Isaac and Ishmael in Islamic Tradition: A Narrative of Trial and Reward

From the Islamic perspective, the story of Prophet Abraham and his sons, Ishmael and Isaac, is not merely a tale of lineage but a profound spiritual narrative that speaks to themes of faith, sacrifice, and divine reward.

Central to this story is the contrasting yet complementary roles that Ishmael and Isaac play within the broader tapestry of Abraham’s life and legacy.

According to Islamic tradition, the birth of Isaac is seen as the final chapter in a long journey of trials, a divine reward granted after Abraham’s unwavering faith was tested to its limits. Isaac, therefore, represents a “son of reward”—a miraculous gift born to Abraham and his wife Sarah in their old age, symbolizing the fulfillment of God’s promise and the blessings that come after steadfastness in faith.

Ishmael, on the other hand, is viewed as a “son of trial.” Islamic sources recount that Abraham, following divine instruction, left his firstborn son Ishmael and Ishmael’s mother, Hagar, in the barren desert of Mecca. This act was not one of abandonment, but one of supreme obedience to God’s will.

As a baby, Ishmael was placed in an environment of utter desolation, where his mother ran between the hills of Safa and Marwa in desperate search of water—an act that is commemorated during the Hajj pilgrimage. The appearance of the Zamzam well at Ishmael’s feet is seen as a sign of divine mercy and providence.

Furthermore, Islamic tradition maintains that it was Ishmael, not Isaac, who was the intended son in the near-sacrifice event—an ultimate test of Abraham’s devotion. This belief is supported by Quranic verses that describe the son as a “forbearing” boy and speak of the trial before Isaac’s birth, which aligns with the timeline of Ishmael’s life.

In this view, Isaac’s birth is not isolated from Ishmael’s story but is intricately connected to it. It is understood as a divine reward to Abraham after he demonstrated his willingness to sacrifice his only and firstborn son at the time—Ishmael. The reward was not only in the sparing of Ishmael but also in the joyous arrival of Isaac, fulfilling God’s promise of righteous progeny.

Thus, from an Islamic viewpoint, the narratives of Ishmael and Isaac are two sides of the same coin—trial and reward, obedience and fulfillment. Isaac’s birth closes a chapter of hardship with divine joy, while Ishmael’s trials underscore the depth of Abraham’s faith and the mercy of God. Together, they form a unified story of a family chosen by God, through which great nations and prophetic legacies would arise.

Ishmael, the son dedicated to God, and Isaac, the son of blessing for Abraham and Sarah

It is thought that Abraham abandoned Hagar and the baby Ishmael close to the Kaaba (House of God) to devote them to God as if they were His. Consequently, Muslims celebrate Eid al-Adha and Sa’i, which honors Hagar’s search for water for her child. This happened well before Isaac’s birth. How is their argument explained?

The Islamic narrative of Abraham, Hagar, and Ishmael differs significantly from the Biblical account and forms an important part of Islamic tradition and ritual. Here’s an explanation of the argument:

Abraham’s Journey to Mecca
According to Islamic tradition, Abraham was commanded by God to take Hagar and their infant son Ishmael to Mecca. This journey was not seen as abandonment, but rather as fulfilling a divine command. Abraham left them near the location of what would later become the Kaaba, entrusting them to God’s care.

Hagar’s Faith and the Zamzam Well
After Abraham’s departure, Hagar demonstrated remarkable faith. When their water supply was exhausted, she ran between the hills of Al-Safa and Al-Marwah seven times, desperately searching for water for her thirsty child. This act of faith resulted in the miraculous appearance of the Zamzam well, a spring of water that gushed forth near Ishmael.

Significance in Islamic Ritual
This event is commemorated in the Islamic pilgrimage (Hajj) through the ritual of Sa’i, where pilgrims run or walk between the hills of Al-Safa and Al-Marwah seven times, reenacting Hagar’s search for water.

The Kaaba and Mecca
Islamic tradition holds that Abraham later returned to Mecca multiple times. During one of these visits, he and Ishmael constructed the Kaaba as the first house of worship dedicated to the one true God. This established Mecca as a sacred site in Islam.

Eid al-Adha
Eid al-Adha commemorates Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son (identified as Ishmael in Islamic tradition) at God’s command. This event is believed to have occurred near Mecca, further cementing the area’s religious significance.

Timing in Relation to Isaac
In the Islamic narrative, these events occurred before Isaac’s birth. Ishmael is considered the elder son and the one whom Abraham was commanded to sacrifice.

God’s Blessing of Isaac
Following the near sacrifice of Ishmael, God blessed Sarah and Abraham with a son named Isaac, fulfilling His promise to them and establishing Isaac as another patriarch in the Abrahamic faiths.

Ishmael was the fruit of Abraham, while Isaac was a gift of God to Abraham

From the Islamic perspective, Ishmael was the fruit of Abraham, while Isaac was a gift of God to Abraham due to his willingness to sacrifice his firstborn son, Ishmael. What is the explanation for this?

In Islamic tradition, both Ishmael and Isaac are revered as prophets and are the sons of the Prophet Abraham. Here’s a breakdown from the Islamic perspective:

Ishmael: He is the first son of Abraham and Hagar. When Hagar and her infant son Ishmael were in the desert, God provided them with the well of Zamzam. Ishmael and his father, Abraham, later constructed the Kaaba in Mecca. The majority of Islamic traditions indicate that it was Ishmael, not Isaac, whom Abraham was commanded to sacrifice. However, at the last moment, God provided a ram to sacrifice in place of Ishmael. This event is commemorated during Eid al-Adha.

Isaac: He is the second son of Abraham and his wife, Sarah. In Islamic narratives, after the trial of the sacrifice, as a reward for Abraham’s unwavering faith, God blessed him with a second son, Isaac, through Sarah. Isaac is also considered a prophet and is respected in Islamic tradition.

The Islamic account differs from the Jewish and Christian traditions, where Isaac is the one whom Abraham is commanded to sacrifice. In the Qur’an, the specific name of the son to be sacrificed is not mentioned, but many Islamic scholars and traditions identify him as Ishmael based on the sequence of events in the Quran, which suggests that the promise of Isaac’s birth came after the sacrifice narrative, implying Ishmael was the son involved (Surah 37, verses 100 to 112).

The Cave of Machpelah, or the Cave of the Patriarchs, is a sacred site in Hebron, West Bank, believed to be the burial place of Abraham, Sarah, and other patriarchs and matriarchs. Mentioned in Genesis as land Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite, it symbolizes his claim to Canaan. The site is revered in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and is housed beneath the Tomb of the Patriarchs, a structure shared today as both a mosque and a synagogue. It remains a place of pilgrimage and historical significance.

What does the Arabic word “نَافِلَةً” mean in Surah 21, verse 72, in the Quran? Could you elaborate more on why the Quran uses such a word to refer to Abraham concerning Isaac and Jacob?

The Arabic word “نَافِلَةً” in Surah 21, verse 72 of the Quran refers to “additional” or “extra” in English. In this verse, it is used to describe how Allah favored Abraham by giving him the additional gift of Isaac and Jacob, in addition to his son Ishmael.

This word is significant in this context because it highlights the special and additional blessings that Allah bestowed upon Prophet Abraham. It emphasizes the extraordinary nature of the gift of Isaac and Jacob, in addition to his first son Ishmael, as a form of divine favor and grace.

The use of the word “نَافِلَةً” also emphasizes the generosity and abundance of Allah’s blessings, highlighting the multiplicity of children and the continuity of prophethood within Prophet Abraham’s lineage. This choice of wording serves to underscore the extraordinary nature of Allah’s favors and blessings upon his chosen prophets and their descendants.

Overall, the use of the word “نَافِلَةً” in this verse serves to emphasize the exceptional nature of the gift of Isaac and Jacob to Prophet Abraham, in addition to his son Ishmael, highlighting the abundance and generosity of Allah’s blessings upon his chosen servants.