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Revision as of 09:59, 17 February 2012

Main article: Abraham
Abraham the Prophet
Prophet, Seer, Leader of the People, Holy Forefather, Ḥanīf, Friend of God, Constructor of the Kaaba, 'Possessor of Power and Vision', Apostle of the Nations
BornMesopotamia
Venerated inJudaism
Christianity
Islam
Baha'i Faith
Druzism
InfluencedMany Jews, Christians and Muslims
Part of a series on
Islam
Beliefs
Practices
History
Culture and society
Related topics

Abraham (Arabic: إبراهيم ʾIbrāhīm, pronounced [ʔibraːˈhiːm]) is recognized in Islam as a prophet and apostle[1] of God and patriarch of many peoples.[2] In Muslim belief, Abraham fulfilled all the commandments and trials which God tried him with over his lifetime. As a result of his unwavering faith in God, Abraham was promised by God to be a leader to all the nations of the world.[3] Abraham, in Muslim belief, embodies the type of the perfect Muslim and the Qur'an mentions Abraham as a model for mankind.[4] In this sense, Abraham has been described as representing "primordial man in universal surrender to the Divine Reality before its fragmentation into religions separated from each other by differences in form".[5] The Islamic holy day Eid al-Adha is celebrated in memory of the bravery of Abraham and Muslims perform the pilgrimage to pay homage to the Kaaba which Abraham had set up and reformed.[6]

Muslims believe that the prophet Abraham became the leader of the righteous in his time and it was through him that the people of both Arabia and Israel came. Abraham, in the belief of Islam, was instrumental in cleansing the world of idolatry at the time. Paganism was cleared out by Abraham in both Arabia and Canaan. He spiritually purified both places as well as physically sanctifying the houses of worship. Abraham and Ishmael further established the rites of pilgrimage,[7] or Hajj, which are still followed by Muslims today. Muslims maintain that Abraham further asked God to bless both the lines of his progeny, of Ishmael and Isaac, and to keep all of his descendants in the protection of God.

Family

Muslims maintain that Abraham's father was Azar, who is known in the Hebrew Bible as Terah. Commentators and scholars believed that Abraham himself had many children, but Ishmael and Isaac were the only two who became prophets. Abraham's two wives are believed to have been Sarah and Hagar, the latter of whom was originally Sarah's handmaiden.[8] Abraham's nephew is said to have been the prophet Lot, who was one of the other people who migrated with Abraham out of their community. Abraham himself is said to have been of semitic lineage, being a descendant of Noah through his son Shem.[9]

Abraham's narrative in Islam

Note: This is a brief summary of the main events of Abraham's life as recognized in Islam

Abraham and Lot depart out of Haran; illustration from the 1728 Figures de la Bible; illustrated by Gerard Hoet (1648–1733)
Abraham, Sarah and Hagar, imagined here in a Bible illustration from 1897; Muslims maintain that Hagar was taken as Abraham's second wife and was not a concubine.

Abraham was appointed by God to eliminate all idolatry at the time, and to convey the pure message of Islam to the people. God granted Abraham wisdom in his childhood and Abraham remained in a high spiritual position till the day of his death.

Although the Qur'an makes no mention of the birth of Abraham, as it does of Moses, the earliest incident involving Abraham is his preaching to his father, Azar, who in Judeo-Christian tradition is known as Terah. As a father, Azar required his son's most sincere advice. Abraham, after receiving his first revelations from God, invited his father to the way of Islam. Abraham explained to him the faults in idolatry,[10] and why he was wrong to worship objects which could neither hear nor see.[11] Abraham told his father that he had indeed received revelations from God, knowledge which his father did not possess,[12] and told him that belief in God would grant him immense rewards in both this life and the hereafter. Abraham concluded his preaching by warning Azar of the grave punishment he would face if he did not mend his ways.[13] When Abraham offered his father the guidance and advice of God, he rejected it, and threatened to stone him to death.[14] Abraham prayed for his father[15] to be forgiven by God, and although he continued to seek forgiveness,it was only because of a promise that he had made earlier to him. When it became clear that Azar's unrelenting hatred towards pure monotheism would never be fought, Abraham dissociated himself from him.[16]

The Qur'an makes it clear that the people of Abraham were idolaters. When Abraham had become older, he decided to finally teach his community a lesson. He told his people that he had a plan for their idols, whilst they would be gone away.[17] The Qur'an goes on to narrate that Abraham subsequently broke the idols, all except the largest, which he kept intact.[18] When the people returned, they began questioning each other over the wreckage, until some of the people remembered that the youth, Abraham, had spoken of the idols earlier.[19] When Abraham arrived, the people immediately began to question him, asking him whether he had anything to do with the broken idols. Abraham then, in a clever taunt, asked the people as to why they don't ask the largest of the idols, which, they believed, could indeed hear and speak.[20] The people of Abraham were then confounded with shame, and admitted that the idols were incapable of anything.[21] Although Abraham's people admitted their fault, they are said to have ignored Abraham's warning and instead retaliated by throwing him into a fire and exclaiming "protect your gods".[22] Although the natural nature of fire is one of intense heat, God commanded the flame to be cool and peaceful for Abraham.[23] Abraham, as a result, remained unhurt both physically and spiritually, having survived the fire of persecution. The people continued to taunt and persecute him, but to no result, as the Qur'an says that it was they "that lost most".[24]

After the idol wrecking incident, Abraham had an argument with an unjust ruler, who claimed lordship for himself.[25] Abraham, guided by God, showed the King the falsehood of his argument, but he continued to disbelieve and refused to accept Abraham's message. Abraham then left his people for good, with his believing nephew Lot and his righteous wife Sarah, and all were directed towards the blessed land.[26] As Sarah was barren, Abraham took her Egyptian handmaiden, Hagar, as a second wife. Hagar, as a result, bore Ishmael, who was Abraham's first son. Lot had also subsequently been made a prophet by God, but he was ordered to leave Abraham's household and was sent to the land of Sodom and Gomorrah, to preach against the sins of the people there.

When Abraham's son reached the age of young youth, Abraham was given the command to sacrifice his son.[27] This was a tremendous trial for the patriarch as his only son was being asked to be offered to God. When Abraham, however, told his son about his revelation, his son readily accepted his father's order.[28] This clearly showed Abraham that his son was as devoted to God as he was. Then, when Abraham lay his son down, upon his forehead,[29] and was about to sacrifice him and offer him up, a voice called out to him, telling him that he had fulfilled the vision[30] and had passed the test of God successfully. Abraham was than rewarded with a momentous sacrifice,[31] which is usually believed to have been a ram, goat or sheep. One thing of note is that the name of the son is not given in the Qur'an, but most accept that it was Ishmael because the following passages discuss the birth of Isaac.

As Ishmael had gone to Arabia, where he grew up to become a prophet and the patriarch of the Arab people, Abraham was concerned over who would continue his legacy here in the blessed land of Canaan. God sent Abraham and Sarah glad tidings of the birth of a second son, who too would be a righteous prophet like Ishmael.[32] Angels, who had been sent to the people of Lot, first came to Abraham's household. Abraham, not knowing that they were angels, prepared for them a fat, roasted calf,[33] but - to his shock - they refused to eat. The angels, however, told Abraham to fear not and told him that they had been sent to the people of his nephew.[34] They further told him about the good news of the birth of a son as well as the birth of a grandson, whose name would be Jacob.[35] Sarah clasped her head, and exclaimed - in her amusement, joy and surprise - as to how she should have a son, being old like her husband.[36] The angels told them that, for God, all things are easy.[37] One thing to note is that the Qur'anic account of the annunciation of Isaac's birth differs sharply from the Biblical narrative, which states that two angels as well as God all came in human form to Abraham's household.

Abraham, in his later years, was commanded by God to set up the holy house of prayer in Mecca, with his first son Ishmael, which became known as the Kaaba.[38][39] God made a covenant with Abraham and Ishmael,[40] that they should sanctify the Kaaba, as a holy place of worship, where all people in the future could retreat to prostrate themselves to God. Abraham then prayed for Mecca, saying "My LORD, make this a city of Peace...".[41] God answered, saying that the believers would be rewarded but all evil men would be punished.[42] Abraham then spent the last years of his life teaching his sons as well as his grandson Jacob. Muslim tradition records that Abraham lived with Isaac but frequently visited Ishmael in Arabia. Abraham died peacefully in old age, with God leaving Abraham's legacy as an example for the generations to come.

Miracles

Abraham encountered several miracles of God during his lifetime. The Qur'an records a few main miracles, although different interpretations have been attributed to the passages. Some of the miracles recorded in the Qur'an are:

The first passage has been interpreted both literally, allegorically and otherwise. Although some commentators feel that this passage referred to a physical miracle, where Abraham was physically shown the entire kingdom of Heaven,[46] others have felt that it refers to the spiritual understanding of Abraham; these latter scholars maintain that the Chaldeans were skilled in the observance of the stars, but Abraham, who lived amongst them, saw beyond the physical world and into a higher spiritual realm. The second passage has one mainstream interpretation amongst the Qur'an commentators, that Abraham took four birds and cut them up, placing pieces of each on nearby hills; when he called out to them, each piece joined and four birds flew back to Abraham.[47] This miracle, as told by the Qur'anic passage, was a demonstration by God to show Abraham how God gave life to the dead. As the physical cutting of the birds is not implied in the passage, some commentators have offered alternative interpretations, but all maintain that the miracle was for the same demonstrative purpose to show Abraham the power God has to raise the dead to life.[48] The third passage has also been interpreted both literally and metaphorically, or in some cases both. Commentators state that the 'fire' refers to main aspects. They maintained that, firstly, the fire referred to the physical flame, from which Abraham was saved unharmed. The commentators further stated that, secondly, the fire referred to the 'fire of persecution', from which Abraham was saved, as he left his people after this with his wife Sarah and his nephew Lot.[49]

Personality and Wisdom

Main article: Terah

Abraham's personality and character is one of the most in-depth in the whole Qur'an, and Abraham is specifically mentioned as being a kind and compassionate man.[50] Abraham's father is understood by all Muslims to have been a wicked, ignorant and idolatrous man who ignored all of his son's advice. The relationship between Abraham and his father, who in the Qur'an is named Azar, is central to Abraham's story as Muslims understand it to establish a large part of Abraham's personality. The Qur'an mentions that Abraham's father threatened to stone his son to death if he did not cease in preaching to the people.[51] Despite this, the Qur'an states that Abraham in his later years prayed to God to forgive the sins of all his descendants and his parents. Muslims have frequently cited Abraham's character as an example of how kind one must be towards people, and especially one's own parents. A similar example of Abraham's compassionate nature is demonstrated when Abraham began to pray for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah after hearing of God's plan for them. Although God told Abraham that His plan was the final word, and therefore Abraham's prayers would be of no effect, the Qur'an nonetheless reinforces Abraham's kind nature through this particular event.[52]

The Qur'an discusses a certain conversation between a an unrighteous ruler and Abraham. Although identification for the unnamed king has been recognized as being least important in the narrative, many historical sources suggest that it was Nimrod,[53] the king who had ordered the building of the Tower of Babel. According to the narrative, the king became extremely arrogant due to his wealth and power, to the point that he made the claim that he possessed the power of Creation. Claiming divinity for himself, the king quarreled with Abraham but the Qur'an describes that he only deepened in confusion. According to the Qur'an, Abraham told the king that it is God who makes the sun rise and set everyday, which rendered the king confounded. This event has been noted as particularly important because, in the Muslim perspective, it almost foreshadowed the prophetic careers of future prophets, most significantly the career of Moses. Abraham's quarrel with the king has been interpreted by some to be a precursor to Moses's preaching to Pharaoh. Just as the ruler who argued against Abraham claimed divinity for himself, so did the Pharaoh of the Exodus, who refused to hear the call of Moses and perished in the Red Sea. In this particular incident, scholars have further commented on Abraham's wisdom in employing "rational, wise and target-oriented" speech, as opposed to pointless arguments.[54]

Abraham, in the eyes of many Muslims, also symbolized the highest moral values essential to any person. The Qur'an details the account of the angels coming to Abraham to tell him of the birth of Isaac. It says that, as soon as Abraham saw the messengers, he brought to them a "roasted calf without delay".[55] This action has been interpreted by all the scholars as exemplary; many scholars have commentated upon this one action, saying that it symbolizes Abraham's exceedingly high moral level and thus is a model for how men should act in a similar situation. This incident has only further heightened the "compassionate" character of Abraham in Muslim theology.[56]

Friend of God

Abraham is given the title Khalil-Allah in Islam, which means Friend of God. The Qur'an says:

Who could have a better religion than someone who submits himself completely to God and is a good-doer, and follows the religion of Abraham, a man of pure natural belief? God took Abraham as an intimate friend.[57]

This particular title of Abraham is so famous in Muslim culture and tradition that, in the areas in and around Mecca, Abraham is often referred to solely as The Friend.[58] This title of Friend of God is not exclusive to Islamic theology. Although the other religious traditions do not stress upon it, Abraham is called a Friend of God in the Hebrew Bible[59] as well as in the New Testament.[60]

Abraham and the Kaaba

The Kaaba, which remains the most significant Mosque in Islam, is believed to have been constructed by Abraham and Ishmael.

One of Abraham's most important features in Islamic theology is his role as the constructor of the Kaaba. Although tradition recounts that Adam constructed the original Kaaba, which was demolished by the Great Flood at the time of Noah, Abraham is believed to have rebuilt it in its original form. The Qur'an, in the Muslim perspective, merely confirms or reinforces the laws of pilgrimage. The rites were instituted by Abraham and for all Muslims, as they perform the pilgrimage, the event is a way to return to the perfection of Abraham's faith.[61] Just as Medina is referred to as the "City of the Prophet [Muhammad]" or simply the "City of Muhammad", Mecca is frequently cited as the "City of Abraham", because Abraham's reformation of the purified monotheistic faith took place purely in Mecca.[62]

Scrolls of Abraham

The Qur'an refers to certain Scrolls of Abraham, which have alternatively been translated as Books of Abraham. All Muslim scholars have generally agreed upon that no scrolls of Abraham survive till today, and therefore this is a reference to a lost body of scripture.[63] The Scrolls of Abraham are understood by Muslims to refer to certain revelations Abraham received, which he would have then transmitted to writing. The exact contents of the revelation are not described in the Qur'an, and considerable debate went amongst the early Qur'anic scholars as to possible identification. Some scholars suggested it to be a reference to Sefer Yetzirah, as Jewish tradition generally ascribed it's authorship to Abraham. Other scholars, however, wrote of a certain Testament of Abraham, which they explained was available at the time of Muhammad.[64] The Qur'an says:

And this is in the Books of the earliest (Revelation). The Books of Abraham and Moses.[65]

Significance as Patriarch

Main articles: Ishmael and Isaac
Lineage of several prophets
according to Islamic tradition
 
Adam
Shīth (Seth)
Nūḥ (Noah)
Ibrāhīm (Abraham)
Ismāʿīl (Ishmael)Iṣḥāq (Isaac)
Mūsa (Moses)
ʿĪsā (Jesus)
Muhammad
Dotted lines indicate multiple generations.

Abraham is also extremely important as a leader of Islam and as a patriarch of the Islamic faith. Muslims recognize Abraham as the ancestor through whom many other prophets and saints came, including Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. The Qur'an lists, in the sixth chapter, some of the greatest figures to have through Abraham's progeny:

That is Our argument. We gave it unto Abraham against his folk. We raise unto degrees of wisdom whom We will. Lo! Thy Lord is Wise, Aware.
And We bestowed upon him Isaac and Jacob; each of them We guided; and Noah did We guide aforetime; and of his seed (We guided) David and Solomon and Job and Joseph and Moses and Aaron. Thus do We reward the good.
And Zachariah and John and Jesus and Elijah. Each one (of them) was of the righteous.
And Ishmael and Elisha and Jonah and Lot. Each one (of them) did We prefer above (Our) creatures,
With some of their forefathers and their offspring and their brethren; and We chose them and guided them unto a straight path.

— Qur'an, sura 6 (Al-Anam), ayat 83-87[66]

Abraham's narrative in the Qur'an indirectly refers to his role as one of the great Patriarchs. The Qur'an says that God made Abraham a "leader for the people" (II: 124) and his narrative records him praying for his offspring (XIV: 35). The Qur'an further states that Abraham's descendants were given the "Book and the Wisdom" (IV: 54), and this fact is reinforced in a verse which states that Abraham's family was one of those in which the gift of prophecy was established as a generic trait (XIX: 58). The Qur'an emphasizes upon Abraham's significance as it states that Abraham's family, Noah, Adam and the family of Amram were the four selected by God above all the worlds (III: 33). As a result of his significance as a patriarch, Abraham is sometimes given the misleading title Father of the Prophets, which contradicts the teachings of the Qur'an, which establishes that many prophets, such as Noah, lived before Abraham. Of Abraham's immediate sons, the Qur'an repeatedly establishes the gifts God bestowed upon them. Ishmael is regarded as being "among the best of chosen men" (XXXVIII: 48) and one of the men who was "favoured above all the worlds" (VI: 86). In addition, Ishmael is described as being "true to his promise and was an apostle and a prophet" (XIX: 54). Likewise, the Qur'an says of Isaac that he was "among the best of chosen men" (XXXVIII: 47) and was a "prophet, one of the righteous" (XXXVII: 112) and further describes him as of "true strength and inner sight" (XXXVIII: 45).

Prayers

The Qur'an mentions several personal prayers of Abraham, each of which have been interpreted to be exemplary for Muslims who strive to get closer to God. Abraham himself spoke extremely highly of prayer and titled God as the "Hearer of Prayer"[67] and repeatedly prayed to God for wisdom and guidance. The following are some of Abraham's key prayers narrated in the Qur'an.

  • My Lord, give me right judgment and unite me with the righteous.[68]
  • [My Lord,] make me highly esteemed among the later peoples.[69]
  • And make me one of the inheritors of the Garden of Delight. Forgive my father - he was one of the misguided, and do not disgrace me on the Day they are raised up. The Day when neither wealth nor sons will be of any use - except to those who come to God with sound and flawless hearts.[70]
  • Our Lord, do not make us a target for those who do not believe, and forgive us. Our Lord, You are the Almighty, the All-Wise.[71]
  • My Lord, bestow on me a right-acting child.[72]

Commemoration

Abraham is commemorated by all Muslims. As is the case with every prophet and apostle, it is Islamic custom to say "Peace be upon him" after saying Abraham's name. Abraham's unique position as the constructor of the Kaaba as well as the establisher of the pilgrimage rites is indirectly commemorated when Muslims perform the pilgrimage, or Hajj, in Mecca. Muslims sacrifice a domestic animal on Eid ul-Adha, which is done in part to remember Abraham's bravery during his trial of the near-sacrifice of his son. Muslims further mention Abraham in their canonical prayer everyday, in which they ask God to bless Muhammad's family as He blessed Abraham's family.

Burial place

Muslims believe that Abraham was buried, along with his wife Sarah, at the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron. Known to Muslims as the Sanctuary of Abraham it is also thought to be the burial site of Isaac, his wife Rebecca and Jacob and his wife Leah.

Verses in the Qur'an

See also

References

  1. ^ Quran 87:19
  2. ^ Quran 19:41
  3. ^ Quran 2:124
  4. ^ Quran 16:120
  5. ^ Concise Encyclopedia of Islam, C. Glasse, pg. 18
  6. ^ Concise Encyclopedia of Islam, C. Glasse, Kaaba
  7. ^ Quran 2:128
  8. ^ Lings, Martin. "Muhammad". House of God Chap. I (cf. Index: "Abraham"), Suhail Academy Co.
  9. ^ "Ibrahim". Encylcopedia of Islam, Online version.
  10. ^ Quran 19:44
  11. ^ Quran 19:42
  12. ^ Quran 19:43
  13. ^ Quran 19:45
  14. ^ Quran 19:46
  15. ^ Quran 19:47
  16. ^ Quran 9:114
  17. ^ Quran 21:57
  18. ^ Quran 21:58
  19. ^ Quran 21:60
  20. ^ Quran 21:63
  21. ^ Quran 21:65
  22. ^ Quran 21:68
  23. ^ Quran 21:69
  24. ^ Quran 21:70
  25. ^ Quran 2:258
  26. ^ Quran 29:26
  27. ^ Quran 37:102
  28. ^ Quran 37:102
  29. ^ Quran 37:103
  30. ^ Quran 37:105
  31. ^ Quran 37:107
  32. ^ Quran 37:112
  33. ^ Quran 11:69
  34. ^ Quran 11:70
  35. ^ Quran 11:71
  36. ^ Quran 11:72
  37. ^ Quran 11:73
  38. ^ "2:124-141". Qur'an.
  39. ^ "3:95-97". Qur'an.
  40. ^ Quran 2:125
  41. ^ Quran 2:126
  42. ^ Quran 2:126
  43. ^ Qur'an VI: 75
  44. ^ Qur'an II: 260
  45. ^ XXI: 68-70
  46. ^ The Book of Certainty, M. Lings, S. Academy Publishing
  47. ^ Stories of the Prophets, Kisa'i/Kathir, Story of Abraham
  48. ^ Qur'an: Text, Translation, Commentary, Abdullah Yusuf Ali, note. 285
  49. ^ Qur'an: Text, Translation, Commentary, Abdullah Yusuf Ali, note. 2703
  50. ^ Qur'an XI: 75
  51. ^ Qur'an 19: 46
  52. ^ Lives of the Prophets, L. Azzam, Suhail Academy Co.
  53. ^ History of the Prophets and Kings, Tabari, Vol. I: Prophets and Patriarchs
  54. ^ Book 1: The Prophet Abraham, Harun Yahya, The Unbeliever Advised By Abraham, Online. web.
  55. ^ Qur'an XI: 69
  56. ^ Book 1: The Prophet Abraham, Harun Yahya, Angels Who Visited Abraham, Online. web.
  57. ^ Qur'an IV: 125
  58. ^ Mecca: From Before Genesis Until Now, M. Lings. Archetype Books
  59. ^ Book of Isaiah XLI: 8
  60. ^ Epistle of James II: 23
  61. ^ Mecca: From Before Genesis Until Now, M. Lings, pg. 39, Archetype
  62. ^ Concise Encyclopedia of Islam, C. Glasse, Kaaba, Suhail Academy
  63. ^ A-Z of Prophets in Islam and Judaism, B. M. Wheeler, Abraham
  64. ^ Tafsir and Commentary on 87: 18-19 & 53: 36-37, Abdullah Yusuf Ali and Muhammad Asad
  65. ^ Quran 87:18–19
  66. ^ Quran 6:83–87
  67. ^ Qur'an 14: 39
  68. ^ Qur'an XXVI: 83
  69. ^ Qur'an XXVI: 84
  70. ^ Qur'an XXVI: 85-89
  71. ^ Qur'an LX: 5
  72. ^ Qur'an XXXVII: 100

Further reading

General

  • P.J. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, W.P. Heinrichs (ed.). Encyclopaedia of Islam Online. Brill Academic Publishers. ISSN 1573-3912. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link)
  • Cyril Glasse, Concise Encyclopedia of Islam, Pgs. 18-19 (Abraham), Suhail Academy
  • Harun Yahya, Book 1: Prophet Abraham, Online Web Edition.

Abraham and the Kaaba

  • Martin Lings, Mecca: From Before Genesis Until Now, Archetype
  • Leila Azzam, Lives of the Prophets, Abraham and the Kaaba, Suhail Academy

Abraham's life

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