37:103
So when they had both submitted their wills (to Allah), and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead (for sacrifice),
The account of the sacrifice involving Abraham and Ishmael is commonly interpreted as a test of obedience for both the father and the son. According to the narrative, Abraham received the command to sacrifice his son through a vision, which served as a divine test of faith and submission. Rather than acting unilaterally, Abraham consulted his son about the vision. Ishmael is described as willingly accepting the command and expressing readiness to fulfill it if the sacrifice were truly required, thereby demonstrating devotion and trust in the divine will (as discussed in classical Qurʾānic commentary).
Many commentators interpret this event symbolically rather than literally as a demand for human sacrifice. The Qurʾān itself states that God does not require the flesh or blood of sacrificial animals; rather, what reaches God is the righteousness and piety of believers (Qurʾān 22:37). Within this interpretive framework, the story illustrates the spiritual principle of complete submission to God. The willingness of both Abraham and Ishmael to obey the command represents the ideal of sacrificing personal attachment and offering one’s entire being to God when moral duty or divine command requires it. Thus, the narrative is frequently understood as a symbolic expression of devotion, obedience, and the prioritization of faith above personal desires (as cited in traditional Qurʾānic exegesis).
References:
Yusuf Ali, Abdullah. Translation and Commentary of the Quran. (surah 37 verse 103). Quran Arabic
with English Translation & Commentary (Tafsir) by Abdullah Yusuf Ali, Free Download
(quran4u.com)