Bismillāh
وَفَدَيْنَاهُ بِذِبْحٍ عَظِيمٍ
And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice..
Sūrat As-Sāfāt, No.37, Āyat 107
After Prophet Ibrāhīm ‘alayhis salām demonstrated complete submission to Allah’s command by preparing to sacrifice his beloved son, Ismā‘īl (a), Allah miraculously intervened before the sacrifice was carried out. Ismā‘īl (a) was replaced with a ram, which Ibrāhīm (a) sacrificed in his place. Thus, the ram became the fidā’ (ransom), as it was slaughtered instead of Ismā‘īl (a). The Qur’ān describes this ram as a “great sacrifice” (dhibh ‘azīm). Based on the apparent meaning of the passage, its greatness lies in the fact that it was a miraculous provision from Allah and served as the divine substitute through which Ibrāhīm’s trial reached its completion.
The Ahl al-Bayt (a), however, provide a deeper meaning behind this verse. Shi’ite narrations explain that this event was one of many occasions on which previous prophets were informed of and grieved over the future martyrdom of Imam Husayn (a). In a narration from Imam al-Ridā (a) in the book ‘Uyūn Akhbār al-Ridā (vol. 1, p. 209), Prophet Ibrāhīm (a) wished that he had experienced the pain of sacrificing his own son so that he might attain the high reward reserved for those who endure the greatest of afflictions. Allah then asked Ibrahim (a) whether he loved Prophet Muhammad (s) more than himself and whether he loved Muhammad’s son more than his own son. When Ibrāhīm (a) affirmed that he did, Allah said:
O Ibrāhīm! A group who claim to belong to the nation of Muhammad will kill his son Husayn after him, wrongfully and out of aggression, just as a ram is slaughtered. By doing so, they will incur My wrath.
Ibrāhīm (a) was overcome with grief and he began to weep. At this point, Allah revealed to him:
O Ibrāhīm! I have accepted your grief over Husayn and his killing in place of the grief you would have experienced over your son Ismā‘īl had you sacrificed him with your own hand. Through this, I have granted you the highest ranks of those rewarded for enduring afflictions.
Such narrations reveal the unique station of Imam Husayn (a) among all of Allah’s creation. His sacrifice was not merely a historical event confined to Karbala but a divinely ordained tragedy whose significance was known to the prophets long before it occurred.
This verse also carries a lesson for every believer. The sacrifice of Imam Husayn (a) exemplifies the highest expression of submission to Allah. Imam Husayn (a) willingly gave up his wealth, his companions, his family, and ultimately his own life so that the religion of Islam would remain protected from distortion and corruption. His example serves as an inspiration for believers to recognize the importance of sacrificing for the sake of Allah.
We pray to Allah, through the intercession of His most perfect creation, Muhammad (s), and his martyred grandson, Imam Husayn (a), to grant us a deep and lasting emotional connection with the Imam during these days of Muharram. May He enable us to embody the values for which Husayn (a) gave everything, and may He grant us the tawfīq to live lives of sincere servitude, unwavering obedience, and steadfast devotion to Him.
Sources: ‘Allāmah Muhammad Husayn Tabātabā’ī, Tafsīr al-Mīzān.