What is Ishmail's relationship to the Arab nation?

Answer 1

A:

According to The Bible, Abraham had a son by Hagar, called Ishmael, who would be the father of a nation. Judaic tradition is that the sons of Ishmael, called Ishmaelites, are the Arabs.

In earlier times, the Arabs had no notion of descent from Ishmael, but since before the time of Muhammad (c 570-632 CE), the Arabs themselves had begun to accept that they really are descended from Ishmael. So assertively was the Jewish and Christian claim put that even pagan Arabs were unwilling to challenge it.