Before Abraham was born I am – Explained

📖John 8:58
“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”

Explanation:

In John 8:58, Jesus is speaking to the Jewish leaders and makes a statement about his existence: “Before Abraham was born, I am.” Many Christians interpret this as Jesus claiming divinity, linking it to Exodus 3:14, where God says “I AM WHO I AM.” However, this interpretation is flawed for several reasons.

• Firstly, the Greek phrase Jesus uses, “ego eimi” (ἐγώ εἰμί), simply means “I am”—a common phrase used throughout the Bible. It does not include the crucial phrase “ho on” (ὁ ὤν), which means “the Eternal One” and is found in the Greek Septuagint translation of Exodus 3:14. In contrast, the Hebrew phrase “Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh” (אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה) used in Exodus has a much deeper meaning, signifying God’s eternal and self-existent nature, Additionally, Jesus clarifies the meaning of “I am” in John 4:25-26 when speaking to the Samaritan woman. She says, “I know that Messiah is coming… He will declare all things to us.” Jesus responds, “I am he” (ἐγώ εἰμί), making it clear that his statement refers to his role as the Messiah, not as God, Moreover, Jesus does not say, “Before Adam was, I am.” If his statement was about absolute pre-existence, he would have referenced Adam, the first human.

What is the meaning of before Abraham born was i am ?

📖Quran 3:7
It is He who has sent down to you, [O Muhammad], the Book; in it are verses [that are] precise – they are the foundation of the Book – and others unspecific. As for those in whose hearts is deviation [from truth], they will follow that of it which is unspecific, seeking discord and seeking an interpretation [suitable to them]. And no one knows its [true] interpretation except Allah . But those firm in knowledge say, “We believe in it. All [of it] is from our Lord.” And no one will be reminded except those of understanding.

📖Quran 3:81
Sahih International
And [recall, O People of the Scripture], when Allah took the covenant of the prophets, [saying], “Whatever I give you of the Scripture and wisdom and then there comes to you a messenger confirming what is with you, you [must] believe in him and support him.” [ Allah ] said, “Have you acknowledged and taken upon that My commitment?” They said, “We have acknowledged it.” He said, “Then bear witness, and I am with you among the witnesses.

📖Quran 33:7
And [mention, O Muhammad], when We took from the prophets their covenant and from you and from Noah and Abraham and Moses and Jesus, the son of Mary; and We took from them a solemn covenant.

📖Quran 7:172-174
And [mention] when your Lord took from the children of Adam – from their loins – their descendants and made them testify of themselves, [saying to them], “Am I not your Lord?” They said, “Yes, we have testified.” [This] – lest you should say on the day of Resurrection, “Indeed, we were of this unaware Or [lest] you say, “It was only that our fathers associated [others in worship] with Allah before, and we were but descendants after them. Then would You destroy us for what the falsifiers have done?” And thus do We [explain in] detail the verses, and perhaps they will return.

Similar Verses in the Old and New Testaments

📖Proverbs 8:23-29
“I was formed long ages ago, at the very beginning, when the world came to be… before he made the world or its fields or any of the dust of the earth, I was there…”

• Christians often argue that this passage refers to Jesus, but if not, then who is speaking? The passage describes someone who was “formed” and “given birth” before creation. This clearly indicates a created being, not an eternal one. Even if we assume this refers to Jesus, it proves that he was brought into existence by God, not that he always existed as God, The phrase “I was there” does not necessarily mean actual existence but rather existence in God’s divine knowledge and plan. This aligns with other scriptures that describe prophets being chosen before birth.

📖Ephesians 1:4
“For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.”

• If being chosen “before creation” means pre-existence, then all believers must have existed before birth. Clearly, this verse refers to divine foreknowledge.

The Four Stages of Human Existence in the Qur’an

📖Quran 40:11
“They (disbelievers) will say (on the Day of Judgment), ‘Our Lord, You made us lifeless twice and gave us life twice, and we have confessed our sins. So is there any way out?’”

📖Quran 7:172
“And [mention] when your Lord took from the children of Adam—from their loins—their descendants and made them testify of themselves, [saying to them], ‘Am I not your Lord?’ They said, ‘Yes, we have testified.’ [This was] lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection, ‘Indeed, we were unaware of this.’”

These verses describe the four stages of human existence:

1. Pre-Birth (Alam al-Arwah – The Realm of Souls) – Before humans were physically created, Allah took a covenant from all souls, making them testify to His Lordship (Quran 7:172). This is the first state of being lifeless as there was no physical existence.

2. Earthly Life – After birth, humans enter the world, where they are tested. This is the first life mentioned in Quran 40:11.

3. Earthly Death – After dying, humans return to a state of lifelessness in the grave (Barzakh). This is the second lifeless state mentioned in Quran 40:11.

4. Resurrection – On the Day of Judgment, Allah will bring everyone back to life for accountability, making it the second life mentioned in Quran 40:11.

Pre Existence in Islam

Covenant A binding agreement between God and His creation, in which humans promise to worship and obey God, and recognize and accept prophethood. The covenant emphasizes the relationship between God and His creation, and the responsibility of humans to fulfill their obligations towards God.
Quranic References: Quran 7:172 – God took a covenant from all human beings before they were born, saying “Am I not your Lord?” and they replied, “Yes, we testify.”

• Interpretation by Muslim Scholars The covenant is interpreted as a promise made by all souls to worship and obey God. It also includes the recognition and acceptance of prophethood, including the final prophet Muhammad.

The concept of covenant in the Quran is an important aspect of Islamic theology, as it emphasizes the relationship between God and His creation, and the responsibility of humans to fulfill their obligations towards God. The covenant is believed to have been taken in the beginning, before the creation of Adam, and all souls were present at that time. It serves as a reminder to humans of their promise to worship and obey God, and to recognize and accept prophethood.