Islam_in_Focus_text

There have been two versions of which one of AbraharrTs
sons was to have been sacrificed, Ishmael or Isaac.
The Muslims believe that it was Ishmael not Isaac, who
was to have been sacrificed in response to God's Command.
But he was ransomed after he and his father were ready to
obey God's Ordinance. There are at least twenty arguments
in support of this belief. However, none of these is meant to
belittle the historical role of the Children of Israel or the
light and wisdom delivered to them by prophet Moses. On
the contrary, the Qur'an points that out in numerous stateme-
nts(e.g.2:40, 47; 7:137;17:2; 40:53; 45:16).
Among these arguments are the following:
1
.
The whole context of the event as recorded in the
Qur'an (37:101-113) leaves no doubt that Ishmael was the
son to have been sacrificed by his father in response to God's
Command.
2. The present Old Testament (Gen. 21:5) says that
Isaac was born when his father Abraham was 100 years old,
while Ishmael was born when his father was 86 years old
(Gen. 21 :
16). For a span of fourteen years then Ishmael was
the only son of his father. At no time was Isaac in the same
position. Yet the Old Testament (Gen. 22:2) states that the
order was issued to Abraham to "Take now thy son, thine
only son Isaac... and get thee into the land of Moriah and of-
fer him there for a burnt offering." The appearance of Isaac's