Ishmael in Islam writ, Ishmael. Behold, he was always true to his promise, and was an apostle [of God], a prophet, who used to enjoin upon his people prayer and charity, and found favour in his Sustainer's sight." As a descendant of Ishmael, Muhammad is justified as the Prophet and continues the line of prophets from pre-Islamic times. As Islam became established, the figure Ishmael and those descended from him, the Ishmaelites, became connected, and often equated, with the term "Arab" in early Jewish and Christian literature. Before Islam developed as a religion, Ishmael was depicted in many ways, but after its establishment,
In the Hands of the Prophets Keiko O'Brien (Rosalind Chao) teaching Bajoran children that their gods are wormhole aliens. The story was originally proposed as a crossover episode with "", but this idea was abandoned in favor of ending the season with the same religious theme initially raised in "", the series premiere. "In the Hands of the Prophets" first introduces the audience to Bajoran politics and religion and highlights what happens when the values and beliefs of one culture are imposed on another. The episode features the first appearance of Louise Fletcher as Vedek Winn and Philip Anglim as Vedek Bareil. 8.8 million people viewed