Bible, Quran – Beauties Beyond Comparison?

[Reuben_J]

Muslims will tell us that Mohammad’s greatest miracle is the Quran itself. Its literary beauty is so sublime that no other work of literature can match it in beauty and uniqueness.

I thought the Bible is the most beautiful book that has ever existed in term of language and wisdom. Even a simple translation brings about in its content most profound wisdom and language most beautiful.

Some of the sayings in the Bible have become so universal that they are being quoted and used in almost all languages today.

Its words and phrases like Good Samaritan, spare the rod and spoil the child, etc, have been used by people irrespective of their religions to describe an idea or a thought.

A fellow speaker at a scientific conference yesterday, who is a Muslim professor, used the word ‘pearl’ at the conclusion of her slides to denote wisdom. I thought, ah, isn’t that come from our Bible ‘the Pearl of Great Price’. I wondered whether she knew where the word actually came from.

It will serve this thread if posters can contribute some of the beauties found in the Quran or the Bible and judge for ourselves which book is indeed a miracle.

 

[Reuben_J]

Eleventh Hour – commonly understood to mean last minute; last moment, like Joe arrived at the eleventh hour just in time for the interview. Usually denotes the undertaking is being saved in the process.

**Biblical origin **– Gospel – the parable of the worker of the vineyard, who was taken in at the end of the day (last hour) and yet get paid a day’s wage.

Beauty – the Lord’s mercy is so generous and gracious that even if one repents at the last moment, one will be forgiven and able to enter the kingdom of heaven.

The word, eleventh hour, so profound, today it is in everyone’s lip irrespective of his/her belief.

Is there anything in the Quran that can match that?

 

[Byzantine_Wolf]

When I first read the Koran I found it very beautiful. I still do find it beautiful in some ways even today. Although I of course do not believe a book to be a miracle in and of itself - otherwise we’d be giving credance to the Mormons and their book.

 

[Eucharisted]

Muslims don’t know history or theology, that’s why they tell you the Qu’ran is Mohammed’s miracle. Historically, the book was compiled after Mohammed’s death. Theologically, the book is Allah’s verbatium, not Mohammed’s.

 

[SSTeacher]

Muslims will tell us that Mohammad’s greatest miracle is the Quran itself. Its literary beauty is so sublime that no other work of literature can match it in beauty and uniqueness.

I thought the Bible is the most beautiful book that has ever existed in term of language and wisdom. Even a simple translation brings about in its content most profound wisdom and language most beautiful.

Some of the sayings in the Bible have become so universal that they are being quoted and used in almost all languages today.

Its words and phrases like Good Samaritan, spare the rod and spoil the child, etc, have been used by people irrespective of their religions to describe an idea or a thought.

A fellow speaker at a scientific conference yesterday, who is a Muslim professor, used the word ‘pearl’ at the conclusion of her slides to denote wisdom. I thought, ah, isn’t that come from our Bible ‘the Pearl of Great Price’. I wondered whether she knew where the word actually came from.

It will serve this thread if posters can contribute some of the beauties found in the Quran or the Bible and judge for ourselves which book is indeed a miracle.

When I first came seriously to read the Bible (about nine years ago) I was surprised to find in it sayings that were familiar to me, such as:

There’s nothing new under the sun;
The apple of your eye;
Escaped with only the skin of my teeth;
A drop in a bucket;
Don’t let the sun go down while you’re still angry;
We brought nothing into the world and we can take nothing out of it;
How the mighty have fallen;
A wolf in sheep’s clothing;
The writing is on the wall.

How curious to find so late in life that these sayings were in the Bible.

I was also astonished to discover that the biblical figures, particularly the ones in the Old Testament, are mostly people you wouldn’t be keen to invite home to dinner. They are cheaters, liars, drunkards, thieves, murderers, tyrants, adulterers, and cowards. Even the people selected by God for special assignments are somewhat less than heroic. Noah, the only man God found righteous in his generation, turns out to be a drunk – and a mean–spirited one at that; Abraham, the man called “God’s friend,” was a liar, as was his son, Isaac; Jacob cheated his brother out of his birthright; David – a man after God’s own heart – was a murderer and an adulterer; and Saul, chosen by God to be a leader, had fits of rage and verged on the psychotic before meeting his tragic end.

The Book of Ruth, on the other hand, contains a beautiful story of ordinary people whose behavior represents the higher side of human nature.

Peace,
Mick

 

[Eucharisted]

When I first came seriously to read the Bible (about nine years ago) I was surprised to find in it sayings that were familiar to me, such as:

There’s nothing new under the sun;
The apple of your eye;
Escaped with only the skin of my teeth;
A drop in a bucket;
Don’t let the sun go down while you’re still angry;
We brought nothing into the world and we can take nothing out of it;
How the mighty have fallen;
A wolf in sheep’s clothing;
The writing is on the wall.

How curious to find so late in life that these sayings were in the Bible.

I was also astonished to discover that the biblical figures, particularly the ones in the Old Testament, are mostly people you wouldn’t be keen to invite home to dinner. They are cheaters, liars, drunkards, thieves, murderers, tyrants, adulterers, and cowards. Even the people selected by God for special assignments are somewhat less than heroic. Noah, the only man God found righteous in his generation, turns out to be a drunk – and a mean–spirited one at that; Abraham, the man called “God’s friend,” was a liar, as was his son, Isaac; Jacob cheated his brother out of his birthright; David – a man after God’s own heart – was a murderer and an adulterer; and Saul, chosen by God to be a leader, had fits of rage and verged on the psychotic before meeting his tragic end.

The Book of Ruth, on the other hand, contains a beautiful story of ordinary people whose behavior represents the higher side of human nature.

Peace,
Mick

The Old Testament is a wonderful picture of fallen mankind and of how God uses the least and worst souls to show His glory and save mankind. Saint Paul is almost a summary of the Old Testament in himself, too.

 

[Reuben_J]

When I first read the Koran I found it very beautiful. I still do find it beautiful in some ways even today. Although I of course do not believe a book to be a miracle in and of itself -

I have never come to a point where I was able to appreciate the Quran and see whatever if any, its beauty. I couldn’t, the minute when it starts to condemn Christians and Jews.
I could not see anything that’s outstanding and beautiful there in the Quran. I thought if it is a miracle by itself then surely Muslims should be able to tell us where. Then let’s see what they are.

otherwise we’d be giving credance to the Mormons and their book.

How true.

 

[Reuben_J]

When I first came seriously to read the Bible (about nine years ago) I was surprised to find in it sayings that were familiar to me, such as:

There’s nothing new under the sun;
The apple of your eye;
Escaped with only the skin of my teeth;
A drop in a bucket;
Don’t let the sun go down while you’re still angry;
We brought nothing into the world and we can take nothing out of it;
How the mighty have fallen;
A wolf in sheep’s clothing;
The writing is on the wall.

How curious to find so late in life that these sayings were in the Bible.

Thanks for sharing the gems of the Bible. How interesting. I guess I missed out on some of the examples you gave. Goodness I never thought they have their origin in the Bible. God bless you for making the word of God your own.

What do you think about the ones that I highlighted?

I was also astonished to discover that the biblical figures, particularly the ones in the Old Testament, are mostly people you wouldn’t be keen to invite home to dinner. They are cheaters, liars, drunkards, thieves, murderers, tyrants, adulterers, and cowards. Even the people selected by God for special assignments are somewhat less than heroic. Noah, the only man God found righteous in his generation, turns out to be a drunk – and a mean–spirited one at that; Abraham, the man called “God’s friend,” was a liar, as was his son, Isaac; Jacob cheated his brother out of his birthright; David – a man after God’s own heart – was a murderer and an adulterer; and Saul, chosen by God to be a leader, had fits of rage and verged on the psychotic before meeting his tragic end.

The Book of Ruth, on the other hand, contains a beautiful story of ordinary people whose behavior represents the higher side of human nature.

Peace,
Mick

The Book of Ruth is one of my favourites. It’s truly awesome and an honour to all women. She was exceptionally faithful. Even though there was nothing for her, she still followed her mother-in-law. What really strikes me was the reward that was bestowed on her towards the end of the book. Not the kindness she received but the fact that she became the grandmother of David and therefore became the ancestor of the Lord. Just imagine that Jesus should come to exist from the line of this foreign woman.

I was looking for Christians who are inspired and touched by the words of the Bible and experienced them in a personal way. But more so with those Biblical words that have become common usage even among non-Christians and atheists alike.

God bless.

 

[Reuben_J]

Muslims don’t know history or theology, that’s why they tell you the Qu’ran is Mohammed’s miracle. Historically, the book was compiled after Mohammed’s death. Theologically, the book is Allah’s verbatium, not Mohammed’s.

The reason I brought up this subject is because of Muslims’ claim that the Quran was Mohammad’s miracle. Other than that he had actually nothing to show for as a prophet. His coming was not prophesized nor foretold. He did no miracle. His actions were very human and predictable. There was nothing excellent and extraordinary about him except as a human he was a successful warlord and able to galvanized some followers to follow him.

I thought that if Muslims say the Quran is a miracle then what more will be the Bible that has given beauty and wisdom to mankind that even the non-believers quote and speak its content?

I had a Muslim colleague at work one time who said that “ … sometimes we need to take up responsibility and if it’s heavy and difficult then consider it as a cross that we must carry.” Ironic, isn’t it for someone who does not believe in the cross of Jesus?

 

[Byzantine_Wolf]

In reference to the question of beautiful passages in the Koran, here’s one of my favorites:

And your Lord revealed to the bee saying: Make hives in the mountains and in the trees and in what they build: Then eat of all the fruits and walk in the ways of your Lord submissively. There comes forth from within it a beverage of many colours, in which there is healing for men; most surely there is a sign in this for a people who reflect. [S. 16:68-69]

And this one:

The parable of those who take protectors other than Allah is that of the spider, who builds (to itself) a house; but truly the flimsiest of houses is the spider’s house;- if they but knew. [S. 29:41]

Although this passage proved somewhat ironic to me when I found out later that the spider’s web is actually fairly sturdy, at least in the insect kingdom.

 

[Reuben_J]

In reference to the question of beautiful passages in the Koran, here’s one of my favorites:

And your Lord revealed to the bee saying: Make hives in the mountains and in the trees and in what they build: Then eat of all the fruits and walk in the ways of your Lord submissively. There comes forth from within it a beverage of many colours, in which there is healing for men; most surely there is a sign in this for a people who reflect. [S. 16:68-69]

And this one:

The parable of those who take protectors other than Allah is that of the spider, who builds (to itself) a house; but truly the flimsiest of houses is the spider’s house;- if they but knew. [S. 29:41]

Although this passage proved somewhat ironic to me when I found out later that the spider’s web is actually fairly sturdy, at least in the insect kingdom.

Thanks for sharing the quotes.

The first one sounds cute; can be beautiful. But bees walk in the way of the Lord?

The second verse - an evidence on an issue where the Quran is in error? Muslims like to boast that it contains scientific truth but certainly not this one.

Then there is this consideration: the language can be beautiful but it can also lack wisdom. Some of the Biblical beauties quoted here had made untold impact on the lives of people; they are so unique and powerful that even non-Christians quote and use them in their everyday language.

 

[Byzantine_Wolf]

The bees are a metaphor for the beauty of the land, and how everything together comprises the beauty of God’s creation. It doesn’t necessarily mean that bees are religious.

As for the spider web, it may be fitting. Mohammad was saved from a gang of Quarish soldiers because the cave he was hiding in had a spider web at the entrance - the Quarish decided if anything had gone through it would have destroyed it and left it alone. There’s something to contemplate on.

 

[Hadi]

Ruben,

1- you are speaking about the English-speaking culture that has the bible for hundreds of years…when was the Quran first translated to English and what percentage of the English speaking people read it …very recent and very few…but if you look at the Arab world ,you would find that many quotes from the Quran are wildly used…but very few from the Bible…this is also true for other cultures who have little exposure to the Bible

2- as for English ,you have a great history of Bible translations influenced by culture and the translator artistic choice of words…some are beautifully selected and some are not…most of the English translations of the Quran were done recently by translators who lived in non-Engish speaking country or English was not their mother’s tongue…also,the quotes you showed may not be widely used in other languages…they are best fit with English…I once translated myself few verses from Mathew (bless the …) to an Arabic audience but looked poorly translated but later found a good translation and presented it and it looked really good…

3- so what if the Bible contains beautiful verses?? praise the Lord…the Quran quotes form the psalms (the righteous inherits the earth)

 

[bpbasilphx]

I thought the Bible is the most beautiful book that has ever existed in term of language and wisdom.

---

**Actually, in the original Hebrew and Greek, the Bible is rather uncouth and inelegant in spots. Revelation in Greek (I’ve been told) is some of the most ungrammatical Greek in the Bible.

As far as the Coran, any grown man who has sexual relations with a 9 year old girl is a pedophile, and this is that Mohammed did. So how can a pedophile come up with anything beautiful?**

 

[seraphime2008]

Hei…there’s a new thread here talking about how Koran plagiarized the Bible with very strong proofs. Great expose to what could be happening during that time of “forming” a new religion and identity for the Arab world made by Muhammad and his companions, I suppose.

 

[SSTeacher]

SSTeacher;5491404:

When I first came seriously to read the Bible (about nine years ago) I was surprised to find in it sayings that were familiar to me, such as:

There’s nothing new under the sun;

The apple of your eye;
Escaped with only the skin of my teeth;
A drop in a bucket;
Don’t let the sun go down while you’re still angry;
We brought nothing into the world and we can take nothing out of it;
How the mighty have fallen;
A wolf in sheep’s clothing;
The writing is on the wall.

How curious to find so late in life that these sayings were in the Bible.What do you think about the ones that I highlighted?

I don’t understand the question. Do you mean that you want me to comment on the three that you’ve highlighted or that you want me to state whether or not I think the three you’ve highlighted lead to more interesting trains of thought than the other six?

Respectfully,
Mick

 

[planten]

Eleventh Hour – commonly understood to mean last minute; last moment, like Joe arrived at the eleventh hour just in time for the interview. Usually denotes the undertaking is being saved in the process.

**Biblical origin **– Gospel – the parable of the worker of the vineyard, who was taken in at the end of the day (last hour) and yet get paid a day’s wage.

Beauty – the Lord’s mercy is so generous and gracious that even if one repents at the last moment, one will be forgiven and able to enter the kingdom of heaven.

The word, eleventh hour, so profound, today it is in everyone’s lip irrespective of his/her belief.

Is there anything in the Quran that can match that?

**Reuben, thanks for inviting attention to the Quran. You have shown something good from the bible. We do believe that there are pearls (the wise words of Jesus) in he bible. Jesus also called them pearls.

I will leave the “Last hour”. But I will present somethign from the Quran, It calls itself “Hidden pearls.” Please see actual words of the Quran:

‏‏
[56:75] ۞ فَلَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِمَوَٲقِعِ ٱلنُّجُومِ
[56:75] Nay, I swear by the shooting of the stars —​

[56:76] وَإِنَّهُ ۥ لَقَسَمٌ۬ لَّوۡ تَعۡلَمُونَ عَظِيمٌ
[56:76] And, indeed, that is a grand oath, if you only knew —​

[56:79] إِنَّهُ ۥ لَقُرۡءَانٌ۬ كَرِيمٌ۬
[56:79] That this is indeed a noble Qur’an,

---

[56:78] فِى كِتَـٰبٍ۬ مَّكۡنُونٍ۬
[56:78] In a well-preserved Book,

---

[56:79] لَّا يَمَسُّهُ ۥۤ إِلَّا ٱلۡمُطَهَّرُونَ
[56:79] Which none shall touch except those who are purified.

---

[56:80] تَنزِيلٌ۬ مِّن رَّبِّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ
[56:80] It is a revelation from the Lord of the worlds. **

Perhaps I could not prove what I intended to do. Pardon.

 

[elwill]

In reference to the question of beautiful passages in the Koran, here’s one of my favorites:

And your Lord revealed to the bee saying: Make hives in the mountains and in the trees and in what they build: Then eat of all the fruits and walk in the ways of your Lord submissively. There comes forth from within it a beverage of many colours, in which there is healing for men; most surely there is a sign in this for a people who reflect. [S. 16:68-69]

And this one:

The parable of those who take protectors other than Allah is that of the spider, who builds (to itself) a house; but truly the flimsiest of houses is the spider’s house;- if they but knew. [S. 29:41]

Although this passage proved somewhat ironic to me when I found out later that the spider’s web is actually fairly sturdy, at least in the insect kingdom./

The spider’s house, from the physical point of view, is the weakest house of all, because it is made out of a number of very delicate silk threads. These threads are interwoven, leaving large separating spaces at most times. Therefore, they do not protect from the heat of the sun, or the extreme cold. These threads do not form adequate shade, nor protect from the rain, storming winds, or the dangers of attackers. This is despite the miraculous building of this house.

for the Almighty says “(the flimsiest of houses)”. This is a clear indication that the weakness and frailty are within the spider’s house and not the spider’s threads. This is a very precise indication. The threads of the spider’s house are made of very delicate silk. The thickness of one thread is usually one million of the squared inch, or one part of four thousand parts of the thickness of the ordinary human hair. Despite its delicacy, it is the strongest biological substance known to mankind so far.

 

[elwill]

When I first read the Koran I found it very beautiful. I still do find it beautiful in some ways even today. Although I of course do not believe a book to be a miracle in and of itself - otherwise we’d be giving credance to the Mormons and their book.

The Prophethood of Muhammad, on whom be peace, was to be valid until the Last Day. It was imperative, therefore, that his miracle also be one which would last for all time. The Qur’an was, therefore, assigned to the Prophet as his everlasting miracle.

There are many different aspects of the Qur’an’s miraculous nature

1-The Quran, which he brought, has challenged all mankind with all their literary geniuses and scientists, from the first day of its revelation to the Last Day, to produce a like of it or even a single chapter of it

2-The Quran was revealed in 23 years, yet there are not any contradictory points in it

3-The Quran is completely different from all the other books in the world . one which is a book of Divine truths, metaphysics, religious beliefs and worship, prayer, law and morality, a book fully describing the other life, a book of psychology, sociology, epistemology, and history, and a book containing scientific facts and the principles of a happy life, does not have any contradictory points. Whereas, the Quran openly declares that it has no contradictions at all and therefore is a Divine Book:

4-The Quran is beyond compare from the viewpoint of its styles and eloquence. All the sentences, words and even letters used in the Quran form such a miraculous harmony that, with respect to rhythm, music, and even geometric proportions and mathematical measures, and with respect to how many times each is used in the whole of the Quran, each is in the exact place it must be and interwoven and interrelated with others. The literary masterpiece of no one, including the sayings of the Prophet himself, upon him be peace and blessings, cannot compete with the Quran.

4-In the period when the Quran was revealed, in addition to eloquence, poetry and oratory enjoyed great prestige in the Arabian peninsula. They used to hold poetry competitions and the poems of the winners write in gold and hang on the wall of the Ka‘ba. The Prophet Muhammad was, as everybody knows, unlettered and no one had heard him say even a couple of poetry. However, the Quran also challenged the known experts in these fields and forced them to surrender. When those who persisted in unbelief heard the Quran, they were captivated by it. Nevertheless, in order to prevent the spread of Islam, they labeled it as something magical and advised people not to listen to it. But when those, like Hansa and Lebid, who believed in the Quran, gave up inventing poetry after the Quran’s revelation in respect for and awe of its styles and eloquence, the unbelievers had to confess: ‘If we call it a piece of poetry, it is not. If we designate it a piece of rhymed prose, it is not. If we describe it as the word of a soothsayer, it is not.’ At times, they could not help listening to the Prophet’s recitation secretly at night but they could not overcome their arrogance and so believe in its Divine origin.

5-Despite its apparent simplicity, the Quran has such depths of meaning that everyone from the commonest of people to the most high-ranking scholar, scientist and literary man, finds his share in it

6-No one has ever been heard to be bored with the recitation of the Quran

7-The Quran unveils the mystery of man, creation and the universe

8-Even though revealed in parts on certain occasions, the Qur’an is equally universal and objective where it deals with particular issues as it is exact and precise where it deals with universal matters

9-The Qur’an contains at least the principles of all the branches of knowledge either in summary or detail and not even a single piece of the knowledge it contains has ever been contradicted.

10-Which writer can claim that whatever he writes is absolutely correct and cannot be contradicted until the Last Day?

11-However knowledgeable you are and if you are famous for your truthfulness, can you speak on behalf of the president, the prime minister and all of the ministers, and also on behalf of the associations of literary men, lawyers and craftsmen, and the board of university lecturers and scientists? If you can, can you claim that you represented them all as perfectly as each would want you to? If you can, can you legislate for all the affairs of the country? This is just what the Prophet achieved through the Qur’an.

and there are more

 

[jakasaki]

~ ***snip ***~

and there are more

Gee, for the love of God, read the title of the thread…

**Re: Bible, Quran – Beauties Beyond Comparison? **

It’s not about the history of the koran book.