The great sacrifice mentioned in the Quran (37:107) was a divine plan carried out through Ishmael in the Arabian desert so that a center of monotheism could be established in Makkah.
When Ishmael grew up, Prophet Abraham had a dream in which he saw himself sacrificing his son Ishmael with his own hands. In accordance with this dream, Prophet Abraham prepared himself to carry out the sacrifice. However, it was a symbolic dream, signifying that the true meaning behind it was to devote his son to the mission of monotheism as per the divine plan, a mission that was destined to begin in the barren desert of Arabia.
The incident of Prophet Abraham is mentioned in chapter 37 of the Quran. As per his dream, he laid his son Ishmael on the ground for sacrifice. At that moment, the angels informed him that his sacrifice had been accepted, and he was instructed to sacrifice a ram (dumba) instead of his son. Following this, he carried out the sacrifice accordingly. In this context, the Quran mentions: “And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice” (37:107). This signifies that Ishmael was saved through a great sacrifice.
In this verse, the word ‘great sacrifice’ refers to Ishmael, not to the ram. Prophet Abraham offered the ram as a ransom, while Ishmael was selected for a more momentous sacrifice. What did this greater sacrifice entail? It involved Ishmael being settled along with his mother Hajar in the desolate wilderness of Makkah, with the purpose of establishing a new generation through them. During that period, the area was nothing but a desert, devoid of any means of sustenance. Hence, it was called a great sacrifice in the Quran. This great sacrifice was a divine plan devised by God, which was carried out through Ishmael, the son of Abraham in the Arabian desert. The Quran briefly mentions this incident as a reference, whereas the Hadith provides a detailed account of it.
Chapter 37 of the Quran mentions this dream. According to the narration, after seeing the dream, Prophet Abraham intended to sacrifice his son. At that moment, the angel informed him that he should sacrifice an animal, a ram (dumba), as a ransom for his son. Subsequently, Prophet Abraham carried out the sacrifice as instructed (The Quran, 37:107). As known from the narration in Sahih Bukhari, following this incident, Prophet Abraham settled his wife Hajar and his son Ishmael in the desert of Arabia. It is the place where Makkah is located. It was at this place that Prophet Abraham and his son Ishmael later built the Kabah and established the system of Hajj.
