Sibling Rivalry: Isaac and Ishmael
Sibling Rivalry: Isaac and Ishmael
Acrylic on Canvas, 36″ x 48″, Gallery Framed
From the September 11th Series
I start with the premise that the belief in only one God held by Judaism, Christianity and Islam and other monotheistic religions is correct. Once this premise is accepted as fact, all that follows throughout the history of humankind becomes confusing to say the very least. Is there one God for each religion, or is the one God for all? Suffice it to say that even a cursory listing of all of the atrocities, wars, genocides, and crimes committed in the name of the one God would fill the legendary library of Alexandria!
My work entitled Sibling Rivalry: Isaac and Ishmael explores one tragic consequence of divergent interpretations of who the people of this one God are, and what rights this one God confers on his chosen people in order to make converts of all. Following is a brief summary of the protagonists:
Isaac as described in the Hebrew Bible was the only son Abraham with his wife Sarah. The early Christian church viewed Abraham’s willingness to follow God’s command to sacrifice Isaac as an example of faith and obedience. Muslims honor Ishaq (Isaac) as a prophet of Islam, and in the Qur’an, which describes Isaac as the father of the Israelites and a righteous servant of God. The Qur’an states that Isaac and his progeny are blessed as long as they uphold their covenant with God, a view that ceased to find support among Muslim scholars in later centuries.
Ishmael is a figure in the Hebrew Bible, and later referenced in the Qur’an. Jews, Christians and Muslims believe Ishmael is Abraham’s eldest son and first born. Ishmael is born of Sarah’s handmaiden Hagar. Islamic traditions consider Ishmael as the ancestor of northern Arab people. Judaism maintains that Isaac (the father of the Jewish people) rather than Ishmael was the true heir of Abraham. In some Christian biblical interpretations, Ishmael is used to symbolize the older—now rejected—Judaic tradition; Isaac symbolizes the new tradition of Christianity. Islamic tradition, however, has a very positive view of Ishmael, giving him a larger and more significant role. The Qur’an views him as an Islamic prophet. According to Islamic theologians, Ishmael was the actual son that Abraham was called on to sacrifice, as opposed to Isaac.

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