In the Bible Ishmael was to be ONE nation. Genesis 21
The Birth of Isaac
1 Now the LORD was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what he had promised. 2 Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. 3 Abraham gave the name Isaac [a] to the son Sarah bore him. 4 When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.
6 Sarah said, "God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me." 7 And she added, "Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age."
Hagar and Ishmael Sent Away
8 The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. 9 But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, 10 and she said to Abraham, "Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac."
11 The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son. 12 But God said to him, "Do not be so distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. 13 I will make the son of the maidservant into a nation also, because he is your offspring."
Why do Muslims claim to be descedants of Ishmael?
Which child did Abraham try to sacrifice?
If Muslims teach and believe that Abraham actually sacrificed Ishmael but a lamb was miraculaously substituted, how did this different account get communicated to the earlier Muslims since the Biblical account of Abraham sacrificing Isaac was written down centuries before Mohammad was born?
From the Bible, an account believed by both Jews and Christians:
Genesis 22
The Offering of Isaac
1Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am."
2He said, "Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you."
Muslims teach that it was not Isaac but Ishmael that Abraham was told to sacrifice:
http://www.irfi.org/articles/articles_2 ... _islam.htm
God tested Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his beloved son Ishmael. He told about his vision to his son saying: “O, Son! I see in vision that I slay thee.” (37:102) Ishmael, an obedient and dutiful son replied: “O, Father! Act as thou hast been bidden (by the Lord) and thou wilt, if God willeth, find me of the patient one” (37:102). When Abraham laid down his son Ishmael and tied his hands and legs lest the boy should struggle while being slain and blind folded himself with a piece of cloth, passed the knife across, cutting the throat. When he uncovered his eyes he found a lamb laid slain and Ishmael safe and sound standing nearby. Abraham got worried. He thought his sacrifice was not accepted by God. But God has substituted lamb for Ishmael. The Quran says: “O, Abraham! Of course thou hast faithfully fulfilled the dream, thou art of the truthful ones, but verily it is an open test, we have substituted it with a greater sacrifice. We have transferred it to later generations.” (37:105-108).
Also from: http://www.submission.org/suras/sura37.html
Sura - 37 The Arrangers.(Al-Saffat)
Order Of Revelation 56, Verses: 182
37:102] When he grew enough to work with him, he said, "My son, I see in a dream that I am sacrificing you. What do you think?" He said, "O my father, do what you are commanded to do. You will find me, GOD willing, patient."*
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*37:102 The Most Merciful never advocates evil (7:28). As with Job, Satan claimed that Abraham loved his son too much, and was permitted to put Abraham to that severe test.
[37:103] They both submitted, and he put his forehead down (to sacrifice him).
God Intervenes to Save Abraham and Ismail
[37:104] We called him: "O Abraham.
[37:105] "You have believed the dream." We thus reward the righteous.
[37:106] That was an exacting test indeed.
[37:107] We ransomed (Ismail) by substituting an animal sacrifice.
[37:108] And we preserved his history for subsequent generations.
[37:109] Peace be upon Abraham.
[37:110] We thus reward the righteous.
[37:111] He is one of our believing servants.
