HÄjar (Arabic: هاجر), the Arabic name for the biblical Hagar, was the wife of the patriarch and Islamic prophet IbrÄhÄ«m (Abraham) and the mother of the IsmÄ'Ä«l (Ishmael). She is a revered woman in the Islamic faith. According to Muslim belief, she was the Egyptian handmaiden of Abraham's first wife Sara (Sarah). Although not mentioned by name in the Qur'an, she is referenced and alluded to via the story of her husband. She eventually settled in the Desert of Paran with her son Ishmael. Hagar is honoured as an especially important matriarch of monotheism, as it was through Ishmael that Muhammad would come.
The story of Hagar
Ibrahim was childless. He was a prophet of God and, having left his native land, he was concerned over who would continue the prophetic office after him and whether he would indeed be a father one day. Abraham's wife, Sarah was barren and she gave him her Egyptian handmaid Hagar as a second wife. Hagar subsequently bore a child, and named him Ishmael, meaning "God will hear".
Islamic view of Abraham taking Hagar and Ishmael to Mecca
Islamic scholars and sources state the following using the Arabic name Haajar for Hagar; "After Haajar gave birth to Ismaa’eel, Saarah began to feel jealous, so she asked Ibraaheem to send them away from her. Allaah revealed to Ibraaheem that he should take Haajar and the infant Ismaa’eel and take them to Makkah. So he took them and left Haajar and her child Ismaa’eel in a bleak, isolated place in which there was no water, then he left them and went back to Palestine. Haajar said to him, 'For whom are you leaving us in this forsaken valley?' But Ibraaheem went and left her, and she said, 'Has Allaah commanded you to do this?†He said, 'Yes.' She said, 'Then Allaah will not cause us to be lost.'
Ibraaheem submitted to the command of his Lord and patiently bore the separation from his wife and child. Then he turned towards where they were at the Sacred House and prayed for them in the following words (interpretation of the meaning):
'O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in an uncultivable valley by Your Sacred House (the Ka‘bah at Makkah) in order, O our Lord, that they may perform As-Salaah (Iqaamat-as-Salaah). So fill some hearts among men with love towards them, and (O Allaah) provide them with fruits so that they may give thanks'[Qur'an, Ibraaheem 14:37]
Islamic sources state that Abraham would go between Palestine and Mecca (in Arabia) and later Abraham and his eldest son Ishmael constructed the Kaaba in Mecca. "Then Ibraaheem stayed in Palestine for a while, then he returned to Makkah for an important reason. Allaah had commanded him to build in Makkah the first House to be built for the worship of Allaah. So Ibraaheem undertook this task of construction, and his son Ismaa’eel was lifting up the stones to him. When the walls grew higher, Ibraaheem stood on a rock, and this is the Station of Ibraaheem (Maqaam Ibraaheem) which is to be found in the vicinity of the Ka’bah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
'And (remember) when Ibraaheem (Abraham) and (his son) Ismee‘eel (Ishmael) were raising the foundations of the House (the Ka‘bah at Makkah), (saying), ‘Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us. Verily, You are the All-Hearer, the All-Knower’'
[Qur'an, al-Baqarah 2:127]
Allaah commanded Ibraaheem and Ismaa’eel to cleanse the House of idols and other impurities so that it would be pure for those who would circumambulate it and stand and bow and prostrate (in prayer). When Ibraaheem built the House, Allaah commanded him to call mankind to perform the Hajj, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
'And proclaim to mankind the Hajj (pilgrimage). They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel, they will come from every deep and distant (wide) mountain highway (to perform Hajj)'
[Qur'an, al-Hajj 22:27]
Hagar in the desert
Because of the scarcity of water in the desert, it was not long before both mother and son suffered immense thirst. Thus, Hagar ran between the Al-Safa and Al-Marwah hills in search of water for her son. After the seventh run between the two hills, an angel appeared before her. He helped her and told her that God had heard Ishmael's crying and would provide them with water. At that point, God caused a spring to burst forth from the ground, where Ishmael's heel lay, and thereafter Mecca became known for its excellence and abundance of water. The well was subsequently named Zamzam, and become a holy source of water.
Legacy of Hagar
Hagar is honoured by Muslims as a wise, brave and pious woman as well as the believing mother of the Adnan Arab people. The incident of her running between the Al-Safa and Al-Marwah hills is remembered by Muslims when they perform their pilgrimage (Hajj) at Mecca. Part of the pilgrimage is to run seven times between the hills, in commemoration of Hagar's courage and faith in God as she searched for water in the desert (which is believed to have then miraculously appeared from the Zamzam Well) and to symbolize the celebration of motherhood in Islam as well as the leadership of women. To complete the task, some Muslims also drink from the Zamzam Well and take some of the water back home from pilgrimage. Many Muslims believe Hagar and her son, Ishmael, are buried beside the Kaaba, in a semi-enclosed area which Muslims circumambulate around as they circle the Kaaba during Hajj.
References
External links
- Prophet Ishmael at Islam101.com
