Ismail and Ishaq: Who Is Slaughtered?

Ismail and Ishaq

Ismail and Ishaq: Who Is Slaughtered? ~ Hi all readers! In this article, I will discuss a topic that has become a conversation since a long time ago, especially between Muslims and Jews, but there are still many people who don't know it, or actually, they know, but their knowledge is only based on little data. The topic I mean is about who was the son of Prophet Abraham who was slaughtered? We all know, that the prophet Abraham had received the revelation so that he slaughtered his son.

Before I answer the question above, I will quote Syibli an-Nu'mani's statement in Daairatu a-Ma'aarif fii Siirati an-Nabiy Shallallaahu Alaihi wa Sallam. He says;

In the Torah explained, that the first child of Prophet Abraham of Hajar was named Ismail. After that Sarah gave birth to a child for Abraham who was later given the name Ishaq. When Ismail grew up, Sarah saw that Ismail would have a bad influence on Ishaq. She said to Abraham, "Take Hajar and her son from home!" When Ismail was born, he was 86 years old. When Abraham circumcised him, he was 13 years old and Abraham was 99 years old.

There is no difference of opinion between the Qur'an and the Torah about what Abraham did after Sarah asked for it. Abraham issued Hajar and Ismail from home. The difference is about the process of exiting them both from home. The Torah and the Qur'an also do not differ about the nature of the area occupied by both of them after leaving the house; barren desert. Allah says in the Quran (telling Abraham's prayer);

رَّبَّنَآ إِنِّيٓ أَسۡكَنتُ مِن ذُرِّيَّتِي بِوَادٍ غَيۡرِ ذِي زَرۡعٍ عِندَ بَيۡتِكَ ٱلۡمُحَرَّمِ رَبَّنَا لِيُقِيمُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ فَٱجۡعَلۡ أَفۡ‍ِٔدَةٗ مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ تَهۡوِيٓ إِلَيۡهِمۡ وَٱرۡزُقۡهُم مِّنَ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَشۡكُرُونَ ٣٧  

O our Lord! Surely, I have settled a part of my offspring in a valley unproductive of fruit near Thy Sacred House, our Lord! that they may keep up prayer; therefore, make the hearts of some people yearn towards them and provide them with fruits; haply they may be grateful. (Ibraahim [14]; 37).

There are some things we need to know about our discussion;

One; In accordance with the Shari'a in the past, the media used as sacrifices were animals or first children.

Two; Under no circumstances can the primacy of the first child be lost.

Three; Ismail was Abraham's first child, while Ishaq was his second child.

Four; Abraham gave all his inheritance to Ishaq, while what he gave to Ismail and his mother was a bag of water.

Five; The editorial word used for slaughter and sacrifice in the Abrahami religions was used by Abraham to refer to Ismail, not Ishaq.

Six; Ismail was the child most loved by Abraham, because Ismail was born thanks to his prayer, while Ishaq was born because of Allah's promises to him.

Seven; In the Torah, it is explained that when Allah gave the good news to Abraham about the birth of Ishaq, Allah also gave him the joyful message, that Allah would make his descendants an eternal nation.

Eight; In the Torah, it is explained that when Allah gave Abraham good news about the birth of Ishaq, Abraham said, "If Ismail lived before you."

All readers! If we reflect on some of the important things above, then we can conclude, that the son of Prophet Abraham who was slaughtered was Prophet Ismail, not Prophet Ishaq. When Prophet Abraham expressed the order to the Prophet Ismail, the Prophet Ismail said, as explained in the Qur'an;

فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ ٱلسَّعۡيَ قَالَ يَٰبُنَيَّ إِنِّيٓ أَرَىٰ فِي ٱلۡمَنَامِ أَنِّيٓ أَذۡبَحُكَ فَٱنظُرۡ مَاذَا تَرَىٰۚ قَالَ يَٰٓأَبَتِ ٱفۡعَلۡ مَا تُؤۡمَرُۖ سَتَجِدُنِيٓ إِن شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ ١٠٢  

And when he attained to working with him, he said: O my son! Surely, I have seen in a dream that I should sacrifice you; consider then what you see. He said: O my father! do what you are commanded; if Allah please, you will find me of the patient ones. (Ash-Shaffaat [37]; 102).

All readers! That is a brief explanation of Ismail and Ishaq; who is slaughtered? If you want to comment, please! We're dialogue!

I think that is enough for this article. May be useful! Amen!

See you again in the next article!

Reference

Syibli an-Nu'mani, Daa'iratu al-Ma'aarif fii Siirati an-Nabiy Shallallaahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam, perfected by Sulaiman an-Nadawi, translated from Jordanian by Yusuf' Amir, a private publisher with help from Hasan Abbas Zaki, Vol. I, p. 118-126.