Mehdi Azaiez: The Qur'an's Discourse with Judaism and Christianity
Mehdi Azaiez is Visiting Professor at the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies, KU Leuven, where he was appointed as Assistant Professor of Islamic Theology during the period 2014-2019. He is a member of the Research Unit Biblical Studies. His research focuses on Quranic Studies and Early Islam. In the past (2012-2013), he was instructor on Islamic Studies and co-director of the Qur’an Seminar at the University of Notre Dame.
In this video we discuss the relationship between some Qur'anic material and Late Antique Christian and Jewish traditions while highlighting the unique discourse the Qur'an establishes with those traditions. We also discuss how believers can incorporate historical critical study while remaining firm in their theological commitments.
As always, if you enjoyed this video and would like to see more content like this please like this video and subscribe to the channel!
Awesome interview, thank you.
Thanks. A wonderful conversation.
Amazing energy is flowing between these two 💫
Again, Gabriel, amazing interview. And the guest was also very informative, despite his apparent language barrier
45:00 It is important to note that the Quran wants to _leave_ the reader choosing his own response rather than giving one. It is one (of many) rhetoric tricks it uses constantly towards its reader. This one has to respond himself. It participes to the cryptic, foggy, atmosphere of the Quranic texts, as if the public to whom it was destined had _time_ to reflect about it.
اود ان اقول ما يحاول قوله عن العلاقة بين القارئ والقران : ما اقوله للناس اذا اردت ان تجد نفسك فعليك ان تجد نفسك بالقران. فالقارئ يتفاعل مع القران والقران يتفاعل مع الانسان بطريقة خاصة تخصه هو نفسه على قدر استيعابه وتسعته وتفكيره. وهذا سر في القران ولهذا يجب قراءة القران لكي يجد الانسان نفسه في كل حين قبل ان يخسرها
TY. These videos are an excellent resource for the academic study of the Qur'an and early Islam. Please note that the transcript is not accurate. For example, the book titles discussed are not clearly legible.
The absolute truth is never ever afraid...
Hey abdool please have a debate with Cristian Prince live on KZhead it will will surely be fun to watch Taqiyya practitioners running away
@@jagdishmadgaonkar cow worshiping Apu Nahasapamamiltlian has nothing to do with Christian and Muslim debates. Go back to your cow monkey and elephant god. the monotheist Abrahamic religions of Abdu-llah and Abdul-yahweh have nothing to do with the pagan idols of your dark skin hindatva jndians. crusty prince is also an Arab not nindian
@@jagdishmadgaonkar Shuddup Pajeeth. Bringing that idiot bs.
👏🙂
When he said “in Israel” I logged off.
did you just say that it is really interesting (as if it is something groundbreaking) that believers are invited to learn from the experiences of the Prophet pbuh as recorded in the Quran? If so, could you please clarify what exactly is new (or very interesting) about this?
All of your comments are negative :(
@@pebystroll thoughtfully critical to raise general standards is my intent :)
You should consider what that means, we are only young once and life is short. Enjoy it my friend and don't focus too much on the negative ❤️
@@pebystroll i focus on the positive via constructive criticism to encourage what is better :)
@JoBlogz sending you peace and comfort❤️
The word samad, which is Aramaic/Syriac, is spelled “ܨܡܰܕ” and pronounced (ṣamad), meaning “the one who collects, the one who binds, or the one who trusts.” Accordingly, it became possible to read the meanings of the two consecutive verses in the surah as follows: (Say that God is the First, God the Gatherer...
You donkey God is the one who gather many
I was taught thay samad meant eternal, i read 99 names of god by al ghazali he defines it that way when did it change?
S
Samad can also mean solid or not hollow, an immovable object, a statue-like stone. The possibilities are numerous and limited to ones imagination as well as choosing from the array of classical interpretations.
Samad has attestations in many Semitic languages, including Ugaritic, Phoenician, and Safaitic. Often as an adjective of a deity, see KAI 24 as an example as Baal Samad. 𐤅𐤌𐤉 𐤉𐤔𐤇𐤕 𐤄𐤎𐤐𐤓 𐤆 𐤉𐤔𐤇𐤕 𐤓𐤀𐤔 𐤁𐤏𐤋 𐤑𐤌𐤃 𐤀𐤔. 𐤋𐤂𐤁𐤓 𐤅𐤉𐤔𐤇𐤕 𐤓𐤀𐤔 𐤁𐤏𐤋 𐤇𐤌𐤍 𐤀𐤔. 𐤋𐤁𐤌𐤄 𐤅𐤓𐤊𐤁𐤀𐤋 𐤁𐤏𐤋 𐤁𐤕 Mechanical translation: and-who (𐤅𐤌𐤉) destroy (𐤉𐤔𐤇𐤕) the-writing (𐤄𐤎𐤐𐤓) this (𐤆) destroy (𐤉𐤔𐤇𐤕) head (𐤓𐤀𐤔) Lord/baal (𐤁𐤏𐤋) Samad (𐤑𐤌𐤃) relative clause (. 𐤀𐤔) to-man (𐤋𐤂𐤁𐤓) and-destroy (𐤅𐤉𐤔𐤇𐤕) head (𐤓𐤀𐤔) Lord/baal (𐤁𐤏𐤋) Hammon (𐤇𐤌𐤍) relative clause (. 𐤀𐤔) to-sacrificial altar (𐤋𐤁𐤌𐤄) and-rider-G'd (𐤅𐤓𐤊𐤁𐤀𐤋) Lord/baal (𐤁𐤏𐤋) house (𐤁𐤕) Translation: And whoever destroys this writing, [may] Baal Samad destroy the head of the man. And [may] Baal Hammon, the rider of the heavens, Lord of this house, destroy his head. Notes: L-gbr (𐤋𐤂𐤁𐤓) could also refer to a place called gbr, meaning man. In which case it would read "...[may] Baal Samad of Gabar destroy the head." See the use of Baal Smd, as in Q112:2 Allah al-Samad (الله الصمد). My interpretation is that Allah is equivocated to the rider of the clouds/heavens as in Psa 68:4 (לרכב בערבות). Also notice ערבות is from the same root as Arab (ערב). The binding that the word صمد, ܨܡܕ, צמד, 𐤑𐤌𐤃 describes, is at least in the Ugaritic, and Phoenician is that of the heavenly chariot, not of the servants of the deity. In the Safaitic there isn't enough to go by, only that there is a deity named Samad, at least that I know off. This context of the heavenly chariot must have been lost due to Safaitic speakers not being pagan anymore.
Which Quran?
23:50 prof. Azaiez mentions two surah similar two al-Fatiha, that were not included in the Qur'an. What suras he means?
Surat al-Khal' and Surat al-Hafd These two are not included in the Quran itself, but was recited as a dua' (dua' qunut) in witr-prayer. ---------- Surat al-Khal' اللهم إنا نستعينک ونستغفرک ونُثني عليک ولا نكفرک ونخلع ونترک مَن يفجرک allāhumma innā nasta'īnuka wa-nastaghfiruk wa-nuthnī 'alayka wa-lā nakfuruk wa-nakhla'u wa-natruku man yafjuruk My Lord-God, for aid and forgiveness, we beseech you We praise* you (*double-folded) and do not disbelieve you We denounce and forsake all who disobey you ---------- Surah al Ḥafd اللهم إياک نعبد ولک نُصلي ونسجد وإليک نسعى ونحفد نرجو رحمتَک ونخشى عذابک إنَّ عذابَک بالكفَّار مُلحق allāhumma iyāka na'bud wa-laka nuṣallī wa-nasjud wa-ilayka nas'ā wa-naḥfud narjū raḥmatak nakhshā 'adhābak inna 'adhābaka bi-l-kuffāri mulḥiq My Lord-God, to you we serve(/worship) To you we pray and prostrate For you we strive to serve We hope for your mercy We fear your torment Indeed, your torment will overtake the pagans
It seems like someone else might have replied already but I can’t see that response. I took this to be a reference to “Surah Al-Khala” and “Surah Al-Hafd” which are recorded in the Muslim tradition as being included in the mushaf of Ubayy ibn Ka`b.
@@kkassam those are duaa not Surahs of the Quran
Arrahman is explained in sura طه 20 Ayat 5,6,7,8 is ayat 8 Rahman is a name of God , ayat 6 owner of all the creation, ayat 7 He knows every thing in his creation, ayat 5 He is "The Ruler" Arrahim surah 9 ayat 128 So; Bism, is starting with a single ONE name for Allah Who is a combination of Arrahman and Arrahim that are two names of Allah. This is calling the hidden Grand name of Allah ( (Imam Assadiq) )that is from ?His highest level of ruling all His creation, to the specific needs of the mu'omins.
"In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful. 1. Say, “He is Allah, the One. 2. Allah, the Absolute. 3. He begets not, nor was He begotten. 4. And there is none comparable to Him.” [Quran 112]
If he’s so merciful he won’t mind me remaining a Catholic!
@@declansutherland8526 "118. Had your Lord so willed, He would have certainly made humanity one single community ˹of believers˺, but they will always ˹choose to˺ differ- 119. except those shown mercy by your Lord-and so He created them ˹to choose freely˺. And so the Word of your Lord will be fulfilled: “I will surely fill up Hell with jinn and humans all together.” [Quran 11: 118-119]
@@declansutherland8526 If you read the TANAKH, you will know that Allah being the merciful is mentioned there, but I bet you aren't acquaintance enough with your scriptures.
@@ME-yp7fn You’ve known of my existence for one message but you’re going to assume I don’t take my religion seriously? That’s not very charitable. I’d expect better from a Muslim.
" 15 But You, O LORD, are a God compassionate and merciful, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness." [Psalms 86:15]
t=52:00s two scholars of Quran, admit to not being able to translate as-Samad; one Christian, and one Muslim.
That’s the problem with study of ancient languages . This even more extreme with Hebrew and Aramaic and ancient Greek bibles, where Christian and Jewish scholars are not clear what many words mean or are pronounced, including the name Yahweh.
if one know the Arabic of the time of revelation can interpret the Quran more precisely. I think assuming meaning of the word based on possibilities is dangerous.
لا ياصديقي لا المغضوب عليهم هم المسلمون الذين يحاربون الاسلام وهؤلاء كثير هذه الايام والضالين هو بقية البشر من غير المسلمين فاليهود والنصارى داخل الممعادلة ولكن ليس هم المقصودون
Camaflage is a brave and wonderful thing, but I still see the nine year old, and I call on the Lord jesus Christ not knowing why He didn't interven, but I know He will judge him on the last day.
The Quran is the book sent for all of creation for all time. Surah Fatiha in my opinion, which is the 7 oft repeated verses,is to open the 7 chakras. There is only 1 God but many forms of religion, find the similarities and ignore the differences. Apply the Quran to your form of religion. It is God speaking and clarifies what God expects of us, it confirms the previous scripture and it’s laws supersedes, previous laws It is a book that should unite the world as worshippers of the same God following different paths to God. I see it this way because the Prophet Mohammed (May the Peace and Blessings of God be upon him) was taken up to meet with God to receive the gift of Salah. Which is not explained in the Quran, which leads me to believe that it is for him and his followers only. Which leaves the conclusion that the Quran is for everyone.
If the Quran is meant to unite everyone then why can’t Muslims perform salah in their native languages?
Yes, Gabriel - you are right - there SHOULD NOT be any struggles with the text, the text is supposed to be a clear and straightforward guidance. Most Muslims don’t struggle with the Quran’s contradictions just as most CHRISTIANS don’t struggle with the idea of “all loving and all compassionate Jesus” and “vengeful Jesus who divides families and will come with the sword to punish the sinners.” Obviously - when we apply logic - we can not have two contradictory Jesuses, just as we can not have two contradictory “gods” - one merciful always and the other merciful “sometimes.” But people who practice religions rarely notice those contradictions, and those who do - often, leave religion altogether.
The Lord jesus Christ said to the rich young man give your wealth to the poor and come follow me.joesth did not know his wife until the Lord jesus Christ was born.sometimes it's difficult to leave every thing your computable with to the following the Lord.
The power and resonance “God is One” comes from the Oneness of essence of God. In its most exalted sense - God is ONE IN ESSENCE - which is a very platonic idea, and “not born nor giving birth” signifies God’s being BEYOND the world, time and change (which is very Aristotelian idea). Now -/ this is all nice and good - but the Quranic Allah is NEITHER One in essence (because Allah has a dual, self-contradicting nature of life and death, mercy and punishment) nor beyond this word (because very much ENGAGED in this world). Sura 112 is so powerful and touching because it STANDS APART from the most body of the Quran, and contradicts the Quran and its god.
This what Christian’s typically do when attacking Islam. they first build a strawman of what Muslims supposedly believe, and then they start destroying the nonsense they made up. Pretending like Islam is based on Greek and romen pagan ideas instead of pauleen chrstianity, is what is called ‘projecting’. In your nonsense comment you first started by redefining what the obvious and simple words ‘one God’ means. Just like ‘one man’ or ‘one Earth’ or ‘one angel’. And you try to change simple and clear words one God to “1 essence” and by doing that you open the way to pauleen polytheism, and adding multiple personalities to god, including human, who as a collective form “one essence.” so that you can push your polytheistic pauleen idiology of making a human and multiple personalities part of that essence. In pauleen chrstianety the name God does not refer to a being or a person, but refers to the substance from which the 3 person of the trinity are made off. It’s like having 3 different figures made out of the same chocolate
8:51 Yes, Mehdi is right: Jesus seen by (all) Christianity is the equivalent of the Quranic text (and vice versa).
This would depend on what theological position you take on the issue of the creation of the Quran.
@@ahmedalhasan9226 Well, the position seems clear for Sunni Islam, isn't it ?
@@user-yz1dl3eu8l Says who?
There is a constant dialogue in the Qur’an happening mainly between one interlocutor and a somehow silent receiver. Apart from the standard Islamic interpretations, there is no indication that the first is the voice of Allah and the listener is the Islamic prophet. Could it be that these are simply instructions from a teacher to his disciple. The word nabi is too vague in يا ايها النبى
You seem to have not read the Quran there are so many verses where Allah uses first person. One example (74:11) Leave Me with him whom I alone have created (74:12) whom I have endowed with abundant riches, (74:13) and sons ever present with him,12 (74:14) and for whom I have smoothed the way (to power and riches), (74:15) and who still greedily desires that I should bestow upon him more.
@@MohamedMohamed-ws7mq How did you come to the conclusion that it is Allah speaking? My point was that these could be written instructions from any teacher to a generic receiver. We find no definite proof that these words were coming directly from a god to a messenger.
@@jma7600 how do you infer this is a teacher speaking to a generic receiver from this verse ? It clearly says “ Leave me with him whom I alone created”. Whether or not you believe this is from god that’s your understandable doubt but it’s pretty clear from the Quran it’s designed to be God speaking not the prophet. The prophet wouldn’t say “ whom I alone created”
@@jma7600 here’s another example. Surah 51:56 “ I did not create jinn and humans except to worship Me.”
@@MohamedMohamed-ws7mq There are some verses written in the first person and there are many others in the third person. So unless Allah had a personality disorder, this indicates that these texts are copied from previous scriptures before Islam was invented. The notion that there was an Arab prophet who received inspiration from above is a later fabrication my friend. I respect your faith but don’t base it on the Qur’an alone because as you know it has many facets..
Just to say “how the first community chose or integrated what is in the Quran” goes decisively, completely and unquestionably against the theology of Islam which claims the Quran to be eternal (unchanged) revelation rather than a timely edited composition. And yet the professor self-identifies as a Muslim - and it is a wonderful thing: to be able to mold and transform religious understanding into one’s mindset, rather that try to force and push one’s mind to accommodate religious dogmas. Bravo! (I mean it). That is how we grow mentally and spiritually.
The Quran being eternal does not contradict whatever you claim the impact was of the Muslim community on the Quran. The word Of God remains the word of God whatever humans do with it. Whether they preserve it or hide or remove parts does not change the original eternal nature of the word of God.
How can you tell true history without offending a Muslim. This is a problem, when you are not able to tell history from a critical standpoint .
Quran is man made. Full of fables like the seven sleepers of Ephesus. Cave of treasures. And gnostism like the infancy gospel of Thomas Which the Roman Catholic church was spreading long time ago also
Quran is manmade meanwhile your KZhead channel got all those bible apologetics subscription lol.. such a rich word coming out of a Christian dude :) lmao
I think religion is man made technically but i also think these people believe they were inspired by god. I think considering we are imperfect beings limited by our knowledge or lack thereof our prejudices and biases we can only interpret truth according to our past education and experience so all our inspiration is colored by who we are. If you believe in god and you have a vision of some kind to ascribe it to god or whatever other belief you have.
Typically with foolish people like you, is you make claims and baseless assumptions and ignorantly assume that you have already proven your nonsense by just making claims and throwing insults like a child “Quran is a fable.” If you claim the infancy gospel of Thomas is a “fable” then provide proof. on what proof do you base that? Do you have historical evidence for that? or do you just follow the Christian tradition that cherry picked some gospels and rejected others as “apocryphal” supposedly under inspiration of some Holy Ghost.
In order to copy a story such as the seven sleepers in 7th century Arabian desert, Mohammed who couldn't read or write, needed to know the books ' lives of saints;' in greek, or gregory of tours in syriac. then compile it into a chapter of the quran with 3 other stories that give timeless lessons, establish a numerical sequence at the same time, these numerical miracles were never emphasised by mohammed btw
@@Noorfollowerno he didn't, do you understand you can hear the legends and myths all over the world if you just travel a bit?
The complicated dwelling on the meaning and reflection sounds very much like the Jewish tradition- but those ideas are not native to early Islam or Islam in general as we know it NOW. (Skipping over the Greek influenced Islamic thinkers, whose influences are mostly gone today) Rather - those would be called “innovations “ and “twisting of the tongue” by the Quran writers. Our guest here tries to recast Islam into rabbinical Judaism (with a necessary “Jesus twist”)- but that would not be appreciated by the writers of the Quran:) Sorry - but it seems as the (well meaning) speaker makes all the attempts to change major Islamic dogmas (like the eternity and infallibility of the Quran) into all that Islam is not. To a certain degree this process is interesting and intriguing- until we notice the revision so great - that it actually contradicts the tradition BEYOND Islam.
You seem to cherry pick and take any route you like to criticise Islam. some comments accusing Islam of being influenced by Greek and Roman philosophy and beliefs, and other times accusing Islam of being copied from rabbinic Judaism. and in this comment you reject any comparisons to Judaism. This is problem with opportunist with no moral connection to truth
@@willsimp1273 it is both. Lots of influences. Greek thought influenced Christianity- and Islam was influenced by all - the Jews, the Christians and the Greeks.
This is the most hilarious Jew 😂 He almost forgot his role to act as a Muslim. What a comedian 😂
Well of course the text of the Quran is self-contradictory, because the early Muslims borrowed the idea of God from the Jews and Christians- and the contradiction between the “jealous” and “murderous” Yehova and the “eternally loving God Father” is ALREADY present in both Judaism and Christianity. So Islam borrows those ideas but detaches itself from the idea of Allah being “Father” - and strengthens the positions of Allah being the “King and Master” and takes away the idea of us being the “children” of God (rather, we become the “slaves” of all powerful , merciful yet potentially deadly “Master”). Because of those alterations- Islam can be practiced in a vey cruel way, much more so than Judaism or Christianity (which are not perfect, by far since both “worship” murderous “gods”).
You seem to be obsessed in spamming the comment section with anti muslim propaganda, which as indication of mental problems. Now you again insist in lying and pretend the bible doesn’t call people “slaves of God” but supposedly only the Quran does. And then you make the assumption that by using the non literal word “slave” that makes islam a “cruel religion” while according to your biased argument Christianity and Judaism are supposedly not “cruel” (even though the bible is full of genocide and rape) because they sometimes use “children of god” instead of “slaves of god.” But since neither “slave” or “son” is used to mean literally slave or son of god , neither in the bible nor Quran. That means your bigoted anti Muslim arguments are worthless and pointless
“Merciful yet potential deadly master” What The @&!#% is this gibberish??? Are you saying Yahweh is not a (fake non literal) “father” who is potentially deadly “master”
“So Islam borrows bla bla bla” if you want to criticise another religion like Islam in honest way, you need to deal with the arguments and not impose your beliefs that Islam is “borrowed” rather then revealed from God. We non Christian’s who don’t follow your polytheist pauleen religion also don’t believe your New Testament was revealed from God but copied from pagan Roman and Greek religions.
“detaches the idea that Allah is father” not 1 Jew literally believes that Yahweh is literally a “father” so there is nothing to detach. The only ones who believe Yahweh is literally a father are polytheist Christian’s
@@willsimp1273 Yahveh’s “fatherhood” is at first nominal, in the Jewish thought- and is limited to the “fatherhood” of a hero (king or priest) or the whole nation of Israel. With the emergence of Christianity and rabbinical Judaism- Yahveh becomes a personalized god -our “Father”. But at its roots - Yahveh is just one among many pagan gods, a tribal deity of a specific nation, protecting his worshippers. Allah is not considered a father figure at all - he is a “protector” god, like early form of Yehova. Allah is as a primitive form of Yehova