Hagar: Allah‘s Sincere Believer and a Mother {Islamic Events Interpretation}

 

Safa and Marwa during the Hajj

According to Islamic tradition, Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was commanded by Allah to leave Hagar (peace be upon her) and her son Ismail (peace be upon him) in a vast desert, devoid of water or food. When they reached a certain spot in the desert, he prepared to leave them, following Allah’s command. At that moment, she asked him whether this was indeed an instruction from Allah. He affirmed it, and she was then comforted—accepting it as Allah’s will.

He left her alone in the desert with her newborn. As a mother, she searched desperately for water or any sign of life to feed her baby. She moved back and forth between two hills, running tirelessly through the vast desert. Her determination and desperation continued until Allah’s miracle occurred: Zamzam, a water source, sprang from the ground. She gave the water to Ismail to drink, and life began to flourish as people later settled in that area.

In the fifth pillar of Islam, Hajj (for those who are able to perform it), the fast walking of Hagar is commemorated. This act serves as a reminder to all Muslims—both men and women—of what she endured. The water of Zamzam is considered a blessing to those who drink it. I interpret it as part of Allah’s miracle: a means to populate a barren land through the reward of our mother Hagar’s unwavering faith and effort. That once-barren land is now modern-day Saudi Arabia.

There are rewards from Allah for those who seek and strive. However, not all rewards are given in this life. Some are saved for the afterlife—determined by Allah alone, beyond human measure. In Hagar’s story, Allah rewarded her perseverance with a miracle—witnessed by generations of Muslims. But remember: this was Hagar (peace be upon her). Rewards will come to those who are deserving, either during this brief life or in the life to come. Nothing is ever wasted.