Bani Israel: The First Love of God

I consider it a sacred and civil obligation—both spiritual and intellectual—to remind fellow Muslims and their leaders of the scriptural and chronological significance of Bani Israel.

It is vital that all believers in the One God—across religions and sects—recognize the honor God repeatedly bestowed upon this lineage, and understand the distinct paths of Ibrahim’s two sons: Ishmael, from whom the Arabs and Muslims descend, and Isaac, whose line gave rise to Jacob and the Israelites, including Jews and Christians. Honoring Bani Israel does not mean endorsing any modern political regime; it means respecting a truth that is deeply embedded in divine scripture and prophetic legacy.

A SCRIPTURAL REMINDER, NOT A POLITICAL CLAIM

The phrase “Bani Israel: the first love of God” is rooted in the sacred texts of Abrahamic faiths. It does not serve a political agenda, nor does it aim to elevate one group over others. Rather, it acknowledges the divine sequence of revelation — a chronology honored across Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Recognizing the spiritual precedence of Bani Israel enhances interfaith understanding, and restores a much-needed balance to contemporary debates over land, lineage, and legacy.

THE CHOSEN COVENANT: SCRIPTURAL EVIDENCE

The Qur’an speaks of Bani Israel repeatedly, often in reverent and instructive tones:

“O Children of Israel, remember My favor which I have bestowed upon you, and that I preferred you above all nations.” (Qur’an 2:47)

This verse is not isolated. More than 40 times, the Qur’an refers directly to Bani Israel, invoking their history, struggles, responsibilities, and blessings. This was not favoritism without purpose; it was a divine entrustment. The Children of Israel were chosen to carry the initial torch of monotheism, guided by successive prophets from their own lineage.

JERUSALEM’S CUSTODIANSHIP: A MATTER OF LINEAGE, NOT GEOGRAPHY

Much confusion arises in the modern era from the idea that Jerusalem is a shared religious entitlement between Muslims, Christians, and Jews. While all three Abrahamic traditions revere the city spiritually, the custodianship of Jerusalem, as per scriptural lineage, was entrusted to the descendants of Isaac — specifically through Jacob (Israel) and the prophets who came after him.

Islamic tradition confirms this lineage distinction. Abraham had two sons: Ishmael, whose descendants led to the Arab people and eventually Prophet Muhammad; and Isaac, whose son Jacob (Israel) became the patriarch of Bani Israel. The sacred legacy of Jerusalem is tied to the latter. The Qur’an never mentions Ishmael or his descendants receiving the covenant of land or the sacred temple.

THE BARREN VALLEY: ISHMAEL’S ROLE AND MAKKAH’S EMERGENCE

In contrast, Islamic scripture clearly details the distinct destiny of Ishmael:

“Our Lord, I have settled some of my descendants in a barren valley near Your Sacred House.” (Qur’an 14:37)

This barren valley, understood to be Mecca, is where Ishmael and his mother Hagar were divinely placed. Abraham’s visit to this location and the building of the Kaaba established the spiritual foundation of Islam — not in Jerusalem, but in the Arabian Peninsula.

This distinction is essential: Islam arose in Mecca, among Ishmael’s descendants, not in the land of Bani Israel. The two lineages were given different spiritual roles, covenants, and regions. Modern attempts to merge or conflate these distinct inheritances risk undermining the clarity that the scriptures themselves offer.

THE QIBLA SHIFT: CONTINUITY, NOT SUPREMACY

When the Prophet Muhammad migrated to Medina, he initially prayed toward Jerusalem, a city sacred to Bani Israel. This lasted approximately 16–17 months. Eventually, revelation instructed him to turn toward the Kaaba in Mecca (Qur’an 2:144). This shift was not a declaration of supremacy but a symbolic return to Ishmael’s lineage and Mecca’s sanctity.

The earlier qibla toward Jerusalem was never a mistake — it was a recognition of continuity. The shift confirmed a new phase, not an erasure of past truths. Therefore, the sanctity of Jerusalem remains honored within Islam, but not as a spiritual entitlement grounded in inheritance. It is not a city to be claimed by Muslims, but to be respected for its scriptural history.

AL-AQSA: SHARED REVERENCE, DISTINCT RESPONSIBILITY

Surah Al-Isra’ (17:1) refers to the Prophet’s night journey to Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa, which translates as “the farthest mosque.” While this reference grants spiritual significance to the area, it does not imply custodial ownership. The land is referred to as “blessed surroundings”, not as a religious mandate of Muslims’ possession.

Al-Aqsa and its surroundings are sacred, but Islam’s relationship with it is devotional, not genealogical. The custodianship belongs historically to those descended from Isaac — those to whom the original Temple was given and restored repeatedly. Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David, Solomon, and Jesus were part of Bani Israel’s lineage and connected to the spiritual stewardship of Jerusalem.

Islam’s reverence for the site should be expressed in spiritual solidarity, not in territorial entitlement.

MUSLIM MISCONCEPTIONS AND THE POLITICIZATION OF FAITH

A growing number of Muslim leaders and activists have, regrettably, politicized Islam’s reverence for Jerusalem. Instead of recognizing scriptural distinctions, slogans and narratives have emerged that frame the city as an Islamic land usurped by others. In doing so, they erase the very Qur’anic lineage that God has preserved.

One major misconception is the phrase “Jerusalem is a shared religious property.” In theological terms, this is inaccurate. While Christians and Muslims hold the city in high regard, its divine covenant was granted to Bani Israel, through Isaac’s line. The sacred geography, laws, and prophetic missions from Moses to Jesus were all centered in this lineage. Recognizing this is not betrayal — it is theological accuracy.

WHEN ISLAMIC MILITANCY REPLACES THEOLOGY

The misuse of Islamic symbolism to justify political or militant agendas has compounded these misconceptions. Extremist groups often deploy religious language while rejecting religious context. Chants such as “from the river to the sea” erase Jewish continuity and ignore Islamic acknowledgment of Bani Israel.

This misuse dilutes Islam’s message. It replaces the Qur’an’s reverence for earlier prophets with nationalist fervor. The Prophetic tradition never endorsed such revisionism. On the contrary, the Qur’an instructs Muslims to say:

“We believe in Allah, and in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and the Tribes.” (Qur’an 2:136)

This verse honors both lineages — Ishmael and Isaac — and does not support antagonism between them. Muslims are told to believe in the scriptures of Bani Israel, not to reject their recipients.

TOWARD THEOLOGICAL HONESTY AND REGIONAL PEACE

Today, more than ever, there is a need for theological clarity. Misconceptions—especially those inflamed by conflict and media—have distorted the spiritual geography of the Abrahamic world. Muslims must reclaim scriptural literacy, not nationalist slogans, as their guide.

Rather than viewing Jerusalem through the lens of conquest, it should be seen as a city entrusted to a covenant distinct from Islam’s origin. Mecca and Medina remain Islam’s holiest cities — not Jerusalem. Acknowledging this truth is not a forfeiture of dignity, but an embrace of divine wisdom.

CONCLUSION: RESPECTING THE DIVINE SEQUENCE

The title “Bani Israel: The First Love of God” is not about supremacy — it is about sequence. God chose to begin His law-bearing revelation with one lineage, entrusted with responsibility, memory, and sacred land. Later revelations built upon that foundation but never replaced it.

The lineage of Ishmael, and with it Islam, emerged with its own divine mission — rooted in Mecca, not Jerusalem. Understanding these parallel truths offers a more honest path to peace, and more importantly, aligns with the scriptures themselves.

Across all Abrahamic traditions, whatever God has sanctified, those who believe in Him are called to honour — a truth that unites the Abrahamic faiths at their spiritual core.