A modified excerpt from the book: ‘Christian and Muslim Dialogue’, by H.M. Baagil

Putting the record straight, there is no truth in the Bible mentioning Isaac to be sacrificed. The Islamic version states that the covenant between God, Abraham and his only son Ishmael was made and sealed when Ishmael was supposed to be sacrificed, long before Isaac was born at all, and this is also deep-rooted in the Bible.

“And he (Abraham) said, ‘I am going to my Lord, Who will guide me. My Lord, grant me a righteous son.’ So We gave him glad tidings of a forbearing son …And when they (Ibrahim and Ishmael) submitted to Allah, and he (Abraham) had thrown him down on his forehead, We called to him ‘O Ibrahim! Thou hast indeed fulfilled the dream’. Thus do We reward those who do good. That indeed was a clear trial. And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice. And We left for him good name among the following generations. Peace be upon Ibrahim…Then We gave him the glad tidings of Isaac, a Prophet and righteous person. And we bestowed blessing on him and Isaac” Quran 37: 99-113.

This quranic statement has it biblical support as we read that on the same day were Abraham, Ishmael and all men of the household circumcised while Isaac was not even born yet: "And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son. And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him." Genesis 17: 24-27. A year later Isaac was born and circumcised when he was eight days old: "And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him. And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him." Genesis 21: 4-5.

So when the covenant (circumcision and sacrifice) was made and sealed – Genesis 17: 10-14, Abraham was ninety-nine and Ishmael thirteen years old. Isaac was born a year later when Abraham was a hundred years old. Isaac was about two years old when he was weaned. Ishmael was then sixteen years because Abraham was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael and was a hundred years old when Isaac was born, according to Genesis 16:16: "And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram," and "And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him." Genesis 21:5.

There is no doubt that Bible writers tried to doctor the incident but were unsuccessful and resulting in complex mix-up. In Genesis 22 it is mentioned that Isaac was to be sacrificed! But one will see the contradiction and hypocrisy there. It is mentioned there "thine only son Isaac." But with the above incidents and the narration surrounding the circumcision and the period Isaac was born, should it not have been written "thine only son Ishmael"? When Ishmael was thirteen years old and Isaac not born yet! When Isaac was born Abraham had two sons. In that case the word ‘only’ will become inapplicable. But because of chauvinism the name Ishmael was changed to Isaac in all of Genesis 22, but God had preserved the word "only" to show us who it should be. The words, "I will multiply thy seed" in Genesis 22:17 was applied earlier to Ishmael in Genesis 16:10. Was the whole of Genesis 22 not applicable to Ishmael then? "I will make him a great nation" had been repeated twice for Ishmael in Genesis 17:20 and Genesis 21:18, and never applied to Isaac at all! The Chapter 17:16 did not call Isaac the ‘only’ son, but a son just like Ishmael elsewhere. “And Abraham took Ishmael his son…” Genesis 17:23. Abraham did not discriminate between his children saying: “All praise belongs to Allah Who has given me despite my old age, Ishmael and Isaac. Surely my Lord is the Hearer of Prayer” Quran 14: 39.

The Jews and Christians, maintain that Isaac was superior to Ishmael. That is what they say but not what the Bible states: "And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him [Abraham], saying, This [Eliezer of Damascus] shall not be thine heir, but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir." Genesis 15:4. So Ishmael was also heir: "And the angel of the Lord said unto her [Hagar], I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude." Genesis 16:10. "And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly: twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation." Genesis 17:20. "And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed." Genesis 21:13. "Arise, lift up the lad [Ishmael], and hold him in thine hand, for I will make him a great nation." Genesis 21:18. And even, if for argument sake we agree that the Covenant was made with Isaac according to Genesis 17: 21, that does not exclude Ishmael. Nowhere in the Bible does 'it say that God would not make any covenant with Ishmael, but is there any other Covenant?

There is no reason for, and no place where it is stated that Isaac is superior, other than Christians’ graft and hatred about the personality of the mother of Ishmael which the Biblical God strongly rejected: "If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated: Then it shall be, when he maketh his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, which is indeed the firstborn: But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of the strength; the right of the firstborn is his." Deuteronomy 21:15-17.

Islam does not deny God's blessings on Isaac and his descendants, but the son of promise is Ishmael from whom later arose Muhammad [PBUH] as the Seal of all Prophets. Christians and Jews claim that Ishmael was an illegitimate son. That is what they say, but not what the Bible states. How could a great Prophet like Abraham have an illegal wife and a son out of wedlock? Genesis 16: 3 states, "...and [Sarah] gave her [Hagar] to her husband Abram to be his wife." If the marriage was legal, how could their offspring be illegal then? More importantly, the name Ishmael was also chosen by God Himself (Genesis 16: 11): "And the Angel of the Lord said unto her [Hagar], Behold, thou art with child, and shall bear a son, and shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lord hath heard thy affliction." Ishmael means God Hears.

But the question is, is a marriage between two foreigners, a Chaldean (Abraham) and an Egyptian (Hagar), not more legal than a marriage between a man with a daughter of his father? Whether it was a lie of Abraham or-not, it is stated in Genesis 20:12 that Abraham claimed: "And yet indeed she [Sarah] is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife."

Long before both Ishmael and Isaac were born, Allah made a covenant with Abraham: ".. .saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the Euphrates."Genesis 15:18. Was not the greater part of Arabia lying between the Nile and the Euphrates, where later all the descendants of Ishmael were settling?

To Isaac and his des­cendants, Muslims never deny that Isaac was also blessed. “And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed [Isaac] after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land Canaan, for an ever­lasting possession; and I will be their God." Genesis 17: 8. Here Abraham was mentioned “a stranger" in Canaan but not in the land between the Nile and the Euphrates. As a Chaldean he was more an Arab than a Jew. “And Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was obedient Muslim, and he was not of those who associate gods with Allah.” Quran 3:67. It seems all these activities and qualities of Abraham did not go down well with the minds of Christians and Jews, making them having a kind of animosity for the blessed life of the great Prophet whom they considered as father of faith, yet with dissenting minds, but of terrible consequence, as God says: “And I will bless them that bless thee (Abraham), and curse him that curseth thee…” Genesis 12: 3.

Not so the Muslims, the descendants of Ishmael, Prophet Muhammad [PBUT], including all Muslims, remain faithful till today to every course of Abraham, the covenant of circumcision, his pure monotheism belief, his mode of worship, hajj rites, and commemorating the sacrificial act. In their prayers at least five times a day the Muslims include the praise of Abraham and his descendants with the praise of Muhammad [PBUH] and his descendants. “And who will turn away from the religion of Abraham but he who is foolish of mind? Him did We choose in this world and in the next he will surely be among the righteous” Quran 2:130.

Islam made it clear that Abraham took Ishmael and Hagar and made a new settlement in Mecca, called Paran in the Bible (Genesis 21:21), because of a divine instruction given to Abraham as a part of Allah's plan. Hagar ran seven times between two hills, Safa and Marwa, looking for water; this became then an Islamic ritual for the annual Pilgrimage in Mecca by millions of Muslims from all over the world. The well of water mentioned in Genesis 21:19 is still present, now called Zamzam. Both Abraham and Ishmael later built the holy stone Ka'bah in Mecca. The spot where Abraham used to perform prayers near the Ka'bah is still present, now called Maqam Ibraham, i.e. the Station of Abraham. During the days of Pilgrimage, Pilgrims in Mecca and Muslims all over the world commemorate the offering of Abraham and Ishmael by sacrificing an animal, usually a sheep, or a cow, or a camel, thus:

“And when Abraham and Ishmael raised the foundation of the House, praying, ‘Our Lord, accept this from us for thou art all hearing Knowing”. Quran 2:127. “Surely, the first House founded for mankind is that at Becca, abounding in blessing and guidance for all people. In it are manifest signs; it is the place of Abraham; and whoso enters it enter peace…”Q3: 96-97. “Surely, the nearest of men to Abraham are those who followed him, and this Prophet (Muhammad) and those who believe and Allah is the friend of believers” Quran 3:68.