Page 139 - World Religions I - Islam

Some thought it was Isaac; others thought Ishmael. As a result of the Qur'an's
unclear teaching, Muslims reject the clear teaching of the Bible and instead
think that the sacrificial son was Ishmael, even though there is no evidence for
this from the Qur'an. This confusion culminates with Muslims offering an animal
sacrifice during the festival of Eid al-Adha to remember Abraham's sacrifice of
not Isaac, but Ishmael.
• Al-Tabari stated that there are reliable hadiths from Muhammad, some of
which say the son was Isaac and others which say it was Ishmael.
• "The earliest sages of our Prophet's nation disagree about which of Abraham's
two sons it was that he was commanded to sacrifice. Some say it was Isaac,
while others say it was Ishmael. Both views are supported by statements
related on the authority of the Messenger of God. If both groups of statements
were equally sound, then - since they both came from the Prophet - only the
Qur'an could serve as proof that the account naming Isaac is clearly the more
truthful of the two." - Al-Tabari, The History of al-Tabari, Vol. II, p. 82, Prophets and
Patriarchs
• Son of God:
o The phrase, "Son of God" is a title used in the Bible to denote someone's relationship to God. This
relationship involves the person, or people, receiving promises from God that they will receive
something from him. In this way they are an heir to God as they have been promised and
inheritance from him. Now since a son is the heir to his father so too those who have received
promises from God are called "sons" of God.
o In the book of Exodus God calls the whole nation of Israel His "son":
 "The LORD said to Moses, 'When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before
Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart so
that he will not let the people go. Then say to Pharaoh, 'This is what the LORD says: Israel
is my firstborn son, and I told you, 'Let my son go, so he may worship me.' But you refused
to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.'" - Exodus 4:21-23
 "When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son." - Hosea 11:1
o Later in Israel's history God appointed David as Israel's king. The title of "Son" that had been
applied to Israel was now also applied to her king as he was the head of the nation and had
received a special promise from God. Thus every king of Israel had the title of "Son" of God.
 "The LORD declares to you (David) that the LORD himself will establish a house for you:
When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring
to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the
one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom
forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son."

o The king of Israel also had another title: the title of Messiah. - 2 Samuel 7:11-14a (The Greek
translation of the word Messiah is Christ.) The word Messiah comes from the Hebrew word "to
anoint". Every king of Israel was anointed to the position of king, and so every king was The
Anointed or the Messiah. The Greek translation of the Hebrew word for Messiah is Khristós, from
which we draw the Anglicized version: Christ. The terms Messiah and Christ are
interchangeable, having the same meaning.
 "Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it on Saul's head and kissed him, saying,
'Has not the LORD anointed you ruler over his inheritance?'" - 1 Samuel 10:1
o Therefore, every king of Israel bore the titles of Son of God and Messiah ("Anointed One",
synonymous with Christ). Thus, the Son of God was Messiah and Messiah was the Son of God. This

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