The Qur’an

“Ibrahim and his Father”

Sura 6

The Cattle

74. And when Ibrahim said to his sire, Azar: Do you take idols for gods? Surely I see you and your people in manifest error.

Sura 9

The Immunity

114. And Ibrahim asking forgiveness for his sire was only owing to a promise which he had made to him; but when it became clear to him that he was an enemy of Allah, he declared himself to be clear of him; most surely Ibrahim was very tender-hearted forbearing.

Sura 19

Marium

42. When he said to his father; O my father! why do you worship what neither hears nor sees, nor does it avail you in the least:
43. O my father! truly the knowledge has come to me which has not come to you, therefore follow me, I will guide you on a right path:
44. O my father! serve not the Shaitan, surely the Shaitan is disobedient to the Beneficent God:
45. O my father! surely I fear that a punishment from the Beneficent God should afflict you so that you should be a friend of the Shaitan.
46. He said: Do you dislike my gods, O Ibrahim? If you do not desist I will certainly revile you, and leave me for a time.
47. He said: Peace be on you, I will pray to my Lord to forgive you; surely He is ever Affectionate to me:
48. And I will withdraw from you and what you call on besides Allah, and I will call upon my Lord; may be I shall not remain unblessed in calling upon my Lord.
49. So when he withdrew from them and what they worshipped besides Allah, We gave to him Ishaq and Yaqoub, and each one of them We made a prophet.
50. And We granted to them of Our mercy, and We left (behind them) a truthful mention of eminence for them.

Sura 21

The Prophets

52. When he said to his father and his people: What are these images to whose worship you cleave?
53. They said: We found our fathers worshipping them.
54. He said: Certainly you have been, (both) you and your fathers, in manifest error.
55. They said: Have you brought to us the truth, or are you one of the triflers?
56. He said: Nay! your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, Who brought them into existence, and I am of those who bear witness to this:
57. And, by Allah! I will certainly do something against your idols after you go away, turning back.
58. So he broke them into pieces, except the chief of them, that haply they may return to it.
59. They said: Who has done this to our gods? Most surely he is one of the unjust.
60. They said: We heard a youth called Ibrahim speak of them.
61. Said they: Then bring him before the eyes of the people, perhaps they may bear witness.
62. They said: Have you done this to our gods, O Ibrahim?
63. He said: Surely (some doer) has done it; the chief of them is this, therefore ask them, if they can speak.
64. Then they turned to themselves and said: Surely you yourselves are the unjust;
65. Then they were made to hang down their heads: Certainly you know that they do not speak.
66. He said:.What! do you then serve besides Allah what brings you not any benefit at all, nor does it harm you?
67. Fie on you and on what you serve besides Allah; what! do you not then understand?
68. They said: Burn him and help your gods, if you are going to do (anything).
69. We said: O fire! be a comfort and peace to Ibrahim;
70. And they desired a war on him, but We made them the greatest losers.

Sura 29

The Spider

16. And (We sent) Ibrahim, when he said to his people: Serve Allah and be careful of (your duty to) Him; this is best for you, if you did but know:
17. You only worship idols besides Allah and you create a lie surely they whom you serve besides Allah do not control for you any sustenance, therefore seek the sustenance from Allah and serve Him and be grateful to Him; to Him you shall be brought back. 

24. So naught was the answer of his people except that they said: Slay him or burn him; then Allah delivered him from the fire; most surely there are signs in this for a people who believe.

Sura 29

The Rangers

95. Said he: What! do you worship what you hew out?
96. And Allah has created you and what you make.
97. They said: Build for him a furnace, then cast him into the burning fire.
98. And they desired a war against him, but We brought them low.

The Bible

“Abram and his Father”

Genesis

Chapter 11

26.And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

31. And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there.
32. And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.

Genesis

Chapter 12

1. Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
2. And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3. And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
4. So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.

COMMENTARY

In the Qur’an:

1. Ibrahim (Abraham) is portrayed as the first person to defend monotheism in Ur.

In the Bible:

1. God first called Abram (Abraham) to follow Him; Abram was not looking for God. Abram followed God not from the city of Ur, but from the city of Haran after the death of his father.

The Bible does not mention anything about Abram’s relationship to his father, but it seems to be more appropriate for Mohammed to put such emphasis on that to make a parallel with his own struggle for Allah against his relatives in Mecca. By doing so, Mohammed actually made himself equal to Abraham.