Was The Quranic Story Of Korah(قارون) Taken From The Biblical And Jewish Texts?
The orientalists And Atheists Objections On Quran And Our Response
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Korah or Kórach (Arabic: قارون Qārūn) is a name which is associated with at least two men in the Hebrew Bible,and the one of two is Qarun associated with story of Moses A.S.
According to biblical book of Numbers 16:21, The lineage of Korah related to Moses A. S goes: "Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi," making him the great-grandson of the patriarch Levi and the cousin of Moses and Aaron(Arabic ،ہارون)
Numbers 16:1-40 indicates that Korah rebelled against Moses along with 249 co-conspirators and were punished for their rebellion when God sent fire from heaven to consume all 250 of them. Korah's Reubenite accomplices, Dathan and Abiram, were also punished when God caused the ground to split open beneath their feet swallowing them, their families, anyone associated with Korah, and all their possessions.
The Korah or Qarun is mentioned in old testament.In rabbinical literature,. Korah is represented as the possessor of extraordinary wealth, he having discovered one of the treasures which Joseph had hidden in Egypt. The keys of Korah's treasuries alone formed a load for three hundred mules (Pes. 119a; Sanh. 110a).
The Dead Sea Scrolls also provide additional details about Korah, though which Korah is not certain.
The Book of Exodus mentions Korah as being the son of Izhar son of Kohath son of Levi. The Quran confirms this by saying:
‘Now Korah was of Moses' folk, but he oppressed them…’ 28:76
The Quran does not give a direct evidence of how Korah made corruption in the land but the Bible and the Jewish text tell us that Korah would try to break the Jews from Moses and Aaron and engaged in logical arguments to let down Moses.
‘Now Korah… took men (250 men), they rose up in face of Moses… and they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron…’ Book of Numbers (16: 1-3)
So Korah was a divider of the Israelites from within. The Quran mentions Korah with Pharoah and Haman in a way that shows him as an accomplice to their crime:
‘And had We sent Moses, with Our signs and an authority manifest, to Pharaoh, Haman, and Qarun; but they called (him) a sorcerer, a liar. And when he brought them the Truth from Our presence, they said: Slay the sons of those who believe with him, and spare their women.’ (40: 23-25).
The single and most detailed reference to Qarun in the Qur’an occurs in the 28th chapter:
From this account we find out that
Qarun was an Israelite, being from Moses’ folk.
Qarun was a notorious character because he was arrogant and rebellious.
Qarun was haughty because he was an extremely rich person. (His tremendous wealth is expressed through a hyperbole.)
Qarun was also a wise man, which was associated with his arrogance. (He claimed he was rich because of his knowledge of things.)
Qarun’s pride was punished by Allah when the earth swallowed him and his house.
The ayahs tell us that when Moses showed the signs to the three of them, all three consented on the decision of slaying those who believed in him – showing that they all were together and well-connected in the power play.But we can not say that Qarun was contemporary to Haman and pharaoh as Quran has not mentioned it clearly.
The Christians and atheists say that Qarun mentioned in Quran is the distorted version of the biblical name Korah.They are throughly wrong as the arabization of many of the names of ancient people occurs in Quran and this arabization can not be called detoxification from other sources.For example Egyptian king title per-aa was arabized in Quran to be called فرعون and Egyptian word ha-amen or Amana was arabized to be called ہامان,aoron was arabized to be called Haroon,Yaḥyā means 'living' as opposed to Yūḥānna (graceful), which comes from Hebrew Yoḥanan.Sarah, Zipporah, Elizabeth, Jochebed, Lot's wife and Noah's wife are mentioned, but unnamed in the Qur'an. Eve and Elizabeth have the names ’ and al-Isbat, respectively, in Islamic tradition.There are many names mentioned in both Quran and Bible but they are entirely different from each other like Eve called Hawa,Eber called Hud in Quran,Goliath called jalut in Quran,John the Baptist called Yahya in Quran,Potiphar called Aziz,the king of Egypt in Prophet Joseph A.S time in Quran,Saul called Talut in Quran.So it is evident that different personalities are called by different names in different languages and the use In one language is not merely the derivation or borrowing from other sources.
The Christians and atheists say that Quranic depiction of Qarun’s as a very rich and knowledgeable man in the 28th chapter of the Qur’an is taken from rabbinical literature .The Jewish Encyclopedia contains the following information about the references to Korah in rabbinical literature:
The name "Korah" [...] is explained by the Rabbis as meaning "baldness." It was given to Korah on account of the gap or blank which he made in Israel by his revolt (Sanh. 109b). Korah is represented as the possessor of extraordinary wealth, he having discovered one of the treasures which Joseph had hidden in Egypt. The keys of Korah's treasuries alone formed a load for three hundred mules (Pes. 119a; Sanh. 110a). He and Haman were the two richest men in the world, and both perished on account of their rapacity, and because their riches were not the gift of Heaven (Num. R. xxii. 7; comp. Ex. R. li. 1). On the other hand, Korah is represented as a wise man, chief of his family and as one of the Kohathites who carried the Ark of the Covenant on their shoulders (Tan., ed. Buber, Korah, Supplement, 5; Num. R. xviii. 2).
Here again,I will like to say that when the description of an event is undisputed between two persons,the description by one person is not called copying the description of other person.So when Torah was right in description of an event,Quran described that description and confirmed it but when Torah or Bible description was not right,Quran rejected it.
And there are many historical and scientific facts not mentioned by either Torah or Bible but described by Quran and confirmed by science.Now no one can say that Quran was copied from Torah or Bible.
The Christians say that
"Prophet Mohammad p.b.u.h was certainly aware of The triplet Dathan and Abiram and Korah mentioned in rabbinical literature and decided to incorporate it into his Qur’an. However, he ignored the fact that there were two separate occasions of arrogant opposition against Moses (one from Pharaoh in Egypt and the other from his own folk in the desert) and concluded that Qarun (Korah) had rebelled against Moses together with Pharaoh and Haman! This rough combination of the two independent incidents prompted Mohammad to replace biblical Abiram with Pharaoh and biblical Dathan with Haman in his Qur’an.Korah’s misplacement7 into the same group with Pharaoh and Haman in the Qur’an was not only related to thematic similarities between two occasions of rebellious acts that Moses faced."
First of all,Christians should give proof that Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h was aware of the Biblical story of Qarun.They have no proof for it and they should must give it but they are only blaming Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h and giving no proof.The Quranic surah Al-Qasas which gives the story of Quran is makkan Surah where Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h had no interaction with the Jews and Christians.According to history,the only Christian whom Prophet Muhammad p. b.u.h came in interaction while in Makkah was Warqa Bin Nofal and he had died in in January 610 A.D some months after the first revelation of Quran.
While although the exact time of revelation of Surah 28, which gives the story of Qarun is not known but according to Muslim sources,it was revealed in middle period of the makkan life of Prophet Muhammad p.But.h,many years after the death of Warqa Bin Nofal and there is no proof of Prophet Muhammad being able to write or read or to meet some other Jew or Christian during this period.Now how can Christians ana atheists say that this story was taken from biblical books. How the idol worshippers of Makkah,who were the bitter enemy of Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h could remain silent if Prophet was borrowing stories from other sources while he was living among them say and night and they were aware of his all activities and he could not hide from them at all.Keeping this scenario,The Christians and atheists objection of the borrowing of Quran from Jewish and Christians books is entirely wrong.
The second thing to discuss here is that Quran never mentions the exact time of pharaoh,Haman,Qarun and Moses A.S neither or mentions that Haman and Qarun were contemporary.Now when Quran never mentions it,then how can atheists and orientalists say that Qarun said them contemporary and mixed the stories of both.
The Christians further say that
"The names of the arrogant actors of Korah rebellions also sounded similar to Mohammad. Although the name Abiram and the Arabic word for Pharaoh are not so similar, the case changes in the Greek translation of the Old Testament. In the Septuagint (LXX) the name “Abiram” is surprisingly modified to “Abiron”, which is pronounced “Aviron” (Avir’on) as Greek language stipulates the pronunciation of the phoneme “B” as “V”:8.They say that “Aviron” is obviously much closer to Fir’on, that is, “Fir’avn” of the Qur’an. Mohammad, who was more familiar with the Greek translation of the Jewish scriptures, most likely heard the name “Aviron” and concluded on the basis of its phonological similarity to the word Pharaoh in Arabic that rebellious and haughty “Abiron”, who had been punished by God through a disastrous death, was the same person as Pharaoh."
It is again wrong.The Christians and atheists should give proof that Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h was able to read and write and a Greek version of old testament or Bible was available in Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h time in Makkah.Now when Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h was not able to read or write arabic,then how he was able to read or write the Greek version of biblical books while there is also no proof that they were available in Makkah at the time of revelation of Quran in Makkah or Madina.And the second thing is that,if Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h had known clearly the Greek version or biblical story of Qarun,Haman,pharaoh and mentioned it all,then how it was possible that he mentioned all the story but wrongly mentioned some names.It seems that the orientalists and atheists are in extreme trouble and not finding some authentic way to object on Quran,so some times they say some thing and at the other time,the other thing.It is clearly showing the internal puzzle going on in their hearts.
They say that Biblical Dathan’s replacement with Haman was also quite smooth, for these two names had similar sounds. This is also wrong.The ancient Egyptian inscriptions have shown the name of a man called Haman and it is clear that while describing the story of Haman,Quran was not confusing biblical Dathan with Haman but was describing a true Haman associated with Egypt and we have discussed this story with full detail in another article.
They say that Why did Mohammad talk of Korah always in association with Pharaoh and Haman?The answer to this question is that Quran never mentions that Qarun was contemporary to Haman and the mentioning together is part of a long story of Moses A.S but it does not mean that they were contemporary or Quran borrowed this story from old testament.
They say that Why did Mohammad claim in Surah 40:24 that Moses had been sent to Korah in addition to Pharaoh and Haman?We have already discussed the matter that if the borrowing of Quran from Jewish and Christians books is true then Christians and atheists should give proof that Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h was able to read or write or the Greek manuscripts were available in Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h time in Makkah.The remaining similarity is explained by the fact that when the realities are same,the description by different people is same,so when bible was true,Quran confirmed it and when it was wrong,Quran rejected it and described it in the other and true way.The mere similarity can at no place be put as a proof of borrowing.
Finally, they ask the question why Mohammad changed the biblical name “Korah” into “Qarun”. The reason for this modification was most likely Mohammad’s wish to imply Korah’s affiliation with Levi with the help of a name that sounded almost identical to Aaron in Arabic (Haroun), for Aaron also descended from Levi (Numbers 16:1).The answer to this question have been given above that Quran is arabized version of Korah and not the proof that the story was taken from biblical books.For full details,see above paragraphs in the start of this article.
So when Qarun is Arabic name of Kurah mentioned in bible,and there are different versions of different names in different languages, then how can you present them as a proof of borrowing.The different versions of Syriac,Aramic and nabatean names occurs in biblical books also.Now can Christians and atheists admit that these names were not true figures and stolen from other languages?
The Christians and atheists say that Rabbinical literature Midrash Numbers Rabbah was the "source" of the Prophet's "confusion" resulting in his mention of Haman alongside with Korah. The midrash says:
So also two rich men arose in the world, one in Israel and one among the nations of the world - Korah in Israel and Haman among the nations of the world - and both of them were destroyed from the world.
Midrash Numbers Rabbah mentions Haman alongside Korah but it is equally clear that they belong to different nations of the world. Furthermore, the midrash writer does not even hint that they were both contemporaries! As to who exactly is in error here is obvious; it is simply a misreading on the part of orientalists Horovitz and Newman which resulted in them making erroneous claims.
This midrash consists of twenty three chapters. The first fourteen are essentially different from the following nine. The two parts may have been connected probably at the beginning of the 13th century CE. This dichotomy has resulted in scholars concluding that they are composed to two different authors.
Zunz pointed out that Midrash Numbers Rabbah is hardly older than 12th century CE. As for the second part of Midrash Numbers Rabbah, the Encyclopaedia Judaica states:
"The view accepted by the majority of critical scholars is that Numbers Rabbah II, which is apparently the second half of a complete Midrash whose first half, which served as original basis, was lost, was compiled in the ninth century, like most of the Tanhuma Yelammedenu Midrashim."
A detailed discussion about the dating of Midrash Tanhuma, accessing a broad range of Judaeo-Christian textual scholarship including specific reference to the nature of the manuscript evidence, is given elsewhere. It is sufficient to state that this midrash is dated to the 9th century CE as noted earlier.
It was claimed by Horovitz that Muhammad's alleged error of making Haman contemporary with Korah may have come from the Midrash Numbers Rabbah where Haman is mentioned alongside Korah as having been a rich man. Upon investigation, it was seen that such a position was untenable. Firstly, although Midrash Numbers Rabbah mentions Haman alongside Korah, it clearly states that Haman and Korah belong to two different nations of the world. It would be difficult for anyone to conclude that they were contemporaries in Egypt. Secondly, the second part of Midrash Numbers Rabbah is based on Midrash Tanhuma that dates from the 9th century CE. This post-Islamic dating refutes the position that Midrash Numbers Rabbah was the "source" of Prophet's alleged error.So now how can Quran copy a text when it was revealed centuries before that text.What a false belief and lies by the enemies of Quran!
Both the Bible and the Quran agree that after leaving Egypt, the Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) had gone to live in Madyan (Midian). But the Talmud tells the absurd story that Moses fled to Ethiopia and became a great favorite with the king there. After the king’s death the people made Moses their king and leader and gave him the widow of the king for a wife, but during the 40 years of his reign there he never had intercourse with his African wife. Then the queen of Ethiopia, who was a wife to Moses (peace be upon him) in name only, said to the people, “Why should this stranger continue to rule over you? He has never worshiped the gods of Ethiopia.” At this the people of Ethiopia deposed him and made him many rich presents and dismissed him with great honors. Then he came to Midian and met with the events being mentioned below. At this time he was 67 years old.
A clear proof of this story’s being absurd is that according to it Assyria (northern Iraq) in those days was under Ethiopia, and the Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) and the Ethiopian king, his predecessor, had led military campaigns to crush the Assyrian revolts. Now anybody who has a little acquaintance with the history and geography can have a look at the map and see things for himself. Assyria could be under Ethiopian domination and have been attacked by the Ethiopian army only in case Egypt and Palestine and Syria had been under its subjugation, or the whole of Arabia under its sway, or, at least the Ethiopian navy so powerful as to have conquered Iraq across the Indian ocean and the Persian Gulf. History, however, does not support the view that the Ethiopians ever held sway over these countries, or their naval force was ever so powerful. This indicates how imperfect was the Israelites’ knowledge of their own history, and how the Quran corrects their errors and presents the true facts in their pure form. Nevertheless, the Christian and the Jewish orientalists are never ashamed of asserting that the Quran has plagiarized the Israelite traditions for its narratives
The Israelites have done a grave injustice to their illustrious Prophet, greatest benefactor and national hero. The Talmud says, “Moses lived with Reuel, and he looked with favor upon Ziporah, the daughter of his host, and married her.” Another Jewish tradition related in the Jewish Encyclopedia is to the effect: When Moses related his story to Jethro, the latter understood that he was the person at whose hand, according to prophecies, the kingdom of Pharaoh was to be destroyed. Therefore, he immediately imprisoned Moses so that he should hand him over to Pharaoh and get a reward. He remained imprisoned for seven or ten years in a dark underground cell, but Jethro’s daughter, Ziporah, whom he had first met at the well of water, kept visiting him in the cell secretly and providing him with food and drink;. They had even decided to marry. After seven or ten years Ziporah said to her father, “Years ago you put a man in the cell and then forgot him altogether. He should have died by now. But if he is still alive, he must be a godly person.” Hearing this when Jethro went to the prison, he found Moses alive and was convinced that he had miraculously remained so. Then he married Ziporah to him.
Have the Western orientalists who are ever on the lookout for the sources of the Quranic narratives ever cared to see this manifest difference that exists between the Quranic version and the Israelite traditions?
All of this discussion shows that orientalists and atheists objections on Quran are wrong and the blame of biblical borrowing of Quran is a mere lie without sound proofs while at the same time,our discussion also shows that Jewish and Christians books are full of errors and Quran rectified their errors.
And Allah knows best!
References:
http://www.islamicstudies.info/tafheem.php?sura=28&verse=29
http://www.islamic-awareness.org/Quran/Sources/BBnumb.html
"Hebrew University Archaeologists Find 12th Dead Sea Scrolls Cave". The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Retrieved 2017-06-07
"The Digital Library: Introduction". Leon Levy Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library. Retrieved 2014-10-13.
Fagan, Brian M., and Charlotte Beck, The Oxford Companion to Archeology, entry on the "Dead sea scrolls", Oxford University Press, 1996.
Martin G. Abegg; Peter Flint; Eugene Ulrich (7 August 2012). The Dead Sea Scrolls Bible. HarperCollins. pp. 16–. ISBN 978-0-06-203112-9. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
http://globaltab.net/Articles/ArticleDetail/10123
https://ur.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/القصص
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waraka_ibn_Nawfal
The orientalists And Atheists Objections On Quran And Our Response
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Korah or Kórach (Arabic: قارون Qārūn) is a name which is associated with at least two men in the Hebrew Bible,and the one of two is Qarun associated with story of Moses A.S.
According to biblical book of Numbers 16:21, The lineage of Korah related to Moses A. S goes: "Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi," making him the great-grandson of the patriarch Levi and the cousin of Moses and Aaron(Arabic ،ہارون)
Numbers 16:1-40 indicates that Korah rebelled against Moses along with 249 co-conspirators and were punished for their rebellion when God sent fire from heaven to consume all 250 of them. Korah's Reubenite accomplices, Dathan and Abiram, were also punished when God caused the ground to split open beneath their feet swallowing them, their families, anyone associated with Korah, and all their possessions.
The Korah or Qarun is mentioned in old testament.In rabbinical literature,. Korah is represented as the possessor of extraordinary wealth, he having discovered one of the treasures which Joseph had hidden in Egypt. The keys of Korah's treasuries alone formed a load for three hundred mules (Pes. 119a; Sanh. 110a).
The Dead Sea Scrolls also provide additional details about Korah, though which Korah is not certain.
The Book of Exodus mentions Korah as being the son of Izhar son of Kohath son of Levi. The Quran confirms this by saying:
‘Now Korah was of Moses' folk, but he oppressed them…’ 28:76
The Quran does not give a direct evidence of how Korah made corruption in the land but the Bible and the Jewish text tell us that Korah would try to break the Jews from Moses and Aaron and engaged in logical arguments to let down Moses.
‘Now Korah… took men (250 men), they rose up in face of Moses… and they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron…’ Book of Numbers (16: 1-3)
So Korah was a divider of the Israelites from within. The Quran mentions Korah with Pharoah and Haman in a way that shows him as an accomplice to their crime:
‘And had We sent Moses, with Our signs and an authority manifest, to Pharaoh, Haman, and Qarun; but they called (him) a sorcerer, a liar. And when he brought them the Truth from Our presence, they said: Slay the sons of those who believe with him, and spare their women.’ (40: 23-25).
The single and most detailed reference to Qarun in the Qur’an occurs in the 28th chapter:
From this account we find out that
Qarun was an Israelite, being from Moses’ folk.
Qarun was a notorious character because he was arrogant and rebellious.
Qarun was haughty because he was an extremely rich person. (His tremendous wealth is expressed through a hyperbole.)
Qarun was also a wise man, which was associated with his arrogance. (He claimed he was rich because of his knowledge of things.)
Qarun’s pride was punished by Allah when the earth swallowed him and his house.
The ayahs tell us that when Moses showed the signs to the three of them, all three consented on the decision of slaying those who believed in him – showing that they all were together and well-connected in the power play.But we can not say that Qarun was contemporary to Haman and pharaoh as Quran has not mentioned it clearly.
The Christians and atheists say that Qarun mentioned in Quran is the distorted version of the biblical name Korah.They are throughly wrong as the arabization of many of the names of ancient people occurs in Quran and this arabization can not be called detoxification from other sources.For example Egyptian king title per-aa was arabized in Quran to be called فرعون and Egyptian word ha-amen or Amana was arabized to be called ہامان,aoron was arabized to be called Haroon,Yaḥyā means 'living' as opposed to Yūḥānna (graceful), which comes from Hebrew Yoḥanan.Sarah, Zipporah, Elizabeth, Jochebed, Lot's wife and Noah's wife are mentioned, but unnamed in the Qur'an. Eve and Elizabeth have the names ’ and al-Isbat, respectively, in Islamic tradition.There are many names mentioned in both Quran and Bible but they are entirely different from each other like Eve called Hawa,Eber called Hud in Quran,Goliath called jalut in Quran,John the Baptist called Yahya in Quran,Potiphar called Aziz,the king of Egypt in Prophet Joseph A.S time in Quran,Saul called Talut in Quran.So it is evident that different personalities are called by different names in different languages and the use In one language is not merely the derivation or borrowing from other sources.
The Christians and atheists say that Quranic depiction of Qarun’s as a very rich and knowledgeable man in the 28th chapter of the Qur’an is taken from rabbinical literature .The Jewish Encyclopedia contains the following information about the references to Korah in rabbinical literature:
The name "Korah" [...] is explained by the Rabbis as meaning "baldness." It was given to Korah on account of the gap or blank which he made in Israel by his revolt (Sanh. 109b). Korah is represented as the possessor of extraordinary wealth, he having discovered one of the treasures which Joseph had hidden in Egypt. The keys of Korah's treasuries alone formed a load for three hundred mules (Pes. 119a; Sanh. 110a). He and Haman were the two richest men in the world, and both perished on account of their rapacity, and because their riches were not the gift of Heaven (Num. R. xxii. 7; comp. Ex. R. li. 1). On the other hand, Korah is represented as a wise man, chief of his family and as one of the Kohathites who carried the Ark of the Covenant on their shoulders (Tan., ed. Buber, Korah, Supplement, 5; Num. R. xviii. 2).
Here again,I will like to say that when the description of an event is undisputed between two persons,the description by one person is not called copying the description of other person.So when Torah was right in description of an event,Quran described that description and confirmed it but when Torah or Bible description was not right,Quran rejected it.
And there are many historical and scientific facts not mentioned by either Torah or Bible but described by Quran and confirmed by science.Now no one can say that Quran was copied from Torah or Bible.
The Christians say that
"Prophet Mohammad p.b.u.h was certainly aware of The triplet Dathan and Abiram and Korah mentioned in rabbinical literature and decided to incorporate it into his Qur’an. However, he ignored the fact that there were two separate occasions of arrogant opposition against Moses (one from Pharaoh in Egypt and the other from his own folk in the desert) and concluded that Qarun (Korah) had rebelled against Moses together with Pharaoh and Haman! This rough combination of the two independent incidents prompted Mohammad to replace biblical Abiram with Pharaoh and biblical Dathan with Haman in his Qur’an.Korah’s misplacement7 into the same group with Pharaoh and Haman in the Qur’an was not only related to thematic similarities between two occasions of rebellious acts that Moses faced."
First of all,Christians should give proof that Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h was aware of the Biblical story of Qarun.They have no proof for it and they should must give it but they are only blaming Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h and giving no proof.The Quranic surah Al-Qasas which gives the story of Quran is makkan Surah where Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h had no interaction with the Jews and Christians.According to history,the only Christian whom Prophet Muhammad p. b.u.h came in interaction while in Makkah was Warqa Bin Nofal and he had died in in January 610 A.D some months after the first revelation of Quran.
While although the exact time of revelation of Surah 28, which gives the story of Qarun is not known but according to Muslim sources,it was revealed in middle period of the makkan life of Prophet Muhammad p.But.h,many years after the death of Warqa Bin Nofal and there is no proof of Prophet Muhammad being able to write or read or to meet some other Jew or Christian during this period.Now how can Christians ana atheists say that this story was taken from biblical books. How the idol worshippers of Makkah,who were the bitter enemy of Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h could remain silent if Prophet was borrowing stories from other sources while he was living among them say and night and they were aware of his all activities and he could not hide from them at all.Keeping this scenario,The Christians and atheists objection of the borrowing of Quran from Jewish and Christians books is entirely wrong.
The second thing to discuss here is that Quran never mentions the exact time of pharaoh,Haman,Qarun and Moses A.S neither or mentions that Haman and Qarun were contemporary.Now when Quran never mentions it,then how can atheists and orientalists say that Qarun said them contemporary and mixed the stories of both.
The Christians further say that
"The names of the arrogant actors of Korah rebellions also sounded similar to Mohammad. Although the name Abiram and the Arabic word for Pharaoh are not so similar, the case changes in the Greek translation of the Old Testament. In the Septuagint (LXX) the name “Abiram” is surprisingly modified to “Abiron”, which is pronounced “Aviron” (Avir’on) as Greek language stipulates the pronunciation of the phoneme “B” as “V”:8.They say that “Aviron” is obviously much closer to Fir’on, that is, “Fir’avn” of the Qur’an. Mohammad, who was more familiar with the Greek translation of the Jewish scriptures, most likely heard the name “Aviron” and concluded on the basis of its phonological similarity to the word Pharaoh in Arabic that rebellious and haughty “Abiron”, who had been punished by God through a disastrous death, was the same person as Pharaoh."
It is again wrong.The Christians and atheists should give proof that Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h was able to read and write and a Greek version of old testament or Bible was available in Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h time in Makkah.Now when Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h was not able to read or write arabic,then how he was able to read or write the Greek version of biblical books while there is also no proof that they were available in Makkah at the time of revelation of Quran in Makkah or Madina.And the second thing is that,if Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h had known clearly the Greek version or biblical story of Qarun,Haman,pharaoh and mentioned it all,then how it was possible that he mentioned all the story but wrongly mentioned some names.It seems that the orientalists and atheists are in extreme trouble and not finding some authentic way to object on Quran,so some times they say some thing and at the other time,the other thing.It is clearly showing the internal puzzle going on in their hearts.
They say that Biblical Dathan’s replacement with Haman was also quite smooth, for these two names had similar sounds. This is also wrong.The ancient Egyptian inscriptions have shown the name of a man called Haman and it is clear that while describing the story of Haman,Quran was not confusing biblical Dathan with Haman but was describing a true Haman associated with Egypt and we have discussed this story with full detail in another article.
They say that Why did Mohammad talk of Korah always in association with Pharaoh and Haman?The answer to this question is that Quran never mentions that Qarun was contemporary to Haman and the mentioning together is part of a long story of Moses A.S but it does not mean that they were contemporary or Quran borrowed this story from old testament.
They say that Why did Mohammad claim in Surah 40:24 that Moses had been sent to Korah in addition to Pharaoh and Haman?We have already discussed the matter that if the borrowing of Quran from Jewish and Christians books is true then Christians and atheists should give proof that Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h was able to read or write or the Greek manuscripts were available in Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h time in Makkah.The remaining similarity is explained by the fact that when the realities are same,the description by different people is same,so when bible was true,Quran confirmed it and when it was wrong,Quran rejected it and described it in the other and true way.The mere similarity can at no place be put as a proof of borrowing.
Finally, they ask the question why Mohammad changed the biblical name “Korah” into “Qarun”. The reason for this modification was most likely Mohammad’s wish to imply Korah’s affiliation with Levi with the help of a name that sounded almost identical to Aaron in Arabic (Haroun), for Aaron also descended from Levi (Numbers 16:1).The answer to this question have been given above that Quran is arabized version of Korah and not the proof that the story was taken from biblical books.For full details,see above paragraphs in the start of this article.
So when Qarun is Arabic name of Kurah mentioned in bible,and there are different versions of different names in different languages, then how can you present them as a proof of borrowing.The different versions of Syriac,Aramic and nabatean names occurs in biblical books also.Now can Christians and atheists admit that these names were not true figures and stolen from other languages?
The Christians and atheists say that Rabbinical literature Midrash Numbers Rabbah was the "source" of the Prophet's "confusion" resulting in his mention of Haman alongside with Korah. The midrash says:
So also two rich men arose in the world, one in Israel and one among the nations of the world - Korah in Israel and Haman among the nations of the world - and both of them were destroyed from the world.
Midrash Numbers Rabbah mentions Haman alongside Korah but it is equally clear that they belong to different nations of the world. Furthermore, the midrash writer does not even hint that they were both contemporaries! As to who exactly is in error here is obvious; it is simply a misreading on the part of orientalists Horovitz and Newman which resulted in them making erroneous claims.
This midrash consists of twenty three chapters. The first fourteen are essentially different from the following nine. The two parts may have been connected probably at the beginning of the 13th century CE. This dichotomy has resulted in scholars concluding that they are composed to two different authors.
Zunz pointed out that Midrash Numbers Rabbah is hardly older than 12th century CE. As for the second part of Midrash Numbers Rabbah, the Encyclopaedia Judaica states:
"The view accepted by the majority of critical scholars is that Numbers Rabbah II, which is apparently the second half of a complete Midrash whose first half, which served as original basis, was lost, was compiled in the ninth century, like most of the Tanhuma Yelammedenu Midrashim."
A detailed discussion about the dating of Midrash Tanhuma, accessing a broad range of Judaeo-Christian textual scholarship including specific reference to the nature of the manuscript evidence, is given elsewhere. It is sufficient to state that this midrash is dated to the 9th century CE as noted earlier.
It was claimed by Horovitz that Muhammad's alleged error of making Haman contemporary with Korah may have come from the Midrash Numbers Rabbah where Haman is mentioned alongside Korah as having been a rich man. Upon investigation, it was seen that such a position was untenable. Firstly, although Midrash Numbers Rabbah mentions Haman alongside Korah, it clearly states that Haman and Korah belong to two different nations of the world. It would be difficult for anyone to conclude that they were contemporaries in Egypt. Secondly, the second part of Midrash Numbers Rabbah is based on Midrash Tanhuma that dates from the 9th century CE. This post-Islamic dating refutes the position that Midrash Numbers Rabbah was the "source" of Prophet's alleged error.So now how can Quran copy a text when it was revealed centuries before that text.What a false belief and lies by the enemies of Quran!
Both the Bible and the Quran agree that after leaving Egypt, the Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) had gone to live in Madyan (Midian). But the Talmud tells the absurd story that Moses fled to Ethiopia and became a great favorite with the king there. After the king’s death the people made Moses their king and leader and gave him the widow of the king for a wife, but during the 40 years of his reign there he never had intercourse with his African wife. Then the queen of Ethiopia, who was a wife to Moses (peace be upon him) in name only, said to the people, “Why should this stranger continue to rule over you? He has never worshiped the gods of Ethiopia.” At this the people of Ethiopia deposed him and made him many rich presents and dismissed him with great honors. Then he came to Midian and met with the events being mentioned below. At this time he was 67 years old.
A clear proof of this story’s being absurd is that according to it Assyria (northern Iraq) in those days was under Ethiopia, and the Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) and the Ethiopian king, his predecessor, had led military campaigns to crush the Assyrian revolts. Now anybody who has a little acquaintance with the history and geography can have a look at the map and see things for himself. Assyria could be under Ethiopian domination and have been attacked by the Ethiopian army only in case Egypt and Palestine and Syria had been under its subjugation, or the whole of Arabia under its sway, or, at least the Ethiopian navy so powerful as to have conquered Iraq across the Indian ocean and the Persian Gulf. History, however, does not support the view that the Ethiopians ever held sway over these countries, or their naval force was ever so powerful. This indicates how imperfect was the Israelites’ knowledge of their own history, and how the Quran corrects their errors and presents the true facts in their pure form. Nevertheless, the Christian and the Jewish orientalists are never ashamed of asserting that the Quran has plagiarized the Israelite traditions for its narratives
The Israelites have done a grave injustice to their illustrious Prophet, greatest benefactor and national hero. The Talmud says, “Moses lived with Reuel, and he looked with favor upon Ziporah, the daughter of his host, and married her.” Another Jewish tradition related in the Jewish Encyclopedia is to the effect: When Moses related his story to Jethro, the latter understood that he was the person at whose hand, according to prophecies, the kingdom of Pharaoh was to be destroyed. Therefore, he immediately imprisoned Moses so that he should hand him over to Pharaoh and get a reward. He remained imprisoned for seven or ten years in a dark underground cell, but Jethro’s daughter, Ziporah, whom he had first met at the well of water, kept visiting him in the cell secretly and providing him with food and drink;. They had even decided to marry. After seven or ten years Ziporah said to her father, “Years ago you put a man in the cell and then forgot him altogether. He should have died by now. But if he is still alive, he must be a godly person.” Hearing this when Jethro went to the prison, he found Moses alive and was convinced that he had miraculously remained so. Then he married Ziporah to him.
Have the Western orientalists who are ever on the lookout for the sources of the Quranic narratives ever cared to see this manifest difference that exists between the Quranic version and the Israelite traditions?
All of this discussion shows that orientalists and atheists objections on Quran are wrong and the blame of biblical borrowing of Quran is a mere lie without sound proofs while at the same time,our discussion also shows that Jewish and Christians books are full of errors and Quran rectified their errors.
And Allah knows best!
References:
http://www.islamicstudies.info/tafheem.php?sura=28&verse=29
http://www.islamic-awareness.org/Quran/Sources/BBnumb.html
"Hebrew University Archaeologists Find 12th Dead Sea Scrolls Cave". The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Retrieved 2017-06-07
"The Digital Library: Introduction". Leon Levy Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library. Retrieved 2014-10-13.
Fagan, Brian M., and Charlotte Beck, The Oxford Companion to Archeology, entry on the "Dead sea scrolls", Oxford University Press, 1996.
Martin G. Abegg; Peter Flint; Eugene Ulrich (7 August 2012). The Dead Sea Scrolls Bible. HarperCollins. pp. 16–. ISBN 978-0-06-203112-9. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
http://globaltab.net/Articles/ArticleDetail/10123
https://ur.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/القصص
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waraka_ibn_Nawfal
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اگر ممکن ہے تو اپنا تبصرہ تحریر کریں
اہم اطلاع :- غیر متعلق,غیر اخلاقی اور ذاتیات پر مبنی تبصرہ سے پرہیز کیجئے, مصنف ایسا تبصرہ حذف کرنے کا حق رکھتا ہے نیز مصنف کا مبصر کی رائے سے متفق ہونا ضروری نہیں۔اگر آپ کے کمپوٹر میں اردو کی بورڈ انسٹال نہیں ہے تو اردو میں تبصرہ کرنے کے لیے ذیل کے اردو ایڈیٹر میں تبصرہ لکھ کر اسے تبصروں کے خانے میں کاپی پیسٹ کرکے شائع کردیں۔