Note [original edition] : I dreamed that I should sacrifice thee, &c.]
The commentators say, that
Abraham was ordered in a vision, which he
saw on the eighth night of the month
Dhu’lhajja, to sacrifice his son; and to
assure him that this was not from the devil, as he was inclined to suspect,
the same vision was repeated a second time the next night, when he
knew it to
be from
God, and also a third time the night following, when he resolved to
obey it, and to
sacrifice his son; and hence some think the 8th, 9th, and
10th days of
Dhu’lhajja are called
Yawm altarwiya, yawm arafat, and
yawm
alnehr, that is,
the day of the vision, the day of knowledge, and
the day of
the sacrifice.
It is the most received opinion among the
Mohammedans that the son whom
Abraham offered was
Ismael, and not
Isaac, Ismael being his only son at that
time: for the promise of
Isaac’s birth is mentioned lower, as subsequent in
time to this transaction. They also allege the testimony of their prophet,
who is reported to have said, I am the son of the two who were offered in
sacrifice; meaning his great ancestor,
Ismael, and his own father
Abd’allah:
for
Abd’almotalleb had made a vow that if
God would permit him to find out and
open the well
Zemzem, and should give him ten sons, he would sacrifice one of
them. Accordingly, when he had obtained his desire in both respects, he cast
lots on his sons, and the lot falling on
Abd’allah, he redeemed him by
offering a hundred camels, which was therefore ordered to be the price of a
man’s blood in the
Sonna
1.
-
1
Idem, Jallalo’ddin, al Zamakh.