The Father of Prophets – The Lineage of Revelation

“Say, ‘Indeed, my Lord has guided me to a straight path, a correct religion, the way of Ibrahim, inclining toward truth. And he was not among those who associated others with God.’”

Qur’an 6:161

Settling in Canaan

After the events in Makkah, Ibrahim returned to Canaan. This was the land described in both the Qur’an and the Bible as his base and the place where he continued preaching. Canaan included what is now Palestine, parts of Jordan, Lebanon, and southern Syria. These lands, richly described in the Qur’an as blessed, were the cradle of prophetic dialogue and guidance.

“And We delivered him and Lut to the land which We had blessed for the worlds.”

Qur’an 21:71

According to Ibn Kathir, Ibrahim continued to call people to tawḥīd, to host guests, to engage in dialogue, and to live a life of service and devotion. It was here that he lived with his wife Sarah. In his old age, Allah gave him glad tidings of a second son, Ishaq, and later a grandson, Ya‘qub.

“And We gave him good tidings of Isaac, a prophet from among the righteous.”

Qur’an 37:112

The Line of Ishaq and the Banu Isra’il

From Ishaq came Ya‘qub, and from Ya‘qub, the twelve tribes of Israel. The Banu Isra’il, or Children of Israel, are named after this lineage. Through them came many Prophets — Yusuf, Musa, Dawud, Sulaiman, Yahya, and ‘Isa ibn Maryam.

But the Qur’an does not glorify lineage for its own sake. It reminds the Banu Isra’il that honour lies in faith and action, not simply descent.

“O Children of Israel, remember My favour which I have bestowed upon you, and fulfill My covenant, I will fulfill your covenant.”

Qur’an 2:40

The greatness of Ibrahim’s descendants was conditional. It was linked to their faithfulness to the covenant.

The Universality of Ibrahim’s Message

“Ibrahim was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was one inclining toward truth, a Muslim. And he was not of the polytheists.”

Qur’an 3:67

This verse speaks clearly. Ibrahim’s faith was based on submission to one God. It was not tied to any later religious identity. His message was universal. Where Genesis speaks of land and lineage, the Qur’an speaks of belief and obedience. Ibrahim’s honour came not from power or possession, but from his sincerity.

The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, was commanded to follow his example.

“Then We revealed to you, to follow the religion of Ibrahim, inclining toward truth.”

Qur’an 16:123

Canaan, Palestine, and the Zionist Revision of History

The land where Ibrahim, peace be upon him, once walked the land of Canaan, is known today as Palestine. It is where he was buried, in Hebron, a city still called Al-Khalil, meaning “The Friend” in Arabic. That name alone is a living testimony to his title, Khalīlullāh, the Friend of God. Yet this sacred land, revered by Muslims for over 1,400 years, has become the epicentre of one of the greatest historical distortions in modern times.

The modern State of Israel was not the natural continuation of Ibrahim’s covenant. It was the outcome of a political movement born in Europe during the late 19th century. Zionism, as articulated by figures like Theodor Herzl, was not a spiritual calling but a nationalist project. As Professor Noam Chomsky has consistently argued, Zionism emerged in the context of European racial politics. It imitated colonial patterns and dismissed the rights of the indigenous Arab population, treating them not as neighbours, but as obstacles.

This political ambition came into direct conflict with the Ottoman Caliphate. In 1901, Herzl attempted to negotiate with Sultan Abdul Hamid II, offering to pay off the empire’s debt in return for Jewish settlement rights in Palestine. As we have covered in our earlier article, When Herzl Met the Sultan, the Sultan firmly rejected the offer. His reply was recorded and remembered:

“I will not sell a single foot of the land of Palestine. It is not mine, it belongs to the Ummah. The people of this nation have watered it with their blood.”

This was not simply a political stance. It was a defence of the sanctity of a land that had hosted Prophets, prayers, and revelation for centuries. To carve it up in the name of a racialised state was a violation of that history. Writers such as Chris Hedges, former New York Times war correspondent, have drawn attention to this distortion. In his words:

“If Abraham were alive today, he would not be standing with the State of Israel. He would be with the occupied, the exiled, and the dispossessed.”

The attempt to redefine Canaan as “Eretz Israel” has been deeply criticised by scholars, including Walid Khalidi and Ilan Pappé, both of whom have documented how entire Palestinian villages, histories, and sacred spaces were erased or renamed to fit a Zionist vision of history. This was not only an occupation of land. It was an occupation of memory, a rewriting of Ibrahim’s legacy into a political ideology that bore no resemblance to the Prophet’s mission of justice, equality, and divine submission.

Legacy Beyond Blood

Though Ibrahim(as) was the father of two prophetic lineages, his truest legacy lies in faith, not biology.

“Indeed, the most worthy of Ibrahim among the people are those who followed him, and this Prophet, and those who believe.”

Qur’an 3:68

Inheritance in the Qur’anic sense is about action. The believers are Ibrahim’s spiritual descendants because they carry his message. He left no kingdom, but he built a path. He passed no scripture, but he passed on prayer. And he modelled a submission that shaped human history.

Conclusion of Part III: A Life That Still Speaks

Ibrahim^(as) died in Canaan. But his path did not end. His footsteps remain in the valleys of Makkah. His prayers are echoed in every raka‘ah of Salah. His journey, from fire to exile to faith, is a journey every believer recognises.

He was not just the father of two sons. He was the father of conviction. Of prayer. Of truth. And of surrender to the will of Allah.