Sarah: Difference between revisions

Sarah was the first wife of Prophet Abraham (a) and the mother of Prophet Isaac (a). Her name is mentioned in two suras of the Qur’an. She is one of Muhaddatha women. She was barren and did not bear a child after her marriage with prophet Abraham (a), but in her old ages, angels gave them good news of having children and she bore Isaac (a).

In historical sources, Sarah is described as a beautiful woman. During the immigration of Prophet Abraham (a) and Sarah to Egypt, the king of Egypt gifted to prophet Abraham (a) and Sarah one of his beautiful bondwomen to recompense for his ill treatments of prophet Abraham (a) and Sarah. After several immigrations Sarah had with prophet Abraham (a) to Assyria (present Syria) and Egypt, she stayed in Palestine and passed away long afterwards at the age of 127 in Hebron (al-Khalil).

According to some sources, educating Shi’a children in the world of Barzakh is upon prophet Abraham (a) and Sarah. The personality and events related to the life of Sarah are also mentioned in the Torah.

According to Islamic traditions, Sarah was a cousin of Abraham (a). Sarah’s mother and Abraham’s (a) mother were daughters of prophet Lahij (a); one of whom married Terah, Abraham’s (a) father and the other married Batuael. Sarah was a stepsister of prophet Lot (a). Kutha region in Babil mountains (of Iraq) is mentioned as her birthplace.

Sarah and her stepbrother Lot (a) believed in Abraham (a) after his invitation to monotheism.

== Her Marriage with Abraham (a) ==

Sarah married her cousin, Abraham (a) when he was 37 years old. In some sources, Sarah is mentioned among the most beautiful women of her time. She had many farms and cattle, she gave to prophet Abraham (a).

After the invitation of prophet Abraham (a) to monotheism in Babylonia, few people accepted his invitation; so, Abraham (a) immigrated to Assyria and stayed in Haran (present Harran in Turkey). After famine stroke and illnesses spread there, Sarah and her husband, Abraham (a) went to Egypt. Abraham (a) put Sarah in a box to hide her beauty from strangers. When they wanted to enter Egypt, border guards asked him to open the box, and Abraham (a) did not accept first, but they insisted and so, he opened the box. When they saw Sarah’s beauty, they reported it to the king of Egypt.

=== The King’s Treatment of Sarah ===

After the king received the report about Sarah’s beauty, Abraham (a) was asked about Sarah’s relation with him. He (a) knew that if he (a) told the king that she was his wife, the king would kill him and take Sarah, so he (a) said that she was his sister, as she was his sister in religion. So, the king ordered to make her up and send to him. It is mentioned in historical reports that Abraham (a) began praying and asked God for help after he (a) sent Sarah to the king. When the king of Egypt wanted to approach Sarah, his hand became numb and told Sarah to ask God to heal his hand and promised not to harm her. So, Sarah prayed and the king’s hand was healed; but, he broke his promise and approached her and again his hand became numb and once then promised not to touch her if he was healed. The same happened three times. The king learned that Sarah was not a normal woman and that he could not take pleasure from her; thus, he gave a bondwoman to Sarah called Hagar in addition to some other gifts.

== Gifting Hagar to Abraham (a) ==

Since Sarah was barren and did not want Abraham (a) to remain without children and progeny, gifted Hagar to his husband, so that he (a) could have children from her. Later, Hagar bore a son they named it Ismael (a). According to historical reports, Sarah became sad because she could not bear any children for Abraham (a).

Giving the Good News to Sarah about Having Children by Angels

Some years after the birth of Ismael (a), angels brought Sarah, who was 90 years old, the good news of bearing a child called Isaac (a). Sarah laughed upon hearing that news and said, “how would it be possible that an old, barren woman becomes pregnant? After a while, Sarah became pregnant and delivered a child they named it Isaac (a).

== The Qur’an’s Report about Sarah ==

The name of Sarah is mentioned in two places in the Qur’an. In the sura Hud, the presence of angels in the house of Abraham (a) and bringing the good news of having children and the reaction of Sarah are mentioned. Also in sura al-Dhariyat, the conversation of angels with Sarah and her surprise for the good news of having Isaac (a) is mentioned.

Among hadiths which have mentioned Sarah, some of them have reported a negative face for her. These reports have described Sarah as an envious and bad-tempered woman who will be punished in the hereafter. In these hadiths, her barrenness and her reaction to Hagar’s childbearing and her son, Ismael (a) is mentioned as the cause of her envy and bad-temperedness. Some researchers have considered the chains of transmission of these hadiths weak and unreliable.

According to the verses of the Qur’an and historical and traditional reports, Sarah spoke with angels; thus, she is called Muhaddatha. Being Muhaddath is a merit specific to prophets (a), Infallible Imams (a), Lady Fatima (a), Lady Mary (a), Jochebed (prophet Moses’ (a) mother) and Sarah.

== Educating Children of Shi’a ==

In some hadiths, guardianship and education of the children of Shi’a and believers in the world of Barzakh is mentioned to be upon Sarah and Abraham (a); so, they raise them and give them to their parents.

In the Bible, Sarah is called a stepsister of Abraham (a) who later married him. Since Sarah was barren, gave her bondwoman, Hagar to Abraham (a) so that he (a) could have children from her. According to the Bible, Hagar became boastful when she became pregnant, and belittled her lady Sarah because of being barren; thus, Sarah began treating her badly and made Hagar leave the house. Another time, Sarah asked Abraham (a) to send Hagar and Ismael (a) out of the house and Abrham (a) became upset of Sarah; but, God soothed Abraham (a) and asked him to do so. God’s promise to Sarah about giving her a child, expansion of family and existence of kings in her progeny are among God’s promises to her in the Bible.

In some parts of the Bible, the personality of Hagar is described better than Sarah’s.

== Sarah’s Demise and Place of Burial ==

Sarah passed away in Hebron at the age of 127. After Sarah passed away, Abraham (a) bought a place out of Hebron from its residents and buried Sarah there. Later, Abraham (a), Isaac (a) and Jacob (a) were buried there. Today, this place is known as Masjid al-Ibrahimi located in al-Khalil, Palestine.