{"id":1371,"date":"2021-04-08T00:12:15","date_gmt":"2021-04-07T21:12:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/quran-for-all.com\/blog\/a-god-a-place-and-a-prophet\/"},"modified":"2021-04-08T00:12:15","modified_gmt":"2021-04-07T21:12:15","slug":"a-god-a-place-and-a-prophet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/quran-for-all.com\/blog\/a-god-a-place-and-a-prophet\/","title":{"rendered":"A God, A Place, and A Prophet"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"A<\/a><\/p>\n

Abraham is the insistent, continuous expression of pure monotheism, of human consciousness\u2019s adherence to the divine project through self-giving.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Islamic monotheism<\/a> has always stood in continuity with the sacred history of prophethood<\/a>. From the beginning, the One God<\/a> sent humankind prophets and messengers entrusted with the message<\/a>, the reminder of His presence, His commands, His love, and His hope.<\/p>\n

From Adam, the first prophet, to Muhammad, the Last Messenger<\/a>, Muslim tradition recognizes and identifies with the whole cycle of prophethood<\/a>, ranging from the most famous messengers (Abraham<\/a>, Noah<\/a>, Moses<\/a>, Jesus<\/a>, etc.) to the lesser known, as well as others who remain unknown to us. The One has forever been accompanying us, His creation, from our beginnings to our end.<\/p>\n

This is the very meaning of tawheed<\/em> (the Oneness of God<\/a>) and of the Qur\u2019anic formula that refers to humankind\u2019s destiny as well as to that of each individual: \u201cTo God we belong and to Him we return.\u201d<\/p>\n

A Lineage, a Place<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Of all messengers, the most important figure in the Last Prophet\u2019s lineage is undoubtedly Abraham (peace be upon him). There are many reasons for this, but from the outset, the Qur\u2019an points to this particular link with Abraham through the insistent and continuous expression of pure monotheism<\/a>, of human consciousness\u2019s adherence to the divine project, of the heart’s access to His recognition and to His peace through self-giving.<\/p>\n

This is the meaning of the word Islam, which is too often translated quickly by the mere idea of submission but which also contains the twofold meaning of \u201cpeace\u201d and \u201cwholehearted self-giving\u201d.<\/p>\n

Thus a Muslim is a human being who, throughout history-and even before the last Revelation-has wished attain God\u2019s peace through the wholehearted gift of him- or herself to the Being. In this sense, Abraham was the deep and exemplary expression of the Muslim:<\/p>\n

He (God) has chosen you, and has imposed no difficulties on you in religion; it is the cult of your father Abraham. It is He Who has named you Muslims, both before and in this (Revelation); that the Messenger may be a witness for you, and ye be witnesses for mankind!<\/strong> <\/strong>(Al-Hajj<\/a> 22:78)<\/p>\n

In God\u2019s Scriptures<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Along with this recognition of the One<\/a>, the figure of Abraham stands out most particularly among the line of prophets<\/a> leading up to the Messenger of Islam for several other reasons.<\/p>\n

The book of Genesis, like the Qur\u2019an, relates the Story of Abraham<\/a>\u2019s servant Hagar, who gave birth to his first child, Ishmael, in his old age. (Genesis, 15:5 (Revised Standard Version)<\/p>\n

Sarah, Abraham’s first wife, who in turn gave birth to Isaac, asked her husband to send away his servant and her child.<\/p>\n

Abraham took Hagar and Ishmael away to a valley in the Arabian Peninsula called Bakkah, which Islamic tradition identifies as present-day Mecca.<\/p>\n

The Islamic account, like Genesis, relates the questionings, suffering, and prayers of Abraham and Hagar, who were compelled to experience exile and separation. In both the Muslim and Judeo-Christian traditions, this trial is recounted with the certainty and intimate comfort that the parents and child were carrying out a command from God, who will protect and bless Abraham\u2019s descendants born of Hagar. To Abraham’s invocations about his son, God answers in Genesis:<\/p>\n

\u201cAs for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I will bless him … and I will make him a great nation.\u201d<\/strong> (Genesis, 17:20)<\/p>\n

Then further on, when Hagar is helpless and without food and water:<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd God heard the voice of the child, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, and said to her, \u201cWhat troubles you, Hagar? Fear not; for God has heard the voice of the child where he is. Arise, lift up the child, and hold him fast with your hand; for I will make him a great nation.\u201d<\/strong> (Genesis, 21:17-19)<\/p>\n

As for the Qur\u2019an, it relates Abraham’s prayer:<\/p>\n

\u201cO our Lord! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in a valley without cultivation, by Your Sacred House; in order, O our Lord, that they may establish regular Prayer: so fill the hearts of some among men with love towards them, and feed them with fruits: so that they may give thanks. O our Lord! truly do know what we conceal and what we reveal: for nothing whatever is hidden from Allah, whether on earth or in heaven. Praise be to Allah, Who has granted unto me in old age Isma`il and Isaac: for truly my Lord is He, the Hearer of Prayer! <\/strong><\/strong>(Ibrahim<\/a> 14:37-39)<\/p>\n

Great Nation<\/strong><\/h2>\n

On a purely factual level, the Prophet Muhammad is a descendant of Ishmael\u2019s children<\/a> and is therefore part of that \u201cgreat nation\u201d announced by the Scriptures.<\/p>\n

Abraham is hence his \u201cfather\u201d in the primary sense<\/a>, and Islamic tradition understands that the blessings of this father\u2019s prayers extend to his descendant the Last Prophet<\/a> as well as to the place where he left Hagar and Ishmael, where, a few years later, he was to undergo the terrible trial of his son\u2019s sacrifice, and where he was finally to raise with him God’s sacred House (the Ka`bah<\/a>). Qur\u2019anic Revelation recounts:<\/p>\n

And remember that Abraham was tried by his Lord with certain commands, which he fulfilled: He said: \u201cI will make thee an Imam to the Nations.\u201d He pleaded: \u201cAnd also (Imams) from my offspring!\u201d He answered: \u201cBut My Promise is not within the reach of evil-doers.\u201d\u00a0 <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

Remember We made the House a place of assembly for men and a place of safety; and take ye the station of Abraham as a place of prayer; and We covenanted with Abraham and Isma`il, that they should sanctify My House for those who compass it round, or use it as a retreat, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in prayer). <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

And when Abraham prayed: My Lord! Make this a region of security and bestow upon its people fruits, such of them as believe in Allah and the Last Day.\u00a0<\/strong><\/strong>(Al-Baqarah <\/a>2:124-126)<\/p>\n

This is the millenary teaching of Islamic tradition: there is a God and a line of prophets whose central figure is Abraham, the archetype of the Muslim, the blood father of this lineage of Ishmael leading up to Muhammad.<\/p>\n

Abraham and Ishmael sanctified this place in Bakkah (Mecca) by building God\u2019s House<\/a> (bayt Allah<\/em>) with their own hands. And this is precisely where the last of God\u2019s messengers to humankind was born: Muhammad ibn `Abdullah, who bore the message reminding people of the One, of the prophets, and of the sacred House<\/a>. A God, a place, a prophet.<\/p>\n

_________________________<\/p>\n

The article is an excerpt from Dr. Tariq Ramadan\u2019s book \u201cIn the Footsteps of the Prophet: Lessons from the Life of Muhammad, Oxford University Press (2007).<\/em><\/p>\n

[ica_orginalurl]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Of all God\u2019s Prophets Abraham was the deep and exemplary expression of the Muslim: demonstrating the twofold meaning of \u201cpeace\u201d and \u201cwholehearted self-giving\u201d. Learn how\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1372,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3,2],"tags":[1403,1404,1650,101,6278,102,5663,1653,1654,103,6127,5664,1655,1656,110,1657,111,1659,494,379,1660,288,5665,440,1107,5666,118,119,1408,122,1663,500,385,1664,1665,1666,970,124,5667,1410,1667,5668,5669,130,131,133,879,973,1411,138,1668,139,1669,141,143,398,145,146,5670,149,150,1671,153,58,5671,5672,5673,314,5674,160],"class_list":["post-1371","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-abcs-of-islam","category-new-muslims","tag-abrahamic-faith","tag-abrahamic-religions","tag-authenticity-of-gospels","tag-bakkah","tag-birth-of-prophet-muhammad","tag-characteristics-of-muslim","tag-christian-scholars","tag-christians","tag-claims-and-facts","tag-clemency","tag-convert-story","tag-corruption","tag-david","tag-divine-decree","tag-fasting","tag-father-of-prophets","tag-forbearance","tag-fundamentalist","tag-genesis","tag-gods-prophets","tag-gods-revelation","tag-gospel","tag-gospel-of-god","tag-hagar","tag-help-for-new-muslims","tag-history-of-new-testament","tag-house-of-god","tag-human-beings-are-not-angels","tag-ibraheem","tag-in-the-footsteps-of-the-prophet","tag-injeel","tag-isaac","tag-ishmael","tag-jacob","tag-jesus-christ","tag-jews","tag-joseph","tag-kabah","tag-language-of-new-testament","tag-lineage-of-prophets","tag-manuscripts","tag-manuscripts-of-the-gospels","tag-matthew","tag-mecca","tag-meditation","tag-mercy-to-mankind","tag-monotheism","tag-moses","tag-muslim-beliefs","tag-new-muslims","tag-new-testament","tag-nobleness","tag-original-word-of-god","tag-perfect-worship-of-god","tag-prayer","tag-prophet-ibrahim","tag-prophet-muhammad","tag-reality-of-human-nature","tag-restoration","tag-sacred-house","tag-self-control","tag-solomon","tag-tariq-ramadan","tag-tawheed","tag-text-of-the-new-testament","tag-theology","tag-transmission","tag-trinity","tag-truth-about-christianity","tag-worship"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/quran-for-all.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/A-God-A-Place-and-A-Prophet.jpg?fit=359%2C242&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2ZvKT-m7","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/quran-for-all.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1371","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/quran-for-all.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/quran-for-all.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quran-for-all.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quran-for-all.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1371"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/quran-for-all.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1371\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quran-for-all.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1372"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/quran-for-all.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1371"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quran-for-all.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1371"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quran-for-all.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1371"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}