What is the issue between Isaac and Ishmael from a Judeo-Christian perspective?

The issue between Isaac and Ishmael from a Judeo-Christian perspective stems from the story of Abraham and his two sons. According to the biblical narrative, Abraham and his wife Sarah were unable to have children, so Sarah gave her servant Hagar to Abraham in order to bear a child. Hagar bore Ishmael, but later Sarah miraculously gave birth to Isaac.

The tension between Isaac and Ishmael arises from the fact that both sons were considered heirs to Abraham, and their descendants became the ancestors of the Jewish and Arab peoples, respectively.

This has led to conflict and rivalry between the two groups throughout history. In the Bible, Ishmael and his mother Hagar were eventually sent away by Abraham at Sarah's insistence, further exacerbating the animosity between the two sons and their descendants.

The issue between Isaac and Ishmael serves as a source of division and conflict within the Judeo-Christian tradition, often emblematic of the larger divides between the Jewish and Arab peoples. However, interpretations and understandings of this issue can vary among different religious and cultural contexts.

It is a common belief among Jews, Christians, and Muslims that God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son. However, these faiths differ on which son was to be sacrificed. Jews and Christians, drawing from the Old Testament, believe it was Isaac. In contrast, Muslims believe it was Ishmael.

In Genesis 22, verse 18 of the Torah, God tells Abraham, "In your seed, all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice." Here, "seed" is interpreted by Jews to signify a great redeemer or divine messenger who will bring salvation to humanity. Christians share this view due to their inheritance of the Hebrew Bible.

Muslims, however, see Muhammad as the fulfillment of this promise, a view not shared by Jews and Christians. The Quran, in Surah 21, verse 107, states, "And we have not sent you (Muhammad) but as a mercy to the worlds," reinforcing this belief. The Hajj, a central pillar of Islam, is considered a restoration of the religion of Abraham, which has been distorted by the Jews through their writings pertaining to whose son is to be sacrificed.

The Islamic narrative suggests that since Ishmael was Abraham's only son for 14 years before Isaac's birth, it is he who was to be sacrificed—a point hinted at in Genesis 22, verse 12, where God refers to Abraham's "only son" without specifying a name. Muslims see this ambiguity as indicating Ishmael, rather than Isaac.

Circumcision is another point of contention. It is a practice traced back to Abraham and mandated in the Torah. Christians, however, have largely abandoned physical circumcision, instead emphasizing spiritual circumcision, or placing one's faith in Jesus Christ. The Quran does not explicitly mention circumcision, but Surah 16, verse 123, which instructs Muhammad to follow the religion of Abraham, is interpreted by some to imply the practice. Thus, circumcision is widely regarded as obligatory in Islam.

The article questions why the Torah does not require the Israelites to commemorate Abraham's sacrifice, as it does with other significant events like Passover. It suggests that this absence supports the Islamic claim that it was Ishmael, not Isaac, who was nearly sacrificed.

Furthermore, it argues that the practice of circumcision, which renders a sacrifice blemished according to Deuteronomy 17, verse 1, would disqualify both Isaac and Jesus as perfect offerings.

Since the scripture forbids sacrificing animals with defects, it's argued that this applies to the child meant for offering. Isaac's circumcision on the eighth day, alongside Jesus's, is seen as scripturally imperfect for such a sacrifice.

In conclusion, the article implies that the religious practices of Jews and Christians have deviated from what it claims to be the original Abrahamic faith, particularly concerning the Sacrifice of Abraham and the rite of Circumcision.