the nations(1).

It also says: “When Hagar fled from Sarah, the angel of God appeared to her and said, ‘O Hagar—maidservant of Sarah!—(2) where have you come from and where are you going?’ She replied, ‘I have fled from my mistress.’ The angel said to her, ‘Return to your mistress and submit to her, for I will multiply your descendants and your offspring until they are beyond all counting. Behold, you will conceive and bear a son, and you shall name him Ishmael, for Allah has heard your humility. He shall stand foremost among mankind; his hand will be over all, and every hand will be stretched out toward him in deference, and his dwelling shall be on the borders of all his brothers.’(3)

In another passage, recounting her settlement with her son Ishmael in the wilderness of Paran, it states: ‘The angel said to her, “O Hagar, let your heart be at ease, for Allah the Exalted has heard the voice of the boy. Rise, lift him up, and hold him fast, for Allah will make him into a great nation, and Allah has opened the way for him.” Suddenly she saw a well of water; she went, filled the waterskin(4) from it, and gave the boy to drink. Allah remained with her and with the boy until he grew up, and his dwelling(5) was in the wilderness of Paran.’(6)

Thus, four pure glad tidings(7) were granted to the mother of Ishmael: two were revealed to Abraham and two to Hagar.