Page 44 - New English Book L

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to birthright is quite just and legal. The second point
is that the Covenant was made between God and
Abraham (pbuh) as well as his only son Ishmael (pbuh)
before Isaac (pbuh) was born. The Covenant and the
institution of the Circumcision would have no value
or signification unless the repeated promise contained
in the divine words, “Throughout thee all the nations
of the earth shall be blessed,” and especially the
expression, the Seed “that shall come out from
the bowels, he will inherit thee”(Gen. xv. 4). This
promise was fulfilled when Ishmael (pbuh) was born
(Gen. xvi.), and Abraham (pbuh) had the consolation
that his chief servant Eliezer would no longer be
his heir. Consequently we must admit that Ishmael
(pbuh) was the real and legitimate heir of Abraham’s
spiritual dignity and privileges. The prerogative that
“by Abraham all the generations of the earth shall
be blessed, “so often repeated -though in different
forms- was the heritage by birthright, and was the
patrimony of Ishmael (pbuh). The inheritance to which
Ishmael (pbuh) was entitled by birthright was not the
tent in which Abraham (pbuh) lived or a certain camel
upon which he used to ride, but to subjugate and
occupy forever all the territories extending from the
Nile to the Euphrates, which were inhabited by some
ten different nations (xvii. 18-21). These lands have
never been subdued by the descendants of Isaac (pbuh)
, but by those of Ishmael (pbuh). This is an actual and
literal fulfilment of one of the conditions contained
in the Covenant.

The third point is that Isaac (pbuh) was also born
miraculously and specially blessed by the Almighty, that for
his people the land of Canaan was promised and actually
occupied under Joshua. No Muslim does ever think of
disparaging the sacred and prophetical position of Isaac (pbuh)