Since Prophet Muhammad’s ancestry can be traced back to Prophet Ishmael, the son of Prophet Abraham, doesn’t that make Prophet Muhammad part-Jewish? Some say no, because Abraham, Isaac and Jacob weren’t ‘Jewish’. They were ANCESTORS. But these early ancestors were called Hebrews starting with Prophet Abraham (Genesis 14:13)

The term ivri (the Hebrew) first appears in the Torah, when Prophet Abraham is called “the Hebrew: “And it was told to Abram the Hebrew” (Genesis 14:13) And Prophet Joseph uses the name as both a geographical and an socio-ethnic term: “I was kidnapped from the land of the ivrim” (Genesis 40:15), and “The Egyptians would not eat with the ivrim, since that would be an abomination” (Genesis 43:32)

The Quran 2:130 states: And (everyone) who shuns the creed of Abraham (is) only a foolish soul? We chose him (Abraham the Hebrew Genesis 14:13) in the world and in the Hereafter he shall be among the righteous.” (Qur’an 2:131 And when his Lord said unto him “Submit!” (aslim) he said,“I submit (aslamtu) to the Lord of the worlds.”

The word Muslim is a religious identity term that refers to faithful monotheistic believers. The word Hebrew is a linguistic, geographical and ethnic identity term like German [a language], Germany{a country] and Germans [a people].

The word descendent is a biological inherited birth identity term like nobility or tribe.

Islam was a religion designed by God to overcome all other self-identities: “O mankind, We created you from male and female, and made you (into) peoples and tribes, that you may know (respect) one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.” (Quran 49:13)

“Once all humans were but a single community; then they disagreed (formulating different beliefs and rites). Had it not been that your Lord had already so ordained, a decisive judgement would have been made regarding (the truth of) their disagreements.” (10:19) In those generations all human communities created different religions of their own with different creeds and ways.

“Now, if you desire that Allah Himself should........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)