Despite the differences that exist between them in the
Middle East, Jews and Muslims share a common heritage. Both trace their traditional
lineage back to Abraham, the Jews through Isaac and his son Jacob; the Muslims through
Ishmael, Abraham's son through Sarah's handmaid, Hagar. As a result, the ancient texts
are sacred to both. As the group name implies, Islamic people consider Jews and
Christians to be "People of the Book" because of their common heritage and their belief
in the same God.
Also, both were attacked by Christian
forces, particularly in Spain during the Reconquista. By protecting the Haggadah, they
were in essence protecting a substantial portion of their own heritage shared with the
Jews. Since the Sarajevo Haggadah is one of the oldest Sephardic texts still extant, it
has special meaning to Islamic people and Jews.
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