Wednesday, 03 June 2026
MEDAN | INDATANEWS.COM – Every time Eid al-Adha arrives, the names Ibrahim and Ismail are once again mentioned from mosque pulpits. The story of sacrifice is retold, remembered, and preserved through the ritual slaughter of sacrificial animals. Yet in a modern world filled with social turmoil, an important question arises: Does the family of Ibrahim and Ismail still exist today
This question feels especially relevant as modern families face serious crises. Households today live under economic pressure, rapid digital technological development, a consumer-oriented culture, and a fast-changing value system. Many families are losing communication. Parents are busy with work, children are absorbed in screens, while the home slowly becomes merely a place to pass through.In Islam, the family is not merely a biological institution. It is a space for moral education, a place of role models, sacrifice, and character building. Therefore, the story of Ibrahim and Ismail is by no means outdated. It remains a reflection on the relationship between parents and children in a changing era.
The Qur'an describes the relationship between Ibrahim and Ismail in a deeply moving way. Surah As-Saffat (37:102) records the monumental dialogue: "O my son, I see in a dream that I am sacrificing you. What do you think?" Ismail replied with remarkable calmness: "O my father, do as you are commanded; God willing, you will find me among the patient."Loss of Dialogue Tradition
However, many modern families are losing the tradition of such dialogue. Parent-child relationships often fall into extremes. Some families are overly strict, making the home feel like a space of psychological pressure. Others are too permissive and lose moral direction. Children grow up physically close but emotionally distant.Family psychologist Diana Baumrind (1991) explains that healthy parenting is based on a balance between warmth and discipline. This perspective resembles the family of Ibrahim: love, communication, and clear values.
The modern family crisis is further worsened by the dominance of digital technology. Shared meals are becoming rarer, conversations are replaced by notifications, and parents' attention is fragmented by work and digital communication. Many children grow up in materially sufficient but emotionally poor households. Digital closeness does not replace real emotional presence.Social psychologist Sherry Turkle (2011) describes that modern people are constantly "connected" but lose meaningful deep conversations. This observation fits today's family situation, where screens often replace dialogue.
Sacrifice in the story of Ibrahim and Ismail does not only refer to a physical act. In the modern world, it means giving time to the family, setting aside ego, controlling ambition, and showing genuine emotional presence for children.Many parents work tirelessly for their family's future but forget to be truly present in daily life. Children may have material needs, education, and technology, but often lack emotional guidance.
The family of Ibrahim in today's world is therefore not the richest or the most famous, but the one that preserves values amid change.The Muslim thinker M. Quraish Shihab (2007) emphasizes that the family is based on mawaddah and rahmah—love and compassion that create inner peace.
Model of Family EducationThe modern family crisis is also reflected in rising domestic violence, divorce rates, and psychological problems among children. Many teenagers lose direction due to a lack of healthy communication.
In such situations, the story of Ibrahim and Ismail becomes an important educational model. Ibrahim raised through example, not just words. Children learn more from behavior than from long lectures.Albert Bandura (1977) explains in his social learning theory that humans learn through observation and imitation. Therefore, role modeling is crucial.
Problems arise when parents demand moral values but do not act consistently themselves. The family of Ibrahim, however, shows that values are transmitted through lived practice.The Qur'an (At-Tahrim 66:6) reminds: "Protect yourselves and your families from the Fire."
Family success is not measured only by wealth or career, but by emotional and moral stability. Many homes appear successful externally but are empty internally.The family of Ibrahim lives today in simple but strong values: dialogue, respect, love, and moral integrity.
The Turkish scholar Bediuzzaman Said Nursi (1996) describes the family as the first school of faith and morality. Social health begins in the household.Eid al-Adha is therefore not only a celebration of animal sacrifice, but a moral invitation to bring the spirit of the family of Ibrahim back into the modern world. The world may change, but the family still depends on one thing: people who love without losing values. The family of Ibrahim and Ismail has never truly disappeared—it lives in every home that preserves love and values. (IDNC)
By Dr. Farid Wajdi, S.H., M.HumThe author is the Founder of Ethics of Care, a member of the Judicial Commission (2015–2020), and a lecturer at Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara (UMSU).
