Hebron, West Bank – Palestine
Coordinates: 31.537314, 35.085562
Oak of Abraham, also called, Oak of Mamre or Oak of Sibta at Hirbet es-Sibte, two kilometres southwest of Mamre near Hebron, Palestinian Territories, is an ancient tree.
It owes its name to an ancient tree, which seems to be dead but has a young sprig growing next to it, and stands on the grounds of the modern Russian Orthodox Monastery of the Holy Trinity.
In christian traditions, is said to mark the place where Hz. Ibrahim عليه اسلام entertained the three angels or where he pitched his tent.
It is estimated that this oak is approximately 5,000 years old.
The traditional location of the Oak of Mamre migrated to different sites, the most prominent being the current location outside the church.
The site has been a major attraction for Russian pilgrims before the revolution, and is the only functioning Christian shrine in the Hebron region.
Tree will Die
The tree was venerated by Jews and Christians for hundreds of years, until Constantine in the fourth century stopped the practice by building a church there.
A long-standing tradition is that the Oak of Hz. Ibrahim عليه اسلام will die before the appearance of the Antichrist. The main oak trunk has appeared to be dead since 1996.
Following construction work in the 1970s, a wooden ring in the form of a chalice was built around the tree, and its roots began to die.
In 1997, a small sprig was seen growing near the withered oak. In October 2016, Russian botanists began a project to save the tree. In 1998 a root sprout appeared.
Story Mentioned in Quran
It is said that Angels gave Glad tidings to Hz. Ibrahim عليه اسلام of a son here
Bibi Sarah رضي الله عنها , wife of Hz. Ibrahim عليه اسلام and the mother of Hz. Ishaq عليه اسلام, is an honoured woman in Islam.
She lived with Hz. Ibrahim عليه اسلام throughout her life and, although she was barren, Allah promised her the birth of a prophetic son, Hz. Ishaq عليه اسلام.
Hz. Ibrahim عليه اسلام, however, prayed constantly to Allah for a child. Bibi Sarah رضي الله عنها, being barren, subsequently gave him her Egyptian handmaiden, Bibi Hajar رضي الله عنها to wed as his second wife.
Bibi Hajar رضي الله عنها bore Hz. Ismael عليه اسلام who too would become a prophet of God like his father.
Allah messengers announced to Hz. Ibrahim عليه اسلام that Bibi Sarah رضي الله عنها would give birth to Hz. Ibrahim’s عليه اسلام second son, Hz. Ishaq عليه اسلام, who would also be a prophet of the Lord.
Although the Quran does not mention Bibi Sarah رضي الله عنها by name, it mentions the annunciation of the birth of Hz. Ishaq عليه اسلام (announcing the birth of a child).
The Quran mentions that Bibi Sarah رضي الله عنها laughed when the angels gave her the glad tidings of Hz. Ishaq عليه اسلام:
Quran narrates:
There came Our messengers to Ibrahim with glad tidings. They said, Peace! He answered, ‘Peace!’ and hastened to entertain them with a roasted calf. But when he saw their hands went not towards the (meal), he felt some mistrust of them, and conceived a fear of them. They said: “Fear not: We have been sent against the people of Lut. And his wife was standing (there), and she laughed: But we gave her glad tidings of Isaac, and after him, of Jacob. She said: “Alas for me! shall I bear a child, seeing I am an old woman, and my husband here is an old man? That would indeed be a wonderful thing!”
Quran, Sura 11 (Hud), ayat 69-72
It is said that angels than went towards people of Hz. Lut عليه اسلام to destroy the city of Sodom.
Note: Sites related to Christian traditions on this website are for information purpose only.
