( Lies Rebuttal Series ) the Sacrifice of Abraham ( Isaac or Ishmael )

8/14/2019 ( Lies Rebuttal Series ) the Sacrifice of Abraham ( Isaac or Ishmael )

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The Sacrifice Of Abraham: Isaac or Ishmael(P)?

Muhammad Ghoniem & M S M Saifullah

Islamic Awareness, All Rights Reserved.

Assalamu-alaikum wa rahamatullahi wa barakatuhu:

It is well known to Muslims, Christians and Jews that Abraham(P) was ordered to

sacrifice his son and he was willing to do so but God gave him a sheep to sacrifice

instead of his cherished progeny. So far, everybody agrees. However, Jews and

Christians say that the sacrificed was Isaac(P) -"Abraham's only son", whereas

according to the Islamic tradition the sacrificed is Ishmael(P). The opposition between

the two versions has not bothered any side that much because in the common mind

"what we think is certainly right and those who think differently are necessarily

wrong". Recently, we came across an article by the Christian missionaries claiming

that according to the Islamic sources themselves the sacrificed was Isaac(P)

(i.e., theJudeo-Christian version of the story). In the following article, the reader will get the

fruits of our research about this matter.

The most relevant passage in the Qur'n is from verse 37:99 to verse 37:109, a

passage including two different glad tidings brought to Abraham(P). Here under, we

quote the verses concerning the sacrificed:


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99. He said: "I will go to my Lord! He will surely guide me

100. "O my Lord! Grant me a righteous (son)!"

101. So We gave him the good news of a forbearing son.

102. Then, when (the son) reached (the age of) (serious) work with him, he said: "O

my son! I have seen in a vision that I offer thee in sacrifice: now see what is thy

view!" (The son) said: "O my father! Do as thou art commanded: thou will find me, if

Allah so wills, one of the steadfast!"

103. So when they had both submitted (to Allah), and he had laid him prostrate on his

forehead (for sacrifice),

104. We called out to him "O Abraham! ...

105. "Thou hast already fulfilled the vision!" - thus indeed do We reward those who

do right.

A Strange Logic

The first argument put forward by those who support the Isaac-theory is that, in the

Qur'n, the name associated to glad tidings is Isaac(P) while Ishmael's(P) name was never

associated to good news or glad tidings. They quote verse 37:112

"And We gave him the good news of Isaac - a Prophet - one of the righteous."

and verse 51:28


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"They said, "Fear not," and they gave him glad tidings of a son endowed with

knowledge."

Some points have to be made clear in this concern:

1. It is well known that Abraham(P) got his first child in his old days (more than80 years old). By all means, when he was given the news of his first son,

Ishmael(P), the news were great and not only good. It seems reasonable to think

that the news of having his second son, Isaac(P) would be equal or less because

in the first time the surprise factor has certainly increased his happiness.

2. More to the point, using the same argument as the opposition, one can safelysay that the sacrificed was described as forbearing and steadfast in the Qur'n

and if we search the whole Qur'n we will find the name of Ishmael(P)

associated to patience and steadfastness and not Isaac(P)

!3. Indeed verse 21:85 (in red in the picture below) reads

"And (remember) Ishmael, Idris, and Zulkifl, all (men) of constancy and patience".

Conclusion: The sacrificed is Ishmael(P) according to the opponent's own logic.

Further scrutiny requires that we quote the full passage in surah 37:

99. He said: "I will go to my Lord! He will surely guide me!

100. "O my Lord! Grant me a righteous (son)!"

101. So We gave him the good news of a forbearing son.

102. Then, when (the son) reached (the age of) (serious) work with him, he said: "O


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The Opinion Of Ibn Kathr[1]

The above scan is the exegesis of verse 37:101 "So We gave him the good news of a

forbearing son". Here is the translation of the above passage:

"So We gave him the good news of a forbearing son."

And this son is Ishmael(P) for he is the first son whose

good news was brought to Abraham(P). He is older than Isaac

according to Muslims and ahl al-kitb (i.e., the People

of the Book) too. It is even said in their Scripture that

Ishmael(P) was born when Abraham(P) was 86 years old and

Isaac(P) was born when Abraham(P) was 99. In their Scriptureas well, God is said to have ordered Abraham(P) to

sacrifice his only son and in another version his

firstborn. And, at this spot, they inserted falsely the

name of Isaac(P) against the text of their very Scripture.

The reason they inserted Isaac(P) is that he is their

father whereas Ishmael(P) is the father of the Arabs. They

added Isaac(P) out of envy and brushed away "only son" by

saying that Ishmael(P) and his mother had already been to

Makkah. This is a mere [farfetched] explanation since we

never say "only son" except to a person who hasn't got


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but one son. Moreover, the firstborn has got a special

place [in the heart of his father] that is not given to

the following children and the order to sacrifice him is

therefore a greater test. Some knowledgeable people were

inclined to say that the sacrificed was Isaac(P). This was

reported from some people of the salaf(i.e. people of

the previous generations) and it was even reported from

some Companions(R) but [this opinion] does not have any

bearings from the Book [i.e., the Qur'n] nor from the

Sunnah. I think such opinion was received from the Rabbis

of ahl al-Kitb as is without evidence. Moreover, God's

Book is a witness and points to the fact that it is

Ishmael(P) because the glad tiding said that the son was

patient and that he is the sacrificed. Only afterwards,

He said: "And We gave him the good news of Isaac - a

prophet,- one of the Righteous." and when the Angels

brought the good news of Isaac(P) to Abraham(P) they said: "

"Fear not," and they gave him glad tidings of a son

endowed with knowledge." And the Most High said: " Wegave her [Sarah] glad tidings of Isaac, and after him, ofJacob." [11:71] meaning that in the lifetime of Abraham(P)

and Sarah(P), Isaac(P) will beget a child that he will call

Jacob(P) implying that Isaac(P) will have a progeny. We have

already explained why it is not possible that Isaac(P) be

sacrificed while still a child i.e., because God promisedthem [Abraham and Sarah] that he will have a progeny. On

the other hand, Ishmael(P) was described as forbearing and

he fits that description.

[Note that many commentators including Ibn Kathr believe

that "forbearing" does not fit a child, it can at least

describe teenagers for they are old enough to be

described as such.]

In a nutshell, the great Qur'nic commentator Ibn Kathr adds to our first three

arguments two new ones: according to the Bible, the sacrificed is said to beAbraham's(P) only son (or his firstborn in some versions), which cannot fit Isaac(P);

according to the Qur'n, the good news of Isaac(P) said that he would have a progeny

and consequently God cannot order Abraham(P) to sacrifice Isaac(P) before the promise

is fulfilled. Again, according to the Qur'n, the sacrificed cannot be Isaac.

The Opinion ofcUlm al-Hadth

As a matter of fact, there was a debate between Muslim scholars whether the

sacrificed was Isaac(P) or Ishmael(P). But the critical study of the reports allows us to

drive safe conclusions. Here is the opinion of a scholar of the Science of Hadth:


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The truth is that the reports stating that the Sacrificed

is Isaac are part of the Isr'liyyt due to the People

of the Book, it was transmitted by those who converted

among them like Kacb al-Ahbr and it was conveyed [from

the converts] by some Companions and Followers [tbicn]

as sign of trust. Later, the scholars who came after them

were fooled by such reports and supported that the

Sacrificed was Isaac(P). Every book of exegesis [tafsr] or

biography or even history would mention the argument that

took place among the salaf. However, some [of those

books] would follow the argument by outlining the truth

and others wouldn't add any commentary either by

conviction or surrender [to these reports].[2]

And further:

The truth is that the Sacrificed is Ishmael(P). This is

supported by the Qur'nic verses and reports from the

Companions and Followers and reports rated Marfuc by

approval of the Prophet [i.e., when something is said in

the presence of the Prophet(P) and he does not oppose it

then we consider that it is correct but it does not

amount to Sahh which is, by the way, what the Prophet(P)

himself said.].

No wonder that many Companions and Followers and the

later scholars of [Qur'n] and hadth among which we

enumerate great Companions and poles of knowledge like:cAl, Ibn cUmar, Ab Hurayrah, Ab Tufayl, Sacd Ibn

Jubayr, Mujhid, al-Sha'by, Al-Hasan al-Basri, Muhammad

Ibn Kacb al-Qardhy, Sacd Ibn al-Musayyab, Ab Jacfar

Muhammad al-Bqir, Ab Slih, al-Rab' Ibn Anas, Ab cAmr

Ibn al-cAl' and Ahmad Ibn Hanbal and others and it is one

version and the strongest from the reports of Ibn cAbbs.

In Zd al-Ma'd by Ibn al-Qayyim: It is the correctopinion according to the knowledgeable among the

Companions and Followers and later generations.Thisopinions was famous among the Arabs before the advent of

Islam and it was transmitted from generation to

generation in tawtur and it was also mentioned in the

poetry of Umayyah Ibn Ab al-Salt.[3]


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rather than Isaac the son Abraham was commanded to

sacrifice.[6]

It is quite clear from the statement of Judeo-Christian scholars what the Muslim

position is about the person who was sacrificed by Abraham(P).

Further Evidence From Hadth Literature

The following says:

Some reports and traditions from the Companions and

Followers state that the Sacrificed is Ishmael(P). Narrated

by al-Hkim in Al-Mustadrak, and Ibn Jarr [at-Tabar] in

his commentary with its isnd, and others thatc

AbdullhIbn Sacd al-Sbihy said: "We were at Mu'wiyah's

reception and the people started discussing [the story

of] Ishmael and Isaac(P) and which one was the sacrificed.

Some said Ishmael and some said Isaac(P). Mu'wiyah said: I

am the expert you need; We were at the Prophet's(P) when a

bedouin came to him saying "O Prophet of God, I have left

the pasture dry and the life hard, the children died and

the wealth is gone, so give me [something] of what God

has bestowed on you, O Son of the two sacrificed." The

Prophet(P) smiled and did not blame/criticize what he said.

The people asked: Who are the two sacrificed O Commanderof the believers? He replied: When cAbdul Muttalib was

ordered to dig Zamzam he vowed to sacrifice one of his

sons if God helps him with his mission [i.e., Zamzam].

When he achieved the mission, he cast lots on his

children, there were ten of them. The choice fell oncAbdullh so he decided to sacrifice him but the child's

uncles, Banu Makhzm, opposed the sacrifice and said

satisfy your Lord and ransom your son. So, he ransomed

him with a hundred camels. Mu'wiyah said: this is one

[of the two Sacrificed] the other is Ishmael(P)."

This report is regarded as Marfuc.[6]

There is another report according to which the Prophet(P) is believed to have said: "I

am the son of the two Sacrificed". The authenticity of this report is very controversial

so we will not use it as evidence especially when the above report is correct enough

and suffices to our study.


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Conclusion

According to the Qur'n, the sacrificed cannot be Isaac(P). According to authentic

Islamic tradition, the sacrificed is Ishmael(P). The Muslim scholars have solved this

case a long time ago and, very early in the history of Islam, the popular Islamic

tradition has integrated the fact that Ishmael(P) was the sacrificed.

Concerning the claim of 'world-renowned commentary of Yusuf Ali', any Muslim

with a basic knowledge of Qur'nic commentary would have a good laugh. The

'commentary' in the translation of the Qur'n by YusufcAl is just about good enough

to be qualified as 'footnotes'. And of course, the commentary on the Qur'n contains

much more than these footnotes. Secondly, the statement

It is obvious that the claim that the son was Ishmael is

not according to the Qur'n!

is a rather foolish and reflects colossal ignorance on the part of the critic who has no

idea about how the Qur'nic exegesis is carried out.

Let the Christian missionaries study the Qur'n thoroughly before calling upon ghosts

that will frighten nobody but themselves. Indeed, the Biblical version of the story:

"sacrifice your only son, Isaac" or "sacrifice your firstborn son, Isaac" is an enigma

they must live with.

Praise be to Allah that guided us to Islam and gave us in the Qur'n healing and

guidance.


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( Lies Rebuttal Series ) the Sacrifice of Abraham ( Isaac or Ishmael )

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