Comparative Theology · Common Ground
Abraham fell on his face before God
In short
- 1.Genesis 17:3 has Abraham (PBUH) fall facedown.
- 2.Prostration is the Bible's own posture of worship.
- 3.Islam kept it; most churches did not.
The claim being examined
Genesis records Abraham (PBUH) prostrating when God speaks to him.
The Islamic position
Muslims call Abraham (PBUH) Ibrahim (PBUH) and follow the same posture of humility before God.
Analysis
The Hebrew verb here, va-yippol al panav, is the same idiom used of Moses (PBUH), Aaron (PBUH), Joshua and Ezekiel. Prostration is not an eastern innovation - it is biblical.
From the Qur'an
وَإِذْ بَوَّأْنَا لِإِبْرَٰهِيمَ مَكَانَ ٱلْبَيْتِ أَن لَّا تُشْرِكْ بِى شَيْـًۭٔا وَطَهِّرْ بَيْتِىَ لِلطَّآئِفِينَ وَٱلْقَآئِمِينَ وَٱلرُّكَّعِ ٱلسُّجُودِ
wa-idh bawwanā li-ib'rāhīma makāna l-bayti an lā tush'rik bī shayan waṭahhir baytiya lilṭṭāifīna wal-qāimīna wal-rukaʿi l-sujūdi
And bow and prostrate, and worship your Lord.
From the Bible
Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence.
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