The Work of Abraham Abraham was the only man ever told by God to sacrifice his son. Both the Koran and Scripture record this event in some way.
THE KORANIC ACCOUNT
He (Abraham) said: ‘I will take refuge with my Lord; He will give me guidance. Lord, grant me a righteous son.’ We gave him news of a gentle son. And when he reached the age when he could work with him, his father said to him: ‘My son, I dreamt that I was sacrificing you. Tell me what you think.’ He replied: ‘Father, do as you are bidden. God willing, you shall find me steadfast.’ And when they had both submitted to God, and Abraham had laid down his son prostrate upon his face, We called out to him, saying: Abraham, you have fulfilled your vision.’ Thus do We reward the righteous. That was indeed a bitter test. We ransomed his son with a noble sacrifice and bestowed on him the praise of later generations. ‘Peace be on Abraham!’ Thus do We reward the righteous. He was one of Our believing servants. We gave him Isaac, a saintly prophet, and blessed them both. Among their offspring were some who did good works and others who clearly sinned against their souls (1).
COMMENTARY ON THE KORANIC ACCOUNT
Abraham prays to the god of Islam for a son which is righteous. The god of Islam and angels informed Abraham that he will have a son who is gentle. Abraham followed a dream where he dreamt he was sacrificing his son Isaac on an altar. This dream Abraham told to Isaac and they both agreed to go through with it. The god of Islam and angels provided a ransom for Isaac. The god of Islam provided Abraham with the praise of later generations.
THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT
After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am your shield, and your exceeding great reward. And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt you give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? And Abram said, Behold, to me you have given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be your heir; but he that shall come forth out of your own bowels shall be your heir (2).
And it came to pass after these things, that God did test Abraham, and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell you of. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. 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 the burnt offering: so they went both of them together. And they came to the place which God had told him of: and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not your hand upon the lad, neither do you any thing unto him: for now I know that you fearest God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son from; me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day. In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.
And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time. And said, “By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because you have done this thing, and have not with held your son, your only son: That in blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your seed as the as the stars of heaven, and as the sand which is upon the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because you have obeyed my voice. So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba (3).
COMMENTARY ON THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT
Abram was wide awake when he had this vision of God and had a dialogue with Him. God promised a descendant and an heir proceeding from Abram himself.
God speaks to Abraham and tells him to sacrifice his only son Isaac in a place where God will show him on mount Moriah. Abraham obeys. Isaac does not know he is the one about to be sacrificed. Isaac asks his father, where is the sacrifice? Evidently this is not the first sacrifice for Isaac to attend. Abraham said, God will provide Himself a lamb …, In other words, God would be the lamb Himself. Abraham foresaw the day when the Son of God (Jesus Christ) would be the Lamb of God. Abraham knew that God had promised him that his descendants would come though Isaac. Even if Isaac were dead, God would have to raise him from the dead to fulfill his promise.
God tells Abraham that for not withholding his only son from God, He would bless him. Abraham’s descendants would be numerous, in control, and by his seed every nation would be blessed.
COMPARING & CONTRASTING THE KORAN WITH SCRIPTURE
In the Koran Abraham dreamt he was sacrificing his son Isaac. This is then referred to as a vision. In scripture Abraham had a vision when God told him he would have a descendant from his own flesh. Abraham was not dreaming when having a vision. When it was time to sacrifice Isaac God spoke to him while he was awake.
In the Koran Abraham prays for a righteous son and at some time god tells Abraham he will have a gentle son. In Scripture Abraham is promised to be the father of a multitude and is concerned that he is childless. He would father his heir.
In the Koran Abraham tells Isaac of his dream that he sacrifices Isaac. Isaac says, do it dad. In scripture Abraham tells only that he and Isaac are going to worship God. Isaac says, hey dad were is the sacrifice. Isaac was not told that he was the meat for the fire.
Abraham’s reward in the Koran is the praise of future generations: “Peace be on Abraham.” In Scripture Abraham is promised that his seed will bless all the nations of the world. His descendants would be many and would control the position of leadership of their enemies.
REFERENCES
1. The Koran Page 315 Paragraph 37:103 – 107
2. The Holy Bible Genesis 15:1-4
3. The Holy Bible Genesis 22:1 -19
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