Surah 3:67
"Abraham was not a Jew, nor a Christian, but he was a Ḥanīf, a Muslim. He was not one of the idolaters."
Abraham's Monotheism
Supporting Verses
Surah 2:135 → "They say, ‘Be Jews or Christians, (and then) you will be (rightly) guided.’ Say: ‘No! The creed of Abraham the Ḥanīf. He was not one of the idolaters.’"
Opposing Verses
Surah 6:76 → "When night descended on him, he saw a star. He said, ‘This is my Lord.’ But when it set, he said, ‘I do not love what vanishes.’"
Surah 6:77 → "When he saw the moon rising, he said, ‘This is my Lord.’ But when it set, he said, ‘Surely if my Lord does not guide me, I shall indeed be one of the people who go astray.’"
Surah 6:78 → "When he saw the sun rising, he said, ‘This is my Lord – this is greater!’ But when it set, he said, ‘My people! Surely I am free of what you associate."
This topic explores whether the Quran states that Abraham was always a monotheist or if he was ever an idolater. Some verses state that he was never an idolater, while other verses describe him observing a star, the moon, and the sun, and calling each of them his Lord before turning away from them.
The First Believer or Submitter
Supporting Verses
Surah 26:51 → "Surely we are eager that our Lord should forgive us our sins, because we are the first of the believers.’"
Surah 2:131 → "When his Lord said to him, ‘Submit!,’ he said, ‘I have submitted to the Lord of the worlds.’"
Surah 2:132 → "And Abraham charged his sons with this, and Jacob (did too): ‘My sons! Surely God has chosen the (true) religion for you, so do not die without submitting.’"
Surah 3:33 → "Surely God has chosen Adam and Noah, and the house of Abraham and the house of ‘Imrān over the worlds,"
Surah 3:52 → "When Jesus perceived disbelief from them, he said, ‘Who will be my helpers to God?’ The disciples said, ‘We will be the helpers of God. We believe in God. Bear witness that we submit."
Surah 5:111 → "(Remember) when I inspired the disciples: ‘Believe in Me and in My messenger.’ They said, ‘We believe. Bear witness that we submit.’"
Surah 7:143 → "And when Moses came to Our meeting, and his Lord spoke to him, he said, ‘My Lord, show me (Yourself), so that I may look at You.’ He said, ‘You will not see Me, but look at the mountain. If it remains in its place, you will see Me.’ But when his Lord revealed His splendor to the mountain, He shattered it, and Moses fell down thunderstruck. And when he recovered, he said, ‘Glory to You! I turn to You (in repentance), and I am the first of the believers.’"
Opposing Verses
Surah 26:51 → "Surely we are eager that our Lord should forgive us our sins, because we are the first of the believers.’"
Surah 39:12 → "and I have been commanded to be the first of those who submit.’"
Surah 6:14 → "Say: ‘Shall I take any other ally than God, Creator of the heavens and the earth, when He feeds (others) and is not fed?’ Say: ‘Surely I have been commanded to be the first of those who have submitted,’ and: ‘Do not be one of the idolaters!’"
Surah 6:163 → "He has no associate. With that I have been commanded, and I am the first of those who submit.’"
Surah 7:143 → "And when Moses came to Our meeting, and his Lord spoke to him, he said, ‘My Lord, show me (Yourself), so that I may look at You.’ He said, ‘You will not see Me, but look at the mountain. If it remains in its place, you will see Me.’ But when his Lord revealed His splendor to the mountain, He shattered it, and Moses fell down thunderstruck. And when he recovered, he said, ‘Glory to You! I turn to You (in repentance), and I am the first of the believers.’"
Does the Quran state who was the first to believe or submit to God? Various verses describe different figures as being the 'first' of the believers or those who submit, including Muhammad, Moses, and the Egyptian magicians, while other verses indicate that earlier figures such as Abraham had already submitted.