Abraham in the Bible and the Quran
Comparative Analysis of Abraham in the Bible and the Quran
The three major religions in the world today – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—all view Abraham as a very important figure. The term Abrahamic religions, which are summarized as monotheistic faiths tracing their common origin to Abraham, aroused as the three major religions each perceive him as a either their founder or at least a forefather of the religion. Although the three religions recognize Abraham as an important person in their past, each religion views him this way for a different reason. In this comparative analysis, I will be analyzing Abraham in the different religions and how he is portrayed in the Book of Genesis and the Quran.
In Judaism, Abraham is claimed the father of the Jews. Abraham is above all an admired Patriarch to whom God called out of Ur of the Chaldees, which is also known as the “land between two rivers” or Mesopotamia, in order to make a covenant with him. Through this agreement, God would bless him and give Abraham’s descendants a new land. In Genesis 12, it states, “I shall make you into a great nation; I shall bless you and make your name so great that it will be used in blessings: those who bless you, I shall bless; those who curse you, I shall curse. All the peoples on earth will wish to be blessed as you are blessed.” God led Abraham through a series of trials and travels in order to figure out whether Abraham was convinced that God was going to stay true to his promise. The most important trial was when God told Abraham to sacrifice his son which will be further mentioned later on in this analysis. In Christianity, Abraham is seen as an essential exemplar of faith, and an ancestor of Jesus, both physical and spiritual. The book of Genesis, in which Abraham is mentioned, is important to both Christians and Jews. Although Christians embrace to the same historical account as the Jews do, Christians believe Abraham foreshadowed the most significant figure in their
The three major religions in the world today – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—all view Abraham as a very important figure. The term Abrahamic religions, which are summarized as monotheistic faiths tracing their common origin to Abraham, aroused as the three major religions each perceive him as a either their founder or at least a forefather of the religion. Although the three religions recognize Abraham as an important person in their past, each religion views him this way for a different reason. In this comparative analysis, I will be analyzing Abraham in the different religions and how he is portrayed in the Book of Genesis and the Quran.
In Judaism, Abraham is claimed the father of the Jews. Abraham is above all an admired Patriarch to whom God called out of Ur of the Chaldees, which is also known as the “land between two rivers” or Mesopotamia, in order to make a covenant with him. Through this agreement, God would bless him and give Abraham’s descendants a new land. In Genesis 12, it states, “I shall make you into a great nation; I shall bless you and make your name so great that it will be used in blessings: those who bless you, I shall bless; those who curse you, I shall curse. All the peoples on earth will wish to be blessed as you are blessed.” God led Abraham through a series of trials and travels in order to figure out whether Abraham was convinced that God was going to stay true to his promise. The most important trial was when God told Abraham to sacrifice his son which will be further mentioned later on in this analysis. In Christianity, Abraham is seen as an essential exemplar of faith, and an ancestor of Jesus, both physical and spiritual. The book of Genesis, in which Abraham is mentioned, is important to both Christians and Jews. Although Christians embrace to the same historical account as the Jews do, Christians believe Abraham foreshadowed the most significant figure in their