The Abrahamic Call

I've been intending to start a newsletter that provides profound and clear insights on the Abrahamic restoration and what that practically means. Seemingly, this weekend feels like the most fitting time to begin as it coincides with the Day of Arafah, the Day of Sacrifice, and the Days of "Drying meat" - all of which signify the sacred pilgrimage (Hajj) month.

“The Day of Arafah, the Day of Sacrifice (Nahr), and the Days of "Drying meat" (Tashrīq) is our commemoration, people of Abrahamic submission. They are the days of eating and drinking.

(al-Tirmidhī)

The final messenger of God, Muhammad - the descendant of Ishmael and Abraham, may peace be upon them all and may their legacy endure, spoke of this occasion as a festival for those loyal to the Abrahamic tradition. What renders it a festival, as related by the final Prophet's apostle Umar b. al-Khattāb, is that on the Day of Arafah which coincided with a Friday, God declared:

Today I have completed your code (dīn) for you all, fulfilled My favour upon you all, and I am (only) pleased with (Abrahamic) submission as the code you live by. (Quran 5:3)

The Prophet and those with him viewed Arafah Day as commemorating the fulfilment of the covenantal law and the Abrahamic code. The Day of Arafah is not merely a rite or observance but a marking of the covenantal, codified Law with the first iteration sent down at Mount Sinai to Moses for Israelite custodianship. A day when the Abrahamic code of decency, fairness, covenant, and clarity was completed with the fulfilment of God’s favour to the progeny of Abraham through the line of Ishmael as new custodians of the covenant.

Marking the Day of Sacrifice, as described in the Proclamation (22:27–41) encapsulates a comprehensive framework for responding to the primordial call of Abraham, emphasising covenantal fidelity (fealty), Hanīfiyyah (Abrahamic covenatal submission), loyalty, allegiance, and an active role in upholding God’s divine order. Broken down, it looks like this:

1. Responding to the Call of Abraham (22:27):
   Abraham’s call symbolises an enduring summons to turn towards God’s covenant. It is a timeless call drawing on the King's disparate legions towards unity in subservience to the King.

2. Venerating the Symbols of God (22:30, 32):
   Honouring God’s symbols (sha‘ā’ir'el-Lāh) signifies acts of reverence, humility, and devotion. Symbolically, this embodies a state of submission and awareness, anchoring the faithful in reminders of God’s sovereignty and reinforcing their collective purpose.

3. Giving Fealty (Pledge of Loyalty and Allegiance):
   The verses implicitly speak to a covenantal commitment, a solemn declaration of fidelity towards God. This fealty binds individuals into a loyal legions spread across the world who are committed to the mission of safeguarding the divine order and adhering steadfastly to the law, and upholding God's sovereignty.

4. Hanīfiyyah (22:31):
   The reference to Hanīfiyyah explcitly refers to a restoration of the primordial tradition of Abraham. This tradition necessitates the rejection of false allegiance and corruption of the social order, grounding humans in exeistential coherence.

5. Loyalty and Allegiance (22:34–38):
   The sacrifices and rites described further reinforce allegiance and represent allegiance to the King alone alone. These acts of devotion manifest loyalty and reaffirm the commitment to live, act and uphold the covenantal Decree.

6. Fighting in the King’s Cause (22:39–41):
   The command to fight refers to proactive resistance against injustice, corruption and the assertion of God's harmonious order. It is not merely military engagement. It embodies an ethical and societal effort to uphold God's order through commanding right and forbidding wrong in dedication to maintaining harmony and justice under God’s sovereignty. God immediately continues, speaking of permission to pushback against the enemies of good. The "permission" signifies the idea that violence is a last resort, when reason and decency become redundant, and force is required. "God will defend the faithful" who are "permitted to take up arms because they have been wronged", "driven unjustly from their homes only for saying, ‘Our Lord is God.’" For those who remain loyal in their pledge to serve and giving him fealty which is exemplified in the Hajj month, "God is sure to help those who help His cause". These are the people of the Abrahamic covenant, who "uphold salāh, give zakāt, command what is right, and forbid what is wrong."

There is, however, a bitter irony in how this weekend has come to be marked. It is a secular celebration of identity, a badge of ethno-religious distinction. The faithful reject this. The true celebration is of law, guidance, and the covenant. And to celebrate it, one logically needs to know about the covenant and have been empowered by it. It is a tribute to the alignment of our lives with the order of the cosmos (qadr) and to the favour granted to those loyal to the way of Abraham. We emulate what Muhammad was commanded:

Say: My Lord has guided me to a straight path, an enduring code, the tradition of Abraham, the Hanīf. He was not one to associate others with God;'s sovereignty. Say: My prayers and sacrifices, my life and death, are all for God, Lord of all the realms. None share in His rule. This is what I am commanded, and I am the first to submit.

(Quran 6:161–162)

In sum, Quran 22:27–41 symbolically constructs a holistic ethos: the Children of Adam responding to Abraham’s primordial call, venerating the King's symbols to reinforce communal unity, pledging allegiance and upholding God's unique sovereignty, and actively defending God’s intended order, embodying an enduring covenant that establishes divine authority and societal harmony.

Welcome our newsletter providing you with exclusive and quality insights on the civilisational tradition of primordial subservience to the true Sovereign.

May God grant you steadfastness, loyalty, and noble purpose, cultivating you in the legacy of the patriarchs and empower you through His final Proclamation, revealed to the last great Prophet: Muhammad son of Abdullah (Abdiel), from the tribe of Quraysh, of the tents of Kedar the son of Ishmael, the firstborn of Abraham, the friend of God.

Salutations to you all on the Day of Sacrifice, Yowm Nahr.