Wednesday, March 16, 2005

Who was Abraham? (1)

Based on the works of scholars, who will be revealed when the blogging for this topic ends. Works of other authors may be included, but where these are done, full acknowledgement will be made.

Advice: Those who may take offence in seeing biblical (OT) quotations or liberal discussion of OT biblical characters should not read this topic.

Abraham – the common and first Patriarch for Judaism, Christianity and Islam – who was he? A few claim he originated from India, then there are those who punt for Persia (Iran), while many suggest that it was in Babylon (Iraq), or somewhere in present day Turkey’s southern region.

Yet, in reality, for such an important religious figure, nothing is known of his origin. Even the Bible merely mentions the birthplace of his brother as in Ur of Chaldean (Genesis 11:28), but strangely not his. Ur is the Tel el-Muqayyar site in southern Iraq. Even this location is disputed for many reasons, with some experts opting for Turkey (but more later). The other location associated with Abraham's origin is Haran (Genesis 12:4 & 12:5) in northern Iraq (near Carchemish), next to today's Turkish border.

Archaeologists and biblical researchers have investigated and dug in Iraq and southern Turkey, but nothing has been found to indicate any tenuous link to his existence.

Abraham was the father or rather the ancestor of the Hebrews (Jews). The story of the ancient Hebrews had always been closely linked to Egypt, so perhaps looking there instead of the abovementioned locations may provide some clues to the Patriarch’s origin.

To be continued ……

1 comment:

  1. The Biblicalrecords states that Abraham travelled in Egypt from afar away land. His progeny from Isaac settled in Egypt,became slaves of Egypt untill Moses brought them across the red sea to what is now Israel. At that time the land was already inhabited by Kanaans,probably The Ishmelites or non Abraham progeny.Because Abraham travelled by foot to Egypt,therefore he probably came from some African state close to Egypt, and never from India or other across the red sea country. But then again according to the Quran Abraham lived in a polytheist country and was given the magic of not getting burned, which is a Hindu tradition ie walking on fire.So Abraham probably came from India.The word Bramah is frobably from Abraham.

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