theinstitution of circumcision as well as the story of Hagar and the
miraculous well of Zamzam?
Praise be to Allaah.
You might as well ask, why does the Qur'aan not explain the number of
prayers during the day and night, and the number[of rak'ahs in] each
prayer, and what should be recited in the prayer, and how the prayer
should be done... And why does it not speak in detail about zakaah, and
Hajj, and fasting, and so on?
Allaah has made the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) the detailed explanation of that which is
mentioned ingeneral terms in the Qur'aan. Allaah says (interpretation
of the meaning):
"And We have also sent down unto you (O Muhammad) the Dhikr [reminder
and the advice (i.e. the Qur'aan)], that youmay explain clearly to men
what is sent down to them"
[al-Nahl 16:44]
The matters which you mention are explained in the Sunnah, and both of
them - the Sunnah and the Qur'aan - are wahy (revelation) from Allaah.
Shaykh Sa'd al-Humayd
There follows the story of Haajar and Zamzam from the Sunnah, so that
you will have no need of the Bible, of which we cannot be sure that
the content is correct.
Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) narrated the story of
Haajar, the wife of Ibraaheem and the mother of his son Ismaa'eel. He
said:
Ibraaheem brought her and her son Ismaa'eel while she was suckling
him, to a place near the Ka'bah under a tree on thespot of Zamzam, at
the highest place in the mosque. During those days there was nobody in
Makkah, nor was there anywater. So he made them sit over there and
placed near them a leather bag containing some dates, and a small
water-skin containing some water, and set out homeward. Ismaa'eel's
mother followed him saying, "O Ibraaheem! Where are yougoing, leaving
us in this valley where there is no person whose company we may enjoy,
nor is thereanything (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 this?" He said, "Yes." She said,"Then He will not
neglect us," and returned while Ibraaheem went on his way. When he
reached al-Thaniyyah, where they could not see him, he faced the
Ka'bah, and raising both hands, prayedto Allaah in the following
words:
"O our Lord! 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 Lord, that they may perform As-Salaah
(Iqaamat-as-Salaah). So fillsome hearts among men with love towards
them, and (O Allaah) provide them with fruits so that they may give
thanks"[Ibraaheem 14:37 - interpretation of the meaning]
Ismaa'eel's mother went on suckling Ismaa'eel and drinking from the
water (she had). When the waterin the water-skin had all been used up,
she became thirsty and her child also became thirsty. She started
looking at him (i.e. Ismaa'eel) tossing in agony (or he said: kicking
with his heels). She left him, for she could not endure looking at
him, and found that the mountain of al-Safa was the nearest mountain
to her on that land. She stood on it and started looking at the valley
keenly so that she might see somebody, but she could not see anybody.
Then she descended from al-Safa and when she reached the valley, she
tucked up her robe and ran in the valley like a person in distress and
trouble, till she crossed thevalley and reached al-Marwa where she
stoodand started looking, expecting to see somebody, but she could not
see anybody. She repeated that (running between al-Safa and al-Marwa)
seven times.
Ibn 'Abbaas said: the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said, "This is the source of the tradition of the walking between
them (i.e. al-Safa and al-Marwa). When she reached al-Marwa (for the
last time) she heard a voice and she asked herself to be quiet and
listened attentively. She heard the voice again and said, "O (whoever
you maybe)! You have made me hear your voice; have you got something
to help me?" And she saw an angel at the place of Zamzam, digging the
earth with his heel (or his wing), till water flowed from that place.
She started to make something like a basin around it, using her hand
in this way, and started filling her water-skin with water with her
hands, andthe water started flowing out after she had scooped some of
it."
http://islamqa.info/en/ref/11069
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