The Qur’an and the Bible

Islamic doctrine accepts the previous revelations to biblical prophets as valid, but states, as the Bible does, that the people continually strayed from these teachings. Correct guidance had to be repeated through different prophets, one after the other. By the seventh century, doctrines and practices again had to be corrected through the revelations to Muhammad, who is known as the last, or “seal,” of the prophets. The Qur'an is divided into 114 chapters, arranged in order of length, longest to shortest (with a few exceptions). The chapters are not in chronological order, although the reader can identify whether a chapter was revealed in Mecca (earlier) or Medina (later).

Each chapter is made up of verses. If you decide to read the Qur'an in translation, it is a good idea to obtain a list of the chapters in chronological order and read through them in that order so that the development of thought and teachings becomes clear.† Most of the chapters in the Qur'an are in cadenced, rhymed verse, while some (particularly the later Medinan ones) are in prose. The sustained rhythm of the recited Qur'an, combined with the beauty of its content, accounts for its great esthetic and poetic effect when heard in Arabic. The Qur'an is considered the epitome of Arabic writing style, and when it is recited aloud, it can move listeners to tears. The elegance and beauty of the Qur'an are taken as proof of its divine origin-no human being could expect to produce anything so magnificent. The three most often cited characteristics of the Qur'an are these: it is inimitable, it is eternal (it always existed but was not manifested until the seventh century), and it is in Arabic (the Arabic version is the direct Word of God, so translations of the Qur'an into other languages are not used for prayer).

Verses from the Qur'an are much used for decoration. It is common for Muslims to memorize the Qur'an, or large portions of it; a person who can recite the Qur'an is called a Hafiz. Reading and reciting the Qur'an was once the traditional form of education, and often the only education many people received. In most Arab schools today memorization of Qur'anic passages is included in the curriculum. The word Qur'an means “recitation” in Arabic.

The Qur'an and the Bible have much in common:

• The necessity of faith
• Reward for good actions and punishment for evil actions on the Day of Judgment
• The concept of Heaven (Paradise) and Hell
• The existence of angels who communicate between God and man
• The existence of Satan (Shaytan in Arabic)
• The recognition of numerous prophets
• The prohibition of the consumption of pork and the flesh of animals not slaughtered in a ritual manner, which is very similar to kosher dietary law in the Old Testament
• The teaching that Jesus was born of a virgin; Mary is called “Miriam” in Arabic (the theme is the same, although details differ)
• The teaching that Jesus worked miracles, including curing the sick and raising the dead

There are some notable differences between the Qur'an and the Bible as well:

• Islam does not recognize the concept of intercession between God and man; all prayers must be made to God directly. Jesus is recognized as one of the most important prophets, but the Christian concept of his intercession for man's sins is not accepted.
• Islam teaches that Jesus was not crucified; instead, a person made to look like him was miraculously substituted in his place on the cross; God would not allow such an event to happen to one of His prophets
• Islam does not accept the doctrine of Jesus' resurrection and divinity
• Islam is uncompromisingly monotheistic and rejects the Christian concept of the Trinity

Some of the biblical stories that are retold in the Qur'an (in a shortened version) include the following:

• The story of the Creation
• The story of Adam and Eve
• The story of Cain and Abel
• The story of Noah and the Flood
• The story of the covenant of Abraham and his willingness to sacrifice his son as a test of faith
• The story of Lot and the destruction of the evil cities
• The story of Joseph (told in much detail)
• The story of David and Goliath
• The story of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba
• The story of the afflictions of Job
• The story of the birth of Jesus|

Muslims feel an affinity with the Jewish and Christian religions and find it unfortunate that so few Westerners understand how similar the Islamic religion is to their own. Islam is a continuation of the other two religions and come from the same Abrahamic root.