Hebron, West Bank – Palestine
Coordinates: 31.524705, 35.110715
Bibi Sarah رضي الله عنها, wife of the Hz. Ibrahim عليه اسلام and the mother of the Hz. Ishaq عليه اسلام, is an honoured woman in Islam.
She lived with Hz. Ibrahim عليه اسلام throughout her life and, although she was barren, Allah promised her the birth of a prophetic son, Hz. Ishaq عليه اسلام. Hz. Ibrahim عليه اسلام, however, prayed constantly to Allah for a child.
Bibi Sarah رضي الله عنها, being barren, subsequently gave him her Egyptian handmaiden, Bibi Hajar رضي الله عنها, to wed as his second wife.
Bibi Hajar رضي الله عنها bore Hz. Ismael عليه اسلام who too would become a prophet of Allah like his father.
Allah messengers announced to Hz. Ibrahim عليه اسلام that Bibi Sarah رضي الله عنها would give birth to Hz. Ibrahim’s عليه اسلام second son, Hz. Ishaq عليه اسلام, who would also be a prophet of the Lord.
Although the Quran does not mention Bibi Sarah رضي الله عنها by name, it mentions the annunciation (announcing of birth of a child by angels of Allah) of the birth of Hz. Ishaq عليه اسلام.
The Quran mentions that Bibi Sarah رضي الله عنها laughed when the angels gave her the glad tidings of Hz. Ishaq عليه اسلام:
There came Our messengers to Ibrahim with glad tidings. They said, ‘Peace!’ He answered, ‘Peace!’ and hastened to entertain them with a roasted calf. But when he saw their hands went not towards the (meal), he felt some mistrust of them, and conceived a fear of them. They said: “Fear not: We have been sent against the people of Lut. And his wife was standing (there), and she laughed: But we gave her glad tidings of Ishaq, and after him, of Jacob. She said: “Alas for me! shall I bear a child, seeing I am an old woman, and my husband here is an old man? That would indeed be a wonderful thing!”
Quran, Sura 11 (Hud), ayat 69-72
Tomb of Bibi Sarah رضي الله عنها
Bibi Sarah رضي الله عنها is believed to be buried in the Haram al-Ibrahimi.
