بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Gracious

101 WAYS THE QURAN CORRECTS THE TANAKH

Accredited by the Islamic Research Academy of Al Azhar University

101 Ways the Quran Corrects the Tanakh

Contents

Introduction 7

(I.) God 11

1. Needing Composure? 11

2. Needing Food? 12

3. Needing Sleep? 13

4. In Darkness or Light? 13

5. Making Mistakes? 15

6. God can be seen? 16

7. God remembers all? 18

8. God Weak in Wrestling? 19

9. Moving Iron? 20

10. God’s Reputation? 21

11. Looking for Adam 22

12. God Near? 23

13. Standing to Judge? 23

14. Collective Punishment 24

15. Vanity 25

16. Merciful? 26

17. Indecent Proposal 26

(II.) Prophets 27

18. Moses Killed Because of Sin ? 27

19. Did Aaron worship Idols? 30

20. Prophet David 32

21. Cain’s Crime? 33

22. Where was Moses Called? 35

23. The One Who Recites 36

24. Spelling and Math 37

(III.) Science 39

25. The Tanakh, the Quran, and Evolution 39

26. Chronological Inconsistency 40

27. Light in the Universe 41

28. Growth of Plant Life 42

29. Animals created before man? 43

30. Trees created before man 44

31. Shape of Earth 45

32. Earth Moving? 47

33. Earth Supported 48

34. Heaven Supported 49

35. Life Span? 50

36. On Earth Forever? 53

37. Seeking Knowledge 53

38. Examining Embryology 54

39. From the Bowels? 56

(IV.) LAWS 57

40. The Forgiving Cow? 57

41. Halal is Kosher 58

42. Vegetarian? 61

43. Sabbath Reason 62

44. Freeing Slaves 63

45. Charge Interest? 65

46. Bribery Encouraged? 66

47. To Fast 67

48. The Fate of apostates 67

49. Blind Faith 69

50. Facial appearance? 71

51. Injured Foot? 72

52. Injured Hand? 73

53. Hunchback? 74

54. Restricted Growth? 75

55. First Born? 76

56. Polygamy? 77

57. Enslaving Children? 78

58. Laughing Legal? 79

59. Dealing with Missionaries 80

60. Sermon Contempt 81

61. Israel Conditional? 81

62. Incest Allowed? 83

(V.) History 84

63. Adam’s Sentence 84

64. Adam’s Reconciliation 85

65. Noah’s Flood (Global or Local) 86

66. One or Seven Pairs? 88

67. Joseph’s Prophecy 89

68. The Sale of Joseph? 91

69. Abraham’s Sacrifice? 94

70. One or Two Sons? 97

71. David Vs Goliath? 99

72. Why Lot’s wife died 100

73. Judah or Saul? 102

(VI.) WOMEN 103

74. Adam or Eve to blame? 103

75. Adam and Eve equally punished? 105

76. Female Amputation 107

77. Rekindling Love? 108

78. Kicked out of the house? 109

79. Ex-husband’s child? 110

80. Widows and Sisters do Not  Inherit 111

81. Rapist must marry the victim 112

82. Married to the brother-in-law? 113

83. Why wasn’t Mary stoned to death ? 114

84. After Birth? 115

85. Birth of a Daughter is a loss 116

86. Widow can’t marry a Rabbi? 117

87. Divorced Women can’t marry a Rabbi 118

88. Selling a Woman? 119

89. Men Worth More? 120

90. Chastity 120

91. Maiden Names? 122

92. Mary a Virgin or Young woman? 122

(IX.) AFTERLIFE 124

93. How to remove Sin 124

94. Born sinners? 125

95. Reap what you sow? 126

96. Righteous Immortal? 127

97. Additional Ways 128

98. Earth Forever? 128

99. Rabbis Unconditionally Chosen? 128

100. Tanakh Suicide? 130

101. Tanakh self hate 132

Conclusion 134

Bibliography 140

Index 144

Introduction

Lovingly Jews read, reference, or revere Tanakh Commentaries such as; Rashi‘s Commentary on the Bible, The Essential Talmud (Adin Steinsaltz), Rashi‘s Commentary on the Bible, The Essential Talmud, Da’at Miqra, Da’as Sofrim on Tanach, JPS Tanakh Commentary, Etz Hayim: Torah and Commentary, to name a few.

What if God wrote a Commentary on the Tanakh? This would bring Tears of Joy to Believers and Followers of God. God’s Commentary on the Tanakh would be better than all Commentaries in the World Combined.

We Give You Good News, God has Sent a Commentary on the Tanakh Called “The Holy Quran”. The Quranic Commentary on the Tanakh Gives the Solution to Many Tanakh Questions. Miraculously solving Questions before Tanakh Scholars knew most of the issues the Tanakh contained.

The Tanakh was once pure, yet over the centuries, scribal, copyist and linguist errors have caused the divine words to be written and copied wrong.

The Quran cures the human insertions that have caused confusion in the Tanakh. The Quran mends major manipulations that manifest themselves between the scribes of Moses.

Where the Tanakh makes erroneous single assertions, the Quran counters the contradictions with accurate detailed descriptions. Where the Tanakh lists multiple conflicting exegeses, the Quran corrects the Tanakh with a single powerful compendium.

About this book:

This research study is essentially four books in one:

1)A book of

Tanakh Questions: listing over 100 difficulties in the Tanakh.

2) A book of Rabbinic Exegesis; listing attempts by the top Rabbinic Scholars to remedy the Tanakh discrepancies.

3) A book of Rebuttals; listing refutations to the exegesis’ by Rabbis, so that the reader can make an objective comparison.

4) A book of Quran Answers; listing the miraculous ways the Quran accomplishes what millenniums of Tanakh scholars could not. In this comprehensive analysis, you will find how the Quran gives clear and concise corrections to Tanakh difficulties.

Overall, this is a book of unity, settling the differences between Religions:

“And We sent down the Book (Quran) to thee for the express purpose, that thou shouldst make clear to them those things in which they differ, and that it should be a guide and a mercy to those who believe.” (Quran 16:64)

The Purpose:

The purpose of this book is multidimensional:

To present harmony to the children of Abraham. Through agreement comes love, and love is the opposite of war. Peaceful tranquility is the effect of the Quran on warring families, neighbors, tribes, countries and religions. The Quran unites over a billion humans from all ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, together shoulder to shoulder and foot to foot, in worship to One Creator

To solidify what many Muslims have been stating, that the Quran came to correct the Tanakh. The Quran is the Divine arbitrator of the Tanakh, judging between Jews and Christians and being the unifier of the two.

To clarify an often overlooked miracle in the Quran; There are almost a million terms in the entire Tanakh, hence it’s celestially incredible and absolutely impossible to filter through these million words and identify and correct details that were not known to be wrong within the Tanakh until centuries after the Quran. The Quran, coming from the Lord of the heavens and the earth, accomplishes this divine task for humans to bear witness.

To dispel myths that the Quran copied the Tanakh. Demonstrating that the Quran is not the copy, it is the correction.

Another myth is that the Quran is from demonic sources. As we will witness, the Quran corrects the Tanakh on topics of morality, fairness, and equality to name a few. God wants us to be moral, just, and equitable, hence the Quran is from God.

How this book was made:

All Praise Due to Allah for the inspiration and time to make this book. Nearly two decades of research have been compiled into this book. We were blessed by Allah to find 101 ways the Quran Corrects the Tanakh It is an honor and pleasure to share these findings with you, the reader. Much of the comparative material for this book comes directly from the questions and answers between Tanakh students and their teachers. Those cycles of (unanswered or poorly answered) questions have caused many to either leave or even rebel against the love of God. The Holy Quran gives the divine answers to those questions and leaves one in complete agreement with mind, heart, and soul.

A very sincere effort was made to search for an excuse for every Tanakh problem we found which related to the Quran when making the book (a few ways were removed because their reciprocal excuses were credible).

Some of the Rabbinic excuses were filled with verbose and empathy for an error in their original form, our aim was to get to the precise point, the core of the excuse, thus, some paraphrases were used.

In the same manner, we made the rest of the book in a direct, straight forward style similar to the dictionary or an encyclopedia format, this saves the reader time and effort in seeking a reference and simply excludes frill.

What the Quran says about the Tanakh:

The Quran confirms the Truth in the Tanakh and dispels the myths, of the million words in the Tanakh, some are true and some are false (distorted, deleted, or mistranslated).  The Quran states:

“People of the Book! Our Messenger has come to you, making clear to you many things you have been concealing of the Book and forgive you much. A light has come to you from Allah and a glorious Book, with  which He will guide whoever follows His pleasure in the way of peace, and brings them forth from darkness into the light by His will.”  (Quran 5:15-16)

The Quran does confirm that some parts of the Tanakh were distorted as the Tanakh itself states;

“. . .we have perverted the words of the living God. . .” (Jeremiah 23:36)

“How can you say, ‘We are wise, and  the law of the Lord is with us’? But,  behold, the false pen of the scribes has made it into a lie.” (Jeremiah 8:8)

” And the Lord said to me: “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name; I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds.” (Jeremiah 14:14)

How to use this book;

We invite the reader both Muslims and Jews to read this book with an open mind, when discussing this book with others, please use it as a tool for unity rather than animosity.

(I.) God

The Omniscient and Omnipotent, Creator of Everything including our thoughts!

Needing Composure?

Tanakh Question: Within the following passage, the Tanakh clearly errs in stating that God rests.

“By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done” (Genesis 2:2).

Tanakh narrators took the idea that God rested further still when they wrote as follows:

“In six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed” (Exodus 31: 17)

Rabbinic Exegesis: Copyist error.

Rebuttal: Tanakh Scholars admit that some of the errors in the Tanakh are attributed to copyist errors, thus confirming needing the Holy Quran to correct the errors.

Quran Answer: According to the Quran, God does not display any human attributes of weakness or fatigue, and hence, does not need rest. This false claim of God needing rest is corrected in God’s own words when God declared:

“And verily we created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in six periods, and naught of weariness touched us” (Quran 50:38).

According to the Holy Quran, the Final Testament, God does not get tired “Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him” (Quran 2:255).

Needing Food?

Tanakh Question: God eats solid food with Abraham. (Genesis 18:1-8)

Rabbinic Exegesis: Abraham’s visitors were just men or angels, God was not with them.

Rebuttal: According to the Matthew Henry Complete Commentary on (Genesis 18:1-18), God was one of the visitors who ate with Abraham.

Quran Answer: God is Self Sufficient and beyond needing or wanting any of the things that sustain a human to live, such as food. Here we see that God corrects what is written in Genesis by declaring within the Quran:

“Say: ‘Shall I take for my protector any other than Allah, the Maker of the heavens and the earth? And He it is that feedeth but is not fed.” (Quran 6:14)

Needing Sleep?

Tanakh Question: “Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep and like a mighty man that shouts by reason of wine. (Psalm 78:65)

“Awake, why do you sleep, O Lord?” (Psalms 44:23)

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: Where would we be if God needed to sleep? God in the Quran is depicted in a true light when He, The Almighty is describing Himself by stating: “Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him” (Quran 2:255)

In Darkness or Light?

Tanakh Question: Within the Tanakh, there is a contradiction that states God dwells in thick darkness (1 Kings 8:12)

Rabbinic Exegesis: Figures of speech and need not be taken literally

Rebuttal: Tanakh Scholars resort to this excuse when common sense fails. An entire sentence is claimed to be literal except for the divergent word, at which that one errant word is categorized as “metaphorical”. We cannot selectively choose. God is speaking to humans, not nocturnal creatures who perceive light and darkness differently than humans. In light of the scripture being sent down to humans, we must ascertain the verses are to be interpreted literally, as humans understand them. For example, if the Tanakh was sent to earth for the bats, and other nocturnal creatures, then we would interpret light to mean darkness, since this is not the case, light to us humans should and does logically means light.

Quran Answer: In the following verses, we see how being in the dark is not a place where we should even be, let alone imagine our Lord, Most High to be:

“These are they who purchase error at the price of guidance, so their commerce doth not prosper, neither are they guided. Their likeness is as the likeness of one who kindleth fire, and when it sheddeth its light around him Allah taketh away their light and leaveth them in darkness, where they cannot see.” (Quran 2:16-17)

“Allah is the Protector of those who have faith: from the depths of darkness He will lead them forth into light. Of those who reject faith the patrons are the evil ones: from light, they will lead them forth into the depths of darkness. They will be companions of the fire, to dwell therein (For ever).” (Quran 2:257)

“O people of the Scripture! Now hath Our messenger come unto you, expounding unto you much of that which ye used to hide in the Scripture, and forgiving much. Now hath come unto you light from Allah and a plain Scripture Whereby Allah guideth him who seeketh His good pleasure unto paths of peace. He bringeth them out of darkness unto light by His decree, and guideth them unto a straight path.” (Quran 5: 15-16)

Thus, we see the path to Allah is the path to light, and the path away from Allah is the path to darkness. This contrast clarifies that God dwells in light in the Quran, unlike in the Tanakh.

Making Mistakes?

Tanakh Question: The Tanakh shows an ongoing pattern of humanizing God, stating;

“And the Lord was sorry that he made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. [he said]: For I am sorry that I have made them.” (Genesis 6:6-7)

Rabbinic Exegesis: All humans are sinners; therefore, God is not happy with his creation.

Rebuttal: Adding injury to insult, Tanakh scholars not only insult God by claiming God was ignorant towards the future state of humans, but they also claim all humans are sinners, even though the Tanakh states that some humans were perfect. Our Omniscient God knows the future and does not regret any actions taken or feel remorse for His magnificent creations. No, God does not make mistakes. The Holy Quran corrects the notion that was conceived from the Tanakh; implying that we as humans were a mistake and not meant to be created. The truth has come by God who clearly stated to us in the Holy Quran that we are meant to be alive. All praise be to God.

Quran Answer: The Quran restores the fulfillment of destiny in regards to God’s creations by stating:

“My Lord Never Errs, Nor Forgets” (Quran 20:52)

In conclusion, we are created without regret. We are here today because God is compassionate towards us and does not regret creating us.

God can be seen?

Tanakh Question: There is a discrepancy in the Tanakh about whether God has been seen or not. The Rabbis, based on the assumption that Jesus is God, claim we have seen God, in flesh form.

Furthermore, the Tanakh lists some Prophets who have seen God before Jesus came to earth;

“And I will take away my hand, and thou shalt see my back parts.” (Exodus 33:23)

“And the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaketh to his friend.” (Exodus 33:11)

“For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” (Genesis 32:30)

Vs

No one has ever seen God (Exodus 33:17)

Rabbinic Exegesis: People were seeing visions, or dreams, or the Angel of the Lord (Numbers 22:22-26) and not really God Himself.

Rebuttal: Those cited passages do not say ‘vision, dream, or Angel’ of the Lord, they say that people saw God (Exodus 24:9-11), that God was seen, and that He appeared as God (Exodus 6:2-3).

Quran Answer: Some Rabbis claim they need to see Jesus (in graven images such as crosses, paintings, and statues), to believe and or to remember God exists. In response to this, all of nature is proof that God exists.

Furthermore, how can we withstand the magnificent sight of our God who created the Sun and all the other stars in the Universe?

The Lord of the heavens and the earth is too brilliant for our eyes to view Him in this life. Even Prophets have not been able to see Him as God says to Moses in this verse:

“When Moses came at Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, he said: My Lord! show me (Thyself), so that I may look upon Thee. He said: You cannot (bear to) see Me but look at the mountain, if it remains firm in its place, then will you see Me; but when his Lord manifested His glory to the mountain He made it crumble and Moses fell down in a swoon; then when he recovered, he said: Glory be to Thee, I turn to Thee, and I am the first of the believers.” (Quran 7:143)

God is Exalted from those who make pictures and idols stating that it is God, when they are falsely describing He who we cannot see:

“Glorified be the Lord of the heavens and the earth, the Lord of the Throne! Exalted is He from all that they ascribe (to Him).” (Quran 43:82)

“Verily! Those who fear their Lord unseen, theirs will be forgiveness and a great reward” (Quran 67:12)

We now understand that our human sensors could not glimpse the Originator of the Universe.

God remembers all?

Tanakh Question: The Tanakh demonstrates God as forgetful;

“Why do you forget us forever, why do you so long forsake us?” (Lamentations 5:20)

“How long will You Forget me, O Lord” (Psalms 13:1)

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: The Quran explains to us that God remembers all:

“(The angels say 🙂 “We descend not but by command of thy Lord: to Him belongeth what is before us and what is behind us, and what is between: and thy Lord never doth forget “ (Quran 19:64)

“My Lord Never Errs, Nor Forgets” (Quran 20:52)

God Weak in Wrestling?

Tanakh Question: In the Tanakh, God is not described to be the Most Powerful. Instead, God is described to be weak and powerless.

In (Genesis 32:24-30), God is characterized as wrestling with Jacob all night long, losing the match;

“And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.”

“And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.”

“And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” (Genesis 32:24-30)

Rabbinic Exegesis: The Jamieson, Fausset, Brown Tanakh Commentary makes the excuse that Jacob saw an opportunity to squeeze a blessing out of God and took advantage of God’s vulnerability;

“It is evident that Jacob was aware of the character of Him with whom he wrestled; and, believing that His power, though by far superior to human, was yet limited by His promise to do him good, he determined not to lose the golden opportunity of securing a blessing. And nothing gives God greater pleasure than to see the hearts of His people firmly adhering to Him.” (JFB commentary on Genesis 32:26)

Rebuttal: This confirms the humanization of God in the Tanakh.

Quran Answer:  God is Omnipotent and cannot be beaten by a human as God’s true nature is described in the Quran:

“It is He Who begins (the process of) creation; then repeats it; and for Him it is most easy. To Him belongs the loftiest similitude (we can think of) in the heavens and the earth: for He is Exalted in Might, Full of Wisdom.” (Quran 30:27)

“Seest thou not that Allah created the heavens and the earth in Truth? If He so will, He can remove you and put (in your place) a new Creation?” (Quran 14:19)

Within those verses of the Quran, we find the corrected attributes of God. If God had wanted to, He could have eliminated Jacob, and He could have wiped out all the people. Thus, God in the Quran does not lose against humans.

Moving Iron?

Tanakh Question: God cannot move iron; “And the Lord was with Judah; and he drove out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron.” (Judges 1:19)

Rabbinic Exegesis: God did not want to move the iron because Judah’s army was disobedient.

Rebuttal: Tanakh scholars contradict themselves by saying that the promise to Judah was conditional; hence, God purposefully did not move the iron (even though no hint of this scenario is mentioned in the passage). While in other excuses, the promise to Judah is unconditional; (Judges 1:19) clearly states that God did indeed ‘help Judah’s army and drove out the inhabitants of the mountain’, hence there was no animosity between God and the army of Judah, thus invalidating this excuse.

Quran Answer: Nothing of God’s creation is too powerful for God to destroy:

“And the day on which We will cause the mountains to pass away and you will see the earth a leveled plain and We will gather them and leave not any one of them behind.” (Quran 18:47)

“They will ask thee of the mountains (on that day). Say: My Lord will break them into scattered dust.” (Quran 20:105)

God’s Reputation?

Tanakh Question: The Tanakh displays God as a hesitating human concerned about what other humans may think regarding the actions taken to enforce the Law. Although laws were broken, in the Tanakh, it shows God resists evoking Justice based on God’s reputation being tarnished;

“But they rebelled against me and would not listen to me; they did not get rid of the vile images they had set their eyes on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger against them in Egypt. But for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations they lived among and in whose sight I had revealed myself to the Israelites by bringing them out of Egypt. Therefore I led them out of Egypt and brought them into the desert.” (Ezekiel 20:8-10)

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: As the Tanakh displays a worrisome God being profaned by Israelites, the Quran brings a clearer light in showing a confident and consistently equitable God.

“Yet there are men who take (for worship) others besides Allah, as equal (with Allah): They love them as they should love Allah. But those of Faith are overflowing in their love for Allah. If only the unrighteous could see, behold, they would see the penalty: that to Allah belongs all power, and Allah will strongly enforce the penalty.” (Quran 2:165)

Looking for Adam

Tanakh Question: God does not see everything and is not omnipresent (Genesis 3:8-10)

Rabbinic Exegesis: God became a visible manifestation, hence was no longer everywhere.

Rebuttal: This is something Rabbis never grasped; God means God. The All Knowing, The All Hearing and The All Seeing can and does know everything, everywhere at the same time. Sounds impossible? That is why we call Him God.

Quran Answer: God is always aware of what is hidden and seen within the heavens and earth. God sees our lives before we do and God see our inner most thoughts before we think them, so how can it be that God cannot see everything.

“Seest thou not that Allah doth know (all) that is in the heavens and on earth? There is not a secret consultation between three, but He makes the fourth among them, – Nor between five but He makes the sixth, – nor between fewer nor more, but He is in their midst, wheresoever they be: In the end will He tell them the truth of their conduct, on the Day of Judgment. For Allah has full knowledge of all things.” (Quran 58:7)

God Near?

Tanakh Question: God is always near (Psalms 46:1, 145:14, 18-19) Vs God is not always near (1 Samuel 28:6, Psalms 10:1, 22:1-2)

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: “God is closer to us than our own veins: We verily created a man and We know what his soul whispereth to him, and We are nearer to him than his jugular vein.” (Quran 50:16)

Standing to Judge?

Tanakh Question: God sits to Judge people (Joel 3:12) Vs God stands to Judge people (Isaiah 3:13)

Rabbinic Exegesis: God sits to listen to each case and then stands to make the Judgment.

Rebuttal: The Tanakh does not say, “After hearing the cases, God stands from the Throne to Judge.”

Furthermore, it is far-fetched to claim that God sits and stands billions of times for billions of humans; even human Judges do not sit and stand during court cases. (Isaiah 3:13) suggests it is a consistent standing while Tanakh Scholars would like us to think God performs bionic aerobics on Judgment Day. Lastly, God is above all humans, so there is no need to stand.

Quran Answer: “Your Guardian-Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six periods, and is firmly established on the throne (of authority)” (Quran 7:54)

“And thou wilt see the angels surrounding the Throne (Divine) on all sides, singing Glory and Praise to their Lord. The Decision between them (at Judgment) will be in (perfect) justice, and the cry (on all sides) will be, “Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds!” (Quran 39:75)

“His Throne doth extend over the heavens and the earth, and He feeleth no fatigue in guarding and preserving them for He is the Most High, the Supreme (in glory).” (Quran 2:255)

Thus, the Throne of God is above all, showing no reason to stand for judgments.

Collective Punishment

Tanakh Question: God does not punish the children for the sins of the parents (Ezekiel 18:20) Vs “the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations”. (Exodus 20:5)

Rabbinic Exegesis: Guilt is not passed on but consequences are.

Rebuttal: First, (Ezekiel 18:20) does not differentiate between guilt or consequence, only inequity and righteousness. Second, guilt in many cases is as bad as or worse than the consequences, for example; Edgar Allen Poe’s story “The Tell Tale Heart.” Third, many other verses from the Tanakh do not differentiate with which aspect of sin is not passed; (Jeremiah 31:30), (Deuteronomy 24:16)

Quran Answer: God only punishes those who are transgressors and disbelievers. In contrast to the Tanakh, God does not collectively punish in the Quran.

“Who receiveth guidance, receiveth it for his own benefit: who goeth astray doth so to his own loss: No bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another: nor would We visit with Our Wrath until We had sent an messenger (to give warning).” (Quran 17:15)

Vanity

Tanakh Question: “Let us make man in our own image” (Genesis 1:26)

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available

Quran Answer: Certainly, the creations cannot be like the Creator and the Creator is not like His creations. Exalted is God, far above the creations of the heaven and earth as the Quran states: “There is none like Him!” (Quran 112:4)

Merciful?

Tanakh Question: God in the Tanakh orders his followers in a battle to kill every living thing including, women, children, and animals;

“Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘I will punish what Am’alek did to Israel in opposing them on the way, when they came up out of Egypt. Go and attack the Amalekites and completely destroy everything they have. Don’t leave a thing; kill all the men, women, children, and babies; the cattle, sheep, camels, and donkeys.” (1 Samuel 15:2–3)

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: God orders Muslims in the Quran to have patience against those who attack you, and if the attacks persist, we are only to retaliate with the same amount we were attacked with and to never go beyond the amount of attack we received:

“And if you take your turn, then retaliate with the like of that with which you were afflicted; But if ye endure patiently, verily it is better for the patient.” (Quran 16:126)

Indecent Proposal

Tanakh Question: God commands Isaiah to go naked for 3 years (Isaiah 20:1-3)

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: God does not command anything shameful:

“When they do aught that is shameful, they say: “We found our fathers doing so”; and “Allah commanded us thus”: Say: “Nay, Allah never commands what is shameful: do ye say of Allah what ye know not?” (Quran 7:28)

(II.) Prophets

Best of Humans filled with the message and power from God.

Our Messengers and Examples of Righteousness

Moses Killed Because of Sin ?

Tanakh Question: All three Monotheistic faiths revere Moses as a Righteous Prophet. Followers of Judaism even revere Moses to be the greatest Prophet of Israel and to Rabbis, Moses is compared to Jesus. Likewise, Muslims profess that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the foretold Prophet (Deuteronomy 18:18) “similar to Moses”.

Yet, the Tanakh reports that Moses was stricken with a humiliating death by God. (Deuteronomy 32:51) says Moses “broke faith” with God;

“The Lord spoke to Moses that very same day saying, “Go up to this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab opposite Jericho, and look at the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the sons of Israel for a possession.”

“Then die on the mountain where you ascend, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people, because you broke faith with Me in the midst of the sons of Israel at the waters of Meribah-kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin,”

“because you did not treat Me as holy in the midst of the sons of Israel. For you shall see the land at a distance, but you shall not go there, into the land which I am giving the sons of Israel.” (Deuteronomy 32:48-52)

The Tanakh delineates a torturous death to a Prophet who devoted his life to God. Prophet Moses could have inherited the throne of Pharaoh; instead, Moses turned away the riches and pleasures of Pharaoh for God. Moses put his life in danger by single handedly fighting the army of Pharaoh; at all times having faith, God would protect him. Moses also spent decades trying to lead the rebellious Israelites through the scorching desert.

Do the Tanakh writers really think that God would send his wrath upon Moses for his choice of going from a wealthy heir of Pharaoh to a humble prophet, by killing him? What is also cruel about the death of Moses is that he was reminded of his two loves before the murder, Moses was reminded of the death of his brother Aaron, and of the land, Moses is never to enter, Israel.

Rabbinic Exegesis: Tanakh commentators try to justify the death of Moses with the following points; (1) Striking the rock rather than speaking to it. (2) Speaking to the people instead of speaking to the rock. (3) Speaking to the people harshly and calling them “rebels” (4) Taking credit for the act rather than giving the credit to God, “shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock” (Numbers 20:10).

Rebuttal: The passage in the Tanakh commanding Moses to speak to the rock contradicts earlier verses in the Tanakh;

“Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.” (Exodus 17:6)

Hence, Moses has a history and pattern of striking the rock and therefore he was killed according to the Tanakh for obeying what God told him to do.

Quran Answer: The Holy Quran keeps the integrity of Moses and does not affirm his murder. The Quran honors Moses until the end, and does not give him the horrible murder as the Tanakh does;

“We divided them into twelve tribes or nations. We directed Moses by inspiration, when his (thirsty) people asked him for water: “Strike the rock with thy staff”: out of it there gushed forth twelve springs: Each group knew its own place for water. We gave them the shade of clouds, and sent down to them manna and quails, (saying): “Eat of the good things We have provided for you”: (but they rebelled); to Us they did no harm, but they harmed their own souls.” (Quran 7:160)

“And (remember) when Moses asked for water for his people, We said: “Strike the stone with your stick.” Then gushed forth there from twelve springs. Each (group of) people knew its own place for water. “Eat and drink of that which Allah has provided and do not act corruptly, making mischief on the earth.” (Quran 2:60)

Here the Quran states that Moses was indeed loyal and did in fact follow directions; the true and logical directions for extracting water from the rock was to hit the rock, not “speak” to the rock to gush forth the water from within.

In conclusion, Moses has consistently struck the rock to get water in the past. Moses has consistently obeyed God in the past. The cruel, anguishing murder for not speaking to a rock is inconsistent with God’s laws of mercy, logic, and protection of his Prophets.

The Quran resolves the inconsistency in the Tanakh by revealing Moses was never told to ‘speak to the rock’. Instead, Moses was only told to strike the rock as ordered in the past. Moses also obeys God by getting the life saving water in the desert for the Israelites. Therefore, God rewards Moses and his honor is saved in the Quran.

Did Aaron worship Idols?

Tanakh Question: In the Tanakh version, almost all prophets seem to commit major sins in faith and moral standing. Within the Tanakh, some of the shameful deeds attributed to prophets include; Aaron’s idol worship;

“Aaron said to people of Israel, ‘take off the rings of Gold which are in the ears of your wives, your sons and your daughters.’ So they took off the rings of gold, and brought them to Aaron. And he received the golf at their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a  molten calf and they said, “These are your Gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.”  (Exodus. 32:2)

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: The Tanakh concept of prophet hood is also radically different from the one presented in the Quran. The Quran depicts prophets as the best model of piety and moral uprightness. The Quran refutes this claim against Aaron;

“(Allah) said: ‘We have tested thy people in thy absence: the Samiri has led them astray.’ So Moses returned to his people in a state of indignation and sorrow. He said: “O my people! did not your Lord make a handsome promise to you? Did then the promise seem to you long (in coming)? Or did ye desire that Wrath should descend from your Lord on you, and so ye broke your promise to me?”

“They said: ‘We broke not the promise to thee, as far as lay in our power: but we were made to carry the weight of the ornaments of the (whole) people, and we threw them (into the fire), and that was what the Samiri suggested.

“Then he brought out (of the fire) before the (people) the image of a calf: It seemed to low: so they said: This is your god, and the god of Moses, but (Moses) has forgotten! Could they not see that it could not return them a word (for answer), and that it had no power either to harm them or to do them good?”

“Aaron had already, before this said to them: “O my people! ye are being tested in this: for verily your Lord is (Allah) Most Gracious; so follow me and obey my command. They had said: “We will not abandon this cult, but we will devote ourselves to it until Moses returns to us. (Moses) said: “O Aaron! what kept thee back, when thou sawest them going wrong, from following me? Didst thou then disobey my order?”

“(Aaron) replied: “O son of my mother! Seize (me) not by my beard nor by (the hair of) my head! Truly I feared lest thou shouldst say, ‘Thou has caused a division among the children of Israel, and thou didst not respect my word!’” (Quran 20:85-94)

The Quran clears Aaron of participation in the making and worshipping of the golden calf as the Tanakh portrays. The Quran illuminates the fact that Aaron was simply not as strong as Moses, being the weaker brother of Moses; Aaron could not control the Israelites as Moses could, despite pleas by Aaron for the Israelites to stop.

“Not a messenger did We send before thee without this inspiration sent by Us to him: that there is no god but I; therefore worship and serve Me. And they say: “(Allah) Most Gracious has begotten offspring.” Glory to Him! They are (but) servants raised to honor. They speak not before He speaks, and they act (in all things) by His Command.” (Quran 21:25-27)

Prophet David

Tanakh Question: According to the Tanakh, David committed voyeurism and adultery with the wife of Uriah, and had her husband killed (2 Samuel 11:2-15)

“David arose from his couch and was walking upon the roof that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful, and David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is not that Bathshe’ba, the daughter of Eli’am, the wife of Uri’ah the Hittite?”

So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him and he lay with her. Then she returned to her house; and she sent and told David, I am with child. David called her husband, and invited him, and ate in his presence and drank, so that he made him drunk. In the morning David wrote to Jo’ab, “Set Uri’ah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that he may be struck down and die.”

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: The inspired Prophet David, who was entrusted with Holy Scripture, was sent on earth to be a guide to human beings and not to display vain desires as the Tanakh depicts Prophet David as doing:

“Lo! We inspire thee as We inspired Noah and the prophets after him, as We inspired Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and Jesus and Job and Jonah and Aaron and Solomon, and as we imparted unto David the Psalms;” (Quran 4:163)

“And We bestowed upon him Isaac and Jacob; each of them We guided; and Noah did We guide aforetime; and of his seed (We guided) David and Solomon and Job and Joseph and Moses and Aaron. Thus do We reward the good? And Zachariah and John and Jesus and Elias. Each one (of them) was of the righteous.” (Quran 6:84-85)

Cain’s Crime?

Tanakh Question: According to the Tanakh, Adam’s son Cain committed a murder and was not punished for it (Genesis 4:12-16)

Rabbinic Exegesis: God had not yet established capital punishment

Rebuttal: The problem with this excuse is that the Tanakh does not specify “Thou shall not kill” until (Exodus 20:13) hence, readers are bewildered as to why Cain is freed.

Quran Answer: The Quran clarifies why and when the Law of “Thou Shall not Kill” was given while the Tanakh leaves readers presuming the law is already known, hence the assumption that Cain gets away with murder:

“And relate to them the story of the two sons of Adam with truth when they both offered an offering, but it was accepted from one of them and was not accepted from the other. He said: I will most certainly slay you. (The other) said: Allah only accepts from those who guard (against evil).” (Quran 5:27)

“If you will stretch forth your hand towards me to slay me, I am not one to stretch forth my hand towards you to slay you surely I fear Allah, the Lord of the worlds:” (Quran 5:28)

“Surely I wish that you should bear the sin committed against me and your own sin, and so you would be of the inmates of the fire, and this is the recompense of the unjust.” (Quran 5:29)

“But (the other’s) mind imposed on him the killing of his brother, so he slew him and became one of the losers.” (Quran 5:30)

“Then Allah sent a crow digging up the earth so that he might show him how he should cover the dead body of his brother. He said: Woe me! do I lack the strength that I should be like this crow and cover the dead body of my brother? So he became of those who regret.”

“For this reason did We prescribe to the children of Israel that whoever slays a soul, unless it be for manslaughter or for mischief in the land, it is as though he slew all men; and whoever keeps it alive, it is as though he kept alive all men; and certainly Our messengers came to them with clear arguments, but even after that many of them certainly act extravagantly in the land.” (Quran 5:27-32)

Where was Moses Called?

Tanakh Question: Moses called by God in Egypt (Exodus 3:10) Vs Moses called by God in Midian (Exodus 6:10) & (Exodus 4:19)

Rabbinic Exegesis: (Exodus 6) was a reconfirmation of the call by God to Moses because Moses was reluctant the first time.

Rebuttal: Moses was a loyal and faithful Prophet who obeyed God from the moment he was commissioned by God. Furthermore, (Exodus 6) does not hint at all of being a reconfirmation or a reminder.

Quran Answer: The Quran corrects the scenario of the Tanakhly depicted forgetful and regretful Prophet by describing that Moses had already left Egypt, when he was called by God to go back to the land of Pharaoh:

Moses was not in Egypt when God called on him because Moses was charged with a crime in Egypt and stayed out of Egypt to avoid persecution; (Quran 26:14)

Then after God blessed Moses, Moses returned to the land of Pharaoh:

“So I fled from you (all) when I feared you; but my Lord has (since) invested me with judgment (and wisdom) and appointed me as one of the messengers.” (Quran 26:21)

The One Who Recites

Tanakh Question: There is a two thousand year old void in the Tanakh regarding an expected prophet. The prophecy is of an unlearned man, given divine scripture;

“And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned.” (Isaiah 29:12)

Many see (Isaiah 29:12) as one of the many predictions of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the (prediction of the) Holy Quran as this research makes evident.

Rabbinic Exegesis: You must understand the context of the verse.

Rebuttal: This is a false claim because there are an abundant amount of chapters in the Tanakh that contain no context, for example; Proverbs, Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles; Skipping through different subjects displaying discrepancies.. The context here is speaking of various predictions with no coherent single subject matter.

Quran Answer: The Holy Quran fills the voids within the Tanakh by verifying that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was indeed the foretold one who will recite the Holy Book:

“Those who follow the messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write, whom they will find described in the Tanakh and the Gospel (which are) with them. He will enjoin on them that which is right and forbid them that which is wrong. He will make lawful for them all good things and prohibit for them only the foul; and he will relieve them of their burden and the fetters that they used to wear. Then those who believe in him, and honor him, and help him, and follow the light which is sent down with him: they are the successful.” (Quran 7:157)

Thus, the Quran confirms that the unlearned prophet foretold in the Tanakh was indeed Muhammad (peace be upon him). The stunningly precise prediction is further perceived from the following Hadeeth:

“The angel came to him and asked him to read. The Prophet replied, “I do not know how to read.” (Hadeeth Sahih Bukhari 1:1:003)

In conclusion, it is evident that the Quran fills the void in the Tanakh, completing previous predictions.

Spelling and Math

Tanakh Question: The name of Prophet Muhammad is spelled in the Tanakh, in addition to the math of nearly 2 Billion Muslims following a Prophet in the linage of Prophet Abraham as well as the 2,000 year gap that Jews are still waiting for a prediction that has already come:

“And I will shake all nations, and the “Himdah” all the nations will come; and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts. Mine is the silver, mine is the gold, says the Lord of hosts, the glory of my last house shall be greater than that of the first one, says the Lord of hosts; and in this place I will give Shalom, says the Lord of hosts” (Haggai 2: 7-9).

Himada in Hebrew, is closely rooted to the Arabic hemed, which is personalized in the Arabic name Ahmad, an abbreviation of Muhammad.

Rabbinic Exegesis: Haggai 2:1-9 is discussing God’s eschatological return in the future in order to restore and rebuild the Temple.

Rebuttal: Jewish commentators alike have given the utmost importance to the double promise contained in the above prophecy. They both understand a messianic prediction in the word Himda.

We understand by the term Himda and in the word shalom are prophecy true and fulfilled in the person of Ahmed and the establishment of Islam. For himda and shalom – or shlama have precisely the same significance respectively as Ahmed and Islam.

(a) Himda. The clause in the original Hebrew text reads thus: “ve yavu himdath kol haggoyim,” which literally rendered into English would be “and will come the Himda of all nations.”

(b) As to the etymology and signification of the words shalom, shlama, and the Arabic salam, Islam. Any Semitic scholar knows that Shalom and Islam are derived from one and the same root and that both mean peace, submission, and resignation as the word Islam means peace and submission to God.

To understand the context better, let me quote another prophecy from (Malachi 3:1):

“Behold I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: suddenly he will come to his temple. He is the Adonai (i.e. the Lord) whom you desire, and the Messenger of the Covenant with whom you are pleased. Lo he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.”

That by the person coming suddenly to the temple, as foretold in the two biblical documents above mentioned, Prophet Muhammad, compare these mysterious oracles with the wisdom embodied in the sacred verse of the Quran:

Quran Answer: “Exalted is He who caused His worshiper (Prophet Muhammad) to travel in the night from the sacred Mosque (Mecca) to the farthest Mosque (Jerusalem) which We have blessed around it that We might show him of Our signs. He is the Hearer, the Seer.” (Quran 17:1)

Furthermore, Islam has fulfilled the Prophesy of Rebuilding Temple Mount. When the Christian Crusaders Destroyed the Temple of Solomon and turned it into a trash dump, Muslims following Islam rebuilt the Temple and Pray to the God of Abraham and the God of Moses Daily.

The rebuilding of the Temple was inspired by the fact that Prophet Muhammad ascended from that temple, thus fulfilling the Prophesy of Rebuilding the Temple of God more than 1,000 years ago.

(III.) Science

The Tanakh, the Quran, and Evolution

Tanakh Question: God creates all life out of the waters (Genesis 1:20-21) Vs God creates all life out of the earth (Genesis 2:19)

Rabbinic Exegesis: Copyist error.

Rebuttal: Tanakh Scholars admit that some of the errors in the Tanakh are attributed to copyist errors, thus confirming needing the Holy Quran to correct the errors.

Quran Answer: Today, astronomers are equipped with powerful telescopes that can view the formation of our neighboring galaxies. From their studies, we have learned that galaxies are formed from the condensation of spiraling celestial “mists”.

“Then He settled unto the firmament (sky) when it was smoke….” (Quran 41:11)

Chronological Inconsistency

Tanakh Question: The Tanakh says that the earth was created in six days (Genesis 2:1) while modern scientists state that according to archeological evidence, the earth was created in a time span of millions of years.

Rabbinic Exegesis: Copyist error.

Rebuttal: Tanakh Scholars admit that some of the errors in the Tanakh are attributed to copyist errors, thus confirming needing the Holy Quran to correct the errors.

Quran Answer: The Quran is preserved and considered authentic in Arabic and thus the Arabic term in reference to the earth’s creation is “periods” or “eons” rather than days as in Tanakh versions:

“Surely your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six periods of time, and He is firm in power; He throws the veil of night over the day, which it pursues incessantly; and (He created) the sun and the moon and the stars, made subservient by His command; surely His is the creation and the command; blessed is Allah, the Lord of the worlds.” (Quran 7:54)

Light in the Universe

Tanakh Question: The Tanakh claims that there was light in the Universe on the first day of creation;

“And God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.” (Genesis 1:3-5).

Yet, then we see in (Genesis 1:14), that the sun was not created until the fourth day. Without the sun, there is no light; hence, it is simply wrong to claim that there was light when the sun was not yet created.

Rabbinic Exegesis: 1st) There are other sources of light in the Universe besides the sun. 2nd) The existent sun was blocked by clouds and was only able to appear on the fourth day.

Rebuttal: 1st) If there are other sources of light in the universe, then why is it dark at night when the sun sets? 2nd) God said in the Tanakh “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven” which is the queue phrase used by God pre-Creation. God did not say, “Let the clouds move out of the way”.

Quran Answer: We see this discrepancy is not in the Quran, as the Quran confirms what scientists of today agree upon, which is that the elements in the Universe were created at once, this is known as the “Big Bang theory”

As God, in the Quran, enlightens the writers of the Tanakh, there is no need to be confused in the matter of light in the Universe “Do not the disbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were fused then We ripped them asunder….” (Quran 21:30)

Growth of Plant Life

Tanakh Question: Although, there are existing truths in the Tanakh, which come from God and have not been altered to this day, there are indeed other passages, which have obvious disagreements with scientifically known facts.

Another existing example presented is the growth of plant life on earth. According to the Tanakh, Formation of plant life began on the third day:

“And God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, upon the earth.” And it was so.” (Genesis 1:11)

The problem is that God created the Sun on the fourth day (Genesis 1:14) and complex seed formation cannot occur without sunlight.

Rabbinic Exegesis: Copyist error.

Rebuttal: Tanakh Scholars admit that some of the errors in the Tanakh are attributed to copyist errors, thus confirming needing the Holy Quran to correct the errors.

Quran Answer: The Quran clarifies that food appeared two eons after the light was in the Heavens:

“And He made in it mountains above its surface and He blessed therein and made therein its foods, in four periods: alike for the seekers.” (Quran 41:10)

(Quran 41:11-12) use the adverbs (thummah and fa) which mean “a series of events.” Neither of these two, however, is used in the 10th verse, which says four periods and uses the adverb (wa) meaning “parallel or overlapping” events.

Therefore, we see the total time to complete the mountain formation and food growth is four periods. Within two of these four periods, we see light:

“So He ordained them seven heavens in two periods, and revealed in every heaven its affair; and We adorned the lower heaven with brilliant stars and (made it) to guard; that is the decree of the Mighty, the Knowing.” (Quran 41:12)

Animals created before man?

Tanakh Question: Animals were created before man was created. (Genesis 1:24-27) Vs Man was created before animals were created. (Genesis 2:7, 19)

Rabbinic Exegesis: (Genesis 2) is only descriptive and the two chapters do not exactly say when the animals were created.

Rebuttal: What Tanakh Scholars fail to comprehend is that in (Genesis 1), after God made the animals, the decision to make man was consummated. While in (Genesis 2), after man was made, God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone,” then the decision to make animals was executed.

Quran Answer: Logically, animals were created before humans in order for humans to have food. The Holy Quran lists this sequence here:

“Hast thou not seen that unto Allah payeth adoration whosoever is in the heavens and whosoever is in the earth, and the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the hills, and the trees, and the beasts, and many of mankind, while there are many unto whom the doom is justly due. He whom Allah scorneth, there is none to give him honor. Lo! Allah doeth what He will.” (Quran 22:18)

Trees created before man

Tanakh Question: Trees were created before man was created (Genesis 1:11-12, 26-27) Vs Man was created before trees were created. (Genesis 2:4-9)

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: We see that the sequence is outlined correctly and without discrepancy in the Quran:

“Is not He (best) who created the heavens and the earth, and sendeth down for you water from the sky wherewith We cause to spring forth joyous orchards, whose trees it never hath been yours to cause to grow. Is there any God beside Allah? Nay, but they are folk who ascribe equals (unto Him)!” (Quran 27:60)

“Hast thou not seen that unto Allah payeth adoration whosoever is in the heavens and whosoever is in the earth, and the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the hills, and the trees, and the beasts, and many of mankind, while there are many unto whom the doom is justly due. He whom Allah scorneth, there is none to give him honor. Lo! Allah doeth what He will.” (Quran 22:18)

Shape of Earth

Tanakh Question: Despite the 180-Degree shift by modern Tanakh Scholars in comparison to the previous 15 centuries of Jewish scholars, we are still left with passages in the Tanakh, which strongly indicate the earth is flat;

“And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth” (Isaiah 11:12)

“that it might take the earth by the edges and shake the wicked out of it” (Job 38:13)”

“The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the ends of all the earth” (Daniel 4:11)

These passages clearly indicated that the earth has four corners and that the entire earth could be seen from one end to the other. Modern day Tanakh followers may not interpret those passages as such, but centuries of Jewish scholars beforehand did just that.

Rabbinic Exegesis: That’s what is says but that’s not what it means, the four corners are actually references to north, south, east and west.

Rebuttal: If the Tanakh writers meant something else, then why didn’t they record it as it was meant? The Tanakh translators utilize a vast amount of vocabulary dictionaries and ancient texts to pick the exact interpretation. It is unacceptable to claim that the four corners were referring to navigational directions for three obvious reasons. The first is that when the Tanakh depicts navigational directions, then it actually says those directions and not the square description of “four corners of the earth.”

“And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” (Genesis 28:14)

The second reason why the Tanakh Scholars attempt to change the meaning of “four corners” fails is that the term “four corners” is used elsewhere to mean a square structure;

“And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.” (Job 1:19)

Hence, confirming this earth is flat because if you can see all four corners of your house, then you are standing on a flat ground.

Quran Answer: The Quran clearly and consistently states the shape of the earth is spherical:

“…and the earth, after that, He (God) made it ‘dahaha’ (oval shape)” (Quran 79:30)

Earth Moving?

Tanakh Question: The reason why the notion that the earth was the center of the Universe up until 1,600 AD, was so popular amongst the masses and the church was because of the Tanakh’s claim that the earth was motionless, and instead, other celestial objects circled the earth;

“The Lord is king. He is clothed with majesty and strength. The earth is set firmly in place and cannot be moved.” (Psalms 93:1)

“Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.” The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.”  (Psalms 96:10)

“Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.” (Psalms 104:5)

“tremble before him, all the earth; yea, the world stands firm, never to be moved.” (1 Chronicles 16:30)

To dispel any doubts about the “Planet” earth being motionless, the Hebrew word for “earth” was found to be “erets” which means;

“whole earth (as opposed to a part) and earth (as opposed to heaven)” The KJV Hebrew Lexicon.

Rabbinic Exegesis: This passage is taken literally instead of symbolically or metaphorically.

Rebuttal: Tanakh Scholars resort to this excuse when common sense fails. An entire sentence is claimed to be literal except for the divergent word, at which that one errant word is categorized as “metaphorical”. We cannot selectively choose.

Quran Answer: The Holy Quran shows that the earth is not a motionless body, and instead, the earth orbits other celestial bodies:

“It is He Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon: all (the celestial bodies) swim along, each in its rounded course.” (Quran 21:33)

Earth Supported

Tanakh Question: The earth has no foundation (Job 26:7) Vs Earth sits upon pillars (1 Samuel 2:8, Job 9:6)

Rabbinic Exegesis: That is what it says but that is not what it means; When God says “earth pillars,” He means fixtures such as mountains.

Rebuttal: If the Tanakh writers meant something else, then why didn’t they record it as it was meant? The Tanakh translators utilize a vast amount of vocabulary dictionaries and ancient texts to pick the exact interpretation. This excuse would be valid except for what (1 Samuel 2:8) states; “for the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and he hath set the world upon them.”

Since the earth is not placed on top of the mountains, we are forced to conclude that the Tanakh is speaking of the pillars beneath the earth, not the ones on the earth.

Quran Answer: The Holy Quran settles the contradiction of whether there are or are not pillars supporting the earth by stating:

“God it is Who raised up the heavenly bodies to invisible pillars and then took repose on the throne…” (Quran 13:2)

In conclusion, there are pillars, only they cannot be seen as the Quran clarifies.

Heaven Supported

Tanakh Question: Columns or Pillars are supporting Heaven;

“The pillars of heaven tremble, and are astonished at his reproof.” (Job 26:11)

Yet when astronauts traveled through space, no pillars were visible.

Rabbinic Exegesis: That is what it says but that is not what it means.

Rebuttal: If the Tanakh writers meant something else, then why didn’t they record it as it was meant? The Tanakh translators utilize a vast amount of vocabulary dictionaries and ancient texts to pick the exact interpretation.

Quran Answer: The Holy Quran confirms what astronauts have discovered, nearly 1,400 years before they saw there were no visible pillars as the Tanakh describes. Once again, the Quran erases an errancy:

“He hath created the heavens without supports that ye can see, and hath cast into the earth firm mountains, so that it quake not with you; and He hath dispersed therein all kinds of beasts. And We send down water from the sky and We cause (plants) of every goodly kind to grow therein.” (Quran 31:10)

Life Span?

Tanakh Question: The Tanakh gives contradictory life span limits which are absent from the Quran;

We will live up to 120 years = “Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” (Genesis 6:3)

We will live up to 101 years = “No longer will there be in it an infant (who lives but a few) days, Or an old man who does not live out his days; For the youth will die at the age of one hundred And the one who does not reach the age of one hundred Will be (thought) accursed.” (Isaiah 65:20)

We will live up to 80 years = “As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, Or if due to strength, eighty years, Yet their pride is (but) labor and sorrow; For soon it is gone and we fly away.” (Psalms 90:10)

Although all three life spans differ from each other, the sharpest inconsistency is between (Psalms 90:10) where with strength, we will live up to 80 and (Isaiah 65:20) if anyone does not live up to 100 is accursed. Therefore, according to the Tanakh’s own life expectancy, the majority of humans will be cursed because most of us do not reach 100.

Rabbinic Exegesis: Longevity decreased over time as a curse from God (Genesis 6:3)

Rebuttal: First, Jesus in the Tanakh supposedly removed all past sins over 2,000 years ago, yet most humans still barely reach 100. Second, the supposed curse from God was that our life span decreases from 900 to 120, yet rarely any of us still reach 120. Third, this curse excuse is invalid because many people (since the supposed curse was ordained) had surpassed the assumed cursed year. Further evaluation reveals that various humans broke the life span set in the Tanakh;

Noah, nine-hundred and fifty years (Genesis 9:29)

Shem, six-hundred years (Genesis 11:10-11)

Arphaxad, four-hundred and thirty-eight years (Genesis 11:12-13)

Salah, four-hundred and thirty-three years (Genesis 11:14-15)

Eber, four-hundred and sixty-four years (Genesis 11:16-17)

Peleg, two-hundred and thirty-nine years (Genesis 11:18-19)

Reu, two-hundred and thirty-nine years (Genesis 11:20-21)

Serug, two-hundred and thirty years (Genesis 11:22-23)

Terah, two-hundred and five years (Genesis 11:32)

Isaac, one-hundred and eighty years (Genesis 35:28)

Abraham, one-hundred and seventy-five years (Genesis 25:7)

Nahor, one-hundred and forty-eight years (Genesis 11:24-25)

Jacob, one-hundred and forty-seven years (Genesis 47:28)

Job, one-hundred and forty years (Job 42:16-17)

Amram, one-hundred and thirty-seven years (Exodus 6:20)

Jehoiada, one-hundred and thirty years (2 Chronicles 24:15)

Sarah, one-hundred and twenty-seven years (Genesis 23:1)

Therefore, longevity did not decrease as Tanakh Scholars claim, it was sporadic, in fact, according to today’s scientists, with the discoveries of various cures, our longevity is increasing.

Quran Answer: The Quran corrects the scrambled life spans portrayed in the Tanakh by simply stating;

“Allah gives life and takes life away.” (Quran 3:156)

“When their time comes they will not be an hour late or an hour early.” (Quran 7:34)

“Nor take life – which Allah has made sacred – except for just cause. And if anyone is slain wrongfully, we have given his heir authority (to demand qisas or to forgive): but let him not exceed bounds in the matter of taking life; for he is helped (by the Law).” (Quran 17.033)

“And a soul will not die but with the permission of Allah the term is fixed”; (Quran 3:145)

“We have ordained death among you and We are not to be outrun” (Quran 56:60)

Therefore, we realize from the Quran; which is free from inconsistent life expectancies as asserted in the Tanakh, that God controls longevity. Death is not a curse; it is a natural human condition, which can happen at anytime. Hence, it is critical to worship God everyday, and not expect to wait 120 years to meet our Maker.

On Earth Forever?

Tanakh Question: The earth will last for ever (Ecclesiastes 1:4) Vs The earth will be destroyed (Isaiah 24:1-9)

Rabbinic Exegesis: Copyist error.

Rebuttal: Tanakh Scholars admit that some of the errors in the Tanakh are attributed to copyist errors, thus confirming needing the Holy Quran to correct the errors.

Quran Answer: The life of this world is short, if we all but knew how short;

“On the day when the earth will be changed to other than the earth, and the heavens (also will be changed) and they (humans) will come forth unto Allah, the One, the Almighty” (Quran 14:48)

Seeking Knowledge

Tanakh Question: The joy of wisdom (Proverbs 3:13-15) Vs The misery of wisdom (Ecclesiastes 1:18)

Rabbinic Exegesis: Solomon is seeking earthly wisdom, instead of Godly wisdom.

Rebuttal: Everything below and above the sun is made by God and achieving wisdom through learning is a holy act.

Quran Answer: The Quran consistently teaches us that seeking wisdom is the key to happiness:

“Those who seek and acquire knowledge are a step closer to righteousness than those without the knowledge to do the righteous actions. But those of them who are firm in knowledge and the believers believe in that which is revealed unto thee, and that which was revealed before thee, especially the diligent in prayer and those who pay the poor due, the believers in Allah and the Last Day. Upon these We shall bestow immense reward.” (Quran 4:162)

Examining Embryology

Tanakh Question: In examining embryology in the Tanakh, we discover discrepancies in relation to modern scientific knowledge. We also find a stunning similarity to ancient Greek theorists on embryology.

“Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast fashioned me as clay; and wilt thou bring me into the dust again! Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese? Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews.” (Job 10:9-11)

The comparison of embryology with the making of cheese is strikingly identical to a comparison the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle makes in his book On the Generation of Animals (pg. 64-65)

Furthermore, the notion of being sewn together within the womb appears to be an ongoing theme;

“For You created my innermost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Psalms 139:13-14)

Rabbinic Exegesis: Copyist error.

Rebuttal: Tanakh Scholars admit that some of the errors in the Tanakh are attributed to copyist errors, thus confirming needing the Holy Quran to correct the errors.

Quran Answer: These Tanakh inconsistencies are corrected by the explanation of embryology in the Quran:

“He makes you in the wombs of your mothers in stages, one after another, in three veils of darkness.” (Quran 39:6)

“Then We placed him as a drop in a place of rest.” (Quran 23:13)

“Then of that leech-like structure, We made a chewed lump. Then We made out of the chewed lump, bones, and clothed the bones in flesh.” (Quran 23:14)

Verse 23:14 indicates that at the chewed lump stage, bones and muscles form. This is in accordance with scientific findings. First, the cartilage forms, then the muscles and flesh develop around them from the somatic mesoderm.

This corrects the Tanakh’s assertion that the skin is made first and then “knitted” onto the bones (Job 10:10). The Quran also debunks any fallacies that we are poured like milk and that amount of milk is made into an equal amount cheese. Instead, we are created from a drop, which grows in stages. As we know, when milk is poured, it “shrinks” into cheese. The Tanakh describes an opposite embryology process from that which is proven by modern scientists and confirmed in the Quran; a drop is “expanding” into the newborn.

According to Keith L. Moore, PhD, Professor of Anatomy and Associate Dean Basic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, at the University of Toronto;

“For the past three years, I have worked with the Embryology Committee of King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, helping them to interpret the many statements in the Quran and the Sunnah referring to human reproduction and prenatal development. At first I was astonished by the accuracy of the statements that were recorded in the seventh century AD, before the science of embryology was established.”

The Quran has revealed the process of birth centuries before modern x-ray machines could validate it, hence proving its Divinity and correcting the embryology process that is falsely described in the Tanakh.

From the Bowels?

Tanakh Question: The Tanakh claims that children come from the bowels;

“By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother’s bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee.” (Psalms 71:6)

“Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.” (Isaiah 49:1)

Only one out of ten thousand pregnancies does a baby develop in the mother’s bowel. This is known as an abdominal ectopic pregnancy and in 95 percent of these cases, the baby dies before birth.

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: God corrects this horrific thought of babies being born from the bowels as noted in the Tanakh:

“And Allah brought you forth from the wombs of your mothers knowing nothing, and gave you hearing and sight and hearts that haply ye might give thanks.” (Quran 16:78)

“Allah knoweth that which every female beareth and that which the wombs absorb and that which they grow. And everything with Him is measured.” (Quran 13:8)

(IV.) LAWS

The Forgiving Cow?

Tanakh Question: A cow can be used to forgive murder (Deuteronomy 21:1-9) Vs A cow cannot be used to forgive a murder (Numbers 35:33, Psalms 49:7)

In (Deuteronomy 21:1-9), the Tanakh records that Rabbis were forgiven for murdering an innocent man by simply killing a cow. This is truly a degradation of human life and what is even a more disturbing thought is that the Tanakh editors may have been motivated to record the story in this manner in order to alleviate the guilt off the Jewish people. This Tanakh story is also in line with how the Rabbis from Ancient Egypt thought the cow was sacred and in this case, equal to the murdering of a human life.

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: The Holy Quran clarifies this account with righteous accurateness. The Quran preserves the preciousness of human life and shows God as a Righteous Judge for our affairs. In the Quran, the cow was used to reveal the hidden murderer and not used to actually be an atonement the murderer:

“Remember ye slew a man and fell into a dispute among yourselves as to the crime: But Allah was to bring forth what ye did hide. So We said: Strike the (dead body) with part of the (Sacrificed cow), thus Allah brings the dead to life, and He shows you His signs so that you may understand.” (Quran 2:72-73)

Thus showing the murderer cannot hide because God knows all and can bring the dead back to life on earth to reveal their attackers, and simultaneously correcting the notion that a cow can be used as an expiation for a murder.

Halal is Kosher

Tanakh Question: The Tanakh states that some laws were given as a form of punishment because of disobedience;

“Because they had not executed my judgments, but had despised my statutes, and had polluted my sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers’ idols. Wherefore I gave them also laws that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live; And I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through the fire all that openeth the womb, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am the Lord.” (Ezekiel 20:24-26)

When we analyze the Tanakh, we discover that some dietary laws fit into the category of “bad laws” given to make certain folk desolate. For example, we know that with desert people, starvation was very common and certain foods being forbidden to them meant death.

With the Monotheist’s health and wellness being a priority, nutritional foods which were previously forbidden in the Tanakh such as shrimp, rabbit, (parts of a camel), sea food such as lobster and shell fish in proportion, are allowed in the Quran;

“Nevertheless these ye shall not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the cloven hoof; as the camel, and the hare, and the coney: for they chew the cud, but divide not the hoof; therefore they are unclean unto you.” (Deuteronomy 14:7)

“These ye shall eat of all that are in the waters: all that have fins and scales shall ye eat: And whatsoever hath not fins and scales ye may not eat; it is unclean unto you.” (Deuteronomy 14:9-10)

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: We find that the foods that have been forbidden in the Tanakh yet allowed in the Quran are the ones that do not cause harm or illness according to medical tests. Health is one of the central themes in the Quran.

“(And it is said unto them): Eat and drink in health (as a reward) for what ye used to do” (Quran 52:19)

God sent the Holy Quran as a mercy to humans, God reminds us in the Quran of the (Ezekiel 20:24) event;

“And to those who were Rabbis We made unlawful every animal with undivided hoof, and of oxen and sheep We made unlawful to them the fat of both, except such as was on their backs or the entrails or what was mixed with bones: this was a punishment We gave them on account of their rebellion, and We are surely Truthful.” (Quran 6:146) see also (Quran 3:93 and 4:160).

Such a restriction in the desert of Israel and Arabia would surely kill the follower through starvation and make the number of followers small in population, as God had promised to make Israelites desolate.

For example, God forbade both nutritional and non-nutritional foods for the Israelites while forgiving those who repented and returned to Allah. To the best of our modern scientific knowledge, there is no reason why rabbit or camel meat is any less healthy than cow or goat meat. With the scarcity of food in the desert, being forbidden from eating healthy meat meant death. Therefore, God sent down the forgiving message in the Holy Quran, for the Israelites who repented, their dietary laws were kept kosher, but with mercy rather than a curse:

“We send down (stage by stage) in the Quran that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe: to the unjust it causes nothing but loss after loss.” (Quran 17:82)

“…This (Quran) is insight from your Lord, and a guidance and a mercy for a people that believe.” (Quran 7:204)

An example of this dietary mercy is recorded in the Quran:

“The sacrificial camels we have made for you as among the symbols from Allah: in them is (much) good for you: then pronounce the name of Allah over them as they line up (for sacrifice): when they are down on their sides (after slaughter), eat ye thereof, and feed such as (beg not but) live in contentment, and such as beg with due humility: thus have We made animals subject to you, that ye may be grateful.” (Quran 22:36)

God reveals in this verse that camels actually are nutritional, whereas in the Tanakh they were forbidden not because of health reasons like pork, but because of disobedience of Israelites. God also explains that we were mercifully allowed to eat previously forbidden meats so that we can be content and not beg.

Rather than begging for food or starving to death due to a Tanakh law placed on ancient Israelites because of an ancient act of disobedience, today’s Monotheists are forgiven and allowed to eat all healthy foods while still being restricted from only those foods which are deemed unhealthy for the body.

Vegetarian?

Tanakh Question: Eat only vegetables (Genesis 1:29-30) Vs Eat everything [Meats and Vegetables] (Genesis 9:3)

Rabbinic Exegesis: Later commandments supersede the previous ones.

Rebuttal: This would be acceptable except for the fact that later commandments continued to supersede previous ones in the Tanakh;

Quran Answer: The Quran is free from inconsistencies as we are always taught that both meats and vegetables are lawful for us with the exception of meat that can harm our well-being, such as swine meat:

“He has only forbidden you dead meat, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and any (food) over which the name of other than Allah has been invoked. But if one is forced by necessity, without willful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits, then Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Quran 16:115)

Sabbath Reason

Tanakh Question: Sabbath kept because God rested on the seventh day after creating the universe (Exodus 20:11) Vs Sabbath kept because God delivered the Israelites from Egypt (Deuteronomy 5:15)

“Remember that you were slaves in Egypt, and that I, the Lord your God, rescued you by my great power and strength. That is why I command you to observe the Sabbath.”

Rabbinic Exegesis: Both passages are complimenting each other; there can be multiple reasons to obey a particular law.

Rebuttal: It would be sufficient for humans to keep the Sabbath as gratitude to God for creating the Universe. It would be beneath God to continually try to coax humans to keep the Sabbath, namely for helping them escape from Egypt.

Second, (Deuteronomy 5:15) is speaking of a singular reason, not multiple reasons;

“Remember that you were slaves in Egypt, and that I, the Lord your God, rescued you by my great power and strength. That is why I command you to observe the Sabbath.” (Deuteronomy 5:15)

God does not say “that is –one of the reasons- why I command you to observe the Sabbath.”

Third, there is no proof that Adam and Eve along with all the Prophets prior to Moses ever kept or observed the Sabbath, indicating (Deuteronomy 5:15) was when it first became a Law.

Quran Answer: The Holy Quran corrects multiple misconceptions in this account. (Quran 50:38) clarifies that:

1) The universe was not created in 6 days, but rather 6 periods, so the day as a whole does not bare chronological significance.

2) God never gets tired, thus never rests, therefore we are not to rest on that day.

3) The Sabbath is a period for remembrance, not rest, thus removing the constraining curse of not working that entire day.

“O ye who believe! When the call is proclaimed to prayer on Friday (the Day of Assembly), hasten earnestly to the Remembrance of Allah, and leave off business (and traffic): That is best for you if ye but knew! “And when the Prayer is finished, then may ye disperse through the land, and seek of the Bounty of Allah: and celebrate the Praises of Allah often (and without stint): that ye may prosper.” “(Quran 62:9-10)

The curse of financial confinement is forgivingly removed in the Quran while the substance and content of the Sabbath is in place.

Freeing Slaves

Tanakh Question: Slavery not allowed (Isaiah 58:6) Vs Slavery allowed (Exodus 21:7-8)

Rabbinic Exegesis: (Isaiah 58:6) does not forbid all slavery, and Paul is just commenting on a condition of his days, which is Semitic slavery, thus saying, “be good employees”

Rebuttal: By trying to correct the contradiction, the Rabbis confirm the evils of slave promotion in the Tanakh, which have been used to justify slavery for centuries towards Semitics and Gentiles alike.

Quran Answer: The Holy Quran tells us not to enslave other humans:

“It is not (possible) for any human being unto whom Allah had given the Scripture and wisdom and the prophethood that he should afterwards have said unto mankind: Be slaves of me instead of Allah; but (what he said was): Be ye faithful servants of the Lord by virtue of your constant teaching of the Scripture and of your constant study thereof.” (Quran 3:79)

Besides not enslaving fellow humans, the Holy Quran teaches us to free existing slaves:

“And let those who do not find the means to marry keep themselves chaste, till Allah gives them independence by His grace. And if any of your slaves ask for a deed in writing (of emancipation), give them such a deed if ye know any good in them: yea, give them something yourselves out of the means which Allah has given to you. – Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful” (Quran 24:33)

Charge Interest?

Tanakh Question: Do not charge interest to anyone (Deuteronomy 23:19) Vs Charge interest to all except the poor (Exodus 22:25)

Rabbinic Exegesis: It may have been hard to distinguish who was poor and the law was later revised to include everyone.

Rebuttal: The Tanakh gives specific details as to who qualifies as a poor person regarding interest;

“If anyone from your country becomes too poor to support himself, help him to live among you as you would a stranger or foreigner. Do not charge him any interest on money you loan to him, but respect your God; let the poor live among you. Don’t lend him money for interest, and don’t try to make a profit from the food he buys.” (Leviticus 25:35-37)

Hence, this excuse is disqualified from being valid.

Quran Answer: The Holy Quran correcting the discrepancies in the Tanakh teaches us that usury is to be forbidden on all people whether it is for the taking or giving of usury:

“Allah does not bless usury, and He causes charitable deeds to prosper, and Allah does not love any ungrateful sinner.” (Quran 2:276)

“O ye who believe! Observe your duty to Allah, and give up what remaineth (due to you) from usury, if ye are (in truth) believers.” (Quran 2:278)

“They (people of the Book) took usury, though they were forbidden; and that they devoured men’s substance wrongfully; – we have prepared for those among them who reject faith a grievous punishment.” (Quran 4:161)

“That which ye lay out for increase through the property of (other) people, will have no increase with Allah: but that which ye lay out for charity, seeking the Countenance of Allah, (will increase): it is these who will get a recompense multiplied.” (Quran 30:39)

Bribery Encouraged?

Tanakh Question: The Tanakh promotes bribery;

“I tell you, make friends for yourselves using worldly riches so that when those riches are gone, you will be welcomed in those homes that continue forever.” (Luke 16:9) Vs “You shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of the just.” (Exodus 23:8)

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: Bribery is forbidden in all circumstances as recorded in the Quran:

“And do not eat up your property among yourselves for vanities, nor use it as bait for the judges, with intent that ye may eat up wrongfully and knowingly a little of (other) people’s property.” (Quran 2:188)

To Fast

Tanakh Question: Fasting is for three weeks (Daniel 10:2-3) Vs Fasting is for forty days (Deuteronomy 9:9-18)

There is no consistent standard or time frame taught in the Tanakh. It is obvious that many of the Prophets in the Tanakh fasted, hence we must “be like them” but no clear guidance is within the Tanakh as to how long to fast.

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: Unlike the Tanakh, the Holy Quran specifies the period for fasting as being one month:

“Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Quran, as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (Between right and wrong). So every one of you who is present (at his home) during that month should spend it in fasting, but if any one is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed period (Should be made up) by days later. Allah intends every facility for you; He does not want to put to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period, and to glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be grateful.” (Quran 2:185)

Thus, the Holy Quran clarifies the standard date, time, reason, and method of fasting, unlike the Tanakh.

The Fate of apostates

Tanakh Question: The Tanakh claims that if someone turns away from God, they are lost forever and to be killed;

“But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.” (Ezekiel 18:24)

Rabbinic Exegesis: Later Scripture overrules previous scriptures

Rebuttal: Here the Rabbis ignore that the superseding scripture in the Tanakh also confirms apostates are to be put to death

Quran Answer: Our Merciful Lord shows benevolence towards those who stray in error, giving the apostate more than one chance to repent. The Quran does not discard human lives ruthlessly as the Tanakh appears to:

“Those who believe, then reject faith, then believe (again) and (again) reject faith, and go on increasing in unbelief,- Allah will not forgive them nor guide them nor guide them on the way.” (Quran 4:137)

Furthermore, in the Holy Quran, the death given to apostates is a spiritual one, where the rejecters of faith lose guidance:

“That is because they believed, then they rejected Faith: So a seal was set on their hearts: therefore they understand not.” (Quran 63:3)

Unlike the Tanakh, the Quran teaches not to physically harm those who do not physically harm us:

“Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold that never breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things.” (Quran 2:256)

Blind Faith

Tanakh Question: The Tanakh claims that people who are seeing impaired are desecrated, thus disqualified to be Rabbis;

“The Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, None of your descendants throughout their generations who has a blemish may approach to offer the bread of his God. For no one who has a blemish shall draw near, -a man blind or a defect in his sight- no man of the descendants of Aaron the Rabbi who has a blemish shall come near to offer the Lord’s offerings by fire; since he has a blemish, he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God. he shall not come near the veil or approach the altar, because he has a blemish, that he may not profane my sanctuaries; for I am the Lord who sanctify them.” (Leviticus 21:16-23)

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: The Quran corrects the Tanakh in that it does not differentiate between a human’s physical form in relation to their benevolence.

Furthermore, if certain rituals cannot be fulfilled because of a person’s physical limitations, the Holy Quran exempts the individual from any guilt and these people are equally promised Heaven just as other believers:

“No blame is there on the blind, nor is there blame on the lame, nor for the sick (if they do not go forth): But he that obeys Allah and his Messenger, – (Allah) will admit him to Gardens beneath which rivers flow; and he who turns back, (Allah) will punish him with a grievous Penalty. (Quran 48:17)

59. Lame?

Tanakh Question: The Tanakh claims that people who are lame are defiled, thus disqualified to be Rabbis;

“the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, None of your descendants throughout their generations who has a blemish may approach to offer the bread of his God. For no one who has a blemish shall draw near,-a man lame-, no man of the descendants of Aaron the Rabbi who has a blemish shall come near to offer the Lord’s offerings by fire; since he has a blemish, he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God. he shall not come near the veil or approach the altar, because he has a blemish, that he may not profane my sanctuaries; for I am the Lord who sanctify them.” (Leviticus 21:16-23)

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: The Quran corrects the Tanakh in that it does not differentiate between a human’s physical form in relation to their benevolence.

Furthermore, if certain rituals cannot be fulfilled because of a person’s physical limitations, the Holy Quran exempts the individual from any guilt and these people are equally promised Heaven just as other believers:

“No blame is there on the blind, nor is there blame on the lame, nor for the sick (if they do not go forth): But he that obeys Allah and his Messenger, – (Allah) will admit him to Gardens beneath which rivers flow; and he who turns back, (Allah) will punish him with a grievous Penalty. (Quran 48:17)

Facial appearance?

Tanakh Question: The Tanakh claims that people who are facially disfigured, are debauched, thus disqualified to be Rabbis;

“the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, None of your descendants throughout their generations who has a blemish may approach to offer the bread of his God. For no one who has a blemish shall draw near,-one who has a mutilated face-, no man of the descendants of Aaron the Rabbi who has a blemish shall come near to offer the Lord’s offerings by fire; since he has a blemish, he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God. he shall not come near the veil or approach the altar, because he has a blemish, that he may not profane my sanctuaries; for I am the Lord who sanctify them.” (Leviticus 21:16-23)

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: The Quran corrects the Tanakh in that it does not differentiate between a human’s physical form in relation to their benevolence.

Furthermore, if certain rituals cannot be fulfilled because of a person’s physical limitations, the Holy Quran exempts the individual from any guilt and these people are equally promised Heaven just as other believers:

“No blame is there on the blind, nor is there blame on the lame, nor for the sick (if they do not go forth): But he that obeys Allah and his Messenger, – (Allah) will admit him to Gardens beneath which rivers flow; and he who turns back, (Allah) will punish him with a grievous Penalty. (Quran 48:17)

Injured Foot?

Tanakh Question: The Tanakh claims that people with an injured foot are debased, thus disqualified to be Rabbis;

“the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, None of your descendants throughout their generations who has a blemish may approach to offer the bread of his God. For no one who has a blemish shall draw near,-a man who has an injured foot-, no man of the descendants of Aaron the Rabbi who has a blemish shall come near to offer the Lord’s offerings by fire; since he has a blemish, he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God. he shall not come near the veil or approach the altar, because he has a blemish, that he may not profane my sanctuaries; for I am the Lord who sanctify them.” (Leviticus 21:16-23)

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: The Quran corrects the Tanakh in that it does not differentiate between a human’s physical form in relation to their benevolence.

Furthermore, if certain rituals cannot be fulfilled because of a person’s physical limitations, the Holy Quran exempts the individual from any guilt and these people are equally promised Heaven just as other believers:

“No blame is there on the blind, nor is there blame on the lame, nor for the sick (if they do not go forth): But he that obeys Allah and his Messenger, – (Allah) will admit him to Gardens beneath which rivers flow; and he who turns back, (Allah) will punish him with a grievous Penalty. (Quran 48:17)

Injured Hand?

Tanakh Question: The Tanakh claims that people with an injured hand are degraded, thus disqualified to be Rabbis;

“the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, None of your descendants throughout their generations who has a blemish may approach to offer the bread of his God. For no one who has a blemish shall draw near,-injured hand-, no man of the descendants of Aaron the Rabbi who has a blemish shall come near to offer the Lord’s offerings by fire; since he has a blemish, he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God. he shall not come near the veil or approach the altar, because he has a blemish, that he may not profane my sanctuaries; for I am the Lord who sanctify them.” (Leviticus 21:16-23)

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: The Quran corrects the Tanakh in that it does not differentiate between a human’s physical form in relation to their benevolence.

Furthermore, if certain rituals cannot be fulfilled because of a person’s physical limitations, the Holy Quran exempts the individual from any guilt and these people are equally promised Heaven just as other believers:

“No blame is there on the blind, nor is there blame on the lame, nor for the sick (if they do not go forth): But he that obeys Allah and his Messenger, – (Allah) will admit him to Gardens beneath which rivers flow; and he who turns back, (Allah) will punish him with a grievous Penalty. (Quran 48:17)

Hunchback?

Tanakh Question: The Tanakh claims that people with a hunchback are indecent, thus disqualified to be Rabbis;

“the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, None of your descendants throughout their generations who has a blemish may approach to offer the bread of his God. For no one who has a blemish shall draw near,-a hunchback-, no man of the descendants of Aaron the Rabbi who has a blemish shall come near to offer the Lord’s offerings by fire; since he has a blemish, he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God. he shall not come near the veil or approach the altar, because he has a blemish, that he may not profane my sanctuaries; for I am the Lord who sanctify them.” (Leviticus 21:16-23)

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: The Quran corrects the Tanakh in that it does not differentiate between a human’s physical form in relation to their benevolence.

Furthermore, if certain rituals cannot be fulfilled because of a person’s physical limitations, the Holy Quran exempts the individual from any guilt and these people are equally promised Heaven just as other believers:

“No blame is there on the blind, nor is there blame on the lame, nor for the sick (if they do not go forth): But he that obeys Allah and his Messenger, – (Allah) will admit him to Gardens beneath which rivers flow; and he who turns back, (Allah) will punish him with a grievous Penalty. (Quran 48:17)

Restricted Growth?

Tanakh Question: The Tanakh claims that people with restricted growth are indecent, thus disqualified to be Rabbis;

“the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, None of your descendants throughout their generations who has a blemish may approach to offer the bread of his God. For no one who has a blemish shall draw near,-a man with restricted growth-, no man of the descendants of Aaron the Rabbi who has a blemish shall come near to offer the Lord’s offerings by fire; since he has a blemish, he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God. he shall not come near the veil or approach the altar, because he has a blemish, that he may not profane my sanctuaries; for I am the Lord who sanctify them.” (Leviticus 21:16-23)

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: The Quran corrects the Tanakh in that it does not differentiate between a human’s physical form in relation to their benevolence.

Furthermore, if certain rituals cannot be fulfilled because of a person’s physical limitations, the Holy Quran exempts the individual from any guilt and these people are equally promised Heaven just as other believers:

“No blame is there on the blind, nor is there blame on the lame, nor for the sick (if they do not go forth): But he that obeys Allah and his Messenger, – (Allah) will admit him to Gardens beneath which rivers flow; and he who turns back, (Allah) will punish him with a grievous Penalty. (Quran 48:17)

First Born?

Tanakh Question: The Tanakh taught people to sacrifice their first-born sons;

“Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.” (Exodus 22:29)

Although the Tanakh records that this law was never followed, and instead the tribe of Levi was sacrificed instead (Numbers 3:12), it remains a horrid suggestion in the Tanakh.

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: The Quran teaches that only fake gods made such an evil evocation. God is the Most Powerful and never needs to sacrifice a people for another but instead can do what He pleases without condemning innocent ones as a sacrifice:

“And thus their associates have made fair seeming to most of the polytheists the killing of their children that they may cause them to perish and obscure for them their religion; and if Allah had pleased, they would not have done it, therefore leave them and that which they forge.” (Quran 6:137)

“Losers indeed are those who killed their children foolishly, due to their lack of knowledge, and prohibited what Allah has provided for them, and followed innovations attributed to Allah. They have gone astray; they are not guided.” (Quran 6:140)

Polygamy?

Tanakh Question: There is serious confusion in the Tanakh regarding polygamy. Polygamy was commonly practiced among Jewish’s centuries after Jesus. Polygamy was not outlawed until the 19th century and is still practiced by some Jewish sects today.

The problem from the Tanakh is that the legality of Polygamy is unclear;

Polygamy approved (2 Samuel 12:8) Vs Polygamy not approved (Deuteronomy 17:17)

Polygamist Prophets in the Tanakh; [Abraham (Genesis 16:3)], [Jacob (Genesis 16)], [David (Genesis 29:30)], [Solomon (1 Kings 11:1-8)].

Rabbinic Exegesis: Various Rabbis have different positions on this topic regarding their cultural inclination, till this day, there are still pro-polygamy Rabbis.

Rebuttal: Due to the Everlasting Covenant being made with Abraham, a polygamist, along with other blessed Prophets; it is impossible to classify polygamy as forbidden, for the most righteous men on earth partook in it.

Quran Answer: The Holy Quran, unlike the Tanakh, gives clear rules regarding polygamy:

“If ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans, Marry women of your choice, Two or three or four; but if ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one, or (a captive) that your right hands possess, that will be more suitable, to prevent you from doing injustice.” (Quran 4:3)

Unlike the various number of wives of different Prophets within the Tanakh (1 Kings 11:3), the Holy Quran limits the number of wives to four (with conditions), stating that if you can not treat the four wives equally, then only marry one for that is most just.

Enslaving Children?

Tanakh Question: The Tanakh allows the selling of your own children to be slaves and provides legislation for such a transaction;

“And if a man sell his daughter to be a slave, she shall not go out as the men slaves do. If she pleases not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her.” (Exodus 21:7-8)

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: The Holy Quran forbids humans enslaving other humans:

“It is not (possible) for any human being unto whom Allah had given the Scripture and wisdom and the prophethood that he should afterwards have said unto mankind: Be slaves of me instead of Allah; but (what he said was): Be ye faithful servants of the Lord by virtue of your constant teaching of the Scripture and of your constant study thereof.” (Quran 3:79)

Second, the Holy Quran teaches to protect your children and not to forsake them for money:

“Slay not your children, for fear of poverty, We shall provide for them and for you. Surely the slaying of them is great sin.” (Quran 17:31)

Laughing Legal?

Tanakh Question: Laughter approved (Proverbs 17:22) Vs Laughter disapproved (Ecclesiastes 7:3-4)

Rabbinic Exegesis: There is a time to laugh and there is a time to cry (Ecclesiastes 3:1-4)

Rebuttal: This statement is correct, yet the excuse is wrong. Both passages do not say “some laughter” or “laughter at certain times’. Instead, the context is clear; laughter will lead to sorrow, and not the other way around;

“Even in laughter the heart is sad, and the end of joy is grief.” (Proverbs 14:13)

It is summed up that the Tanakh prefers sad people here;

“Come near to God, and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners! Purify your hearts, you hypocrites!  Be sorrowful, cry, and weep; change your laughter into crying, your joy into gloom! Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” (James 4:8-10)

Quran Answer: While God prefers the unhappy in the Tanakh, God in the Quran clarifies that laughter and sadness is all a part of the blessings that God provides to humans:

“That it is He (Allah) Who granteth Laughter and Tears” (Quran 53:43)

Dealing with Missionaries

Tanakh Question: The Tanakh teaches that missionaries from religions other than yours, are to be put to death;

“But put to death any interpreters of dreams or prophets that tell you to rebel against the Lord, who rescued you from Egypt, where you were slaves. Such people are evil and are trying to lead you away from the life that the Lord has commanded you to live. They must be put to death, in order to rid yourselves of this evil.” (Deuteronomy 13:5)

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: God revealed to us in the Holy Quran to tolerate and even protect people of other faiths. If missionaries try to convert us to another religion, we are to politely respond;

“I worship not that which ye worship, Nor do you serve Him Whom I serve: Nor am I going to serve that which you serve, Nor are you going to serve Him Whom I serve: You shall have your religion and I shall have my religion.” (Quran 109:2-6)

Sermon Contempt

Tanakh Question: In the Tanakh, one who argues with a Rabbi is to be put to death;

“The man who shows contempt for the judge or for the Rabbi who stands ministering there to the Lord your God must be put to death.” (Deuteronomy 17:12)

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: Unlike the Tanakh, the Quran encourages freedom of speech. The Quran shows that women can even argue with the Prophet:

“Allah hath heard the saying of her that disputeth with thee (Muhammad) concerning her husband, and complaineth unto Allah. and Allah (always) hears the arguments between both sides among you: for Allah hears and sees (all things).” (Quran 58:1)

Israel Conditional?

Tanakh Question: Israel is given to Rabbis without condition (Genesis 12:1-3) Vs with conditions. (Deuteronomy 31:16–17)

Rabbinic Exegesis: The eternal promise is to a far off future descendants of Abraham’s appearing at the time of Christ’s return.

Rebuttal: The context shows that the promise was never conditional to begin with. It was always conditional just as Adam and Eve’s stay in the Garden of Eden was conditional. Why would God allow Rabbis to have an unconditional stay and not grant the same blessings of our ancestral parents? Second, we know the conditions were speaking of present and not future tense because of the punishments that occurred upon the Rabbis;

“And Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you.” (1 Samuel 15:28)

Quran Answer: The Quran teaches that God is a Just and Fair God who gives us accountability, hence does not unconditionally allow people to sin as the Tanakh suggests, for even the covenant with Abraham was conditional because God does not give blessings to evil doers:

“And remember when his Lord tried Abraham with words, and he fulfilled them, He said: Verily, I will set thee as a leader for the nations. Said he: And of my seed also? Allah said: My covenant touches not the evildoers.” (Quran 2:124)

“But if ye turn your backs, then I have conveyed to you that wherewith I was sent to you; and my Lord will replace you with another people. Ye cannot harm (frustrate) Him at all; verily, my Lord is Guardian over all things!” (Quran 11:57)

Incest Allowed?

Tanakh Question: Incest forbidden (Leviticus 18:6; 20:17) Vs Incest allowed (Genesis 19:30-38).

Rabbinic Exegesis: Lot’s long stay with the people of Sodom tainted his judgment and the narrative does not approve of incest.

Rebuttal: First, environmental influences is not an excuse for the Tanakh’s account of Prophet Lot. Second, the Tanakh inadvertently endorses incest because the trio were not tormented, instead they begat great nations; Moab and Ammon.

Quran Answer: First, the Quran does not confirm this degrading account of Prophet Lot. Second, the Quran clearly denounces incest without conflict;

“Prohibited to you (For marriage) are:- Your mothers, daughters, sisters; father’s sisters, Mother’s sisters; brother’s daughters, sister’s daughters; foster-mothers (Who gave you suck), foster-sisters; your wives’ mothers; your step-daughters under your guardianship, born of your wives to whom ye have gone in,- no prohibition if ye have not gone in;- (Those who have been) wives of your sons proceeding from your loins; and two sisters in wedlock at one and the same time, except for what is past; for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful” (Quran 4:23)

(V.) History

Adam’s Sentence

Tanakh Question: Adam was sentenced to die the day he ate from the forbidden tree. (Genesis 2:17) Vs Adam lived 930 years. (Genesis 5:5)

Rabbinic Exegesis: 1st) Adam died a spiritual death. 2nd) Adam began to slowly die physically.

Rebuttal: 1st) Adam neither died a spiritual or physical death after eating from the tree because;

Adam still spoke with God after eating from the tree, proving spiritual life (Genesis 3:9-22)

Adam and Eve had children, proving spiritual life (Genesis 4:1)

The descendants of Adam were blessed proving spiritual life (Genesis 6:18)

2nd) Living for almost a millennium shows that Adam had plenty of physical life. Furthermore, God did not say “you will start to die”, instead the declaration was “You must not eat the fruit of that tree; if you do, you will die the same day.” (Genesis 2:17). In conclusion, the claim that eventual death came is invalid because God did not say you will die a millennium later, yet instead God said Adam would die that same day. Lastly, in Tanakh context, we know when God says, “you will die,” God means instant physical death. For example;

A) “Keep the Sabbath, and honor the place where I am worshiped. I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 19:30)

B) “Once, while the Israelites were still in the wilderness, a man was found gathering firewood on the Sabbath.” (Numbers 15:32)

C) “Then the Lord said to Moses, “The man must be put to death; the whole community is to stone him to death outside the camp.” (Numbers 15:35)

In conclusion, in the first half of the Tanakh, disobeying God bought immediate physical death, not a millennium long fruitful life.

Quran Answer: The Holy Quran explains that Adam was caused to fall from one status to another; in fact, the Quran consistently confirms that Adam was meant to live on earth for a set time:

“But Satan caused them to slip there from and expelled them from the (happy) state in which they were; and We said: Fall down, one of you a foe unto the other! There shall be for you on earth a habitation and provision for a time.” (Quran 2:36)

Adam’s Reconciliation

Tanakh Question: God repented for making Adam (Genesis 6:6)

Thus, the Tanakh backwardly claims that it was God who repented rather than the one who disobeyed Him, Adam.

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: The Holy Quran corrects the regressive passages that are found within the Tanakh, clarifying that it was Adam, not God who repented. Hence, God in the Quran provides the missing reconciliation that granted Adam and his descendants to have an ongoing communication with God:

“Then Adam received from his Lord words (of revelation), and He relented toward him. Lo! He is the Relenting the Merciful. We said: Go down, all of you, from hence; but verily there cometh unto you from Me a guidance; and whoso followeth My guidance, there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve.” (Quran 2:37-38)

Noah’s Flood (Global or Local)

Tanakh Question: The Tanakh claims Noah’s Flood drowned the entire world;

“And all flesh died that moved on the earth: birds and cattle and beasts and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, and every man. All in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, all that was on the dry land, died. So He destroyed all living things which were on the face of the ground: both man and cattle, creeping thing and bird of the air. They were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark remained alive.” (Genesis 7:21-23)

Besides this being an unfair collective punishment towards the human race, the Tanakh also conflicts with history.

At the same time of the flood, there were prosperous civilizations such as the Egyptian’s Eleventh Dynasty and Babylonia’s Third Dynasty at Ur.

Rabbinic Exegesis: The story of a great flood is told by the Greeks, the Hindus, the Chinese, the Mexicans, the Algonquins, and the Hawaiians. Also, one list of Sumerian kings also treat the Flood as a real event.

Rebuttal: If there was a Flood and Noah’s kin were the only survivors, then there was not anyone left in all those other locations to tell the story. We have to admit that these worldwide stories do not prove that the Flood occurred in all these places because then life would have ceased for over year, leaving no other culture to tell the story, according to the Tanakh.

Quran Answer: In contrast, the Quran mentions intended flooding incidents inflicted on specific transgressing groups. This is viewed in (Quran 25: 35-40):

“We gave Moses the Scripture and appointed his brother Aaron with him as vizier. We said: Go to the people who have denied Our signs. We destroyed them completely. When the people of Noah denied the Messengers, We drowned them and We made of them a sign for humankind. (We destroyed the tribes) of Ad and Tamud, the companions of Rass and many generations between them. We warned each of them by examples and We annihilated them completely. And the (Unbelievers) must indeed have passed by the town on which was rained a fatal shower: did they not then see it (with their own eyes)? But they fear not the Resurrection.”

(Quran 7:59 to 93) contains a reminder of the punishments brought upon Noah’s people, the Ad, the Tamud, Lot (Sodom) and Madian respectively.

As a result, the Quran rescues the Tanakh regarding the narration of the Flood.

One or Seven Pairs?

Tanakh Question: Noah takes one pair of animal onto the ark (Genesis 6:19) Vs Noah takes seven of each type of animal onto the ark (Genesis 7:2-3)

Rabbinic Exegesis: (Genesis 7:2-3) is speaking of seven clean animals and (Genesis 6:19) is speaking of one pair of unclean animal. 2nd) The clean animals were meant to be sacrificed, while the unclean animals were meant to be kept alive, that is why there were more of the clean animals taken on board.

Rebuttal: 1st) (Genesis 6:19) says to take one pair of every type of animal, and does not differentiate between clean or unclean animals as the Tanakh Scholars assume. 2nd) Noah was on board the ark for over a year (Genesis 8: 15–17) giving all the animals, whether clean or unclean, ample time to multiply, thus invalidating the need to take more of any particular type. Lastly, the seven of each clean animals were also intended to be kept alive because (Genesis 7:2) says; “seven each of every clean animal, a male and his female” which clarifies that they were intended to breed and stay alive.

Quran Answer: Sensibly, seven pairs of species would have been excessive, especially since they spent seasons at sea, where new seeds surely sprung. The Quran corrects the discrepant amount of animals noted in the Tanakh by stating:

“(Thus it was) till, when Our commandment came to pass and the oven gushed forth water, We said: Load therein two of every kind, a pair (the male and female), and thy household, save him against whom the word hath gone forth already, and those who believe. And but a few were they who believed with him.” (Quran 11:40)

Joseph’s Prophecy

Tanakh Question: The Tanakh manifests an unfulfilled prophecy concerning Joseph’s dream;

“Then he (Joseph) had another dream, and he told it to his Brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” (Genesis 37:9)

Although the Tanakh mentions Prophet Joseph’s dream, the Tanakh never shows that his dream was fulfilled. The reason why the Tanakh does not complete Joseph’s dream is due to an irreconcilable sequence of events.

In the Tanakh, the mother of Prophet Joseph supposedly died when she bore Benjamin.

“And as she was having great difficulty in childbirth, the midwife said to her, “Don’t be afraid, for you have another son.” As she breathed her last—for she was dying—she named her son Ben-Oni. But his father named him Benjamin. So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). (Genesis 35:17-19)

Rachel is the mother of Joseph and Benjamin; In the Tanakh, she died two Chapters before Joseph had his dream.

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: The Quran mentions this dream at the beginning of the Chapter entitled (Joseph), and shows how it was implemented and thus, fulfilled:

“(Remember) when Yusuf (Joseph) said to his father: “O my father! Verily, I saw (in a dream) eleven stars and the sun and the moon, I saw them prostrating themselves to me.” (Quran 12:4)

The Quran never says that his mother died, the proof for this is at the end of the story where Joseph raises both of his parents on his throne.

“And he raised his parents high on the throne (of dignity), and they fell down in prostration, (all) before him. He said: “O my father! this is the fulfillment of my vision of old! Allah hath made it come true! He was indeed good to me when He took me out of prison and brought you (all here) out of the desert, (even) after Satan had sown enmity between me and my brothers. Verily my Lord understandeth best the mysteries of all that He planneth to do, for verily He is full of knowledge and wisdom.” (Quran 12:100)

In the Quran, the dream was realized when his father (The Sun) and his mother (the Moon) and his eleven brothers (stars) bowed down to him.

Tanakh writers make a mistake when they claim that Joseph’s mother died before the adventures of Joseph happened. The Quran clears the divergences that have been injected within Tanakh.

The Sale of Joseph?

Tanakh Question: There are two opposing statements pertaining to the buyer of Joseph in the Tanakh;

“Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.” (Genesis 37:28).

Midianites sold Joseph outside of Egypt to the Ishmaelites

“Meanwhile the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard.” (Genesis 37:36)

Midianites sold Joseph inside Egypt to Potiphar

“Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an Egyptian officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the bodyguard, bought him from the Ishmaelites, who had taken him down there.” (Genesis 39:1)

Potiphar purchased Joseph from the Ishmaelites, not the Midianites.

Rabbinic Exegesis: Some Tanakh Scholars attempt to amend this contrariety by claiming the “Midianites” and the “Ishmaelites” are the same people. This red herring attempt by Tanakh proponents argue; because the Ishmaelites were in Midian (Judges 8:22-24), Midianites and Ishmaelites are one in the same.

Rebuttal: Such Tanakh advocates lack a degree of knowledge of the genealogy of Abraham, Hebrew terminology, and the travel custom of the ancient tribes.

First, the Ishmaelites are descendants of Ishmael, the son of Abraham through his wife Hagar, while the Midianites are the descendants of Midian, the son of Abraham through his wife Keturah. Ishmaelites and Midianites are clearly from two separate lineages.

Centuries of Tanakh followers have been trying to delegitimize Ishmael because he came from Hagar, yet when faced with a Tanakh difficulty, these Tanakh Scholars are quickly trying to reverse course and associate the Ishmaelites with an unarguably legitimate son, (Genesis 25:1-4) Midian. What is forgotten is that these two sons are not interchangeable.

Second, the KJV Hebrew Lexicon states;

Midianite = “a member of the tribe of Midian.”

Ishmaelite = “a descendant of Ishmael.”

Once again, the two are not interchangeable.

Third, these ancient tribes had nomadic behavior, journeying from land to land, Abraham himself came from Ur (modern day Iraq), traveled to Haran (Genesis 11:31), then to Canaan (Genesis 12:4-5), then to Bethel (Genesis 12:8), then to Egypt (Genesis 12:10-20) and then to Gerar (Genesis 20:1). Using the apologist’s defense, one can also allege Abraham was a Canaanite or an Egyptian. Who or what a person is, is not interchangeable.

Lastly, (Genesis 37:28) signifies that the Midianites are different from the Ishmaelites because the Tanakh does not say, “the Midianites sold Joseph to their ‘brethren’ or ‘among themselves’”, which are very common terms in the Tanakh, instead a different group is specified; the “Ishmaelites”. Therefore, the Ishmaelites are from a different tribe.

The Midianites and Ishmaelites may have been together for a time and may have even been related, but the scribes saw enough difference to document their different origins. Therefore, the unanswered questions still remain; who, when, and where? Was Joseph sold to the Ishmaelites before entrance to Egypt or directly to Potiphar while in Egypt and was the sale by the Midianites, in or out of Egypt?

Quran Answer: The Quran clearly and consistently calls the buyer “An Egyptian”;

“And the Egyptian who bought him, said to his wife: “Make his stay (among us) honorable: may be he will bring us much good, or we shall adopt him as a son.” Thus did We establish Joseph in the land, that We might teach him the interpretation of stories (and events). And Allah hath full power and control over His affairs; but most among mankind know it not.” (Quran 12:21)

Instead of confusing and inconsistent tribe swapping in or out of Egypt witnessed in the Tanakh, we thankfully have the Quran which corrects; the who, when, and where by clearly stating that Joseph was sold to an Egyptian.

Some Jewish missionaries, who are unfamiliar with Arabic, ignorantly claim the Quran names the buyer as “Aziz”. The word used in the Quran is “al-aziz”, not “Aziz” as incorrectly understood by these polemicists. “al aziz” is a title meaning “chief” or “ruler”, not a name as simplified in both the Pickthal and Shakir translations of the Quran;

“And women in the city said: The ruler’s wife is asking of her slave-boy an ill-deed. Indeed he has smitten her to the heart with love. We behold her in plain aberration.” (Quran 12:30)

“And women in the city said: The chiefs wife seeks her slave to yield himself (to her), surely he has affected her deeply with (his) love; most surely we see her in manifest error.” (Quran 12:30)

In the Yusuf Ali Translation with commentary, which does use the word “al aziz” rather than “chief” or “ruler”, the commentary explains the reason for the choice of words;

“I have not translated the title but left it as it is. Excellency or Highness would have specialized modern associations which I want to avoid” (Yusuf Ali Translation with commentary: pg. 1677)

In conclusion, the Quran accurately calls the buyer an Egyptian chief, thus settling the entire transaction with a gleaming verse, ordaining together the directionless verses in the Tanakh.

Abraham’s Sacrifice?

Tanakh Question: Who was the sacrificial son of Abraham? The Tanakh claims Isaac was the son to be sacrificed, yet logically and mathematically, the son was Ishmael.

The covenant was first made with Abraham and Ishmael;

“This [is] my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.” (Genesis 17:10)

“He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.” (Genesis 17:13)

The arithmetic of Abraham’s age reveals that Ishmael was the son to be sacrificed;

“and Abram [is] a son of eighty and six years in Hagar’s bearing Ishmael to Abram.” (Genesis 16:16)

“Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.” (Genesis 17:24)

That makes Abraham’s son Ishmael 13, how old is Isaac at this time?

“Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.” (Genesis 21:5)

Therefore, we see that Isaac was not the only son, in fact, Isaac was not even born yet, and Abraham’s only begotten son was Ishmael.

Furthermore, we know that Ishmael has and will be a legitimate son, despite what some Tanakh commentator’s claim;

(Genesis 16:3) “And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.”

(Genesis 25:9) “Then his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him (Abraham) in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, facing Mamre,”

(Genesis 25:12) “Now these are the records of the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maid, bore to Abraham;”

Rabbinic Exegesis: Due to the mother of Ishmael being a bonds woman, Ishmael was not a legitimate son.

Rebuttal: This excuse is discredited by the passage;

“And Sarah Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.” (Genesis 16:3)

Therefore, unless the Rabbis are claiming Abraham committed adultery; Hagar was a legitimate wife of Abraham and consequently, Ishmael was a legitimate son of Abraham. Further proof is;

“Then his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him (Abraham) in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, facing Mamre,” (Genesis 25:9)

Here, the Tanakh directly calls Ishmael a son (not stepson or half son) of Abraham, standing equally in front of the grave with Isaac. Although, at one point Abraham and Hagar were separated, that does not invalidate the child Hagar had with Abraham. For example, if two parents get a divorce, the father and son lineage is not broken, even if the father may not have custody, the son is still the child of the father.

Quran Answer: These mistaken identities and miscalculations in the Tanakh are amended by the Quran listing the correct chronological order, Ishmael being born, the sacrifice to be taken place, and then Isaac being born

One or Two Sons?

Tanakh Question: How many children did Abraham have?

One son “And He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah; and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.” (Genesis 22:2)

Rabbinic Exegesis: Due to the mother of Ishmael being a bonds woman, Ishmael was not a legitimate son.

Rebuttal: This excuse is discredited by the passage;

“And Sarah Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.” (Genesis 16:3)

Therefore, unless the Rabbis are claiming Abraham committed adultery; Hagar was a legitimate wife of Abraham and consequently, Ishmael was a legitimate son of Abraham.

Further proof is;

“Then his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him (Abraham) in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, facing Mamre,” (Genesis 25:9)

Here, the Tanakh directly calls Ishmael a son (not stepson or half son) of Abraham, standing equally in front of the grave with Isaac. Although, at one point Abraham and Hagar were separated, that does not invalidate the child Hagar had with Abraham. For example, if two parents get a divorce, the father and son lineage is not broken, even if the father may not have custody, the son is still the child of the father.

Quran Answer: These mistaken identities and miscalculations in the Tanakh are amended by the Quran listing the correct chronological order;

(Quran 37:99) He said: “I will go to my Lord! He will surely guide me!

(Quran 37:100) “O my Lord! Grant me a righteous (son)!”

(Quran 37:101) So We gave him the good news of a forbearing son.

(Quran 37:102) Then, when (the son) reached (the age of) (serious) work with him, he said: “O my son! I have seen in a vision that I offer thee in sacrifice: now see what is thy view!” (The son) said: “O my father! Do as thou art commanded: thou will find me, if Allah so wills, one of the steadfast!”

(Quran 37:103) So when they had both submitted (to Allah), and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead (for sacrifice),

(Quran 37:104) We called out to him “O Abraham! ..

(Quran 37:105) “Thou hast already fulfilled the vision!” – thus indeed do We reward those who do right.

(Quran 37:106) For this was a clear trial-

(Quran 37:107) And We ransomed him with a momentous sacrifice:

(Quran 37:108) And We left for him among generations (to come) in later times:

(Quran 37:109) “Peace and salutation to Abraham!”

(Quran 37:110) Thus indeed do We reward those who do right.

(Quran 37:111) For he was one of Our believing Servants.

(Quran 37:112) And We gave him the good news of Isaac – a prophet, – one of the Righteous.

Thus, the Quran shows Abraham indeed bore two sons, Ishmael and Isaac.

David Vs Goliath?

Tanakh Question: Who killed Goliath? The Tanakh appears to not agree with itself regarding the treasured defeat of the “greatest fighter” Goliath. This seems to be an ongoing pattern of name changing throughout the Tanakh, giving credit where credit is not due.

Two different people claim victory against Goliath in the Tanakh;

David did  – “Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and he struck the Philistine and killed him; but there was no sword in David’s hand.” (1 Samuel 17:50)

Elhanan did – “And there was war with the Philistines again at Gob, and Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.” (2 Samuel 21:19)

Rabbinic Exegesis: Copyist error.

Rebuttal: This is another unacceptable excuse because it is admitting the Tanakh we have today has human errors, hence not a divine book and the writers were not righteous.

Quran Answer: The true and only champion against Goliath is David, which is confirmed without a doubt in the Holy Quran;

“By Allah’s will they routed them; and David slew Goliath; and Allah gave him the kingdom and wisdom, and taught him of that which He willeth. And if Allah had not repelled some men by others the earth would have been corrupted. But Allah is a Lord of Kindness to (His) creatures.” (Quran 2:251)

In conclusion, another name has been corrected in the Tanakh by the Holy Quran.

Why Lot’s wife died

Tanakh Question: Lot’s wife died a horrible death with no valid explanation except that she turned around while the town was being destroyed.

According to the Tanakh, she was righteous and did not deserve to die because the angels of God themselves urged Lot to rescue her;

“With the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away when the city is punished.” (Genesis 19:15)

As they ran away from their town which was about to be destroyed by God, Lot’s wife turned around (surely a natural reaction, having heard havoc and destruction behind her). When she turned around in the Tanakh, she was unjustly annihilated;

“But Lot’s wife looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt” (Genesis 19:26)

Rabbinic Exegesis: Lot’s wife was destroyed because she disobeyed the angel who said;

“Run for your lives! Don’t look back and don’t stop in the valley. Run to the hills, so that you won’t be killed.” (Genesis 19:17)

Rebuttal: This is an invalid excuse because Lot did even worse. Lot not only stopped (a direct defiance to the angel’s instructions), but also argued with them;

“But Lot answered, “No, please don’t make us do that, sir. You have done me a great favor and saved my life. But the hills are too far away; the disaster will overtake me, and I will die before I get there. Do you see that little town? It is near enough. Let me go over there—you can see it is just a small place—and I will be safe.” (Genesis 19:18-20)

After stopping to argue with the angel, Lot was not destroyed, thus invalidating that excuse. Furthermore, Lot appears suspiciously selfish when arguing with the angel, repeatedly saying, “so I can be safe”, rather than including his wife who was not killed yet by stating; “so we can be safe”.

Quran Answer: What appears as unjustified and incompetence in the Tanakh (a Prophet and the angels of God could not rescue the wife), is actually comprehended in the Quran. The Quran explains why Prophet Lot’s wife died;

“And We rescued him and his household, except his wife, who was of those who stayed behind.” (Quran 7: 83)

“Allah citeth an example for those who disbelieve: the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot, who were under two of our righteous servants yet betrayed them so that they (the husbands availed them naught against Allah and it was said (unto them): Enter the Fire along with those who enter.” (Quran 66:10)

The Holy Quran explains that the fact of the matter was Lot’s wife stayed a transgressor who was destroyed among the other non-believers of Lot.

Judah or Saul?

Tanakh Question: Saul is promised to be the permanent king of Israel (1 Samuel 13:13) Vs The tribe of Judah is promised the permanent kingdom of Israel (Genesis 49:10)

Rabbinic Exegesis: That is what it says but that is not what it means. What Samuel says is not a promise, only a hypothetical statement.

Rebuttal: Whether Saul’s rein as king was temporary or permanent, the fact remains that Saul was an anointed king of Israel, thus breaking and contradicting the supposed everlasting rule by the tribe of Judah;

“Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord.” (1 Samuel 15:1)

Quran Answer: Allah in the Holy Quran clarifies that to be crowned as a humanly king is not permanent and that Allah can make or remove kings as He chooses:

“Their Prophet said unto them: Lo! Allah hath raised up Saul to be a king for you. They said: How can he have kingdom over us when we are more deserving of the kingdom than he is, since he hath not been given wealth enough? He said: Lo! Allah hath chosen him above you, and hath increased him abundantly in wisdom and stature. Allah bestoweth His sovereignty on whom He will. Allah is All Embracing, All Knowing.” (Quran 2:247)

(VI.) WOMEN

Adam or Eve to blame?

Tanakh Question: How does Eve, the mother of all human beings, measure in the Tanakh compared to the Quran? Assessing the Tanakh depiction of Eve reveals the root of negative stereotyping towards women;

When God asked Adam why he ate from the forbidden tree, he answered, according to the Tanakh; “the Woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the Lord God said unto the woman, what is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, the serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.” (Genesis 3:12-13)

“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise the head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Unto the woman he (God) said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.” (Genesis 3:15-16)

As we can see in this scenario, Adam played a great part in committing the sin of eating from the forbidden tree, so why was it blamed on Eve?

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: The Quran gives a non-biased narration, dispelling the gender inequality that the Tanakh portrays;

“Then did Satan make them slip from the (garden), and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: “Get ye down, all (ye people), with enmity between yourselves. On earth will be your dwelling-place and your means of livelihood – for a time.” (Quran 2:36)

“Then began Satan to whisper suggestions to them, bringing openly before their minds all their shame that was hidden from them (before): he said: “Your Lord only forbade you this tree, lest ye should become angels or such beings as live for ever.”

“And he swore to them both, that he was their sincere adviser. So by deceit he brought about their fall: when they tasted of the tree, their shame became manifest to them, and they began to hide (by heaping) on themselves some of the leaves of the Garden.”

“And their Lord called them, (saying): Did I not forbid you from that tree and tell you: Lo! Satan is an open enemy to you? They said: “Our Lord! We have wronged our own souls: If thou forgive us not and bestow not upon us Thy Mercy, we shall certainly be lost.” (Quran 7:20-23)

In summary, while the Tanakh solely blames it on Eve, the Quran holds both Adam and Eve responsible and equally forgives both.

Adam and Eve equally punished?

Tanakh Question: A disproportionate amount of Tanakh wrath befell Eve in comparison to Adam. Malicious and agonizing punishments were thrust onto Eve, while the Tanakh maintains Adam’s relative innocence.

In the Tanakh, Adam uses Eve as a scapegoat when interrogated by God;

“And the man said, the woman whom Thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.” (Genesis 3:12) In turn, Eve blames the Serpent for hoaxing her.

Although Adam indirectly guiltily accuses God “Thou gavest to be with me”, Eve is unfairly cursed four more times than Adam is. The four additional curses on Eve are delineated in Genesis;

“Unto the woman He said, (1st) I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and (2nd) thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; (3rd) and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and (4th) he shall rule over thee.” (Genesis 3:16)

Adam’s sin exceeded Eve’s in the Tanakh enactment because Adam succumbed to temptation quicker and through less influence than Eve endured with the serpent. Adam was reprimanded to a lesser degree, for a larger crime.

“Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which God had made.” (Genesis 3:1)

Adam’s scolding was a fraction to Eve’s curses. The retributions placed on Adam were in fact additional damnations placed on Eve;

“And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; (1st) in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life”

“Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; (2nd)and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face (3rd) shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return” (Genesis 3:17-19)

We recognize that Adam is given three in contrast to the four curses on Eve. Additional assessment reveals that Adam’s dietary curses actually afflict Eve as well. Therefore, Eve suffers four separate curses and jointly shares Adam’s three eating maledictions.

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: The Holy Quran counters the fallacious accusations placed on Eve;

“But Satan whispered evil to him: he said, “O Adam! shall I lead thee to the Tree of Eternity and to a kingdom that never decays?” In the result, they both ate of the tree, and so their nakedness appeared to them: both began to cover themselves with leaves of the garden, thus and Adam disobeyed his Lord, so went astray.” (Quran 20:120-121)

The Quran expels the chauvinistic accusation that Eve was the lone perpetrator. The Quran also places Adam at the scene of the transgression and acknowledges he also spoke with Satan. Consequently, Adam and Eve were equally punished for their disobedience. In Conclusion, the women in the world are not indebted for any additional deeds towards Salvation, according to the Quran.

Female Amputation

Tanakh Question: The Tanakh states that if two men were beating each other up, and the wife of one of them interfered, she should have her hand chopped off (Deuteronomy 25:11-12);

Rabbinic Exegesis: 1st) the woman could have hurt the attacker’s ability to have children by intentionally or accidentally hurting is genitals. 2nd) the woman was punished because she committed immodesty by touching another man’s genitals

Rebuttal; 1st) This is a very pathetic excuse for cutting a woman’s hand off, In fact, the same excuse can be used to justify the woman interfering for she could lose her husband’s life if he were to get beaten up severely enough, and further more, if her hand was cut off, it would be her who would be left handicapped. Let us look even deeper into the reasons why the Tanakh Scholars excuses are invalid for this unjust passage;

1) If her hand is chopped off, she can not hold her own children

2) The unjustly accused woman possibly saved her husband from also being hurt or killed.

3) Bravery and devotion to the husband is looked upon as a punishable act.

Hence, the first excuse is invalid because it can be reversed to justify the woman “interfering” with her husband being attacked.

2nd) The woman was not committing adultery because the act of touching another man was in the form of self-defense (protecting her husband) and in no way for foul purposes.

Quran Answer: Nowhere in the Holy Quran is this horrid law repeated and even if the woman’s intentions were ill willed, the Quran is not as severe as the Tanakh;

“The woman and the man guilty of adultery or fornication, – flog each of them with a hundred stripes: Let not compassion move you in their case, in a matter prescribed by Allah, if ye believe in Allah and the Last Day: and let a party of the Believers witness their punishment.” (Quran 24:2)

Rekindling Love?

Tanakh Question: Sometimes love can leave one’s heart yet that same love can be rekindled again, yet the Tanakh does not allow this re-inflammation of the heart. A divorced woman who marries another man, and then divorces again, cannot return to her original love;

“And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sendeth her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife; Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the Lord: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.” (Deuteronomy 24:2-4)

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: The Holy Quran does not call these two time divorced women defilements as is stated within the Tanakh, instead they are honorable women that can return home to their original loves:

“So if a husband divorces his wife (the third time), He cannot, after that, re-marry her until after she has married another husband and He has divorced her. In that case there is no blame on either of them if they re-unite; provided they feel that they can keep the limits ordained by Allah. Such are the limits ordained by Allah, which He makes plain to those who understand.” (Quran 2:230)

Kicked out of the house?

Tanakh Question: In another deviation within the Tanakh, a divorced woman is to be thrown out of her home (Deuteronomy 24:1)

“When a man hath taken a wife, and married her and it come to pass that she find no favor in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house.”

It is a shameful punishment for a woman to be sent out of the home that her and her husband shared.

This manner of removing women from their former homes is repeated in the following passage;

“And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sendeth her out of his house” (Deuteronomy 24:3)

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: The Holy Quran teaches us that a man has no right to send out a woman he has divorced from the home, leaving her to be homeless in the streets:

“O Prophet! When ye (men) divorce women, divorce them for their (legal) period and reckon the period, and keep your duty to Allah, your Lord. Expel them not from their houses nor let them go forth unless they commit open immorality. Such are the limits (imposed by) Allah; and whoso transgresseth Allah’s limits, he verily wrongeth his soul. Thou knowest not: it may be that Allah will afterward bring some new thing to pass” (Quran 65:1)

Ex-husband’s child?

Tanakh Question: In the Tanakh, Moses is depicted to allow women to immediately remarry after a divorce (Deuteronomy 24:1-2). The error with this broad law is that if a woman immediately remarries, and is unknowingly pregnant, no one will know who the father of the baby is.

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: The Holy Quran solves the problem of unknown fathers to children of divorcees as created in the Tanakh, without alienating and punishing the mothers to a life without remarriage;

“Divorced women shall wait concerning themselves for three monthly periods. Nor is it lawful for them to hide what Allah Hath created in their wombs, if they have faith in Allah and the Last Day. And their husbands have the better right to take them back in that period, if they wish for reconciliation. And women shall have rights similar to the rights against them, according to what is equitable; but men have a degree (of advantage) over them. And Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise.” (Quran 2:228)

In order for the identity of the child’s father to be known, divorcees must wait 3 months before remarriage, to verify before marrying another whether or not they are pregnant. This method even eliminates today’s method of men taking blood tests which leads to the ex-couples fighting and deeming this method to be inaccurate.

Widows and Sisters do Not  Inherit

Tanakh Question: In (Numbers 27:8-11), Moses describes the rules of inheritance that God presumably has stated. If a man dies, his son inherits the estate; his daughter gets nothing. Only if there is no son, then the daughter inherits. If there are no children, then the estate is given to the man’s brothers and his sisters get nothing.

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer:  The Quran abolished this male greediness;

“Unto the men (of a family) belongeth a share of that which parents and near kindred leave, and unto the women a share of that which parents and near kindred leave, whether it be little or much a legal share.” (Quran 4:7)

“And unto you belongeth a half of that which your wives leave, if they have no child; but if they have a child then unto you the fourth of that which they leave, after any legacy they may have bequeathed, or debt (they may have contracted, hath been paid). And unto them belongeth the fourth of that which ye leave if ye have no child, but if ye have a child then the eighth of that which ye leave, after any legacy ye may have bequeathed, or debt (…ye may have contracted, hath been paid). And if a man or a woman have a distant heir (having left neither parent nor child), and he (or she) have a brother or a sister (only on the mother’s side) then to each of them twain (the brother and the sister) the sixth, and if they be more than two, then they shall be sharers in the third, after any legacy that may have been bequeathed or debt (contracted) not injuring (the heirs by willing away more than a third of the heritage) hath been paid. A commandment from Allah. Allah is knower, Indulgent.” (Quran 4:12)

Rapist must marry the victim

Tanakh Question: “If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not pledged to be married and rapes her and they are discovered, he shall pay the girl’s father fifty shekels of silver. He must marry the girl, for he has violated her. He can never divorce her as long as he lives” (Deuteronomy 22:28-30)

One must ask a simple question here, who is really being punished, the offender who raped the woman or the woman who was raped? According to the Tanakh, a woman must spend the rest of her life with the man who committed the treacherous crime of raping her.

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer:  Whereas the voice of a woman is absent in the Tanakh, the Holy Quran enables women to be heard:

“O ye who believe! Ye are forbidden to inherit women against their will. Nor should ye treat them with harshness, that ye may take away part of the dower ye have given them,-except where they have been guilty of open lewdness; on the contrary live with them on a footing of kindness and equity. If ye take a dislike to them it may be that ye dislike a thing, and Allah brings about through it a great deal of good.” (Quran 4:19)

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) Says in (Volume 9, Book 86, Number 101) Narrated by Aisha:” It is essential to have the consent of a woman (for the marriage)”.

Married to the brother-in-law?

Tanakh Question: Here is yet another case from the Tanakh where a woman is forced to marry someone without any consent in the matter;

“If brethren dwell together, and one of them die and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger; her husband’s brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife.” (Deuteronomy 25:5)

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer:  Again, the Holy Quran lifts up the status of women as equals and important decision makers, as we see here, especially in their own marriage:

“O you who believe! You are forbidden to inherit women against their will, and you should not treat them with harshness, that you may take away part of the dower you have given them, unless they commit open illegal sexual intercourse. And live with them honorably. If you dislike them, it may be that you dislike a thing and Allah brings through it a great deal of good.” (Quran 4:19)

Why wasn’t Mary stoned to death ?

Tanakh Question: A girl not found to be a virgin was to be killed (Deuteronomy 22:13- 21) According to the Tanakh, the punishment for adultery is death by stones:

“But if the thing is true, that the tokens of virginity were not found in the young woman, then they shall bring out the young woman to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death with stones, because she has wrought folly in Israel by playing the harlot in her father’s house; so you shall purge the evil from the midst of you.” (Deuteronomy 22:20-21)

Why then was Mary’s life spared by her community for apparently having a child with no apparent father?

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: The Reason Mary was left to travel freely, proudly displaying her infant Jesus without being executed is explained in the Quran. The Holy Quran completes the missing puzzles often overlooked, ignored, or deliberately avoided by non-Muslim theologians.

“Then she brought him to her people, carrying him. They said: “O Mary! Truly an amazing thing hast thou brought! O sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a wicked man nor was thy mother a harlot.”

But she pointed to him. They said: “How should we speak to one who was a child in the cradle?”

He said: “I am indeed a servant of Allah: He hath given me revelation and made me a prophet; and He hath made me blessed wheresoever I be, and hath enjoined on me Prayer and Charity as long as I live; (He) hath made me kind to my mother, and not overbearing or miserable” (Quran 19:27-32)

In conclusion, after witnessing the miracle of God, (the newborn Messiah praising God), Mary’s innocence was confirmed. Interestingly, As Jesus had this previous experience of stopping the stoning of a suspected adulterous as an infant; thirty years later, Jesus again persuaded a crowd to avoid stoning a alleged adulterous.

After Birth?

Tanakh Question: Women who have given birth to a boy are ritually unclean for 40 days. If the baby is a girl, the mother is unclean for 80 days. (Leviticus 12:1-5)

This monstrous saying shows that giving birth to a girl is twice as polluting as is giving birth to a boy.

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: In Islam, the birth of a daughter is equal to a birth of a son; the Holy Quran corrects the perception in the Tanakh that the birth of a daughter is more polluted or evil than the birth of a son. God reiterates for us what evil men used to do:

“When news is brought to one of them, of (the birth of) a female (child), his face darkens, and he is filled with inward grief!”

“With shame does he hide himself from his people, because of the bad news he has had! Shall he retain it on (sufferance and) contempt, or bury it in the dust? Ah! what an evil (choice) they decide on?” (Quran 16:58-59)

Hence, female children are not shameful or dirtier than male children are, in fact, both births are equal:

“To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. He creates what He wills (and plans). He bestows (children) male or female according to His Will (and Plan),” (Quran 42:49)

Hence, a birth of a girl or a boy is equal blessings from God.

Birth of a Daughter is a loss

Tanakh Question: Many Catholics consider the birth of a daughter to be a great loss. In the Catholic Tanakh, Apocrypha, Book of Ecclesiasticus, it says, “The Birth of a Daughter is a loss” (Ecclesiastics 22:3).

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: God clarifies within the Quran, in His guidance to all of humanity that boys and girls are born equal and that those who assume that having a daughter is a shameful loss are wrong:

“When news is brought to one of them, of (the birth of) a female (child), his face darkens, and he is filled with inward grief!”

“With shame does he hide himself from his people, because of the bad news he has had! Shall he retain it on (sufferance and) contempt, or bury it in the dust? Ah! what an evil (choice) they decide on?” (Quran 16:58-59)

Hence, female children are not less than male children are, in fact, both births are equal:

“To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. He creates what He wills (and plans). He bestows (children) male or female according to His Will (and Plan),” (Quran 42:49)

Widow can’t marry a Rabbi?

Tanakh Question: In a further affront on a widow’s dignity, Rabbis are forbidden for marriage. In the Tanakh, widows are grouped together with harlots as women forbidden for matrimony to a Rabbi;

“A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane, or an harlot, these shall he (the Rabbi) not take: but he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife.” (Leviticus 21:14)

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: The Holy Quran clarifies that all believers are allowed to marry a widow:

“If any of you die and leave widows behind, they shall wait concerning themselves four months and ten days: When they have fulfilled their term, there is no blame on you if they dispose of themselves in a just and reasonable manner. And Allah is well acquainted with what ye do.”

“And there is no blame on you respecting that which you speak indirectly in the asking of (such) women in marriage or keep (the proposal) concealed within your minds; Allah knows that you win mention them, but do not give them a promise in secret unless you speak in a lawful manner, and do not confirm the marriage tie until the writing is fulfilled, and know that Allah knows what is in your minds, therefore beware of Him, and know that Allah is Forgiving, Forbearing.” (Quran 2:234-235)

Divorced Women can’t marry a Rabbi

Tanakh Question: In a further affront on a divorcee’s dignity, these women are forbidden marriage with Rabbis. In the Tanakh, divorcees are grouped together with harlots as women whom are forbidden for matrimony to a Rabbi;

“A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane, or a harlot, these shall he (the Rabbi) not take: but he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife.” (Leviticus 21:14)

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: A divorced woman in the Quran can marry anyone, including her ex-husband. Believers can even marry the women divorced from pagans;

“O ye who believe! When believing women come unto you as fugitives, examine them. Allah is best aware of their faith. Then, if ye know them for true believers, send them not back unto the disbelievers. They are not lawful for the disbelievers, nor are the disbelievers lawful for them. And give the disbelievers that which they have spent (upon them). And it is no sin for you to marry such women when ye have given them their dues.” (Quran 60:10)

Selling a Woman?

Tanakh Question: Women are not property, except in the Tanakh (Exodus 21:7-11) A father can sell a daughter into slavery to pay a debt. A daughter sold into slavery is not released at the end of six years as is an ordinary male slave.

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: Fortunately, for all of us, God gave us our rights and freedom in the Quran over 1400 years ago. We do not have to be enslaved to the laws of the Tanakh:

God says: “O ye who believe! Ye are forbidden to inherit women against their will. Nor should ye treat them with harshness, that ye may Take away part of the dower ye have given them,-except where they have been guilty of open lewdness; on the contrary live with them on a footing of kindness and equity. If ye take a dislike to them it may be that ye dislike a thing, and Allah brings about through it a great deal of good.” (Quran 4:19)

Regarding a parent’s debt or poverty, we are commanded in the Quran not to slay children to alleviate poverty:

“Say: Come I will recite what your Lord has forbidden to you-(remember) that you do not associate anything with Him and show kindness to your parents, and do not slay your children for (fear of) poverty – We provide for you and for them” (Quran 6:151)

Men Worth More?

Tanakh Question: Again, the Tanakh tries to propagate a disproportionate value between men and women;

“If your valuation is of the male from twenty years even to sixty years old, then your valuation shall be fifty shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary.  ’Or if it is a female, then your valuation shall be thirty shekels.” (Leviticus 27:3-4)

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: The Holy Quran corrects all of these disproportionate values between men and women by stating that both are equal blessings from God:

“To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. He creates what He wills (and plans). He bestows (children) male or female according to His Will (and Plan),” (Quran 42:49)

Chastity

Tanakh Question: A betrothed virgin who is seduced in the city is to be put to death unless she cries for help. (Deuteronomy 22:23-24)

This is an unreliable way to judge whether a woman is in pain or not, for what if she is not heard verbally? To rely on external indicators to make a judgment of death is quite harsh. Is God not a merciful God?

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: The Quran teaches all of us that God knows what is the truth in the seen and the unseen, the heard and the silent and He will judge accordingly for God has mercy over all, no verbal plea for help needs to be heard for God to know the guilty and the innocent:

“Seest thou not that Allah doth know (all) that is in the heavens and on earth? There is not a secret consultation between three, but He makes the fourth among them, – Nor between five but He makes the sixth, – nor between fewer nor more, but He is in their midst, wheresoever they be: In the end will He tell them the truth of their conduct, on the Day of Judgment. For Allah has full knowledge of all things.” (Quran 58:7)

On the matter of rape:

“Those who cannot afford to get married shall maintain morality until God provides for them from His grace. Those among your servants who wish to be freed in order to marry, you shall grant them their wish, once you realize that they are honest. And give them from God’s money that He has bestowed upon you. You shall not force your servant girls to commit prostitution, seeking the materials of this world, if they wish to be chaste. If anyone forces them, then God, seeing that they are forced, is Forgiver, Merciful.” (Quran 24:33)

Maiden Names?

Tanakh Question: The Tanakh teaches that a woman must lose her life long father’s last name upon marriage;

The elimination of the wife’s family name is made clear by (Genesis 2:23), “…she shall be called woman because she was taken out of man.” As well as (Genesis 5:2) “Male and female created he them: and blessed them, and called their name Adam.”

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: In the Muslim World, women have the option to keep their father’s last name:

“Call them by (the names of) their fathers: that is juster in the sight of Allah. But if ye know not their father’s (names, call them) your Brothers in faith, or your maulas. But there is no blame on you if ye make a mistake therein: (what counts is) the intention of your hearts: and Allah is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful.” (Quran 33:5)

Mary a Virgin or Young woman?

Tanakh Question: Rabbis argue among themselves regarding the use of (Isaiah 7:14) as a confirmation to the birth of Jesus;

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel,” (Isaiah 7:14).

Yet Hebrew scholars attest that this passage is speaking of a maiden, not a virgin, thus concluding this is not a prophecy.

The problem is dealing with the Hebrew word for virgin, which is “almah”.  According to the Strong’s Concordance it means, “virgin, young woman 1a) of marriageable age 1b) maid or newly married.”  Therefore, the word “almah” does not always mean virgin.  Additionally, there is a more accurate Hebrew word for virgin:  “bethulah”.

Rabbinic Exegesis: Both have valid arguments against each other.

Rebuttal: In the days of Jesus, adultery laws were extremely strict, even deadly. Therefore, unless the maiden was identified as a married woman, then 99% of the time, she was a virgin.

Note; she was not called a harlot or adulterous as unmarried promiscuous women were labeled in the Tanakh, further proving she is a virgin as the majority of young women were during the days of Jesus.

Quran Answer: The Quran crystallizes the fact that Mary was a virgin:

“And Mary the daughter of ‘Imran, who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (her body) of Our spirit; and she testified to the truth of the words of her Lord and of His Revelations, and was one of the devout (servants).” (Quran 66:12)

(IX.) AFTERLIFE

How to remove Sin

Tanakh Question: Rabbis claim the only way to salvation is through blood; “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” (Leviticus 17:11)

Vs

Multiple methods of removing sin; giving charity (Exodus 30:15-16) and (Numbers 31:50), incense (Numbers 16:46-47)

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: Islam teaches that there is no one single way to salvation for salvation comes from both works and faith:

“For Him (alone) is prayer in Truth: any others that they call upon besides Him hear them no more than if they were to stretch forth their hands for water to reach their mouths but it reaches them not: for the prayer of those without Faith is nothing but (futile) wandering (in the mind).” (Quran 13:14)

“They will say: “Did there not come to you your messengers with Clear Signs?” They will say, “Yes”. They will reply, “Then pray (as ye like)! But the prayer of those without Faith is nothing but (futile wandering) in (mazes of) error!” (Quran 40:50)

“Those who believe, and do deeds of righteousness, and establish regular prayers and regular charity, will have their reward with their Lord: on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.” (Quran 2:277)

Born sinners?

Tanakh Question: Children are born pure, without sin (Leviticus 11:44, 19:2, 20:7) Vs Children are born wicked sinners (Psalms 58:3)

Rabbinic Exegesis: That is what it says but that is not what it means. (Psalms 58:3) is speaking about the potential to commit sin, not being an actual sinner.

Rebuttal: If the Tanakh writers meant something else, then why didn’t they record it as it was meant? The Tanakh translators utilize a vast amount of vocabulary dictionaries and ancient texts to pick the exact interpretation.. The language and context used is that of one who is a sinner, not of one who will be a sinner.

“The wicked are estranged from the womb” -not- “will be” (future tense), instead “are” (present tense)

“they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.”

not will go astray as adults.

Quran Answer: The Quran corrects the fallacy that children are inherently evil or have contracted sin of previous generations;

“We have indeed created man in the best of moulds.” (Quran 95:4)

“Every soul draws the wages of its acts on none But itself: no bearer of burdens can bear The burden of another.” (Quran 6:164)

“…No laden soul will bear another’s load. Then unto your Lord is your return; and He will tell you what ye used to do. Lo! He knoweth what is in the breasts (of men).” (Quran 39:7)

Reap what you sow?

Tanakh Question: Some sow wheat but reap thorns. (Jeremiah 12:13) Vs Some sow but will not reap anything. (Micah 6:15)

Rabbinic Exegesis: The first are materialistic sowing, thus uneven, the last is afterlife spiritual sowing, thus even.

Rebuttal: This would be acceptable albeit for the passage stating that the righteous reap what they sow in this life, hence materialistic terms;

“Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner.” (Proverbs 11:31)

Therefore, even if it is in materialistic terms, it is in contradiction to (Proverbs 11:31)

Quran Answer: The Quran is very clear that humans get what they deserve. In an accountable fashion, God is Fair and Bountiful. People are punished for the bad and greatly rewarded for the good:

“Surely Allah does not do injustice to the weight of an atom, and if it is a good deed He multiplies it and gives from Himself a great reward.” (Quran 4:40)

Righteous Immortal?

Tanakh Question: The righteous in the Tanakh are immortal; “No grave trouble will overtake the righteous” (Proverbs 12:21)

Rabbinic Exegesis: (Proverbs 12:21) is speaking about only a few righteous people, not all righteous people.

Rebuttal: We know that the Tanakh has universally taught the false concept that the righteous are immortal.

Quran Answer: The Quran clarifies that all humans, good or bad, are not immortal:

“Say: “Running away will not profit you if ye are running away from death or slaughter…” (Quran 33:16)

“We have ordained death among you and We are not to be outrun” (Quran 56:60)

Medicine and machines may have the ability to slow the process of death, by the Will of God but eventually as described in the Quran, we all will die, and the angel of death will come to all of us and we will not be able to prevent the angel from taking us away from this earth.

Additional Ways

Earth Forever?

Tanakh Question: “A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever.” (Ecclesiastes 1:4, Psalms 78:69, 104:5)

Rabbinic Exegesis: Mistranslation. The word “forever” should actually be “long time”.

Rebuttal: Tanakh Scholars admit that some of the errors in the Tanakh are attributed to translation errors

Quran Answer: The Holy Quran confirms that the earth will not last forever; instead, there will be a day when the earth is destroyed:

“And when the earth is spread out And hath cast out all that was in her, and is empty” (Quran 84:3-4)

Rabbis Unconditionally Chosen?

Tanakh Question: The Tanakh talks about the Rabbis as humans picked by God above all other humans and regardless of what they do, they are unconditionally chosen above all by God;

“For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people” (Deuteronomy 7:6-7)

God in the Tanakh did not choose Rabbis because they were sinless;

“Understand therefore, that the LORD thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness; for thou art a stubborn people.” (Deuteronomy 9:6)

Instead, the Tanakh says that all Rabbis are unconditionally chosen above all other humans because of a promise made to their forefathers;

“But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.” (Deuteronomy 7:8)

Vs.

“Do you Israelites think you are more important to me than the Ethiopians ?” asks the LORD. “I brought you out of Egypt, but have I not done as much for other nations, too? I brought the Philistines from Crete and led the Arameans out of Kir” Amos 9:7

Rabbinic Exegesis: None available.

Quran Answer: God states in the Quran that the favor towards Rabbis was conditional:

“And We gave (Clear) Warning to the Children of Israel in the Book, that twice would they do mischief on the earth and be elated with mighty arrogance (and twice would they be punished)! It may be that your Lord may (yet) show Mercy unto you; but if ye revert (to your sins), We shall revert (to Our punishments): And we have made Hell a prison for those who reject (all Faith). (Quran 17:4-8)

The Quran explains, it is not who you are, it is what you do that grants you favor with God, you are chosen for your belief, not your ethnicity:

“And there are, certainly, among the People of the Book (Jews and Christians), those who believe in Allah, and that which has been revealed to you and in that which has been revealed to them, humbling themselves before Allah: They will not sell the Revelations of Allah for a miserable gain! For them is a reward with their Lord, and Allah is swift in account.” (Quran 3:199)

Tanakh Suicide?

Tanakh Question: The Tanakh does not contain any laws against suicide, and instead has an abundant amount of characters (Mostly Prophets), wishing for and committing suicide without any rebuke or punishment for their suicidal tendencies;

Moses was in despair because of the complaints of the Israelites whom he was leading. The burden of leadership was too heavy for him to bear. He asked God “If You treat me like this, please kill me here and now…” (Numbers 11:12-15)

Samson had been chained to the two middle pillars of a temple. He pushed them apart. thereby knowingly causing the collapse of the building, and his own suicide. (Judges 16:29-30)

In a war against the Philistines, Saul’s sons Johnathan, Abinadab and Malchishua were killed, and Saul himself was seriously wounded. He asked his armor bearer to kill him, but his assistant refused. So he took a sword and fell on it. The armor bearer then also fell on his sword. Both committed suicide. (1 Samuel 31:4-6)

In an act of vicious religious intolerance, Elijah ordered 400 Rabbis of Baal executed. Ahab went to Jezebel, telling her that Elijah had “executed all the prophets with the sword.” She swore to kill Elijah within the next 24 hours. Elijah fled for this life to Beersheba, went into the wilderness, and “prayed that he might die.” He said, “It is enough! Now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!” (1 Kings 18:40 and 19:4)

More Tanakh suicides; (1 Kings 16:18), (2 Samuel 17:1-29), (Judges 9:52-54), (Matthew 27:5), (Revelation 9:1-10).

Rabbinic Exegesis: 1^st) the Tanakh says “Thou shalt not kill.” 2^nd) the Tanakh says “Do not be a fool–why die before your time?” (Ecclesiastes 7:17b)

Rebuttal: 1^st) The vague commandment “Thou shalt not kill” obviously cannot be interpreted literally, because people continually kill plants and animals for food. The context is interpreted as meaning that one should not murder another human being.

2^nd) According to the “Jamieson, Fausset, Brown Tanakh Commentary”, (Ecclesiastes 7:17b) is warning God will be provoked to cut off prematurely thy day of grace (Romans 2:5), thus not a warning against suicide, furthermore, the context states in passage (7:15) that a wicked man can have a prolonged life, thus (7:17) is simply saying that the wicked should not feel safe as also explained in the “Matthew Henry Complete Commentary
on the Whole Tanakh”.

Quran Answer: The Holy Quran does directly and specifically tell us to love ourselves by not killing ourselves;

“And spend of your substance in the cause of Allah, and make not your own hands contribute to (your) destruction; but do good; for Allah loveth those who do good.” (Quran 2:195)

“O ye who believe! Eat not up your property among yourselves in vanities: But let there be amongst you Traffic and trade by mutual good-will: Nor kill (or destroy) yourselves: for verily Allah hath been to you Most Merciful! (Quran 4:29)

Tanakh self hate

Tanakh Question: The Tanakh writers express self disgust at their job in writing the Tanakh;

“. . .ye have perverted the words of the living God. . .” (Jeremiah 23:36)

“How can you say, ‘We are wise, and  the law of the Lord is with us’? But,  behold, the false pen of the scribes has made it into a lie.” (Jeremiah 8:8)

” And the Lord said to me: “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name; I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds.” (Jeremiah 14:14)

Rabbinic Exegesis: The scribes were talking about being corrupt on a different religious matter.

Rebuttal: Interestingly the Rabbis confess the Tanakh writers were corrupt, how then can we trust that they were corrupt in some religious matters and not others. Furthermore, the scribes specify that their “pens” turned the words of God into lies.

Quran Answer: The Quran emits love and self confidence in the writing within:

“We have, without doubt, sent down the Message; and We will assuredly Guard it (from corruption).  (Quran: 15:9)

“Say: Were the oceans ink for the Words of my Lord, the ocean would surely fail before the Words of my Lord fail; aye, though We brought as much ink again!” (Quran 18:110)

“No falsehood can approach it from before or behind it: It is sent down by One Full of Wisdom, Worthy of all Praise.” (Quran 41:42)

“Nay, this is a Glorious Quran, (inscribed) in a Tablet Preserved!  (Quran: 85:21-22)

Conclusion

In the manner of Moses leading Jews out of Egypt, the Quran has also parted a sea of errors in the Tanakh to lead Us to Heaven. We come to several conclusions at the end of this research. We found that what thousands of Tanakh editors could not do for thousands of years, the Quran has produced in a precise and clear manner.

Another finding from our research is that the Holy Quran brings an acceptable balance between the Religions. For Rabbis, Jesus is turned from a carpenter to a Messiah, for Christians, Jesus is turned from a God to a Prophet, and the balance is made so that both Jews and Christians can accept each other and have a shared and plausible belief in Our Creator.

The pinnacle of unity that the Quran brings between Jews and Christians is the fate of Jesus. Christ is not used as a scapegoat in the Quran; there was no need for Jesus to die to achieve salvation as in Christianity. The Quran explicitly says the Jews did not kill Jesus, which was the fuel for many crusades and even the Holocaust according to many historians.

In Hitler’s book Mien Kemph, Adolph repeatedly proclaimed he was doing the “Lord’s work.” At a Christmas celebration in 1926, Hitler stated; “Christ was the greatest early fighter in the battle against the world enemy, the Rabbis … The work that Christ started but could not finish, I — Adolph Hitler — will conclude.”

Many of the Nazi propaganda labeled Jews as “Christ killers”, it is our sincere belief that if Hitler and many of the persecutors of Jews, believed that Jews did not kill Jesus as the Quran teaches, then millions of lives would have been saved. In fact, during many of the crusades and the Holocaust, Muslim nations, who saw Jews as fellow monotheists who did not kill Jesus, sheltered and protected Jews from the chasing crusaders. The Quran arbitrates between Jews and Christians to unite them as brotherly and sisterly Muslims.

Another conclusion is that the Quran empowers women in both Judaism and Christianity with freedom of speech, inheritance rights, and marriage rights unavailable from the Tanakh. The Quran removes the curse and gender guilt blamed on Eve and her female descendants.

Modern technology has and will increase the already fastest growing religion in the world simply because the internet and powerful search engines are allowing people to discover how Islam towers in truth above other religions in a magnitude unfathomed before.

The deeper we are able to look inside texts, pin pointing words and phrases for comparison, the more we are able to discover the Divine nature of the Quran. This is incredible because it has taken us high tech computers just to discover how the Quran corrects the Tanakh. This is even more proof that in the days of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), where computers were over a millennium away, it would have been impossible for a human to make the corrections because today it is taking extensive computer assisted researching just to realize that these corrections exist. For example, modern surgeons use endoscopes to search deep inside passages just as computers as used by authors to search deep inside passages, both discovering the works by God and detailed information unavailable to humans prior to these powerful searching tools.

We have also managed to dispel many myths by completing this massive manuscript. We have manifested how the Quran mends, rather than mimics the Tanakh. More importantly, we have established that the Quran is not from Satan as some anti-Islamic Rabbis claim.

In fact, by Islam re-confirming the validity of the laws in the Tanakh, the Quran actually exposes an attempt by Satan to lead people away from God. Satan from the start (with Adam and Eve), tried to get humans not to obey God, as Satan tricked humans with a brown tree and red apple, it was done again with a brown cross and red blood.

Meaning most Christians have been led to assume that they are no longer responsible for obeying the laws of God, claiming the blood of Jesus on the crucifix atoned all their sins and made them closer to God. This is exactly the same type of manipulation Satan maneuvered on Adam and Eve; Satan told Adam and Eve if they accept the red apple on the brown tree, they too would become more God like. The sinister constant in both scenarios is; taking shortcuts that outcome in disobeying God.

In the Quran, this salvation shortcut that people are tempted with in the Gospel is removed, instead we are taught as in Judaism, that everyone is responsible for their own sins, thus keeping the laws as well as faith in God are both the keys to salvation, rather than just one or the other.

There are many more miracles in the Quran including scientific, mathematical, and literary astonishments. Consequently, the Quran not only stands on its own, but also rescues the Bible. In closing, while there are over 100 valid corrections, if the reader reluctantly accepts just one way the Qur’an corrects the Tanakh, then the reader can realize it is a blessing and not an attack on the Tanakh.

The Quran helps the reader believe the stories in the Tanakh. Thus, Islam is the world’s fastest growing religion simply because truth prevails. At the time of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the ratio of Muslims compared to Jews and Christians were; one Muslim for every million Jews and Christians. Today the ratio is, one Jew for every 100 Muslims, and the ratio gap between Muslims and Christians has dissipated down to 1 Muslim for every 2 Christians. According to “The Almanac Book of Facts”, the population increased 137% within the past decade, Christianity increased 46%, while Islam increased 235%.

We invite Jewish readers to accept Islam (submission to God) as taught in the Holy Quran. We leave you with a translation of an invitation letter to Islam from Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to the former non-Muslim Kings of the Middle East:

“Praise be to Allah, the King, the All-Holy, the Peacemaker, the Keeper of Faith, the Watcher. He is Allah, there is no divinity but He, the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One, the All-peaceable, the Keeper of Faith, the Guardian, the Majestic, the Compeller, the All-sublime. Glorified be Allah from all that they associate with Him.And I testify that Jesus, son of Mary, is the spirit of Allah and His Word which He cast to Mary the Virgin, the good, the pure, so that she conceived Jesus. Allah created him from His Spirit and His Breath as He created Adam by His Hand and His Breath. I call you to Allah, the Unique, without partner, to His obedience, and to follow me and to believe in that which came to me, for I am the Messenger of Allah. Peace be upon all those who follow true guidance.”

May God bless you with the hunger for knowledge and the ability to accept the truth once the knowledge has come to you.

We also invite the Muslims to fulfill your duties in inviting non-Muslims to Islam. In the same endeavor that this research has been made for the non-Muslims, we made this book equally for the Muslims. We pray that the Muslims have found this book confidence building and has given Muslims the optimism to invite non-Muslims.

Dozens of Rabbinic Schools offer an increasingly popular degree in trying to solve Tanakh issues. Instead of these young men and women spending years of their lives to become Tanakh Scholars, we encourage you the reader, to invite these college students and even their professors to discover the corrections in the Quran.

In our own debates with Jews and Christians, I have found this rich compilation very useful and very easily used as an encyclopedic topical rebuttal and answer comparative religion resource. Any one of the Ways the Quran Helps the Tanakh in this book are a point of dialog on the similarities and unity of the Quran. The beginning and ending of the debate between you the Muslim and the non-Muslim are already mapped out, to prepare you and give you the instrument to effectively show the Light of God in the Quran to the non-Muslim. We are commanded over seventeen times in the Holy Quran specifically to invite the people of the Book (Jews and Christians), to the path of Allah. For example:

“Say: O People of the Book! Come to an agreement between us and you: that we shall worship none but Allah, and that we shall ascribe no partner unto Him, and that none of us shall take others for lords beside Allah. And if they turn away, then say: Bear witness that we are they who have surrendered (unto Him).“ (Quran 3:64)

Muslims inviting Rabbis to Islam is very rare. God gave us the Quran to share with both the Jews and Christians. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings upon him) teaching us by example, himself invited Rabbis to, and promised they will be Rewarded. In conclusion, our disobedience, pessimism and lack of confidence towards inviting Rabbis to Islam has resulted in Israel being the only non-Muslim country in the Middle East.

The Trinitarian Jewish group “Jews for Jesus” has converted 300,000 Rabbis. The Jews endured the Crusades and Holocaust at the hands of the Christians, and Christianity teaches that the Laws of Moses are like rags to be done away with, yet nearly half a million Jews accepted Christianity just by the Christians asking them to. So fulfill your duty and simply ask in a polite manner as we’re commanded to:

“Invite (all) to the Way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for thy Lord knoweth best, who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance.”  (Quran 16:125)

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Index

Aaron, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 87, 115

Adam, 34, 63, 82, 84, 85, 86, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 122, 141

adultery, 32, 96, 97, 108, 114, 123

angels, 13, 18, 24, 100, 101, 104

Animals, 43, 54

apostates, 68

blood, 61, 111, 124

bribery, 66

Cain, 33, 34

Catholics, 116, 141

curse, 50, 52, 60, 63

David, 32, 33, 77, 99, 100, 142

death, 27, 28, 52, 59, 60, 61, 68, 80, 81, 84, 85, 100, 114, 120, 121, 127

divorce, 96, 97, 110, 112

earth, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 23, 24, 26, 29, 33, 34, 39, 40, 41, 42, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 53, 58, 78, 85, 86, 100, 104, 116, 117, 120, 121, 126, 127, 128

embryology, 54, 55, 56

fear, 18, 34, 78, 79, 86, 120, 125

flood, 86, 87

Goliath, 99, 100

Halal, 58

heaven, 12, 26, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49

Interest, 65

Iron, 20

Isaac, 33, 51, 94, 95, 96, 97, 99

Ishmael, 33, 92, 94, 95, 96, 97, 99

Israel, 19, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 34, 45, 60, 81, 82, 102, 114

Jesus, 16, 17, 27, 33, 50, 77, 115, 122, 123, 141, 142

Jews, 57, 59, 82, 122

Joseph, 33, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93

kosher, 60

life span, 50, 51

Mary, 114, 115, 122, 123

Moses, 7, 16, 17, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35, 63, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 85, 87, 110, 111

Muhammad, 27, 36, 37, 81, 113, 140

Noah, 33, 51, 86, 87, 88, 102

Pharaoh, 28, 35, 91

polygamy, 77, 78

Sabbath, 62, 63, 85

sacrifice, 60, 76, 96, 98

salvation, 124

Satan, 85, 90, 104, 106, 107

Saul, 102, 103

sin, 25, 34, 68, 79, 82, 104, 105, 109, 119, 124, 125

slavery, 64, 119

spirit, 86, 123

women, 78, 81, 93, 94, 103, 107, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 117, 118, 119, 120, 122, 123