A story
Prophet Ishaq and the Good News at the Tent
Prophet Ibrahim, peace be upon him, was known for many good things. He worshipped Allah alone. He was patient and wise. And he was famous for something else too. He was the most generous host. Whenever a guest came to his tent, Ibrahim welcomed them warmly and gave them the very best food he had.
Ibrahim lived with his wife Sarah in the land of Palestine. They had a home of tents, with sheep and cows and goats around them. Every morning, the sun rose over the hills and turned the sky pink and gold.
Ibrahim and Sarah were old now. Ibrahim's hair and beard were white. Sarah was old too. For many years, she had hoped to have a baby, but she had never had one. Ibrahim's son Ismail lived far away, in the valley of Makkah, with his mother Hajar. Sarah still had no child of her own.
But Sarah never stopped being thankful to Allah. She helped Ibrahim, she cared for the guests, and she trusted Allah's plan.
One day, some visitors came to the tent. They were strangers. Ibrahim had never seen them before.
"Peace," they said.
"Peace," answered Ibrahim, and he welcomed them in.
Ibrahim did not ask them who they were. He did not ask why they had come. A good host takes care of his guests first. So Ibrahim hurried quietly to his family. He chose a fine, fat calf, and he had it cooked. Then he brought the roasted meat and placed it close to his guests.
"Will you not eat?" Ibrahim asked kindly.
But the guests did not reach for the food. They did not take even a little bite. Ibrahim was puzzled. In those days, when a guest would not eat your food, it could mean that something was wrong. Ibrahim began to feel uneasy.
The guests saw his face. "Do not be afraid," they said. They told him who they really were. They were angels, sent by Allah! Angels do not eat or drink, and that was why they had not touched the food.
The angels had come with a message. They had good news, wonderful news, for Ibrahim and Sarah.
They said that Allah would give Ibrahim and Sarah a son. His name would be Ishaq. And after Ishaq, there would be a grandson named Yaqub (Surah Hud, 11:71).
Sarah was standing nearby. When she heard this, she was amazed. She struck her face in wonder, the way people sometimes do when they are very surprised. She said, "How can I have a baby? I am an old woman, and my husband here is an old man. This is a very strange thing!" (Surah Hud, 11:72).
The angels answered her gently. "Are you amazed at the command of Allah? The mercy of Allah and His blessings are upon you, O people of this house" (Surah Hud, 11:73).
Nothing is too hard for Allah. When Allah wants something to happen, He only says, "Be," and it is.
Ibrahim and Sarah were filled with joy. They thanked Allah with all their hearts.
And Allah's promise came true. In time, Sarah had a baby boy. They named him Ishaq, peace be upon him. In English his name is Isaac.
Can you imagine how happy that little tent was? Ishaq's first cry. His first smile. His first wobbly steps on the soft sand. Ibrahim and Sarah watched him grow, and they said "Alhamdulillah" again and again.
Ibrahim taught Ishaq to worship Allah alone, just as he had taught Ismail. He taught him to pray and to be truthful. He taught him to be kind to guests and generous to the poor.
Ishaq and his big brother Ismail lived far apart, in different lands. Both of them were sons of Ibrahim. Both of them grew up to be prophets of Allah.
Allah tells us in the Quran that He gave Ibrahim good news of Ishaq, "a prophet from among the righteous" (Surah As-Saffat, 37:112). And Allah blessed both Ibrahim and Ishaq.
When Ishaq grew up, Allah chose him to be a prophet. He called the people of his land to worship Allah alone. He was calm and good, and he followed the way of his father Ibrahim.
Ishaq married and had children. And just as the angels had promised, one of them was Yaqub, peace be upon him. Yaqub also became a prophet. Later, Yaqub's son Yusuf became a prophet too. One family, blessed by Allah, with prophet after prophet.
Allah says in the Quran that He gave Ibrahim Ishaq and Yaqub, and that He made each of them righteous (Surah Al-Anbiya, 21:72). Allah also says that they were leaders who guided people by His command, and that they did good deeds, prayed, and gave charity (Surah Al-Anbiya, 21:73).
In the mornings, when the sky over the tents turned pink and gold, the family would wake up and pray together. The sheep would bleat. The birds would sing. The last stars would fade away, one by one.
And sometimes, Ibrahim would remember that special day when the strangers came. He had welcomed them with his best food, without even knowing who they were. And they had brought him the best news of his life.
Ibrahim's generosity teaches us something beautiful. When we are kind and welcoming to others, we never know what blessings Allah may send to us.
And Sarah's story teaches us something too. Even when something we hope for seems impossible, we should never lose hope in the mercy of Allah. Allah is the Most Generous. He can do anything.
Prophet Ishaq, peace be upon him, was a gift of good news. He was born to parents who were old and hopeful. He grew up to be a righteous prophet. And his whole life was a sign that Allah's mercy is bigger than anything we can imagine.
Ibrahim lived with his wife Sarah in the land of Palestine. They had a home of tents, with sheep and cows and goats around them. Every morning, the sun rose over the hills and turned the sky pink and gold.
Ibrahim and Sarah were old now. Ibrahim's hair and beard were white. Sarah was old too. For many years, she had hoped to have a baby, but she had never had one. Ibrahim's son Ismail lived far away, in the valley of Makkah, with his mother Hajar. Sarah still had no child of her own.
But Sarah never stopped being thankful to Allah. She helped Ibrahim, she cared for the guests, and she trusted Allah's plan.
One day, some visitors came to the tent. They were strangers. Ibrahim had never seen them before.
"Peace," they said.
"Peace," answered Ibrahim, and he welcomed them in.
Ibrahim did not ask them who they were. He did not ask why they had come. A good host takes care of his guests first. So Ibrahim hurried quietly to his family. He chose a fine, fat calf, and he had it cooked. Then he brought the roasted meat and placed it close to his guests.
"Will you not eat?" Ibrahim asked kindly.
But the guests did not reach for the food. They did not take even a little bite. Ibrahim was puzzled. In those days, when a guest would not eat your food, it could mean that something was wrong. Ibrahim began to feel uneasy.
The guests saw his face. "Do not be afraid," they said. They told him who they really were. They were angels, sent by Allah! Angels do not eat or drink, and that was why they had not touched the food.
The angels had come with a message. They had good news, wonderful news, for Ibrahim and Sarah.
They said that Allah would give Ibrahim and Sarah a son. His name would be Ishaq. And after Ishaq, there would be a grandson named Yaqub (Surah Hud, 11:71).
Sarah was standing nearby. When she heard this, she was amazed. She struck her face in wonder, the way people sometimes do when they are very surprised. She said, "How can I have a baby? I am an old woman, and my husband here is an old man. This is a very strange thing!" (Surah Hud, 11:72).
The angels answered her gently. "Are you amazed at the command of Allah? The mercy of Allah and His blessings are upon you, O people of this house" (Surah Hud, 11:73).
Nothing is too hard for Allah. When Allah wants something to happen, He only says, "Be," and it is.
Ibrahim and Sarah were filled with joy. They thanked Allah with all their hearts.
And Allah's promise came true. In time, Sarah had a baby boy. They named him Ishaq, peace be upon him. In English his name is Isaac.
Can you imagine how happy that little tent was? Ishaq's first cry. His first smile. His first wobbly steps on the soft sand. Ibrahim and Sarah watched him grow, and they said "Alhamdulillah" again and again.
Ibrahim taught Ishaq to worship Allah alone, just as he had taught Ismail. He taught him to pray and to be truthful. He taught him to be kind to guests and generous to the poor.
Ishaq and his big brother Ismail lived far apart, in different lands. Both of them were sons of Ibrahim. Both of them grew up to be prophets of Allah.
Allah tells us in the Quran that He gave Ibrahim good news of Ishaq, "a prophet from among the righteous" (Surah As-Saffat, 37:112). And Allah blessed both Ibrahim and Ishaq.
When Ishaq grew up, Allah chose him to be a prophet. He called the people of his land to worship Allah alone. He was calm and good, and he followed the way of his father Ibrahim.
Ishaq married and had children. And just as the angels had promised, one of them was Yaqub, peace be upon him. Yaqub also became a prophet. Later, Yaqub's son Yusuf became a prophet too. One family, blessed by Allah, with prophet after prophet.
Allah says in the Quran that He gave Ibrahim Ishaq and Yaqub, and that He made each of them righteous (Surah Al-Anbiya, 21:72). Allah also says that they were leaders who guided people by His command, and that they did good deeds, prayed, and gave charity (Surah Al-Anbiya, 21:73).
In the mornings, when the sky over the tents turned pink and gold, the family would wake up and pray together. The sheep would bleat. The birds would sing. The last stars would fade away, one by one.
And sometimes, Ibrahim would remember that special day when the strangers came. He had welcomed them with his best food, without even knowing who they were. And they had brought him the best news of his life.
Ibrahim's generosity teaches us something beautiful. When we are kind and welcoming to others, we never know what blessings Allah may send to us.
And Sarah's story teaches us something too. Even when something we hope for seems impossible, we should never lose hope in the mercy of Allah. Allah is the Most Generous. He can do anything.
Prophet Ishaq, peace be upon him, was a gift of good news. He was born to parents who were old and hopeful. He grew up to be a righteous prophet. And his whole life was a sign that Allah's mercy is bigger than anything we can imagine.
