Hassan Riaz: Abraham - the founding father of Monotheism

Hassan Riaz writes: Abraham, is the common patriarch of the Abrahamic religions, including Islam, Christianity and Judaism. Abraham rejected all forms of polytheism, and exemplified the monotheism of God.

In Genesis 22 it states that, God tests Abraham and requires of him to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac, peace and blessings be upon him, in the region of Moriah. Abraham displayed complete obedience to the command of God, even if it did not make complete sense at the time. But before he is able to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac, the angel of the Lord stops and intervenes, placing a ram in place instead.

The Biblical narrative has significant overlap with the Qur’anic depiction of the story. In the Qur’an, God commends the faithful submission of Abraham and his son Ishmael, peace and blessings be upon him. The ram is mentioned as a great sacrifice in both the Islamic tradition and the Bible, since it was to serve as a means of fulfilling the intention of an unprecedented sacrifice. Moreover, in Islam it is obligatory for Muslims to revere Abraham’s act of submission to God, by sacrificing an animal during the final month in the Islamic lunar calendar, the month of Hajj.

During this month, millions of Muslims around the world, partake in the Hajj. The origins of the Hajj, date back 2,000 years BC. A once in a lifetime event, bringing people from all four corners of the world together, in unison, to worship the One God, as demonstrated so profoundly by Abraham. Muslims follow in the footsteps of Abraham, his family, and the glorious Prophets and Messengers who came before us, as they all carried out their duty to God.

In the Jewish tradition, the binding of Isaac as relayed in Genesis 22 is known as Akedah. The story is traditionally read on the second day of Rosh Hashanah, the festival of the New Year in Judaism. Though Isaac, is the one being bound, the story is referred to as a test of Abraham. Even the ram’s horn blown on the holiday, is said to be a reminder of the Akedah, and how Isaac was spared. Abraham’s devotion results in hope for life.

Notably across the three faiths, there is common-ground, though there is a difference of opinion amongst the faiths as to whether it was Ismail or Isaac who was to be sacrificed. Overall, the Prophet Abraham is an extraordinary figure in uniting the three great Abrahamic faiths, with his great devotion to God.

Through the sacrifice and submission of Abraham, we ask God to heal the suffering of the Palestinians, currently enduring immense suffering. The death toll is now over 35,000, with thousands of innocent women and children amongst the dead. Ultimately, Abraham’s message of devotion to God also serves as a reminder of always calling towards what is good, and that is peace. And it is peace we should all be working towards and praying for.