Farhad Khadim

Prophet Ibrahim was an “Ummah” (nation) unto himself because he embodied all of the qualities of a nation that align with a godly vision: contentment with God’s decree; uprightness in righteousness; sincerity in the worship of One Creator; gratitude for God’s bounties and guidance to the straight path. His faith in the unseen Creator, strengthened by a keen sense of observation and critical thinking was unshakeable.

A Friend of God

One of the hallmarks of this “Friend of God” was his constant turning to God in supplication. Many of his supplications are beautifully recorded in the Qur’an; among them the supplication he made when, after a long and arduous journey across the desert, he left his infant son and wife Hajar in an uncultivated land (Becca, Mecca). It was a desolate place with no vegetation and no one in sight. It was an incredible challenge for him, and for her. When he turned to leave, she naturally inquired whether he would leave them there alone. He did not answer. She persisted in her questioning, and when he did not answer again, she asked if this was a command from God. He nodded in the affirmative, upon which she said that if it were indeed God’s command, God would take care of them. Such was the faith of the mother of a nation whose roots were planted in this incredible moment of trust in God.

Ibrahim’s Prayer & the Plight of Refugees

Prophet Ibrahim, filled with emotion then turned himself to his Lord who had never abandoned him and, raising his hands to the heavens, entreated God: “Our Lord, I have settled some of my descendants in an uncultivated valley, near Your Sacred House, our Lord, so that they may establish the prayer. So make the hearts of people incline towards them, and provide for them from the fruits that may thank You.” (Chapter 14:37)

The prayer is remarkable in its sincerity and forthrightness was well as in framing a mindset and a culture of hospitality and of embracing others.

The migration and resettlement of Hajar and Ismaeel, and the above prayer of Ibrahim give us cause to reflect on the challenges of being uprooted from a place called home, and to be taken to an unfamiliar place without friend or a support structure.

The mass movement of people across the world today from Syria, Burma, Yemen, Palestine and elsewhere reminds us of the incredible challenge that Hajar faced: being left alone to fend for herself and her infant son, with no food, water, or vegetation.

Over the past century, we have witnessed the plight of refugees from these lands. Some countries in North America, in Europe and in the Muslim world have accepted refugees in varying numbers, while other countries have turned their backs on them in clear cases of racial, ethnic, and religious discrimination.

Despite our open arms at the initial stage of migration, we have forgotten the challenges the new environment poses for refugees, and their struggle for survival.

In a short documentary aired by CBC Television entitled “Sedra” the female teenager named Sedra has to fight for survival even as she lives in an affluent Canadian society. Her father is elderly and ill, her mother suffers from dementia, and all of her siblings have been displaced by war.

For Sedra and others like her, Prophet Ibrahim’s supplication for God to “incline the hearts of men toward them” is a crucial plea. It is a powerful spiritual strategy that must be followed by concrete action to build awareness through conversation, education, and cultural interaction.

Understanding the “Other”

We live at a time when there is much misunderstanding and mistrust of the ‘Other”. There are those who are afraid that the arrival of the refugees may negatively impact their culture, values, and societal benefits. The rise of the far-right to address this perceived threat of “replacement” has manifested itself in one of the most tragic events in recent history when an 18 year old white male, radicalized by extremist views, killed a number of black people in a Detroit supermarket. He had previously articulated extreme views against minorities in general, and black people in particular in a ‘manifesto” he wrote before the mass murders.

It is imperative that civil society, governments, religious leaders, and the media address the views of far-right extremists at every opportunity to stem this tide of hate. Perhaps we can take a page from the playbook of Hajar. She taught us that God will reward effort, determination, and faith in Him. Her proactive efforts to find help after Ibrahim leaves is an act of courage and determination that is enshrined in one of the main rituals of the Hajj – the “Sa’ee” or the walking/partly running between the hills of Safa and Marwa. God almighty rewarded Hajar with the gushing of water from beneath the infant’s feet – water in a desert that attracted and inclined people to settle and make the valley their home, and eventually a Mecca for the world.

The Hajj – a Microcosm of Life

Prophet Ibrahim was a Friend of God. His life, his family’s loyalty to God, and his willingness to surrender to God became the basis for the rituals of the annual Hajj – a microcosm of life itself reflecting themes of departure, struggle, surrender to God’s will, trust in God, sacrifice, and a journey back to Him.

This is why Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) transformed the pagan innovations back to the purity of Ibrahim, and restored the House of God (the Ka’bah) to its place of dignity, free from false deities.

May God enable us to undertake this pilgrimage in honor of the legacy of the great prophets and make it a source of deep reflection on the Abrahamic lessons of migration and resettlement.