The Ascent of Ishmael: Abrahamic Genealogy in the Qur’an with Dr. Mohsen Goudarzi

In this episode of the Real Talk Podcast we sit down with Dr. Mohsen Goudarzi to discuss his 2019 paper titled ’The Ascent of Ishmael,’ which looks into the significance of biblical genealogy in the Qur’an. Dr. Goudarzi argues that the Qur’an anchors the Prophet Muhammad’s mission to his community’s descent from Abraham through Ishmael, challenging recent studies that downplay this genealogical aspect. The paper also explores Ishmael’s contrasting portrayals in the Qur’an and pre-Islamic writings, and it questions the notion that Abraham and Ishmael’s roles in Islam’s development are solely Medinan constructs. For Dr. Goudarzi’s article ’The Ascent of Ishmael: Genealogy, Covenant, and Identity in Early Islam’ and more of his work, check out his page at And don’t forget to LIKE, SHARE & SUBSCRIBE. Until next time, peace.