Abstract
Three clusters of images in the ample poetry of Jalal ad-D-n Rilmi (1207-1273) provide a hint as to what Ibrahim, the Friend of God, meant to this mystic. With some reference to points of contact between RiimT's treatment and material from the Qur'an, the Stories of the Prophets genre, and other writers such as Ibn al-'Arab1 and Sana'T, this paper focuses on the following three metaphors. First, Abraham is the man of faith who struggled to arrive at true belief while immersed in an idolatrous environment. It is in this context that Rumi locates Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son (it is not always clear whether Rumi prefers Isaac or Ishmael as the intended victim). Second, Abraham is the Prophet sent to speak the word of faith to Nimrod, who is the type of the stiff-necked unbeliever. Abraham's mission is repeatedly legitimated by signs such as his survival in Nimrod's fire. Finally, Abraham is the exemplar for all subsequent prophets and believers and model for pilgrims and people of prayer. Key images include sacrifice, fire, hospitality. Rumi allegorizes on the details to give Abraham a timeless, paradigmatic quality.
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