Knowledge entry
Who is Abraham in Judaism, Christianity and Islam?
By Prof. Eric Chamchoum, PhD
Published 2026-08-23Updated 2026-08-236 min read
Who is Abraham in Judaism, Christianity and Islam?
Abraham is the figure through whom Judaism, Christianity and Islam each trace a covenant with God. Judaism remembers him as the ancestor of Israel, Christianity as the exemplar of faith, and Islam as a prophet and model of pure monotheism.
The phrase “Abrahamic religions” groups Judaism, Christianity and Islam because each begins its covenant history with the same figure. The grouping is useful, but it can flatten real differences in how the three traditions read him.
Abraham in Jewish tradition
In the Hebrew Bible, Abraham is called out of Mesopotamia and receives a covenant promising descendants and land. He is remembered above all as the ancestor of the people of Israel through Isaac.
Abraham in Christian tradition
The New Testament presents Abraham chiefly as the model of trust in God, and reads the promise to him as extending beyond descent to all who share that faith.
Abraham in Islamic tradition
The Qur'an calls Abraham — Ibrahim — a prophet and a hanif, an upright monotheist, and associates him and his son Ishmael with the sanctuary at Mecca.
What the evidence supports
- All three traditions locate a covenant with God in the figure of Abraham.
- Jewish tradition traces descent through Isaac; Islamic tradition emphasises Ishmael.
- Christian writings read Abraham primarily as the exemplar of faith.
People, places and concepts
- Abraham
- Isaac
- Ishmael
- Mecca
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- Hebrew Bible, Genesis 12–25
- New Testament, Romans 4 and Galatians 3
- Qur'an, Surah Al-Baqarah and Surah Ibrahim
Continue from here
Every entry connects to the video, book or topic it belongs to.
- Watch the videoThe Abrahamic Religions — One Origin, Three PathsJudaism, Christianity and Islam traced back to their shared origin in Abraham, following the lives of Moses, Jesus and Muhammad and the paths their communities took.
- Read the bookThe Star & the CrescentAn exploration of the shared spiritual ancestry of Jews and Muslims through Abraham, and how faith, identity and memory shape both harmony and conflict.
- Knowledge entryWho was Jude Thaddeus?Jude Thaddeus is named among the twelve apostles. What scripture records about him is brief; most of his memory comes from later tradition.
- Knowledge topicSpirituality and Comparative ReligionFaith traditions compared with historical evidence, scripture and lived practice.
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