Issac and Ishmael: Some thoughts

 The latest round of violence which has occurred in the Middle East has prompted much discussion on the origins of the tensions. There is a great deal of disinformation regarding both the contemporary problems, as well as their origins, deliberate and outright evil attempts to control the narrative, to brainwash the next generation of human beings to be in favor of a system that is inherently unjust.

One of the theories that is often cited, especially in the last two weeks, is that the "Middle East conflict" is simply an extension of an old family feud, a feud between two brothers, themselves, while having different mothers, bear the same father. Indeed, Islam itself is claimed by those who hold that view to be a creation born from that feud!

Abraham 

According to the scriptures, Abraham ("father of many nations") was blessed by God to received guidance, delivery from idol-worship, and was given a covenant. Broadly speaking, this is agreed upon by the adherents of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Indeed, these faiths are referred to as the Abrahamic religions, as they see themselves as having their roots in  Abraham's experiences.

 

The Bible (Gen. 16:1-9) asserts that a wife of Abraham, by the name of Sarai (also known as Sarah) unable to give birth on her own, encouraged him to have a relationship with her "maidservant" (known as Hagar), conceive with her, so that the family line would go on. However, problems developed between the two women, causing the latter to leave.(#1)

 

The two sons from the Bible

Hagar gives birth to Ishmael, who is seen as the progenitor of the Arabs, whereas years later, Sarai gives birth to Isaac, viewed as the progenitor of the Hebrew group. 

 

The problems between their mothers were visited upon the sons, as the story goes. The Bible, while acknowledging that Hagar has not done anything wrong, nonetheless asserts  that Hagar was told that her son, who is the progenitor of the Arabs, would be "a wild donkey of a man".(Gen.16:12).

 

Isaac, although younger, is said to embody the covenant. Ishmael is disinherited from that. It is interesting that throughout the Bible, expressions such as "The Lord God of the house of Israel" and "The Lord God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob" are common.

 

The two sons from the Qur'an

 

The Qur'an does not entertain any problems between the two sons. They are both mentioned with respect (Q 6:84, 14:39-41, 2:136 and other places), and it is common practice to say "peace be upon him" when referencing both. 

 

There is never a disrespectful passage in the Qur'an about Issac, even though he is viewed as the progenitor of the Jews. Indeed, Isaac  is viewed as a recipient of Divine guidance.

It is important here to note that the Qur'an contrasts from the Biblical style in that it NEVER uses racist or nationalistic language. It refers to God as the "Caretaker of the universe" (Q 1:2), and never as being restricted or exclusively connected to Arabs.

Religious rhetoric has certainly been exploited throughout the "Middle East conflict". Arabs are routinely portrayed as savages, and antisemitism is a charge regularly made by the supporters of the state of Israel, as a means to disarm criticism. Indeed, the ghosts of the holocaust are routinely resurrected to accomplish this, even though the Arabs and Muslim world had no relation to the Nazi-led holocaust that occurred (in Christian Europe) during the days of the second world war. 

Evangelical figure John Hagee, in almost all of his speeches and writing, has exemplified this pattern, as well as stated in no uncertain terms that he expects a time in the near future when "Israel will own an control all of present-day Israel, including Jerusalem, Lebanon, The West Bank of Jordan, and most of Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia".(#2)

Such rhetoric cannot be ignored, especially when it is backed by financial and political drive. One need only conduct a google search to see the reach this figure and this trend has.

If there ever was conflict between Isaac and Ishmael, or between  Hagar and Sarah, that conflict is no excuse to perpetuate oppression. Moreover, in the spiritual realm, it is Islam, which has been conveyed via the Qur'an to Muhammad, which has stated clearly that blood ties has no bearing on one's ties to God. It is Islam which has clearly stated that respect and love be had not only for one son of Abraham, but the other one as well. 

This post has only been some brief thoughts, meant to convey that the Islamic position is actually very reasonable, for any who use reason, when it comes to issues surrounding the descendants of Abraham(#3).In conclusion, we pray "Glorified is Your Lord, the Lord of honor and glory, he is above what is wrongly attributed to him, peace be upon the messengers, and praise belongs to God, the caretaker of the universe." ( Q 37:180-182).

 

Endnotes

 (1) Robert Alter, in his Torah translation THE FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES ( New York, Norton& Company Limited, 2004) pg.78 uses the word "harassed" to describe Sarah's attitude towards Hagar.

 (2) This quotation is taken from John Hagee's book CAN AMERICA SURVIVE? 10 PROPHETIC SIGNS THAT WE ARE THE TERMINAL GENERATION ( New York, Howard Books, 2010) pg.109. 

(3) The following article has a thorough explanation of the Muslim understanding of issue such as the covenant, sacrifice, etc.. associated with Abraham. http://www.why-christians-convert-to-islam.com/nice201.htm

 

Common Christian Concerns regarding Islam (CCCI)

Introduction

We live in an age of false news and deliberate misrepresentations. So much information, facts and half-truths are in wide distribution via all media outlets regarding any possible subject of importance. With this in mind, we seek to address, in particular, the concerns that members of the Christian community have regarding Islamic beliefs, doctrines, and Muslims in general.

This brief article is not intended as a polemical device, nor is it sugar coating the facts. It is intended for educational purposes only, to foster proper understanding by sharing correct information. It is intended to form a basis for discussion between members of the two respective religious communities, and is composed with the supplication of Prophet Muhammad ( peace be upon him) in mind, in which he prays : "O God, show us truth as truth, and give us the ability to follow it, and show us falsehood (FT.1) as falsehood, and give us the ability to abstain from it."


What is Islam?

The term "Islam" itself is a word, a verbal noun, that means "submission to God". The one who does the act of "submission" is called a "Muslim". Notice that both of these terms are rather generic. These terms denote action, something which is far superior to a particular label. Labels have been associated with particular places and personalities, Christianity after the personage of Christ, Buddhism after the Buddha, Judaism after the Jewish tribes and so forth. Our argument, based upon the Qur'an itself, is that it is the action which is important to God. Thus, it says "Verily, the deen (Ft. 2) in God's sight is Islam" (Qur'an 3:18).

The Bible and the Qur'an

The term Bible means " a collection of books". It can also be rendered "a library". It is a collection of writings that were by and large never intended by their respective writers to be placed in a single text, and it is quite doubtful that they viewed their writings as "scripture". In any case, it has acquired a sacredness for Christians, highlighted by the text which reads "all scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness." ( 2 Timothy 3:16, NIV).

The Qur'an is viewed by Muslims as God's own words. It is only God's words. The word Qur'an is a verbal noun, meaning "the recitation" or "the reading". One definition is "something that is to be repeatedly read". It was sent to Muhammad The Prophet over a twenty-three year period via the Angel Gabriel. It's texts are used in prayers (Ft.3) and is the main source of Islamic theology and practices.

In terms of how the Qur'an perceives the Bible, three points should be made [1] God did sent forth messages to various messengers. Among them are persons such as Jesus, Moses, Abraham, and the others, God's peace be on them all. The Qur'an says: " Say: We believe in God, in what has been sent to us, and in what has been sent to Abraham, Ishmael, Issac, Jacob and the tribes, in that given to Moses, Jesus and the Prophets from their Lord. We make no difference between them, and we belong to him as those submissive." (Q 3:84).   [2] While Muslims accept, on the basis of the above Quranic verse [as well as other verses] that God has sent teaching to these figures, and hold these persons in great reverence, the Qur'anic position is that interpolations, misunderstandings and outright misrepresentations have taken place, falsely attributed to the blessed personalities such as Jesus. Some of these things have been minor, and some quite major. This has also affected the Bible itself as a text. This is quite understandable when we consider that "Bible" itself is a collection of various writings, the authors often themselves being unknown. This is the overall conclusion of the scholars of Biblical textual criticism, and is increasingly being recognized by Christian religious leaders themselves. Even in the widely read English translation known as THE NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION STUDY BIBLE [NIV] we read, in the preface to the book of Numbers " It is not necessary ...to claim that Numbers came from Moses' hand complete and in final form. Portions of the book were probably added by scribes or editors from later periods of Israel's history."( Ft. 4). The same source tells us of another purported source of history, that being the book of Joshua, that it was not put into writing till 800 years after the events it is supposed to be recording. (pg.288, NIV, 2002 edition).

We have to ask ourselves how a text  written almost a millennium  after the event be seen as an authoritative source?

[3] The Quranic assessment is that in light of all of this confusion, the Qur'an comes along to address the most important of points of contention [Q 27:76].  For Muslims, the Qur'an is primary source, and whatever theological teachings that go against that, it is ultimately rejected, whereas whatever goes along with it, is accepted as the probable truth! Even with that said, one will find that in general, worldwide, Muslims will treat the Bible, should they encounter it, with respect. Indeed, many Muslims find Western Christian's treatment of their text as strange, things such as throwing the book around, leaving it on the floor, writing in it, even reading it in the bathrooms.


Jesus

Muslims revere Jesus as the Messiah, as one sent by God Almighty to correct certain attitudes that the Jews of his age had. This subject has been dealt with in greater detail by this writer at http://shamsuddinwaheed.blogspot.com/2008/01/jesus-in-islam.html . For the moment, we can summarize by saying that while Muslims accept Jesus, upon whom be peace, he is not seen as God incarnate! Moreover, the metaphorical language ascribed to Jesus in the Bible as "God's son", is not used by the Qur'an or by Muslims because we seek to avoid any language which can cause confusion on God concept.

Violence

The emergence of political insurgencies in various places within the Muslim world has created the image of Islam as an inherently violent religion, ready to explode at any moment. The issue of political rebellions and terrorist groups is something beyond this article, for the simple fact that each place has it's own unique set of circumstances and historical backround. In terms of Islam as a religion, the notion that it promotes murder and mayhem is totally false.

Thus, the Qur'an says:  "And do not kill the soul, which God has eternally forbidden [Harrama], except in justice. And whoso is killed unjustly, God has given his heirs authority, [yet even then], so do not be excessive in the retribution, as he [the heir] is assisted [legally]" [Q 17: 33]".

The issues of violence in the name of religion, as well as the related issues of Jihad, have been addressed in greater detail in the panel discussion Responses To Violence In The Abrahamic Traditions  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUjTm7infHI and more briefly in Spotlight On Religious Violence here.


Muhammad The Prophet

Muhammad ibn 'Abdullah, may peace be upon him,  was born in 570 C.E. in the city of Makkah, on the Arabian peninsula. Known for his exceptional honesty and trustworthiness, he received the revelation of Qur'an over a period of twenty-three years, beginning at the age of forty. He faced war, attempts on his life, the persecution of himself, family and followers. His teachings include things found revolutionary in Arabian society, such as the forbidding of female infanticide, that women are to have inheritance rights, that a life of discipline and abstinence from thing such as alcohol, intoxicants, gambling. He also was able to create a brotherhood between various peoples and classes. In his final speech, he said "There is no virtue of Arab over a Non Arab, or a white over a black, or a black over white. The only criterion for virtue is in reverence for God." 

The words of Muhammad are recorded in sources known as the literature of Hadeeth. It is important to note that they do not have the same value as the Qur'an, and that our scholars have long recognized that there are misunderstandings and fabrications in that genre that have to be pointed out. In addition to this, even accurately recorded reports in the hadeeth literature may not be always a full report, meaning that the context in which a statement was made or an action done may not be present in the particular report.

The broad details of The Prophet's life are well known and established in light of history. His battles, his marriages, his birth and death place, treaties, his particular mode of worship and the like. His merciful attitudes, his personality, all are well known. Theologically, he is seen as God's universal messenger, a Prophet who completes the process of Prophethood. He is also seen as a fulfillment of predictions made before his advent. The Bible itself reports Jesus as saying that one would come after him to "speak all truth" (John 14:26). Rather than seeing this as a vague  "holy spirit of inspiration", our reasoning is that Muhammad fits this description more than any other historical figure. Jesus's ministry was only three years, some say 6 1/2 years. He was never one who addressed political or military affairs, and barely -if we take the canonical Gospels as evidence- addressed social ills on a wide scale. Muhammad, however, did, and his successes are well recorded in the Qur'an and in historical memory.

The Qur'an depicts Muhammad as a mercy to mankind {Q 21:107} and all reports surrounding him need to be seen in that overall light. Moreover, the particular reports about particular incidents or statements, one needs to consult specialists in the subject. There is much about him and about what is attributed to him which is beyond this particular article, our suggestion would be to conduct a serious study on him. A wonderful work is The Life of Muhammad by Muhammad Husayn Haykal.

Who are Muslims ethnically?

Muslims currently make up 1/5th of the human population. The Arab world is only 20 % of the Muslim world population, so that would make Arab speakers a minority in the Muslim world. Indeed, the biggest population of Muslims in the African continent is not an Arabic-speaking nation, but rather Nigeria!

The world's largest Muslim population is Indonesia [261 million], located in South East Asia. Muslims are composed of many cultures, languages, and historical diversity.

Islam has- from it's primary sources, addressed racism in a firm way, which, in my view, has contributed to it's wide acceptance.

In an American context, it's a bit harder to quantify the number of Muslims. A 2016 estimate puts the number around 3 million [ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_the_United_States], however there are also estimates that go as high as six or seven million Muslims in the United States. 

Ethnically, it is said that 25% of American Muslims are from Asia, typically the Indian Subcontinent [India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh], whereas 24% of American Muslims are said to be African-American, and Arabs constitute 18% of American Muslims. http://muslimgirl.com/25021/majority-race-muslim-community/

Islam in the black experience has a profound and fascinating history. Figures such as Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali need no introduction.

Basic values of Islam

The basic values of Islam are also those shared by the Christian and Jewish traditions. The Qur'an says:

 Your Lord has decreed: (i) Do not worship any but Him (ii) Be good to your parents; and should both or any one of them attain old age with you, do not say to them even "fie" neither chide them, but speak to them with respect,  and be humble and tender to them and say: "Lord, show mercy to them as they nurtured me when I was small." Your Lord is best aware of what is in your hearts. If you are righteous, He will indeed forgive those who relent and revert (to serving Allah).(iii) Give to the near of kin his due, and also to the needy and the wayfarer. (iv) Do not squander your wealth wastefully, for those who squander wastefully are Satan's brothers, and Satan is ever ungrateful to his Lord. And when you must turn away from them - (that is, from the destitute, the near of kin, the needy, and the wayfarer) - in pursuit of God's Mercy which you expect to receive, then speak to them kindly.Do not keep your hand fastened to your neck nor outspread it, altogether outspread, for you will be left sitting rebuked, destitute.Certainly Your Lord makes plentiful the provision of whomsoever He wills and straitens it for whomsoever He wills. He is well-aware and is fully observant of all that relates to His servants. ( Q 17:23-30)

Footnotes

[1] The word translated as "falsehood" here is الباطل   Baatil. It carries a wide shade of meaning, including that which is ridiculous or valueless.



[2] Deen is usually translated as 'religion', however the usage in Quranic language is much greater than our typical understanding of constitutes religion. It is with regret that modern Arabic uses deen as 'religion' [with the plural being adyaan, which never appears in the Qur'an]. It is interesting that Urdu, which has the word 'deen', nonetheless does not use this term, but rather the term mazhab
[Arabic :  madh-hab], a term which, even in it's original Arabic, seems to better fit the modern understanding of what constitutes 'religion'.

[3] The core text for Muslim worship is Soorah Al- Faatihah, the first chapter of the Qur'an.

[4] Zondervan, NIV STUDY BIBLE (Grand Rapids, 2000) page 185.

Towards becoming Full-time Muslims

[ Note: The following is an edited version of a Friday Khutbah delivered 7/15/16 at Toledo Masjid Al-Islam. The opening Hamd has been omitted.]


Working Hard

A person experiencing financial difficulties will attempt to address their situation in the best way available. Such a person, upon finding a full-time job, one that comes with certain perks and benefits, will accept that job, feel grateful for that job and will put in extra time and work, using their abilities to solve any problems that are work-related.

There is an obvious difference between full-time work and part time work. When we put in part time work, we will only get part time results. When we are serious in our work, we will get fulfilling results.

Allah states "Say: Indeed, my prayers, devotional acts, life and death are all for Allah, the Caretaker of the Universe. He has no partner..." [Q 6:163].

So being a Muslim is a full-time job. That's simply an undeniable reality. In today's world, we often have to differentiate between "full time parents" and "weekend fathers" or "holiday mothers". Absentee parents will come to regret their neglect as time moves forward. The same applies to being a Muslim.

We cannot be Ramadan Muslims or Friday Muslims or Holiday Muslims and then expect to have the same results as experienced by the Prophet ﷺ and his early followers. 

If our Islam is anything other than full time, we will always be sad, unstable, bitter and non progressive. The most important criterion for "progress" is of the spiritual/mental/moral type. Too many of us are part-time workers expecting full-time benefits!

Islam for ourselves and families

Too many of us have limited our Islam to easy things such as abstaining from pork and the Salaam greetings. A limited "Islam" of that nature, one that is only occasional and ignoring family, we risk destroying our children's spiritual foundation. We risk becoming a "gray community", one which does not even last a single generation.

Workable strategies for becoming full-time Muslims

There are many methods by which we can become full time Muslims, but any methodology must include these elements.

[1] Examining issues of Halaal and Haraam in your life. Look at everything, from relationships to income, even to entertainment.

[2] Consider one's own physical environment. If you are not offering five daily prayers, obviously that has to start, but what about the areas in which you pray? Is the area in which you offer salaah clean? Are there reminders of Allah in those areas, such as Allah's name or quotations from the Qur'an? "And the places of prayer [Masaajid] are for Allah, so do not call with Allah anyone else." [Q 72:18].

This may sound superficial, but our surroundings have influences over our moods. So consider this with regards to the places of prayer in your own home.

[3] Are your friends believers? Are they healthy [spiritually] or are they toxic? If they are toxic, resentful professional complainers, it would be best to avoid spending much time with them.

[4] If your friends/company are healthy, yet they are non Muslim or nominal Muslims. You should share Islam with them by inviting them to the mosque, by living Islam yourself, by answering their queries.

[5] If your relationship is Haraam [Islamically forbidden], the solution is to either marry or to part company if they are not marriage material.

There is a disproportionate gap in numbers between the genders in our community. We have many single brothers and not enough sisters.We need marriage between Muslims, for Muslim children to be able to form friendships with other Muslims.

All of these are needed things to address in our quest to become full-time Muslims.

This deen is guidance, but if we are unwilling to act upon it, 'guidance' and "Islam" becomes nothing more than phrases on paper, useless slogans.

May Allah protect our Imaan, increase us in our zeal for his cause, and bestow on us forgiveness, mercy and guidance. Ameen!

The Ka'bah: a symbol of man's potential

Origins

According to the Qur'an [Q 2:127], the Ka'bah was constructed by Abraham and his son, to be a place where God ONLY would be worshiped. Although the Qur'anic description of its origins may be disputed by various critics of Islam, all hands agree that the ancient site has always been seen as a place of prayer, amnesty and security. It was deemed a respected site even by the polytheists.[Ft.1].


Function as focal point of prayer direction [Qiblah]

It is worth mentioning that the Qiblah for the early followers of the Prophet Muhammad, upon whom be peace, was not the Ka'bah, rather, it was Jerusalem. We are told that Jerusalem was the first Qiblah for about seventeen months.[ Ft.2]

There are two main reasons for this that should be highlighted. [1] Jerusalem can be said to be a center of monotheism. Many of the prophets and teachers known to the world have a direct or indirect connection to this place of peace. Certainly, Jerusalem has many sites deemed sacred to both Jewish and Christian traditions. [2] Tradition tells us that the Prophet Muhammad embarked upon a spiritual journey from a spot in Jerusalem and onto the heavens. [Ft.3]


As we know, eventually the command came forth informing the Muslims that Makkah, specifically the site of the Ka'bah, should be the Qiblah.

"So, wheresoever you are, turn your faces towards the sacred Mosque [Al-Masjid Al-Haram, the site of the Ka'bah].." [ 2:144].

There is a concept of Qiblah present in Jewish tradition. They face Jerusalem, offering prayers three times daily. The idea behind the main function of Qiblah also finds an eloquent speaker in the writer of the Psalms, who asserts:

But I, by your great mercy, will come into your house, in reverence will I bow down towards your Holy Temple. [Psalms, 5:7, NIV]

For Muslims, to face One direction in prayer, this action serves as a point of unity. The same can be rightfully asserted regarding the prayer format, which is the same across the Muslim community worldwide. [Ft.4]


It should be noted that to Muslims, the Ka'bah, although sacred, does not hold any magical powers. It is merely a symbol. The Qur'an itself tells us "So, worship the Lord of this house" [Q 106:3]. It would be a misreading to assert that the Ka'bah was an idol worshiped by Muslims. Indeed, the black cover [Kiswa] has the above mentioned verse written on it. At Makkah, the visitors are praying, invoking God alone, whom they recognize as the one who has created and maintains the universe.


Hajj-Pilgrimage

The Hajj is considered the last of Islam's five pillars. Its observance is conditional on the person's physical and financial abilities. The pilgrimage re enacts many of the actions of Abraham, the patriarch. It includes invoking God while circling the symbol. During the pilgrimage season, one sees every profession, class rank, nation and color represented. All are made equal by the donning of the white seamless cloth [Ihraam]. It has the potential to serve as an annual conference on world affairs, where the leaders and public alike can mingle and gain better perspective.

Footnotes

[1] In the days of Prophet Muhammad, Sall Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam, the Makkan polytheists had corrupted the Hajj practices, and this even extended to the Ka'bah itself. over 300 idols were said to have been placed and venerated at the Masjid Al-Haram.

[2] This is the figure given by Ibn Katheer. See Tafseer Al-Qur'aan al 'Adheem, volume 2, pg 30-33, Aleppo
edition.

[3] The Prophet's journey is known as the Israa'. It is briefly mentioned in the Qur'an [17:1], but a more detailed explanation can be found in the Hadeeth literature. For which see Saheeh Al-Bukhari, 8:1, 228, pg 156. Riyadh edition. Also of interest is a discussion which can be found in Muhammad Asad's Qur'an commentary [The message of the Qur'an, Gibralter, 1980].

[4] Different schools and sects exist among Muslims, but in general the prayer format is the same, showing another example of unity. The prayer format includes selections from the Qur'an, in particular the first chapter.

Divine punishment: Qur'anic teaching

"

Say: Have you considered [Ara-aytaakum], if the punishment of Allah comes to you [In Ataakum 'Adhaabullaah] unexpectedly or manifestly [Jahratan], will any be destroyed, except the wrongdoing people [Hal Yuhlaku illa Qawmidh-dhaalimeen]?" [Q 6:47]

The context in which this ayah appears speaks of God's authority being rejected by those who are misguided, who have engaged consistently in a pattern of abuse and Dhulm in the world. In fact, we are told that Satan [ Q 6:43] makes their actions seem attractive. Repeatedly, God says, these people should have examined and considered the Ayaaat of Allah [ Subhaanahu wa Ta'alaa] [Q 6:46].


Finally, we come to the verse which is the center of this brief article. Allah Ta'alaa says that ONLY the Dhaalimeen are punished, no one else. This verse refutes such ideas that are found in the religious traditions of others such as original sin, or the notion that God punishes 'seven generations" of descendants for the crimes of a particular society!

If such a notion was true- that God punished the descendants of a criminal, then the son of 'Abdullah Ibn Ubayy, the leader of the Madeenan hypocrites, who engaged in many intrigues against the Prophet Muhammad- upon whom be peace and blessings- and the Islamic state- should have been punished by Allah, and indeed by the Prophet himself- who was God's representative on earth. Yet, we know that the son was not punished, and even 'Abdullah ibn Ubayy himself was never tried or punished in this world.


This section of the Qur'an speaks to the important picture, the broad fate of civilizations who have not articulated spiritual values into their conduct or culture.

For those, living both within and outside of a spiritual [or spiritually lacking] environment, who have able to internalize the Divine principles, Allah says:

"... So whoever has Imaan {faith} and reforms, they shall have no fear, and they shall [have no reason to] grieve." { Q 6:48}

Sacred Responsibility

Friday prayer lecture [Khutbah] at Masjid Al-Islam [Toledo, Ohio] on proper religious focus. Also addressed are the Quranic concepts of Judgment Day and death. Well received. Link is below, and comments are always welcome.

http://noorulislam.podomatic.com/entry/2010-10-22T08_51_11-07_00