Salam,
The
Christians and the Jews claimed that they have irrefutable proofs that can put
to rest forever all Muhammadan and Arab claims for ever having had any prior
knowledge of Abraham, Ishmael or anything else in the Bible before their 'revelation' by Muhammad in his Quran.
In
the Bible it is stated: And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, where did you come from?
and where will you go? And she said: I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.
And the angel of the Lord said to her return to your mistress, and submit
yourself under her hands. And the angel of the Lord said to her, I will
multiply your seed exceedingly, that it shall not be counted for multitude. And
the angel of the Lord said to her, Behold, you are with child, and shall bear a
son, and shall call his name Ishmael because the Lord has heard your
affliction. And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and
every man's hand against him; and he shall live in the presence of all his
brothers". (Genesis 16:8-12)
They
claimed that as usual, Arab 'tradition' is not supported by the Bible - which
is after all, the only original source of the story of Ishmael - or any other
recorded and independent story. The version in the Quran is a perverted one
copied from the Midrash (Ginsberg's Legends of the Jews) in the 'Akedah'. Muhammad - presumably with the connivance of
the angel Gabriel - was very busy plagiarizing and perverting at will, from the
Bible and Hebrew Scriptures whatever suited his agenda. They said that the
facts remain that not once, is there any reference in the Quran - whether
implicit or explicit - for any relationship between Abraham, Ishmael and the
Arabs. The only assertion made in the Quran is that they were the 'Fathers' of
Monotheism/Islam.
However
the claim by the Christians and the Jews that there is no record whatsoever in
the Quran is false and that the claim Prophet Muhammad plagiarized some of the
information from the Bible is totally absurd as the following verses of the
Quran will proved otherwise.
The first House of worship
was built in Bakkata an area in Makkah
In
the Quran it is stated that the first house built for mankind is located in a
small area in Makkah known as the Sacred Precinct called Bakkata and here it is
well known as the place where Abraham performed his pilgrimage. Allah described
the place as follow: The first House (of worship) appointed for men was that at
Bakkata: Full of blessing and of guidance for all kinds of beings: In it are
Signs Manifest; (for example), the Station of Abraham; whoever enters it
attains security; Pilgrimage thereto is a duty men owe to Allah, those who can
afford the journey; but if any deny faith, Allah stands not in need of any of
His creatures. (Surah 3:96-97)
The House in Bakkata was
made the place for assembly and to be sanctified
Allah
made declaration that the House and Bakkata is to be the place of assembly for
mankind for performing the pilgrimage. The responsibilities were given to
Abraham and his son Ishmael when they visited the place as being stated in the
Quran as follows: Remember We made the House a place of assembly for men and a
place of safety; and take ye the station of Abraham as a place of prayer; and
We covenanted with Abraham and Ishmael, that they should sanctify My House for
those who compass it round, or use it as a retreat, or bow, or prostrate
themselves (therein in prayer). (Surah 2:125)
Abraham and Ishmael left
some of their progenies to settle in Makkah
Since
the pilgrimage was an annual affair and both of them frequently performed their
responsibilities at Makkah, Abraham prayed to Allah to make the place to be at
peace and security and decided to leave some of his progenies to settle near
the Sacred Precinct and he prayed to Allah as stated: Remember Abraham said:
"O my Lord! Make this city one of peace and security: and preserve me and
my sons from worshipping idols. "O my Lord! They have indeed led astray
many among mankind; He then who follows my (ways) is of me, and he that
disobeys me, but Thou art indeed Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. "O our
Lord! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in a valley without
cultivation, by Thy Sacred House; in order, O our Lord, that they may establish
regular Prayer: so fill the hearts of some among men with love towards them,
and feed them with fruits: so that they may give thanks. (Surah 14:35-37)
The
Quran also confirmed that not only Abraham made the prayer but at specific
place by the Sacred House or the Kaabah both Abraham and his son Ishmael made
the prayer together for their descendants to be settled there to be blessed as Muslims
when they turned to Allah as stated: And remember Abraham and Ishmael raised
the foundations of the House (With this prayer): "Our Lord! Accept (this
service) from us: For Thou art the All-Hearing, the All-knowing. "Our
Lord! Make of us Muslims, bowing to Thy (Will), and of our progeny a people
Muslim, bowing to Thy (will); and show us our place for the celebration of
(due) rites; and turn unto us (in Mercy); for Thou art the Oft-Returning, Most
Merciful.” (Surah 2:127-128)
And
both of them also prayed to Allah that they have one of their descendants as an
Apostle representing the people of this place and they prayed: "Our Lord!
Send amongst them a Messenger of their own, who shall rehearse Thy Signs to
them and instruct them in scripture and wisdom, and sanctify them: For Thou art
the Exalted in Might, the Wise." (Surah 2:129)
Allah fulfilled the prayer
of Abraham and Ishmael and through their progenies who settled in Makkah Muhammad
was borne
Muhammad
lineage can be traced in the Quran to Abraham and Ishmael as his ancestors were
the keeper of the Kaabah or the Sacred House in Makkah. Since Abraham prayed
for righteous son he was honored with two sons mentioned in the Quran as
Ishmael and Isaac and both of them were made messenger and prophet as stated in
this verse of Ishmael: Also mention in the Book (the story of) Ishmael He was (strictly)
true to what he promised, and he was a messenger (and) a prophet (Surah 19:54)
and the mentioned of Isaac as stated: And We gave him the good news of Isaac a
prophet, one of the righteous (Surah 37:112). However it is through Ishmael
that the Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) had his lineage established as is stated here
in the Quran where the progeny of Ishmael was blessed and also chosen to hold
the covenant with Allah as stated: And Ishmael and Elisha, and Jonas, and Lot:
and to all We gave favor above the nations: (To them) and to their fathers, and
progeny and brethren: We chose them, and we guided them to a straight way.
(Surah 6:86-87)
Allah established His
covenant with Prophet Muhammad and his people the Quraish
Prophet
Muhammad was made a prophet and Allah established His covenant with him: And
remember We took from the prophets their covenant: As We did from thee (O
Muhammad): from Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus the son of Mary: We took from
them a solemn covenant: That Allah may question the (custodians) of Truth
concerning the Truth they were charged with: And He has prepared for the
Unbelievers a grievous Penalty. (Surah 33:7-8)
Apart
from Muhammad who Allah made a prophet, his people the Quraish was also chosen.
There is a Surah in the Quran which confirmed that Allah establish His covenant
with the Quraish the people of Muhammad which states that as they serves Allah
He will provide them with food and security by His Sacred House as stated: For
the covenants (of security and safeguard enjoyed) by the Quraish, Their
covenants (covering) journeys by winter and summer, Let them serve the Lord of
this House, Who provides them with food against hunger, and with security
against fear (of danger). (Surah 106)
The Quran exposed the
fabrication in the Torah that only through Isaac the covenant was given
Although
the Quran gave recognition that Ishmael was made a messenger and a prophet the
Bible completely abandoned his personalities as being a competitor to Isaac. And
God according to the Bible have chosen Isaac because he was the one God wanted
Abraham to sacrifice and because of this the Christians and the Jews believed
that this is something good when being chosen to be sacrificed: And he (God) said,
take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the
land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the
mountains which I will tell thee of (Genesis 22:2)
However
this command in the Bible to sacrifice a child is defined as despicable and is
highly controversial because the Quran confirmed that there is no command by
God to Abraham to sacrifice his son but the sacrifice of the son happened only
in his dream when he was sleeping. When the child grows older Abraham confided
by telling him what happened to his soul in his sleep: Then, when (the son)
reached the age of (serious) work with him, he said: "O my son! I see in my
dream that I offer thee in sacrifice: Now see what is thy view!" (The son)
said: "O my father! Do as thou art commanded: thou will find me, if Allah
so wills one practicing Patience and Constancy!" (Surah 37:102). Abraham
would have obeyed his twisted soul to sacrifice his son but Allah told him he
has fulfilled what his soul wish to do in his dream as stated in the Quran: We
called out to him "O Abraham! "Thou hast already fulfilled the dream!"
- thus indeed do We reward those who do right. For this was obviously a trial-And We ransomed
him with a momentous sacrifice: And We left (this blessing) for him among
generations (to come) in later times: (Surah 37:104-108). Thus it was Allah mercy
that saved Abraham from what his soul wish to do as he has been a good and righteous man. The reward for
Abraham is the exchange of an animal for his son and this is a big trial for
Abraham against his own soul.
The Quran as guardian
(muhaiminan) over previous scriptures
The
Quran is the guardian over previous scriptures as it is watchful over
fabrications against the truth of what Allah had sent through the prophets in
the previous scriptures. The Quran as guardian (Muhaiminan) is stated in the
following verse which says: To thee We sent the Scripture in truth, confirming
the scripture that came before it, and guarding it in safety: so judge between
them by what Allah hath revealed, and follow not their vain desires, diverging
from the Truth that hath come to thee. To each among you have we prescribed a
law and an open way. If Allah had so willed, He would have made you a single
people, but (His plan is) to test you in what He hath given you: so strive as
in a race in all virtues. The goal of you all is to Allah; it is He that will
show you the truth of the matters in which ye dispute (Surah 5:48).
Thus
the Quran exposed that God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his only son Isaac
stated in the Bible as falsehood and that not only the offer to kill is wrong
but also Isaac was not the only son of Abraham there was another son older than
Isaac who is called Ishmael. Here it can also be said that the Bible has turned
God into a liar.
Asar
