The story of Abraham's near sacrifice of his son found in Genesis 22 is also found in the Qur'an.

[37.100] [Abraham prayed] My Lord! grant me of the doers of good deeds.
[37.101] So We gave him the good news of a boy, possessing forbearance.
[37.102] And when he attained to working with him, he said: O my son! surely I have seen in a dream that I should sacrifice you; consider then what you see. He said: O my father! do what you are commanded; if Allah please, you will find me of the patient ones.
[37.103] So when they both submitted and he threw him down upon his forehead,
[37.104] And We called out to him saying: O Ibrahim!
[37.105] You have indeed shown the truth of the vision; surely thus do We reward the doers of good:
[37.106] Most surely this is a manifest trial.
[37.107] And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice.
[37.108] And We perpetuated (praise) to him among the later generations.
[37.109] Peace be on Ibrahim.
[37.110] Thus do We reward the doers of good.
[37.111] Surely he was one of Our believing servants.
[37.112] And We gave him the good news of Ishaq, a prophet among the good ones.
[37.113] And We showered Our blessings on him and on Ishaq; and of their offspring are the doers of good, and (also) those who are clearly unjust to their own souls.

Surah 37.100-113

This parallel text displays many of the characteristics of the Qur'an's treatment of biblical stories found elsewhere. For example, when coompared to the text in Genesis 22, the Qur'an's narrative is more sparse. Details about the journey up the mountain with the cutting the wood, loading the donkey, and Abraham holding a knife over his son are missing. According to John Kaltner in his book Ishmael Instructs Isaac, what is important for the Qur'an is the "message" rather than the "plot" of the story (Kaltner, 123). The story also doesn't specify what son it was in the dream that Abraham was to sacrifice. Both Isaac and Ishmael have been identified as the intended victim through history, although the prevailing view in Islam today is that Ishmael was the one to be sacrificed.

The crux of the Qur'an's story is found in the dialogue between Abraham and his son in verse 102. The son is old enough that he to work with his father, and Abraham could reason with him. While Isaac's question in the Genesis account about where is the animal to be sacrificed (22:7-8) provide sthe context for Abraham to express his faith in God, the dialogue in the Qur'an highlights faith even more strongly. The son's willing submission to his father makes the story into an account of the son's faith as well as the father's. The Qur'an continues that they "both submitted" (v. 103), and as elsewhere in the Qur'an Abraham (and his son) become the ideal Muslim who submits to Allah.

To explore how Muslims remember this event from Abraham's life in a religious holiday, go to the page about the Eid al-Adha.