Abraham's
'Great Test': The Concept of Sacrifice in Islam, Judaism, and Christianity
‘Indeed, it was a clear trial. (Abraham
succeeded in this) so We ransomed him (Ishmael) for a great sacrifice. Thus do
We reward the righteous.’
The holy
book of Islam, the Quran, mentions this test of the Prophet Abraham and his
success in it, which we also find in various forms in other Abrahamic
religions, namely Judaism and Christianity.
Islamic
religious scholar Javed Ahmad Ghamidi has researched that the history of
sacrifice begins with the first man, Adam.
The Quran
states that ‘We have prescribed for every nation the worship of sacrifice so
that they may mention the name of Allah over the livestock that Allah has given
them, (and not of anyone else)’
According to
Islamic teachings, this ancient worship was specifically prescribed by Allah as
a way of expressing gratitude to Him.
The
series started with the sons of Hazrat Adam
In his book
‘Mizan’, Ghamidi writes that traces of sacrifice are found ‘in all ancient
religions.’
The Quran
states that the two sons of Hazrat Adam and Hazrat Eve, Abel and Qabil,
presented their respective vows before Allah, and the vow of one was accepted
while the other was not.
The Bible
says in the book of Genesis that Abel was a shepherd and Cain was a farmer.
‘After a few days, Cain brought an offering of the fruit of his field to God,
and Abel also brought some of the firstlings of his flock and some of their
fat. God accepted Abel and his offering. But he did not accept Cain and his
offering.’
Ghamdi
further writes that ‘After the sacrifice of Hazrat Ibrahim, however, the
importance, greatness, breadth and universality that this worship has achieved,
it certainly did not achieve before.’
Hazrat
Ibrahim was born in the city of Ar in Iraq about 2100 years before the birth of
Hazrat Jesus. At that time, the dynasty of Nimrod, which is called Nimrod in
Arabic, ruled there.
Surah
As-Saffat of the Quran reveals that after a dispute over the worship of idols
in the temple, he broke the idols and threw them into the fire. But Allah
protected Hazrat Ibrahim.
This same
Surah tells us that when Hazrat Ibrahim migrated, disappointed with the faith
of his people, he prayed, ‘My Lord, grant me righteous offspring.’ This prayer
was answered and Allah gave him the good news of the birth of a son
This son,
whose name is not mentioned in the Quran, is accepted in Islamic tradition as
Ishmael.
This clearly
shows that Hazrat Ibrahim had no children up to that time. The same is evident
from the Bible’s Book of Genesis.
The Quran
states that when he reached the age of running around with his father, Hazrat
Ibrahim saw in a dream that he was being instructed by Allah to sacrifice this
son
The purpose of sacrifice
The purpose of sacrifice in these
religions is to express gratitude to God. In Islam, the words of takbir and
tahlil are recited for this purpose.
The Quran
makes this purpose clear in Surah Al-Hajj: 'It is not their meat that reaches
Allah, nor their blood. Rather, it is your piety that reaches Him. Thus has
Allah subjected them to you, that you may glorify Allah for what He has guided
you.'
This event
is also an example of faith, sacrifice, and divine pleasure for followers of
the other Abrahamic religions, Judaism and Christianity.
Judaism
Speaking to
BBC World Service's Orchie Othondrila, Rabbi Gary Somers, head of educational
services at Lovebeck College in the UK, says that the Jewish scriptures
describe various sacrifices, each with specific times and places.
“We don’t
practice these sacrifices today because the places where these rituals were
performed no longer exist,” he says. “Instead, we commemorate them through
worship.”
Rabbi Dr.
Bradley Schuett is vice president of the American Jewish University and the
Abner and Rosalind Goldstein Dean of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies.
“After the
destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans, animal sacrifice was not
permitted in Judaism,” he says. “Many believe that it has been permanently
banned, while others believe that it will be restored after the coming of the
Messiah.”
The Temple
refers to the Temple Mount, which used to be in the Old City of Jerusalem and
is where the Al-Aqsa Mosque is today.
Jews prayed
for the rebuilding of the Temple, believing that they would be able to resume
animal sacrifices there.
Most Jews do
not sacrifice animals because of the absence of the Temple. However, some
groups in Jerusalem, such as the Samaritans, still sacrifice during the
Passover festival. Others donate money equivalent to the value of the
sacrificial animal.
Whether a
sheep, buffalo, cow, or goat, the sacrificial animal must be religiously
suitable or 'kosher'.
Dr. Artson
says, 'Only kosher animals were permitted to be slaughtered, some of which were
burned on the altar, some were given to the families of the priests, and some
were eaten by the sacrificers and their families.'
Although
direct sacrifice is not common, the use of meat is an integral part of many
festivals.
Jewish
rituals for animal sacrifice are diverse and vary according to the purpose of
the sacrifice.
Earlier, the
three religious festivals of Judaism, Passover (Passover), Shavuot (Seventh of
Feasts), and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles), were important in terms of animal
sacrifice.
Rabbi Gary
Somers, head of educational services at Lovewick College in the UK, explains
that other festivals, such as Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) and Yom
Kippur (the Day of Atonement), also involve animal sacrifice.
The story of
the sacrifice of the prophet Abraham is also found in the Jewish scriptures.
However, the command to sacrifice animals came later and was slightly different
for the Jews.for the sake of his Lord.
Christianity
The Jewish
scriptures and the Old Testament of the Bible have much in common.
Dr. Prosanto
T. Ribeiro, a priest at the Kaffir Catholic Church in Dhaka, says that
"the books of the Old Testament, especially Leviticus 17 and Deuteronomy,
describe how animals were sacrificed." It was usually done during
festivals, either in the morning or in the evening.
At that
time, animals were sacrificed in the hope of repentance and forgiveness of
sins, but this practice is no longer followed religiously because the death of
Christ is seen as the ultimate sacrifice. In Christianity, Jesus is called the
"Lamb of God."
Although
there is no specific religious procedure for sacrifice, in many cases "if
someone makes an intention or promises to God, sacrifices are made in various
ways."
Dr. Ribeiro
says that apart from the Jewish connection, Christianity had no tradition of
sacrificing animals in the name of the Christianity
The Jewish scriptures and the Old Testament of the Bible have much in common.
Dr. Prosanto T. Ribeiro, a priest at the Kaffir Catholic Church in Dhaka, says that "the books of the Old Testament, especially Leviticus 17 and Deuteronomy, describe how animals were sacrificed." It was usually done during festivals, either in the morning or in the evening.
At that
time, animals were sacrificed in the hope of repentance and forgiveness of
sins, but this practice is no longer followed religiously because the death of
Christ is seen as the ultimate sacrifice. In Christianity, Jesus is called the
"Lamb of God."
Although there is no specific religious procedure for sacrifice, in many cases "if someone makes an intention or promises to God, sacrifices are made in various ways."
Dr. Ribeiro
says that apart from the Jewish connection, Christianity had no tradition of
sacrificing animals in the name of the Creator.
However,
there is no restriction on the consumption of meat. In many countries, it is
customary to eat lamb during the Jewish festival of Passover, and according to
Ribeiro, during his stay in Italy, eating lamb before Easter felt almost
obligatory.
However,
there is no practice of sacrifice in Christianity, unlike the Jewish tradition
of sacrificing animals for religious purposes.
HistoryHowever,
there is no restriction on the consumption of meat. In many countries, it is
customary to eat lamb during the Jewish festival of Passover, and according to
Ribeiro, during his stay in Italy, eating lamb before Easter felt almost
obligatory.
However,
there is no practice of sacrifice in Christianity, unlike the Jewish tradition
of sacrificing animals for religious purposes.
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