tawḥīd

Ibrahim and the Discovery of the Self Abstract Faith (īmān) in Islam is not a static possession but a transformative process—a journey of questioning, discovery, and surrender. The Qur’anic narrative of the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) presents the archetype of faith as existential movement rather than inherited belief. As the one who first called his followers muslimūn (those who surrender) (Qur’an 22:78), Ibrahim situates Islam’s origins in personal discovery rather than social conformity. His life traces a profound trajectory—from youthful rebellion against idolatry to the mature submission that defines tawḥīd, the oneness of God. This paper explores Ibrahim’s journey as an allegory of faith in Islam: beginning with negation (lā ilāha), the rejection of false gods and imposed beliefs, and culminating in affirmation (illā allāh), the realization of the transcendent source of all meaning. Faith, in this sense, is not inherited but found; not imposed but realized through the freedom of the self to say “no.” Introduction: Faith as Movement, Not Possession Within the Islamic tradition, īmān is not understood merely as the acceptance of dogma, but as an evolving act of becoming—a perpetual unfolding of consciousness toward the Divine. The Qur’an repeatedly frames belief not as static certainty but as a journey marked by doubt, inquiry, and testing. The life of Ibrahim, regarded as abū al-anbiyā’ (the father of prophets), provides the paradigmatic model for this journey. The Qur’an explicitly identifies him as “the one who named you muslimūn before” (22:78), situating the very identity of Islam within his spiritual […]