Abraham’s religion launches a third monotheistic code

Formulation of the claim

The religion of Abraham in the Qur’an represents a third launch of the monotheistic code.

Explanation

Arkoun presents the religion of Abraham as an extension of the monotheistic path, not merely a repetition of what came before it, since it comes after Judaism and Christianity within a new religious shift in meaning and reference. In this horizon, Abraham is linked to the reestablishment of monotheistic signification within Islam.

The value of this proposition, for Arkoun, lies in the fact that it places Islam within a historical series of monotheistic formations, where the reference to Abraham is understood not only as a narrative remembrance, but as a sign of the beginning of a third phase of monotheism.

Its place in the book’s argument

This atom belongs to the book’s attempt to read the Qur’an in relation to the history of monotheistic religions, rather than as a text separate from those that preceded it. It supports theses close to the idea of comparing Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and of rethinking Abraham’s place within this framework.

Limits of the claim

This atom should not be taken to mean a final break with the two preceding religions, nor reduced to a simple theological statement. Nor does it say that the whole content of Islam is reducible to Abraham; rather, it highlights his symbolic place within the monotheistic structure.

Brief evidence passage

Within this broad sense of historical science, we should study Qur’anic figures, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, in particular. In the semiotic sense of the word, the religion of Abraham as it is formed in the Qur’an is of paramount importance, in the sense that it constitutes a new launch of the monotheistic religious code in relation to all systems of meaning that would later appear within the Islamic framework. For this very reason, Islam became the third monotheistic religion after Judaism and Christianity.

Nearby links

• Judaism
• Islam
• Abraham