Dāiyah
Hadrat Hajra
(حضرت هاجرا (رضي الله عنها
Hadrat Hājra (رضي الله عنها) was the wife of Prophet Abraham and the mother of Prophet Ishmael (peace and blessings of God be upon them). When Ishmael was a bay, Prophet Abraham was commanded by God to take his son to the Holy Land of Ka'bah in Mecca and leave him there so that when he grew up, he would spread the Word of God in that part of the world. Accordingly, Abraham too his wife Hājra (رضي الله عنها) with his baby and left them in Mecca with a bucket of water and some dates.
Hājra (رضي الله عنها) followed him and said, 'O Abraham! Where are you going leaving us in this bare and lifeless valley?' She said this a number of times but he did not say anything. Then she said, 'Has God commanded you to do so?' In reply, he simply said, 'Yes!' Then she said that if that was the case, God would not destroy them and went back to her baby. When Ibrahim (A.S.) went behind the side of the mountain where he could not see his wife and son, he turned towards that place (Ka'bah) where it was to be built later and prayed to God in these words,
"O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in a valley without cultivation by Thy Sacred House: In order, O our Lord, that they may establish regular prayers. So fill the hearts of some among men with love towards them and feed them with fruits, so that they may give thanks." (Qur'an 14:37)
Hājra (رضي الله عنها) suckled her child and drank water for some days until the bucket was empty, then she and her baby suffered thirst. She saw her child crying from thirst and could not help him. So she left him there and went towards the valley to look for help but could not find anyone. Hājra (رضي الله عنها) traveled between the mountains of Safa and Marwa, sometimes running, especially in the low ground where she could not see her son, and sometimes walking, seven times. But still, she could not find anyone. When she was doing it for the seventh time and going up the mount Marwa, she heard a voice. She said to herself, 'be quiet' and listened carefully. She heard a voice again and said, "O, man! You have made your voice heard to me. Have you got something to help us?" Suddenly, she returned to her baby and to her amazement, she saw water emerging beneath the foot of her baby.
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BOX 1 |
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Sarah, the first wife of Abraham, peace be upon him, has been accused of being jealous of Hājra (رضي الله عنها), his second wife, (Hājra (رضي الله عنها) in Arabic) and that is why she had Abraham send her away and her son, Ishmael, peace be upon him. If Sarah was such a terrible person then why would God tell us in 11:73 in the story of the angels visiting her house and giving her the good news that she will be pregnant with Isaac and then give her and her husband the wonderful greeting, “The mercy of God and His blessings are upon you, people of the house. He is Praiseworthy and Glorious.”? Far from it. Sarah was a virtuous, believing woman and the wife of the patriarch of the prophets. When she saw how much her husband wanted a son and she knew she couldn’t give him one, she did a most generous and unselfish thing that only a few wives will ever consider: She gave him her maid to marry! She picked a virtuous, believing woman because that’s what her husband deserved. May God have been pleased with Sarah. I strongly believe that it’s precisely because Sarah was so unselfish, compassionate and loving to her husband that God rewarded her with her own son. In every prayer, during Tashahhud, all Muslims say this, “O God, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You have blessed Abraham and the family of Abraham.” How many confirmations have Muslims made so far that Sarah was blessed? Trillions! I find it infinitely amusing that the evidence that Ishmael was the sacrificial son comes from the Torah and not from the Quran! The Quran seems to be deliberate in not telling us the name of the sacrificial son while the Torah states that God instructed Abraham to slaughter his only son. Isaac was never Abraham’s only son since he was younger than Ishmael by all accounts. Thirteen years difference in their ages seems to be the consensus. In fact, the entire story of the sacrifice may have taken place before Isaac was even born. Don’t believe any talk of mad jealousy between Sarah and Hājra (رضي الله عنها). It’s an attempt from religious agitators to sow the seeds of hatred between Muslims and Jews. Muslims and the authentic Jews are not only cousins in blood line; they are also cousins in faith. |
Thus, Hājra (رضي الله عنها) began to drink water and suckle her baby. The angel said to her, "Don't fear death. This is God's house which will be built by this child and his father. And God will not destroy the people of this House."
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BOX 2 |
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Zamzam water is a miraculous underground water at the heart of a dry valley. The Zamzam well is full of water for at least two and half millennium. The story of Zamzam water begins nearly 4500 years ago, when, according to the Holy Qur’an, Allah ordered Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) to bring his wife, Hājra (رضي الله عنها) and their child Ismael to Makkah from (Bilad Al-Sham). Then a Revelation was sent to Ibrahim (as) to take his second wife Hājra (رضي الله عنها) and her son Ismael to a place where Mecca is situated now. Ibrahim (peace be upon him) accompanied Hājra (رضي الله عنها) and her son Ismael (peace be upon him), whom she was still nursing, and left them at (the site of) the House of Allah [Ka`bah]. At that time, at that place there was neither water nor dwellers. Ibrahim (as) left a bag of dates and a waterskin for them. Then Ibrahim (peace be upon him) went away. Hazrat Hājra (رضي الله عنها) said to him, "O Ibrahim! Where are you going? Are you going to leave us in this valley where there is neither human nor living creature?" She repeated this several times, but he did not answer. Finally, she asked him, "Has Allah commanded you to do so?" He answered, "Yes." Thereupon she said, "Then He will not let us perish!". Ismael's mother drank from her waterskin and nursed her baby, until all the water she had was gone and her milk dried up. When her son grew hungrier and thirsty, she could hardly bear to look at him. So she went and stood at Al-Safa - the hill nearest to her - and looked down in the valley to see if there was someone there to help, but she could see no one. She, then climbed down Al-Safa and reached reached Al-Marwah. She stood thereon and looked all around. Still she could see no one nearby. She repeated this seven times. Hājra (رضي الله عنها) (raa) searched desperately for water in the hills of Safa and Marwa to give to her son Ismael (pbuh) As she ran from one place to another in search of water.[For this reason, Pilgrims walk (do Sa’i) between Safa and Marwah]. When she reached Mount Marwa (for the last time) she heard a sound, Allah sent his Angel Jibreel for their help. He struck the ground with his foot and a spring of water gushed forth from the earth. This was the place where her child rubbed his feet against the sand, where water sprang out. A pool of water surfaced, and by the grace of God, shaped itself into a well. The name of the well comes from the phrase Zomë Zomë, meaning ‘stop flowing’, a command repeated by Hājra (رضي الله عنها) during her attempt to contain the spring water. Shortly, a group of the Jurhum tribe came nearby and saw a bird hovering about the spot of water. They sent one or two slaves to explore the place. The two explorers returned after determining the exact position of the water. They reaced the place and asked Hājra (رضي الله عنها) for permission to settle in that place. She gave them permission but stipulated that they would have no right to the water. They agreed on her condition. According to Islamic tradition, Abraham rebuilt the Bait-ul-Allah (House of Allah) at the site of the well, a building which had been originally constructed by Adam, and today is called the Kaaba, a building towards which all Muslims around the world face in prayer, five times each day. The Zamzam well is located approximately 20 meters east of the Kaaba. Prophet Muhammad said: "Zamzam water is a lavish meal and a great healer," and, "Zamzam water is what one intends to drink it for." Thus, it is a Sunnah to Drink Zamzam water, wash with it, and splash it on a sick person. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bestow peace and blessing upon him, said "Allah, The Most High, broke forth Zam Zam water for Ismaeel when he became thirsty." He also said "If Ishmael's mother did not catch the water with her hand, it would have been a running spring." One of the companions of the Prophet said that before Islam, the water was called “Shabba” or satisfying. It was filling and helped them nourish their families. |
Hājra (رضي الله عنها) was a true example of a woman who had great faith in God. Although she was left with her baby, Ishmael, alone in the desert without any food and water, she was still able to remain steadfast. Hājra (رضي الله عنها) had no doubt that since she was being left in the desert for the sake of God, that God would indeed take care and provide for her and her baby son, Ishmael. And it is from Hājra (رضي الله عنها)'s sacrifice of running back and forth looking for water for her child, that Muslims do Sa'ee (running between Safa and Marwa), when they perform the Umra and Hajj.
