The Story of Abraham in the Qur’an and the Bible
Ibrahim (Abraham) is one of the prophets who are conceded in all the books of revelation (the Bible [old testament], the Gospel [new testament], and the Qur’an)
He is one of the messengers of inflexible purpose. (As it mentioned in the Quran)
How has Abraham been mentioned in the Bible and the Qur’an and are there any omissions or contradictions therein?
Are there any contradictions between his mention in the Qur’an and the Bible?
Let’s have a look!
The Only One Deity
In the Bible, the story of Abraham was mentioned starting from God’s call to him to leave his land with his wife Sarah;
In Genesis 12 “God’s Call to Abram (Abraham)” in Mathew’s bible, the following was written;
“Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show thee: and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan ; and into the land of Canaan they came.”
After a thorough search in the Bible, I found nothing in regard with the story of Abraham’s belief of Allah the “Only One” Deity, despite the very abundant incidents and events therein that story…
In the Qur’an, the whole story of Abraham was mentioned in details, Allah (may He be Glorified and Exalted has said regarding his search for the true deity: “
“And as Ibrahîm (Abraham) said to his father Éazar, “Do you take to yourself idols for gods? Surely I see you and your people in evident error.” And thus did We show Abraham the realm of the heavens and the earth that he would be among the certain [in faith], So as soon as the night outspread over him, he saw a planet. He said, “This is my Lord.” Then, as soon as it set, (Literally: waned, faded) he said, “I do not love the setting (things), Then, as soon as he saw the moon emerging, he said, “This is my Lord.” Yet as soon as it set, he said, “Indeed unless my Lord guides me, indeed I will definitely be of the erring people, And when he saw the sun rising, he said, “This is my lord; this is greater.” But when it set, he said, “O my people, indeed I am free from what you associate with Allah, and his people argued with him. He said, “Do you argue with me concerning Allah while He has guided me? And I fear not what you associate with Him [and will not be harmed] unless my Lord should will something. My Lord encompasses all things in knowledge; then will you not remember?”[Quran.com/6]
Then He (may He be Glorified and Exalted) has said regarding Abraham’s attempts to persuade his father and his people to abandon worshipping the idols they made themselves;
“And surely of his sect indeed was Ibrahim (Abraham), When he came to his Lord with a sound heart, As he said to his father and his people, “What is it that you worship?, Is it falsehood [as] gods other than Allah you desire? What then is your expectation from The Lord of the worlds?” So he looked a look (i.e., gazed at the stars) at the stars, Yet he said, “Surely I am ailing. Then they turned away from him, withdrawing, So he went apart to their gods; then he said, “Will you not eat? What is [wrong] with you that you do not speak?, So he went apart upon them (i.e., their idols) striking with his right hand, Then the people came toward him, hastening, He said, “Do you worship that which you [yourselves] carve, And Allah created you and whatever you do? They said, “Build him a structure, (and) then cast him in the Hell-Fire, So they were willing to devise a plot against him; yet We made them the basest, And [then] he said, “Indeed, I will go to [where I am ordered by] my Lord; He will guide me” [Quran.com/37]
I was very surprised how this very important part of Abraham’s prophet-hood was omitted, but again after thinking why it had not been mentioned, I recognized the answer; the call of Abraham was a call for monotheism, for worshipping one deity, Allah, A Deity whose power exceeds that of the sun, moon, idols, or even humans.
The Great Sacrifice
In Genesis 22 it was mentioned that Abraham was commanded by God to offer Isaac for sacrifice;
“………..And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, my father: and he said, here am I, my son. And he said; behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, my son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together…….. ”.
One of the things that grabbed my attention is that God had commanded Abraham to take his “only” beloved son to offer him as a burnt offering above one of the mountains which he will tell in the land of Mouriah.
In Genesis 17, “And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.”
That means that Abraham was eighty six years old.
And in Genesis 21 “And Abraham was a hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him”.
Thus, how come that Isaac was the only son born to Abraham when that incident took place?
On reading the part regarding the story of the sacrifice in the bible, you get the feeling that there is a part missing in that story, and, actually there is.
The story stated that Abraham was commanded to offer his son as a burnt offering, but at the end of the story, it was mentioned that he bounded his son and was about to slay him, then he was ransomed with a horned sheep.
The true and whole story was mentioned in the Quran, “My Lord, grant me [a child] from among the righteous.” So We gave him the good tidings of a forbearing youth. So We gave him the good tidings of a forbearing youth. Then when he (His son) reached the age of endeavoring with him, he said, “O my son, surely I see in a dream (Literally: time of sleeping) that I should slay you; so, look, what do you see?” He said, “O my (dear) father, perform whatever you are commanded; you will soon find me, in case Allah (so) decides, among the patient.” And when they had both submitted and he put him down upon his forehead, and We called out to him (saying), “O Ibrahim, (Abraham). You have fulfilled the vision.” Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good. Surely this is indeed what is the evident trial.” And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice, And We left for him [favorable mention] among later generations, “Peace be upon Ibrahim.” (Abraham). Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good”
To conclude
All the mentioned above were parts of the story of Abraham in the Bible on one hand and in the Qur’an on the other hand, supported with quotations from both books. And I hereby leave the judgment to our respectable reader to carefully look up and search for the logical and ultimate clear truth.
This does not necessarily mean that the Bible and the Qur’an are contradictory all the time, on the contrary, there are many concordances therein -even in the story of Abraham- that will be demonstrated in a following article.
