Ishmaelites

The Ishmaelites are understood as descendants of Ishmael, the son of Abraham and Hagar, according to the Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In Islamic tradition, Ishmael is considered a prophet and is believed to have settled in Mecca.12

While the Old Testament narrative focuses on Isaac as Abraham's heir after Ishmael and Hagar's banishment, Islamic tradition holds that Ishmael assisted Abraham in building the Kaaba in Mecca. The Ishmaelites are often identified with the Midianites, a group of nomadic tribes who engaged in trade and pastoral pursuits. The term "Ishmaelite" can refer to a descendant of Ishmael or, more broadly, to someone in a state of social outcast.1342