Page 118 - Berkshire Encyclopedia Of World History Vol I - Abraham to Coal

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Abraham’s merit is associated less with obedience to the willing to risk the well-being of Sarah (Genesis 12:12–
divine will than with his faith in God’s ultimate grace. It 13; 20:1–11), and he seems on occasion even to ques-
is his faith that provides him the merit for God’s having tion God’s promise (Genesis 17:15–18). By the time of
chosen him for the covenant in the first place, and the the New Testament, however, religious figures have taken
covenant becomes one of faith rather than obedience. on a more consistently righteous character: “When hope
Members of the divine covenant are, therefore, only seemed hopeless, his faith was such that he became
those who demonstrate faith in the saving power of ‘father of many nations,’ in agreement with the words
Christ (Galatians 4:21–5:1). which had been spoken to him: ‘Thus shall your descen-
In the Quran, Abraham signifies human submission dants be.’. . . And that is why Abraham’s faith was
(the meaning of the word Islam) to God (2:127–128; ‘counted to him for righteousness.’ Those words were
37:103). Abraham rebels against idolatry (37:83–99), written, not for Abraham’s sake alone, but for our sake
fulfills God’s commands (2:124), raises up and purifies too: it is to be ‘counted’ in the same way to us who have
the foundations of God’s “House” in Mecca (2:125– faith in the God who raised Jesus our Lord from the
132), and establishes his offspring there (13:37). dead” (Romans 4:18–24, New English Bible). And by
Although the ancient Israelites and Christians and Jews the period of the Quranic revelation, the biblical
predate the emergence of Islamic monotheism, they did prophets (among whom was counted Abraham) were
not remain true to the divine covenants (5:12–14) considered free from error. Thus Abraham, as well as
because they refused to submit themselves fully to God’s David and Solomon and a host of other characters, are
absolute unity (9:30).Therefore,“Abraham was not a Jew free of all doubt and epitomize a somewhat different
nor a Christian, but was an early monotheist (hanif), one prophetic image in the Quran. The strength of Abra-
who submits to God’s will (muslim), not an idolater” ham’s intellect proves the true unity of God (Quran
(3:67). Abraham’s importance is so firmly established in 6:74–79) and Abraham never doubts the divine will
the foundation narrative of the Hebrew Bible that he can- nor God’s goodness (Quran 37:83–113).
not be ignored in subsequent Scriptures. Each Scripture, While Abraham’s role in world history is, therefore,
however, imbues a special quality to the person of Abra- mythic founder of monotheism, he symbolizes three
ham and the meaning of his character. different and often conflicting narratives. The compet-
The nature of Abraham’s leadership is also depicted ing and polemical narratives transcend the person of
with some variety among the three Scriptures.The Abra- Abraham and bring in the other members of his fam-
ham of the Hebrew Bible is a literary character with ily, including Sarah, Hagar, Isaac, and Ishmael as well
foibles and weaknesses who struggles to realize his role as other scriptural characters and institutions. Not only
of lonely monotheist in an uncertain and overwhelmingly does each narrative serve to justify a theological posi-
idolatrous world. When he fears for his own life, he is tion, it also serves as a polemic to argue against the

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