ABRAHAM
- Era: c2000-1600BCE
- Location: Mesopotamia/Iraq
- Categories: RELIGION
Historical 'patriarch' prized by Jews, Christian and Muslims as a key figure in their respective religious traditions (hence their grouping as 'Abrahamic'). According to Biblical tradition (Genesis 12-25) it was under his leadership that the move to Canaan took place and the covenant marked by circumcision was established. In Jewish tradition, both written and oral, he is continually invoked as a prototype of faith that will sacrifice everything to be true to God. In Christianity he is also seen as exemplifying faith. In Islam, he is called Ibrahim in the Qur'an. He is a prophetic originator of faith in one God with worship centred on the Ka'ba, the faith which Muhammad is believed to have restored to its true integrity centuries later.
Life and representation