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Ben Abrahamson

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Rabbinical Historian; Consultant for religious courts; Expert witness concerning Halachic and Shari'ah law, legal systems interactions, historical development of religious/civil law; Requested participant in Religious Diplomacy in areas of conflict in the ME and tension in the EU and Africa.

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Talks by Ben Abrahamson

Israel and Humanity

by Ben Abrahamson and Rebecca Abrahamson

An outline of Rabbi Benamozegh's classic Israel and Humanity

The Persian compared with the Islamic conquest of Jerusalem

by Ben Abrahamson and Rebecca Abrahamson

Outline of the book of same name by Ben Abrahamson

The Scriptural Roots of Modern Political Science: Faith and Citizenship Presentation, Onyx Link Foundation

by Ben Abrahamson and Alsadiqin Press

Onyx Link Foundation, Wales, 2019

An understanding of the scriptural roots of modern political science creates a unified narrative ... more An understanding of the scriptural roots of modern political science creates a unified narrative for Christians, Jews, Muslims, and the non-believer. Modern concepts of nation, citizen, coexistence, equality, rights, faith, law and morality are rooted in the Bible and were revived by Christian Hebraists in the 16th - 18th centuries. The rights that we cherish today were actually revived by deeply religious Christians, on deeply religious grounds, and this has its parallel in the Islamic tradition. The state is meant to function in a back seat position, secondary to the family, tribe, community and guild, policing only to preserve the common good and not to impose values. This is the basic assumption of the scriptural roots of modern political scientists as brought down by Christian Hebraists, this is what avoided civil war in the United Kingdom. We ignore this heritage at our peril.

Papers by Ben Abrahamson

Whoever says the Prophets sinned is simply mistaken

Studies in History and Jurisprudence, 2018

This paper discusses the question posed by the Rabbis of the Talmud concerning whether the prophe... more This paper discusses the question posed by the Rabbis of the Talmud concerning whether the prophets sinned. A similar question is posed in the Islamic tradition, in which was found that prophets don't sin. Ibn Hazm, one of the first and most vocal proponents of the corruption of Hebrew scriptures, declared the Torah invalid because it taught the prophets sinned. However this reflects an lack of familiarity with the Hebrew scriptures and Rabbinic tradition. These verses were interpreted by the Talmudic sages, long before Ibn Hazm, not as referring to sins, but as temporary weaknesses or even as perfectly correct actions given the context of the situation.

Yosef Dhu Nuwas: A Sadducean King with Sidelocks

Studies in History and Jurisprudence, 2011

This paper traces the history and fortunes of the Hellenizing Jewish family of the Tobiads from t... more This paper traces the history and fortunes of the Hellenizing Jewish family of the Tobiads from their Persian roots, to their founding of a petty kingdom at 'Iraq al-Amir, to the Nabataean wars, to the Tubba kings of Himyar. It explores 3rd to 6th century Arabia as an extension of the Second Commonwealth, and a direct descendant of the Tobiad petty kingdom. It also covers the loss of a replica of the Ark of the Covenant adorned even today with the Tobiad/Himyar dove, now buried under a church in Axum, Ethiopia; and discusses the linguistic derivations of Saracen, mushreqoon and "Dhu Nuwas".

The Persian Conquest of Jerusalem in 614CE compared with the Islamic Conquest of 638 CE: Its Messianic Nature and the Role of the Jewish Exilarch

Studies in History and Jurisprudence, 2004

Explores the conquests of Jerusalem in 614CE and 638CE within the context of previous attempts at... more Explores the conquests of Jerusalem in 614CE and 638CE within the context of previous attempts at Jewish restoration. Discusses reasons for a Persian-Jewish alliance and later a Judeo-Arab alliance. In an attempt to reconcile contemporary sources, an account is given of Babylonian Jewish Exilarch Nechemiah ben Hushiel, his brother Shallum (Salman Farsi) and nephew Yakov (Ka'b Al-Ahbar) who played pivotal roles in these conquests. Proposes that the twelve men who went to Mecca to meet with the Prophet were Jewish refugees from Edessa, by way of Medina. Suggesting that the authors of Sefer Zerubavel and of the Prayer of Shimon bar Yochai were Jews from Medina.

The Intended Sacrifice: Ishmael (pbuh) or Isaac (pbuh) ─ A Study In Combined Report

by Ben Abrahamson and Alsadiqin Press

Studies in History and Jurisprudence, 2015

The question of whether Ishmael or Isaac were the intended sacrifice of Abraham has sparked dogma... more The question of whether Ishmael or Isaac were the intended sacrifice of Abraham has sparked dogmatic debate for centuries between Islam and other faiths. It has also been the subject of debate within Islam itself. This article does not focus on who was the intended sacrifice, but rather why there was any debate within Islam. The number of differing ahadith concerning the intended sacrifice is strikingly unusual. We suggest that there were two parallel pre-Islamic traditions that formed an integrated whole: both sons underwent a trial, and that both sons have divinely appointed roles. The technique of combined report is used to show how this is validated by both Islamic and Jewish scriptures. That authentic tradition can be understood to give mutual validation certainly has implications regarding coexistence today.

Reconstructing the Islamic Jewish Calendar

by Ben Abrahamson and Alsadiqin Press

Studies in History and Jurisprudence, 2020

The author traces the roots of the Islamic Calendar to the Jewish calendar.Beginning in 325 CE, t... more The author traces the roots of the Islamic Calendar to the Jewish calendar.Beginning in 325 CE, the Sanhedrin’s role as keeper of the calendar wasdisrupted, its role abolished in 358 CE, and office of Nasi (Patriarch) eliminated in 425 CE. This role was then taken over by Qussay ibn Kilab’s House of Assembly (the Dar al-Nadwah). Using etymological, historiographical and mathematical methods, the author shows that Qussay’s calendar incorporated all the aspects of the Jewish calendar, and introduced two innovations: 1)occasionally deleting Elul for the purpose of keeping Tishrei aligned with the Fall Equinox and 2) exchanging the “sacred” aspect of the four Jewish pilgrimage months to other months. The latter made possible because three ofthe pilgrimages had been forbidden by Rome. Ashura’s connection with YomKippur is explained, and the evolution of the Islamic “leap day” algorithm explored.

Multicovenantism in Judaism and Islam

by Ben Abrahamson, Rebecca Abrahamson, and Alsadiqin Press

Studies in History and Jurisprudence, 2020

"Multicovenantism" is the concept that there are different covenants (brith, sha'aria) for differ... more "Multicovenantism" is the concept that there are different covenants (brith, sha'aria) for different peoples, united by basic universal ethics. In Jewish parlance, these universal ethics are referred to as the Noahide covenant, in Islam, these ethics are referred to as deen, which means basic law. Both Judaism and Islam have strong intellectual frameworks for accepting other religions, provided these religions conform to the basic set of universal ethics. Acceptance and tolerance is found in scripture and in traditional commentary. Familiarity with these sources will empower both the non-believer and the faithful, enabling a culture of tolerance among societies rooted in Abrahamic religions to flourish again.

The Jews of the Qur'an

by Ben Abrahamson, Rebecca Abrahamson, and Alsadiqin Press

Studies in History and Jurisprudence, 2020

The Jews of the Qur'an belonged to varied and mutually exclusive groups. Some Jews joined Muhamma... more The Jews of the Qur'an belonged to varied and mutually exclusive groups. Some Jews joined Muhammad, some opposed him. The majority of Jewish tribes encountered by Muhammad held a Sadducean-based form of Judaism, as opposed to the Rabbinic sect, which was a minority in that area. This may help explain the seemingly contradictory attitude that the Qur'an holds vis a vis the Jews. Contextualizing said verses provides a framework which can eschew ongoing conflict.

The Islamic Jewish Calendar: How the Pilgrimage of the 9th of Av became the Hajj of the 9th of Dhu'al-Hijjah

by Ben Abrahamson and Alsadiqin Press

Studies in History and Jurisprudence , 2007

The Islamic or Hijra calendar is made up of 12 lunar months. Traces of Jewish holidays like Rosh ... more The Islamic or Hijra calendar is made up of 12 lunar months. Traces of Jewish holidays like Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Pesach (Passover) and Shavout (Pentacost) are still evident in this calendar. This can be understood by tracing the history of the Jewish Calendar. It is proposed that when the Sanhedrin was disbanded and a mathematical calendar proposed by Hillel son of R. Yehuda in 358 CE, this was the catalyst for three calendars to develop: 1) The modern Jewish Calender, 2) The pre-Islamic Lunar-Solar Calendar, and 3) a strictly Lunar Calendar that became the modern Islamic Calendar.

(Updated by 2020 paper "Reconstructing the Islamic Jewish Calendar" by same author)

Israel and Humanity

by Ben Abrahamson and Rebecca Abrahamson

An outline of Rabbi Benamozegh's classic Israel and Humanity

The Persian compared with the Islamic conquest of Jerusalem

by Ben Abrahamson and Rebecca Abrahamson

Outline of the book of same name by Ben Abrahamson

The Scriptural Roots of Modern Political Science: Faith and Citizenship Presentation, Onyx Link Foundation

by Ben Abrahamson and Alsadiqin Press

Onyx Link Foundation, Wales, 2019

An understanding of the scriptural roots of modern political science creates a unified narrative ... more An understanding of the scriptural roots of modern political science creates a unified narrative for Christians, Jews, Muslims, and the non-believer. Modern concepts of nation, citizen, coexistence, equality, rights, faith, law and morality are rooted in the Bible and were revived by Christian Hebraists in the 16th - 18th centuries. The rights that we cherish today were actually revived by deeply religious Christians, on deeply religious grounds, and this has its parallel in the Islamic tradition. The state is meant to function in a back seat position, secondary to the family, tribe, community and guild, policing only to preserve the common good and not to impose values. This is the basic assumption of the scriptural roots of modern political scientists as brought down by Christian Hebraists, this is what avoided civil war in the United Kingdom. We ignore this heritage at our peril.

Whoever says the Prophets sinned is simply mistaken

Studies in History and Jurisprudence, 2018

This paper discusses the question posed by the Rabbis of the Talmud concerning whether the prophe... more This paper discusses the question posed by the Rabbis of the Talmud concerning whether the prophets sinned. A similar question is posed in the Islamic tradition, in which was found that prophets don't sin. Ibn Hazm, one of the first and most vocal proponents of the corruption of Hebrew scriptures, declared the Torah invalid because it taught the prophets sinned. However this reflects an lack of familiarity with the Hebrew scriptures and Rabbinic tradition. These verses were interpreted by the Talmudic sages, long before Ibn Hazm, not as referring to sins, but as temporary weaknesses or even as perfectly correct actions given the context of the situation.

Yosef Dhu Nuwas: A Sadducean King with Sidelocks

Studies in History and Jurisprudence, 2011

This paper traces the history and fortunes of the Hellenizing Jewish family of the Tobiads from t... more This paper traces the history and fortunes of the Hellenizing Jewish family of the Tobiads from their Persian roots, to their founding of a petty kingdom at 'Iraq al-Amir, to the Nabataean wars, to the Tubba kings of Himyar. It explores 3rd to 6th century Arabia as an extension of the Second Commonwealth, and a direct descendant of the Tobiad petty kingdom. It also covers the loss of a replica of the Ark of the Covenant adorned even today with the Tobiad/Himyar dove, now buried under a church in Axum, Ethiopia; and discusses the linguistic derivations of Saracen, mushreqoon and "Dhu Nuwas".

The Persian Conquest of Jerusalem in 614CE compared with the Islamic Conquest of 638 CE: Its Messianic Nature and the Role of the Jewish Exilarch

Studies in History and Jurisprudence, 2004

Explores the conquests of Jerusalem in 614CE and 638CE within the context of previous attempts at... more Explores the conquests of Jerusalem in 614CE and 638CE within the context of previous attempts at Jewish restoration. Discusses reasons for a Persian-Jewish alliance and later a Judeo-Arab alliance. In an attempt to reconcile contemporary sources, an account is given of Babylonian Jewish Exilarch Nechemiah ben Hushiel, his brother Shallum (Salman Farsi) and nephew Yakov (Ka'b Al-Ahbar) who played pivotal roles in these conquests. Proposes that the twelve men who went to Mecca to meet with the Prophet were Jewish refugees from Edessa, by way of Medina. Suggesting that the authors of Sefer Zerubavel and of the Prayer of Shimon bar Yochai were Jews from Medina.

The Intended Sacrifice: Ishmael (pbuh) or Isaac (pbuh) ─ A Study In Combined Report

by Ben Abrahamson and Alsadiqin Press

Studies in History and Jurisprudence, 2015

The question of whether Ishmael or Isaac were the intended sacrifice of Abraham has sparked dogma... more The question of whether Ishmael or Isaac were the intended sacrifice of Abraham has sparked dogmatic debate for centuries between Islam and other faiths. It has also been the subject of debate within Islam itself. This article does not focus on who was the intended sacrifice, but rather why there was any debate within Islam. The number of differing ahadith concerning the intended sacrifice is strikingly unusual. We suggest that there were two parallel pre-Islamic traditions that formed an integrated whole: both sons underwent a trial, and that both sons have divinely appointed roles. The technique of combined report is used to show how this is validated by both Islamic and Jewish scriptures. That authentic tradition can be understood to give mutual validation certainly has implications regarding coexistence today.

Reconstructing the Islamic Jewish Calendar

by Ben Abrahamson and Alsadiqin Press

Studies in History and Jurisprudence, 2020

The author traces the roots of the Islamic Calendar to the Jewish calendar.Beginning in 325 CE, t... more The author traces the roots of the Islamic Calendar to the Jewish calendar.Beginning in 325 CE, the Sanhedrin’s role as keeper of the calendar wasdisrupted, its role abolished in 358 CE, and office of Nasi (Patriarch) eliminated in 425 CE. This role was then taken over by Qussay ibn Kilab’s House of Assembly (the Dar al-Nadwah). Using etymological, historiographical and mathematical methods, the author shows that Qussay’s calendar incorporated all the aspects of the Jewish calendar, and introduced two innovations: 1)occasionally deleting Elul for the purpose of keeping Tishrei aligned with the Fall Equinox and 2) exchanging the “sacred” aspect of the four Jewish pilgrimage months to other months. The latter made possible because three ofthe pilgrimages had been forbidden by Rome. Ashura’s connection with YomKippur is explained, and the evolution of the Islamic “leap day” algorithm explored.

Multicovenantism in Judaism and Islam

by Ben Abrahamson, Rebecca Abrahamson, and Alsadiqin Press

Studies in History and Jurisprudence, 2020

"Multicovenantism" is the concept that there are different covenants (brith, sha'aria) for differ... more "Multicovenantism" is the concept that there are different covenants (brith, sha'aria) for different peoples, united by basic universal ethics. In Jewish parlance, these universal ethics are referred to as the Noahide covenant, in Islam, these ethics are referred to as deen, which means basic law. Both Judaism and Islam have strong intellectual frameworks for accepting other religions, provided these religions conform to the basic set of universal ethics. Acceptance and tolerance is found in scripture and in traditional commentary. Familiarity with these sources will empower both the non-believer and the faithful, enabling a culture of tolerance among societies rooted in Abrahamic religions to flourish again.

The Jews of the Qur'an

by Ben Abrahamson, Rebecca Abrahamson, and Alsadiqin Press

Studies in History and Jurisprudence, 2020

The Jews of the Qur'an belonged to varied and mutually exclusive groups. Some Jews joined Muhamma... more The Jews of the Qur'an belonged to varied and mutually exclusive groups. Some Jews joined Muhammad, some opposed him. The majority of Jewish tribes encountered by Muhammad held a Sadducean-based form of Judaism, as opposed to the Rabbinic sect, which was a minority in that area. This may help explain the seemingly contradictory attitude that the Qur'an holds vis a vis the Jews. Contextualizing said verses provides a framework which can eschew ongoing conflict.

The Islamic Jewish Calendar: How the Pilgrimage of the 9th of Av became the Hajj of the 9th of Dhu'al-Hijjah

by Ben Abrahamson and Alsadiqin Press

Studies in History and Jurisprudence , 2007

The Islamic or Hijra calendar is made up of 12 lunar months. Traces of Jewish holidays like Rosh ... more The Islamic or Hijra calendar is made up of 12 lunar months. Traces of Jewish holidays like Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Pesach (Passover) and Shavout (Pentacost) are still evident in this calendar. This can be understood by tracing the history of the Jewish Calendar. It is proposed that when the Sanhedrin was disbanded and a mathematical calendar proposed by Hillel son of R. Yehuda in 358 CE, this was the catalyst for three calendars to develop: 1) The modern Jewish Calender, 2) The pre-Islamic Lunar-Solar Calendar, and 3) a strictly Lunar Calendar that became the modern Islamic Calendar.

(Updated by 2020 paper "Reconstructing the Islamic Jewish Calendar" by same author)