Isaac or Ishmael? Abraham’s Intended Sacrificed Son
Summary:
The identity of the son whom Abraham was commanded to sacrifice is one of the most interesting points of difference between the biblical and Islamic traditions concerning Abraham (AS). The Torah explicitly identifies the son as Isaac (AS), whereas the Quran does not name the son in its account of the sacrifice. The identification of the son as Ishmael (AS) became the dominant position in later Islamic tradition, but the early Islamic exegetical record is more complicated. A substantial body of early Muslim reports identifies the sacrificed son as Isaac (Ishaq), including reports attributed to prominent Companions (RA) of the prophet of Islam, Tabi’een (RA) successors of the companions and early Quranic interpreters. Most significantly, the great early Muslim exegete (a person who performs exegesis, a critical explanation, analysis, or interpretation of a difficult or complex Quranic verses) Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari (d. 923 CE) not only preserved these reports but ultimately argued that Isaac was the sacrificed son.
Contents:
- Biblical Claim
- Quranic Claim
- The Quran itself does not say Ishmael (Isma’il)
- Companions Support Isaac (Ishaq)
- Tabi’een Support Isaac (Ishaq)
- Al-Tabari’s own conclusion
- Al-Qurtubi’s Testimony about the Early Tradition
- Why did Ishmael’s Claim Eventually Become Dominant?
- Companions Support Ishmael (Isma’il)
- Tabi’een Support Ishmael (Isma’il)
- Why Two Claims
- Conclusion
