COMPARISON THE MUSLIM VERSION The Muslim version of the story is that Abraham received instruction from God to take Hagar and her baby Ishmael to a barren and lifeless place in Arabia (Paran). The area of Paran is also referred to in the Bible in (Gen 21:21). When Abraham began to leave Hagar and Ishmael alone in such barren wilderness, Hagar cried to him and asked why he was leaving her in the desert, eventually she asked if God had commanded him to do this and Abraham responded yes. When Hagar ran out of water, the baby was crying (Gen 21:17-19) and in a moment of despair and apparent death, God Hears (i.e. Ishmael Gen 16:11) the cry and intervenes again and a spring of water suddenly gushed forth from under Ishmaels feet. That well later came to be known as the well of Zamzam. One must ask why God intervenes to save Ishmael, perhaps because he was part of a divine plan? Ishmael means God hears (Gen 16:11); how ironic a name Gods Angels gave him. According to the Muslim version Abraham did not just abandon his son and never talk to him again. Abraham would still keep in contact with Ishmael and visit him (Quran 37:102-111). This is because he cared about him, which seems to be consistent with the Bible (Gen 21:11). THE BIBLICAL VERSION Sarah, Abrahams first wife was jealous of Hagar and her son Ishmael. She did not want Ishmael to inherit with her son Isaac because Ishmael was the son of the handmaid. She was particularly angry because of what she considered mockery on the part of Ishmael toward his younger brother Isaac while they were playing together. (Gen 21:10) Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that slave womans son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac. This incident took place after Isaac was weaned. Abraham obeyed his wife Sarah whose demand of casting out the slave woman and her son was blessed by God who told Abraham to (Gen 21:12) listen to Sarah. One morning Abraham rose up, gave provisions and water to Ishmael and Hagar, and left them in the wilderness of Beer Sheba in Southern Palestine (Gen 21:14). When Hagar ran out of water she could not bear to watch her son die, so she sat away. Eventually, an angel appeared before her and provided her with a spring of water. The angel further told her (Gen 21:18) Arise, lift up the lad and hold him in your hand; for I will make him a great nation. Ishmael dwelt in the wilderness of Paran (Gen 21:17-21) He had twelve sons one of whom one was named Kedar (Gen 25:13). SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE TWO VERSIONS There appears to be at least three similarities between the two versions: 1) That Hagar and Ishmael were taken away from Palestine and dwelt in the wilderness of Paran. 2) That Hagar ran out of water and was worried about the life of her son Ishmael. 3) That unexpectedly, she had access to water which she gave to her son to save his life. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO VERSIONS According to the Muslim version: 1) Hagar and Ishmael were taken away because of a specific divine instruction given to Abraham as part of the divine plan. When the time came, prophet hood was to shift from the Israelites to the Ishmaelite, after the rejection of the last Israelite prophet, Jesus. Hence, Jesus confirm that in Mathew 21:43…it was taken away from the jews and given to another nation of Abraham. 2) Hagar and Ishmael were taken to the wilderness of Arabia, specifically Mecca and not to Beer Sheba. 3) The incident took place before the birth of Isaac and not after; when Ishmael was a baby, which is further confirmation of the more realistic reason for Hagar and Ishmaels apparent exile as stated in the first difference. Even the Bible admits how Jews tampered with scripture. (Jeremiah 8:8 RSV) How can you say, We are wise, we have the law of the LORD, when scribes with their lying pens have falsified it? THE SYMBOL OF GODS COVENANT WITH ISHMAEL AND HIS DESCENDANTS According to Gen 17:10-14, circumcision was regarded as a symbol of the covenant with God and a sign of purification from polytheism. In Gen 17:23-27 we are told that Abraham took Ishmael and all those males born in his household and circumcised them. Therefore, one can see that Ishmael was somehow participating in the Abrahamic covenant. Even to this day every Muslim male is circumcised
Posted on: Wed, 06 Aug 2014 22:30:28 +0000
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