The Legacy
of Prophet Abraham (PBUH)
By Dr. Mohiuddin Waseem
Gulshan Iqbal, Karachi
From his homeland in Babylon,
some four thousand years ago, Prophet Abraham
(PBUH) set out on a journey to Palestine, Egypt
and Arabia. His legacy is very important as it
is the difference in interpretation of this journey
which gave birth to the three most important religions
- Islam, Christianity and Judaism - and provides
the basis for the deep seated rift between the
followers of these monotheistic religions. A brief
review is in order as no other event in human
history has so profoundly influenced the course
of history as this one.
In the Judeo-Christian traditions his Hebrew name
Abraham rightly means “father of many nations
(Holy Bible, Genesis 17:5)”. The biblical
account of Abraham moves from Mesopotamia to Palestine
to Egypt and then back to Palestine. He is portrayed
as a member of a family associated with city life
in Southern Babylon, moving to Haran (Southern
Turkey) and finally to Canaan (Palestine) where
God made a promise that Abraham’s descendants
would own a certain land (Genesis 12: 1-9) though
the reason of this divine favor is never explained.
Famine forced Abraham to Egypt where a tyrant
Pharaoh of that time took Abraham’s wife
Sarah, whom Abraham had declared was his sister,
into his captivity. Discovering the truth later
on, Pharaoh releases Sarah and sent Abraham and
Sarah away with all the wealth he had acquired
over the years (Genesis 12: 10-12). Back again
in Salam (Jerusalem) Abraham meets the King-Priest
to whom he paid a tithe (Genesis 14) suggesting
the existence of other monotheistic faiths at
that time. Childless Sarah gave Abraham her Egyptian
maid Hagar to produce a son, who when born was
named Ishmael which means God heard (Genesis 16).
Thirteen years later Sarah too bore a son, Isaac,
who would receive the covenant with God, whereas
Ishmael received a separate promise of many descendants
(Genesis 17). After a few years of Isaac’s
birth, Hagar and Ishmael were sent away to wander
in the desert, where the divine provision protected
them (Genesis 21: 1-20). Throughout his career
Abraham built many alters at different places
and offered sacrifices thereby displaying his
devotion to God Almighty (Genesis 12:7-8 &
13:4) but it is his political side which interest
the Biblical writers the most. Therefore though
it was Abraham’s grandson Jacob (through
Isaac) who gave his name to Israel and fathered
the twelve tribes, Abraham was regarded as the
nation’s progenitor (Exodus 2:24 & 4:5).
Years later, Israel’s claim to Canaan rested
on the promises made to Abraham because the God
worshiped by Israel was preeminently the God of
Abraham so to speak (Exodus 3:6, 15; & 1 King
18:36).
In contrast to the biblical account of Abraham’s
political legacy the Islamic traditions addresses
primarily the spiritual side of this mighty prophet.
In the Holy Qur’an Abraham’s name
is mentioned 69 times and he is counted among
the five great resolute and steadfast prophets
including Noah, Moses, Jesus and Mohammad (peace
be upon them all) (Holy Qur’an 33:7). His
story is a story of great sacrifices and complete
submission to God Almighty. Going through tremendous
trials and sacrifices for the sake of God alone
he was elevated in rank for the leadership of
mankind. The Holy Qur’an says “And
(remember) when the Lord of Abraham tried him
with (certain) Commands, which he fulfilled. He
(God) said (to him), "Verily, I am going
to make you an Imam (a leader) for mankind (to
follow you)". Abraham said, "And also
(Imams) from my offspring! God answered, "My
Covenant includes not Zâlimûn (polytheists
and wrong-doers)" (Holy Qur’an 2:124).
It is important to realize that throughout his
ministry Abraham arguments to his adversaries
always rested on intellectual reasoning and rational
grounds. Because his father was an idol maker
it is safe to assume that Abraham belonged to
a priestly family and was well aware of the pseudo
science of astrology and the other superstitions
of his people. Therefore with the help of God
given logic alone he was able to refute the falsehood
of polytheists. The Holy Qur’an presents
his argument to the star worshippers in an allegorical
way “We showed Abraham the power and the
laws of the heavens and the earth that he might
(with understanding) have certitude.
When the night covered him over he saw a star:
he said: "This is my Lord". But when
it set he said: "I love not those that set".
When he saw the moon rising in splendor He said:
"This is my Lord" but when the moon
set he said: "Unless my Lord guide me I shall
surely be among those who go astray". when
he saw the sun rising in splendor he said: "This
is my Lord; this is the greatest (of all)".
But when the sun set he said: "O my people!
I am (now) free from your (guilt) of giving partners
to God” (Holy Qur’an 6: 75-78).
In another place to make a point to the idol worshippers
“he broke their (idols) all to pieces but
left the biggest of them so that they might turn
(and address themselves) to”; they said
"Who has done this to our gods? He must indeed
be some man of impiety”! Abraham suggested
to inquire from the idols “if they can speak”
and thus settled the argument in his favor when
his adversaries admitted, "Surely we are
the ones in the wrong" (Holy Qur’an
21: 51-64).
It was only because of his monotheistic message
that he was abandoned by his parents, relatives
and friends, thrown in the fire which was meant
to burn him alive (Holy Qur’an 21: 68-69),
and finally exiled by the king of the country
whose claim of divinity was refuted by Abraham
when he asked him if he could make the sun to
rise from the west? (Holy Qur’an 2: 258).
Abraham survived all these trials and stood firm
as a rock for the sake of truth.
While in exile he traveled far and wide in various
parts of the known world of that time calling
people to the path of God. But he still had to
face another momentous trial from His Lord. After
he was blessed with a son at an old age, he had
to leave this son Ishmael and his wife Hagar in
the barren desolate of Baka (Mekkah) valley on
God’s command. The recent discovery of “Dead
Sea Scrolls” of Essene community, a Jewish
sect belonging to first century BC Palestine,
describes Abraham’s travel to east to the
Euphrates and then around the coast of Arabia
to the Red Sea and then finally to the Nile delta
(Genesis Apocryphon; Dead Sea Scrolls). Abraham’s
awareness of Arabian Peninsula suggests the possibility
that the “desert” where according
to the Bible Hagar and Ishmael wandered was in
fact the Arabian desert of Mekkah region as has
been claimed by the Muslims all along.
It is in Mekkah that God gave a final test to
him and ordered him to sacrifice his only son
he had at that time (Ishmael). Abraham was successful
in this test too but before he could slaughter
him with his own hands God called out, "O
Abraham! Thou hast already fulfilled the vision!
This was indeed a manifest trial" (Holy Qur’an
37: 100-113). Satisfied with Abraham’s complete
submission and profound love God ransomed Ishmael
with a sacrificial animal. It is in commemoration
of this very event that animals are sacrificed
during the Hajj occasion, the yearly Muslim journey
to Mekkah and by the Muslims all over the world
on the occasion of Eid-ul-Adha.
In conclusion, to the Muslim mind Prophet Abraham
left behind a legacy of a true monotheistic religion
all for the sake of God Almighty. The Holy Qur’an
says: “And who turns away from the religion
of Abraham except him who befools himself? We
chose him and rendered pure in this world, and
in the hereafter he is in the ranks of the righteous.
When his Lord said to him: ‘Submit to me’
and he said: ‘I submit my will to the Lord
of the worlds’. And this was the legacy
that Abraham left to his sons and so did Jacob;
"O my sons! God has chosen the religion (faith)
for you, so die not except in the state of submission".
Were you witnesses when death came to Jacob? When
he said to his sons: "What will you worship
after me?" They said: "We shall worship
your God; the God of your fathers Abraham, Ishmael
and Isaac, the one (true) God; and to Him will
we submit" (Holy Qur’an 2: 130-133).
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