Ibrahim and Ismail Building the Kaabah — The Great Supplication
stories
Level: basic
ibrahim
st-043
Quranic context: Al-Baqarah, verses 127-129
Context: Ibrahim and Ismail raise the foundations of the House, each working with his hands — and throughout the work, a constant prayer: "Our Lord, accept from us; You are the Hearing, the Knowing."
The comprehensive threefold supplication:
After completing the construction, Ibrahim made three supplications:
1. "Our Lord, make us submissive to You and from our descendants a nation submissive to You" — asking for steadfastness and righteous offspring.
2. "Show us our rites and turn to us in repentance" — asking for religious instruction and forgiveness.
3. "Our Lord, send among them a messenger from themselves" — asking for a prophet — answered with the mission of Muhammad ﷺ.
Lesson: Supplicate for your descendants' Islam before anything else — Ibrahim asked for his descendants' Islam before asking for provision or health.
Source: Ibn Kathir Tafsir (1/375); Al-Sadi; Al-Qurtubi (2/125)
Question: What was the third request in Ibrahim's supplication at the Kaabah and how was it answered?
Answer: He asked "send among them a messenger from themselves" — answered by the mission of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ from the lineage of Ibrahim and Ismail.