ok, thank you Dalia for translating for me which button is the "reply" one...
3abd- my religion should not matter for the sake of the argument, because I don't speak on behalf of my religion but on behalf of myself alone.
nevertheless, since you asked, I will tell my background:
I was born a jew in Israel. my mother is an orthodox jew, my grandfather (her father) was an esteemed Rabbi and there is even a synagogue built to commemorate his name.
my father is an Atheist
my husband is a Christian. I left Israel when I married him and we live in Kansas, U.S.A.
I don't consider myself religious at all. (meaning I have no religion) however I do consider myself a religion scholar.
I studied Judaism in Bar Ilan university in Israel and I studied for a second degree in Pittsburg State University in Kansas. as part of that degree I studied World's Religions which includes Hinduism, Budhism, Zoroastrianism, Daoism, Judaism Christianity Islam and Mormonism.
I also took classes on the history of the church (i.e. the emergence of Christianity to the Reformation)
could Islam be the international form of Judaism? well, that is what we came to explore, no?
in the Qaraim forum Dalia started a thread with the question what is the meaning of the verse: "נָבִיא אָקִים לָהֶם מִקֶּרֶב אֲחֵיהֶם, כָּמוֹךָ; וְנָתַתִּי דְבָרַי, בְּפִיו, וְדִבֶּר אֲלֵיהֶם, אֵת כָּל-אֲשֶׁר אֲצַוֶּנּוּ" .
she suggested that
מקרב אחיהם
refers to Isaac's brother Ishmael. she also quoted: "וְזֹאת הַבְּרָכָה, אֲשֶׁר בֵּרַךְ מֹשֶׁה אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים--אֶת-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל: לִפְנֵי, מוֹתוֹ. ב וַיֹּאמַר, יְהוָה מִסִּינַי בָּא וְזָרַח מִשֵּׂעִיר לָמוֹ--הוֹפִיעַ מֵהַר פָּארָן, וְאָתָה מֵרִבְבֹת קֹדֶשׁ; מִימִינוֹ, אשדת (אֵשׁ דָּת) לָמוֹ"
saying that Mt. Pa'aran is Mecca therefore the scripture refers to the emergence of Islam from Mecca
she also quoted: "יֵּשֶׁב, בְּמִדְבַּר פָּארָן; וַתִּקַּח-לוֹ אִמּוֹ אִשָּׁה, מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם."
from which she deducts that the people living in Mecca are descendents of Ishmael (supported by Hadith, Quran, and Sunah, according to her)
lastly, Dalia quoted: "לְיִשְׁמָעֵאל, שְׁמַעְתִּיךָ--הִנֵּה בֵּרַכְתִּי אֹתוֹ וְהִפְרֵיתִי אֹתוֹ וְהִרְבֵּיתִי אֹתוֹ, בִּמְאֹד מְאֹד: שְׁנֵים-עָשָׂר נְשִׂיאִם יוֹלִיד, וּנְתַתִּיו לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל. "
and explained that God blessing to Ishmael is basically giving him the ability to tell prophecy, which was given down to his descendants from him.
to start the discussion here, do you agree with her interpretation of the scriptures so far?