Islam: Abrahamic religion

1. Islam: Abrahamic religion God said, he would raise a nation from the descendants of Isaac, and a nation from the descendants of Ismael. God’s promise was fulfilled with messengers and prophets born among their descendants – many prophets from Isaac including Jesus, and Mohammed from descendants of Ismael.

2. Muslims revere Abraham : • Muslims regard Abraham as the father of all prophets and messengers. • Muslims hold all Biblical prophets and messengers in great respect. • Muslims do not hold any prophet higher or lower than any one. • Muslims believe: all messengers (Monotheistic, Biblical) lead people to One Almighty God.

3. Muslims believe: • All messengers were creations of God, like Adam. • All messengers were human, endowed with special knowledge of religion. • They delivered God’s law, for humans to obey, do good works, and create a happy society.

4. Muslims observe Abraham’srituals: • Muslims begin their salat (service) with the ‘Prayer of Abraham’ – ‘I face the One who is the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth, I am truthful to Him, and I am not one of those who associate partners with Him’. • The Muslim ‘salat’ ends with supplication to God to bless Mohammed and his followers and honor them, like He honored Abraham and his followers.

5. Pilgrimage to Mecca: • Muslim rituals of pilgrimage to Mecca consist of worship of Allah at the ‘House of Worship (Ka’ba - valley of the Pharand mentioned in the bible ), built by Abraham and Ismael. • Most sacred spot to stand and pray is called ‘The Place of Abraham’. • Circumambulation of the Ka’ba is a ritual of Abraham as a form of worship. • Running between hills of Safa and Marwa – ritual commemorating Hajira ( Hagar) looking for water. • Sacrifice of a goat, cow or camel is a reminder of Abraham’s attempt to sacrifice his son, upon God’s command.

6. Pilgrimage toMecca: • 3:97 full of clear messages. [76] [It is] the place whereon Abraham once stood; and whoever enters it finds inner peace. [77] Hence, pilgrimage unto the Temple is a duty owed to God by all people who are able to undertake it. And as for those who deny the truth - verily, God does not stand in need of anything in all the worlds. • فِيهِ آيَاتٌ بَيِّـنَاتٌ مَّقَامُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمَن دَخَلَهُ كَانَ آمِنًا وَلِلّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلاً وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ الله غَنِيٌّ عَنِ الْعَالَمِينَ (3:97)

7. Islamic Faith: • 2:136 Say: "We believe in God, and in that which has been bestowed from on high upon us, and that which has been bestowed upon Abraham and Ishmael, and Isaac and Jacob, and their descendants, [111] and that which has been vouchsafed to Moses and Jesus; and that which has been vouchsafed to all the [other] prophets by their Sustainer: we make no distinction between any of them. [112] And it is unto Him that we surrender ourselves." • قُولُواْ آمَنَّا بِاللّهِ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَالأسْبَاطِ وَمَا أُوتِيَ مُوسَى وَعِيسَى وَمَا أُوتِيَ النَّبِيُّونَ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ لاَ نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّنْهُمْ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُسْلِمُونَ (2:136)

8. More on Abraham in the Quran: • Tell them:’ it is the religion of Abraham • 2:125 AND LO! We made the Temple a goal to which people might repair again and again, and a sanctuary: [102] take then, the place whereon Abraham once stood as your place of prayer." [103] And thus did We command Abraham and Ishmael: "Purify My Temple for those who will walk around it, [104] and those who will abide near it in meditation, and those who will bow down and prostrate themselves [in prayer]." • وَإِذْ جَعَلْنَا الْبَيْتَ مَثَابَةً لِّلنَّاسِ وَأَمْناً وَاتَّخِذُواْ مِن مَّقَامِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ مُصَلًّى وَعَهِدْنَا إِلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ أَن طَهِّرَا بَيْتِيَ لِلطَّائِفِينَ وَالْعَاكِفِينَ وَالرُّكَّعِ السُّجُودِ (2:125)’.

9. The Ka’bah: • 2:127 And when Abraham and Ishmael were raising the foundations of the Temple , [they prayed:] "O our Sustainer! Accept Thou this from us: for, verily, Thou alone art all-hearing, all-knowing! • وَإِذْ يَرْفَعُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ الْقَوَاعِدَ مِنَ الْبَيْتِ وَإِسْمَاعِيلُ رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّا إِنَّكَ أَنتَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ (2:127)

10. Abrahamic Advice: • 2:132 And this very thing did Abraham bequeath unto his children, and [so did] Jacob: "O my children! Behold, God has granted you the purest faith; so do not allow death to overtake you ere you have surrendered yourselves unto Him ( as Muslims)." • وَوَصَّى بِهَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بَنِيهِ وَيَعْقُوبُ يَا بَنِيَّ إِنَّ اللّهَ اصْطَفَى لَكُمُ الدِّينَ فَلاَ تَمُوتُنَّ إَلاَّ وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ (2:132)

11. 2:135 AND THEY say, "Be Jews" - or, "Christians" - "and you shall be on the right path." Say: "Nay, but [ours is] the creed of Abraham, who turned away from all that is false, [110] and was not of those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God." • وَقَالُواْ كُونُواْ هُودًا أَوْ نَصَارَى تَهْتَدُواْ قُلْ بَلْ مِلَّةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ (2:135)

12. Abraham’s belief: • 3:67 Abraham was neither a "Jew" nor a "Christian", but was one who turned away from all that is false, having surrendered himself unto God; and he was not of those who ascribe divinity to aught beside Him. • مَا كَانَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ يَهُودِيًّا وَلاَ نَصْرَانِيًّا وَلَكِن كَانَ حَنِيفًا مُّسْلِمًا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ

13. Followers of Abraham: • 4:54 Do they, perchance, envy other people for what God has granted them out of His bounty? [71] But then, We did grant revelation and wisdom unto the House of Abraham, and We did bestow on them a mighty dominion: • أَمْ يَحْسُدُونَ النَّاسَ عَلَى مَا آتَاهُمُ اللّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ فَقَدْ آتَيْنَآ آلَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَآتَيْنَاهُم مُّلْكًا عَظِيمًا (4:54)