Appearance
What Is “the Religion of Abraham”?
وَمَن يَرْغَبُ عَن مِّلَّةِ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ إِلَّا مَن سَفِهَ نَفْسَهُ ۚ وَلَقَدِ ٱصْطَفَيْنَٰهُ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَإِنَّهُۥ فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ لَمِنَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ
Who would be averse to the religion of Abraham except one who makes a fool of himself. And We had chosen him in this world, and indeed he, in the Hereafter, will be among the righteous. (2:130)
The question
What is the religion of Abraham that only a fool would turn from, and if part of Abraham’s law was later abrogated, did Islam itself turn from it?
Views answered: Fakhr al-Rāzī, and the objections he reports
Jawādī Āmulī’s argument
Āyatullāh Jawādī Āmulī takes the religion of Abraham to be Islam: its central elements, not the particular law and way given to each prophet. On that reading the objection Fakhr al-Rāzī reports, that Muḥammad’s religion differs from Abraham’s because of abrogation, falls away. So does al-Rāzī’s own answer, that Abraham’s religion here is his prayer for a messenger from his descendants, which Jawādī Āmulī calls entirely incorrect, together with the problems al-Rāzī then has to solve. Turning away is blameworthy only when it is without God’s command; leaving some branches of Abraham’s law by God’s command is abrogation.
Views compared
Each view is given as al-Tasnim reports it. Each point opens al-Tasnim at that place.
Is Islam “the religion of Abraham”? Read →
An objection reported by Fakhr al-Rāzī
The religion of Muḥammad is not exactly Abraham’s, since parts were abrogated; so accepting Abraham’s religion does not mean accepting Muḥammad’s.Jawādī Āmulī
Abraham’s religion is Islam itself, its central elements (God’s oneness, revelation and prophethood, the hereafter, the law), not the particular law each prophet was given (5:48). Turning from the Kaʿbah is one of the clearest ways of leaving it.Abraham’s religion as his prayer for a messenger Read →
Fakhr al-Rāzī
Abraham’s religion here is his prayer Our Lord, send among them a messenger; since Arabs, Jews and Christians hold him right, they must accept Muḥammad.Jawādī Āmulī
“Entirely incorrect”: Abraham’s religion is not that prayer.Two problems with that answer Read →
Fakhr al-Rāzī
He reports and answers them himself: the prayer is known only through the Qur’an, which is circular (the Torah and Gospel would bear it out, he replies), and it might be meant for someone else (the Qur’an’s miracle proves Muḥammad’s prophethood anyway, he replies).Jawādī Āmulī
Once Abraham’s religion is understood rightly, these “forced interpretations” are not needed at all; they stem from misreading what his religion is.Who is “averse” to it? Read →
An objection reported by Fakhr al-Rāzī
“Religion” covers both principles and branches, so Muḥammad too turned away from Abraham’s religion in part.Jawādī Āmulī
Averse means turning from it without God’s command and proof. Leaving some branches of Abraham’s law by God’s command is abrogation, and praiseworthy.Reading guide
Each step opens al-Tasnim at that point.