Introduction
Prophethood is a concept that is common to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Both the Bible and the Quran define the concept of Prophethood in highly noble terms. So, we should expect God's Prophets to embody these ideals by being the best of people, with their behavior and lives representing practical examples for mankind to follow to come closer to God Almighty. What we find, however, is that only one book represents the lives of the Prophets in such a way that does justice to the noble concept of Prophethood.
Prophet Aaron (PBUH) and the Golden Calf
The Bible tarnishes Aaron with the involvement in the worst of sins, i.e., idolatry. “The people gathered around him and said, ‘Come make us gods’, Aaron answered them: ‘Take off the gold earrings and bring them to me’. So, all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf." (Exodus 32:1-4; The Bible)
Monotheism, the message of the Oneness of God, was the very essence of the message that God Almighty asked Moses and Aaron to impart to the Israelites. So, from this point of view, the Prophet of God failed in the most basic of duties. The Bible goes on to tell us that God punished the Israelites for worshipping the calf idol with the plague. “The Lord struck the people with the plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made.” (Exodus 32:35; The Bible)
However, Aaron is spared any such punishment even though it is said that he was the individual who made the idol. Shouldn't Prophets be more accountable than common people due to the greater knowledge that they possess and their higher positions of responsibility? By comparison, the Quran narrates that Aaron is free of the major sin of idolatry. It was in fact an individual called Samiri who made the idol. In the Quran, it says that Aaron even orders the Israelites not to worship the golden calf. “Aaron did say to them: ‘My people, this calf is a test for you. Your Lord is the Lord of mercy. So, follow me and obey my orders.” (The Quran; 20:90)
The Quranic account not only presents Aaron in a manner that is befitting of a great Prophet of God, but it also does not contain any of the inconsistencies present in the biblical narrative.
Prophet David (PBUH) and the Accusation of Adultery
The Bible relates a story about David in which he is accused of committing some very serious sins. “From the roof, he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her. She (Bethsheba) came to him, and he slept with her. Then she went back home. The woman conceived and sent word to David saying, ‘I am pregnant’.” (2 Samuel 11:2-5; The Bible)
Bathsheba was married, and so when David found out she was pregnant with his child, instead of taking responsibility and publicly confessing his sins, he instead compounded his sins by having her husband killed. Perhaps even more strangely, God allegedly struck the child who was born from an adulterous relationship, with a lethal illness. “But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for the Lord, the son born to you will die”. (2 Samuel 12:14; The Bible)
This contradicts a basic principle of justice laid out in the Bible. “Parents are not to be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin.” (Deuteronomy 24:16; The Bible) It was David and Bethsheba who both deserved death for their sins, not their innocent child. Such stories don't just reflect badly on David. They also portray God Almighty as being unjust.
The Quran relates a similar story about David. However, unlike the Bible, he does not commit the sins of adultery and murder. Rather, he makes a mistake when judging a dispute between two parties and immediately repents. “Then, David realized that We had been testing him, so he asked his Lord for forgiveness, fell on his knees and repented. We forgave him for his misdeed. His reward will be nearness to Us, a good place to return to”. (The Quran; 38:24-25) The Quran not only rejects the accusation of adultery and murder, but it also portrays David in a noble light as someone who takes responsibility and seeks God's forgiveness for the smallest of mistakes.
Prophet Noah (PBUH) and the Accusation of Drunkenness
The Bible tells us that after the Great Flood, one of the first things Noah did was to plant a vineyard and fall into a state of drunkenness. “Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent”. (Genesis 9:20-21; The Bible)
It is difficult to believe that this great Prophet who had the self-discipline to build a giant ark with his hands, would then lose all self-control as soon as he got off the ark. The Bible goes on to tell us that Noah cursed his own grandchildren when he found out that his youngest son, Ham, had informed his siblings about Noah's sorry state.
“When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son Ham had done, he said, ‘Cursed be Canaan, the lowest of slaves he will be to his brothers.” (Genesis 9:24; The Bible) One can't help questioning Noah’s conduct. Even if cursing was justified, wouldn't it make more sense for Noah to curse Ham rather than his son, Canaan, who was an innocent party?
The Holy Quran paints a very different picture of Noah. “It sailed with them on waves like mountains, and Noah called out to his son, who stayed behind: ‘Come aboard with us, my son. Do not stay with the disbelievers'. The waves cut them off from each other and he was among the drowned. Noah called out to his Lord, saying, ‘My Lord, my son was one of my family though Your promise is true, and You are the most just of all judges’.” (The Quran; 11:42-45)
Again, we notice the stark contrast of the Quranic narrative with the Biblical portrayal. Rather than getting into a naked, drunken state and cursing innocent family members, the Quran tells us that Noah, the great Prophet and leader of men but also a father, turned to God Almighty with sadness for his dead son.
Prophet Job (PBUH) and His Many Alleged Blasphemies
The story begins with God highly praising Job for his righteousness. God says to Satan: “Have you considered my servant Job? There's no one on earth like him. He is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil". (Job 1:8; The Bible)
Satan proceeds to challenge God, stating that the only reason Job is upright is because Job has a good life. Satan predicts that if God were to test Job properly, then Job would curse God. “But now stretch out your head and strike his flesh and bones. And he will surely curse you to your face”. (Job 2:4; The Bible)
God allows Satan to test Job. Once the trials commence, Job fails to remain patient, and even goes so far as to blaspheme against God numerous times, the likes of which have been documented in the following verses:
“Then know that God has wronged me and drawn his net around me.” (Job 19:6; The Bible)
“I am innocent, but God denies me justice”. (Job 34:5; The Bible)
“It profits a man nothing when he tries to please God” (Job 34:9; The Bible)
Now, the way the story unfolds is highly problematic. There is the issue of a Prophet of God committing blasphemy, one of the worst sins imaginable. Also, the Bible is alluding to Satan knowing more than God in this instance by correctly predicting what would happen. Recall that God asserted that Job was a man who feared God and shunned evil. Satan challenges God by predicting that Job would commit blasphemy and Satan has proven God wrong. Can Satan, a limited and finite being, have more insight into Job than God Almighty, the creator and sustainer of the universe?
The Quran resolves all these issues in just a few short verses. Job didn't commit blasphemy against God, rather, he blamed Satan for his hardship. “Bring to mind, our servant Job, who cried to his Lord: ‘Satan has afflicted me with weariness and suffering’.” (The Quran 38:41) God Almighty compliments Job for his patience in the face of such trials. “We found him patient in adversity, an excellent servant! He too always turned to God”. (The Quran 38:44) Job’s righteous conduct in the Quran is exactly what we would expect of a Prophet of God Almighty.
Analysis of the Stories of the Prophets
Both the Bible and the Quran define the concept of prophethood in highly virtuous terms. After examining the stories of the Prophets, we see that it's only the Quran that portrays the Prophets in such a way that satisfies this ideal. By contrast, the Bible shows the Prophets in an extremely negative light. It seems that no sin is too great for them to commit. Yet, the Bible states “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness”. (2 Timothy 3:16; The Bible)
What morals can be derived from stories that are filled with Prophets committing idolatry, murder, adultery, and blasphemy? Another issue with the Bible is that God Almighty states that His commandments are easy to follow. “Now, what I'm commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach”. (Deuteronomy 30:11; The Bible)
This message of encouragement was proclaimed to the whole of Israel, the Prophet, and commoners alike. But how can the Israelites have been expected to keep the commandments when the Prophets, those who were divinely handpicked and tasked with upholding and teaching the commandments, failed to keep even the most basic of God's laws? Does this not make a mockery of God Almighty?
One of the names of the Quran is 'Al-Furqan', meaning the criterion between truth and falsehood. So, the Quran not only confirms the scriptures that came before it, but it also corrects their distortions. “We sent you (Muhammad) the scripture with the truth, confirming the scriptures that came before it and with final authority over them. So, judge between them according to what God has sent down”. (The Quran; 5:48)
Conclusion
Winner-The Quran
The Quran defends God’s righteous Prophets against the slander and falsehood attributed to them in The Bible. It provides the best guidance for those who want good examples to follow in order to come closer to God Almighty and be successful in the hereafter. “There is a lesson in the stories of such people for those who understand”. (The Quran; 12:111)
That is all for now. Please stay tuned for our next blog. May God Almighty bless you always. Assalamalaikum!
Well knitted script .
Keep up the good work