The Quran Has More in Common with The Bible Than You Think

 

Many people believe that Quran is a profoundly different book from the Bible. However, the similarities between Quran and Bible are much more intimate than one might think.

According to Muslim belief, the revelation of Quran began in the year 610 AD by Angel Gabriel to the last Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The Angel Gabriel if of course one of the important characters in Hebrew Bible (where he explains visions to Prophet Daniel) and the New Testament.

Beyond the Angel Gabriel, the Quran and Bible have similar characters. These include Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Goliath, Jonah, Mary, John the Baptist, Adam, Noah, Abraham, Lot, Isaac, Ishmael, among others including Jesus.

These shared characters share different narratives in the Quran and the Bible. Examples include, Moses and the liberation of Israel from Egypt, the life and death of Jesus, Abraham’s near-sacrifice of one of his sons, and the idea that God repeatedly sends prophets to humanity to warn and instruct them.

 

Shaitan (Muslim equivalent of Satan)

According to a narrative in Quran, before making Adam, God informed the angels to “create a vicegerent on earth.” The angels, however, objected to this by saying that humans might become violent with each other. This particular detail about the angels has occurred in the Jewish Talmud.

According to Muslim belief, when God created Adam, he ordered all the angels to bow down in front of Adam. All did so, except Shaitan (Muslim equivalent of Satan). He then swore to mislead mankind from the path of God.

This narrative is also present in the Christian belief with recounts Angel Michael bringing the Satan and Satan refusing to bow to Adam.

The Hebrew Bible and the Quran both restrict violence. The Hebrew Bible asks for a Jewish Establishment in Israel, but commands that non-Jews can live freely and unmolested in Israel.

Similarly, Quran restricts violence against Muslims or non-Muslims unless the other party persecutes Muslims. However, the New Testament commands love and respect for everyone, even if the religion is in danger.

The Quran provides a detailed statement on this subject:

“We (God) have appointed a law and a practice for every one of you. Had God willed, He would have made you a single community, but He wanted to test you regarding what has come to you. So compete with each other in doing good. Every one of you will return to God and He will inform you regarding the things about which you differed.” (Quran 5:48)

On another occasion, the Quran says:

“Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from error, and whoever rejects evil and believes in God has the most trustworthy hand-hold, and that never breaks.” (Quran 2:256) as well as, “And dispute not with the People of the Book, except with means better than mere disputation, unless I be with those of them who inflict wrong and injury. Rather say to them: ‘We believe in the revelation which has come down to us and in that which came down to you; Our God and your God is one; and it is to Him that we bow.'” (Quran 29:46)

 

Mary and Other Women

The Hebrew Bible mentions 133 women, the New Testament mentions 33 women, whereas the Quran mentions several women but states the name of only 1 in its 500 pages.

In the Quran, there is generally less role of women. For example, in the Hebrew Bible several women converse directly with God. In the New Testament, several women have a close relationship with Jesus. And Quran only mentions Mary, who conversed with Angel Gabriel.