Why do many Muslims identify Ishmael rather than Isaac as the son Abraham nearly sacrificed?

In Islamic tradition, the identification of Ishmael as the son whom Abraham nearly sacrificed—rather than Isaac, as recorded in the Old Testament—is rooted in extrascriptural sources such as Hadith and tafsir (Islamic exegesis).1

While the Qur'an (37:97–111) describes the event as an act of submission, it does not explicitly name the son. However, Islamic tradition holds that Ishmael, Abraham’s firstborn son through Hagar, was the intended victim. This narrative is central to Islamic faith, as Ishmael is viewed as a prophet who assisted Abraham in building the Kaaba in Mecca. The event is commemorated annually during Eid al-Adha and is integrated into the rituals of the hajj.213

By identifying Ishmael as the son involved in this act of devotion, Islamic tradition emphasizes his foundational role in the faith and his status as the progenitor of the Arabs and an ancestor of the Prophet Muhammad.143