Ishmael
Ishmael was a true Apostle and Prophet[edit]
"Also mention in the Book (the story of) Isma'il: He was (strictly) true to what he promised, and he was an apostle (and) a prophet."
There have been two Ishmaels: one the son of Abraham, the other a Prophet of Israel[edit]
"Concerning the appearance of two Davids; there is a Tablet from 'Abdu'l-Bahá in which He says that just as there have been two Ishmaels, one the son of Abraham, and the other one of the Prophets of Israel, there have appeared two Davids, one the author of the Psalms and father of Solomon, and the other before Moses."
- ((On behalf of?) Shoghi Effendi, Dawn of a New Day, pp. 86-87)
Question: The lack of capitalization of the pronouns in the preceding, if not a publication error, is puzzling in light of the fact that Ishmael is called a Manifestation of God (Rasúl in Arabic) in the prior quotation. Would it mean, as possibly with David, that there is a third Ishmael? By one Ishmael being one of the "Prophets of Israel", does this mean those lesser prophets of the House of Israel? If so, then why is "son" in reference to the other Ishmael not capitalized if it refers to a Manifestation of God (if Ishmael, the son of Abraham, is to be considered the Manifestation of God)?
Sacrifice of[edit]
(See Gleanings, sec. 32 and Genesis, 22:9)
"As to the question raised by the Racine Assembly in connection with Bahá'u'lláh's statement in the 'Gleanings' concerning the sacrifice of Ishmael: Although this statement does not agree with that made in the Bible, Genesis 22:9, the friends should unhesitatingly, and for reasons that are only too obvious, give precedence to the sayings of Bahá'u'lláh which, it should be pointed out, are fully corroborated by the Qur'an, which book is more authentic than the Bible including both the New and the Old Testaments. The Bible is not wholly authentic, and in this respect is not to be compared with the Qur'an, and should be wholly subordinated to the authentic writings of Bahá'u'lláh."
- (From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada, July 28, 1936: Bahá'í News, No. 103, p. 1, October 1936, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1688)
