Our Muslim brothers and sisters are celebrating these days the feast of the sacrifice, Eid al-Adha. It honors the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son Ismail (Ishmael) as an act of obedience to Allah’s command. Let us reflect together on the concept of sacrifice from a Judeo-Christian-Muslim perspective.
The offering of Isaac, Ishmael, and Christ
Religious dialogue between monotheistic religions considers Gen 22:19 as a place of interreligious encounter in the faith of Abraham. Genesis reminds us of the story of the Akedah, the binding of Isaac or Ishmael according to specific religious traditions. Michael Caspi (1) comparing these two stories allow us to see the different perspectives of the story.
The binding of Isaac
1) The divine asks for the test.
2) Abraham rises early in the morning to prepare for the journey.
3) Isaac is bound to the wood on top of an altar.
4) The angel of God prevents Abraham from sacrificing Isaac, and he sees a ram.
5) The angel of God appears for the second time and blesses Isaac and his seed.
The binding of Ismael
1) The divine call agrees with Sara.
2) Abraham rises early in the morning to prepare Hagar and Ismael for their journey.
3) Isaac is abandoned by his mother and placed under a bush
4) The angel of God heard the voice of the lad and called upon Hagar to carry Ismael. He blesses Ishmael telling him that he will become a leader of a “great” new nation.
5) God’s angel opened Hagar’s eyes to see the new well of water she can use to fill the water bottle.
The rabbis, of the Akedah, give different reasons for God’s command to Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. Unanimously, Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac is recognized as an act of atonement and expiation for the sins of the Jewish people. For Maimonides, the Scripture shows that what the Prophet perceives in a prophetic vision is to be considered the source of truth. This can also be proved by the consent of Abraham to slay “his only son whom he loved”, as he was ordered to, although the order was received in a dream or a vision. Abraham recognizes the oneness of God through the obedience to His command, which is familiar to the Islamic view of Abraham too. There are differences in the two cases of sacrifice between Judaism and Christianity: at the end Abraham did not sacrifice Isaac, instead Jesus was sacrificed. Some Jewish theologians think that Abraham returned from Mount Moriah without Isaac (Gen 22: 19), having, sacrificed his son. From the Rabbinic perspective, the basis of the actual sacrifice of Isaac is atonement for sin, and the festival is a “glimpse into the messianic age” (2).
In a parallel with Akedah, in John Gospel the “lamb” is referred to Jesus, He who is as the Victim of Sacrifice: «Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive glory, honour and power, and they add wealth, wisdom, might, and blessing» (Rev 5: 12). From a Muslim perspective, Amer Yunis points out differences: while Jews and Christians believe that the person to be slaughtered was Isaac, Muslims believe it is Ismail, this is according to the Qur’ān. For the Qur’ānic text, the word of Genesis: “The only son” (Gen 2:2) applies to Ismail, because Isaac, who is not the first-born, could not be referred to as the “Only” son. Ismail was the eldest son, therefore, according to Yunis, the command given by God to Abraham was previous to the good news of Isaac, therefore: <<How could a son be slaughtered before the good news of his birth was announced? How could it be the case that this boy, whose birth was given as good news, would be described as one of the righteous prophets?>>
According to Muslim law, the legitimisation of sacrifice was to thank God, obeying His command and getting nearer to God through sacrifice. This law is believed to be revealed by God to all peoples that preceded Islam, and it is considered valid till today. The offering also aims at enriching the family of the person who offers the sacrifice, it is a general blessing getting nearer to God by sprinkling blood on the Feast Day. This is stated in Sura Al-Haj 22: 34. 36 (3).
From the Christian perspective, the sacrifice of Christ, the universal mediator, is for the universal atonement, for the life of all.
(Anna Maria Sgaramella, M.E.)
In Dialogue, n.9 August 2021
1.M. CASPI – J.T. GREENE, Unbinding the Binding of Isaac, 79.
1.M. MAIMONIDES, Guide for the Perplexed, 306) .
