Envision a circle of art experts deeply engaged in discourse over the nuances of Renaissance artistry. As a newcomer interlaces into the dialogue, the original members of the group may be skepticial if the new member is qualified to contribute worthy commentary to the discussion. Yet, in a turn that transforms the tenor of the conversation, this fresh voice astutely remarks on the interplay of chiaroscuro in the corner of Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper.” They note that the seemingly innocuous shadow not only lends dimension to the scene but also ingeniously masks the vestiges of architectural alteration. A subtle reference to the expansion of a doorway from the 16th century that inadvertently altered the painting’s intended perspective. With this nuanced observation, this new participant in the discussion didn’t need to announce their expertise; the insight itself revealed a wealth of knowledge deeper than the very shadows they described.
The Quran utilizes a similar approach. The author exhibits their profound grasp of the Bible not through explicit exposition but through nuanced commentary on biblical themes and intricacies. These subtle references are indicative of a sophisticated understanding, discernible only by One deeply versed in the texts.
Example #1
In the Authorized English Translation of the Quran by Dr. Rashad Khalifa he includes the following footnote for verse 14:48 of the Quran.
[14:48] The day will come when this earth will be substituted with a new earth, and also the heavens, and everyone will be brought before GOD, the One, the Supreme.
يَوْمَ تُبَدَّلُ ٱلْأَرْضُ غَيْرَ ٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتُ وَبَرَزُوا۟ لِلَّهِ ٱلْوَٰحِدِ ٱلْقَهَّارِ
Footnote: *14:48 This prophecy is also found in the Old Testament (Isaiah 65:17 & 66:22) and the New Testament: “What we await are new heavens and a new earth where, according to his promise, the justice of God will reside.” (2 Peter 3:13).
11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! 13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
9 I will bring forth [g]offspring from Jacob,
And an heir of My mountains from Judah;
My chosen ones shall inherit it,
And My servants will live there.17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth;
And the former things will not be remembered or come to [o]mind.
22 “For just as the new heavens and the new earth,
Which I make, will endure before Me,” declares the Lord,
“So will your descendants and your name endure.
This shows that the author of the Quran had an intricate knowledge of the Quran beyond what some people claim as a passive understanding of the material.
Example #2
The following is a summary taken from an article from Dr. Samuel Zinner entitled “The Qurʾān’s Detailed Knowledge of the Bible: The Explanatory Inadequacy of the “Conversational” or “Christian Missionaries” Models.”
Below is the abstract from the article:
The article demonstrates that the Qurʾān has knowledge of a wide scope of fine details of Biblical passages, including the Tanakh in Hebrew and Syriac (Masoretic Text and Peshitta) and the New Testament (Greek and Syriac Peshitta). Additionally, the Qurʾān has extensive knowledge of traditional Biblical intertexts and subtexts. The knowledge of details is too extensive to be explained plausibly by passing or occasional exposure via conversations with traveling Christian missionaries in marketplaces or in inns. Nor will brief and infrequent exposure to simple homilies and/or liturgical readings suffice as an explanatory model. It is not this essay’s task to offer an explanation for how the Qurʾān could have arrived at its scriptural knowledge. The sole task of the present essay is to demonstrate the complexity of the Qurʾān’s Biblical knowledge, which, pace various scholars, is profound rather than cursory or flawed.
Here are the verses that the article cites to show the parallels between the Quran and the Bible.
[21:104] On that day, we will fold the heaven, like the folding of a book. Just as we initiated the first creation, we will repeat it. This is our promise; we will certainly carry it out.
يَوْمَ نَطْوِى ٱلسَّمَآءَ كَطَىِّ ٱلسِّجِلِّ لِلْكُتُبِ كَمَا بَدَأْنَآ أَوَّلَ خَلْقٍ نُّعِيدُهُۥ وَعْدًا عَلَيْنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا فَـٰعِلِينَ
[21:105] We have decreed in the Psalms, as well as in other scriptures, that the earth shall be inherited by My righteous worshipers.
وَلَقَدْ كَتَبْنَا فِى ٱلزَّبُورِ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ٱلذِّكْرِ أَنَّ ٱلْأَرْضَ يَرِثُهَا عِبَادِىَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحُونَ
| yawma | يَوْمَ | (The) Day |
| naṭwī | نَطْوِى | we will fold |
| l-samāa | ٱلسَّمَآءَ | the heaven |
| kaṭayyi | كَطَىِّ | like (the) rolling / folding (of) |
| l-sijili | ٱلسِّجِلِّ | the scroll / book |
| lil’kutubi | لِلْكُتُبِ | for the records / of the books. |
| kamā | كَمَا | Just as |
| badanā | بَدَأْنَآ | we initiated |
| awwala | أَوَّلَ | (the) first |
| khalqin | خَلْقٍ | creation |
| nuʿīduhu | نُّعِيدُهُۥ | we will repeat it, |
| waʿdan | وَعْدًا | a promise |
| ʿalaynā | عَلَيْنَآ | upon us. |
| innā | إِنَّا | Indeed, [we] |
| kunnā | كُنَّا | we were |
| fāʿilīna | فَـٰعِلِينَ | (the) doers. |
| walaqad | وَلَقَدْ | And verily, |
| katabnā | كَتَبْنَا | we wrote |
| fī | فِى | in |
| l-zabūri | ٱلزَّبُورِ | the Psalms |
| min | مِنۢ | from |
| baʿdi | بَعْدِ | after |
| l-dhik’ri | ٱلذِّكْرِ | the mention, |
| anna | أَنَّ | that |
| l-arḍa | ٱلْأَرْضَ | the earth – |
| yarithuhā | يَرِثُهَا | [it] will inherit it |
| ʿibādiya | عِبَادِىَ | My servants, |
| l-ṣāliḥūna | ٱلصَّـٰلِحُونَ | the righteous [ones]. |
9 For evildoers will be eliminated,
But those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land.
10 Yet a little while and the wicked person will be no more;
And you will look carefully for his place and he will not be there.
11 But the humble will inherit the land
And will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.22 For those blessed by Him will inherit the land,
But those cursed by Him will be eliminated.28 For the Lord loves [i]justice
And does not abandon His godly ones;
They are protected forever,
But the [j]descendants of the wicked will be eliminated.
29 The righteous will inherit the land
And dwell in it forever.
4 And all the heavenly [e]lights will [f]wear away,
And the sky will be rolled up like a scroll;
All its [g]lights will also wither away
As a leaf withers from the vine,
Or as one withers from the fig tree.
14 The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.
Example #3
In another example the Quran make the following commentary regarding the murder of one of Adam’s two sons, despite not mentioning them by name.
[5:27] Recite for them the true history of Adam’s two sons. They made an offering, and it was accepted from one of them, but not from the other. He said, “I will surely kill you.” He said, “GOD accepts only from the righteous.
وَٱتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَبَأَ ٱبْنَىْ ءَادَمَ بِٱلْحَقِّ إِذْ قَرَّبَا قُرْبَانًا فَتُقُبِّلَ مِنْ أَحَدِهِمَا وَلَمْ يُتَقَبَّلْ مِنَ ٱلْـَٔاخَرِ قَالَ لَأَقْتُلَنَّكَ قَالَ إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ
[5:28] “If you extend your hand to kill me, I am not extending my hand to kill you. For I reverence GOD, Lord of the universe.
لَئِنۢ بَسَطتَ إِلَىَّ يَدَكَ لِتَقْتُلَنِى مَآ أَنَا۠ بِبَاسِطٍ يَدِىَ إِلَيْكَ لِأَقْتُلَكَ إِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ ٱللَّهَ رَبَّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
[5:29] “I want you, not me, to bear my sin and your sin, then you end up with the dwellers of Hell. Such is the requital for the transgressors.”
إِنِّىٓ أُرِيدُ أَن تَبُوٓأَ بِإِثْمِى وَإِثْمِكَ فَتَكُونَ مِنْ أَصْحَـٰبِ ٱلنَّارِ وَذَٰلِكَ جَزَٰٓؤُا۟ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
[5:30] His ego provoked him into killing his brother. He killed him, and ended up with the losers.
فَطَوَّعَتْ لَهُۥ نَفْسُهُۥ قَتْلَ أَخِيهِ فَقَتَلَهُۥ فَأَصْبَحَ مِنَ ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَ
[5:31] GOD then sent a raven to scratch the soil, to teach him how to bury his brother’s corpse. He said, “Woe to me; I failed to be as intelligent as this raven, and bury my brother’s corpse.” He became ridden with remorse.
فَبَعَثَ ٱللَّهُ غُرَابًا يَبْحَثُ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ لِيُرِيَهُۥ كَيْفَ يُوَٰرِى سَوْءَةَ أَخِيهِ قَالَ يَـٰوَيْلَتَىٰٓ أَعَجَزْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِثْلَ هَـٰذَا ٱلْغُرَابِ فَأُوَٰرِىَ سَوْءَةَ أَخِى فَأَصْبَحَ مِنَ ٱلنَّـٰدِمِينَ
Because of this murder, the Quran dictates that the ruling indicted that “anyone who murders any person who had not committed murder or horrendous crimes, it shall be as if he murdered all the people. And anyone who spares a life it shall be as if he spared the lives of all the people,” except this direct ruling cannot be found directly stated in the Old Testament.
[5:32] Because of this, we decreed for the Children of Israel that anyone who murders any person who had not committed murder or horrendous crimes, it shall be as if he murdered all the people. And anyone who spares a life it shall be as if he spared the lives of all the people. Our messengers went to them with clear proofs and revelations, but most of them, after all this, are still transgressing.
مِنْ أَجْلِ ذَٰلِكَ كَتَبْنَا عَلَىٰ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ أَنَّهُۥ مَن قَتَلَ نَفْسًۢا بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ أَوْ فَسَادٍ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ ٱلنَّاسَ جَمِيعًا وَمَنْ أَحْيَاهَا فَكَأَنَّمَآ أَحْيَا ٱلنَّاسَ جَمِيعًا وَلَقَدْ جَآءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُنَا بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ ثُمَّ إِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنْهُم بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ لَمُسْرِفُونَ
This language while not found in the scripture, is the understanding extracted from the verse of the Bible in Exodus 6:4, and can be found in the Talmud Sanhedrin 37a:12-13.
שכן מצינו בקין שהרג את אחיו שנאמר (בראשית ד, י) דמי אחיך צועקים אינו אומר דם אחיך אלא דמי אחיך דמו ודם זרעותיו דבר אחר דמי אחיך שהיה דמו מושלך על העצים ועל האבנים
The proof for this is as we found with Cain, who killed his brother, as it is stated concerning him: “The voice of your brother’s blood [demei] cries out to Me from the ground” (Genesis 4:10). The verse does not state: Your brother’s blood [dam], in the singular, but rather: “Your brother’s blood [demei],” in the plural. This serves to teach that the loss of both his brother’s blood and the blood of his brother’s offspring are ascribed to Cain. The mishna notes: Alternatively, the phrase “your brother’s blood [demei],” written in the plural, teaches that that his blood was not gathered in one place but was splattered on the trees and on the stones.
לפיכך נברא אדם יחידי ללמדך שכל המאבד נפש אחת מישראל מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו איבד עולם מלא וכל המקיים נפש אחת מישראל מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו קיים עולם מלא
The court tells the witnesses: Therefore, Adam the first man was created alone, to teach you that with regard to anyone who destroys one soul from the Jewish people, i.e., kills one Jew, the verse ascribes him blame as if he destroyed an entire world, as Adam was one person, from whom the population of an entire world came forth. And conversely, anyone who sustains one soul from the Jewish people, the verse ascribes him credit as if he sustained an entire world.
“For thus we find in the case of Cain, who killed his brother, that it is written: the bloods of thy brother cry unto me: not the blood of thy brother, but the bloods of thy brother, is said — i.e., his blood and the blood of his [potential] descendants. (alternatively, the bloods of thy brother, teaches that his blood was splashed over trees and stones.) For this reason was man created alone, to teach thee that whosoever destroys a single soul of israel, scripture imputes [guilt] to him as though he had destroyed a complete world; and whosoever preserves a single soul of israel, scripture ascribes [merit] to him as though he had preserved a complete world. Furthermore, [he was created alone] for the sake of peace among men, that one might not say to his fellow, ‘my father was greater than thine, and that the minim might not say, there are many ruling powers in heaven” (emphasis added).
To summarize, the Quran is not merely quoting the Bible, but showing that the author had a deep understanding of the text through the exexgesis of Genesis 4:10.
10 Then He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood[s] is crying out to Me from the ground.
The word in Genesis 4:10 “דְּמֵ֣י” (demey) translated as “blood” is plural in Hebrew, and comes from the base word is “דָּם” (dam), meaning “blood.” The form “דְּמֵי” indicates “bloods” or “of blood” in a plural or possessive construct, which implies the blood of more than one person or blood in a metaphorical or extended sense, such as in the context of bloodshed or the lifeblood of multiple descendants.
The use of “bloods” in the plural form suggests this murder was not only the loss of Abel’s life but also the loss of all his potential descendants—every life that could have come from Abel had he lived. This interpretation underscores the idea that taking a single life is akin to destroying an entire lineage or world, emphasizing the sanctity and intrinsic value of each individual life.
Example #4
In Exodus 34:5-6 it states the following:
5 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed in the name, of Yahweh. 6 And Yahweh passed in front of Moses, and proclaimed, “Yahweh, Yeahweh, the merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,
Additionally, Dr. Samuel Zinnner points out that the Hebrew for “and proclaimed” “way·yiq·rā” ( וַיִּקְרָ֥א ) is an echo of the first revelation of the Quran:
[96:1] Read (iq’ra), in the name of your Lord, who created.
(١) ٱقْرَأْ بِٱسْمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ
Hebrew expression from above for “and proclaimed ( way·yiq·rā/ וַיִּקְרָ֥א ) in the name (ḇə·šêm / בְשֵׁ֖ם ) God, Merciful (ra·ḥūm / רַח֖וּם) and Gracious (wə·ḥan·nūn/ וְחַנּ֑וּן ) consists of 19 letters, just like it occurs in Arabic. This is interesting because this particular spelling, which is consistent in the manuscripts of the Quran, could also be written with 22 letters, yet it is deliberately written with exactly 19 letters.
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