Three Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam

In the Judeo-Christian tradition, Islam is often seen as a false religion due to historical conflicts and differing beliefs, with Jews and Christians viewing their scriptures as the ultimate word of God and the Quran as misguided.

Islam, however, recognizes Judaism and Christianity as stemming from the same monotheistic roots. While it acknowledges the Torah and the Gospel, Muslims believe these texts have been altered.

Consequently, Islam is viewed as the final restoration of the original faith, correcting earlier revelations and emphasizing pure monotheism. Judaism and Christianity are not considered false, but rather deviations from what Muslims see as God's true message.


The tension between Isaac and Ishmael arises from the fact that both sons were considered heirs to Abraham, and their descendants became the ancestors of the Jewish and Arab peoples, respectively.

It is a common belief among Jews, Christians, and Muslims that God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son. However, these faiths differ on which son was to be sacrificed. Jews and Christians, drawing from the Old Testament, believe it was Isaac. In contrast, Muslims believe it was Ishmael.

What is the premise of their argument?

The tension between Isaac and Ishmael primarily stems from their status as sons of Abraham, who is a significant figure in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Each faith views these two sons as important heirs, which has implications for their respective religious narratives and identities.

In the Biblical tradition, especially in Judaism and Christianity, Isaac is portrayed as the child of promise. According to the Old Testament, God made a covenant with Abraham, promising that he would be the father of a great nation through Isaac, whom he had with his wife Sarah after years of barrenness. The narrative of the near-sacrifice of Isaac, known as the Akedah or the Binding of Isaac, illustrates Abraham's faith and fidelity to God. This event is pivotal in Jewish thought and also has significance in Christian teachings, as it is often interpreted as a foreshadowing of the sacrifice of Jesus.

On the other hand, Islamic tradition holds that God commanded Abraham to sacrifice Ishmael, the son he had with Hagar, Sarah’s maidservant. In Islam, Ishmael is also viewed as a significant figure, often considered the forefather of many Arab tribes and an ancestor of the Prophet Muhammad. The story of the sacrifice is celebrated during the festival of Eid al-Adha, which commemorates Abraham’s willingness to obey God.

The core of the argument revolves around the identity and heritage implications of which son was chosen for the sacrifice. For Jews and Christians, Isaac represents the covenant and the beginning of their lineage, while for Muslims, Ishmael signifies a connection to a vast number of Arab peoples and Islamic identity. This divergence in beliefs creates a theological and historical rift that underlies a broader narrative of conflict and rivalry between the descendants of these two figures.
This divergence has fueled the historical and ongoing tensions between Jewish and Arab nations, with each group claiming a rightful heritage traced back to their respective patriarch, Abraham. The disagreement over which son was to be sacrificed can be seen as symbolic of deeper issues of identity, legitimacy, and divine favor that continue to influence interfaith relations and political dynamics today.

Islam is considered as a restored religion of Abraham due to Judaism corrupting their text as regards a son whom Abraham was commanded to sacrifice. At the same time, Christianity corrupted their scripture concerning the oneness of God and the rite of circumcision. What is the explanation for this?

The belief that Islam is a restored religion of Abraham stems from the belief that both Judaism and Christianity deviated from the original teachings of Abraham. According to Islamic beliefs, Judaism corrupted their text by incorrectly interpreting the command to sacrifice a son, as mentioned in the Quran. Muslims believe that Abraham was commanded to sacrifice his son Ishmael, not Isaac as mentioned in the Hebrew Bible.

Similarly, Muslims believe that Christianity corrupted their scripture by deviating from the belief in the oneness of God (monotheism) and by modifying the rite of circumcision. Islam emphasizes the concept of tawheed, which is the belief in the oneness of God, and questions the Trinity as mentioned in Christian theology. Islam also practices circumcision, although the method and significance may differ from those in Judaism and some Christian traditions.

These differences and perceived corruptions are seen from the perspective of Islamic theology, which asserts that Islam is the restoration of the original teachings of Abraham, as revealed in the Quran.

Ishmael: The Rightful Heir of the Abrahamic Covenant – Revisiting Biblical Circumcision and Lineage

The Abrahamic covenant stands as a foundational pillar in the sacred histories of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Central to this covenant is the rite of circumcision, instituted by God as a binding sign between Himself and Abraham’s descendants.

Traditionally, Jewish and Christian interpretations assert that Isaac, the son born to Abraham and Sarah, is the rightful heir through whom this covenant is fulfilled.

However, a careful reexamination of the biblical chronology challenges this assumption. This article argues that Ishmael, not Isaac, was the first and only son to receive the covenantal sign alongside Abraham himself—prior to Isaac’s birth—thereby establishing Ishmael as the sole and true heir of the original Abrahamic covenant. By exploring the timing, recipients, and implications of circumcision in Genesis 17 and 21, this piece invites readers to reconsider long-held views and appreciate the overlooked centrality of Ishmael in the divine covenant.

1. The Biblical Basis for Circumcision as a Covenant

The Bible establishes circumcision as the sign of the covenant between God and Abraham:

Genesis 17:9–11:

“Then God said to Abraham, ‘As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised… it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you.’”
Here, circumcision is the definitive sign of the Abrahamic covenant.

2. The Timing of Circumcision Before Isaac’s Birth

The Bible affirms that circumcision was performed before Isaac was born:

Genesis 17:23–26:

“On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or bought with his money, every male in his household, and circumcised them, as God told him… Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised, and his son Ishmael was thirteen.”
At this critical juncture, only Abraham and Ishmael were Abraham’s natural descendants to receive the sign of the covenant. Isaac had not yet been born.

3. Ishmael as the Sole and True Heir of the Abrahamic Covenant

This sequence of events reveals that:
Circumcision is the outward and binding sign of the Abrahamic covenant.
Ishmael was the only son of Abraham present to receive this sign alongside him.
All others circumcised at that time were household members and servants—not Abraham’s direct offspring.
Therefore, Ishmael alone stands as the true and sole heir of the Abrahamic covenant, sharing this foundational covenantal sign with Abraham himself.

4. Isaac as Merely a Participant Like Other Household Members

When Isaac was born, he too was circumcised on the eighth day (Genesis 21:4). However, this circumcision occurred after the covenant was already established through Abraham and Ishmael. Like the other members of Abraham’s household, Isaac simply entered into an existing covenantal practice rather than establishing or uniquely embodying it.

In this understanding:
Isaac’s circumcision parallels that of Abraham’s other household members.
He was brought into the covenantal sign but did not share in the original covenantal enactment alongside Abraham.
Thus, Isaac is seen merely as a participant in the Abrahamic covenant, not as its unique heir.

5. Distinction from the Sinai Covenant

The Sinai covenant was revealed exclusively to the descendants of Isaac through Jacob (Israel), establishing a separate covenantal framework for the Israelites.

In contrast, the original Abrahamic covenant—established through circumcision before Isaac’s birth—finds its complete and exclusive fulfillment in Ishmael, who was the first to embody and share this sign with Abraham.

6. Challenging Traditional Jewish and Christian Views

Traditionally, Jewish and Christian interpretations place Isaac as the sole heir of the Abrahamic covenant. However, this argument radically reorients that view:
Ishmael alone shares the covenantal enactment with Abraham.
Isaac, like the other household members, enters a covenantal practice already established.
Therefore, Ishmael alone emerges as the true and rightful heir of the Abrahamic covenant.

Summary of the Articulation

Circumcision, the outward sign of the Abrahamic covenant, was first performed on Abraham and Ishmael before Isaac was born. This historical reality establishes that while Isaac and others in Abraham’s household were participants in the sign of the covenant, only Ishmael shared in the covenant’s original establishment and thus stands as its true and exclusive heir. In this perspective, Ishmael’s role transcends mere participation—he alone embodies the Abrahamic covenant in its full and foundational form.