II. The promise to Abraham and his descendants

When God called Abraham to leave his land and his kindred, He promised him a land and descendants, but also that he would be a blessing to all the families of the earth (Genesis 12:1–7).

Thus, the promise extends beyond the promised land. Wherever Abraham went, he carried his calling with him: to strive to live according to God's will and thereby be a blessing to others.

God made this promise to Abraham and established a covenant with him. Scripture describes how this covenant continues through Isaac and then Jacob, who was given the name Israel. The descendants of Israel were thereby given a special place in the history of the promise (Genesis 15:18–21; 17:1–21; 35:9–12).

Ishmael, the son of Abraham, also receives God's blessing. He is promised numerous descendants and a great nation. The special line of the covenant through Isaac does not diminish this blessing (Genesis 17:20–21; 21:13–18).

The Qur’an confirms the special place of Abraham and his descendants and recalls the guidance that God has bestowed upon them. It thereby acknowledges the divine origin of the earlier revelations, while calling upon believers to act justly and remain faithful to what God has given (Qur’an 2:124; 2:136; 4:54).

In this Manifesto, the promise of land is examined through the Scriptures in which it is recorded. A distinction is made between the line of descent through which the inheritance is described and the religious commandments given to the different communities. No additional conditions are attached to the promise of land unless they follow from the relevant passages of Scripture.

Ezekiel received his prophetic visions during the Babylonian exile, a time of loss and upheaval. His description of restoration, a sanctuary and a renewed division of the land offered a vision of a future in which God's commandments would once again guide life together. Later generations, too, may find in these visions reason to examine God's promises and their meaning anew.

Ezekiel describes how the land is to be divided as an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. Foreigners who have settled among them and have had children there are also expressly included in this division. They receive an inheritance among the tribes of Israel (Ezekiel 47:21–23).

The recognition of the special promise to Israel therefore does not stand in opposition to the rights of other inhabitants. Rather, it calls for a just implementation in which both the promised inheritance and the place and rights of those who live in the land are respected.