Jesus: Man, Messenger, Messiah · 3. Prophets in Scripture
The prophets in the Bible and in the Qur'an compared
In short
- 1.Lot (PBUH) is depicted as committing incest with his daughters [Genesis 19:30-36]; the Qur'an calls him righteous and wise [21:74-75].
- 2.Aaron (PBUH) is depicted as making the golden calf [Exodus 32:2-4]; the Qur'an clears him and names al-Samiri as the culprit [20:85-90].
- 3.Solomon (PBUH) is depicted as turning to idols in old age [1 Kings 11:4-8]; the Qur'an declares 'Solomon (PBUH) did not disbelieve' [2:102].
- 4.David (PBUH) is depicted as arranging Uriah's death to take his wife [2 Samuel 11]; the Qur'an praises his repentance and nearness to God [38:24-25].
- 5.The pattern is consistent: the Qur'an defends the prophets (PBUT) where the Bible accuses them.
The claim being examined
The Bible's unflattering portraits of its heroes are often cited as evidence of its honesty and historical reliability.
The Islamic position
Islam holds that these narratives are later distortions of the lives of righteous men, and the Qur'an restores their dignity.
Analysis
Two readings are possible. The Christian reading treats the flaws as candour. The Islamic reading treats them as accretion — the residue of a transmission process in which royal and priestly interests shaped the record. The second reading is not merely pious: the Deuteronomistic history is widely recognised by critical scholars as a theologically motivated composition written centuries after the events, in which the reputations of kings serve a later argument.
From the Qur'an
وَلُوطًا ءَاتَيْنَـٰهُ حُكْمًۭا وَعِلْمًۭا وَنَجَّيْنَـٰهُ مِنَ ٱلْقَرْيَةِ ٱلَّتِى كَانَت تَّعْمَلُ ٱلْخَبَـٰٓئِثَ ۗ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ قَوْمَ سَوْءٍۢ فَـٰسِقِينَ وَأَدْخَلْنَـٰهُ فِى رَحْمَتِنَآ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ
walūṭan ātaynāhu ḥuk'man waʿil'man wanajjaynāhu mina l-qaryati allatī kānat taʿmalu l-khabāitha innahum kānū qawma sawin fāsiqīna wa-adkhalnāhu fī raḥmatinā innahu mina l-ṣāliḥīna
And to Lot We gave judgement and knowledge, and We admitted him into Our mercy. Indeed he was of the righteous.
وَمَا كَفَرَ سُلَيْمَـٰنُ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱلشَّيَـٰطِينَ كَفَرُوا۟
wamā kafara sulaymānu walākinna l-shayāṭīna kafarū
Solomon did not disbelieve, but the devils disbelieved.
From the Bible
לְכָה נַשְׁקֶה אֶת־אָבִינוּ יַיִן
Come, let us make our father drink wine — the incest narrative attributed to Lot's daughters.
Read it in their Bibleוְנָשָׁיו הִטּוּ אֶת־לְבָבוֹ אַחֲרֵי אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים
His wives turned his heart after other gods.
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