Prophet Ismail (peace be upon him) is a significant figure in Islam and is mentioned multiple times in the Quran. Below, I will detail the Quranic verses that mention Prophet Ismail, including the verse numbers, along with English translations and transliterations. Following that, I will also provide relevant Hadith from Sahih collections.
Quranic Verses Mentioning Prophet Ismail (Ishmael)
Surah Al-Baqarah (2:125)
Arabic: وَإِذْ جَعَلْنَا الْبَيْتَ مَثَابَةً لِّلنَّاسِ وَأَمْنًا وَاتَّخِذُوا مِن مَّقَامِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ مُصَلًّى ۖ وَعَهِدْنَا إِلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ أَن طَهِّرَا بَيْتِيَ لِلطَّائِفِينَ وَالْعَاكِفِينَ وَالرُّكَّعِ السُّجُودِ
Transliteration: Wa idh ja’alnā al-bayta mathābatan linnāsi wa amnan wattakhidhū mim maqāmi ibrāhīma musallā wa ‘ahidnā ilā ibrāhīma wa ismail an tahhirā baytiya lit-tā’ifīna wal-‘ākifīna war-rukka’i as-sujūd.
English Translation: “And [mention] when We made the House (the Ka’bah) a place of return for the people and [a place of] security. And take, [O believers], from the standing place of Abraham a place of prayer. And We charged Abraham and Ishmael, [saying], ‘Purify My House for those who perform Tawaf and those who are staying [there] for worship and those who bow and prostrate [in prayer].'”
Surah Al-Baqarah (2:127)
Arabic: وَإِذْ يَرْفَعُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ الْقَوَاعِدَ مِنَ الْبَيْتِ وَإِسْمَاعِيلُ ۖ رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّا ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
Transliteration: Wa idh yarfa’u ibrāhīmu al-qawā’ida mina al-bayti wa ismail, rabbanā taqabbal minnā, innaka anta as-samī’u al-‘alīm.
English Translation: “And [mention] when Abraham was raising the foundations of the House and [with him] Ishmael, [saying], ‘Our Lord, accept [this] from us. Indeed You are the Hearing, the Knowing.'”
Surah Al-Baqarah (2:133)
Arabic: أَمْ كُنتُمْ شُهَدَاءَ إِذْ حَضَرَ يَعْقُوبَ الْمَوْتُ إِذْ قَالَ لِبَنِيهِ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن بَعْدِي قَالُوا نَعْبُدُ إِلَٰهَكَ وَإِلَٰهَ آبَائِكَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ إِلَٰهًا وَاحِدًا وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُسْلِمُونَ
Transliteration: Am kuntum shuhadā’a idh hadara ya’qūba al-mawt idh qāla libanīhi mā ta’budūna min ba’dī qālū na’budu ilāhaka wa ilāha ābā’ika ibrāhīma wa ismaila wa ishaq, ilāhan wāḥidan wa naḥnu lahu muslimūn.
English Translation: “Or were you witnesses when death approached Jacob, when he said to his sons, ‘What will you worship after me?’ They said, ‘We will worship your God and the God of your fathers, Abraham, Ishmael, and Isaac—one God. And we are Muslims [in submission] to Him.'”
Surah Al-An’am (6:86)
Arabic: وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَالْيَسَعَ وَيُونُسَ وَلُوطًا ۚ وَكُلًّا فَضَّلْنَا عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ
Transliteration: Wa ismail wa alyasa’a wa yūnusa wa lūṭan, wa kullan faḍḍalnā ‘ala al-‘ālamīn.
English Translation: “And Ishmael and Elisha and Jonah and Lot—and all [of them] We preferred over the worlds.”
Surah Maryam (19:54-55)
Arabic: وَاذْكُرْ فِي الْكِتَابِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ إِنَّهُ كَانَ صَادِقَ الْوَعْدِ وَكَانَ رَسُولًا نَّبِيًّا
وَكَانَ يَأْمُرُ أَهْلَهُ بِالصَّلَاةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ وَكَانَ عِندَ رَبِّهِ مَرْضِيًّا
Transliteration: Wadhkur fi al-kitābi ismail, innahu kāna ṣādiq al-wa’d wa kāna rasūlan nabiyyan. Wa kāna ya’muru ahlahu bis-ṣalāti wa az-zakāti wa kāna ‘inda rabbihi marḍīyyan.
English Translation: “And mention in the Book [the story of] Ishmael. Indeed, he was true to his promise, and he was a messenger and a prophet. And he used to enjoin on his people prayer and zakah and was to his Lord pleasing.”
Surah Sad (38:48)
Arabic: وَاذْكُرْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَالْيَسَعَ وَذَا الْكِفْلِ ۖ وَكُلٌّ مِّنَ الْأَخْيَارِ
Transliteration: Wadhkur ismail wa alyasa’a wa dha al-kifl, wa kullun min al-akhyār.
English Translation: “And remember Ishmael, Elisha, and Dhul-Kifl, and all are among the best.”
Sahih Hadith Mentioning Prophet Ismail (Ishmael)
Sahih al-Bukhari – Hadith 3364 (Book 60, Hadith 35)
Narrated Ibn Abbas (RA):
“When Abraham had differences with his wife (because of her jealousy of Hagar), he took Ishmael and his mother (Hagar) and went away. They had a water skin with them containing some water. Ishmael’s mother used to drink from the water skin so that her milk would increase for her child. When Abraham reached Mecca, he made her sit under a tree and returned home. Ishmael’s mother followed him, and when they reached the valley, she said to him, ‘O Abraham! Where are you going, leaving us in this valley in which 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 ordered you to do so?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ She said, ‘Then He will not neglect us,’ and returned while Abraham proceeded onwards.”
Sahih al-Bukhari – Hadith 3365 (Book 60, Hadith 36)
Narrated Ibn Abbas (RA):
“The Prophet (PBUH) said: Ishmael’s mother went on sucking Ishmael and drinking from the water (she had). When the water in the water skin had all been used up, she became thirsty, and her child also became thirsty. She started looking at him (i.e., Ishmael) tossing in agony; she left him, for she could not endure looking at him. She found that the hill of Safa was the nearest hill to her on that land.”
Birth of Prophet Ismail (PBUH)
Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) was an old man who had no children. His wife, Sarah, was unable to conceive, and so she suggested that Ibrahim marry Hagar (Hajar) also known as Hajerah (Amma Hajera), her maidservant. Ibrahim (PBUH) married Hagar, and she gave birth to Ismail (PBUH). This was a joyous moment for Prophet Ibrahim, as he had long prayed for a child, and Ismail was born as an answer to his supplications.
In the Quran, Allah acknowledges this gift:
- Surah Ibrahim (14:39)
“Praise be to Allah, Who has granted me in old age Ismail and Ishaq. Verily! My Lord is indeed the All-Hearer of invocations.”
Hagar and Ismail in the Desert
When Ismail was still an infant, Allah commanded Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) to take Hagar and Ismail to a barren desert, which later became known as Makkah (Mecca). Ibrahim, following Allah’s command without question, took them to the valley and left them there with a small amount of food and water.
Hagar, noticing that Ibrahim was leaving them in this desolate land, asked him, “Where are you going? Are you leaving us here without any provisions?” Ibrahim (PBUH) did not respond until she asked, “Has Allah commanded you to do so?” To which he nodded in affirmation. Hagar, with complete trust in Allah, said, “Then He will not neglect us.”
This account is recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari, where Ibn Abbas (RA) narrates that when Ibrahim left them, he invoked Allah:
- Surah Ibrahim (14:37)
“Our Lord, I have settled some of my descendants in an uncultivated valley near Your sacred House, our Lord, that they may establish prayer. So make hearts among the people incline toward them and provide for them from the fruits that they might be grateful.”
The Miracle of Zamzam
After a few days, their provisions ran out, and Hagar and baby Ismail (PBUH) were left without food or water. Ismail, being a baby, started crying out of thirst. Hagar, distressed by her son’s condition, started running between the hills of Safa and Marwah seven times in search of water.
This event is now commemorated in the ritual of Sa’i, performed by Muslims during Hajj and Umrah.
As Hagar was searching, Allah, in His mercy, sent Angel Jibreel (Gabriel), who struck the ground near Ismail’s feet, and water miraculously gushed out. This water became known as Zamzam, a well that continues to flow to this day and is revered by Muslims around the world.
In the Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith, it is narrated that Hagar began to form a basin around the water, fearing it would run out, and said “Zam Zam” (meaning stop or gather). Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) later mentioned that had she not done so, Zamzam would have become a flowing river.
Ismail’s Role in the Building of the Ka’bah
Years later, when Prophet Ismail (PBUH) had grown up, Allah commanded Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) to build the Ka’bah in Makkah as a place of worship. Ibrahim (PBUH) undertook this task with the help of his son Ismail (PBUH). The Quran mentions their joint effort:
- Surah Al-Baqarah (2:127)
“And [mention] when Abraham was raising the foundations of the House and [with him] Ishmael, [saying], ‘Our Lord, accept [this] from us. Indeed You are the Hearing, the Knowing.'”
Ismail’s (PBUH) role in constructing the Ka’bah signifies his dedication to the worship of Allah and his strong relationship with his father.
The Test of Sacrifice
One of the most significant moments in Prophet Ismail’s (PBUH) life is the test of sacrifice. When Ismail was a young boy, Allah commanded Ibrahim (PBUH) in a dream to sacrifice his son. This was an immense test of faith for both Ibrahim and Ismail, as the dream was a divine command.
The Quran recounts the event in Surah As-Saffat (37:102-107):
- Verse 102:
“And when he [Ismail] was old enough to walk with him, [Ibrahim] said, ‘O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I [must] sacrifice you, so see what you think.’ He said, ‘O my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Allah wills, of the steadfast.'”
Ismail’s (PBUH) response to his father’s vision shows his deep faith and willingness to submit to Allah’s will. Both father and son were prepared to follow through with the command. However, just as Ibrahim was about to sacrifice his son, Allah replaced Ismail with a ram:
- Verse 107:
“And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice.”
This event is commemorated annually by Muslims during Eid al-Adha, where the sacrifice of an animal is performed to honor the submission and obedience of Ibrahim and Ismail (PBUT).
Legacy of Prophet Ismail (PBUH)
Prophet Ismail (PBUH) is regarded as the forefather of the Arab people, particularly the tribe of Quraysh, to which Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) belonged. His descendants populated the region of Makkah, and through him, the Arabs traced their lineage to Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH). His role in building the Ka’bah and his exemplary submission to Allah make him one of the most respected figures in Islam.
The Quran honors Ismail (PBUH) as a prophet and messenger, recognizing his sincerity and his enjoining of prayer and charity:
- Surah Maryam (19:54-55)
“And mention in the Book [the story of] Ishmael. Indeed, he was true to his promise, and he was a messenger and a prophet. And he used to enjoin on his people prayer and zakah and was to his Lord pleasing.”
Death
While the Quran does not provide detailed accounts of Ismail’s (PBUH) later life and death, Islamic tradition holds that he lived in Makkah and continued to propagate the worship of the One God. His influence and teachings persisted among the Arabs until the arrival of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), who revived the monotheistic practices of his ancestor Ibrahim (PBUH).
Also, read the Story of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) (Pbuh)