“Then He will not neglect us”

These are the days of Hajj. Millions will be reenacting the footsteps of Hajar رضى الله عنها, the wife of Prophet Ibrahim عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام during these blessed days.

They will run back and forth between the hills of Safa and Marwa seven times to complete the necessary rituals of the Hajj – reenacting the struggle of a mother thousands of years ago in a barren desert, under the scorching sun, as she ran up and down and back and forth between Mount Safa and Mount Marwa looking for water to nurse her thirsty, crying baby.

Many of us know of this story and the fact that the Sa’ee or the ritual of running seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwa commemorates the struggle of Hajar رضى الله عنها. However, not all of us have heard the words she said prior to this struggle that echoed deep into the desert as her husband walked off leaving her alone with her infant son and only a small amount of food and water in a barren desert with no water and no human population in sight. Those words may have been murmured softly under the blazing sun and sweltering heat, but they were strong enough to make the heavens move.

Those words are the epitome of trust in Allah. A trust that made her an icon of spiritual conviction, resilience and strength.

As Prophet Ibrahim عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام started walking away after leaving his wife and infant child Ismail عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام in the middle of the desert with only a small amount of dates and a small water-skin containing some water, Hajar رضى الله عنها followed him saying:

“O Ibrahim! Where are you going, leaving us in this valley where there is no person whose company we may enjoy, nor is there anything (to enjoy)?” She repeated that to him many times, but he did not look back at her.

Then she asked him: “Has Allah commanded you to do so?” He said: “Yes.” She said: “Then He will not neglect us.”

As Prophet Ibrahim عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام walked out of the sight of his wife, he raised his hands in supplication and said,

“O our Rabb! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in an uncultivable valley by Your Sacred House (the Ka’bah at Makkah) in order, O our Rabb, that they may perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat). So fill some hearts among men with love towards them, and (O Allah) provide them with fruits so that they may give thanks.” (Quran 14:37).

Hajar’s trust and reliance on Allah in such a difficult situation is exemplary. She had unshakable trust in Allah. That whatever He chose for them would be for the best. That He would provide for them even in apparently impossible circumstances. That He had a plan for them. And that He would not neglect them.

In it is a lesson for us. To hold on to that trust in Allah. To hold on to tawakkal even in apparently difficult situations, knowing in our hearts that even though the situation may be seemingly bleak, hopeless or impossible, Allah has a plan for us and that He will create a way out for us, He will provide for us even when it looks like all doors are closed.

Another thing that is particularly interesting in this story and that holds a great lesson for us is how Hajar رضى الله عنها did not just give up and not do anything after uttering these words. She knew Allah would not neglect them. She knew Allah had a plan for them. But she did not just sit there waiting for Allah’s help to come. Her trust in Allah was not passive. It was proactive. She trusted Allah and she strove. She trusted Allah and she searched for a solution.

When the little water Prophet Ibrahim عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام left her with ran out and her baby began to cry in agony, Hajar ran several times from Mount Safa to Mount Marwa, looking for water or for someone who would be able to help them. She did not just sit passively without making an effort herself. She knew Allah had a greater plan for them, but she was proactive in seeking water and help for herself and her son. She did not run once or twice, she ran seven times! And then Allah’s help came.

Allah rewarded that trust and conviction of hers by sending an angel that dug for her the spring of ZamZam. Pure, sweet and nourishing water which would flow and provide sustenance, not just for her and her son, but for millions and millions of people who visit Makkah to this day. It was from that time on that people came to settle in Makkah and it became the place that millions visit from around the globe, running repeatedly between the Mounts of Safa and Marwa as an act of worship to commemorate the struggle, conviction and resilience of a mother.

After she drank from the water of Zamzam and suckled her child, the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid of being neglected, for this is the site on which the House of Allah will be built by this boy and his father, and Allah will never let neglected His people.” (Bukhari)

Many of us find ourselves in difficult situations when the future seems bleak and hopeless, when we can’t see a way out of our difficulties, when we feel like we are making dua but we aren’t seeing the answer. Those can be very painful situations like the loss of a loved one or the loss of a marriage, wealth or a home or it could be finding no way out of the daily grind – when we wanted one thing but life doesn’t seem to be going how we had hoped it would. In either case, we have a lesson in the story of Hajar – in the enduring example of her trust in Allah, in the example of her resilience against all odds, and in her being proactive even while having tawakkal.

When things seem hopeless and bleak, when we see no way out of our difficulties, when we are not sure why we are placed in a particular situation – Hajar’s (r.a.) story is a reminder to hold on to tawakkal, to have trust in Allah that He will not neglect us and that there is indeed some goodness in this situation even if we do not see it at that moment, and to demonstrate that faith through our words and actions.

So if you find yourself in a difficult situation remind yourself this is exactly the situation you are meant to be in. Trust Allah but continue to make your share of efforts to change your situation and you will see solutions coming in ways and through channels you had never imagined.