I wanted to thank Techno for quoting Baha’i sources accurately and fairly… The reference to Ishmael and the reference Abdul-Baha made to the trinity.
Because it’s been raised here I’ll post a few more references that I’ve been interested in …particularly referring to Ishmael “God has heard”…
The following is the Baha’i view presented by Shoghi Effendi:
As regards the questions you have asked, as Bahá’u’lláh says categorically that God commanded Abraham to offer up Isma’il, as far as we are concerned, it is Isma’il who was the intended sacrifice.
In view of the great antiquity of Genesis, it is quite possible that at some period the names were changed, and the error was propagated.
Whatever happened, we Bahá’ís must follow the words in our own Scriptures as being the most authentic……
Shoghi Effendi, The Unfolding Destiny of the British Baha’i Community, p. 461-412
Now it is true that for Baha’is Ishmael was the sacrifice…not Isaac. This is not a big doctrinal deal with us… It’s not part of a creed that’s recited…
The Qur’an also refers to the sacrifice of Abraham…and it is a different account from that mentioned in the Bible…It’s found in Surih As-Saffat 37:100-105. In this case after Abraham relates a vision He had to His son they concurrently agree…
*Then, when (the son) reached (the age of) (serious) work with him, he said: “O my son! I see in vision that I offer thee in sacrifice: Now see what is thy view!” (The son) said: “O my father! Do as thou art commanded: thou will find me, if Allah so wills one practising Patience and Constancy!”
37:103
So when they had both submitted their wills (to Allah), and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead (for sacrifice),*
The above is a translation by A. Yusuf Ali … a widely read translation.
Now consider the Genesis account…in chapter 22
*Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
2 Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”
3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”
6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, 7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”
“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.
“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”
8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.*
Two things are fairly clear from the above verses… “Take your son your only son whom you love - Isaac-…” Ishmael was the first child of Abraham by several years…beforeIsaac was born. There’s an inconsistency there you’ll note.
The other issue is that in the Genesis account the child is unaware of what is to occur…that is, his being sacrificed… while the Qur’an indicates a concurrence between Abraham and His son.
. You know of course that Ba’ ahi’s haven’t a leg to stand on, nor did Bab, nor does Islam. Do you honestly believe the entire history of the Israelites is concocted, from Abraham on? And on what bases do you make that judgment, on the testimony of Muhammad? And what is the bases of his credibility? There is none. It was a complete fabrication. There was no vision and his Qu’ran is based on a corrupted interpretation of one of the heretical sects he met while on his trading routes. He has no more credibility than Mary Edy Baker or Joseph Smith and a hundred others. Study your history and read the Bible, it will take some time, but it will be worth it…
