🕋 ✡ ✝ The Covenant of Abraham: Ishmael and Isaac in Divergent Legacies

This image is a symbolic representation of the Abrahamic Covenant and how it is interpreted differently in the lineages of Ishmael and Isaac.

1. Central Figure – Abraham

The faceless man in a robe and headwrap represents Abraham (Ibrāhīm عليه السلام), the patriarch of monotheism, whose covenant with God stands at the root of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. His hidden face symbolizes universality and anonymity, meaning his covenant was not limited to one ethnicity or nation but tied to faith and obedience to God.

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2. Left Side – Ishmael’s Line (Islamic Perspective)

• Kaaba (House of God) and Qur’an: Symbols of Islam, showing the fulfillment of Abraham’s prayer in Mecca (Qur’an 2:127–129).

• Knife and Lamb: Referencing the near-sacrifice, which in Islam is traditionally associated with Ishmael (Ismā‘īl عليه السلام).

• Desert Background: Symbolizing the Arabian setting of Ishmael’s descendants.

This side emphasizes that Ishmael, as the elder son, was directly tied to the covenant through the test of sacrifice and the continuation of Abraham’s monotheism, culminating in Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

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3. Right Side – Isaac’s Line (Jewish & Christian Perspective)

• Tablets of the Law: Represent the Sinai Covenant given to Moses, tied to Isaac’s descendants, the Israelites.

• Cross and Bible: Symbols of Christianity, which developed from Israel’s prophetic line.

• Scrolls: The Torah and prophetic scriptures of Israel.

• Mountain Background: Suggesting Sinai, the site of revelation.

This side emphasizes Isaac as the child of promise through Sarah, with the covenant expressed in Israel’s religious law and later Christian theology.

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4. Title – “The Covenant”

The title underscores the central theological debate: Which lineage carried the true covenant of God—through Ishmael or Isaac?

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✅ In summary:

The image presents a visual theology of the Abrahamic covenant—Abraham at the center, Ishmael tied to Islam and the Kaaba (House of God), and Isaac tied to Judaism/Christianity and the Sinai tradition. It highlights the shared origin yet divergent interpretations of covenantal succession among the Abrahamic faiths.

— Azahari Hassim

Founder, The World of Abrahamic Theology