New religions and denominations

[The Mikado]

In fairness to BushOK (but only a little fairness, mind), the Prophet Muhammad wouldn't really take much offense to BushOK's summary.  Ibrahim (Abraham) is, in Islam, considered the "first Muslim" because he was able to formulate the doctrine of monotheism and develop a close tie with Allah, much in the same way many Jews consider Abraham the first Jew despite his living long before Moses and the formulation of the rules and regulations that are usually thought to make Jews Jewish.  Ismail (Ishmael) plays a hugely important role in Islam, particularly because the sanctuary around the Qa'ba in Mecca is traditionally ascribed to him (also, Muslims believe that Ishmael, not Isaac, was the son Abraham nearly sacrificed).

If the Prophet Muhammad were here, he'd say that a "Muslim" is one who submits before God, and that Abraham and Ishmael were the first Muslims, not him.  Similarly, the Musa's (Moses)'s and Jesus' (Isa's) revelations were true revelations of God, but corrupted by men, which is why God needed to try a third time.  That doesn't make Musa and Isa less valid prophets or less valid Muslims, but it makes their followers defective, followers of God's corrupted first and second draft.


The amazing thing about BushOK's explanation is that to accept it, you need to accept the way Islam essentially hijacks the patriarchs from Judaism and Christianity.