Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Burhan:

All Muslims and Jews and the Christians, Children of the Book, are also supposed to be children of Abraham. The Hindus are children of Brahama. Why such similarity in the name of our Father. The letter 'a' at the end of Brahama if brought in the front spells  Abraham !

Are we not All children of Brahma, or Abraham ?

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Children of Abraham or Brahma

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Other than the Jews, who are all indeed from the children of Prophet Yaqoob (a.s.) because they do not accept conversions in their religion, can claim to be the children of Prophet Ibraheem (a.s.). But it is not a true assumption that all the Chrisitans and the Muslims are all children of Prophet Ibraheem (a.s.).

Secondly, the name and figure of ‘Brahma’ is not a reality but based on absolute and complete mythology. Comparing an imaginary figure like Brahma to the Noble Friend and Messenger of Allah, Prophet Ibraheem (a.s.), is like comparing a human being of flesh and bones like Osama bin Ladin to an imaginary figure like Batman!

Your Question: Are we not All children of Brahma, or Abraham ?

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 49 Surah Hujuraat verse 13: O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah Nisaa verse 1: O mankind! Reverence your Guardian-Lord Who created you from a single person created of like nature his mate and from them twain scattered countless men and women; reverence Allah through Whom ye demand your mutual (rights) and (reverence) the wombs (that bore you): for Allah ever watches over you.

If Truth be told, and one wants to know the original lineage of mankind, then Allah Subhanah declares in His Glorious Quran that every human being is a descendant of Prophet Adam (a.s.); and this fact is also stated in the Book of Genesis in the Bible.

The fact of the matter is that in the sight of Allah Subhanah, it does not matter in the least who is born to whom, or what is a person’s lineage. Allah Declares clearly in the above quoted Aayah of Surah Hujuraat that : Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you.

One could be the son of a great Prophet like Noah (a.s.) and be a disbeliever; and one could be the son of one of the biggest disbelievers like Azar, and could be chosen by Allah Subhanah to become one of the greatest Prophets: The Chosen Friend and Messenger of Allah, Prophet Ibraheem (a.s.). The lineage of a person holds absolutely no weight in the sight of Allah Subhanah; but what does hold weight is the ‘taqwa’ or piety or righteousness of the individual.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan