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Home , Abraham in Islam, Youakim Moubarac

Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-3, Issue-10, 2017 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

Misconception Regarding the Concept of “” found in the Semitic Religions

Rev. Fr. Jervacio Marceline Fernandes (Ph.D. Scholar, Goa University)

Abstract: The term Misconception found in the The world Religions: Semitic Religions belief is the conjunction of three major religious beliefs that is , World religions can be broadly and which are consider being the categorized into Semitic and non-Semitic religions. monotheistic in origin and the major religions of The term Semitic refers to the people who came the world. from the , their languages, religion and culture. and are both Semitic, Since Judaism, Christianity and Islam have Christianity and Islam are also called Semitic expressed their origin related to Abraham; he is religions because they originated from this region considered to be the genesis of Semitic religious and they share the monotheistic belief. They are beliefs. Those in Semitic religions there are some also called , because for Jews common feature and customs, yet there is fallacy in Abraham was the first Jew, for the belief. I take scriptural support to prove for my Abraham was the great ancestor of Christ, argument. May be my knowledge of the , the and Islam also believes that Abraham was the first Holy Bible and the may not sufficient thus Muslim. The Abrahamic religions are also called this article and my regimental views could be could the Prophetic religions because of their belief in the be developed, but I could embrace my daring view Divine guidance sent through appointed on the topic and I am expressing my personal by . Judaism, Christianity and Islam are major opinion on the same. religions of the world. They call Abraham as the father of their faith and this implies a kind of unity The Key words: Semitic, Abrahamic, Theophany, of brotherhood across the three faiths. Yet the three Talmud, Molech religions have different ways of interpreting the role of Abraham. Introduction: The Abrahamic sources: Abraham: Through the line of and Abraham is the ancestor of Hebrews and The scholars have recognized that the story of of the Arabs through . The ancestors of Abraham is a work of a unity but it is a combines Israel are portrayed in the Bible as a nomadic or the work of many author. Julius Wellhausen pastoral life in the Pales. The traditional approach reorganized three independent sources of the to the patriarchal stories has led to the view that the Pentateuch: Flavius the Jewish historian tradition reflects a nomadic form of personal of Roman times has written for the gentile audience religion in which the god of the patriarchs is the demonstrated Abraham in an apologetically, states patron god of the clan. He was associated with a that: specific person such as Abraham who experiences a theophany (visible but not in material form) and “Abraham was the first to reason to divine promise land and offspring, also in the knowledge of God, creator of the universe, primitive Israelite religion references to sacred by his observations of the . trees, stones and the setting up of numerous altars. Abraham was however, forced to leave There is frequent references to El in the patriarchal Babylonia because of religious stories reflect the encounter of the nomadic religion persecution (see also Judith 5:8). He took with the Canaanite religion of the land with its high with him the Babylonian sciences of god El, or the original identity of the ‘god of the astronomy and mathematics, which he fathers.’ taught to the Egyptians during his sojourn in their country, and this way the

Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Page 461

Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-3, Issue-10, 2017 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

knowledge of such sciences eventually “The promise may rest on grace and be came to the Greeks.”1 guaranteed to all his descendants not only to the adherents of the law but also to Common origin: Abraham is shared as a point of those who share the faith of Abraham, for common origin by the three monotheistic religions he is the father of us all.”4 Paula of the world; their shared identity is connected to Frederickson says, “Christians are the single person. These Abrahamic religions are children of Abraham, but not from Isaac linked together through some kind of dogmatic and Jacob.”5 belief, for some writers the term implies an intimate unity, it is one and the same God who has Whereas we see through the Jews’ oral tradition authorized the Holy Bible and the Quran and the that is the ‘Talmud’, Abraham has been represented same eternal message is presented in both books. as an idol eliminator and monotheist Torah, the The three religions assume that there is only one same story recorded in a Jewish Midrash that is the God, who is the Creator of the universe, he is the rabbinic literature which contains early sovereign, omnipotent, omnipresent, Holy, Just and interpretation and the written Torah, which tells us righteous God. In this context Judaism, Christianity that Abraham’s father ‘Azar’ was the wooden idol and Islam worship the same God, the God of maker. He used to send Abraham and his brothers Abraham and Abraham has been the main origin to sell the carved idols in the market which were and the starting point of the Abrahamic/Semitic used by the buyer as the object of worship. As a religions. young boy Abraham once trashed his father’s idols and he told his father a particular idol had crush Abraham in the Torah: and subdue the rest. To this his father replied, the idol was just a statue and how can it destroy the other idols? Thus it is very clear that Abraham’s Genesis is the first book of Torah and also of the father was not an idol worshipper, and the Holy Bible, in both the scriptures Abraham has contention is that his father’s idols were not at been demonstrated as the promised and the all, but it was trade. In the Holy Bible we don’t covenantal Abraham who is the father of many have any legend in connection to this, it only nations and the first patriarch, the father of Israel ambiguously portrays Abraham as opposed to idol and grandfather of Jacob who is the symbol of worship, and we have only the significance in God’s benevolence towards the chosen people of Genesis 18:19 that Abraham agreed with God’s law God, the Israelis. which rejects idol worship. The book of Genesis states that: Difference in Judaism and Christianity: St. Paul, who said that Abraham could be justified by faith, says: “For I have chosen him that he may “That is why his faith was reckoned to charge his children and his household after 2 him as righteousness.” him to keep the way of the Lord by doing And the Genesis says: righteousness and justice; so that the Lord “And he believed the Lord; and he may bring to Abraham what he has 3 reckoned it to him as righteousness.” promised him.”6

Thus Paul represents Abraham as the opposite to Judaism, and Gentile Christian liberated from the Thus it is clear that the Lord, who has chosen rabbinical imposed rules. Abraham to demonstrate for generations to come how to live a right and just life, as a covenantal For the Jews Abraham’s fatherhood is relationship. Abraham actually lived out this through literal descent, but for the Christians they mission in a righteous way, whereas the first time are the children of Abraham by faith. Thus St. Paul we see the theme of rejection of in the says: Book of Genesis, is when Abraham’s grandson Jacob tells his family and all who were with him,

1 The Encyclopedia of Religion, 1987. Volume I, 4 Ibid, Roman 4:16 “Aboriginal Religions” pg. 16 5 2 The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version, http://www.newenglishreview.org/Mark_Durie/The Romans 4:22, (Bangalore: Collins for _Abrahamic_Fallacy/ Theological Publications in India, 1988) 145- 6 The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version, 146. Genesis 18: 18-19, (Bangalore: Collins for 3 Ibid, Genesis 15:6, pg. Theological Publications in India, 1988) pg.14.

Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Page 462

Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-3, Issue-10, 2017 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

“Put away the foreign gods that are among you, provided the animal for sacrifice, significantly and purify yourselves and change your garments.”7 points to the different identity of the

The states that Abraham was called In the book of prophet 19: out from an idol worshipping family and he made a 4-5 and 16: 20-21we see that the Hebrews break with his practice, but in the book of Joshua it practiced child sacrifice at particular period, and is not explicitly shown that Abraham stepped down this practice was continued among the Israelites idol worship, in fact there is no reference to idol right from the time of Babylonian exile and worship in the Abrahamic chronology, whereas therefore the Psalmist says: Joshua said to all the people:

“They poured innocent blood, the blood “Your fathers lived of old beyond the Eu- of their sons and daughters, whom they phra’tes, , the father of Abraham and sacrificed to the idols of ; and the of Nahor; and they served other gods. land was polluted with blood. Thus they Then I took your father Abraham from became unclean by their acts, and played beyond the river and led him through all the harlot in their doing.”10 the land of Canaan, and made his offspring many. I gave him Isaac.”8 Thus in the book of 2kings 23:13 we see that a temple was built by King to Molech, and Thus there is no law that gives the system of ethical was reformed by Josiah. In the Akedah/binding, rules, or gives an account of Abraham of Genesis, God’s mediation was against the child-sacrifice other than the covenantal relationship references to traditions of Canaanite which was an indirect Abraham’s belief and his obedience to God and all testimonial to idolatry. The Genesis account gives his tests, in which Abraham was us some evidence of Abraham as the model for the successful,(Genesis 12:4, 15:6, 22). The only monotheistic religions. Thus in brief, Abraham in regulation reported for Abraham’s religion, apart Judaism and Christianity is the Abraham of the from the Lord being his family’s god, was the covenant, the father of the nation, and the first custom of circumcising males instituted as a sign of patriarch of the nation of Israel under whose covenant faithfulness: guidance the Semitic faith has been spread.

“You shall be circumcised in the flesh of A Divisive figure: your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. He that is However, the Abraham episode was eight days old among you shall be interpreted differently by the two Biblical faiths circumcised. So shall my covenant be in that is Judaism and Christianity. For the Jews he is 9 your flesh and everlasting covenant.” a model of a Torah observant Jew, not so much Biblical as Talmudic; whereas the Christian perspective is based on the Pauline interpretation There is nothing explicit in the book of Genesis that ‘man is saved by faith’. Thus, Paul’s view of against idol worship, but there was the direct Abraham and Jews in general is a cause of tension. conflict to the idol worship of the surrounding Paul extols Jewish identity, and affirms the nations. Israelites were culturally related to the promises of God to the Jews as incapable of being surrounding Canaanites; the ancient Canaanite revoked (Romans 11:28-29). On the other religion practiced child sacrifice which was offered hand he holds that the salvation by faith, and to ‘Molech’ the God of Canaanites and seeking to impose the Torah upon Gentile Phoenicians, who appreciates the human sacrifice, believers: and later for the practice of redeeming the first- born son. Whereas the Hebrew were set apart from the Canaanite neighbors and their God, thus the “This means that it is not the children of and his rescue by God, Who also the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are reckoned

7 Ibid, Genesis 35: 2, pg. 31. 8 The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version, 10 The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version, Joshua 24: 2-3, (Bangalore: Collins for Psalm 106:37-39, (Bangalore: Collins for Theological Publications in India, 1988) pg. 210. Theological Publications in India, 1988), pg 563- 9 Ibid, Genesis 17:11-13, Pg. 12. 564.

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-3, Issue-10, 2017 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

as descendants.”11 content of the story.There are indirect references in the Quran to some Biblical stories which are connected to Abraham for example Destruction of Thus the legacy of Abraham and his descendants (Sura 26:160), the ’s inherit the world has not come through the visit to with good news, and to establish righteousness of faith: the covenant (Sura 11: 69-73), the stories from Jewish tradition, Talmudic narratives of Abraham “It is adherence of the law who are to be destroying his father’s idols and his argument with the heirs, faith is null and the promise is 12 his family saying it was their chief who struck void.” them, if they can speak ask them (21:58-63). There is also the incident of being thrown into a furnace Both Judaism and Christianity accept the Biblical and surviving through providential intervention narrative that the promise was passed through (21:68-70). Thus throughout the Quranic Abraham Isaac, the legal son of Abraham, the son of his old has been presented as one in a long line of prophets age, but not through Ishmael the eldest son by of Islam a model of monotheistic worshipers, the concubine of Abraham. The contention hostile to idol worshipers as follows: is whether the promise is for the physical (the children of Israel) or the spiritual inheritors of i) It is Abraham who gave the name Muslim to the Abraham. Often Christian suggests that followers of : God’s covenant to the Jews, “the people of God” applies also to the Gentile Christian, and dispels the idea that only the Jews have benefited from the “Fight for the cause of Allah with the gifts which the Lord God has promised to devotion due to Him. He has chosen you Abraham. This was the running theme in the mind and laid on you no burdens in the of early Christian, through Paul’s Abraham of faith. observance of your faith, the faith of This is the main reason why Abraham became a Ibrahim your father. He has given you the centre of controversy between Judaism and name of before and in this so that Christianity. His may be witnesses for your fellow-men.”13 Abraham exposed in the Quran: We see that the Quran over all takes Abraham in a direction ii) The true religion: It is only who substantially different from that of Genesis. Thus taught the religion of Abraham, , and the Ibrahim of the Quran is quite a different figure Jesus: from the Biblical Abraham as the father of the “He has ordained for you the faith which nation, his theological and chronological function He enjoined on Nuh and which we have and the state of relationship with God and the revealed to you and which we enjoined on people are very differently understood. Ibrahim, Musa and Isa, (saying): ‘Observe this faith and be not divided therein.’ Hard What does the Quran say about Abraham? In the for the polytheists are that to which you Quran there are 69 verses in which Abraham is call them, Allah chooses to Himself whom mentioned by name, and he is the second most He will, and guides to Himself those that often mentioned Biblical figure after Moses. There repent.”14 are likewise other Biblical references found in Quran, equipped from Jewish traditions circulating iii) Just as Muhammad had a book from God, in the seventh century A.D., but there is no Biblical also Moses received from God Torah: or direct reference to Genesis. Incredibly, throughout the Quran, Abraham’s name is “All this is written in earlier scriptures; the repeatedly used, the difference between the two scripture of Ibrahim and Musa”15 holy scriptures being that the Quran normally does not have one particular section clearly telling the iv) The first and a model: Judaism called story of individuals; for example in the Holy Bible, Abraham the father of the nation, for Christianity Genesis chapter12 to chapter 25, deals with Abrahamic stories, but making multiple references where the reader is already familiar with the 13 The Quran, 22:78, (: , Dear Al-Choura , 1980), Pg 247. 11 Ibid, Romans 9:8, Pg 149. 12 The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version, 14 The Quran, Surah 42:13, (Beirut: Lebanon, Dear Romans 4:14, (Bangalore: Collins for Al-Choura , 1980), 357. Theological Publications in India, 1988), pg145. 15 Ibid., 87:19,Pg 451.

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-3, Issue-10, 2017 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in he is the father of faith, and Islam calls him the first round it, who meditate in it, and who imam and the leader of mankind. kneel and prostrate themselves.”19

“When his Lord put Ibrahim to the proof “And when Ibrahim and Ismail built the by enjoining on him certain house and dedicated it, they said: ‘Accept commandments and Ibrahim fulfilled this from us Lord. You are the hearing the them, He said: ‘I have appointed you a knowing.”20 leader of mankind.”16 To this Guillaume argues and points out: Likewise Abraham becomes future leader and model for Muhammad in the line of Ismail. a) We don’t have chronological evidence for the Abraham in the Quran is supporter to Islamic claim that Abraham and Ishmael were ever in doctrines such as belief in Judgment day, whereas , in the Bible this belief is only introduced much b) If there has been any such tradition it should be later by the prophets. proved and explained,

c) Name Ishmael in the Quran is borrowed from “‘Allah has begotten a son.’ Glory be to either Greek or Syriac that is from the Christian Him. He is what the and the earth traditions, contain; all things are obedient to Him. d) whereas for centuries the name Ishmael was Creator of the heaven and the earth! When forgotten by the Arabs, and He decrees a thing, He need only say ‘Be,’ and it is.”17 e) It is incredible and beyond understanding to believe that the has been built by Abraham v. The hostility and hatred: and Ishmael. The Hadiths of Muhammad refer to the The Quranic Abraham binding or Akedah event, this tradition says that also supports the same doctrine that Muhammad Abraham sacrificed his beloved son Isaac, but not taught of hatred and enmity of the un-believers, Ishmael. Thus the Quran may be referring to “We are clear of you and that which you worship Ishmael as the prophet of God similar to Abraham; besides Allah. We renounce you: enmity and hate in the same context the Bible calls them patriarchs shall reign between us until you believe in Allah and the Quran calls them prophets among whom only; accept Ibrahim’s saying to his father: the name of Ishmael could be found. Thus we have a Quranic reference where Jacob himself was “I shall implore Allah to forgive you, called Ishmael among the fathers: although I have no power to save you from His punishment.” Lord, in you we “Or were you present when death came to have put our trust; do not make us a trial Yaqub? He said to his children: ‘what will for the unbeliever. Forgive us, our Lord; you worship when I am gone?’ They 18 you are the mighty, the wise one.” replied: ‘we will worship your God and vi) The Kaaba and Ishmael Abraham’s elder son: the God of your forefathers Ibrahim and Ismail and Ishaq: the one God. To him, we Another Abrahamic difference in the Quran is that will surrender ourselves.”21 Abraham and his son Ishmael built the Kaaba in Mecca and demonstrated it as a place of worship: Nevertheless there is reference to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob without the reference to Ishmael. “And when we made the house a resort and sanctuary for mankind saying: ‘Make The religion of Abraham was it Islam: the place where Ibrahim stood a house of worship, ‘we enjoined Ibrahim and Ismail In many places in Quran there is a to cleanse our house for those who walk repetition of the phrase Abraham’s religion:

“Say: Allah has declared the truth. Follow the faith of Ibrahim. He was an upright

16 Ibid., 2:123, Pg 13. 19 Ibid., 2: 125, Pg 13. 17 Ibid., 2:216, Pg 23. 20 Ibid., 2:127, Pg 14. 18 The Quran, Surah 60: 4 (Beirut: Lebanon, Dear 21 The Quran, Surah 2:33, (Beirut: Lebanon, Dear Al-Choura , 1980),Pg 412:413. Al-Choura , 1980),Pg 2:133.

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-3, Issue-10, 2017 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

man, no polytheist.”22 Say: “People of the any discrimination; “They shall be rewarded by book, why do you deny the revelations of Allah. He is forgiving, Merciful.”29 Allah? He bears witness to all your actions.”23Say: “, why do you debar believers from the path of Allah and seek to make it crooked when Archetype and Model: you know that it is straight? Allah is 24 From the Quranic view Abraham was the archetype watching over all your actions.” and the master-cope for the Muslims, he is used by the as a ‘stick to beat the heads of Christians and the Jews.’ Muslims also are commanded to follow the religion of Abraham as the religion of Islam is the authentic Judaic and Christian:

Muhammad: “Then we revealed to you: Follow the faith of saintly Ibrahim: he was no According to Quran beside Abraham, Moses and polytheist. 25 ” Jesus also were Muslim prophets thus Islam is the Thus according to Quran it is Islam who follows true heritage of Jews and Christians, yet those Jews and Christians were converted to Islam are the religion of Abraham and the Muhammad’s followers have the upper side to claim and not the reverting to be faith of the patriarchs returning to religion of idolaters: thus Abraham was neither Jew the one true religion. nor Christian. Abraham is the Division in the Semitic faith: “Ibrahim was neither Jew nor Christian. He was an upright man, one who had As a matter of fact Abraham is an intensely surrendered himself to Allah. He was no divisive of Semitic faith. For the Christian he is the polytheist. Surely the men who are nearest father of faith, for the Jews he is the Torah to Ibrahim are those who follow him; this observant father of the Jewish nation and the prophet, and the true believers. Allah is 26 irrevocable covenant with the Jews, and Muslims the guardian of the faithful.” represent as an archetypical original model.

“Say: we believe in Allah and that which Origin of Abrahamic religion: is revealed to us, and in what was revealed to Ibrahim, Ismail, Ishaq, Yaqub and the Youakim Moubarac was a Lebanese tribes; to Musa and Isa and the other following him favoured Islam as a faith of genuine prophets from their lord. We make no revelation and Muhammad as a prophet, but more distinction between any of them, and to primitive stage than Christianity. Moubarac wrote 27 Allah we have surrendered ourselves.” his doctoral dissertation in 1951 on “Abraham dans le Coran” on the topic of Abraham in Islam. But Abraham should be accepted by all the Muslims: later on he was influence on teaching of Vatican II Council’s reasoning on Islam, which has formed in It is said that Muslims are commanded to make no the “Catechism of the Catholic ” which discrimination: “They all believe in Allah, and considers Christianity and Islam as united by his , his books, and his ; we adoration of the one God. discriminate against none of his apostles. They say we hear and obey. Grant us your forgiveness, 841 The Church’s relationship with the Lords; to you we shall all return.”28 Thus any one Muslims: “The plan of salvation also accepts Abraham as the prophet of Allah he also includes those who acknowledge the accepts Muhammad also, he who does not make creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, 30 22 mankind s judge on the last day. Ibid., 3:95, Pg 43. ’ ” 23 Ibid., 3:98,Pg 43. 24 Ibid., 3:99, Pg 43. 25 Ibid 16: 123, Pg 200. 26 The Quran, Surah 3: 67-68, (Beirut: Lebanon, 29 Ibid 4:152, Pg70. Dear Al-Choura , 1980),Pg 40. 30 Catechism of the Catholic Church, article 841, 27 Ibid., 2: 136, Pg 14. (Bangalore: Theological Publication in India 2009), 28 Ibid., 2:285, Pg 34 Pg 171

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-3, Issue-10, 2017 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

The Perfection in Abrahamic world: 1. Audi Robert, The Cambridge Dictionary of Father Youakim Moubarac in the theme of Philosophy, United Kingdom: Cambridge, Abrahamic faith says, that could unite the University Press, 1995. Abrahamic religions into one family and he says 2. Braybrooke Marcus, Christian-Jewish Dialogue: “promote an egalitarian in which Jews, The Next Steps, London: SCM Press, 2000. Christians and Muslims demonstrate together its 3. Bethune Pierre-Francois De, : Interreligious Abrahamic and ecumenical vocation.” Hospitality: The Fulfilment of Dialogue. Collegeville, Minnesota: Liturgical Press Collegeville Minnesota, 2010. The middle Eastern would be perfect while 4. Beversluis Joel edited, Sourcebook of the promoting the following points: world’s Religions, California: New World Library Novato, 2000. i) Promotion of the Abrahamic faith as a yardstick 5. Bodhasarananda Swami, The Complete Works of interreligious dialogue in the vision of peace in of Swami Vivekananda, Volume 1, Kolkata: the middle East; Advaita Ashrama, 2013. 6. Bodhasarananda Swami, The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Volume 2, Kolkata: ii) Jews, Christians and Muslims should live side Advaita Ashrama, 2013. by side in unity and harmony; 7. Bodhasarananda Swami, The Complete Works iii) The religious leaders come out with force to of Swami Vivekananda, Volume 3, Kolkata: destroy evil against human beings and fight for Advaita Ashrama, 2013. justice. 8. Cornille Catherine edited: The Wiley-Blackwell iv) Abandoning any plans of forced conversions. Companion to Inter-Religious Dialogue. Till now the internal goal of Islamic terrorism is a Main Street, Malden, United States of process which is now reaching end game stage, in America: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., and also . Publication, 2013. 9. Cornille Catherine & Christopher edited: Interreligious Hermeneutics. Eugene: Wipf William Rowan says on the Sharia law, “It is not as and Stock Publishers, 2010. if we’re bringing in an alien and rival system.” Of 10. Cornille Catherine edited, Criteria of its alien offensive discourse on women he says that, Discernment in Interreligious Dialogue, “sharia courts in the UK, are not for the rights of United States of America: Cascade Books Muslim women.” However, when William learned Eugene, Oregon, 2009. of the underlying unity of the Abrahamic faiths, he 11. Cornille Catherine & Stephanie edited, apologized for his comments on the sharia law. Interreligious Dialogue and Cultural Change, United States of America: Cascade The conclusion: Books, Eugene, Oregon, 2012.

12. Cornille Catherine & Jullian, Women and

Interreligious Dialogue, United States of Thus in the contemporary world Abrahamic faith America: Cascade Books, Eugene, Oregon, must be used to bring peace, harmony, and co- 2013. existence. We see that there is disharmony all over 13. Cornille Catherine, The impossibility of the world, for centuries Christians as well as Jews Interreligious dialogue, New York: A Herder have been suffering in the Middle East imposed by & Herder Book, 2008. fraud upon the unaware West. Thus it is the 14. Catechism of the Catholic Church. Bangalore: dogmatic and Islamic extremist worldview of The conference of the Catholic Bishops of relations between faiths. Let us have constructive India, 2009. dialogue on what are the viewpoints of Abraham 15. Dr. Vempeny Ishanand, S. J., Krsna and Christ, on the different faiths. We should remember that Gujarat: Sahitya Prakashan, 1988. the three major monotheistic religions are based on 16. Flannery Austin edited, O.P., Vatican Council a faith referring back to Abraham and work the II, The Conciliar and Post-Conciliar three interpretations. One should take Abraham as Documents. Bandra: St Paul Press Training a yardstick of peace, unity and harmony in the School 1992. context of theological continuity. On the contrary 17. Flannery Austin, O.P., edited, Vatican we see that Abraham has become a divisive force Collection, Vatican Council II, The between the Semitic faiths. Conciliar and Post-Conciliar Documents,

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-3, Issue-10, 2017 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

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