Al-Qur'an Surah As-Saffat Verse 103

Mufti Taqi Usmani

So, (it was a great episode) when both of them submitted themselves (to Allah’s will), and he laid him on his forehead (to slaughter him),

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Then when they submitted ˹to Allah’s Will˺, and Abraham laid him on the side of his forehead ˹for sacrifice˺,

Ruwwad Translation Center

When they both submitted [to Allah’s command] and Abraham laid him on his forehead,

A. J. Arberry

When they had surrendered, and he flung him upon his brow,

Abdul Haleem

When they had both submitted to God, and he had laid his son down on the side of his face,

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Then when the twain had submitted themselves and he had prostrated him upon his temple.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

So when they had both submitted their wills (to Allah), and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead (for sacrifice),

Abul Ala Maududi

When both surrendered (to Allah's command) and Abraham flung the son down on his forehead,

Ahmed Ali

When they submitted to the will of God, and (Abraham) laid (his son) down prostrate on his temple,

Ahmed Raza Khan

Then (remember) when they both submitted to Allah’s command, and Ibrahim lay his son facing downwards. (The knife did not hurt Ismail)

Ali Quli Qarai

So when they had both surrendered [to Allah’s will], and he had laid him down on his forehead,

Ali Ünal

Then when both had submitted to God’s will, and Abraham had laid him down on the side of his forehead,

Amatul Rahman Omar

Now, (it so happened) when both of them submitted themselves (to the will of God) and he (- Abraham) had laid him (- Ismâîl) down on his forehead,

English Literal

So when they (B) submitted/surrounded and he pulled/pushed/followed him to the foreheads.

Faridul Haque

Then (remember) when they both submitted to Allah’s command, and Ibrahim lay his son facing downwards. (The knife did not hurt Ismail)

Hamid S. Aziz

So when they had both Surrendered (unto Allah in Islam) and he threw him down upon his face,

Hilali & Khan

Then, when they had both submitted themselves (to the Will of Allah), and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead (or on the side of his forehead for slaughtering);

Maulana Mohammad Ali

But when he became of (age to) work with him, he said: O my son, I have seen in a dream that I should sacrifice thee: so consider what thou seest. He said: O my father, do as thou art commanded; if Allah please, thou wilt find me patient.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

So when they both submitted and he threw him down upon his forehead,

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Then, when they had both surrendered (to Allah), and he had flung him down upon his face,

Muhammad Sarwar

When they both agreed and Abraham had lain down his son on the side of his face (for slaughtering),

Qaribullah & Darwish

And when they had both submitted, and his son had laid down prostrate upon his forehead,

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Then, when they had both submitted themselves, and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead;

Wahiduddin Khan

When they had both submitted to God, and he had laid his son down on his face,

Talal Itani

Then, when they had submitted, and he put his forehead down.

Tafsir jalalayn

And when they had both submitted, [when] they had submitted to and were prepared to comply with God's command, exalted be He, and he had laid him down on his forehead, [when] he had pushed him down to the ground thereon -- every human being has two brows (jabn) between which is the forehead (jabha); this was at Min. Abraham passed the knife across his [son's] throat but it did not do anything, by some impediment of the Divine Power,

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Then, when they had both submitted themselves, and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead;

means, when both of them had pronounced the Shahadah and remembered Allah -- Ibrahim because he was about to offer a sacrifice and Ismail because he was about to die.

Or it was said that "submitted themselves" means that they submitted and followed the command of Allah; Ibrahim obeyed the command of Allah and Ismail obeyed Allah and his father.

This was the view of Mujahid, Ikrimah, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Ibn Ishaq, and others.

The meaning of the phrase "and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead" is;

he placed him facedown so that he could slaughter him from behind, and not have to see his face at the time of slaughter, so that it would be easier for him.

Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Ad-Dahhak and Qatadah said;
وَتَلَّهُ لِلْجَبِينِ
(and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead); means,

"He turned him upside down on his face."

Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said,

"When the rituals were enjoined upon Ibrahim, peace be upon him, the Shaytan appeared to him at the Mas`a and raced with him, but Ibrahim got there first. Then Jibril, upon him be peace, took him to Jamrat Al-`Aqabah and the Shaytan appeared to him, so he stoned him with seven pebbles until he disappeared. Then he appeared him at Al-Jamrah Al-Wusta and he stoned him with seven pebbles. Then he laid him prostrate on his face. Ismail, peace be upon him, was wearing a white shirt, and he said, `O my father, I do not have any garment in which I can be shrouded apart from this; take it off me so that you can shroud me in it.' He started to take it off, then he was called from behind;

وَنَادَيْنَاهُ أَنْ يَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ