Hajj Series: “Then, He will not let us go!”

إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِنْ شَعَائِرِ اللهِ

“Indeed, as-Safa and al-Marwah are among the symbols of Allah.” (Qur’an 2:158)

Ibrahem aleyhi salam receives a command from Allah that he has to take his beloved wife Hajar and his newborn son Ismael, the only son for whom he and his wife spent endless nights and days supplicating their Master for a child and He had answered them.

But not so much time had passed when Allah decided to test Ibrahim and his family and ordered him to take them to a desolated valley in Makkah and to return back alone.

At the time, there was no civilization in Makkah and therefore, no food or water supplies. It was nothing but a desert with no signs of living lives. Only a blazing sun that did its job to make the weather extremely hot and hydration necessary for survival. However, Hajar aleyha salam did not know anything about that command, she only knew that they were going on a journey and then come back.

This shows us the trust that should be between a husband and wife. She was obedient to him, her husband and Prophet of God and put her complete trust and loyalty in Allah and thereafter, her spouse.

Sisters…let us take a minute and reflect upon this…how is your relationship with the companion that Allah has chosen for you? How are you as a wife to him…indeed, a relationship is based on trust…are you being a loyal and obedient wife like our mother Hajar? For indeed, the best joy of this dunya is a righteous wife and she will be rewarded by Allah.

So they embarked on their journey until they reached their destination and sat down. At this point, Ibrahem aleyhi salam stood up and started to go back without asking his wife to follow him.

She was confused and so she chased after him demanding the reason of his sudden leave and said: “Ya Ibrahem, who are you leaving us to? There is no one with us!”, but he did not reply. A loving husband, an affectionate father, afraid that if he gave her a response he might lose his heart to itself and not be able to fulfill his role as a prophet of Allah. So he just walked straight without looking at her and she kept on following him and asking him the same question again and again, but he wouldn’t reply.

Until she stopped and realized due to her pure and righteous heart calling out only for its Creator and asked one simple question: “Ya Ibrahem, has Allah ordered you to do this?”. Ibrahim aleyhi salam said just one word which stopped her from following him, from asking or demanding anything further and letting him go and that was…”YES”. Ibrahem aleyhi salam went on and as she saw him walking away, she confidently said: “Then, He will not let us go!” and she went back to her son.

Just for a moment I want you to imagine this story as a present reality, where you are put in the position of Hajar aleyha salam and ask yourself: “Would you be able to do that?”. That amount of tawakkul, faith and reliance on Allah’s plan is what made this woman a woman of Jannah. A woman whom everyone, man and woman, look upto and will remember till the very end.

Then, when Ibrahim aleyhi salam reached a place where they could not see him, he turned towards his only hope and raised his hands saying:

“Oh our Master! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in an uncultivable valley by Your Sacred House in order, Ya Rabb, that they may perform As‑Salaah. So fill some hearts among men with love towards them, and provide them with fruits so that they may give thanks” (Ibraheem 14:37)

Meanwhile in Makkah, Hajar aleiha salam was now alone with a hungry and thirsty baby, for everything they bought along was emptied and now they were left without any supplies of food or water. So as the baby started crying continuously, she left him for she could not endure looking at her dying child and started looking for people for help, but nobody was there. That’s when she started to run between the two mountains hoping to find someone or something that could help her baby.

A mother running for her baby’s life in an unbreathable weather, under a hot firing sun, through a hot sand burning her feet. Sweat rolling throughout her body but she knew that she had to do something for a solution to appear.

After seven rounds of running in a state of distress, worry and trouble she heard a voice. Hopeful, she asked: “O (whoever you may be)! You have made me hear your voice; have you got something to help me?”. And the angel Jibrael dig the earth with his heel and a cool, transparent water came flowing from that place without knowing any limit.

“Ibn Abbaas said: The Prophet (p.b.u.h) added: “May Allah bestow Mercy on Ismael’s mother! Had she left the Zamzam alone (flowing without trying to control it), Zamzam would have been a stream flowing on the surface of the earth.”

This was a mother, a loyal wife, a woman of taqwa and tawakkul in Allah and His plan. An obedient slave of her Master, a role model, a woman with courage and hard work. You know, it’s strange the way we look today at what feminism means. Women trying to imitate or act superior than men…why? We ARE women. This woman was how and who a woman should be like. That courage, confidence and hard work is what we should strive to gain for. This is what will make us habitants of Paradise.

This story shows us the importance of having complete trust in Allah’s plan as well as to work hard to achieve our goals, to find a solution for our problems. Tawakkul settles and comes from the heart. Hard work, on the other hand, is a work for the limbs and indeed Allah looks at the heart of His servant and the effort of his believer. We cannot neglect the means and causes available to us and benefit from them. There is no space for passiveness in this religion. You have to work hard carrying a heart filled with tawakkul and ihsan.

So, as I wrap this up, I welcome you to act and reflect upon these lessons. These stories are not just to make us aware of our history, but most importantly so that we can implement on them.

Hajj Series-Tip 1: Today, when you will be standing before Allah…take a moment and reflect deeply on the state of your heart. How is your heart? How is your relationship with Him? Do you have complete tawakkul on Him and His plans? Ask yourself for no one knows you better than you yourself and of course the One who created you. And take a moment to appreciate and be grateful of the happiness, the joy, family that Allah has blessed you with. Show some love to your spouse, have a nice care-free talk with him. Hug your children tight and tell them how much you love them. Stand for them… with them.