Gender Masculine
Scripts אַבְרָהָם (Hebrew) Modern: ʾAvraham ; Arabic: إبراهيم‎, Ibrāhīm; Greek: Ἀβραάμ

This name may be viewed either as meaning “father of many” in Hebrew or else as a contraction of Abram and הָמוֹן (hamon) meaning “many, multitude”. The biblical patriarch Abraham was originally named Abram but GOD changed his name (Genesis 17, 5). With his father Terah, he led his wife Sarah, his nephew Lot and their other followers from Ur into Canaan. He is regarded by Jews as being the founder of the Hebrews through his son Isaac and by Muslims as being the founder of the Arabs through his son Ishmael. in Islam is seen as a link in the chain of prophets that begins with Adam and culminates in Mohammed.

The narrative in the book of Genesis revolves around the themes of posterity and land. Abraham is called by GOD to leave his father Terah’s house and settle in the land originally given to Canaan, but which GOD now promises to Abraham and his descendants. Various candidates are proposed who might inherit the land after Abraham; and, while Ishmael is given promises about the founding of a great nation, Isaac, Abraham’s son by his half-sister Sarah, inherits GOD’s promises to Abraham. Abraham purchases a tomb (the Cave of the Patriarchs) in Hebron to be Sarah’s tomb, thus establishing his right to the land; and, in the second generation, his heir Isaac marries a woman of his own family, thus excluding the Canaanites from any inheritance. Abraham then marries Keturah and has six more children; but, at his death, when he is buried next to Sarah, it is Isaac who receives “all of Abraham’s property,” while the other children receive only “gifts” (Genesis 25, 5-8).

Abraham, in Arabic Ibrāhīm is mentioned in 35 chapters of the Qur’an, more often than any other biblical character apart from Moses. He is called both hanif (monotheist) and Muslim (one who submits), and Muslims consider him a prophet and patriarch, the archetype of the perfect Muslim, and the revered reformer of the Kaaba in Mecca. Islamic traditions consider Ibrāhīm the first pioneer of Islam (which is also called millat Ibrahim, the “religion of Abraham”), and that his purpose and mission during his lifetime was to proclaim the Oneness of GOD. In Islam, Abraham occupies an exalted position among the main prophets and is referred to as “Ibrahim Khalilullah”, which means “Abraham the beloved of GOD”.

Besides Ishaq and Yaqub, Ibrahim is among the most honorable and most excellent men in the sight of God (Qur’an 38:45-47). Ibrahim has also been mentioned in the Qur’an as the “Father of Muslims” and the role model for the community (Qur 22, 78 & Qur 60, 4-6).