ISAAC

Arabic Isḥāq ( اسحاق‎ ). The son of Abraham. He is mentioned in the Qurʾān as specially the child of promise, and a gift from God to Abraham; and also as an inspired prophet. Sūrah xxi. 72 : “And We (God) gave him (Abraham) Isaac and Jacob as a farther gift; and we made them all righteous.” Sūrah xix. 50 : “And when he had separated himself from them and that which they worshipped beside God, we bestowed on him Isaac and Jacob; and each of them we made a prophet. “And we bestowed gifts on them in our mercy, and gave them the lofty tongue of truth.” The birth of Isaac as a child of promise to Abraham is related in Sūrah xi. 72–77 :— “And our me engers came formerly to Abraham with glad tidings. ‘Peace,’ said they. He said, ‘Peace,’ and he tarried not, but brought a roasted calf. “And when he saw that their hands touched it not, he misliked them, and grew fearful of them. They said, ‘Fear not, for we are sent to the people of Lot.’ “His wife was standing by and laughed; and we announced Isaac to her; and after Isaac , Jacob. “She said, ‘Ah, woe is me! shall I bear a son when I am old, and when this my husband is an old man? This truly would be a marvellous thing.’ “They said, ‘Marvel lest thou at the command of God? God’s mercy and ble ing be upon you, O people of this house; praise and glory are His due ! ’ “And when Abraham’s fear had pa ed away, and these glad tidings had reached him, he pleaded with us for the people of Lot. Verily, Abraham was right kind, pitiful, relenting.” Abraham’s willingne to offer up his son is told in the Qurʾān, and from the text there would seem little doubt but Isaac was intended, although al-Baiẓāwī and many commentators declare it was Ishmael. The account runs thus ( Sūrah xxxvii. 97–113 ):— “And he said, ‘Verily, I repair to my Lord who will guide me. “ ‘O Lord give me a son , of the righteous.’ “We announced to him a youth of meekne . “And when he became a full-grown youth, “His father said to him, ‘My son, I have seen in a dream that I should sacrifice thee; therefore, consider what thou seest right .’ “He said, ‘My father, do what thou art bidden; of the patient, if God please, shalt thou find me.’ “And when they had surrendered them to the will of God, he laid him down upon his forehead. “We cried unto him, ‘O Abraham! “ ‘Now hast thou satisfied the vision. See how we recompense the righteous. ’ “This was indeed a decisive test. “And we ransomed his son with a costly victim. “And we left this for him among posterity, “ ‘ Peace be on Abraham! ’ “Thus do we reward the well-doers, “For he was of our believing servants. “And we announced Isaac to him—a righteous prophet— “And on him and on Isaac we bestowed our ble ing. And among their offspring were well-doers, and others, to their own hurt undoubted sinners.” The feast of sacrifice, the ʿĪdu ʾl-Aẓḥā, is said to have been instituted in commemoration of this event. [ ʿIDU ʾL-AZHA .] Syud Ahmad Khan Bahadur, in his E ays on Arabia , remarks that learned Muḥammadan theologians distinctly say it was Isaac and not Ishmael who was to have been offered up; but our researches scarcely confirm the learned Syud’s statement. Ismāʿīl al-Buk͟hārī, no mean authority, says it was Ishmael, and so does al-Baiẓāwī. The weight of traditional authority seems to be in favour of Isaac, and so does the text of the Qurʾān, which we have explained in the account of Ishmael; and yet amongst both the Sunnīs and the Shīʿahs the opinion is now almost universal that it was Ishmael. [ ISHMAEL .]