Tafsir of As-Saffat 37:107

{And We ransomed him with a sacrifice}—that is, with an animal to be slaughtered in his stead—{great}.

It is said that "great" refers to its physical stature and fatness; it was a white, horned, large-eyed ram. In another narration, it is described as amlah (a mixture of black and white) instead of white. According to al-Hasan, it descended from Mount Thabir. The majority hold the first view, though al-Hasan concurred with them in a narration reported by Ibn Abi Hatim, which adds that its name was Harir. The Jews also maintain that it was a ram.

Most commentators interpreted "great" as meaning great in status and worth. According to what is reported from Ibn ‘Abbas, this is because it was the same ram that Abel had offered as a sacrifice, which was accepted from him and remained grazing in Paradise until the day of this ransom. In another narration from him and from Ibn Jubayr, they stated: "Its greatness lies in the fact that it was one of the rams of Paradise, having grazed there for forty autumns."

Mujahid said it was described as great because it was accepted with certainty. Al-Hasan ibn al-Fadl said: "Because it was from Allah, the Mighty and Majestic." Abu Bakr al-Warraq said: "Because it was not the product of reproduction, but of direct creation (takwin)." ‘Amr ibn ‘Ubayd said: "Because the Sunnah was established through it, and it became an enduring religious practice until the end of time."

It is also said that it was "great" because it was the ransom for a prophet, the son of a prophet, and because it descended from Thabir, as al-Hasan said regarding the mountain goat, which is also mentioned in a narration from Ibn ‘Abbas. In a narration from ‘Ali—may Allah honor his countenance—it is said that Abraham, peace be upon him, found it tethered to a samurah (acacia) tree at the base of Thabir. ‘Ata’ ibn al-Sa’ib said: "I was sitting at the place of slaughter (al-manhar) when a Qurashi man told me on the authority of his father that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to him: 'The ram descended upon Abraham in this very place.'"

In a narration from Ibn ‘Abbas, it is stated that a ram emerged for him from Paradise, having grazed there for forty autumns. Abraham, peace be upon him, let his son go, and the ram followed him. He threw seven pebbles at it and drove it out at the first Jamrah; it escaped, so he threw seven pebbles at it and drove it out at the middle Jamrah; it escaped, so he threw seven pebbles at it and drove it out at the great Jamrah. He then brought it to the place of slaughter in Mina and sacrificed it. It is said that this is the origin of the Sunnah of stoning the Jamarat.

However, the well-known view is that the origin of the Sunnah is the stoning of Satan in those locations. In a report from Qatadah, Satan sought to fulfill his desire against Abraham and his son on the day he was commanded to sacrifice him. He appeared in the form of a friend and tried to turn him away from it, but he could not. He then intercepted the son, but could not. He came to the Jamrah and swelled up until he blocked the valley. An angel was with Abraham, and he said to him, "Stone, O Abraham!" So he threw seven pebbles, saying Allahu Akbar after each pebble, and the path was cleared for him. He then proceeded until he reached the second Jamrah, and he [Satan] blocked the valley again. The angel said, "Stone, O Abraham!" So he threw as he did the first time, and likewise at the third.

The apparent meaning of the verse is that the ransom was a single animal, which is the well-known view. ‘Abd ibn Humayd reported from Ibn ‘Abbas that he was ransomed with two amlah, horned, large-eyed rams, but I do not know of its authenticity. If that were authentic, the word "sacrifice" (dhibh) would refer to the species.

The one who performed the ransom in reality was Abraham, peace be upon him. Allah, the Exalted, said, "We ransomed him," using the term "ransom" metaphorically—meaning We commanded it, or We bestowed it, or it is attributed to Him, the Exalted. It is also permitted that there is a isti‘arah makniyyah (implied metaphor) here. The benefit of departing from the literal meaning is to signify glorification.