Greetings glo,
Although the verses Banu_Hashim quoted three posts down do mention Ishmael by name, my on-line version (The Meaning of the Holy Qu'ran by Abdullah Yusufali) does not.
Perhaps you misread - the verses quoted by brother Banu_Hashim don't mention Ismaeel by name.
I was going to ask whether the above statement was correct, and whether anybody could explain how Islamic scholars finally came to the conclusion that the boy in question is indeed Ishmael.
Personally, I don't think I've ever heard a scholar claim that it was Ishaaq who was to be sacrificed. Your book says, "It wasn't until centuries later that it became a fixed belief among Muslims that Ishmael was the subject of the story found in the Qu'ran", yet we find numerous reports from the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and early scholars saying in no uncertain terms that it was Ismaeel who was sacrificed. In one of the famous commentaries of these verses, it quotes such reports:
Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Amir Ash-Sha`bi, Yusuf bin Mihran, Mujahid, `Ata' and others reported from Ibn `Abbas that it was Isma`il, peace be upon him.
Ibn Jarir narrated that Ibn `Abbas said, "The one who was ransomed was Isma`il, peace be upon him. The Jews claimed that it was Ishaq, but the Jews lied.''
It was reported that Ibn `Umar said, "The sacrifice was Isma`il.''
Ibn Abi Najih said, narrating from Mujahid, "It was Isma`il, peace be upon him.''
This was also the view of Yusuf bin Mihran.
Muhammad bin Ishaq reported from Al-Hasan bin Dinar and `Amr bin `Ubayd from Al-Hasan Al-Basri that he did not doubt that the one of the two sons Ibrahim was commanded to sacrifice was Isma`il, peace be upon him.
Ibn Ishaq said, "I heard Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi say, `The one whom Allah commanded Ibrahim to sacrifice of his two sons was Isma`il.' We find this in the Book of Allah, because when Allah finishes the story of the one of the two sons of Ibrahim who was to be sacrificed, He then says:
(And We gave him the glad tidings of Ishaq -- a Prophet from the righteous), and
(So, We gave her glad tidings of Ishaq and after Ishaq, of Ya`qub) (11:71).
He mentions the son and the son of the son, but He would not have commanded him to sacrifice Ishaq when He had promised that this son would in turn have a son. The one whom He commanded him to sacrifice can only have been Isma`il.''
Ibn Ishaq said, "I heard him say that often.''
`Abdullah bin Al-Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him, said, "I asked my father about which son was to be sacrificed -- was it Isma`il or Ishaq'' He said, "Isma`il.'' This was mentioned in Kitab Az-Zuhd.
Ibn Abi Hatim said, "I heard my father say, `The correct view is that the one who was to be sacrificed was Isma`il, peace be upon him.''' He said, "And it was narrated that `Ali, Ibn `Umar, Abu Hurayrah, Abu At-Tufayl, Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Al-Hasan, Mujahid, Ash-Sha`bi, Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi, Abu Ja`far Muhammad bin `Ali and Abu Salih, may Allah be pleased with them all, said that the one who was to be sacrificed was Isma`il.''
Al-Baghawi said in his Tafsir, "This was the view of `Abdullah bin `Umar, Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib, As-Suddi, Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Mujahid, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi and Al-Kalbi.'' This was also reported from Ibn `Abbas and from Abu `Amr bin Al-`Ala'.
This thread has adressed my questions partially already, and from sur's and Civilsed's posts I understand that Muslims may have had to refer to the Bible to find the answer to the question of which son Abraham was willing to sacrifice.
Am I correct in thinking so?
If so, this leaves me with another question of how comfortable are Muslims with the concept of using the Bible (a 'corrupted book') to look for information which the Qu'ran doesn't provide?
Surely that's something which is only done as a last resort (i.e. when Qu'ran and hadiths don't offer a certain a piece of information), and which is done with the greatest of care?
No, I don't believe you are correct in thinking this.
Let us first be clear that this is not a matter of the Qur'an "not providing information", because if one studies the matter a little more deeply, they will find many reasons to believe the verses are referring to Prophet Ismaeel, not Prophet Ishaaq. For example, see:
http://www.islamicboard.com/8336-post11.html
Moreover, the position of the Qur'an with regards to other scriptures should be understood. Ibn Jarir said,
"The Qur'an is trustworthy over the Books that preceded it. Therefore, whatever in these previous Books conforms to the Qur'an is true, and whatever disagrees with the Qur'an is false.'' Consequently, the Qur'an is trustworthy, a witness, and dominant over every Scripture that preceded it. This Glorious Book, which Allah revealed as the Last and Final Book, is the most encompassing, glorious and perfect Book of all times. The Qur'an includes all the good aspects of previous Scriptures and even more, which no previous Scripture ever contained. This is why Allah made it trustworthy, a witness and dominant over all Scriptures.
It is permissible to quote Judaeo-Christian narratives if they do not contradict any verses of the Qur'an or hadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) - (although one can quote them to explain their falsehood). However, such narrations cannot be used as a source of knowledge because their authenticity is unknown. None of the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used these narrations as sources of knowledge. This is because the Qur'an is explicit that the Jews and the Christians tampered with their respective scriptures and changed the divine revelation. Therefore, it is impossible to ascertain which facts they added and which are still intact.
I think this pretty much answers your questions. Rather than having to look into another scripture to find answers for the Qur'an,
the Qur'an is the criterion for judging what is correct in those scriptures.
And Allaah the Most Exalted Knows best.
Peace.