📜 Ishmael: The Fruit of Abraham, Isaac: The Divine Gift

An Islamic Perspective on Surah 21:72 and the Word “نَافِلَةً”

🌴 Ishmael – The Firstborn and the Fulfillment of Prayer

In Islamic tradition, Prophet Ishmael (Ismā‘īl عليه السلام) is the eldest son of Prophet Abraham (Ibrāhīm عليه السلام) through Hagar (Hājar عليها السلام). His birth is seen as the direct fruit of Abraham’s life and efforts — a response to his longing for a child and the covenantal blessing from Allah.

Ishmael’s story is inseparable from the sacred legacy of Mecca:

• As an infant in the desert, God miraculously provided the well of Zamzam for him and his mother.

• Together with Abraham, Ishmael later constructed the Kaaba (House of God), the spiritual epicenter of Islam.

• Most significantly, many Islamic traditions identify Ishmael as the son in the intended sacrifice. The Qur’an (Surah 37:100–112) narrates the event without naming the son, but the sequence of events — where the announcement of Isaac’s birth follows the sacrifice — strongly implies Ishmael was the one involved.

This near-sacrifice is commemorated annually in Eid al-Adha, symbolizing submission to God’s will.

🌾 Isaac – A Divine Gift After the Trial

As a divine gift after Abraham’s test of faith through the sacrifice, the Qur’an narrates that God blessed him with another son, Prophet Isaac (Ishāq عليه السلام), through his wife Sarah. This is where Surah 21:72 becomes important:

“And We gave him Isaac, and Jacob as an additional gift (نَافِلَةً), and all [of them] We made righteous.”

The Arabic word نَافِلَةً means “an addition,” “extra,” or “bonus.” In this context, Isaac (and his son Jacob) was not replacing Ishmael, but rather a special addition granted after Abraham’s monumental trial.

✨ Theological Significance of “نَافِلَةً”

1. Abundance of Blessing – Ishmael had already fulfilled Abraham’s longing for a son. Isaac’s arrival, along with Jacob’s prophetic lineage, represented an overflow of divine favor.

2. Recognition of Prophetic Continuity – By mentioning Isaac and Jacob together as “نَافِلَةً,” the Qur’an highlights that this was not just an extra child, but an additional prophetic branch in Abraham’s lineage.

3. A Reward for Unwavering Faith – The placement of this verse after Abraham’s great trial underlines that these blessings were a reward for his total submission to Allah.

🕌 Two Lines of Prophethood

From an Islamic perspective, the Qur’an distinguishes between:

• Ishmael’s Line → Culminating in Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, connected to Mecca and the Abrahamic Covenant.

• Isaac’s Line → Leading to the prophets of Bani Israel, connected to the Sinai Covenant.

Thus, Ishmael is seen as the fruit of Abraham’s striving, while Isaac is the divine bonus gift, making both sons integral to the fulfillment of God’s promises.

💡 In essence, “نَافِلَةً” in Surah 21:72 is not just a linguistic detail — it is a theological key that unlocks the understanding that Isaac and Jacob were an extraordinary divine gift granted after Ishmael, underscoring God’s overflowing generosity toward Abraham.

— Azahari Hassim

Founder, The World of Abrahamic Theology