So, Ibrahim (AS) past one test after another. And every time he did that, he reached a higher status in the sight of Allah, and he reached a higher status in this world. And a time came when Allah (SWT) commanded him to construct or to erect the structure of the ka’bah. Now, the ka’bah is a place that is purely for Allah (SWT). It is the place of absolute submission to Allah, so Allah would only take that work from someone who had himself absolutely submitted to Allah. Allah (SWT) had told Ibrahim (AS) a long time ago aslim, o Ibrahim submit, completely, entirely. Ibrahim (AS) didn’t hesitate, he said aslamtu lillahi rabbil ‘aalameen. I submit completely, entirely to the lord of the universe. And it wasn’t just a statement that he was saying, but it was something that he did over and over and over again after being tested through dozens of tests. Now he has proven that he is pure, he is 100% committed to Allah, he has nothing in his life that can distract him from the command of Allah. There is nothing that he’d rather do than please Allah. And that ultimate sacrifice involving Ismaeel (AS) was the last of those series of tests. So, Allah (SWT) then after that and of course his son had proven himself to be completely dedicated to Allah, this is the father and son, this is the team that is going to build my house. So sometimes it’s not just about the structure, it’s not just about the building and institute, it’s about the sacrifice that has gone behind it that gives it it’s life, that gives it it’s true legacy. Otherwise, someone could say that the Ka’bah is just a structure, it’s got bricks, and it’s got a roof and it’s got four walls. It’s not about those bricks and those 4 walls, it’s about what it represents and what occurred behind it in order for this building to be erected. And it must be, imagine what a powerful place it is that all of mankind is commanded to face towards one structure, no matter where in the world they are. Wa min haythu kharajta fawalli wajhaka shatral masjidil haram, wa haythu maa kuntum fawalloo wujoohakum shatrah. No matter where you are everyone faces one direction. That direction that structure, it symbolizes facing Allah and running towards Allah. So Ibrahim (AS) and his son raised the foundation of this structure, and because their work was for Allah, what didn’t matter was what people think of this, and how people like it. What did matter was that Allah (SWT) accepts it. So while they were building this hose, and Allah (SWT) gave him something like the maqam of Ibrahim, that stone that Ibrahim (AS) stood on, and it would raise him like a crane, like a lift, and he would be placing the stones, and then it will lower and then it will rise. And up till today it has the footprints of Ibrahim (AS) in it and it’s there right in front of the Ka’bah. Anyone who goes there to make tawaf, you’ll see the maqam Ibrahim right there. So, both father and son are making this du’a rabbanaa taqabbal minnaa innaka antas-samee’ul ‘aleem. You can hear what we’re saying, and you know what we’re doing, and you also know our intentions. You see all, you hear all, you know all, nothing escapes your knowledge. And o Allah after all we are human beings, and there might be some mistake that we don’t even know that we’re committing in this process. Maybe we’re leaving something out. Wa tub ‘alaynaa innaka antat-tawwaabur-raheem. O Allah forgive us, because you are the one who forgives not once, but over and over again. Tawaab is the one who forgives time and again, repeatedly. A person continues to commit sins, Allah (SWT) continues to forgive them. Ar-raheem, the most merciful. And then the next du’a, rabbanaa waj’alnaa muslimayni lak. O Allah, make us both completely submissive to you. Make us both proper muslims, can you imagine? The people from whom we got Islam were concerned about being proper Muslims in the sight of Allah. Wa ja’alnaa muslimayni lak, wa min dhurriyatina ummatam-muslimatal-lak. And from our progenies, from our offspring that will come after us, create an ummah that will submit to you. Make us subservient and submissive to your command and only you, and produce an ummah, create an ummah that will do the exact same after us. And then they knew that that ummah is going to need some guidance, they’re going to need someone to demonstrate to them what Allah wants, and someone who can teach them what things to avoid, and someone who can give them solutions to their problems. So, they made du’a for a nabi, rabbanaa wab’ath feehim rasulam-minhum, send to them a prophet from this place, yatloo ‘alaihim ayaatik, who tells them what you have revealed, tells them about you, tells them about who you are. Wa yu’allimuhumul kitaaba wal hikmah, teaches them about the book and wisdom, wa yuzakkeehim¸ and reforms them, fixes them, helps them improve. These are some of the du’as that Ibrahim (AS) and Ismaeel (AS) were making as they were constructing baytullah. Every du’a in the Qur’an is a message to you and I, it’s a lesson for us. Of what things we should be aiming for in life, every single du’a. There are many many places in the Qur’an where it starts with rabbanaa. Go through those verses and see what Allah is telling us to ask. What does Allah want me to ask? That’s what Allah actually wants to give me. So, I should ask for those things, and whatever we ask for, we also have to work for. We ask Allah to give us those things, and then we work for them. We work hard so we can gain those things. Just like we ask Allah for rizq, for sustenance, but we also work for it. So, these are some insights from the life of Ibrahim (AS), and very important lessons that all of us can benefit from. We should learn the du’as of Ibrahim (AS). And we should also learnt he lifestyle of Ibrahim (AS) in more detail, and we should keep thinking about it. This is the season where everyone’s talking about Ibrahim (AS) and his sacrifices. We can make it very meaningful and life changing for ourselves. May Allah give us Tawfik.
