Page:Judaism and Islam, a prize essay - Geiger - 1898.pdf/123

 ABRAHAM TO MOSES. 105

commanded to sacrifice ; and the reasons have been given which persuaded Muhammad to represent Ishmael as a

however say that he was Ishmael," and for this opinion the authorities are now cited :

" Both views are supported by the words of Muhammad. Those who maintain that Isaac was the one sacrificed prove it from Sura XXXVII. 99 ' We brought him the joyful news that he should have a meek son.' And when he was grown up, then God commanded Abraham to offer up him who had been announced to him. But we do not read in the Quran that any son except Isaac was foretold to him, as it is written in the Sura entitled Hud : ' And we announced to him Isaac.' Sura XI. 74. Those however who maintain that Ishmael was the one sacrificed prove it from the fact that the announcement of Isaac comes after the completion of the story of the sacrifice, when we read for the first time : ' And we rejoiced him with the promise of Isaac, a righteous prophet.' Sura XXXVII. 112. This shews that the sacrificed person was another than Isaac. (The same view is given in detail by Jalaln'd-din as quoted by Maracc.) Further it is said in Sura Hud (XI. 74) : ' We promised him Isaac and after Isaac, Jacob. As he had announced Isaac, BO he also announced to him Isaac's son Jacob.' How could he then have commanded the sacrifice of Isaac, when he had promised seed through him ?' Thia last proof is truly not to be ranked very high, for a similar contradiction in Holy Scripture in the case of Genesis, xxi. 12, and Genesis, xxii. would then have to be explained. Beyond the first proof adduced, there is no necessity either for this argument, or for still another argument which immediately afterwards is cited in the commentary, viz., that the horns of the ram are preserved in Mecca, the dwelling-place of Ishmael. It will have been noted that in the text I have independently decided in favour of the view that Muhammad believed that it was Ishmael whose sacrifice was ordered of God.

Doubtless all Arabian authorities would have come to this same conclusion, had not the Jews and Christians expressed their opinion so decidedly in favor of Isaac (in which they were followed by the common