Page 137 - World Religions I - Islam
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whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation. And Noah and his
sons and his wife and his sons' wives entered the ark to escape the waters of the flood." -
Genesis 6:9-10, 7:1, 7:7
o In the Qur'an, one of Noah's sons did not come into the ark.
"So the Ark floated with them on the waves (towering) like mountains, and Noah called
out to his son, who had separated himself (from the rest): 'O my son! embark with us,
and be not with the unbelievers!' The son replied: 'I will betake myself to some mountain:
it will save me from the water.' Noah said: 'This day nothing can save, from the command
of Allah, any but those on whom He hath mercy!' And the waves came between them,
and the son was among those overwhelmed in the Flood." - Hud 11:42-43
• The plagues of Egypt:
o The Bible records in great detail the 10 plagues that God sent upon Egypt. The reference are
found in the book of Exodus.
River turned to blood (Exodus 7:14-24)
Frogs (8:1-15)
Gnats (8:16-19)
Death of livestock (9:1-7)
Boils (9:8-12) 6. Hail (9:13-15)
Locust (10:1-20)
Darkness (10:21-29)
Death of the firstborn (11:1-10)
o The Qur'an is vague concerning the plagues, and claims that one of the plagues was a flood.
"So We sent against them the flood and the locusts and the vermin and the frogs and
the blood - a succession of clear signs. But they were arrogant and became a guilty folk."
-Al-Araf (The Heights) 7:133 The Arabic word for flood (toofan) can also have other
meanings and can be used as a qualifier to mean "a large amount of something" or "the
covering of something by something larger." Some scholars (Yousef Ali, Shakir) translate
the term as "widespread death", although those same scholars use the term toofan in
describing the flood of Noah elsewhere in the Qur'an (29:14).
Does the Qur'an Make Clearer the Teachings of the Bible?
Despite the claim that the Qur'an clarifies and provides a fuller explanation of the prior scriptures, the opposite is
actually true. A number of things taught throughout the Bible are confused by the Qur'an, which has led to
confusion and disagreements between Muslims and Christians.
• The death of Jesus:
o In the Bible the death of Jesus on the cross is clearly explained. Both Jesus and his disciples
taught that Jesus' death was to pay for our sins so that we could be saved from the judgement
of God.
"The Son of Man (Jesus) did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a
ransom for many." - Matthew 20:28
"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to
God." - 1 Peter 3:18a
"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is
written: 'Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.' He redeemed us in order that the
blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by
faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit." - Galatians 3:13-14
"He (Jesus) is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins
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