The child of the valley
As a child he is left with his mother Hājar in a barren valley near the House — where Zamzam will spring forth.
رَّبَّنَآ إِنِّىٓ أَسْكَنتُ مِن ذُرِّيَّتِى بِوَادٍ غَيْرِ ذِى زَرْعٍ عِندَ بَيْتِكَ ٱلْمُحَرَّمِ …Ishmael
إسماعيل
Ishmael
Abraham's eldest son, left as a child with his mother Hajar in a barren valley, where Zamzam sprang forth. The Quran praises him as true to his promise, and he helped his father build the Kaaba.
His story, step by step
Each step links to the passage of the Quran that recalls it.
“Father, do as you are commanded”
As a youth, when his father tells him of the dream of the sacrifice, he answers without faltering — most scholars hold that he is the son of the sacrifice.
… قَالَ يَـٰٓأَبَتِ ٱفْعَلْ مَا تُؤْمَرُ سَتَجِدُنِىٓ إِن شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ ١٠٢
The foundations of the Kaaba
With his father he raises the foundations of the House, and both pray that Allah accept it.
وَإِذْ يَرْفَعُ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمُ ٱلْقَوَاعِدَ مِنَ ٱلْبَيْتِ وَإِسْمَـٰعِيلُ رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّآ ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ ١٢٧
True to his promise
The Quran praises him: true to his promise, a messenger and a prophet, he enjoined prayer and charity upon his family.
وَٱذْكُرْ فِى ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ إِسْمَـٰعِيلَ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ صَادِقَ ٱلْوَعْدِ وَكَانَ رَسُولًا نَّبِيًّا ٥٤ وَكَانَ يَأْمُرُ أَهْلَهُۥ بِٱلصَّلَوٰةِ وَٱلزَّكَوٰةِ وَكَانَ عِندَ رَبِّهِۦ مَرْضِيًّا ٥٥
His account in the Quran
by Mishary Al Afasi