Abraham in Islam
Abraham, Arabic Ibrāhīm (Arabic ابراهيم ), is considered in Islam as one of the major prophets and as the founder of monotheistic worship at the Kaaba in Mecca. He is mentioned in 25 suras of the Koran, Sura 14, which is named after him. The general epithet of Abraham is " friend of God " ( Khalil Allah ). It goes back to Sura 4:125, which says that God took Abraham for a friend.
Abraham in the Qur'an
Quranic statements
Abraham's name appears already in the Koran throughout as Ibrāhīm, but there was also a different reading of Abu Musa al - Ash ʿ arī, after the name was pronounce than Ibraham.
In the suras of the Meccan period describes how Abraham becomes the bringer of monotheistic faith, against the opposition of his father Azar whose idols he destroyed (Sura 6:74; 21:52-58; 37:88-96 ). Then he is thrown from his own people into the fire, but miraculously saved (Sura 21:68 f.) This miracle led some of compatriots, including Lot (Sura 29:26 ), to convert to faith in God. Abraham is also the one who asked God to make Mecca at a safe place, so his descendants can be used as future inhabitants of the barren area in itself under the protection of the God of peace make a living (Sura 14:35-41 ). Similar to the Genesis is reported that Abraham a severe test is subjected by to sacrifice his son. When Abraham reveals the willingness of this sacrifice, God intervenes; Abraham's son is triggered by a sacrifice ( 37:107 ).
In the suras of the Medinan period, Abraham is the prototype of the new religious community. In several passages of the Koran from this time we find the call, the " community of Abraham " religion of ( Millat Ibrāhīm ) to follow ( cf. eg Sura 2:130; 4:125 ). It is emphasized that Abraham a Jew, a Christian or a mushrik was but a Muslim and Hanif, who preceded Muhammad recognized for some time that there is only one God ( see Sura 3:67, 95 ). With the Qur'anic passages related to Abraham is also the realignment of the Qibla away from Jerusalem to the ancient Arab shrine in Mecca was justified. Thus it is stated that Abraham already have established together with his son Ishmael the foundations of this " house " (Sura 2:127 ). This Meccan sanctuary is in two places of the Koran ( 2:125; 3:97 ) as the " Stand Abraham" ( Maqām Ibrāhīm ) refers. In Sura 22:26 f Abraham is asked to call among the people for Hajj, so that they come from everywhere on foot or on camels riding him.
Religion Historical Background
In the earlier research on the Koran Abraham narratives, it focused mainly on the evidence of literary dependence of the Koran from the biblical tradition, today strive comparative juxtapositions rather then to identify the different intention of Biblical and Qur'anic proclamation in their historical context.
The statements can be found in the Koran Abraham, socializing adapter to ideas that were associated in pre-Islamic Arabia, with this figure. In verses that are passed down from ʿ Abd al - Muttalib ibn Hashim, the grandfather of Mohammed, it is said:
Nahnu ahlu llahi fī baldati - hī lam yazal Daka ʿ ʿ alā ahdi (A) braham
We are the people of Allah in his city, this is still true after the covenant of Abraham
In the circles of Hanif it was the concept of a monotheistic religion of Abraham ( dīn Ibrāhīm ), which was the pagan idolatry that was prevalent in these cities faced, and which was supposed that they had been sent directly from Abraham about Arab ancestors. The Hanif Zayd ibn ʿ Amr took lay claim to be among the Quraish the only one who had clung to this " religion of Abraham ". He prayed in the direction of the Kaaba and saw this as a building that had been built by Abraham and Ishmael. Some traditions describe him even as the mentor of Mohammed. But Abū ʿ Aamir ar - Rahib, a hanifischer opponents of Muhammad in Medina, saw themselves as followers of the " religion of Abraham ". He accused Mohammed of having this religion corrupted by innovations.
The rules of Fitra
In the Koran it is reported that God of Abraham (bi - kalimat ) presented " with words" to the test, and after Abraham had fulfilled this, God the Imam of the people made him (Sura 2:124 ). This is followed up in Islam, the idea of certain standards that have already been introduced by Abraham in Islam. For the number and nature of these standards, was asked about the Abraham of God, there are different information. According to a tradition which is returned via Hanasch on ʿ Abd Allāh ibn ʿ Abbās, there are a total of ten standards. Six of these relate to the people, namely, shaving the pubic hair, circumcision, plucking the armpit hair, cutting the nails, cutting of the mustache and the washing on Friday, the other relating to the rites ( Masha ʿ ir) at the pilgrimage, namely the Tawaf, running between Safa and Marwa, the throwing of stones at Mina and the outflow ( Ifada ) out of the plane ʿ Arafat on the evening of 9 Dhu al - Hijjah. These rules are also known as the Sunan al - Fitra ( the "Rules of the fitrah ").
The controversy surrounding Abraham's son
Unlike in the Bible ( Genesis 22 ) is the name of the son, Abraham prepared to sacrifice, not mentioned in the Koran. By the early 8th century, it was generally believed in attachment to the biblical account, that it was Isaac, the ancestor of the Jews is. However, this was difficult to reconcile with the sense of superiority of the Arabs over the non - Arab peoples. In the time of Umar II (r. 717-720 ), the idea has been applied, it would have to act to Ishmael, the ancestor of the Arabs for the first time. This doctrine has later also generally accepted in Islam.
The sacrificed instead of Abraham's son animal is still considered a model for the ritual sacrifice of animals for slaughter during the pilgrimage time near Mecca and the annual Islamic festival of sacrifice.
Abraham Islamic Shrines
Like the Jews, the Muslims also revere Abraham's grave in the city of Hebron, which is named after Abraham's nickname in Arabic al - Khalil. Another place which is set by Muslims with Abraham in relationship, Şanlıurfa is in southeastern Turkey. The local legend says that Abraham was born here and should also be burned at the stake. But God turned the fire into water, resulting in a pond was built, which is still worshiped. Another Abraham sanctuary was a long time in the Citadel of Aleppo. Also, the Arabic name of Aleppo " Aleppo " is associated with a visit to Abraham in the city. Abraham is said namely milked on the citadel hill his cattle have ( halaba ).
Abraham in the thinking of modern Muslims
To those Muslim thinkers who grappled in the modern era with the Abraham figure, part of the Egyptian writer ʿ Abbās al - ʿ Mahmūd Aqqad ( 1889-1964 ). He has published in the early 1960s, a biography of Abraham entitled " Abraham, father of the prophets " ( Ibrāhīm, ʾ Abū al - Anbiya ' ).