In a valley with no crops, no water and no people, a mother and her baby were left alone, with a certainty she summed up in a few words: “Then He will not let us be lost.”
Ibn Abbas narrates that Ibrahim (peace be upon him) brought Hajar and her son Isma‘il, who was still nursing, and left them near the site of the House in Makkah. At that time there was no one there and no water. He left with them a bag of dates and a skin of water, then turned to leave.
Hajar followed him, asking: where are you going, leaving us in this valley? He did not turn to her. She said: is it Allah who commanded you to do this? He said: yes. She said: then He will not let us be lost.
When the water ran out and the child grew thirsty, she climbed Safa to look for anyone, then came down and crossed the valley to Marwah. She did this seven times. The Prophet ﷺ said: “That is the sa‘i of the people between them.”
Then she heard a sound, and there was the angel at the place of Zamzam. He dug until water appeared, and she began to make a basin around it and scoop from it. The Prophet ﷺ said: “May Allah have mercy on the mother of Isma‘il. Had she left Zamzam, it would have become a flowing spring.”
A moment of reflection
Her certainty did not stop her from striving. She went up and down seven times, and then relief came from where she did not expect.
When you walk between Safa and Marwah, remember that the striving itself is worship: you take every means in full, then hand the outcome to Allah.
What do we know? What don’t we know?
- We know: the details of Ibrahim leaving Hajar and Isma‘il, her running seven times, and the appearance of Zamzam, as in Sahih al-Bukhari.
- We know: that the people’s sa‘i between Safa and Marwah is linked to hers, by the words of the Prophet ﷺ.
- We do not know for certain: the long dialogues and feelings attributed to her in some popular books; they are not in the authentic narration.
- We do not know for certain: that the name Zamzam came from her saying “zummi zummi” (gather, gather); this is not established from her.
Sources
- Sahih al-Bukhari 3364, narrated by Ibn Abbas.
- The Quran: Ibrahim 14:37.
When did you take every means in full and then hand the outcome to Allah? Where do you need that now?