Basic Explanation of why Islam is a false religion

Abraham is a revered patriarch in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. He is often described as the “father of many nations,” and his story remains one of the most pivotal narratives shared across these faiths. According to biblical tradition, Abraham had two sons who would each play significant roles in the unfolding of God’s plan: Ishmael, born through Hagar (an Egyptian servant acting as a surrogate), and Isaac, born through Sarah, Abraham’s wife.

Despite Ishmael’s birth under unconventional circumstances, God made a promise to Hagar, that Ishmael would become the father of a great nation. Indeed, many believe Ishmael eventually settled in the Arabian region, forming the ancestral line of numerous Arab tribes. Within Islam, and according to some Jewish and Christian interpretations, Ishmael is seen as an ancestor of both Arab peoples and the Prophet Muhammad.

Isaac, by contrast, is identified in the Hebrew Scriptures as the second patriarch of the Jewish people. His son Jacob—later renamed Israel—would have twelve sons, whose families evolved into the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Through this lineage, the Jewish people trace their ancestry. Christians also look to Isaac as an important link in the chain of faith, teaching that Jesus’s earthly genealogy extends back through Isaac and Jacob. Rather than emphasizing ethnic descent, Christians view themselves as spiritual heirs to the covenant God established with Abraham, embracing a faith-centered adoption into his family of promise through belief in Jesus.

Over time, these shared yet distinct narratives have given rise to a widespread understanding, particularly among some Jewish and Christian communities, that:

• Jews descend physically (and covenantally) from Abraham through Isaac.
• Christians identify as spiritual heirs of Abraham’s faith-legacy, with many early Jewish Christians sharing the ethnic lineage as well.
• Muslims (especially Arab Muslims) are traditionally linked to Ishmael’s line, leading to the Prophet Muhammad and the broader Arab peoples.

According to this view, while Ishmael’s lineage did become numerous and significant—fulfilling God’s promise—Isaac’s lineage is considered uniquely chosen for the unfolding of the covenant and the revelation of God’s word. From this perspective, all prophets are held to come from Isaac’s lineage, underscoring the special role Isaac and his descendants play in Jewish and Christian thought.

This lineage-based understanding highlights how Abraham’s family story continues to shape religious identities and theological beliefs. Although interpretations differ, and each tradition brings its own perspective, the shared foundation remains: Abraham is honored as the patriarch whose faith in God ushered in blessings that would reverberate through countless generations.

From the beginning, the descendants of Ishmael were a warlike people, as “they lived in hostility toward all the tribes related to them.” – Genesis 25:18