Abraham
Abraham (Hebrew) "father of many" or, as a contraction of Abram(Hebrew)  "many, multitude". The biblical patriarch Abraham was originally amed Abram, but his name was changed.
_______________________________________
 Abraham was born, according to Jewish records, under the name Abram in the city of Ur in Babylonia around 2100 BC. About one-fourth of the world's population can trace itself, directly or indirectly, back to Abraham

Four of the five major religious systems claim Abraham as their founder.

Judaism claims Abraham as its father.They claim that his blessings passed down through his son Isaac.

Christianity is essentially a mutated Jewish religion. Jesus was a Jew, who tried to uplift the Jewish religion of his time. Christians assert spiritual descent from Abraham. By accepting Jesus, they they claim to inherit the blessings God gave to Abraham through Jesus who is said to be descended from Abraham.

Islam is derived from Jewish and Christian sources and claims Abraham as its father. The Arabs claim that the blessing given to Abraham passed on to his son Ishmael, who was of Egyptian ancestry.

Brahmanism can be traced back to Abraham. When Keturah and her large family and servants and cattle and goods, moved eastward, they grew and within a few years became a small nation.  About this time the Brahmists invaded India.  They are called Brahamists because they worship their ancestor/god. Brahma. Transpose one letter and add an A and you get Abraham. If you read Genesis it is obvious that the family of Abraham were racists, trying to keep non-Semites from mixing with them.. Brahamists introduced the caste (racial purity) system to India.

All in all, Abraham has made a big impression on the world.

The history of Abraham
He was the son of Terah, an statue merchant, but from his early childhood, he questioned the faith of his father and sought truth. It was revealed to him that the entire universe was the work of  God.

Abram tried to convert his father, Terah, from the use of sacred images. One day, when Abram was left alone to mind the store, he took a hammer and smashed all of the idols except the largest one. He placed the hammer in the hand of the largest idoland later told his father,  "The idols got into a fight, and the big one smashed the others." His father said, "That can't be. The idols can't move or do anything." Abram replied, "Then why do you worship them?"

Abram married his cousin, left his father's home and became a nomad in the southwestern wilderness. Abram was called a Hebrew possibly because Eber was his grandfather. Abraham travelled back and forth as a merchant or trader between Egypt and Assyria. He traded with the Pharoah who, as a token of their friendship, gave him his daughter Hagar,  At his wife's suggestion Abram had a child by Hagar. He grew old and had no other children.

But Abram was concerned, because he had no children and he was growing old. Abram's beloved wife, Sarai, knew that she was past child-bearing years, so she offered her maidservant, Hagar, as a wife to Abram. This was a common practice in the region at the time. According to tradition, Hagar was a daughter of Pharaoh, given to Abram during his travels in Egypt. She bore Abram a son, Ishmael, who, according to both Muslim and Jewish tradition, is the ancestor of the Arabs.

When Abram was about 100, a meteorite fell from the sky near him and he saw it as a sign. Using the traditional divination tools available to him, he came to the understanding that God was promising him that he would be the father of many nations and that God had given him the whole land of Canaan" for his descendants. In exchange Abram's name was changed to Abraham and he and his descendents were to worship God faithfully. The sacrifice of circumcision was to be the sign of this everlasting covenant.

Sarai's name was changed to Sarah and, miracle of miracles, at the age of 90 she for him a son, Isaac (a name which means "laughter," because Sarah laughed at the idea of becoming a mother at 90). She lived 35 years after giving birth.

After his wife died, Abraham took another wife, Keturah,  who gave him children and grandchildren. Before he died at the age of 175 (believe it or not - it's in the book!) Abraham sent his wife , her children and grandchildren, and his concubines and their offspring away to the east country.
                           


.