Expedition Think: Ishmael in The Quran

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Proper noun - Ishmael

(2:125:15) wa-is'māʿīla	and Ishmael	وَعَهِدْنَا إِلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ أَنْ طَهِّرَا بَيْتِيَ
(2:127:7) wa-is'māʿīlu	and Ishmael	وَإِذْ يَرْفَعُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ الْقَوَاعِدَ مِنَ الْبَيْتِ وَإِسْمَاعِيلُ
(2:133:21) wa-is'māʿīla	and Ishmael	قَالُوا نَعْبُدُ إِلَٰهَكَ وَإِلَٰهَ آبَائِكَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ
(2:136:11) wa-is'māʿīla	and Ishmael	وَمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ
(2:140:5) wa-is'māʿīla	and Ishmael	أَمْ تَقُولُونَ إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ
(3:84:11) wa-is'māʿīla	and Ishmael	وَمَا أُنْزِلَ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ
(4:163:14) wa-is'māʿīla	and Ishmael	وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ
(6:86:1) wa-is'māʿīla	And Ishmael	وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَالْيَسَعَ وَيُونُسَ وَلُوطًا وَكُلًّا فَضَّلْنَا عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ
(14:39:8) is'māʿīla	Ishmael	الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي وَهَبَ لِي عَلَى الْكِبَرِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ
(19:54:4) is'māʿīla	Ishmael	وَاذْكُرْ فِي الْكِتَابِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ إِنَّهُ كَانَ صَادِقَ الْوَعْدِ
(21:85:1) wa-is'māʿīla	And Ishmael	وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِدْرِيسَ وَذَا الْكِفْلِ كُلٌّ مِنَ الصَّابِرِينَ
(38:48:2) is'māʿīla	Ishmael	وَاذْكُرْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَالْيَسَعَ وَذَا الْكِفْلِ وَكُلٌّ مِنَ الْأَخْيَارِ

The proper noun is'māʿīl (إِسْمَاعِيل) occurs 12 times in the Quran, as listed above, in the excerpt.

The first five mentions of Ishmael (Ismail عليه السلام) are in Surah al-Baqarah:

2:125 A covenant was taken from both father (Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام)) and son (Ishmael (Ismail عليه السلام)) to go purify Allah's House.

The need for purification implies that their was impurity there. The impurity of idols? that implies the existence of the House since before then, and idol worship -> that implies the presence of idol worshippers -> that implies taking ownership or control of the precincts, removing those who were defiling it, and then being able to purify the place, some sort of power struggle (similar to what Prophet Muhammad ﷺ had to do again over two millennia later).

2:127 Father (Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام)) was raising the foundations of the House, and son (Ishmael (Ismail عليه السلام)), both praying that it be accepted from them.

They also pray that they are shown the rites -> implying that the rites of Umrah and Hajj were revealed to them, as they were revealed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as well, over two millennia later.

2:133 The sons of Jacob (Yaqub عليه السلام) pledging to their father, when he was about to die, that after his death, they will worship his God, the God of Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام) and Ishmael (Ismail عليه السلام) and Isaac (Ishaq عليه السلام), one God, and that they will be submit (muslims) to Him.

2:136 The believers are commanded to say that they believe in what has been sent down to us, and that which was sent down to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and that which was given to Moses and Jesus and that which was given to the prophets from their Lord, we do not differentiate between anyone of them, and we to Him submit (muslims).

2:140 The Quran rejects their (people of the Book's) statement that Abraham and Issac and Ishmael and Jacob and the tribes were Jews or Christians.

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The next mention is in Surah Aal-e-Imran (The Family of Imran):

3:84 The believers are commanded to say that they believe in Allah, and that which has been sent down upon us, and that which was sent down upon Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and that which was given to Moses and Jesus and to the prophets from their Lord, we do not differentiate between anyone of them, and we to Him submit (muslims).

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The next mention is in Surah an-Nisa (The Women):

4:163 Indeed, We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], as We revealed to Noah and the prophets after him. And we revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, the Descendants, Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon, and to David We gave the book [of Psalms]. [Translation by Sahih International]

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The next mention is in Surah al-Anam (The Cattle):

6:86 And Ishmael and Elisha and Jonah and Lot - and all [of them] We preferred over the worlds. [Translation by Sahih International]

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The next mention is in Surah Ibrahim:

14:39 Praise to Allah , who has granted to me in old age Ishmael and Isaac. Indeed, my Lord is the Hearer of supplication. [Translation by Sahih International]

Surah Ibrahim responds in detail to all the objections against the Abrahamic faith.

Q14:35-41 quotes the invocation of Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام): '(Recall) when Ibrāhīm said, “My Lord, make this land/country peaceful, and keep me and my children away from worshiping idols. My Lord, they have misled many a people. So, the one who follows me does surely belong to me. As for the one who disobeys me, then You are Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful. Our Lord, I have settled some of my children in a valley of no vegetation, close to Your sanctified House, so that, Our Lord, they may establish Salāh. So, make hearts of people yearn towards them, and provide them with fruits, so that they may be grateful. Our Lord, surely You know what we conceal and what we reveal.-Hidden from Allah is nothing whatsoever, neither in the earth nor in the heavens. Praise be to Allah who, despite my old age, blessed me with Ismā‘īl (Ishmael) and IsHāq (Isaac). Surely, my Lord is the One who listens to the prayer. My Lord, make me steadfast in Salāh, and my offspring as well. And, Our Lord, grant my prayer. Our Lord, forgive me and my parents and all believers on the day when reckoning shall take place.”' (Q14:35-41)

The chronology in the invocation of Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام) is first for the land/country that has been purified, then that he and his children (plural) are protected from falling into idol-worship. He mentions the people who misled many, and then states that whoever follows him (in faith) surely belongs to him (accepting all who follow him as his ummah); yet invoking forgiveness and mercy for whoever disobeys him; the next item, chronologically, is the settling of some of his children in the Valley of No Vegetation (Bakkah / Makkah), near Your House (Kaaba), to establish salaat (formal congregational prayer), therefore incline the emotions of humans towards them, and provide them with fruits, so that they are grateful; admits that Allah knows what we conceal and what we reveal, as nothing is hidden from Allah in the skies and earth; and continues to praise Allah for blessing him with Ishmael and Isaac in old age. So, at the time of this prayer, both sons have been born, Ishmael is old enough to help in the purification of the House, and the raising of its foundation, and then they are being settled in the Valley with No Vegetation, near The House. He acknowledges that Allah is the One who listens to invocations, and then invokes for himself that he is made an establisher of formal prayer, and prays the same for his progeny, and invokes that this request is accepted; he prays for forgiveness for himself, his parents, and all believers, on the Day of Reckoning.

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The next mention is in Surah Maryam:

19:54 And mention in the Book, Ishmael. Indeed, he was true to his promise, and he was a messenger and a prophet. [Translation by Sahih International]

In Surah Maryam, Ishmael (Ismail عليه السلام) is specially remembered regarding the command: he was true to his promise, and he was a messenger-prophet.

The promise is related to the dream that was given to his father Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام), when Ishmael was the only son, to sacrifice his son. When the father related his dream to his son, the son submitted to the command. Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام) placed the son with forehead on the ground (the position of prostration) to sacrifice him. Allah was testing both father and son. Both were true. Allah replaced Ishmael (Ismail عليه السلام) and saved him. These details are mentioned in Surah as-Saaffaat.

Surah Maryam highlights the extraordinary command given to Maryam (mother of Jesus (Isa عليه السلام)) and the extraordinary keeping of promise by Ishmael (Ismail عليه السلام), among a few other extraordinary people and events.

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The next mention is in Surah al-Anbiya (The Prophets):

21:85 And [mention] Ishmael and Idrees and Dhul-Kifl; all were of the patient. [Translation by Sahih International]

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The last mention, by name, is in Surah Saad. This surah is about rich, powerful men, men of position and power, both believers and non-believers. Regarding Ishmael (Ismail عليه السلام), ayat 48 states:

وَاذۡكُرۡ اِسۡمٰعِيۡلَ وَ الۡيَسَعَ وَذَا الۡكِفۡلِؕ وَكُلٌّ مِّنَ الۡاَخۡيَارِؕ‏ ٤٨

Also remember Ishmael, Elisha, and Ⱬul-Kifl. All are among the best.

— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran

And remember Ismā‘īl and Al-Yasa‘ and Dhul-Kifl. Each one of them was among the best of the righteous.

— T. Usmani

And remember Ishmael, Elisha and Dhul-Kifl, and all are among the outstanding.

— Saheeh International

48. And remember Ismâ‘îl (Ishmael), Alyasa‘ (Elisha), and Dhul-Kifl (Isaiah), all are among the best.

— Al-Hilali & Khan

And remember Our servants Ishmael, Elisha, and Dhu ’l-Kifl, each of them truly good.

— M.A.S. Abdel Haleem

And remember Ishmael, Elisha, and Dhu al-Kifl. All were of the best.