The Many Views of Abraham & Family Eric Armann, Sean Jellison, Jessica Paul, Gillian St. John & Karen Waldmann Scripture 19; Religions of the Book Winter Quarter 2007 Section 2, Group 4

Who Is Abraham?

Abraham  For Judaism, he is their Patriarch, the man with whom God makes the first two covenants  For Christianity, he is a man of unyielding faith, and ancestor of Jesus  For Islam, he is a Prophet, he rebuilds the Kab’ah, and ancestor of the Arab Muslims

Three Abrahamic Faiths  All three faiths consider themselves to be Abrahamic  He was a man of immense faith, in a time when his people still worshipped idols  He spoke with the one true God, and made several covenants  When called upon to sacrifice his chosen son, Abraham was willing

Abraham In Judaism  Born Abram to his father Terah / Terach –in Ur, Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq)  Born approximately 4,000 years ago –Taught to be the year 1948 from creation or ~ 1800 BCE (in strict Orthodox Judaism)  Abram tries unsuccessfully to convince his father, an idol maker, that the practice is wrong  God notices Abram and calls him from the land of his fathers to Canaan, establishing the first covenant (Gn 12:1-4)

Abraham in Judaism   View Abraham as founding patriarch of religion and ethnic ancestor   Ethnically – –Descends from Adam and Noah – –Is father to Isaac and Ishmael, and grandfather to Jacob   Jacob (Israel) being father to the twelve tribes of Judaism, from which modern Rabbinic Judaism descends

Covenants  Genesis chapters 15 and 17 –Abraham’s descendants will be numerous and will become a great nation –They will inherit the promised land (later known as Israel) –All other nations she be blessed in him or through his offspring –The “sign” of this covenant is the circumcision of all male descendants  Through these covenants, Jews believe that they are God’s chosen people

Abraham in Christianity  Man of unquestionable faith –Used by Paul and others to demonstrate the saving power of faith (Gal 3:1-8) –Offers supreme obedience to God –Cited as the first to believe in the resurrection (Hebrews 11:8-19) –Teach that the children of Abraham are not genealogical, but those who share his faith

Abraham in Christianity  Catholics - “Our Father in Faith” from the Eucharistic Prayer  Lutherans - A Prophet in the Calendar of Saints, celebrated Oct. 9  Most other denominations - mention in some capacity as “the patriarchal Christian” or a man of faith

Abraham in Islam  Called Ibrahim in Arabic  Considered to be a Prophet –One of the first in the line of Adam & Noah (Nooh) –Father to the Prophets Ishmael (Ismail) and Isaac (Ishaq), and grandfather to the prophet Jacob (Yaqub) –Ancestor to Muhammad through his son Ishmael

Ibrahim in Islam  Like Judaism, Muslim practices maintain that Ibrahim was born in Ur, to his father Terah (possibly Azar).  Young Ibrahim looked at the people of Ur and was upset by the idol worship of his ancestors and when he asks if they worship their own handiwork they try to burn him, but Allah protects him (Surah 37:95-99)  He then makes a hijrah, from the land of his fathers to the area of modern day Palestine.

Ibrahim, Ismail and the Ka’bah  Taught that it was first built by Angels and Prophet Adam  The Qur’an (Surah 2: )teaches that Ibrahim and Ismail rebuilt the Ka’bah, the first mosque and site for worshiping Allah in Islamic tradition.  Referred to as the “Station of Ibrahim”  The size of the Ibrahimic Foundation: –Eastern wall: 48.5 feet –Hateem side wall: 33 feet –Side from the black stone to the Yemeni corner: 30 feet –Western side: 46.5 feet

Ibrahim and the Five Pillars  Salat –At the completion of each of the daily prayers, Muslims pray for blessings upon Muhammad, Ibrahim and their people and followers. –For Sunni Muslims this means that Ibrahim is prayed for about 6,375,000 times a day (1,275,000 x 5) –For Shi’a Muslims this means that Ibrahim is prayed for about 675,000 times a day (225,000 x 3) –In total, the Muslim World gives praise to Ibrahim over seven million times a day. –Also while praying, Muslims face the Ka’bah in Makka.

Ibrahim and the Five Pillars  Hajj –The tradition of the pilgrimage to Makka has its roots with Ibrahim and Ismail’s rebuilding of the Ka’bah (Surah 22:26-27). –During Eid al-Adha, an animal sacrifice is performed to commemorate the Muslim belief that Ibrahim’s chosen son was Ismail, and his father was willing to sacrifice him at Allah’s command. –When Muslims make the Hajj, part of the ritual includes running the distance between Safa and Marwa (two hills close to the Ka’bah) seven times.

Family Tree

Sarai  Abraham’s wife  Terah’s daughter-in-law  Also Abraham’s half-sister  Originally childless  Gives birth to Isaac  Name changed to Sarah  Is buried in Hebron

Hagar  Sarah’s Egyptian slave-girl  Abraham’s concubine  Gives birth to Ishmael

Hagar and Sarah in Christianity & Judaism  Sarah banishes Hagar –Hagar runs away pregnant –Angel of the Lord appears to Hagar –God speaks promises to Hagar –Hagar returns to Abraham  Conflict arises again between Sarah and Hagar during weaning of Isaac –Hagar again is banished  God saves Ishmael –Ishmael’s tribes are believed to be the modern day Arabs

Hagar and Sarah in Islam  Some believe that Hagar was banished to Makka –Hagar and Ishmael remain in Makka –The descendants of Ishmael flourish there –These descendents led to the prophet Muhammad

Keturah  Second wife of Abraham, after the death of Sarah (Gen. 25:1-6). –Midrash says Keturah = Hagar –Biblically she has six sons  Ishbak, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Shuah, Zimran  Midian’s descendants, the Midianites, are the most famous people of this lineage (Exodus 2:11-22) and (Numbers 22).

Ishmael  Literally means “God has hearkened”  Suggesting that a child so named was regarded as the fulfillment of a divine prophecy

Ishmael in Jewish Tradition  Generally viewed as wrong, but changes himself through repentance.  Ishmael is said to have been with his twelve sons roaming about their land looking for placing to dwell.  As they roamed, and more children where born to them fruitfully and abundantly

Ishmael in the New Testament  Ishmael and Hagar are expelled to ensure Isaac is Abraham’s heir  In Galatians, Paul uses these incidents “to symbolize the relationship between Judaism, the older now rejected tradition, and Christianity  Gal 4:21-31

Isaac  Means “may God smile”  Only son of Abraham and Sarah  It was a miracle Isaac was born  Sarah was 90 and Abraham 100 years old

Isaac in Jewish Tradition  Jews believe Isaac was the son that Abraham was going to sacrifice  He is such an icon because his willingness to follow God at the cost of his life is a model for many Jews who prefer martyrdom rather that violation of Jewish law  As well, according to Jewish tradition Isaac was thought to institute afternoon prayer (Gn 24:63)

Isaac in the New Testament  Again, in Galatians, Paul contrasts Isaac as symbolizing Christianity and Ishmael as symbolizing Judaism  Jews view the release of Isaac for sacrifice as analogues to the resurrection of Jesus  (Hebrews 2:19)

Isaac in the Qur’an  He is a prophet in Islam  Mentioned 15 times in the Qur’an  States that Abraham was to sacrifice a son, but never states specifically which one (Surah 37:99-113)  It was later believe that Isaac was not the chosen son, and Muslims greatly endorse that.

Hajira and Ismail  Briefly stated before, both were cast out at Sarah’s command.  Muslim belief teaches that the two were left in the valley of Makka, at Allah’s command to become the ancestors of modern day Arabs. –Tradition teaches (Hadith of Bukhari) that when they were left in the valley there was no water and Hajira ran between the two hills of Safa and Marwa seven times looking for water for Ismail. The Angel Jibreel came to her and revealed what is known today as the well of Zamzam, so that she and Ismail could drink and thrive for their unwavering faith in Allah.

Ismail  Ismail is regarded to be the ancestor of today’s Muslim (Arab) people. –Though he holds this title, he is mentioned very few times in the Qur’an itself, most of the Islamic history regarding Ismail is found in the Hadiths. –Even Muslim belief that Ismail is the chosen son of Abraham is not mentioned directly in the Qur’an, (Surah 37: ) which was cause for many arguments in early Islam. –Jewish tradition teaches that there were twelve sons/tribes of Ishmael, but in Islam references to these sons are vague at best.

Muslim and Jew Conflict  Interaction started in the 7th century CE with the origin and spread of Islam in the Arabian Peninsula  Both are considered Abrahamic religions –Both claim Abraham as a prophet and patriarch –Despite this, there are many differences between them, as mentioned earlier  As Islam spread throughout the Arabian Peninsula, large number of Jews came under Muslim rule  In many circumstances, Muslims and Jews have lived in peace under Islam rule –Islam allowed for Jews to be ruled by Jewish laws and to keep their synagogues and worship practices  However, there have also been many cases where Jews and Muslims have not lived in peace, and that has continued on throughout the ages