preview

Ishmael's Role In Islam

Decent Essays

Reading Assignment #9

1. What does the word Islam mean? [221-222]

According to Smith, the world Islam is “derived from the root s-l-m, which means primarily “peace” but in a secondary sense “surrender,” its full connotation is “the peace that comes when one’s life is surrendered to God” (Smith 222). Therefore, Islam is a religion, like Buddhism, is attributed to seeking cultivation, and its followers, also known as Muslims, lives being totally surrendered to God.

2. What does the word Allah mean? [222]

The word Allah means “the God.” Smith points out in his book that “Allah is formed by joining the definite article al (menaing “the”) with lla (God)” to get the literal meaning “the God” (Smith 222). Therefore, the word means Allah is “the God,” then Islam believes in only one God and only worships one God.

3. …show more content…

Who was Ishmael and why is he significant in Islam? [223]

Ishmael was the son of Abraham and Hagar who was banished from his tribe with his mother when his father’s first wife, Sarah, conceived a son named Isaac. Once he was banished, “Ishmael went to the place where Mecca was to rise; his descendants, flourishing in Arabia become Muslims” (Smith 223). So, from these accounts, Ishmael was the founder of Islam and his descendant Muhammad would be one of the greatest and most known prophets throughout the world.

4. What do Muslims mean when they refer to Muhammad as the “Seal of the Prophets?”

Get Access