Ishmael

Ishmael
A depiction of Hagar, the Egyptian, and Ishmael in the desert by François-Joseph Navez
Prophet, Patriarch, Apostle to Arabia, Father of the Arabs
Born	c. 1720 BCE Canaan
Died	c. 1580 BCE Arabia
Venerated in	Judaism Christianity Islam Bahá'í Faith
Influences	Abraham
Influenced	Ishmaelites and Muslims

Ishmael (Hebrew: יִשְׁמָעֵאל, Modern Yishma'el, Tiberian Yišmāʻēl ISO 259-3, Yišmaˁel; Greek: Ἰσμαήλ Ismaēl; Classical/ Qur'anic Arabic: إِسْمَٰعِيْل; Modern Arabic: إِسْمَاعِيْل ʾIsmāʿīl; Latin: Ismael) is a figure in the Tanakh and the Qur'an and was Abraham's first son according to Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Ishmael was born to Abraham's and Sarah's handmaiden Hagar. (Genesis 16:3). According to the Genesis account, he died at the age of 137 (Genesis 25:17).

The Book of Genesis and Islamic traditions consider Ishmael to be the ancestor of the Ishmaelites and patriarch of Qaydār. According to Muslim tradition, Ishmael the Patriarch and his mother Hagar are said to be buried next to the Kaaba in Mecca.

Cognates of Hebrew Yishma'el existed in various ancient Semitic cultures, including early Babylonian and Minæan. It is a theophoric name translated literally as "God (El) has hearkened", suggesting that "a child so named was regarded as the fulfillment of a divine promise".