Ibraham wasn't a jewish nor a christian , he was muslim
The first Muslim on earth is not Muhammad but Abraham, who submitted totally to Allah. But Islam as a way of life had been revealed to other prophets prior to Abraham, like Adam and Noah. Then Islam follows as the way of life for all humanity.
C. How could Abraham be a Muslim? It is known that he was a Jew!
M. A Jew? Who told you that?
C. We are taught that; it must be confirmed by the Bible too.
M. Can you show me where in the Bible it says that he was a Jew? If you can't find it quickly, let me help you. Read (Genesis 11:31).
C. "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."
M. So Abraham who was born in Ur of Chaldees could not have been a Jew. First because Ur of Chaldees was in Mesopotamia, which is now a part of Iraq. He was then more an Arab than a Jew. Secondly the name "Jew" came after the existence of Judah, the great grandson of Abraham ). Read further, (Genesis 12:4 and 5).
C. " ... and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.... and into the land of Canaan they came.
M. So Abraham emigrated to Canaan at the age of seventy-five and the Bible clearly mentioned that he was there a stranger; in (Genesis 17:8): "And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God." Read now (Genesis 14:13).
C. "And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew.... "
M. How can you call Abraham a Jew if the Bible itself calls him a Hebrew which means a man from the other side of the Euphrates. It also means pertaining to Eber, a descendant of Shem. Read now in (Genesis 32:28) what happened to the name of Jacob after wrestling with an angel.
C. "And he said: 'Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel; for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.'"
M. So Abraham was a Hebrew. The descendants of Jacob were Israelites consisting of the twelve tribes. Judah was nicknamed "Jew" so that only Judah's descendants were called Jews originally.
To know who Moses really was, read (Exodus 6:16-20).
C. "And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations; Ghershon, and Kohath, and Merari.... And the sons of Kohath: Amram.... And Amram took him Jochebed his father's sister to wife; and she bore him Aaron and Moses."
M. So Moses was not a Jew, because he was not descended from Judah, but a Levite. Moses was the "law giver" (Torah is law) to the children of Israel.
C. How can you explain that?
M. Because we are using the Holy Qur'an as standard. You can explain the Bible and correct the Jewish and Christian prejudice with the context of the Qur'an. It is the last revealed book which has never been corrupted or adulterated. Its contents has been guaranteed by Allah in Surah 2:2 (English meaning): “This is the Scripture whereof there is no doubt...”; and also in Surah 15:9 (English meaning): “No doubt We have sent down the Qur'an and surely We will guard it (from corruption)”.
This verse is a challenge to mankind. It is a clear fact that more than fourteen hundred years have passed and not a single word of this Qur'an has been changed although disbelievers tried their utmost to change it, but they failed miserably in their efforts. As it is mentioned in this Holy Verse: "We will guard this Book", by Allah, He has guarded it.
On the contrary, all the other holy books (Torah, Psalms, Gospels etc.) have been adulterated in the form of additions, deletions or alterations from the original.
C. What does the Qur'an say about Abraham and Moses that you can deduce it from the Bible?
M. In Surah 3:65 (English meaning): “O people of the Scripture [Jews and Christians]! Why do you dispute about Abraham, while the Torah and the Gospel were not revealed till after him? Have you then no sense?”
And in Surah 3:67 (English meaning): “Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was a true Muslim (worshiper of none but Allah alone) and he joined none in worship with Allah”.
In Surah 2:140 (English meaning): “Or say you that Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and the twelve sons of Jacob were Jews or Christians? Say (O Muhammad), 'Do you know better or does Allah know better? And who is more unjust than he who conceals the testimony he has from Allah?' And Allah is not unaware of what you do”.
Of course they were not Jews or Christians, as the name "Jews" came after Judah and the name "Christians" came long after Jesus had left.
C. It feels strange to hear the name Allah. Why don't you say "God" if you speak English?
M. Yes, indeed, the name "Allah" seems to be strange to non-Muslims, but this name has been used by all prophets since Adam until Muhammad (pbut). It is a contraction of the two Arabic words Al-Ilah, i.e. The God. By dropping the letter "I", you will find the word “Allah”. According to its position in an Arabic sentence, it can have the form "Allaha," which is close to the Hebrew name of the Creator, i.e. "Eloha." But the Jews are using wrongly the plural form "Elohim," which denotes more than one God. The word "Allaha" sounds closer to the Aramaic word for God used by Jesus, namely, "Alaha" (see Encyclopedia Britannica 1980 under "Allah" and "Elohim"). So, while the name "Allah" is strange to non-Muslims, it is not strange to all prophets from Adam to Muhammad (pbut), as they propagated in principle the same Islam, i.e. total submission, and the word "Allah" denotes the personal name of the Supreme Being. It is not subject to plurality or gender, so there is no such thing as "Allahs," or male or female "Allah," as there is Gods or God and Goddess. It is confusing to use the word God, as many English-speaking Christians still consider Jesus as God. Even the word "Creator" is also confusing, as many Christians still maintain that Jesus had created the world. Not only the name "Allah" is strange, but also the way Muslims worship Allah with ablution, bowing, kneeling, prostration and fasting is strange to non-Muslims, but not strange to all prophets. While ablution (washing of face, arms, feet, and moistening of the hair) prior to worship is abondoned by modern Christians, it is still required by Muslims and previous prophets, as seen in the following passages of the Bible (Exodus 40:31-32): "And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet thereat; When they went into the tent of the congregation, and when they came near unto the altar, they washed; as the Lord commanded Moses." Although Paul made many changes in Jesus' teaching, he was still faithful in respect to ablution, as seen in (Acts 21:26): "Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple'..." Muslim women perform their prayer with their head covered, as in (I Corinthians 11:5-6, 13): "But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.... Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered". Muslims worship with bowing, kneeling, prostration, and without shoes, as done by previous prophets: (Psalm 95:6): "O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker"; (Joshua 5: 14): "And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship''; (I Kings 18:42): "And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees"; (Numbers 20:6): "... and they [Moses and Aaron] fell upon their faces: and the glory of the Lord appeared upon them"; (Genesis 17:3): "And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying ..."; and (Exodus 3:5 and Acts 7:33): "And he [God] said [to Moses], 'Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground."'
A Christian will shiver in learning that pilgrimage or Hajj as is now done by Muslims, by circumambulating around the sacred stone (the Ka'bah) in Makkah, had been performed by many prophets, even by Israelite prophets.
C. I never read any pilgrimage or sacred stone in the Bible.
M. This has been mentioned clearly several times but overlooked by Bible readers. For example:
1. Jacob, on his way to Padan-aram, saw a vision and built the next morning a pillar of stone which he called Beth El, i.e. the House of the Lord (Genesis 28:18-19).
2. Years later the same Prophet, Jacob, was ordered by Allah to go to Bethel (Genesis 35:1-4). Jacob removed all of the strange gods prior to going there. Later also Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) removed all idols around the sacred stone (Ka'bah in Makkah).
3. Another pillar was built by Jacob and his father-in-law, Laban, (Genesis 31:45-49): "And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar. And Jacob said unto his brethren: 'Gather stones.' And they took stones, and made an heap; and they did eat there upon the heap. And Laban called it Jegar sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed ...And Mizpeh, for he said: 'The Lord watch between me and thee ..."'
4. Jephthah and Ammon had a war against each other. Jephthah swore to the Lord in Mizpeh of Gilead to sacrifice his only daughter if he won. He did win, and burnt his daughter there alive as an offering to the Lord (Judges 11:29-39).
5. Four hundred thousand swordsmen from the eleven tribes of Israel swore before the Lord in Mizpeh to exterminate the tribes of Benjamin (Judges 20 and 21).
6. The children of Israel under Samuel swore in Mizpeh to destroy their idols if they won against the Philistines (I Samuel 7).
7. The whole nation of Israel assembled in Mizpeh when Samuel was appointed king of Israel (I Samuel 10).
It is obvious now that there is no Mizpeh left in the world, except the oldest one in the Holy City of Makkah built by Abraham and his son Ishmael, from whom later Prophet Muhammad arose. Muslims are really the followers of all prophets. I can tell you other things about Muslims, Islam and Muhammad (pbuh) in the Bible, but why should you know this if you are not looking for the truth?
C. I am sure of my own belief as a Christian but I am stimulated to know more about both religions. I feel sometimes ridiculed as a Christian after reading books written by Muslims.
M. Did it affect you in your religious life?
C. Yes. I am not going to Church as regularly as before. I have been secretly reading books written by Muslims. I have asked several Muslims what was not clear to me, but not to my satisfaction. I am looking for a belief that I can rely on, that can give me peace of mind, scientifically acceptable, and not just to believe in it blindly.
M. It should be like that. I appreciate your attitude. But we are not allowed to allure anyone. We propagate only to those who want to listen to us.
C. But I am free to choose any belief I like and nobody can stop me.
M. Yes, there is no compulsion in religion.
C. Why are Muslims calling other people to accept their belief then?
M. As Christians ask the Jews to accept Jesus as the Messiah, we Muslims ask the Christians, as well as Jews and all mankind, to accept Muhammad (pbuh) as the seal of all prophets. Our Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: "Convey my message, even one ayah (verse of the Holy Qur'an)."
Also, Isaiah mentioned in chapter 21:13: "The burden upon Arabia," which means the responsibility of the Muslim Arabs, of course of all Muslims now, to spread the Islam. Isaiah mentioned this after he saw in a vision a chariot of asses and a chariot of camels (21:7): "And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, and a chariot of camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed."
The chariot of asses turned out to be Jesus, who entered Jerusalem (John 12: 14; Matthew 21: 5). Who then was the chariot of camels? It could not be other than Muhammad (pbuh), who came about six hundred years after the advent of the Messiah. If this is not accepted, then this prophecy has not yet been fulfilled.
C. Your explanation stimulates me to review the Bible more carefully. I would like to get more discussions with you.
M. Yes, if you are successful in this world, it doesn't mean that you will be successful in the hereafter. The hereafter is much better and more lasting than this life. People are now becoming more materialistic and secular. Let us come together several times and discuss the differences frankly and without prejudice. Islam is based on reason, and you should not just accept it. Even your Bible says: "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good" (I Thessalonians 5:21).
C. You quoted just now a "chariot of camels" from Isaiah and made the conclusion that it was Muhammad. Is he then prophesied in the Bible?
M. Sure.
C. In the Old or New Testament?
M. In both. But you cannot recognize him in the Bible as long as you don't believe in the oneness of God. I mean as long as you still believe in the Trinity, the Divinity of Jesus, the Divine Sonship of Jesus, the Original Sin and the Atonement. All of these are doctrines made by men. Jesus had prophesied that people will worship him uselessly and believe in doctrines made by men: "But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" (Matthew 15:9).