Being thankful increases one’s lot. Complaining, which is sign of being ungrateful, causes it to decrease and leads to deprivation. Abraham (as) Visits Ismail (as)..

Abraham (as) Visits Ismail (as)

Ismail (as) had married a Jurhumite woman. He was much loved and respected by the people. He learnt Arabic from them. His mother, Hagar passed away at the age of 99. She was buried in the Hijr area near the Ka’bah.

Our Prophet (saw) explains:

“After Ismail (as) married, Abraham (as) paid him a visit. Ismail (as) was not at home, so he asked about his whereabouts:

‘He has gone to earn bread for us’, said his wife. Abraham (as) then asked, ‘How are you getting by?’

She said, ‘We are in fierce poverty. Our situation is very bad’.

He said, ‘When your husband returns, give him my greetings and tell him to replace his threshold!’

Ismail (as) returned and quickly realised from the beautiful smell in the air that his father had come and gone.

‘Has anyone come over in my absence?’ he nonetheless asked.

‘Yes, an old man. He inquired about you and asked how we were getting by. I told him we are in need’, his wife said.

‘Did he say anything else?’ asked Ismail (as).

‘He sent his greetings and advised you to replace your threshold.’

Ismail (as) knew exactly what that meant.

‘That old man is my father’, he said. ‘He has told me to divorce you. You may now return to your family!’. He then left home and married another Jurhumite woman not long after.

After a while, Abraham (as) returned and once again, Ismail (as) was not home. He asked his new wife where he was.

‘He has gone to earn a bread for us’, she said.

‘Are you getting by?’ he asked.

‘Thank Allah’, she said. ‘We are in bliss and abundance’.

‘What do you have to eat and drink?’ Abraham (as) inquired.

‘Meat and water’, she replied. Abraham (as) then prayed, ‘My Lord…make their meat and water sacred…and shower them in abundance!”

He then added, ‘Give my greetings to your husband and tell him to take good care of his threshold!’

When Ismail (as) returned, he again knew that his father had come and gone. He asked his wife, ‘Did anyone come while I was away?’

‘Yes’, she said. ‘An elderly man with a comforting appearance. He asked about you and I told him that you had gone to earn a crust. He asked how we were doing and I said we were doing great.’

‘Did he give any advice?’ Ismail (as) asked.

‘Yes, he sent you his greetings and advised you to take good care of your threshold!’

‘That elderly man is my dad’, Ismail (as) said, ‘…and you are the threshold of our lovely home. My dad has told me to keep you happy and take good care of you.’” (Al-Bukhari, Anbiya, 9)

This incident makes it clear that being thankful increases one’s lot. Complaining, which is sign of being ungrateful, causes it to decrease and leads to deprivation.

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Source: Osman Nuri TOPBAŞ, The History Of Prophets In Light Of The Qur’an –
The Chain Of Prophets

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