Surah ‘Ibrahim – Verse 37 رَبَّنَآ إِنّـِي أَسْكَنتُ مِن...
that they may establish prayer; therefore, make the hearts of some people yearn towards them, and provide them with fruits so that they may be grateful.” When Allah bestowed Ishmael to Abraham in his old age, He commanded him to settle that child with his mother in Mecca. Abraham obeyed the Divine order and then he prayed for them. Some Islamic quotations denote that Imam Baqir (as) said: “We are the Ahl-ul-Bayt of the Messenger of Allah (S) and the remaining descendents of Abraham.
That is why the people’s hearts are inclined towards us.” Then, he recited this verse: “Our Lord! Verily I have settled (a part) of my offspring in a valley without cultivation…” The Ka‘bah was located in a desert with no water and vegetation so that the people might be tried by it.
As Hadrat-i-Ali (as) declared in the sermon of Ghasiyah: “If the Ka‘bah were situated in a place with a good climate, the people would not go on a pilgrimage toward it for the sake of Allah.” The call and prayers of the prophets (as) are accepted.
Abraham in this verse says: “…and provide them with fruits…” In another verse Allah says: “…a safe, sacred territory to which fruits of every kind shall be drawn?…” [^7] Imam Baqir (as) has stated: “Whatever fruits are found in the east or in the west of the world can be found in Mecca”. However, Abraham (as) continued with his prayers and his invocation as follows: “Our Lord!
Verily I have settled (a part) of my offspring in a valley without cultivation near Your Sacred House, in order, Our Lord! that they may establish prayer…” Afterwards, when Allah bestowed a son on Abraham from his female-slave, Hajar, and called him Isma‘il, his first wife’s jealousy, Sarah, was provoked and, she could not tolerate Hajar and her son.
She asked Abraham to take that mother and child to another place, and Abraham submitted to this request which was in accordance with Allah’s command. Ishmael and his mother, Hajar, were taken by him to the land of Mecca which was then an arid land, lacking everything in those days. He left them there and said Good-bye to them.