The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume I — Page 89
III - Makkah, the Ka ‘ bah & the Quraish 89 In other words, when Abraham as began to depart, after leaving Hagar as and Ishmael as in the Valley of Makkah, at some distance he cast a glance back and supplicated before God in the following manner: “Our Lord, I have settled some of my children in an uncultivable valley near Thy Sacred House – Our Lord – I have done so that they may worship Thee and their lives may be dedicated to Thee. So make men’s hearts incline towards them and provide them with the best of fruits, that they may be grateful to Thee” 1 Generally, historians narrate, and it is also mentioned in Ḥadīth , that upon the complete depletion of her provisions, due to natural human necessity; Hagar as became concerned for the well-being of her child. She began to dash here and there in search of water but not a drop of water was to be found and the infant’s condition continued to deteriorate. Ultimately, Hagar as could not bear the sight of Ishmael’s as worsening condition. Hence, she got up, so that she would not be compelled to witness the death of her child by thirst and looked towards the heavens and cried. Again she began to run here and there in search of water. She climbed up the mountain of Ṣafā, but when she was unable to find anything, she ran to the mountain of Marwah. From there, she once again ran back to Ṣafā, and in this manner, performed seven circuits between these mountains in a state of extreme anxiety and helplessness. At the same time she would cry bitterly and would supplicate continuously before God, but no water could be found, nor was there a man in sight. At last, when Hagar’s as anguish reached its pinnacle, after her seventh circuit she heard an unseen voice saying, “O Hagar! God has heard the cry of you and your son. ” Upon hearing this voice, she returned to where her child writhed in agony and found an angel of God striking the ground with the heel of his foot, in a manner, as if excavating, in the extraction of something. As Hagar as moved forward she found a spring of water gushing forth where the angel ploughed the earth by the heel of his foot. Hagar’s as joy knew no bounds. She immediately quenched 1 Ibrāhīm (14:38)