where no road goes, and the road shall go with me.”
When I first came across this verse by Joscelyn Ortt, it occurred to me
how remarkably it fitted in with the story of Ibrahim’s (as) struggle to surrender.
Courageously, honest to the innate truth within the self, he sought out the
truest ‘God’ - beginning with the negation of false pagan godhood, he
ultimately found Allah (swt). It is fascinating to read the account of his
search for the truth:
“When he (Ibrahim) saw the sun rising up, he said: ‘This is my lord.
This is greater.’ But when it set, he said: ‘…Verily, I have turned my face towards
Him Who has created the heavens and the earth, and I am not of those who join
partners with Him…’ And that (faith) was Our Proof which We gave Ibrahim
against his people. We raise whom We will in degrees. Certainly, Your Lord is
All-Knowing, All-Wise.” (Al-Anam 6:78-83)
Ibrahim (as) brings together in his person honesty and courage to
proclaim it loud and clear. He attained
the truth through his lone, relentless struggle and rejected once and for all
whatever impeded the way to his Lord. He fearlessly showed that truth to the
world with all his passion. The Quran quotes Ibrahim (as), while addressing,
those who rejected the truth:
“Who has created me, and it is He Who guides me; and it is He Who feeds
me and gives me to drink. And when I am ill, it is He Who cures me; and Who
will cause me to die, and then will bring me to life (again); and Who, I hope
will forgive my faults on the Day of Recompense (the Day of Resurrection.”
(Ash-Shu’ara 26:78-82)
Taking the road less traveled demands strength, persistence and
honesty. Only the Hanif (uni-focal) can triumphantly go through the trials it
involves and ascend to a higher realm of the contented self (Nafs-e-Mutma’inna).
Ibrahim’s (as) struggle was a struggle to win Islam (peace through submission).
This struggle began with the negation of false gods (La Ilaha) and led the soul
on to a recognition and acceptance of the only truth that brought with it the
peace of Ill Allah. “When his Lord said to him: ‘Submit (i.e. be a Muslim!)’ He
said: “I have submitted myself (as a Muslim) to the Lord of ‘Alamin (mankind,
Jinns and all that exists).” (Al-Baqarah 2:131)
Having internalized this faith and lived it out with his person,
Ibrahim (as) becomes the embodiment of Tauhid. “Verily, Ibrahim was an Uummah’ (a
leader having all the good righteous qualities) or a nation, obedient to Allah,
Hanifa (i.e. to worship none but Allah), and he was not among those who were
Al-Mushrikun (polytheists, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah, and
those who joined partners with Allah). (He was) thankful for His (Allah’s)
Graces. He (Allah) chose him (as an intimate friend) and guided him to the
Straight Path (Islamic Monotheism, neither Judaism nor Christianity).” (An-Nahl
16:120-121)
For when the sweetness of Imaan is tasted, nothing else satisfies,
nothing else fulfils. Ibrahim (as) was possessed by this single idea, which
gave meaning to his life and which enlightened, elevated, enriched and
purified. Ibrahim’s (as) faith in and love for Allah (swt) rings through his
beautiful prayers: “My Lord! Bestow Hukman (religious knowledge, right
judgement of the affairs and Prophethood) on me and join me with the righteous;
and grant me an honourable mention in the later generations; and make me one of
the inheritors of the Paradise of Delight.” (Ash-Shu’ara 26:83-85)
The achievement of contented self brings out the
soul in all the richness, beauty and grandeur that human nature is capable of,
till the exclusive title Ahsan i Taqweem (the best of all creation) is earned
and Allah (swt) Himself bears testimony of it: “Salamun (peace) be upon Ibrahim
(Abraham)! Thus indeed do We reward the Muhsinun (good-doers). Verily, he was
one of Our believing slaves.” (As-Saffaat 37:109-111)
The faith of the contented self expresses itself in
ways larger than life, much greater than what is humanly understandable. The patience
of Ibrahim (as) in the trials he went through and his exemplary sacrifices were
such expression of the faith of the contented self, the intensity of which
transcends the limitations of historical time. Ibrahim’s (as) faith broke free
from the tethers that bind man to the pettiness of the minimal self (Nafs-e-Ammara)
- from base desires and egoistic impulses.
Allah (swt) reciprocates, blesses and preserves the glorious deeds of
His righteous slaves. Hence, Ibrahim (as), having triumphed over all of life’s
trials, received the boundless love of His Lord. The mention of Ibrahim (as) in
the Quran resonates with love of the Speaker, the Lord of Ibrahim (as). Allah
(swt) says:
“And who can be better in religion than one who submits his face
(himself) to Allah (i.e. follows Allah’s Religion of Islamic Monotheism); and he
is a Muhsin (a good-doer). And follows the religion of Ibrahim (Abraham) Hanifa
(Islamic Monotheism – to worship none but Allah Alone). And Allah did take
Ibrahim (Abraham) as a Khalil (an intimate friend).” (An-Nisa’, 4:125)
“Verily, Ibrahim (Abraham) was, without doubt, forbearing, used to
invoke Allah with humility and was repentant (to Allah all the time, again and
again).” (Hud 11:75)
Ibrahim (as) was blessed with leadership, honour and respect. He is
revered as the patriarch of the Jewish, Christian and Muslim people, from whom
all monotheistic faiths spring forth. And yet, the position of Ibrahim (as) in
Islam is unique. The pristine Tauheed of Islam, which accepts no resemblance of
Shirk in any manifestation, is the continuation of the mission of Ibrahim (as).
Allah (swt) insists in the Quran to follow the religion of Ibrahim, the pure monotheistic
tradition: “… it is the religion of your father Ibrahim (Abraham) (Islamic
Monotheism).” (Al-Hajj 22:78)
Even before Islam, the Arabs were conscious and proud of their
Abrahamic ancestry. Despite the corruption of polytheism and many rampant
social ills, the concept of the one God of Ibrahim (as) was part of Arab
tradition in one form or another. Islam purified, reinstated and revived that
Abrahamic faith with its simple declaration of La ilaha il Allah (no god but
Allah) and, hence, has a legitimate claim of being a consummation of the
Abrahamic mission.
It will not be an overstatement to say that the ritual of Hajj is in
many ways a commemoration of the extraordinary life and struggle of Ibrahim (as)
and his family. It celebrates the edifying legacy of Ibrahim (as), who had
prayed: “Our Lord! Make us submissive unto You and of our offspring a nation
submissive unto You ... send amongst them a Messenger of their own (and indeed
Allah answered their invocation by sending Muhammad (saw), who shall recite
unto them Your verses and instruct them in the Book (this Quran) and Al-Hikmah
(full knowledge of the Islamic laws and jurisprudence or wisdom of Prophethood,
etc.) and sanctify them.” (Al-Baqarah 2:128-129)
The rituals of Hajj immortalize Ibrahim’s (as) faith and privilege the
believers to take of the immensity of that boundless treasure. The Kaabah
itself speaks of Ibrahim’s (as) faith and his belief in the oneness of God. M.
Asad writes: “Never had I felt so strongly as now, before the Kaabah, that the
hand of the builder (Ibrahim) had come so close to his religious conception. In
the utter simplicity of a cube, in the complete renunciation of all beauty of
line and form, spoke this thought: ‘Whatever beauty man may be able to create
with his hands, it will be only conceit to deem it worthy of God; therefore,
the simplest that man can conceive is the greatest that he can do to express
the glory of God.’... Here, in the Kaabah, even the size spoke of human
renunciation and self-surrender; the proud modesty of this structure had no
compare in the world.”
Each time the pilgrim performs a ritual, he experiences again for a
blessed moment that edifying legacy and revives within him again - in a
minuscule proportion - that spirit. When he prays at the Maqam-e-Ibrahim, he as
a monotheist reaffirms his association with Ibrahim (as), the Haneef, and
realizes, how the passionate faith of ‘those of the high desire’ is
immortalized by the Immortal, how the footsteps in the sands of time remain,
leading, guiding, enlightening and blessing - always showing the way, the Sirat-al-Mustaqeem;
going where no road goes, taking the road with them.
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