Peace, one and all…
I recently came across a very useful website: The Bible and Quran Online. As you might imagine, it does exactly what it says on the tin. So, mang use of this resource, I wanted to offer some quotations from the Bible and the Quran that, for me at any rate, show that we are within the same Abrahamic tradition.
The Roots of Knowledge
Proverbs 1:7:
‘The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction’.
‘Fear Allah and Allah shall teach you…’ (itaqallah wa yu`allimukum Ullah)
Ritual & Righteousness
Amos 5:21-24 (NRSV)
‘21 I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. 22 Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals I will not look upon. 23 Take away from me the noise of your songs; I will not listen to the melody of your harps. 24 But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream’.
Isaiah 1:10-11
‘10 Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah! 11 What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the LORD; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats.’.
Surah al-Hajj 22:37
‘Their meat reaches not Allah, nor will their blood, but what reaches Him is piety from you…’
Surah al-Baqarah 2:177
‘Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveller, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves; [and who] establishes prayer and gives zakah; [those who] fulfill their promises when they promise; and [those who] are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous’.
Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman
