Affectability of Quran from Torah and the Bible

One of doubts by which some of orientalists have arisen as well as some Moslem scholars, is the Quran effect from prior holy books, specifically Torah and the Bible. To the extent that some declared the two books-Torah and the Bible- reference of the Holy Quran and accused Prophet PBUH to rewrite from them.
In this lesson, we will prove that, existing some common points between the Holy Quran and Old and New Testament does not mean copying from them, but shows the same root among whole Divine Books (Revelation).
The most important points in this issue that are discussed are as the following:
Usage of Torah and the Bible Concepts in the Holy Quran:
As some Jews and Christians lived in Medina at the time of the Prophet PBUH, It was thought that the Prophet and Quran was influenced by his Arab’s culture of contemporary religious books.
For the first time, Geiger in the year 1863 introduced theory of affectability of Quran from Jewish culture and became the pioneer theory relating to the Holy Quran references in nineteenth century and was continued by Lammens, Lestrinski, Hanna Zakria and Youssef Dorreh Ḥaddād.
Ḥaddād believed that “Quran indicates that its reference is the Holy Book.” He claimed that “the Holy Quran is Arabic version of the Bible, as the same method, Quran is an explanation and interpretation of the Bible for Arabs and indication among them as well as their environmental situation requirement. He introduced twelve groups of verses of Quran as evidence.
His confession to the different view about trinity in Quran and alike, alongside with known Jewish and Christian interpretation, criticized affectability of Quran only from Jewish or Christianity or both.
To Ḥaddād’s idea, Christianity includes Hijāz Christians and Non- Hijāz, but Nazarene includes a group of Christ’s followers that were among Banī Isrā’l and accepted Moses and Christ as Divine prophet and Torah and Bible as two holy books.
According to this view, Islamic Emḍhāyī rules (rules before Islam) which were common in the past and in Ignorance Age different from now and Islamic legislator has introduced it with a change in other way in the Holy Quran, such as Ḥajj that is an Abraham rite and in Islam was introduced by additions and insufficiencies. Also ‘īlā’, Ẓihār and Li’ān can be added to it.
It is good to note that the final result of the view is removing Quranic rules. Some supporter of this view have come to this conclusion: “Maybe Quranic Emḍhāyī rules which were considered as an approval to the function of Arabs in those days and were on the verge of change situations of time and place and so forth and even in the eye of believers to Quran that deeply are honest to it, will lose practical issue in that form. For example: To whip and to Stone the sinners, guardianship of men over woman, number of wives, covering and Ḥijāb and its special form and interest and unlikely, if Quran had revealed today, it would have supposed that it approved contemporary rites and costumes and useful rules.
Suggesting to the point that, Quran followers should not force the appearance and form of Quranic rules upon contemporary and todays’ world. He writes: “It is recommended that Quran followers should try to solve their own problems by intelligence and put away the face, appearance and surface of Quran and should achieve into depth of religion and divine guidance''.
He emphasizes elsewhere to the point that the holy Books were not revealed for the goal of scientific concepts such as: Physics and Chemistry, he continues: “It is not logical to expect the holy Books whether Quran or other holy Books to explain and give details of the creatures” and in this case, it proceeds to the point that explains scientific Quranic concepts as: “It is no more clear, Quranic phrases in the presence of scholars and human in todays’ new and general knowledge and is incompatible to the norms of science and somehow seems strange''.
Existence of Emḍhāyī rules cannot be ignored as well as T’sīisī (rules after Islam) but, it does not mean to accept Arabs’ superstitious beliefs as it was mentioned before, choice and free selection are positive and correct Arab’s culture that are often inherited by predecessor prophets and monotheism religions, such as Hajj.
Also the effect of time and place on subjects and issues of rules that was introduced by the Great Ᾱyatullāh Khomeynī, is a true case. A congress was held in this issue and many books and articles were written. But it does not mean that anyone can claim in case of Quran rules practicality even though, discrimination of this issue is based upon experts, that is to say great jurisprudents and it needs reliable reasons.
It is wondered that in todays’ world everything is based on expert, while everyone lets himself to express his/her idea about Quran and Islam and this brings about interesting results.
For example, the writer (16) considers “To stone the sinners” are among Quran Emḍhāyī rules, while there is not the concept in Quran, apart from this, it is surprising that the writer (16) starts cautiously in the beginning the issue by the sentence “It possible” and “It is supposed that” but, at the end of the article, he comes to a absolute conclusion from these probabilities and supposition and invites everyone to “wisdom” to go beyond the surface and shell of the Book and religion and achieve to depth of religion and divine guidance” But it does not explain what means “Surface and shell of the Book and religion”? Does it mean apparent rules, such as Ḥijāb, Rajm and usury …? Obviously, he means so.
Additionally, he does not say what is his aim to say “guidance and depth of religion”. Is not divine guidance by Quran? And criminal, social and family laws that are mentioned more than five hundred cases (verses of rules) in the Holy Quran, aren’t they divine guidance?
It seems that some astutely try to remove Quran from social scene and imprison it in the corner of the mosques.
Losing Quran’s practical rules and absence in politics, economics and society and even family, that is what the Prophet complains against its loneliness:
On the other hand as it was mentioned earlier, there are frequent scientific pointes in Quran and it shows scientific miraculous of Quran. It is not clear for ignorant of this reality, by what justification do they arise for more than 2000 verses of Quran that refer to the nature, where the movement of the sun is considered (Yās 38) and also movement of mountains (Naml 88). )
II. Affectability of Quran from the Holy Book (Torah, Bible and their additions) and Jewish and Christian culture: There are some important points to be mentioned:
First, divine religions are rooted from a divine reference so that, they have common factors in beliefs, morals and rules. God has revealed this common factors to any prophet and addition to their books, they have expressed their own orders (traditions) to the people.
Similarity in teachings of Quran with the prior Holy Books does not mean accompaniment to affectability from them or getting concepts from earlier religion’s culture.
The Holy Quran states the stories of prophets from the quotations of angels. Even though, some hidden scenes of Maryam and Joseph’s lives that man cannot achieve it except revelation. In this direction, the story of Moses and Jesus and some historical stories such as "Ẓolqarneyn” and followers of cave (Aṣḥābe Kahf). But, it is good to mention that historical events happens once and if several people states from a common reference correctly, all state it the same and it does not mean that thy copy each other, but Divine reference has been the same. Of course, in some parts the stories of Quran are different from the prior Holy Books that will be mentioned in the following.
Conclusion: First, if Islam is based on monotheism, it is not affected by Jewish culture and if there is prayer and fast in Islam, that is not reflex of Christian Nestorian culture, but it was obligatory for prior prophets and their followers and also made necessary to the Prophet and Moslems to fast and say prayer.
And if it is assumed that, similarities of principles and religious rules be affectability of divine religions, so that in this case, Christianity is a copy of Jewish and Jewish was got from Abraham’s religion and that from Noah then, no independent book can be existed. While no divine religions accept such a theory.
Second: Existing difference between the Holy Quran and divine books is another reason that is not got from them. These differences have shown the varied fields of beliefs, morals, rules and stories. Of course, sometimes these cases go beyond the differences and leads to contradiction to common Jewish and Christian cultures and rejection of some factors that are as following:
The Holy Quran accepts monotheism and rejects trinity, while Christian culture which was common in the beginning of Islam up to now accepts trinity.
While in Torah, the prophets’ stories is stated in a way that are not eligible to their states and adultery with his daughters is attributed to Lūt and about Solomon and David say unjust statements.
The current rules in the Holy Quran are often different according to situations and details to prior religions’ rules, for example: the features of fast, prayer, Friday prayer, alms and so on which are in Islam are completely different from Jewish. Even though, in some cases of Quran, it clearly rejects existing rules in earlier religions such as: In case of eating some forbidden parts of animals for example “camel’s meat” that was forbidden by Jacob because of sickness, Quran reminds it and permits to eat it.
كُلُّ الطَّعامِ كَانَ حِلّاً لِبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ إِلَّا مَا حَرَّمَ إِسْرَائِيلُ عَلَى‏ نَفْسِهِ مِن قَبْلِ أَن تُنَزَّلَ التَّوْرَاةُ قُلْ فَأْتُوا بِالتَّوْرَاةِ فَاتْلُوهَا إِن كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ؛ (Ᾱl-i Emrān: 93)
Third, the Holy Quran in some cases complains about Jewish and Christianity morals, behavior and beliefs. And if Quran was affected by Jewish and Christianity or addition of two that is Nazarene, it was not permitted to complain.
As an example, the Holy Quran complains about Jews to be ungrateful (Baqareh 211), unfaithfulness (Baqareh 93,83, 00) and denial of verses and miracles (Nisā 155) and killing of divine prophets (Baqareh 61, 91 …) and denial of some prophets (Mā’deh 70) and worship of calf (Baqareh 51, 54, 92 and Nisā 153 and…), cruelty of heart (Nisā 161) and usury (Nisā 161) and disbelieving to God (Ᾱl-i Imrān 75) and hostility toward Gabriel (Baqareh 97, 98) and etc.
And also the Holy Quran complains Christianity in exaggerating in religion (Nisā 171), innovation in religion and monasticism (Ḥadīd 27) deviation (Ḥadīd 27), their beliefs about Jesus and Saint Mary (Towbeh 30, Mā‘deh 17, 72 and 116), ignorance of divine agreements (Mā‘deh 14) and trinity (Nisā 171).
Conclusion:
Concluding the last lines, it can be resulted that for the first view there is no reason to prove it and some examples do not suffice. At the end of this view is a polite denial of Quran, that is to say to remove Quran from scientific and practical life but, the second view is moderate and correct. That means positive factors of Arab culture which is rooted in Abraham religions are revived and is seeking to improve it. Even though, it does not mean that the Holy Quran in influenced or got something from Arab society, but this is reviving divine traditions such as Hajj.
Also The Holy Quran denies some Arabs’ ignorance culture factors which are irrational, unjust and against religion, to which Quran fights and denies them.
The Holy Quran applies some allegories, proverbs and common words which are used to convey its aims, although this kind of usage does not mean that science and literary styles have proven it, but they are used as reference.
This does not prove that the Holy Quran is related to a specific culture, tribe or land but, Quran is an eternal and worldwide Book and if it refers to the culture and tribe of Ḥijāz, it can be generalized.