Although Muslims and Christians share many common beliefs and practices, there are some major differences between them. Prophet Abraham had two sons – Ismael and Isaac who are regarded as the prophets of Allah in Islam. Christians (and also Jews) believe that Prophet Abraham sacrificed Isaac to God while Muslims believe that he sacrificed Ismael to God. A question arises: “Which one of his two sons did he actually sacrifice to God”? To clarify it we have to go through the Book of Genesis dealing with it.
In its support Christians mention from the Bible: “Take your son, God said (to Abraham), your only son Isaac whom you love so and go to the land of Moriah and offer him as a sacrifice to me.” (Genesis 22:2) What is the most important point to be noted here is that Prophet Abraham was asked by God to offer his ONLY son Isaac as a sacrifice to God. Was Isaac really his ONLY son?
The Bible states: “When Abraham was eighty-six years old, his first son Ismael was born.” (Genesis 16:15); and “When Abraham was a hundred years old, his second son Isaac was born.” (Genesis 21:5) It means when Ismael was 14 years old, Isaac was born; hence Ismael was 14 years older than Isaac. Until the birth of Isaac (during this 14 years gap) Prophet Abraham had no son save and except Ismael. It proves that Ismael was the only son of Prophet Abraham until Isaac was born. According to the Bible, it clarifies that the only son who was actually sacrificed to God by Prophet Abraham was not Isaac but Ismael. And Islam also supports it. Moreover, the Gospel of Barnabas also deals with Ismael’s sacrifice: “Take thy son, thy first born Ismael and come up the mountain to sacrifice him.” (44:3, 13:4)
Muslims across the world celebrate Eid-ul-Adha on 10th Dhul-Hajj every year, recalling the great sacrifice of Ismael to God by Prophet Abraham.
Muhammad Abdus Samad
Ambari, Dhupdhara, Assam
Difference between Nabi and Rasul
Youhanna Qureshi’s letterentitled “Difference between Nabi and Rasul” (Radiance Viewsweekly, 9 May 2026), the letter writer has not explained the difference very correctly. He writes: “When the man receives the secret inspirations (ilm-e-ghayib) in his heart, he is called Rasul.”
I, being an Arabic language scholar, would like to explain the difference more comprehensively, as under:
The word “Nabi” is from Arabic word “Naba” meaning “Tidings” i.e. “News”. The word “Rasul” is from Arabic word “Risalah” meaning “Message” i.e. Divine Message i.e. the Qur’an through Divine Revelation, i.e. “Wahi”. This can be understood from the two Qur’anic Ayats: عَمَّيَتَسَآءَلُونَand عَنِٱلنَّبَإِٱلۡعَظِيمِ
“What are they asking each other about? About the awesome tidings.” (Surah Al Naba, Ayats 1 and 2)
(Tidings = News)
يَـٰٓأَيُّہَاٱلرَّسُولُبَلِّغۡمَآأُنزِلَإِلَيۡكَمِنرَّبِّكَ
وَإِنلَّمۡتَفۡعَلۡفَمَابَلَّغۡتَرِسَالَتَهُ
“O Messenger, deliver whatever has been sent down to you by your Lord. If you do not do so, you will not have conveyed His message.”(Surah Al Maedah, Ayat 67)
In short, Nabi is the person who receives Naba i.e. Tidings i.e. Divine News from Allah, and Rasul is the person who receives Risalah i.e. Message i.e. Divine Scripture, i.e. The Holy Qur’an, which is to be delivered to the people.
As for the words used by the letter writer “the man receives the secret inspirations (ilm-e-ghayib) in his heart, he is called Rasul”, Allah has mentioned in the Qur’an about “ilm-e-ghayib” as under:
قُللَّايَعۡلَمُمَنفِىٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِوَٱلۡأَرۡضِٱلۡغَيۡبَإِلَّاٱللَّهُۚ
“Say, No one in the heavens and the earth has knowledge of the unseen (ilm-e-ghayib) except Allah.” (Surah Al-Naml, Ayat 65)
قُللَّآأَقُولُلَكُمۡعِندِىخَزَآٮِٕنُٱللَّهِوَلَآأَعۡلَمُٱلۡغَيۡبَوَلَآأَقُولُلَكُمۡإِنِّىمَلَكٌۖإِنۡأَتَّبِعُإِلَّامَايُوحَىٰٓإِلَىَّۚ
“Say, I do not say to you that I possess the treasures of God, nor do I know the unseen (ilm-e-ghayib), nor do I say to you that I am an angel. I follow only that which is revealed to me.”(Surah Al-An’aam, Ayat 50)
The above explanation is in accordance with the Quran itself.
وَٱللَّهُأَعَـٰلِمُ
And Allah knows the best.
Qasim Abbas
Toronto, Canada