Abraha
Abraha (Abreha) ('Abraha al-Ashram) (Abraha bin as-Saba'h). The Christian king of South Arabia in the middle of the sixth century. In Islamic literature, his fame is due to the tradition that he led a Yemeni expedition against Mecca, referred to in the Qur’an, Sura 105, in the year of the birth of the Prophet (c. 570) -- the Year of the Elephant. Abraha left a long inscription on the dam of Marib. The traditions also say that 'Abraha is said to have built a cathedral at San'a' known as "al-Qulays" to rival the Ka'ba at Mecca and specifically came with his forces of elephants to destroy the Ka'ba.
Islamic tradition holds that Abraha perished of illness contracted shortly after the failure of his expedition to the Hejaz. He was succeeded on the throne by two of his sons, Yaksum and Masruq, born to him by Raihana, a Yemenite noblewoman whom Abraha had abducted from her husband. Between 570 and 575, the pro-Persian group in Yemen made contact with the Sassanid king through the Lakhmid princes in al-Hirah. The Persians from Yemen and Southern Arabia became a Persian dominion under a Yemenite vassal within the sphere of influence of the Sassanian empire.
In historical records, Abraha was an Aksumite (Ethiopian) Christian viceroy in southern Arabia for the Kingdom of Aksum and later the self-styled King of Saba' (Yemen). Procopius records that Abraha was once the slave of a Roman merchant at Adulis, while al-Tabari says that he was related to the Axumite royal family.
Dhu Nuwas, the Jewish Himyarite ruler of Yemen, in the period c. 523-525 or c.518-20 launched military operations against the Aksumites in Southern Arabia along and their local Arab Christian allies. The Aksumites in Zafar were killed, their fortresses in the Yemeni highlands destroyed, and the coastal regions reconquered and Najran sacked. Najran fell in 518 or 523 and many members of the Himyarite Christian community were put to death evoking great sympathy throughout the Christian regions of the Orient and prompting an Aksumite military intervention aided by a Byzantine fleet first made in 518/523.
Abraha was either one of the commanders or a member of one of the armies led by King Kaleb of Axum against Dhu Nuwas. In al-Tabari's history, 'Abraha is said to have been the commander of the second army sent by Kaleb after the first, led by 'Ariat. 'Abraha was reported to have led his army of 100,000 men to successfully crush all resistance and then following the suicide of Dhu Nuwas, seized power and establishing himself at San'a'. He aroused the wrath of Kaleb, however, by withholding tribute who then sent his general 'Ariat to take over the governorship of Yemen. 'Abraha rid himself of the latter by a subterfuge in a duel resulting in 'Ariat being killed and 'Abraha suffering the injury which earned him the sobriquet of al-Asram, "scar-face."
According to Procopius, around 530, 'Abraha seized the control of Yemen from Esimiphaeus (Sumuafa' Ashawa'), the Christian Himyarite viceroy appointed by Kaleb, with the support of dissident elements within the Aksum occupation force who were eager to settle in the Yemen, then a rich and fertile land. An army sent by Kaleb to subdue 'Abraha joined his ranks and killed the ruler sent to replace him (this is perhaps a reference to 'Ariat) and a second army was defeated.
After this Kaleb had to accord him de facto recognition before earning recognition under Kaleb's successor for a nominal tribute. 'Abraha is seen as then becoming a prominent figure in Yemens history, promoting the cause of Christianity in the face of the prevalent Judaism prevalent and the paganism of Central Arabia. A zealous Christian himself, he is said to have built a great church at San'a' and to have repaired the principal irrigation dam at the Sabaean capital of Ma'rib, 'Abraha is chiefly famous, however, for the military...
Epigraphic sources chronicling 'Abraha's career include an inscription on the Marib Dam recording the quelling of an insurrection backed by a son of the deposed ruler, Esimiphaeus, in the year 657 of the Sabaean era, i.e. between 540-550; vital repairs effected to the dam later in the same year; the reception of envoys from the Negus, from Byzantium, from Persia and from Harith bin Djabalat, the phylarch of Arabia; and the completion of repairs to the dam in the following year; followed by a great feast of rejoicing. The royal title adopted by 'Abraha is similar to that of his immedaite predecessors and to that of Emperor Kaleb, "King of Saba' and dhu-Raydan and Hadhramaut and Yamanat and of their Arabs on the plateau and the lowland." A further text discovered at Murayghan records a defeat inflicted by 'Abraha on the North Arabian tribe of Ma'add in the year 662 of the Sabaean era.
'Abraha al-Ashram see Abraha
Abreha see Abraha
Abraha bin as-Saba'h see Abraha
Islamic tradition holds that Abraha perished of illness contracted shortly after the failure of his expedition to the Hejaz. He was succeeded on the throne by two of his sons, Yaksum and Masruq, born to him by Raihana, a Yemenite noblewoman whom Abraha had abducted from her husband. Between 570 and 575, the pro-Persian group in Yemen made contact with the Sassanid king through the Lakhmid princes in al-Hirah. The Persians from Yemen and Southern Arabia became a Persian dominion under a Yemenite vassal within the sphere of influence of the Sassanian empire.
In historical records, Abraha was an Aksumite (Ethiopian) Christian viceroy in southern Arabia for the Kingdom of Aksum and later the self-styled King of Saba' (Yemen). Procopius records that Abraha was once the slave of a Roman merchant at Adulis, while al-Tabari says that he was related to the Axumite royal family.
Dhu Nuwas, the Jewish Himyarite ruler of Yemen, in the period c. 523-525 or c.518-20 launched military operations against the Aksumites in Southern Arabia along and their local Arab Christian allies. The Aksumites in Zafar were killed, their fortresses in the Yemeni highlands destroyed, and the coastal regions reconquered and Najran sacked. Najran fell in 518 or 523 and many members of the Himyarite Christian community were put to death evoking great sympathy throughout the Christian regions of the Orient and prompting an Aksumite military intervention aided by a Byzantine fleet first made in 518/523.
Abraha was either one of the commanders or a member of one of the armies led by King Kaleb of Axum against Dhu Nuwas. In al-Tabari's history, 'Abraha is said to have been the commander of the second army sent by Kaleb after the first, led by 'Ariat. 'Abraha was reported to have led his army of 100,000 men to successfully crush all resistance and then following the suicide of Dhu Nuwas, seized power and establishing himself at San'a'. He aroused the wrath of Kaleb, however, by withholding tribute who then sent his general 'Ariat to take over the governorship of Yemen. 'Abraha rid himself of the latter by a subterfuge in a duel resulting in 'Ariat being killed and 'Abraha suffering the injury which earned him the sobriquet of al-Asram, "scar-face."
According to Procopius, around 530, 'Abraha seized the control of Yemen from Esimiphaeus (Sumuafa' Ashawa'), the Christian Himyarite viceroy appointed by Kaleb, with the support of dissident elements within the Aksum occupation force who were eager to settle in the Yemen, then a rich and fertile land. An army sent by Kaleb to subdue 'Abraha joined his ranks and killed the ruler sent to replace him (this is perhaps a reference to 'Ariat) and a second army was defeated.
After this Kaleb had to accord him de facto recognition before earning recognition under Kaleb's successor for a nominal tribute. 'Abraha is seen as then becoming a prominent figure in Yemens history, promoting the cause of Christianity in the face of the prevalent Judaism prevalent and the paganism of Central Arabia. A zealous Christian himself, he is said to have built a great church at San'a' and to have repaired the principal irrigation dam at the Sabaean capital of Ma'rib, 'Abraha is chiefly famous, however, for the military...
Epigraphic sources chronicling 'Abraha's career include an inscription on the Marib Dam recording the quelling of an insurrection backed by a son of the deposed ruler, Esimiphaeus, in the year 657 of the Sabaean era, i.e. between 540-550; vital repairs effected to the dam later in the same year; the reception of envoys from the Negus, from Byzantium, from Persia and from Harith bin Djabalat, the phylarch of Arabia; and the completion of repairs to the dam in the following year; followed by a great feast of rejoicing. The royal title adopted by 'Abraha is similar to that of his immedaite predecessors and to that of Emperor Kaleb, "King of Saba' and dhu-Raydan and Hadhramaut and Yamanat and of their Arabs on the plateau and the lowland." A further text discovered at Murayghan records a defeat inflicted by 'Abraha on the North Arabian tribe of Ma'add in the year 662 of the Sabaean era.
'Abraha al-Ashram see Abraha
Abreha see Abraha
Abraha bin as-Saba'h see Abraha
Abraham
Abraham (known to the Arabs as Ibrahim). Biblical patriarch who is known as the ancestor of the Hebrews through his son Isaac and of the Arabs through his son Ishmael (Isma‘il). {See Genesis 11:27-25:10.} In Genesis 12, Abraham obeyed God’s call to leave his home in Ur and lead a life of wandering, believing God’s promise that he would be the father of many peoples and that a land (thus, the Promised Land) would be theirs. For Jews and Christians, Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac (Genesis 22) is seen as the supreme test of his faith. However, for Muslims, it was Isma‘il who was the son to be sacrificed.
Abraham lived in the period between 2200 and 1700 B.C.T. Originally called Abram, Abraham was the son of Terah, a descendant of Shem. Abraham was born in the city of Ur of the Chaldees, where he married his half sister Sarai, or Sarah. They left Ur with his nephew Lot and Lot’s family under a divine inspiration and went to Haran. Receiving a promise that God would make him a “great nation,” Abram moved on to Canaan, where he lived as a nomad. Famine led Abram to Egypt, but he was driven out for misrepresenting Sarai as his sister. Again in Canaan, after quarrels between Abram and Lot and their herdsmen, they separated, Lot remained near Sodom and Abram continued his nomadic life. He later rescued Lot from the captivity of King Chedorlaomer of Elam and was blessed by the priest Melchizedek, king of Salem. Then God promised Abram a son by his wife Sarai, repeated his earlier promises, and confirmed these by a covenant.
When this covenant was later renewed, the rite of circumcision was established, Abram’s name became Abraham, and Sarai’s became Sarah. God subsequently repeated his promise of a male son by Sarah by means of visiting angels.
When God informed Abraham that he intended to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because of the wickedness of their inhabitants, Abraham pleaded with him to spare the cities. Eventually, it was agreed that God would spare the cities if Abraham could find ten righteous men. The ten men could not be found, and God destroyed both cities.
Isma‘il (Ishmael), the first son of Abraham, whose mother was Hagar, an Egyptian slave, was born when Abraham was 86 years old. Isaac, whose mother was Sarah, was born when Abraham was in his 100th year.
Abraham, known as Ibrahim in Arabic, is very important in Islam, both in his own right as a prophet as well as being the father of Isma'il and Isaac. Isma'il, Ibrahim's first born son, is considered the "Father of the Arabized Arabs," and Isaac is considered the "Father of the Hebrews." Islam teaches that Isma'il was the son Abraham nearly sacrificed on Moriah. To support this view Muslims use various proofs, including the belief that at the time of the attempted sacrifice Isma'il was his only son. Ibrahim is revered by Muslims as one of the Prophets in Islam, and is commonly termed Khalil Ullah, "Friend of God." Ibrahim is considered a Hanif, that is, a discoverer of monotheism.
Ibrahim is mentioned in many passages in 25 Qur'anic suras (chapters). The number of repetitions of his name in the Qur'an is second only to Moses.
Ibrahim's footprint is displayed outside the Ka'ba, which is on a stone, protected and guarded by Mutawa (Religious Police). The annual Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam, follows Ibrahim, Hagar, and Isma'il's journey to the sacred place of the Ka'ba. Islamic tradition narrates that Ibrahim's subsequent visits to the Northern Arabian region, after leaving Isma'il and Hagar (in the area that would later become the Islamic holy city of Mecca), were not only to visit Isma'il but also to construct the first house of worship for God (that is, the monotheistic concept and model of God), the Ka'ba -- as per God's command. The Eid ul-Adha ceremony is focused on Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his promised son on God's command. In turn, God spared his son's life and instead substituted a sheep. This was Ibrahim's test of faith. On Eid ul-Adha, Muslims sacrifice a domestic animal -- a sheep, goat, cow, buffalo, or camel -- as a symbol of Ibrahim's sacrifice, and divide the meat among the family members, friends, relatives, and most importantly, the poor.
A line in the Book of Jubilees (20:13) mentions that the descendants of Ibrahim's son by Hagar, Isma'il, as well as his descendants by Keturah, became the "Arabians" or "Arabs." The first century Jewish historian Josephus similarly described the descendants of Isma'il (i.e., the Ishmaelites) as an "Arabian" people. He also calls Isma'il the "founder" of the "Arabians." Some Biblical scholars also believe that the area outlined in Genesis as the final destination of Isma'il and his descendants ("from Havilah to Assyria") refers to the Arabian peninsula. This has led to a commonplace view that modern Semitic-speaking Arabs are descended from Ibrahim via Isma'il, in addition to various other tribes who intermixed with the Ishmaelites, such as Joktan, Sheba, Dedan, Broham. Both Judeo-Christian and Islamic traditions speak of earlier inhabitants of Arabia.
Classical Arab historians traced the true Arabs (i.e., the original Arabs from Yemen) to Qahtan and the Arabicized Arabs (people from the region of Mecca, who assimilated into the Arabs) to Adnan, said to be an ancestor of Muhammad, and have further equated Isma'il with A'raq al-Thara, said to be ancestor of Adnan. Umm Salama, one of Muhammad's wives, wrote that this was done using the following hermeneutical reasoning: Thara means moist earth, Ibrahim was not consumed by hell-fire, fire does not consume moist earth, thus A'raq al-Thara must be Isma'il, son of Ibrahim.
God demanded that Abraham sacrifice Isma‘il (Isaac in the Jewish and Christian traditions) as a test of faith. However, because of Abraham’s unquestioning compliance, God permitted Abraham to spare Isma‘il and rewarded Abraham with a formal renewal of his promise. After Sarah died, Abraham married Keturah and had six sons by her. He died at the biblical age of 175 (7 x 5 x 5) and was buried beside Sarah in the Cave of Machpelah, in what is now Hebron, Jordan.
In the Christian tradition, God’s acceptance of Abraham’s faith and obedience as righteousness (see Genesis 15:6) becomes in the New Testament a basis for Paul’s doctrine of Justification by Faith (see Galatians 3:6-9 and Romans 4:13-25). God’s acceptance of Abraham’s faith and obedience as righteousness also led to the Christian interpretation of the Church as the new Israel.
In the Qur’an, it is reported that God revealed the true religion to Abraham. Accordingly, it is Abraham who must be considered to be the first Muslim (see Sura 3:55-70). The Qur’an, which mentions Abraham often, refers to Abraham as a “speaker of truth” as a prophet, calls Islam “the religion of Abraham,” and gives him the epithet “monotheist” (in Arabic, hanif). Along with his son Isma‘il (Ishmael), it was Abraham who constructed the monotheistic Ka‘ba.
Abraham is mentioned in the Qur’an at the following locations:
Sura 2:115-135
Sura 2:260-265
Sura 3:25-35
Sura 3:55-70
Sura 3:75-85
Sura 4:55-60
Sura 4:120-130
Sura 4:160-165
Sura 6:70-80
Sura 6:160-165
Sura 9:70-75
Sura 9:115-120
Sura 11:70-80
Sura 12:5-10
Sura 12:35-40
Sura 14:1-55
Sura 16:120-125
Sura 19:40-60
Sura 21:50-65
Sura 22:25-30
Sura 22:40-45
Sura 22:75-80
Sura 26:65-75
Sura 29:10-20
Sura 33:5-10
Sura 37:80-85
Sura 38:40-50
Sura 42:10-20
Sura 43:20-30
Sura 53:35-45
Sura 57:25-30
Sura 60:1-5
his conversion Sura 6:70-80
a true believer Sura 3:55-65
Sura 3:85-95
Sura 4:120-130
Sura 6:160-165
Sura 16:120-130
visited by angels: Sura 11:70-75
Sura 15:50-60
Sura 29:25-35
Sura 51:20-30
cast into the flames Sura 21:60-70
Sura 29:10-25
Sura 37:80-100
and Isaac Sura 37:105-120
builds the Ka‘ba Sura 2:120-125
Sura 22:25-30
Ibrahim see Abraham
Abram see Abraham
Speaker of Truth see Abraham
Forefather of the Hebrews see Abraham
Khalil Ullah see Abraham
Friend of God see Abraham
Abraham (known to the Arabs as Ibrahim). Biblical patriarch who is known as the ancestor of the Hebrews through his son Isaac and of the Arabs through his son Ishmael (Isma‘il). {See Genesis 11:27-25:10.} In Genesis 12, Abraham obeyed God’s call to leave his home in Ur and lead a life of wandering, believing God’s promise that he would be the father of many peoples and that a land (thus, the Promised Land) would be theirs. For Jews and Christians, Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac (Genesis 22) is seen as the supreme test of his faith. However, for Muslims, it was Isma‘il who was the son to be sacrificed.
Abraham lived in the period between 2200 and 1700 B.C.T. Originally called Abram, Abraham was the son of Terah, a descendant of Shem. Abraham was born in the city of Ur of the Chaldees, where he married his half sister Sarai, or Sarah. They left Ur with his nephew Lot and Lot’s family under a divine inspiration and went to Haran. Receiving a promise that God would make him a “great nation,” Abram moved on to Canaan, where he lived as a nomad. Famine led Abram to Egypt, but he was driven out for misrepresenting Sarai as his sister. Again in Canaan, after quarrels between Abram and Lot and their herdsmen, they separated, Lot remained near Sodom and Abram continued his nomadic life. He later rescued Lot from the captivity of King Chedorlaomer of Elam and was blessed by the priest Melchizedek, king of Salem. Then God promised Abram a son by his wife Sarai, repeated his earlier promises, and confirmed these by a covenant.
When this covenant was later renewed, the rite of circumcision was established, Abram’s name became Abraham, and Sarai’s became Sarah. God subsequently repeated his promise of a male son by Sarah by means of visiting angels.
When God informed Abraham that he intended to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because of the wickedness of their inhabitants, Abraham pleaded with him to spare the cities. Eventually, it was agreed that God would spare the cities if Abraham could find ten righteous men. The ten men could not be found, and God destroyed both cities.
Isma‘il (Ishmael), the first son of Abraham, whose mother was Hagar, an Egyptian slave, was born when Abraham was 86 years old. Isaac, whose mother was Sarah, was born when Abraham was in his 100th year.
Abraham, known as Ibrahim in Arabic, is very important in Islam, both in his own right as a prophet as well as being the father of Isma'il and Isaac. Isma'il, Ibrahim's first born son, is considered the "Father of the Arabized Arabs," and Isaac is considered the "Father of the Hebrews." Islam teaches that Isma'il was the son Abraham nearly sacrificed on Moriah. To support this view Muslims use various proofs, including the belief that at the time of the attempted sacrifice Isma'il was his only son. Ibrahim is revered by Muslims as one of the Prophets in Islam, and is commonly termed Khalil Ullah, "Friend of God." Ibrahim is considered a Hanif, that is, a discoverer of monotheism.
Ibrahim is mentioned in many passages in 25 Qur'anic suras (chapters). The number of repetitions of his name in the Qur'an is second only to Moses.
Ibrahim's footprint is displayed outside the Ka'ba, which is on a stone, protected and guarded by Mutawa (Religious Police). The annual Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam, follows Ibrahim, Hagar, and Isma'il's journey to the sacred place of the Ka'ba. Islamic tradition narrates that Ibrahim's subsequent visits to the Northern Arabian region, after leaving Isma'il and Hagar (in the area that would later become the Islamic holy city of Mecca), were not only to visit Isma'il but also to construct the first house of worship for God (that is, the monotheistic concept and model of God), the Ka'ba -- as per God's command. The Eid ul-Adha ceremony is focused on Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his promised son on God's command. In turn, God spared his son's life and instead substituted a sheep. This was Ibrahim's test of faith. On Eid ul-Adha, Muslims sacrifice a domestic animal -- a sheep, goat, cow, buffalo, or camel -- as a symbol of Ibrahim's sacrifice, and divide the meat among the family members, friends, relatives, and most importantly, the poor.
A line in the Book of Jubilees (20:13) mentions that the descendants of Ibrahim's son by Hagar, Isma'il, as well as his descendants by Keturah, became the "Arabians" or "Arabs." The first century Jewish historian Josephus similarly described the descendants of Isma'il (i.e., the Ishmaelites) as an "Arabian" people. He also calls Isma'il the "founder" of the "Arabians." Some Biblical scholars also believe that the area outlined in Genesis as the final destination of Isma'il and his descendants ("from Havilah to Assyria") refers to the Arabian peninsula. This has led to a commonplace view that modern Semitic-speaking Arabs are descended from Ibrahim via Isma'il, in addition to various other tribes who intermixed with the Ishmaelites, such as Joktan, Sheba, Dedan, Broham. Both Judeo-Christian and Islamic traditions speak of earlier inhabitants of Arabia.
Classical Arab historians traced the true Arabs (i.e., the original Arabs from Yemen) to Qahtan and the Arabicized Arabs (people from the region of Mecca, who assimilated into the Arabs) to Adnan, said to be an ancestor of Muhammad, and have further equated Isma'il with A'raq al-Thara, said to be ancestor of Adnan. Umm Salama, one of Muhammad's wives, wrote that this was done using the following hermeneutical reasoning: Thara means moist earth, Ibrahim was not consumed by hell-fire, fire does not consume moist earth, thus A'raq al-Thara must be Isma'il, son of Ibrahim.
God demanded that Abraham sacrifice Isma‘il (Isaac in the Jewish and Christian traditions) as a test of faith. However, because of Abraham’s unquestioning compliance, God permitted Abraham to spare Isma‘il and rewarded Abraham with a formal renewal of his promise. After Sarah died, Abraham married Keturah and had six sons by her. He died at the biblical age of 175 (7 x 5 x 5) and was buried beside Sarah in the Cave of Machpelah, in what is now Hebron, Jordan.
In the Christian tradition, God’s acceptance of Abraham’s faith and obedience as righteousness (see Genesis 15:6) becomes in the New Testament a basis for Paul’s doctrine of Justification by Faith (see Galatians 3:6-9 and Romans 4:13-25). God’s acceptance of Abraham’s faith and obedience as righteousness also led to the Christian interpretation of the Church as the new Israel.
In the Qur’an, it is reported that God revealed the true religion to Abraham. Accordingly, it is Abraham who must be considered to be the first Muslim (see Sura 3:55-70). The Qur’an, which mentions Abraham often, refers to Abraham as a “speaker of truth” as a prophet, calls Islam “the religion of Abraham,” and gives him the epithet “monotheist” (in Arabic, hanif). Along with his son Isma‘il (Ishmael), it was Abraham who constructed the monotheistic Ka‘ba.
Abraham is mentioned in the Qur’an at the following locations:
Sura 2:115-135
Sura 2:260-265
Sura 3:25-35
Sura 3:55-70
Sura 3:75-85
Sura 4:55-60
Sura 4:120-130
Sura 4:160-165
Sura 6:70-80
Sura 6:160-165
Sura 9:70-75
Sura 9:115-120
Sura 11:70-80
Sura 12:5-10
Sura 12:35-40
Sura 14:1-55
Sura 16:120-125
Sura 19:40-60
Sura 21:50-65
Sura 22:25-30
Sura 22:40-45
Sura 22:75-80
Sura 26:65-75
Sura 29:10-20
Sura 33:5-10
Sura 37:80-85
Sura 38:40-50
Sura 42:10-20
Sura 43:20-30
Sura 53:35-45
Sura 57:25-30
Sura 60:1-5
his conversion Sura 6:70-80
a true believer Sura 3:55-65
Sura 3:85-95
Sura 4:120-130
Sura 6:160-165
Sura 16:120-130
visited by angels: Sura 11:70-75
Sura 15:50-60
Sura 29:25-35
Sura 51:20-30
cast into the flames Sura 21:60-70
Sura 29:10-25
Sura 37:80-100
and Isaac Sura 37:105-120
builds the Ka‘ba Sura 2:120-125
Sura 22:25-30
Ibrahim see Abraham
Abram see Abraham
Speaker of Truth see Abraham
Forefather of the Hebrews see Abraham
Khalil Ullah see Abraham
Friend of God see Abraham
No comments:
Post a Comment