Hagar and Ishmael

Arab Muslims and religious Jews both trace their origins to a common ancestor, Abraham (‘The Father of many Nations’). A desert wanderer, he was born c. 1800 BCE in the city of Ur, now in modern-day Iraq. 
While observant Jews claim descent from Abraham’s second son, Isaac (‘He will Laugh’), Arabs claim theirs from Abraham’s firstborn, Ishmael (‘God will Hear’).
According to the ancient Hebrew texts, the brothers have different mothers, however.  Ishmael’s mother’s story is the original ‘Handmaid’s Tale’: given as a surrogate to Abraham by his wife, Sarah (‘The Ruler’), when Sarah could not conceive. The ‘Handmaid’s’ name was Hagar (‘The Immigrant’), an Egyptian, traditionally a daughter of the Pharoah.
When Hagar was pregnant with Ishmael, Sarah became jealous and oppressed her. Hagar ran away, alone, into the desert. There, she rested by a spring of water and was visited by what seemed to be an angel, who told her to return home, assuring her that she would become the ancestral mother of multitudes.
Hagar called the place where the angel spoke to her, Beer-lahai-roi (‘The Well of the Living One that Sees Me’). Hagar realised that it was not just an angel that spoke to her. From that time on, she called God, El-Roi (‘The God who Sees’).
Ishmael is born to Hagar and, many years later, Isaac is born to Sarah. Time passes and the two mothers and the two brothers are unable to live peacefully in the same household.  Once again, Hagar and Ishmael are driven out. Ishmael becomes the father of the Arab peoples. Isaac becomes the father of the Jews.

Abraham remains the father of both.