Meaning
What is the "Station of Abraham" that is referenced in this āyah?
Answer
Imām Ibn al-Jawzī (d. 597/1201) summarized the scholars' opinions in his book "Zād al-Masīr" as follows:
- It refers to the entire Haram (the sacred sanctuary). [Ibn ʿAbbās]
- It refers to ʿArafāt, Muzdalifah, and the Jamarāt. This opinion was expressed by ʿAṭāʾ. Both of these first two opinions have been reported from Mujāhid. It has been narrated from Ibn ʿAbbās, ʿAṭāʾ, and Mujāhid that they said: "The whole of Ḥajj is the station of Abraham."
- It refers to the stone (upon which Abraham stood). [Saʿīd ibn Jubayr] This opinion is the most sound according to Ibn al-Jawzī.
Concerning Abraham standing on the stone (opinion no. 3), there are two opinions as to why he did so: (i) He came looking for his son Ishmael but did not find him. His wife said to him, "Come down," but he refused. She then said, "Let me wash your head." She brought a stone, and he put his foot on it while on a riding animal, and she washed one side of him. His foot sank into the stone. She then put it under the other side and washed it, and his foot sank into it as well. Allah made it one of His signs. [Al-Suddī from Ibn Masʿūd and Ibn ʿAbbās] (ii) He stood on the stone to build the House (the Kaʿbah), while Ishmael handed him the stones. [Saʿīd ibn Jubayr]

