Abdul Hadi Masood, Missionary, Norway
Many of the stories in the Holy Quran have similarities to those in the Bible. A common conclusion is that since the Quran came after the Bible, Muslims copied these stories from Judaism and Christianity. It is claimed that this was done to attract followers from both religions by finding a middle ground. But is this really the truth? Can Muslims disprove this accusation? What if I say that, on the contrary, this is evidence of the truth of the Holy Quran?
In this article, I will prove the truth of the Quran by conducting a comparative study of the Bible and the Holy Quran.
Similarities between the Bible and the Quran
It is important to recognise that both the Bible and the Quran stem from a common Abrahamic tradition. Therefore, it is natural that they share many stories and moral teachings. Stories of creation, Noah’s Ark, Moses, and the life of Jesus are found in both scriptures. However, it is interesting to note that these similarities should not be considered as plagiarism. The Holy Quran corrects many errors found in the Bible, and these corrections are evidence of the Quran’s truth and that it is from God the Almighty.
Corrections as evidence of the Quran’s truth
Creation
The Holy Quran not only contains verses that support the Big Bang theory (for example, Quran Ch.21: V.31), a phenomenon not mentioned in the Bible, but it also includes verses that correct the errors found in the Bible. Both the Bible and the Quran describe the creation of the universe and humanity, but with different presentations.
The Bible presents a sequential creation process over six days, with rest on the seventh day:
“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.” (Genesis 2:1-2)
The Holy Quran, on the other hand, confirms that God created the heavens and the earth but does not specify a rest day, as God never becomes weary:
وَلَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضَ وَمَا بَیۡنَہُمَا فِیۡ سِتَّۃِ اَیَّامٍ ٭ۖ وَّمَا مَسَّنَا مِنۡ لُّغُوۡبٍ
“And verily, We created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in six periods, and no weariness touched Us.” (Surah Qaf, Ch.50: V.39) This serves as a correction to the anthropomorphic description found in the Bible.
Scientific Perspectives
Another important point is that the Bible does not provide a concrete description of what these six days are or how long they last. However, the Holy Quran makes it clear that these six days do not necessarily correspond to earthly days. The Quran indicates in several places that “days” with God are not the same as earthly days:
وَاِنَّ یَوۡمًا عِنۡدَ رَبِّکَ کَاَلۡفِ سَنَۃٍ مِّمَّا تَعُدُّوۡنَ
“[…] And verily, a day with thy Lord is as a thousand years of your reckoning.” (Surah al-Hajj, Ch.22: V.48)
یُدَبِّرُ الۡاَمۡرَ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ اِلَی الۡاَرۡضِ ثُمَّ یَعۡرُجُ اِلَیۡہِ فِیۡ یَوۡمٍ کَانَ مِقۡدَارُہٗۤ اَلۡفَ سَنَۃٍ مِّمَّا تَعُدُّوۡنَ
“He will plan the [Divine] Ordinance from the heaven unto the earth, then shall it go up to Him in a day the duration of which is a thousand years according to what you reckon.” (Surah as-Sajdah, Ch.32: V.6)
تَعۡرُجُ الۡمَلٰٓئِکَۃُ وَالرُّوۡحُ اِلَیۡہِ فِیۡ یَوۡمٍ کَانَ مِقۡدَارُہٗ خَمۡسِیۡنَ اَلۡفَ سَنَۃٍ
“The angels and the Spirit ascend to Him in a day the measure of which is fifty thousand years.” (Surah al-Ma‘arij, Ch.70: V.5)
These verses show that the six days of creation in the Quran are not necessarily meant to be interpreted as 24-hour days but rather as long periods of time whose exact duration is known only to God.
This is important to understand because it also supports the Quran’s truth from a scientific perspective. In the past 100 years, thanks to Einstein, we have discovered that time is not uniform everywhere. The stronger the gravity, the slower time passes. This theory is known as relativity. Einstein’s theory of relativity, which includes both the special theory of relativity (1905) and the general theory of relativity (1915), has revolutionised our understanding of time and space. According to the general theory of relativity, time passes more slowly near large masses or in strong gravitational fields. This phenomenon, known as time dilation, has been confirmed through numerous experiments and observations. The verses mentioned above from the Holy Quran align with this scientific understanding.
Adam
According to the Bible, Adamas was the first human created by God and lived in the Garden of Eden:
“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27)
“Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7)
The Quran also describes the creation of Adamas, but nowhere does it state that Adamas was the first human:
وَاِذۡ قَالَ رَبُّکَ لِلۡمَلٰٓئِکَۃِ اِنِّیۡ جَاعِلٌ فِی الۡاَرۡضِ خَلِیۡفَۃً ؕ قَالُوۡۤا اَتَجۡعَلُ فِیۡہَا مَنۡ یُّفۡسِدُ فِیۡہَا وَیَسۡفِکُ الدِّمَآءَ ۚ وَنَحۡنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمۡدِکَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَکَ ؕ قَالَ اِنِّیۡۤ اَعۡلَمُ مَا لَا تَعۡلَمُوۡنَ
“And when thy Lord said to the angels: ‘I am about to place a vicegerent in the earth,’ they said: ‘Wilt Thou place therein such as will cause disorder in it, and shed blood? — and we glorify Thee with Thy praise and extol Thy holiness.’ He answered: ‘I know what you know not.’” (Surah al-Baqarah, Ch.2: V.31)
Khalifa means successor, which suggests that there might have been humans before Adamas, as indicated by the the Promised Messiahas:
“We do not follow the Bible in holding that the world began with the birth of Adam six or seven thousand years ago, and that before this there was nothing, and God was, as it were idle and without work. Neither do we claim that all mankind who are now found in different parts of the earth, are the progeny of the self-same Adam. On the Contrary we hold that this Adam was not the first man. Mankind existed even before him, as is hinted by the Quran itself, when it says to Adam, “I am about to place a Khalifa in the earth.” As Khalifa means successor, it is clear that man existed even before Adam. Hence we cannot say whether the original inhabitants of America, Australia etc. are the progeny of this last Adam or some other Adam gone before him. (Malfuzat, Vol. 10, p. 426)
Scientific theories, such as the theory of evolution, propose that modern humans evolved from earlier hominids over millions of years. Fossil evidence and genetic research indicate that Homosapiens were not the first hominids but part of a longer evolutionary lineage.
Prophet Noah
Both scriptures recount the story of Noahas and the great flood. In the Bible, Noahas is described as a prophet who receives a divine command to build an ark to save himself, his family, and all animal species from the flood:
“But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God.” (Genesis 6:8-9)
The Bible describes the flood as a global catastrophe that destroyed all life on earth:
“And the waters rose greatly on the earth, and all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered. The waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of more than fifteen cubits. Every living thing that moved on the earth perished—birds, livestock, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, and all mankind.” (Genesis 7:19-21)
The Quran also mentions Noahas as a prophet sent to his people to warn them of their impious actions. (Surah Hud, Ch.11: V.26-27) However, since the Quran does not describe the flood as a global disaster but rather indicates that Noahas was sent specifically to his people, it suggests that the flood was more likely a local event rather than a global one. This perspective aligns with the notion that the disasters experienced by other prophets were similarly confined to their respective communities.
The Quran provides additional context:
“It was said, ‘O Noah, descend then with peace from Us and blessings upon thee and upon peoples to be born of those with thee. And there will be other peoples whom We shall grant provision for a time, then shall a grievous punishment touch them from Us.” (Surah Hud, Ch.11: V.49)
Here God speaks of the peoples who are with Noahas and also mentions other peoples, which raises the question of who these other peoples are if only those with Noah survived the flood. This suggests that the flood was likely a localised event affecting only the people Noahas was sent to, rather than a global flood.
Geological and historical studies support the idea that the flood described in the Quran as a local event aligns more closely with scientific findings than the concept of a global flood described in the Bible. Research by geologists, archaeologists, and hydrologists suggests that the story of Noah’s flood most likely refers to a significant but localised catastrophe rather than a global deluge. Studies by William Ryan and Walter Pitman, Robert Ballard, and David Montgomery, among others, support the idea of regional flood events and propose various theories on this topic.
Prophet Moses
The story of Moses and the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt is central to both the Bible and the Quran. However, the Quran presents some important differences that underscore its divine origin.
One such difference is the account of Moses’ encounter with Pharaoh and the events surrounding the exodus from Egypt. Here is a contrast between the Biblical narrative and scientific findings, with the Quranic version aligning more closely with scientific understanding.
According to the Bible, Pharaoh and his army drowned in the Red Sea when Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt:
“But the Lord caused the sea to return to its normal state at daybreak. The Egyptians were fleeing toward it; and the Lord swept them into the sea. The waters returned and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived.” (Exodus 14:28)
The Quran also describes how Mosesas led the Israelites through the sea and mentions that Pharaoh’s body was preserved as a sign for future generations:
فَالۡیَوۡمَ نُنَجِّیۡکَ بِبَدَنِکَ لِتَکُوۡنَ لِمَنۡ خَلۡفَکَ اٰیَۃً ؕ وَاِنَّ کَثِیۡرًا مِّنَ النَّاسِ عَنۡ اٰیٰتِنَا لَغٰفِلُوۡنَ
“So this day We will save thee in thy body [alone] that thou mayest be a Sign to those [who come] after thee. And surely, many of mankind are heedless of Our Signs.” (Surah Yunus, Ch.10: V.93)
Modern science has uncovered discoveries that align with the Quranic account. The mummified body of Pharaoh, which can be seen at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, corresponds with the Quranic description that Pharaoh’s body was preserved as a sign.
Bani Israel
Another significant difference between the Bible and the Quran is the number of Bani Israel who left Egypt for Canaan. The Bible specifies a very high number, while the Quran indicates a much smaller number, which aligns more closely with historical and archaeological understanding.
According to the Bible, the number of Israelites who left Egypt was about 600,000 men, not including women and children:
“The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Succoth. There were about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children.” (Exodus 12:37)
Including women and children, the total number is estimated to be around two million people. This high figure has been challenged by scholars and archaeologists, as it would represent a significant portion of the total population of ancient Egypt, a fact that has not been corroborated by archaeological findings.
The Quran does not specify an exact number of Israelites who emigrated but suggests that the number was much smaller:
“Dost thou not know of those who went forth from their homes, and they were thousands, fearing death? And Allah said to them: ‘Die;’ then He brought them to life. Surely, Allah is Munificent to men, but most men are not grateful.” (Surah al-Baqarah, Ch.2: V.244)
The Quranic verse suggests that the number of people who emigrated from Egypt was in the thousands, not millions as described in the Bible. This aligns with historical and archaeological perspectives.
Historians and archaeologists have not found evidence supporting the migration of two million people from Egypt as described in the Bible. Many scholars are sceptical of the large numbers for various reasons. A more plausible explanation is that the exodus was a smaller-scale event involving a significantly lower number of people. This explanation aligns better with the Quran’s numbers.
Prophet Jesus
Jesus is regarded as the son of god and part of the “Trinity” (god the father, god the son, and god the holy spirit) in Christian belief. Christians believe that Jesusas was crucified and died for humanity’s sins, and that he was resurrected on the third day, which is central to Christian faith:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
“Christ died for our sins, was buried, and was raised on the third day.” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
According to Muslims, Jesusas (Isa) is an important prophet but not the son of God. He survived the crucifixion and lived on after migrating. The Quran states:
اِذۡ قَالَ اللّٰہُ یٰعِیۡسٰۤی اِنِّیۡ مُتَوَفِّیۡکَ وَرَافِعُکَ اِلَیَّ وَمُطَہِّرُکَ مِنَ الَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوۡا وَجَاعِلُ الَّذِیۡنَ اتَّبَعُوۡکَ فَوۡقَ الَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوۡۤا اِلٰی یَوۡمِ الۡقِیٰمَۃِ ۚ ثُمَّ اِلَیَّ مَرۡجِعُکُمۡ فَاَحۡکُمُ بَیۡنَکُمۡ فِیۡمَا کُنۡتُمۡ فِیۡہِ تَخۡتَلِفُوۡنَ
“When Allah said, ‘O Jesus, I will cause thee to die [a natural death] and will exalt thee to Myself, and will clear thee from [the charges of] those who disbelieve, and will place those who follow thee above those who disbelieve, until the Day of Resurrection; then to Me shall be your return, and I will judge between you concerning that wherein you differ.” (Surah aal-e-`Imran, Ch.3: V.56)
There is significant debate around the resurrection of Jesusas, with much evidence suggesting he has died a natural death rather than being resurrected.
Most historians agree that Jesusas was a real historical figure who lived in the first century in Palestine. Many historians believe that Jesusas was crucified based on consistent historical sources. However, science cannot confirm the supernatural aspect of the resurrection.
Conclusion
Comparing the Bible and the Quran reveals that both holy scriptures contain similar narratives, which often raises questions about their origins and accuracy. This article has highlighted specific differences and similarities between the two texts, particularly in light of scientific and historical perspectives.
These examples underscore that the Quran not only aligns with modern scientific understanding but can also serve as a corrective source for misunderstandings in the Bible. While the Bible also has divine origins and contains many accurate details, historical and scientific evaluations suggest that some details may have been altered or misunderstood over time. Thus, the Quran can be seen as a source of clarity and confirmation of religious concepts that can persuade both believers and sceptics about the existence of God.