RECORD OF THE BIRTH OF THE LORD ESAHÂQ [ISAAC] BY THE POWER OF THE INSCRUTABLE CREATOR DURING THE OLD AGE OF THE LORD EBRAHIM AND LADY SARAH.

After the Almighty—w. n. b. e.—had bestowed Esma’il upon Ebrahim, Hâjar became exalted and vainglorious on account of this great gift, whilst Sarah was very anxious to have a son by whom the nobleness of her race might be perpetuated. When Jebrâil had been deputed with the angels for the extirpation of the people of Lôt, they first stopped at Ebrahim’s house as has been mentioned before. All the guests were handsome-looking young men, and as Ebrahim thought they were really human beings, he roasted a calf and offered it to them. They asked how they could eat thereof, as they had not paid for it. Ebra­him replied: ‘When you begin the meal say, “In the name of Allah,” and when you finish it say, “Praise be to Allah,” and its price will be paid.’ Then Jebrâil said to the other angels: ‘The Lord of Glory—w. n. b. e.—has not selected Ebrahim without a cause to wear the robe of prophecy.’ They abstained, however, from eating, despite Ebrahim’s invitation. At that time it was also the custom to con­sider anyone who would not partake of food offered to him as an enemy who wished evil to the host. Therefore Ebrahim was distressed, but they reassured him, saying: ‘Be not afraid, for we are angels, who have been ordered to chastise the people of Lôt.’

On that occasion, when the angels were sitting in the habitation of Ebrahim, Sarah was standing behind the curtain, according to the word of God: ‘And his wife was standing by, and she laughed; then we promised to her Esahâq and after him Yaqûb.’* Some have said that here the words ‘she laughed’ mean that her courses had come upon her. Most expounders, however, take the expression in its natural meaning, although they differ as to the cause of the laughter. One opinion is that when the angels refused to eat Sarah laughed, saying: ‘These are indeed strange guests for whom we have prepared roast meat, but they do not eat.’ Another opinion is that she laughed for joy when she heard of the punishment in store for the people of Lôt; and according to a third, she laughed from astonishment when she was informed that she would bear a son, because she and her husband were old; accordingly she said: ‘Alas! shall I bear a son, who am old; this my husband being also advanced in years? Verily, this would be a wonderful thing.’* The angels said: ‘Dost thou wonder that the All-powerful One, who has by His perfect omnipotence and infinite wisdom created Adam the pure from dark loam without the interference of parents, should produce a gentle infant from the womb of an old woman?’ When seven days had elapsed Sarah became pregnant with Esahâq, and after the completion of the requisite time the propitious star of his prophecy arose from the orient of glory.

Some have asserted that Ebrahim was one hundred, and Sarah ninety, years of age at the time of Esahâq’s birth, and Muhammad Bin Almansûr Al-Nishapuri relates in the ‘Qasas’ that during the night of Esahâq’s birth one thousand stars assembled in the sky in the sight of Ebrahim, who became astonished at their union, asked Jebrâil, and received the answer that it implied that one thousand prophets would originate from the loins of this infant. Then Ebrahim besought the Almighty Nourisher that, since such a favour was in store for Esahâq, He would likewise allow Esma’il to participate in some favour. Then the allocution reached him that a prophet would arise from the seed of Esma’il, who would be the supreme ornament and diadem of all the prophets, and whose intercession would be needed by the nations of ancient and modern times. Ebrahim thanked the Almighty, and said: ‘Praise be to Allah, who has given me Esahâq and Esma’il in my old age, for my Lord has heard my prayer.’ Others have narrated that Ebrahim was, in his ninetieth year, divinely inspired to introduce the law of circumcision, and that he circumcised Esma’il in the thirteenth, but Esahâq in the first year of his age. Others state that Esma’il was only five years older than Esahâq, and others fourteen years. When these two august sons were grown up, Ebrahim was commanded to sacrifice one of them.