Abraham, originally known as Abram, is the common patriarch of the three Abrahamic religions - Judaism, Christianity and Islam. In Judaism he is considered the founding father of the Covenant [or the special relationship between the Jewish people and God]; in Christianity, he is the prevalent prototype of all believers, Jewish or Gentile; and in Islam he is seen as a prevailing link in the chain of prophets that begins with Adam and culminates in Muhammad.
When God changed a person's name and gave him a new name, it was usually to establish a new identity. God changed the name Abram [meaning "high father"] to “Abraham,” [meaning "father of a multitude"] (Genesis 17:5) and his wife's name from “Sarai,” [meaning “my princess,”] to “Sarah,” [meaning “mother of nations”] (Genesis 17:15–16).
According to the Jews, Christians, and Muslims, Ishmael was the firstborn son of Abraham and Sarah's handmaiden, Hagar. (Genesis 16:3-4). Most know the story of how Sarah grew impatient to bare the 'promised child' in her old age and insisted that Abraham take her Egyptian slave as a concubine to fulfill the Creator's promise to make Abraham a father of a great multitude. From the seed of this union would rise the modern Muslim nations.
In the Genesis account of the story:
"Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?" ~ Genesis 18:18
In the Qur'an, it states:
"And remember that Abraham was tried by his Lord with certain commands, which he fulfilled: He said: "I will make thee an Imam to the Nations." He pleaded: "And also (Imams) from my offspring!" He answered: "But My Promise is not within the reach of evil-doers." (Surah Al-Baqara, 124)
The Book of Genesis and Islamic traditions consider Ishmael to be the ancestor of the Ishmaelites and patriarch of Qaydār. This is where the similarities stop between the Muslim, Jewish and Christian factions. According to Muslim tradition, many Islamic scholars portend the ancient Jews rewrote the holy scriptures of the Torah to state Isaac was the 'chosen' lineage to seal the Covenant with God, instead of Ishmael. Islam believes the Covenant was established exclusively with Ishmael, by way of his birthright as being the oldest son.
In Judaism and Christianity, they disagree with the Islamic concept. They believe the sanctioned promise was given to Abraham and his wife, Sarah. In this aspect, Isaac also becomes a 'firstborn son'. From the seed of this union rose the modern Jewish nation.
It is recorded in Genesis 17:19, the Covenant was established with Issac (Sarah's son), not Ishmael. But Abraham's oldest child was not forgotten by the Creator. In Genesis 17:20, God promised to make a great nation from Ishmael (Hagar's son) through 12 sons of his own. These sons, known as the 12 Tribes of Ishmael, include: Nebaioth, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.
Another argument concerning the Ishmael and Issac debate is the "sacrifice of Abraham's son". While the Jews contend that Isaac was the one offered up for sacrifice by Abraham, the Muslims argue that it was Ishmael.
The Encyclopedia Judaica, Volume 9, under the heading "Ishmael", describes:
Since its beginnings Islam’s finest scholars have debated which son Abraham was commanded to sacrifice, yet both Judaism and Christianity host no such discussion. The reason for this is simple, the Torah names Isaac multiple times, while the Qur'an keeps the boy’s identity a secret. In the absence of a name Muslim scholars sought answers from those who walked with Muhammad. Incredibly, 38 of the companions of Muhammad confirm the Jewish narrative and are recorded as saying it was Isaac, not Ishmael, who became the sacrifice.
In the Torah (Genesis 22:1–18)
The only accepted and common narrative in the sacrifice story is that child sacrifice, which was a common practice during antiquity, was not an appropriate form of worshiping the Creator. Both the Jews and Muslims can agree on this.
Another thing Judaism and Christianity can agree upon is that both Ishmael and Isaac came to their father (Abraham) in his old age, right before his death. They stood united as brothers as they buried their father in the Cave of the Patriarchs [in modern-day Hebron, Palestine] (Genesis 25:8-9). For a moment in time, they presented one of the most fascinating stories of unity in the entire Bible/Tanakh.
Ishmael and his mother, Hagar, are said to be buried next to the Kaaba in Mecca (Saudi Arabia). According to the Genesis account, Ishmael died at the age of 137 (Genesis 25:17).
According to tradition, Isaac was buried in the Cave of the Patriarchs [in Canaan, present-day Hebron] at the age of 180. (Genesis 35:28-29)
Related Stories:
In Judaism and Christianity, they disagree with the Islamic concept. They believe the sanctioned promise was given to Abraham and his wife, Sarah. In this aspect, Isaac also becomes a 'firstborn son'. From the seed of this union rose the modern Jewish nation.
It is recorded in Genesis 17:19, the Covenant was established with Issac (Sarah's son), not Ishmael. But Abraham's oldest child was not forgotten by the Creator. In Genesis 17:20, God promised to make a great nation from Ishmael (Hagar's son) through 12 sons of his own. These sons, known as the 12 Tribes of Ishmael, include: Nebaioth, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.
Another argument concerning the Ishmael and Issac debate is the "sacrifice of Abraham's son". While the Jews contend that Isaac was the one offered up for sacrifice by Abraham, the Muslims argue that it was Ishmael.
The Encyclopedia Judaica, Volume 9, under the heading "Ishmael", describes:
"It is related that a renowned traditionalist of Jewish origin of the Qurayza tribe, and other Jewish scholars that converted to Islam, told Caliph Omar Abd al-Azizi (717-20) the Jews were well informed that Ishmael was the one bound for sacrifice, but they [the Jews] concealed this fact out of jealousy."The strongest case for Ishmael is in the Qur'an, which decrees that directly after the sacrifice narrative, Abraham is told of the coming of Isaac's birth; therefore, it must be Ishmael who was about to be sacrificed if Isaac had not yet been born.
Since its beginnings Islam’s finest scholars have debated which son Abraham was commanded to sacrifice, yet both Judaism and Christianity host no such discussion. The reason for this is simple, the Torah names Isaac multiple times, while the Qur'an keeps the boy’s identity a secret. In the absence of a name Muslim scholars sought answers from those who walked with Muhammad. Incredibly, 38 of the companions of Muhammad confirm the Jewish narrative and are recorded as saying it was Isaac, not Ishmael, who became the sacrifice.
In the Torah (Genesis 22:1–18)
"After these events, God tested Abraham. “Abraham!” He said. “Yes?”, “Take your son, your only one, whom you love – Isaac, and go away to the Moriah area. Bring him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I will designate to you”.In the Quran (Suwar 39:99-113)
"And [then] he said, “Indeed, I will go to [where I am ordered by] my Lord; He will guide me. My Lord, grant me [a child] from among the righteous”. So We gave him good tidings of a forbearing boy. And when he reached with him [the age of] exertion, he said, “O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I [must] sacrifice you, so see what you think.”So which view is authentic? Proving one opinion over the other is not as important as both views having a legitimate stance in both Jewish and Islamic traditions. And, modern Jews, Christians and Muslims may never come to terms with or agree upon the actual sacrifice and who was offered up to the Lord for a Covenant with their people.
The only accepted and common narrative in the sacrifice story is that child sacrifice, which was a common practice during antiquity, was not an appropriate form of worshiping the Creator. Both the Jews and Muslims can agree on this.
Another thing Judaism and Christianity can agree upon is that both Ishmael and Isaac came to their father (Abraham) in his old age, right before his death. They stood united as brothers as they buried their father in the Cave of the Patriarchs [in modern-day Hebron, Palestine] (Genesis 25:8-9). For a moment in time, they presented one of the most fascinating stories of unity in the entire Bible/Tanakh.
Ishmael and his mother, Hagar, are said to be buried next to the Kaaba in Mecca (Saudi Arabia). According to the Genesis account, Ishmael died at the age of 137 (Genesis 25:17).
According to tradition, Isaac was buried in the Cave of the Patriarchs [in Canaan, present-day Hebron] at the age of 180. (Genesis 35:28-29)
Related Stories:
Abraham Sacrifices His Son
Chayei Sarah (5769) – On Judaism and Islam
Hi great reading your poost
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