Differences Between the Story of Joseph in the Bible and Intricacies in Sura 12 of the Qur’an

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While most westerners know the story of Joseph as a passage from the end of the book of Genesis in the Bible or the Torah, understanding the story and its intricacies in sura 12 of the Qur’an proves equally important. Joseph’s story in Genesis emphasizes his personal abilities and God rewarding him and his people’s loyalty and faith amidst hardship. The Qur’an takes the same plot and enforces the theme of monotheism and Joseph’s prophetic role in its spread. The Qur’an’s interpretation serves as a more influential religious text in the context of its body of belief, whereas the Biblical story of Joseph, with its thematically intriguing story line and embellishments, comparatively serves a greater literary purpose. By reading and understanding both passages, one can gain a clearer knowledge of what is regarded as important to the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic faiths. The two stories follow the same general plot, but the different interpretations give varying underlying meanings, assumingly stemming from the differences in authorship. This difference in content is the major divide between the Qur’an and the Bible. Islamic believers claim that the Qur’an was divinely inspired and physically written by the prophet Muhammad in its entirety and the Bible contains many historical manipulations due to its varied authorship. Assuming the common belief in divine inspiration is true, the single author of the Qur’an would provide less room for error than the compilation style of the Bible. However, according to biblical tradition, the Torah was completed around 1500 BCE, and the Qur’an was written during the lifetime of Muhammad from 609 to 632 CE, meaning that the Qur’an was written many centuries after the events it chronicled and leave... ... middle of paper ... ...e Biblical story weighs heavily on Joseph’s divine dream interpreting ability and the story it provides, focusing on the theme of God caring for His people and fulfilling his divine plan. The Qur’an appreciates this but sees it as a means to the end of the spread of faith to non-believers. The Christian and Jewish version of Joseph’s trials serves a greater literary purpose than the Qur’an’s version, advancing belief by showing God’s abilities and the way they may be manifested in others in order to fulfill his divine plan. However, the Qur’an expands upon the Biblical version by including additional plot points and explicitly portraying Joseph’s goals and how they align with Islamic theology. The accounts differ in functionality, but both are crucial to the holistic understanding of the story of Joseph and some of the fundamental differences between the religions.

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