Tafsir of As-Saffat 37:103

It is said: "He submitted (sallama) to the command of God," "he surrendered (aslama)," and "he resigned himself (istaslama)" all carry the same meaning. They have all been recited as such. It means to yield and submit. Its root comes from saying: "He surrendered this to so-and-so," meaning it became purely his. Its meaning is: it was safe from being disputed. The phrases "he submitted to God’s command" and "he surrendered to Him" are derived from this. Their true meaning is: he purified his soul for God and made it safe and pure for Him. Likewise, the meaning of istaslama is: he purified his soul for God.

Qatada said regarding "they both submitted": "He [Abraham] submitted his son, and he [Ishmael] submitted his own soul."

"And he put him down upon his forehead": He laid him down on his side, so one of his sides touched the ground, in humility and readiness to carry out the command with patience and fortitude, so that they might please the Most Merciful and disgrace Satan. It is narrated that this occurred at the rock in Mina. Al-Hasan said: At the place overlooking the mosque of Mina. Al-Dahhak said: At the place of slaughter where people slaughter today.

If you ask: Where is the answer to "When" (lamma)? I say: It is omitted. Its estimation is: "When they both submitted and he put him down upon his forehead, and We called to him, 'O Abraham, you have fulfilled the vision,'" there occurred what occurred—things that the situation speaks of, which description cannot encompass, regarding their rejoicing, their happiness, and their praise and gratitude to God for the blessing He bestowed upon them by averting the great trial after it had arrived, and what they gained in the process through their resolve—the reward, the compensation, and the pleasure of God, beyond which there is no greater goal.

His saying: "Indeed, thus do We reward the doers of good" is a justification for the relief He granted them after the hardship, and the attainment of their desire after despair. "The clear trial" (al-bala' al-mubin): The manifest test in which the sincere are distinguished from others, or the trial that is clearly difficult, than which there is no greater trial.

"A great sacrifice" (dhibh 'azim): A large-bodied, fat animal, which is the tradition for sacrifices. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Honor your sacrifices, for they are your mounts on the Path." It is said: It is "great" because it served as a ransom for the son of Abraham. It is narrated that it fled from Abraham at the Jamra, so he threw seven pebbles at it until he caught it, which is why the tradition of throwing pebbles remains. It is also narrated that he threw at Satan when he tried to tempt him during the slaughter of his son. It is narrated that when he slaughtered it, Gabriel said: "God is the Greatest, God is the Greatest," and the one to be slaughtered said: "There is no god but God, and God is the Greatest," and Abraham said: "God is the Greatest, and to God belongs all praise," which became the tradition.

It is recounted in the story of the sacrifice that when he intended to slaughter him, he said: "O my son, take the rope and the knife, and let us go to the mountain pass to gather wood." When they reached the middle of the pass of Thabir, he informed him of what he had been commanded. He said: "Tighten my bonds so I do not struggle, and pull your garments away from me so that none of my blood splashes on them, which would decrease my reward and which my mother might see and grieve. Sharpen your blade and pass it quickly over my throat so it is easier, for death is severe. Give my mother my greetings, and if you wish to return my shirt to her, do so; perhaps it will be easier for her." Abraham said: "You are the best aid, my son, in the command of God." Then he turned to him, turning him over while he had bound him, and they were both weeping. Then he placed the knife on his throat, but it did not cut, because God placed a plate of copper on his throat. He said to him: "Turn me onto my face, for if you look at my face, you will have mercy on me, and a tenderness will overcome you that will stand between you and the command of God." He did so, then placed the knife on the back of his neck, but the knife turned. Then it was called out: "O Abraham, you have fulfilled the vision." He looked and saw Gabriel with a horned, white-and-black ram. Gabriel, the ram, Abraham, and his son all said "Allahu Akbar." He went to the place of slaughter in Mina and sacrificed it.

Abu Hanifa (may God have mercy on him) used this verse as evidence for one who vows to slaughter his son: that he is obligated to slaughter a sheep.

If you ask: Which of his two sons was the one to be slaughtered? I say: There is disagreement. Ibn Abbas, Ibn Umar, Muhammad ibn Ka'b al-Qurazi, and a group of the Successors say it was Ishmael. The argument for this is that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "I am the son of the two who were to be slaughtered," referring to Ishmael and his ancestor Abdullah. Furthermore, God concluded the story of the sacrifice by saying: "And We gave him glad tidings of Isaac, a prophet among the righteous."

Ali ibn Abi Talib, Ibn Mas'ud, al-Abbas, 'Ata, 'Ikrimah, and a group of the Successors say it was Isaac. The argument for this is that God informed us about His friend Abraham, when he migrated to the Levant, that he asked for a son, then followed it with the glad tidings of a forbearing boy, then mentioned his vision of slaughtering that boy who was promised.

If you ask: God commanded Abraham to slaughter his son, yet he did not, and he was told "You have fulfilled the vision," whereas he would only have fulfilled it if the slaughter had actually occurred—how can this be? I say: He exerted his utmost effort and did what a slaughterer does: laying him on his side and passing the blade over his throat. But God Almighty brought about that which prevented the blade from cutting. This does not detract from Abraham's action; he is not called disobedient or negligent, but rather obedient and diligent, just as if the blade had passed through, severed the veins, and shed the blood. This is not a case of abrogation of a command before the act, as some might mistakenly think.

If you ask: God is the one from whom the ransom is made, as He is the one who commanded the slaughter, so how can He be the one "ransoming" (fadaynahu)? I say: The one who ransomed is Abraham (peace be upon him), and God Almighty granted him the ram to be used as a ransom. The phrase "We ransomed him" attributes the ransom to the Cause, which is God, who made the ransom possible by His gift.