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Year 7

Isaac and Ismail

I can explain the theological reasons for divergent interpretations of Abraham's test.

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New
New
Year 7

Isaac and Ismail

I can explain the theological reasons for divergent interpretations of Abraham's test.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Abraham had two sons, each to different mothers.
  2. Judaism and Christianity say Abraham was told to sacrifice Sarah's son, Isaac.
  3. Islam says Abraham was told to sacrifice Hagar's son, Ismail.
  4. Despite the difference in the characters of Isaac and Ismail, all Abrahamic faiths are connected by Abraham's sacrifice.

Keywords

  • Ancestor - a person related to you who lived a long time ago

  • Descendant - your children and any further generations of children that begin from them

  • Divergent - developed in different directions

  • Sacrifice - to give up something very important to you or to kill something as an offering to God

Common misconception

Jews, Muslims and Christians are all descended from Abraham in the same way.

Jews and Christians trace their ancestry through Isaac to Abraham. Muslims trace their ancestry through Ismail to Abraham.


To help you plan your year 7 religious education lesson on: Isaac and Ismail, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

You might want to print out copies of the scriptural quotations for pupils. The quotes could be used under a visualiser and important passages highlighted. Teachers could model an 'I do', 'We do', 'You do' approach where pupils look for clues in the text independently after modelling.
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Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
In the Abrahamic traditions, someone who is given messages or teachings from God is known as a .
Correct Answer: prophet, Prophet
Q2.
The moment at which a human or other being gains a soul is called .
Correct Answer: ensoulment
Q3.
All of the __________ faiths include the creation story of Adam.
Dharmic
Correct answer: Abrahamic
Taoic
Q4.
The recorded sayings of the Prophet Muhammad are called the .
Correct Answer: Hadith, hadith
Q5.
Which religion sees Adam as the first prophet?
Correct Answer: Islam, islam
Q6.
Across the Abrahamic faiths, descriptions of the creation of Adam are all ...
the same.
completely different.
Correct answer: slightly different.

5 Questions

Q1.
Match the keywords to the correct definitions.
Correct Answer:ancestor,a person related to you who lived a long time ago
tick

a person related to you who lived a long time ago

Correct Answer:descendant,your children and any further generations of children
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your children and any further generations of children

Correct Answer:divergent,developed in different directions
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developed in different directions

Correct Answer:sacrifice,to give up or kill something as an offering to God
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to give up or kill something as an offering to God

Q2.
Why did Sarah and Abraham laugh when they found out Sarah was pregnant?
they hadn’t had children before
Correct answer: because they were both so old
they were happy to be having a baby
Q3.
Match each biblical figure to the correct mother.
Correct Answer:Ishmael,Hagar
tick

Hagar

Correct Answer:Isaac,Sarah
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Sarah

Correct Answer:Jesus,Mary
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Mary

Q4.
God tested Abraham by asking him to ...
have many children.
leave his home.
Correct answer: sacrifice his son.
Q5.
Who is the common ancestor for Jews, Christians and Muslims?
Correct answer: Abraham
Isaac
Ismail