Learning from Quran and Torah about Abraham’s 10 Trials

The descendants of Ishmael and the Descendants of Isaac both treasure their common ancestor Prophet Abraham, “whom God chose to be His friend. ” (Qur’an 4:125 & Isaiah 41:8) Abraham is the only person ever to be given this great honor. Why?

There is an old Jewish tradition, written down in the second century, that “Abraham was tried by 10 trials and withstood them all. This teaches us how beloved Prophet Abraham was by God.” (Mishnah Avot 5:3) This is one reason that Abraham’s life is so important for the spiritual development of Christianity, Islam and Judaism.

The first four trials of the 10 were pre Ishmael and Isaac: The first trial according to Rabbi Moses ben Maimon, who was born in Cordova in 1135, and spent most of his life as an immigrant in Morocco and Egypt, was becoming an immigrant, when God said to him “Get yourself out of your land etc.” (Genesis 12:1-5) Leaving one’s own birthplace for a distant land is always a difficult process.

The second trial was the ‘famine in the land’ of Canaan once he arrived there. (Genesis 12:10) This was the place in which God’s promise would be fulfilled “I will make you a great nation” (12:2) but that would not happen in a land of starvation. That is the sense of “There was a famine in the land.” so Abraham and Sarah had to leave the Land of Israel for Egypt, where Sarah would be endangered.

The third trial was when Sarah was seized and taken into the Pharaoh’s harem. (Genesis 12:14-15) Because of Sarah’s great virtue and her lofty prophetic abilities she was freed; but Abraham was deeply pained all the time Sarah was in Pharaoh’s clutches.

The fourth trial was Abraham’s battle with the four kings (Genesis 14:5-15) Even a successful war is traumatic to a good religious soul.

The fifth of the 10 trials was taking Hagar the Egyptian as a wife after he despaired of having a child with Sarah. (Genesis 16:1-4).

The sixth of the ten trials was the circumcision God commanded Abraham to do at a very advanced age. “Abraham was 99 years old when he circumcised the flesh of his foreskin and his son Ishmael was 13 years old when he was circumcised. (Genesis 17:24) Abraham felt the pain that Ishmael suffered even more than his first born son did; because Ishmael showed his submission to God’s will with great devotion. Ishmael’s dedication is related to Muslims in the Qur’an.

The seventh trial was the violence of the King of Gerar against Abraham and Sarah by taking Sarah away (Genesis 20:2). The second trauma of separation from a beloved wife is even more painful than the first.

The eighth of the 10 trials was the exile of Hagar the Egyptian who had given Abraham a child. (Genesis 21:9-21)

The ninth of the 10 trials was Abraham’s feeling a sense of loss due to his distance from his son Ishmael. God may have said to him, “Do not be distressed over the boy” (Genesis 21:12), but Scripture had already informed us how hard it was for him to do this: “This matter distressed Abraham greatly” (Genesis 21:11). Nevertheless, Abraham kept God’s command and stayed far away from the two of them.

Hajar/Hagar and her son Ishmael traveled south from Israel and settled in an arid place near the ruins of an ancient temple. According to the Qur’an Abraham prayed for them, “I have settled some of my family in a barren valley near your Sacred House…” (Qur’an 14:37)

This resulted in a blessing for the descendants of Ishmael who, in later years, helped his father reconstruct the ruins of this ancient temple of God, the Kaaba, in Makka. (Qur’an 2:125-127, 14:35-37, 22:26)

A Hadith in Bukhari describes it thus: Abraham brought Ishmael’s mother and her son Ishmael while she was suckling him, to a place near the Kaaba under a tree on the spot of Zam-zam, at the highest place in the mosque.

During those days there was nobody in Makka, nor was there any water. So he made them sit over there and placed near them a leather bag containing some dates, and a small water-skin containing some water, and set out homeward.

Ishmael’s mother followed him saying, “O Abraham! Where are you going, leaving us in this valley where there is no person whose company we may enjoy, nor is there anything (to enjoy)?” She repeated that to him many times, but he did not look back at her.

Then she asked him, “Has God ordered you to do so?” He said, “Yes.” She said, “Then God will not neglect us,” and returned while Abraham proceeded onwards. On reaching Thaniya where they could not see him, Abraham faced the Kaaba, and raising both hands, invoked God with the following prayer:

“O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring dwell in a valley without cultivation, by Your Sacred House (Kaba at Mecca) in order, O our Lord, that they may offer prayer perfectly. Fill the hearts of people with love towards them, and provide them with fruits, so that they may give thanks” (Qur’an 14:37).

Ishmael’s mother went on suckling Ishmael and drinking from the water (she had).” (Bukhari Volume 4, Book 55, Number 583)

Thus the first four trails were pre Ishmael and Isaac, three of the first nine trials of Abraham involve the Ishmael side and only two involve the Isaac side of Abraham’s family. The tenth and most awesome involves them both.

The tenth and final trial according to Rabbi Moses ben Maimon, was the binding of Isaac and the terrible discovery that while Abraham and Isaac were away, Sarah had died. Not being at Sarah’s side when she died caused Abraham anguish for the rest of his life.

The Qur’an (37:100-112) does not mention the name of Abraham’s son wherewith Abraham was tested; but the passage ends with the statement that God gave Abraham the good news of Isaac, which implies that Isaac was born shortly afterwards. The Torah focuses on Isaac’s life more than Ishmael’s so it is not unexpected that Genesis 22 is all about Abraham and Isaac.

The Qur’an hints at a solution to the question of the son’s name. Abraham was tested with both sons because both Genesis 22 and Qur’an 37:100-112 use a similar phrase “they both submitted; (37:103) and “They both walked together” (22:6 &8) to indicate unity of purpose in serving God.

May all Jews and Muslims follow the example of Abraham and his two sons; and walk together in submitting to God’s teachings.