The Arabic world traces itself to the Ishmael, the first son of Abraham. So, to understand the faith of Islam we must go back to that beginning c. 2600 years ago and see what transpired in the life of Abraham.

In Genes we read that Sarah, wife of Abraham was barren so she convinced Abraham to have relation with her Egyptian maid Hagar, which he did. From this union Ishmael was born when Abraham was eighty six years old but was not to inherit Abraham spiritual vision of the One True God. God told Abraham "Your wife Sarah is to bear a son, and you shall call him Isaac, I will maintain my covenant with him as an everlasting pact, to be his God and the God of his descendants." (Gn 17:19) The Covenant and Abraham spiritual vision was transmitted as follows:

We know that Ismael with his mother had to leave the household of Abraham at an early age because Sarah did not want Isaac, who was Abraham's heir, to associate with Ishmael. However, Abraham never lost track of Ishamael. He circumcised him at the age of 13. Islamic tradition tells us that Ishmael helped Abraham build or rebuild the Ka'aba for the worship of the One True God. Abraham died at a ripe old age and "His son Isaac and Ishamel buried him in the cave ...which faces Mamre." (Gn 25:9)

In God's plan Ishmael was also meant to become a great nation. He married an Egyptian woman and had 12 sons whose descendants today constitutes the Arab world.

"These are the names of the sons of Ishmael listed in the order of their birth. Nabaioth, (Ishamel's firstborn), Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Duman, Mass, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish and Kedemah. There are the sons of Ishmael, their names by their villages and encampments; twelve chiftains of as many tribal groups. ...The Ishmalites ranges from Egypt, all the way to Haveilah-byShur. Each of them pitched camp in opposition to his various kinsmen." (Gn 25:13-16, 18) In today's geographic terms, Ishamel's descendants spread from Egypt to Iraq and the expression "in defiance of all his relatives" indicates Ismael's character and the defiant attitude of his descendants.

Although Ismael through circumcision belonged to the the people of God, he did not leave his descendants, the Arabs, a monotheistic tradition to follow, thus they became polytheists. In the Ka'aba at Mecca, Allah was still the main god but along with him they worshipped 360 idols or as Muhammad says "partners of Allah". In God's providence this is where Muhammad comes in, beginning in 610 AD

In view of the above, the claim of Islam that the final spiritual vision of Abraham was given to Muhammad is false. To Isaac and his descendants belong the Covenant and the final spiritual vision of the One True God.

Revelation of Gabriel?