Information AboutIsmael |
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Ishmael ('''יִשְׁמָעֵאל''' " God hears ''or'' obeys", Standard Hebrew '''''', Tiberian Hebrew '''''', Arabic '''إسماعيل Ismā'īl''') is Abraham 's eldest son, born by his servant Hagar . He is first mentioned in the Hebrew Bible 's Book Of Genesis as the eldest son of Abraham by Hagar , Sarah 's female Egyptian maid-servant or slave. In the Qur'an , Ishmael is considered one of the Prophets of Islam . Ishmael in the Hebrew Bible Summary In the Hebrew Bible ( Old Testament ), Ishmael's life is described in the Book Of Genesis chapters 16 and further. In ''Genesis'' 16 Sarai ( Abram 's wife) gives him her maid-servant Hagar to bear him children, since she believed that God had kept her from having children (16:2). Hagar became pregnant and despised Sarai who then expelled Hagar from the home of Abraham in retaliation. Hagar fled from Sarai and ran into the wilderness, where an angel appeared to her. The angel of the Lord told her to return, adding
The angel also said to her:
So Hagar returned to Abraham's house, and had a son whom she named Ishmael. Fourteen years after this the Lord visited Sarah. Isaac being born to Abraham by his wife Sarah, Ishmael, who till then had been considered as the sole heir, saw his hopes disappointed. Five or six years afterwards, Ishmael displeased Sarah, and she prevailed on Abraham to expel him and his mother. Hagar, with Ishmael, wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba , and when reduced to great distress, a voice from heaven said "What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation." (Genesis 21) They lived in the wilderness of Paran, where Ishmael became expert in Archery . His mother married him to an Egyptian woman. God promised Abraham:
These twelve rulers, the twelve sons of Ishmael, were named Nebaioth , Kedar , Adbeel , Mibsam , Mishma , Dumah , Massa , Hadad , Tema , Jetur , Naphish , and Kedemah (See ) Ishmael also had a daughter named Mahalath or Bashemath (Gen 36:3). She married Esau (Gen 28:9). Descendants of Ishmael Ishmael also appears with Isaac at the burial of Abraham at the cave at Machpelah (Genesis 25:9 NRSV). Each of Ishmael's sons was a tribal chief and settled everywhere from Havilah to Shur, east of Egypt on the way to Asshur. From the twelve sons of Ishmael are derived the twelve tribes of the Arabians. Jerome says that in his time they called the districts of Arabia by the names of the tribes. The descendants of Ishmael inhabited the area from Havilah to Shur , i.e. from the Persian Gulf to the border of Egypt. They are usually mentioned in history under the general name of Arabians and Ishmaelites . Ishmael in Islam In Islam, Ishmael is known as the first-born son of Abraham (Ibrahim in Arabic ) from his second wife Hagar , and an appointed Prophet of God. Islamic belief holds that Abraham married Hagar, the mother of Ishmael. As a result, Ishmael was the first legitimate son of Abraham. Islam asserts that he was the one nearly sacrificed, not Isaac , (or Ishaq in the Qur'an ). Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son for God is celebrated by Muslims every year as Eid Ul-Adha . The person of Ishmael in Qu'ran Ishmael is a highly regarded person in the Qu'ran. Ishmael enjoined upon his people worship and almsgiving, and was acceptable in the sight of his Lord (19:55). 19:55 The Qu'ran mentions Ishmael with other people like Elisha , Jonah and Lot , who are considered righteous, good or chosen (6:86 and 38:48) 6:86 38:48 Abraham and Ishmael are said to have build the foundations of the Ka'aba ('They were raising the foundations of the House', 2:127 2:127 ). However, the mother of Ishmael, Hagar is not mentioned in the Qu'ran. Also the Qur'an does not explicitly mention whether the son whom God commanded to sacrify was Ishmael or Isaac. It does say that one of the sons of Abraham was gentle and Abraham had to sacrifice this son. (37:101-107) 37:101-107 . When Isma'il (P) had grown into a young man, Ibrahim (P) dreamt that Allah (swt) ordered him to sacrifice Isma'il with his own hand Ibrahim (P) knew that the dream was, in fact, a revelation from Allah (swt) and not a satanic whisper; so, he prepared himself, with a heart overflowing with faith, to carry out the command of Allah (swt). He went to see his son and told him, "I saw in a dream that I sacrificed you for the sake of Allah. Think about it and tell me your opinion on the matter." Isma'il, being from that noble family and the child of that pious father, replied without hesitation or anxiety, "O father, fulfill what Allah (swt) has commanded. By His will, you will find me among the patient." Ibrahim (P), this man of Allah (swt), who had faced many difficulties and hardships and had won over them all, he who had succeeded in these great, divine trials, also triumphed with glory in this trial. In the desert of Mena, the same place where pilgrims offer their sacrifices today, the cheek of Ibrahim's beloved son touched the ground. Ibrahim (P) took a knife in his hand and, Isma'il (P) said, "Dear father, tie my hands and feet tightly with a piece of rope so that I don't move them as I am dying, because I am afraid that I would lessen my reward. Keep your clothes away from me so that my blood doesn't splatter on you; if my mother sees that, she may not be able to tolerate it. Sharpen the knife well and sever my head at once so that I can tolerate it better, because dying is difficult." Ibrahim (P) said, "Dear son, you are a good assistant in fulfilling the command of Allah (swt)." He put the knife to Isma'il's throat and, with all his strength, tried to cut; but by Allah's (swt) will, the knife didn't cut and didn't harm Isma'il (P). Ibrahim (P) received a revelation from Allah (swt), the Exhalted, "O Ibrahim, truly you have done your duty, fulfilled the meaning of your dream and shown your submissiveness and devotion." A sacrifice was then sent from Allah (swt) as Isma'il's ransom. Ibrahim (P) sacrificed that sheep instead of his son. Ibrahim and his son returned from the alter; Isma'il (P) went to his mother and Ibrahim (P) returned to his wife, Sara. From that day, sacrifice in the land of Mena became a tradition. Later, when Islam was revealed, Allah (swt) prescribed, as a rite, that pilgrims offer a sacrifice of animals in that desert each year in commemoration of Isma'il's sacrifice Isma'il (P), who had become friendly with the Jorham tribe, married a chaste woman who was worthy in all aspects, and Allah (swt) gave them children from that pure woman Isma'il's mother, Hajar, died in that same land after a few years. He was deeply affected by the death of his devoted mother and became very distressed and sad. Ibrahim (P) continued to go there to visit him; and this consoled Isma'il somewhat. Other references to Ismael in Qu'ran The Qu'ran stresses twice that it does not make distinction between the revelations by Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the tribes (i.e. the sons of Jacob), and that which Moses and Jesus revealed, and that which other prophets received from their Lord. (2:136 and 3:84) 2:136 3:84 Another reference where the name of Ishmael appears is where the Qu'ran states that he was inspired in the same manner as prophets like Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and Jesus and Job and Jonah and Aaron and Solomon . God also inspired David to write the Psalms (4:163). 4:163 Ishmael in Islamic tradition Islamic tradition holds that Ishmael and Hagar were sent to the deserts of Arabia on the orders of God ( Allah ). The Bible claims that Sarah, after the birth of Isaac, sent Hagar and Ishmael away. He and his mother settled in Mecca (or "Makkah") and were without water. The frantic running of his mother in pursuit of water led to a miraculous spring appearing from the ground (from God) known as the Zamzam Well . Ishmael then helped his father, Abraham, build the House of God, or the Kaaba , in Mecca . Muhammad a descendant of Ishmael The Islamic prophet Muhammad is considered to be a descendant of Ishmael. The oldest extant biography of Muhammad, compiled by Mohammed Ibn Ishak , and edited by Abu Mohammed Abd El Malik Ibn Hisham , opens: This book contains the life of the Apostle of God: Muhammad was the son of Abd Allah , son of Abdu-l-Mottaleb , son of Hashim , son of Abd Menaf , son of Kussei , son of Kilab , son of Murra , son of Kaab , son of Luei , son of Ghalib , son of Fihr , son of Malik , son of Nadhr , son of Kinana , son of Khuzeima , son of Mudrika , son of Alya , son of Mudhar , son of Nizar , son of Maad , son of Adrian , son of Udd , son of Mukawwam , son of Nahor , son of Teira , son of Yarob , son of Yashyob , son of Nabit , son of Ishmael , son of Abraham , the Friend of God, son of Tara , son of Nahor , son of Sarukh , son of Rau , son of Falih , son of Eiber , son of Shalih , son of Arphakhsad , son of Shem , son of Noah , son of Lamek , son of Metushalakh , son of Khanukh , - who, as is believed, was the prophet Idris , the first prophet, and the first who wrote with the reed, - son of Yared , son of Mahaleel , son of Kainanan , son of Yanish , son of Sheth , son of Adam , to whom may God be gracious! Ishmael in the Book of Jasher Ishmael is also mentioned in the Book Of Jasher , including genealogy. The Book of Jasher (chapter 25) states that the sons of Ishmael were twelve princes 'according to their nations'. The families of Ishmael afterward spread forth, and Ishmael took his children and all the property that he had gained, together with the souls of his household and all belonging to him, and they went to dwell where they should find a place. And they went and dwelt near the wilderness of Paran, and their dwelling was from Havilah to Shur. And Ishmael and his sons dwelt in the land, and they had children born to them, and they were fruitful and increased abundantly. See also External links
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