Do most Christians believe that Ishmael was the father of the Arab nation?

[fj62]

It is my understanding that this is what Muslims believe, but what about traditional Christian teaching?

[Mrs Mungo]

This is what I was taught, however, I learned it in college, not church. I'm not sure the Christian church discusses it one way or the other, generally speaking.

[Slartibartfast]

I don't recall it ever being brought up in church.

[4kids4me]

I learned that in church.

[amy g.]

That is what I have always been taught.

[OHGrandma]

That's what I've learned in church. Also read in some book that Esau's offspring married Ismaels offspring.

[Ibbygirl]

I read that in the OT and also have heard it in church as well.

[Geo]

I read that in the OT and also have heard it in church as well.

 

Ditto.

 

Geo

[lionfamily1999]

:iagree:

[Daisy]

Yes.

[Garga]

Another vote for taught it in church, usually somewhere in a teaching of Abraham being the father of many nations.

[HRAAB]

That's what I learned in church.

 

Janet

[Shelly in the Country]

Yup, that's what I was always taught.

[Jann in TX]

Abraham was to be the father of MANY nations.

[lionfamily1999]

So, now I'm wondering... why ask?

[mcconnellboys]

That has always been my understanding, as well.

[Anne in CA]

I learned this in church and understood it from my own Bible reading.

[Ellie]

Yes, of course. How could it not be so?

[Retired]

I am a Christian that came to this conclusion after reading the bible. That Ismael wandering in the area bordering Egypt. This area is Muslim, so he would of been the father of the Arabic people who later became Muslim

 

My church only emphasized Abraham as the father of many nations.

 

I really never but in into the religious divide Jewish/Christian and Muslim until I was old enough to understand the Arabic nations hatred of Israel.

 

This seems to be an ancestral hatred. That the oldest son did not receive his inheritance but was sent away. That the Israel land belongs to the descendants of Ismael not Isaac.

[TravelingChris]

Yes that is what we believe.

[Earth Angel_79]

Yes, that is what I've always believed.

[ereks mom]

As far as I know, yes.

[DB in NJ]

Every Bible-preaching church I've been a member of has taught this, yes.

 

Never heard it in the church I grew up in though. Never heard much of the Bible growing up, come to think of it :D

[ummix3]

I am a Christian that came to this conclusion after reading the bible. That Ismael wandering in the area bordering Egypt. This area is Muslim, so he would of been the father of the Arabic people who later became Muslim

 

My church only emphasized Abraham as the father of many nations.

 

I really never but in into the religious divide Jewish/Christian and Muslim until I was old enough to understand the Arabic nations hatred of Israel.

 

This seems to be an ancestral hatred. That the oldest son did not receive his inheritance but was sent away. That the Israel land belongs to the descendants of Ismael not Isaac.

 

Although this is not answering the original question I would like to put my .02 in.

 

As a Muslim we believe that Abraham took Hajar, who we believe was his second wife, to the land of Mecca along with their son Ismael because of Sara's jealousy. He would visit them from time to time. After some time when Ismael was older we believe that Abraham received a message from God to build a house of worship with his son Ismael, the Kaba in Mecca. No where in Islamic history, that I have seen or learned, does it say that there was "ancestral hatred" towards Israel, nor any talk of inheritance. As Muslims we love all the Prophets. We also believe that it was Ismael that Abraham was to sacrifice and not Isaac.

 

Any hatred that the Palestinian people (Christian or Muslim) currently have may be due to the oppression they face daily and the occupation of lands where they once resided, but that's another story (which BTW I do not wish to entertain :) ).

 

Michelle

Edited October 10, 2009 by mLeroux
addition

[stripe]

I would also not be quick to say that historically there's been a Jewish/Christian and Muslim divide, given that there are lands where Muslims and Jews coexisted peacefully for long periods of time (e.g. Spain, Turkey, Syria), and there have been plenty of examples of anti-Jewish behavior by Christians (e.g. inquisition / expulsion of non-Christians from Spain, holocaust).

Edited October 10, 2009 by stripe

[Nicole M]

I learned that in Rod & Staff English 5!

[sagira]

Never heard this before until I was an adult. Then again, I am Catholic :) It sounds interesting, though. I always thought it unfair that Esau or Ishmael didn't get the right treatment. Sarah jumped the gun there and didn't trust God enough to wait. In my ds' parlance: No fair!

[Mary in VA]

I always thought it unfair that Esau or Ishmael didn't get the right treatment. Sarah jumped the gun there and didn't trust God enough to wait. In my ds' parlance: No fair!

 

I don't think Esau was an innocent victom in the whole affair. Remember he "despised his birthright" and sold it for a bowl of soup. So he demonstrated what he valued. Now of course Jacob was deceitful, but he ended up with a dysfunctional family, to say the least! But God still accomplishes his purposes even when his sinful people mess up. :001_smile:

 

Mary