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,
Freedom of religion in the Maldives Maldives discussing the subject of religion. He declared at the meeting that his own comparative studies on philosophy had meant he could not accept Islam, and declared himself to be an atheist. He was immediately arrested, under the pretext of saving him from being attacked for his beliefs by others at the meeting. After three days of intense counseling and the threat of a state-imposed death sentence he publicly converted to Islam. Even so, the Maldivian Police submitted his case to their public prosecutors office as of 29 August 2010. According to the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or