Lesson 5 - The Quran Flashcards
What are some of the similarities between the Bible and the Quran?
– Makes reference to numerous biblical figures/events (creation/fall of Adam; Noah and the flood; story of Joseph; birth and the calling of Moses; exodus from Egypt; Birth of John the Baptist and Jesus)
What are some of the discrepancies between the Bible and the Quran?
- Abraham sacrificed Ishmael instead of Isaac
- Pharaoh repented and converted before he drowned in the Red Sea
- Jesus is not the Son of God
- Jesus was not crucified
How do the Bible and the Quran’s ultimate themes differ?
- God initiated redemptive covenants (only covenant of Creation is in the Quran)
- God’s special presence with his covenant people
- Sacrifice of atonement for sin
- Messianic promises and fulfillment
- Salvation by grace alone through faith alone
Compare and Contrast the Mecca and Medinan suras?
– Mecca - more prophetic; Medinan - more legalistic
– Mecca - more poetic, pithy, & striking ; Medinan - more lengthy & leisurely in style
– Mecca - more benevolent toward Jews/Christians; Medinan - More antagnoistic
– Mecca: addressed to Muhammad; Medinan: addressed to Muhammad’s followers
– Mecca: earlier; Medinan: later (Later > Earlier)
What is the internal challenge of the Quran?
Internal challenges rise from the text themself
What are some of the internal challenges of the Quran?
If the Quran is divine and has existed eternally with Allah:
- Why does the Arabic language have historical origins?
- Why was the Quran revealed over 2 decades?
- Why is its content so historically conditioned and tied to Muhammad’s circumstances?
- Why do later revelations supercede earlier ones? Why the need for change?
What are the external challenges (historical evidence) against the Quran?
- Quran shows little knowledge of the NT
- Very little information about Jesus and the early church
- According to the Hadith, Muhammad permitted different recitations of verses
- According to the Hadith, verses were revealed that do not appear in the standard text
- According to early sources, Uthman’s “official” version was rejected by some close to Muhammad
- The Quran’s textual history has yet to be subjected to sustained scholarly scrutiny
Contrast the Bible & Quran?
– Divine Authorship: Bible - yes; Quran - yes
– Human Authorship: Bible - yes; Quran - no
– Multiple Authors: Bible - yes; Quran - no
– Multiple Genres: Bible - yes; Quran - no
– Time Period: Bible – 1500 yrs; Quran – 22 years
– Translatable: Bible - yes; Quran - no
– Physical Copies: Bible - not sacred; Quran - sacred
– Standardized Text: Bible - no ; Quran - yes
– Textual Variants: Bible - Yes; Quran - no
– Textual Criticism: Bible - necessary & acceptable; Quran - unnecessary & unacceptable
– Redemptive Historical: Bible - Yes (progression); Quran - No (flat)
– Typical Usage - Bible - reading & preaching; Quran - memorizing & reciting
