Prophet Ilyas (Elijah) as a Unifying Person

In addition to figures that are already known to be "jointly owned" such as Adam, Eve, or Ibrahim, there is another figure that is uniquely lived in the Abrahamic tradition, namely the figure of the Prophet Ilyas / Elijah (Hebrew: Eliyahu, English: Elijah).

At every Jewish baby circumcision ceremony, for example, a chair is always provided, which is given the statement: "This is the seat of Elijah (Ha kishe syel Eliyahu)." According to the rabbinic description, this tradition is the answer of Elijah, who thought he was only a servant of God in Israel (1 Kings 19: 10-18). So each time circumcision, Elijah was made a witness that there were still many Israelites who kept the covenant with God.

The Jewish Passover tradition also stresses Elijah as the messenger of the predecessor of the Messiah. There was a fifth cup left empty and the door opened, for his presence, during the Easter meal.

His complete dependence on God and godly life made Elijah a great example. His name is used in a number of Christian religious movements. Starting from the Carmelite (Catholic) order that takes its name from the place of Elijah challenging those who associate partners with God, to a number of charismatic movements that emphasize Elijah's prophetic role. In the Christian tradition, Elijah's prophecy was lived as a form of godliness that opened a new covenant. His figure is paralleled by John the Baptist.

Respect for Elijah is not limited to the Christian tradition and Judaism. Islam and the Baha'i religion also gave this prophet a special place.

In the Islamic tradition, his role as a pious messenger of God is highly recognized (As-Shaffat: 123-132). Some narrations assume the Prophet Ilyas had a line of spiritual connection with the prophets Zachariah, Yahya and Jesus. His name is also popular in the Sufistic order, often associated with the figure of the Prophet Khidr.

Likewise in the Baha'i tradition, Elijah's role was assumed to be the same as John the Baptist for Jesus and the Chapter for Bahaullah. The figure who paved the way for the coming of the new prophetic period. Even Bahaullah himself mandated that the tomb of the corpse of the Bab, his predecessor, be buried on Mount Carmel, where the Prophet Ilyas worked.

These various honors made the figure of the Prophet Ilyas considered unifying. In Bosnia-Herzegovina, for example, since the middle of the 18th century, his figure was made a pious patron of the patron and unifying territory consisting of the Muslim, Catholic, Orthodox and Jewish communities.

Bosnian anthropologist Safet Hadži Muhamedović showed in his study how Elijah was seen as hope, by the Muslim and Christian communities there (Bosnian Christians called it Ilija, while Alija Muslims).

The narration that Elijah was taken to heaven by a fiery chariot, made him associated with the figure of Perun, the ancient Slavic god, a Bosnian ancestor. Likewise the dimension of the divine reformer in his figure associated with Khidr in Islam, as well as John the Baptist in Christianity - made Prophet Ilyas a hope and reformer of the devastated state after the Balkan wars.

Prophet Ilyas Day in Bosnia

This unique blend enlivens Bosnian tradition. There is a day that is celebrated as Elijah Day (Iliadun / Aliadun), which is August 2nd. From this celebration came the Bosnian idiom, "Do podne Ilija, od podne Alija" (Ilija until midday, Alija from noon).

The celebration was actually fairly competitive. In a region that is a blend of the Muslim-Christian community, Muslims gather from morning to midday, then after they perform the midday prayer, Christians come to join a separate line. Then both groups performed their dances, music, and bazaars. This is their awareness of the importance of coexistence, even though it means there is always potential for competition and conflict.

Apart from his spiritual dimension, the Judeo-Christian narrative also illustrates Elijah's emotional side. What makes it the subject of psychological studies and works of art is not limited to religious studies. Carl Jung made him one of the figures in his Reading Book. Likewise the German composer Felix Mendelssohn to the novelist Paulo Coelho could not miss the figure of Elijah for their work. Generally these "secular" works still provide a positive place in living their personalities.

Thus, the Prophet Ilyas / Elijah became a unique example of how his various narratives in a number of traditions became interconnected, as well as enriching one another. ** arms

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