Hi Carol
In the Noble Qur'an we are told that Abraham was deprived children until his old age whereupon he was given Ishmael, his first born son. Abraham would become extremely attached to his only begotten son Ishmael. For all he knew then he very likely might not be blessed with any more children before his death. We are now told in the Qur'an that God Almighty decided to test Abraham's faith and devotion. He therefore decided to set up a test for Abraham in the one thing which he held most dear to his heart in all of this world: His only son. When Ishmael reached the age of striving, God Almighty showed Abraham a vision wherein he was to sacrifice his only son Ishmael to God. This sacrifice was a test of Strong faith and absolute devotion to God Almighty and has nothing to do with sins.
Offering sacrifice in Hajj is just to commemorate the act of Abraham sacrificing everything he owns which was an act of ultimate Submission and Devotion to God Almighty.
We are told that the devil then came to Abraham, Hagar, and Ishmael in turn trying to convince each one to disobey the command of God. Each one in turn did not respond to him and cast stones at him till they drove him away. This act is also preserved to this day in the Muslim pilgrimage to Makkah in the symbolic act of stoning the devil and put enmity between us and him in a way that we do not go after the devil anymore.
Abraham took his son Ishmael and placed him on the ground facing down so that he would not have to look at him. Just when he was about to sacrifice Ishmael God sent an angel to Abraham to stop him and to provide him with a ram as an alternate sacrifice in place of his son as a reward for his sincere intentions and devotion. He then further rewarded Abraham with Isaac, a great and pious prophet as a second son. This story can be found in the Noble Qur'an:
"My Lord! grant me (a son) of the righteous. So We gave him tidings of a gentle son(Ishmael). And when he was old enough to strive with him, he said: O my dear son, I have seen in a dream that I must sacrifice you. So look, what do you think? He said: O my father! Do that which you are commanded. Allah willing, you shall find me of the steadfast. Then, when they had both surrendered (to Allah), and he had placed him upon his forehead, We called unto him: O Abraham: You have (already) fulfilled the vision. Lo! thus do We reward the good. Lo! that verily was a clear test. Then We ransomed him with a tremendous victim. And We left for him among the later folk (the salutation):'Peace be unto Abraham!' Thus do We reward the good. Lo! he is one of Our believing slaves. And We gave him tidings of the birth of Isaac, a Prophet of the righteous. And We blessed him and Isaac. And of their seed are some who do good, and some who plainly wrong themselves. And We verily gave grace unto moses and Aaron, And saved them and their people from the great distress, And helped them so that they became the victors. And We gave them the clear Scripture And showed them the right path. And We left for them, among the later folk (the salutation): 'Peace be unto Moses and Aaron!' Lo! thus do We reward the good. Lo! they are two of our believing slaves." [The Noble Qur'an 37: 100-113].
Sins are forgiven when God see your absolute devotion to Him and by your sincere and deep suplications and invocations of Him for your sins forgivness on mout Arafat.
if the hajj is such an important part of forgiveness of sins, what of the many who cannot make it?
In Islam, we believe in Intent. If you had a sincere devouted intent for doing something good but you couldn't for some compulsory reasons, then God Almight The Most Merciful will count your internal devouted intent as a real work.
Exactly, if you couldn't go to Hajj for some compulsary reason, but you had a
sincere and devouted intent to go there if you could, then God Almighty will take your pious intent as a real work and will reward you as you were there.
Thx
Alexei