Journal of Interreligious Studies on the Quran and the Bible

Journal of Interreligious Studies on the Quran and the Bible

Critique of Orientalists’ View on the Similarities between Quranic Stories and the Bible

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 PhD of Quranic and Hadith studies, Member of Iranian Association of the Quran and the Bible, Tehran, Iran.
2 Associate Professor, Department of Quranic and Hadith studies, Tarbiat Modarres University, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
One of the most important documents that Orientalists use to doubt the authenticity of the Quran and the prophethood of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), as well as to claim that the Quran has borrowed from the two Testaments, is the similarity in the content of the stories of the prophets in the Quran with those in the Testaments. This research employs an analytical-comparative method and draws on both intra-religious (including the Quran, interpretations, dictionaries, etc.) and extra-religious references (the two Testaments, opinions of Orientalists, and historical data) to analyze and evaluate the perspectives of Orientalists around three main axes: the "origins and sources of the stories," the "way the Prophet (PBUH) accessed these sources," and the "changes to the stories during transmission." According to the findings of the study, the predominance of a historical approach to religions and the lack of attention to the unity of the divine source of monotheistic religions, as well as the Orientalists' perspective on the concept of revelation, which they perceive as a personal experience, are the most significant factors influencing the claim that the stories in the Quran were adapted from the Testaments. The results of the research indicate that the familiarity of Orientalists with the Arabic language is accompanied by deficiencies that have affected their investigations; their information is derived from Arabic sources that are sometimes partial and incomplete. Additionally, the animosity and hostile motivations of the researchers have also played a role in this regard.
Keywords

  1. Al-Bāsh, H. (2001 AD/1422 AH). The Quran and the Torah: Where Do They Agree and Where Do They Differ? Damascus: Dar Qutaybah.
  2. Al-Dasūqī, M. (1995 AD/1416 AH). Oriental Thought: Its History and Evaluation. Beirut: Al-Tawheed Cultural Publishing House.
  3. Ali, J. (1992 AD/1413 AH). The Detailed History of the Arabs Before Islam. Baghdad: University of Baghdad.
  4. Al-Jābirī, M. (2014 AD/1393 SH). An Approach to the Holy Quran (Armin, M.Trans). Tehran: Ney Publishing.
  5. Al-Zayyāt, A. (n.d.). History of Arabic Literature. N.p.
  6. Andalusi, I. (2001 AD/1422 AH). al-Muḥarrar al-Wajīz fī Tafsir al-Kitāb al-ʻAzīz. Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah.
  7. Armstrong, K. (2003 AD/1382 SH). Theology from Abraham to Today. (Sepehr, M. Trans). Tehran: Markaz.
  8. Azarnoush, A. (1988 AD/1367 SH). "Umayyah ibn Abī al-Ṣalt." In Encyclopedia of Islam. (Vol. 10, pp. 297-299). Tehran: The Great Islamic Encyclopedia Center.
  9. Banī ʻᾹmir, M. (2004). The Orientalists and the Holy Quran. Jordan: Dar al-Amal for Publishing and Distribution.
  10. Barge Nissi, K. (1995 AD/1374 SH). "Loanwords in the Quran and Perspectives." Journal of Ma'arif. P.p. 93-119.
  11. Bell, R. (2003 AD/1382 SH). An Introduction to the History of the Quran. (Khormashahi, K. Trans). Qom: Endowments and Charity Organization.
  12. Brockelmann, C; Fulhausen, W; ʻAbdullāh Muhammad al-Amīn al-Naʻīm. (1996 AD/1417 AH). Orientalism in the Prophetic Biography: A Historical Study of Opinions. Virginia: International Institute of Islamic Thought.
  13. Fattāḥ, I. (1999). The Orientalists and Islam. Beirut: Islamic Office for Printing and Publishing.
  14. Hosseini, A. (1999 AD/1378 SH). Artistic Foundations of Quranic Stories. Qom: Dar al-Thaqalayn.
  15. Jeffrey, A. (2007 AD/1386 SH). Loanwords in the Quran. (Badrei, F. Trans). Tehran: Tūs.
  16. Maleklou, S; Mirzaei, P. (2022 AD/1401 SH). Ibrahim (AS) in the Pen of Contemporary Orientalists. Tehran: Sarache Del.
  17. Maʻrifat, M. (2009 AD/1388 SH). Doubts and Responses Regarding the Holy Quran. Qom: Al-Tahmid.
  18. Mohaddethi, J. (2007 AD/1386 SH). Art in the Realm of the School. Qom: Bosatān Ketab.
  19. Mughnīyah, M. (2020 AD/1399 SH). The Doubts of the Atheists and Responses to Them. Beirut: Al-Hilal Library.
  20. Nilsaz, N. (2014 AD/1393 SH). Orientalists and Ibn Abbas. Tehran: Scientific-Cultural Publications.
  21. Quṭb, M. (1999). The Orientalists and Islam. Cairo: Wahbah Library.
  22. Ripin, A. (2010 AD/1389 SH). "Interpreting the Scriptures Using the Quran." In Approaches to the Quran. (Safari, V. Trans; Abasi, M. Ed). Tehran: Hikmat Publications.
  23. Sayyid Quṭb. (1991 AD/1412 AH). In the Shadows of the Quran. Beirut: Dar al-Shuruq.
  24. Sayyid Quṭb. (2002). Artistic Representation in the Holy Quran. Beirut: Dar al-Shuruq.
  25. Suyūṭī, J. (2014). al-Muzhir fī ʻUlūm al-Lugha wa Anwāʻih (Jad al-Muli, M; Abul-Fadl Ibrahim, M. Eds). Damascus: Modern Library.
  26. Suyūṭī, J. (n.d.). Muʻtark al-Aqrān (Muhammad al-Bajawi, A. Ed). Beirut: Dar al-Fikr al-Arabi.
  27. Ṭabāṭabāʼī, M. (1996 AD/1417 AH). al-Mīzān in the Interpretation of the Quran. Qom: Islamic Publications Office of the Hawza.
  28. Zaqzūq, M. (1988 AD/1409 AH). Orientalism and the Intellectual Background of Civilizational Conflict. Cairo: Dar al-Manar.
  29. Adeng, C. (2001). "Torah." Encyclopedia of the Quran. (Vol. 4). Leiden: Brill.
  30. Bowering, G. (2001). "Chronology and the Quran." Encyclopedia of the Quran. (Vol. 1). Leiden: Brill.
  31. Brog, G. (2001). Representations of the Divine in Arabic Poetry. Amsterdam: Editions Rodopi.
  32. Erder, U. (2001). "Idris." Encyclopedia of the Quran. (Vol. 2). Leiden: Brill.
  33. Fireston, R. (2001). "Abraham." Encyclopedia of the Quran. (Vol. 2). Leiden: Brill.
  34. Fireston, R. (2001). "Ishmael." Encyclopedia of the Quran. (Vol. 2). Leiden: Brill.
  35. Gilliot, C. (2001). "Informants." Encyclopedia of the Quran. (Vol. 2). Leiden: Brill.
  36. Graham, W. (1980). "Review of Quranic studies: sources & methods of scriptural interpretation by John Wansbrough." Us Journal of the American Oriental society.
  37. Griffith, S. (2001). "Gospel." Encyclopedia of the Quran. (Vol. 2). Leiden: Brill.
  38. Hirschfeld, H. (1902). New Researches in to the Composition and Exegesis of the Qoran. London: Asiatic Monographs.
  39. Hulmes, E. (1993). The Oxford Companion to the Bible. (Bruce M; Coogan, M. Eds). London: Oxford University.
  40. Jeffery, A. (1938). The Foreign Vocabulary of the Quran. India: Oriental institute Baroda.
  41. Junboll, G.H.A. (1979). "Review of Quranic Studies: Sources & Methods of Scriptural Interpretation by John Wansbrough." Journal of Semitic Studies. No. 24.
  42. Lassner, J. (2001). "Bilqis." Encyclopedia of the Quran. (Vol. 1). Leiden: Brill.
  43.  Lewis, B. (1993). The Arabs in History. Oxford university press: U.S.A.
  44. Lindsay, J. (2001). "Goliath." Encyclopedia of the Quran. (Vol. 2). Leiden: Brill.
  45. Lowin. (2001). "Revision and Alteration." Encyclopedia of the Quran. (Vol. 4). Leiden: Brill
  46. Madigan, D. A. (1995). "Reflections on Some Current Directions in Quran Studies." The Muslim World. P.p. 42-55.
  47. Maugh, T. (1992). "Ubar, Fabled Lost City, Found by LA Team." The Los Angelas Times. 5 February.
  48. Neuwirth, A. (2001). "Myths & Legends in the Quran." Encyclopedia of the Quran. (Vol. 3). Leiden: Bril.
  49. Rippin, A. (2001). "Iblis." Encyclopedia of the Quran. (Vol. 2). Leiden: Brill.
  50. Robin, Ch. (2001). "Ukhdud." Encyclopedia of the Quran. (Vol. 5). Leiden: Brill.
  51. Rosenthal, F. (2001). "History & the Quran." Encyclopedia of the Quran. (Vol. 2). Leiden: Brill.
  52. Rubin, U. (2001). "Prophet & prophethood." Encyclopedia of the Quran. (Vol. 4). Leiden: Brill.
  53. Schock, C. (2001). "Adam & Eve." Encyclopedia of the Quran. (Vol. 1). Leiden: Brill.
  54. Sharon, M. (2001). "People of the book." Encyclopedia of the Quran. (Vol. 4). Leiden: Brill.
  55. Sirry, M. (2014). Scriptural Polemics: The Quran & Other Religion. London: Oxford university press.
  56. Torrey, Ch. (1933). The Jewish Foundation of Islam. New York: Bloch publishing.
  57. Tottoli, R. (2001). "Men of the Cave." Encyclopedia of the Quran. (Vol. 2). Leiden: Brill.
  58. Watt, W. (1961). Muhammad, Prophet & Statesman. Oxford university press: U.S.A.
  59. Zwettler, M. (1928). The Oral Tradition of Classical Arabic: It’s Character & Implications. Columbus: Ohio University.