🕋 Islamic Perspective on the Abrahamic and Sinai Covenants: Relics, Lineage, and Legacy

In the world of Abrahamic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—divine covenants are foundational. But how do Muslims view the Abrahamic Covenant differently from the Sinai (Mosaic) Covenant? And why do Islamic scholars emphasize the presence of relics such as the Kaaba and Maqam Ibrahim?

Let’s explore the Islamic argument step-by-step.

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📜 1. Two Covenants, Two Purposes

🔹 Abrahamic Covenant

• Established between God and Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام)

• Promises: land, descendants, and blessings

• Seen as universal and everlasting

🔹 Sinai Covenant

• Made between God and the Israelites through Moses (Musa عليه السلام)

• Based on laws, rituals, and national identity

• Considered conditional and historically bound

💡 Islamic scholars emphasize that the Abrahamic Covenant is broader and deeper in scope than the Sinai Covenant, which was tailored for a specific people and time.

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🕌 2. Who Inherits Abraham’s Covenant?

Islam teaches that:

• Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is a direct descendant of Abraham through Ishmael

• Muslims are the spiritual heirs of Abraham

• Islam is a continuation and completion of Abraham’s monotheistic path

🧭 “Follow the religion of Abraham, the upright one” (Qur’an 3:95)

Islam doesn’t view itself as a new religion, but as a revival of the original Abrahamic faith—centered on Tawḥīd (absolute monotheism).

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🪨 3. Sacred Relics: Islam vs. Judaism

A unique Islamic argument is based on the physical relics of Abrahamic heritage.

✅ Islam’s Abrahamic Relics

• Kaaba (House of God) – Built by Abraham and Ishmael (Qur’an 2:127)

• Black Stone (Hajar al-Aswad) – Set into the Kaaba by Abraham

• Station of Abraham (Maqam Ibrahim) – Stone where Abraham stood to build the Kaaba

These are living relics, central to Islamic worship to this day.

❌ Judaism’s Absence of Abrahamic Relics

• No relics directly tied to Abraham

• The Ark of the Covenant is significant, but it belongs to the Mosaic era, not Abraham’s

🔍 Islamic scholars argue that this absence suggests a discontinuity in preserving Abraham’s legacy in Jewish tradition.

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📦 4. The Ark of the Covenant: A Mosaic, Not Abrahamic, Relic

The Ark of the Covenant held the stone tablets of the Torah and symbolized God’s presence. However:

• It is connected to Moses, not Abraham

• It was lost during the destruction of the First Temple by the Babylonians

⛔️ Some Islamic scholars interpret this loss as a symbolic end to the Sinai Covenant, highlighting its temporary nature.

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🌍 5. Universality vs. Particularity

Islamic scholars often highlight a critical distinction between the Abrahamic Covenant and the Sinai Covenant in terms of their scope, audience, and enduring relevance.

According to the Islamic perspective, the Abrahamic Covenant is viewed as universal—intended for all of humanity regardless of ethnicity or geography. It is seen as an eternal and inclusive promise, centered on monotheism (Tawḥīd), moral conduct, and submission to God’s will. Muslims believe this covenant continues through the line of Ishmael, culminating in the mission of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, who is regarded as the final messenger to all nations.

In contrast, the Sinai Covenant, established through Moses with the Children of Israel, is seen as particular—limited in scope to a specific people and context. It was tied to a legal code and ritual system meant for the Israelites and was dependent on their obedience. Because of its conditional nature and the eventual loss of key elements like the Ark of the Covenant, Islamic scholars view the Sinai Covenant as historically bound and no longer universally applicable.

This contrast reinforces the Islamic claim that while earlier covenants were authentic, they were limited in time and scope, whereas Islam represents the final, universal fulfillment of God’s covenant with humanity.

📌 Muslims believe their practices are rooted in Abrahamic foundations — not innovations.

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🕊 6. Islam as Fulfillment of the Covenant

Islamic theology often includes a form of supersessionism:

• Islam is the final and complete revelation

• It confirms what came before (Torah, Gospel) and corrects distortions

• The Qur’an is the final testament, just as Muhammad ﷺ is the Seal of the Prophets

🕯 “This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you…” (Qur’an 5:3)

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✅ Summary: Why Islam Claims Abraham’s Legacy

🔑 Key Arguments by Islamic Scholars:

• Islam preserves Abraham’s practices and relics

• Muhammad ﷺ is a descendant of Abraham through Ishmael

• The Sinai Covenant was limited in scope and its relic (the Ark) is lost

• The Abrahamic Covenant, as revived in Islam, is universal, unbroken, and active

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📚 Final Thought

While Jewish and Christian traditions have their own views on covenants and divine legacy, the Islamic perspective offers a compelling theological and symbolic continuity with Abraham—not just through scripture, but also through sacred space, ritual, and lineage.

🕋 In every circumambulation of the Kaaba and every prayer facing it, Muslims affirm their living connection to the covenant of Abraham.

— Azahari Hassim

Founder, The World of Abrahamic Theology