Ishmael is the figure known in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam as Abraham's
son, born to Hagar. In Islam, Ishmael is regarded as a prophet and an ancestor to
Muhammad. He also became associated with Mecca and the construction of the Kaaba,
as well as equated with the term "Arab" by some. Stories of Ishmael are not only
found in Jewish and Christian texts, such as the Bible and rabbinic Midrash,
but also Islamic sources. These sources include the Quran, Quranic commentary,
hadith, historiographic collections like that of Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari,
and Isra'iliyat. Historical narrative in Islam
= Birth= Ishmael was the first son of Abraham,
whose mother was Hagar. The story of the birth of Ishmael is rarely assigned
special significance in Islamic sources. However, many Islamic scholars and
hadith support the Jewish and Christian view that Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael
away at God's command, in accordance with Sarah's proclamation, "this boy
will not be an heir with my son Isaac". There are many versions of the story,
some of which include a prophecy about Ishmael's birth. One such example is
from Ibn Kathir whose account states that an angel tells the pregnant Hagar
to name her child Ishmael and prophecies, "His hand would be over
everyone, and the hand of everyone would be against him. His brethren would rule
over all the lands." Ibn Kathir comments that this foretells of Muhammad's
leadership. = Ishmael and Hagar taken to Mecca by
Abraham= Ishmael and Hagar being taken to Mecca
by Abraham in Islamic texts is an important part in the story of Ishmael,
as it brings the focus to Mecca and is the beginning of Mecca's sanctification
as a holy area. Islamic tradition says Abraham was ordered by God to take Hagar
and Ishmael to Mecca, and later Abraham returned to Mecca to build the Kaaba. In
many of these accounts, the Sakina, or the angel Gabriel guides them to the
location of the Kaaba, at which point Abraham builds it and afterwards, leaves
the other two there. Generally, it is said that Hagar asks Abraham who he is
entrusting herself and Ishmael to as he leaves them. He answers that he is
entrusting them to God, to which Hagar then makes a reply that shows her faith,
stating that she believes God will guide them. Hagar and Ishmael then run out of
water and Ishmael becomes extremely thirsty. Hagar is distressed and
searches for water, running back and forth seven times between the hills of
Al-Safa and Al-Marwah. Hagar is later remembered by Muslims for this act
during the Hajj, or pilgrimage, in which Muslims run between these same hills as
part of the Sa'yee. When she returns to Ishmael, she finds either him or an
angel scratching the ground with their heel or finger, whereupon water begins
flowing and Hagar collects some or dams it up. This spring or well is known as
Zamzam. At some point, a passing tribe known as the Jurhum sees birds circling
the water and investigates. They ask Hagar if they can settle there, which
she allows, and many versions say as Ishmael grew up he learned various
things from the tribe. There are numerous versions of this story, each
differing in various ways. The versions used in this summary, as well as others,
can be found in al-Tabari's history and are recounted in Reuven Firestone's
Journeys in Holy Lands. = The sacrifice=
In Islam it is believed that Abraham is told to sacrifice his son Ishmael,
though the Quran does not actually state which Ishmael, however God is referring
to Abrahams first son. The multiple versions suggest that the dhabih was
originally an oral story that had been circulating before being written as it
is in the Quran and in additional commentaries. Norman Calder explains,
"...oral narrative is marked by instability of form and detail from
version to version, and by an appropriate creative flexibility which
makes of every rendering a unique work of art." Each version is indeed a
"unique work of art," differing from another in various ways to present
certain ideas, such as the importance of Ishmael over Isaac because he was the
first child. The general narrative pertaining to
Ishmael in Islamic literature describes the sacrifice either as a test or as
part of a vow. Some versions tell of the devil trying to stop God's command from
being obeyed by visiting Hagar, Ishmael, and Abraham. Every time the devil says
Abraham is going to sacrifice Ishmael, each person answers that if God
commanded it, they should obey. Eventually, Abraham tells Ishmael about
the order and Ishmael is willing to be sacrificed and encourages Abraham to
listen to God. Often, Ishmael is portrayed as telling Abraham some
combination of instructions to bring his shirt back to Hagar, bind him tightly,
sharpen the knife, and place him face down, all so that there will be no
wavering in the resolve to obey God. As Abraham attempts to kill Ishmael,
either the knife is turned over in his hand or copper appears on Ishmael to
prevent the death and God tells Abraham that he has fulfilled the command.
Unlike the Bible, there is no mention in the Qur'an of an animal replacing the
boy, rather he is replaced with a 'great sacrifice'. Since the sacrifice of a ram
cannot be greater than that of Abraham's son, this replacement seems to point to
either the religious institutionalisation of sacrifice
itself, or to the future self-sacrifices of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his
companions in the cause of their faith. From that day onward, every Eid al-Adha
once a year Muslims around the world slaughter an animal to commemorate
Abraham's sacrifice and to remind themselves of self-abnegation in the way
of Allah. Later, Histiorographical literature, however incorporates the
Biblical narrative in which a ram is provided which is killed instead of
Ishmael. The actions of Ishmael in this narrative
have led him to become a prominent model of hospitality and obedience. This story
in the Quran is unique when compared to that in the Bible because Abraham talks
with his son, whichever it is to believed to be, and the son is thus
aware of the plan to become a sacrifice and approves of it. As noted above, in
some versions, Ishmael makes sure in different ways that neither he nor his
father hesitate in their obedience to God. In this way, Ishmael is a model of
surrendering one's will to God, an essential characteristic in Islam.
Though it is generally believed by Muslims that Ishmael was the son who was
almost sacrificed, among scholars and historiographers of early Islam, there
is much debate. There are such persuasive arguments for both, that in
fact, it is estimated that 130 traditions say Isaac was the son, while
133 say Ishmael. Such dispute over which son suggests that the story, and where
and to whom it happens, is extremely important. It is argued that the story
originated from rabbinic texts and was adapted to Islam over time in order give
Mecca religious importance and connect the story with the pilgrimage, which is
how Isaac in Jewish versions was changed to Ishmael. Arguments by early Muslim
scholars for Ishmael as the intended sacrifice include that Jews claim it is
Isaac only because they are jealous that it was actually the ancestor of Arabs,
Ishmael, and that the horns of the ram that was sacrificed instead hung in the
Kaaba at one time. In looking solely at the text of the Quran to determine which
son was to be sacrificed, there still are various views. Tabari argues that in
the Quran, it is only Isaac who is indicated by birth announcements and
that the announcement at the start of the sacrifice narrative means that the
story is about Isaac. The strongest case for Ishmael in the Quran is 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 been born yet. = Construction of the Kaaba=
At some point, often believed to be after Hagar's death, Ishmael marries a
woman from the Jurhum, the tribe who settled in the area around Zamzam.
Abraham visits Ishmael in Mecca and when he arrives at his home, Ishmael is not
there. Instead Ishmael's wife greets Abraham, but she is not welcoming or
generous to him. Abraham instructs her to tell Ishmael some version of the
statement that he is not pleased with or to change "the threshold of his door."
When Ishmael returns home and his wife tells him this, he knows it is from his
father and taking the advice, divorces the woman. He then marries another woman
from Jurhum. Abraham once again visits and is met by Ishmael's second wife, as
Ishmael is out. This wife is very kind and provides food for him. Abraham
instructs her to tell Ishmael some version of the statement that he is
pleased with "the threshold of his door." When Ishmael arrives and his wife
repeats Abraham's statement, Ishmael knows it is from his father and keeps
his wife. There are many versions of the
construction of the Kaaba that differ in fairly significant ways, although all
have Abraham build or cleanse the Kaaba and then immediately after, or at an
unknown time, God calls Abraham to establish the Hajj, or pilgrimage. These
narratives differ in when these events occurred, if and how there was
supernatural involvement, the inclusion or omission of the Black Stone, and
whether Ishmael assisted his father. Of those that say Ishmael took part in the
construction, most describe Abraham visiting Ishmael a third time in Mecca,
during which they raise the Kaaba. Some versions say Abraham has Ishmael look
for a final stone, but Abraham does not accept the one he brings back. Instead
an angel has brought the Black Stone, which Abraham puts into place. Ishmael
is left at the Kaaba, in charge of its care and to teach others about the Hajj.
The starting of the Hajj has many versions, and scholars believe this
reflects the late association of Abraham with the Hajj after Islam had developed
to help remove its connection to early pagan rituals.
In Islamic thought = Prophetic career=
Ishmael is considered a prophet in Islam and is listed in the Quran with other
prophets in many instances. In other verses, such as 21:5-86 and 38:48,
Ishmael is praised for being patient, good, and righteous. A particular
example which describes Ishmael individually is 19:54-55 – "And call to
mind, through this divine writ, Ishmael. Behold, he was always true to his
promise, and was an apostle [of God], a prophet, who used to enjoin upon his
people prayer and charity, and found favour in his Sustainer's sight." As a
descendant of Ishmael, Muhammad is justified as the Prophet and continues
the line of prophets from pre-Islamic times.
= Genealogy and association with Arabs= As Islam became established, the figure
Ishmael and those descended from him, the Ishmaelites, became connected, and
often equated, with the term Arab in early Jewish and Christian literature.
Before Islam developed as a religion, Ishmael was depicted in many ways, but
after its establishment, Ishmael was almost always seen in a negative light
in Jewish and Christian texts, as he becomes the symbol for the "other" in
these religions. As the Islamic community became more powerful, some
Jewish midrash about Ishmael was modified so that he was portrayed more
negatively in order to challenge the Islamic view that Ishmael, and thus the
Muslims, were the favored descendents of Abraham. This became the genealogy
according to Jewish sources and the Bible, in contrast with the genealogy of
Arabs according to Muslims. The development of Islam created pressure
for Muslims to be somehow different than Judaism and Christianity, and
accordingly, Ishmael's lineage to Arabs was stressed. In pre-Islamic times,
there were three distinct groups of Arabs- the Ba'ida, Ariba, and
Musta'riba. The Ba'ida were the "legendary Arabs of the past," while the
Ariba were the "Southern Arabs." Ishmael's descendants became the
Northern Arabs known as the Musta'riba or the "Arabized Arabs." The Musta'riba
were described as Arabized since it is believed Ishmael learned Arabic when he
moved to Mecca and married into the Arabic tribe of Jurhum. Ishmael's line
is then traced from his son Adnan, down through the Musta'riba, to the Quraysh.
In this manner, Muhammad's ancestry leads back to Ishmael, joining "original
biblical ancestry of Abraham with a distinctively Arab afinal stock," and
connecting Muhammad with Mecca and the Kaaba.
See also Abraham in Islam
Muhammad in Islam References