‘O ISMAEL! ALLAH has given me an order,’ said Ibrahim (as).
‘Do what your Lord has ordered you to do,’ Ismael (as) replied.
‘Will you help me?’
‘I will help you.’
‘Allah has ordered me to build a house here,’ pointing to a hill.
So, they set the foundations of the House (the Ka’bah). Ismael (as) brought the stones while Ibrahim (as) built. As they built, both would say:
رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّآ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ
“Our Lord! Accept this service from us. Indeed, You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.” (al Baqarah 127)
They continued building and going around the Ka’bah saying this.
There are several lessons that we can take from this incident.
1. Build our Islam together
How do we spend the time that we have with our children? Is it time spent together in the remembrance of Allah ﷻ and in His obedience? Is it spent building Islam together and working for the akhirah?
Ibrahim (as) built the Ka’bah with his son and they made tawaf and dua together. They together left a legacy that remains to this day and beyond where Believers from every generation have travelled to the House to perform the Hajj and Umrah and will continue to do so till the end of this world.
There is a time for fun and play. But there is more. Many fathers go to the masjid, pray, recite, do da’wah etc. But where are the children? Why aren’t they joining in? What legacy is being left?
Islam is not individualistic rather it is collective. If we do not embody that in an already highly individualistic society, then what are we teaching our children and what type of Muslims will they become?
Practically, there are simple things that we can do. Pray together. Recite together. Give charity together. Attend the masajid and other Islamic gatherings together. Do dawah and community work together. Build our Islam together.
In a time where we see increasing numbers of youth in the West leaving Islam completely, research suggests that children of parents who engage and take their children to Islamic activities and events are more likely to retain their links to Islam than those who are isolated from it.
2. Empowering children
Engage and encourage. Notice how Ibrahim (as) asked his son: ‘Will you help me?’ after saying that Allah ﷻ had given him an order.
It helps to invest time explaining Islam to our children. Show the importance of matters and then engage them in action so that they come willingly. Often children do actions without an understanding of the why and Islam is reduced to do and don’t, and empty rituals. Rather, build the link to Allah’s ﷻ obedience and love and following the sunnah of our Beloved ﷺ.
3. We need the youth to step up
Ismael (as) came to his father’s aid. His father did not need to plead and beg and cajole. The work for Islam is not a one-sided effort. Where are you in this work? Where are you when your parents need you? Where are you when your community needs you? Where are you when your ummah needs you? What is distracting you from what is most important and most needed?
Look throughout our history and you will find that the young people have always had the energy to take Islam far. So, apply your energy to the cause of Islam and all that which is good.
رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّآ ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ
“Our Lord! Accept this service from us. Indeed, You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.” (al Baqarah 127)
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