The Holy
Bible |
The Noble
Qur’an |
Creation |
Creation |
In the beginning
God created heaven and earth. Genesis1:1 |
Praise be to
God,Who created the heavens and the earth. 6:1 |
Now the earth was a formless void, there was darkness over the
deep, with a divine wind sweeping over the waters. Genesis 1:2 |
He it is Who
created the heavens and the earth in six Days - and His Throne was over the
waters Y.11:7 |
God said, "Let
there be…............," and there was ….. Genesis1:3,6,9,11,14,20,24, |
Glory be to Him!
when He determines a matter, He only says to it, "Be", and it is. Y.19:35 |
Light and
darkness |
Night and day |
God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. God saw
that light was good, and God divided light from darkness. God called light "day", and darkness he called
"night". Evening came and morning came: the first day. Genesis,1:3-5 |
Praise be God, Who created the
heavens and the earth, and made the darkness and the light. Y.6:1 He makes the Night overlap the Day, and the Day overlap the Night: Y.39:.5 He draweth the night as a veil o'er the Day. Y.13:.3 |
Waters,
heaven, earth |
Heavens,
earth, seas |
God said, "Let there be a vault through the middle of the waters to
divide the waters in two." And so it was. God made the vault, and it divided the waters under the
vault from the waters above the vault. God called the vault
"heaven". Evening came and morning came: the second day. God said, "Let the waters under heaven come together into a single
mass, and let dry land appear." And so it was. God called the dry land "earth" and the mass of
waters "seas", and God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:6-10 |
Then He directed Himself to the heaven and it is a vapor, so He said to
it and to the earth: “Come both, willingly or unwillingly.” They both said: “We come willingly.” S.41:11 God is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that ye can see; is
firmly established on the throne (of authority); Y.13:2 And We have spread out the (spacious) earth: How excellently We do spread
out! Y.51:48 And He it is Who hath given independence to the two seas (though they
meet); one palatable, sweet, and the other saltish, bitter; and hath set a
bar and a forbidding ban between them. P. 25:53 |
Water,
vegetation |
and fruit |
God said, "Let the earth produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants,
and fruit trees on earth, bearing fruit with their seed inside, each
corresponding to its own species." And so it was. The earth produced
vegetation: the various kinds of seed-bearing plants and the fruit trees with
seed inside, each corresponding to its own species. God saw that it was good.
Evening came and morning came: the third day. Genesis 1:11-13 At the time when God made earth and heaven there was as yet no wild bush
on the earth nor had any wild plant yet sprung up, for God had not sent rain
on the earth, Instead, water flowed out of the ground and watered all the
surface of the soil. God planted a garden in Eden, which is in the east, and
there he put the man he had fashioned. From the soil, God caused to grow
every kind of tree, enticing to look at and good to eat,….A river flowed from
Eden to water the garden, and from there it divided to make four streams. Genesis,2:5- 10 |
And We send down water from the sky according to (due) measure, and We
cause it to soak in the soil; and We certainly are able to drain it off (with
ease). With it We grow for you gardens of date-palms and vines: in them have
ye abundant fruits: and of them ye eat (and have enjoyment) Y.23.:18-19 And it is He who spread out the earth, and set thereon mountains standing
firm and (flowing) rivers: and fruit of every kind. Y.13:3 And We send down from the clouds water pouring forth abundantly down from
the rainy clouds, That We may bring forth thereby corn and herbs, and gardens
dense and luxuriant. S.78,14-16 "Good News for you this Day! Gardens beneath which flow rivers! to
dwell therein for aye! This is indeed the highest Achievement”. Y.57:12 Fruits (Delights); … In Gardens of Felicity, Y.37:42-43 |
Lights |
Sun, moon and stars |
God said, "Let there be lights in the vault of heaven to divide day
from night, and let them indicate festivals, days and years. Let them be
lights in the vault of heaven to shine on the earth." And so it was. God made the two great lights: the greater light to govern
the day, the smaller light to govern the night, and the stars. God set them
in the vault of heaven to shine on the earth, to govern the day and the night
and to divide light from darkness. God saw that it was good. Evening came and
morning came: the fourth day. Genesis,1:14-19 |
He has subjected the sun and the moon (to His law): Each one follows a
course for a time appointed. Y.39:5 So He completed them as seven firmaments in two Days, and He assigned to
each heaven its duty and command. And We adorned the lower heaven with
lights, and (provided it) with guard. Such is the Decree of (Him) the Exalted
in Might, Full of Knowledge. Y. 41:12 And verily in the heaven we have set mansions of the stars, and We have
beautified it for beholders. P.15:16 |
creatures |
animals |
God said, "Let the waters be alive with a swarm of living creatures,
and let birds wing their way above the earth across the vault of
heaven." And so it was. God created great sea-monsters and all the
creatures that glide and teem in the waters in their own species, and winged
birds in their own species. God saw that it was good. God blessed them,
saying, "Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the waters of the seas; and let
the birds multiply on land." Evening came and morning came: the fifth
day. God said, "Let the earth produce every kind of living creature in
its own species: cattle, creeping things and wild animals of all kinds."
And so it was. God made wild animals in their own species, and cattle in
theirs, and every creature that crawls along the earth in its own species.
God saw that it was good. Genesis, 1:20-25 |
And God has created every animal from water: of them there are some that
creep on their bellies; some that walk on two legs; and some that walk on
four. God creates what He wills for verily God has power over all things. Y.24:45 And cattle He has created for you (men): from them ye derive warmth, and
numerous benefits, and of their (meat) ye eat. And ye have a sense of pride
and beauty in them as ye drive them home in the evening, and as ye lead them
forth to pasture in the morning. And they carry your heavy loads to lands that ye could not (otherwise)
reach except with souls distressed: for your Lord is indeed Most Kind, Most
Merciful, Y.16:5-7 |
Man.....soil
and breath |
Man..... mud
and spirit |
God shaped man from the soil of the ground and blew the breath of life
into his nostrils, and man became a living being. Genesis 2.7 |
And when your Lord said....: Surely I am going to create a mortal of the
essence of black mud fashioned in shape. So when I have made him complete and breathed into him of My spirit, S. 15 28-29 |
Man,
the image of God |
Races and languages |
God said, "Let us make man in our own image, in
the likeness of ourselves, and let them be masters of the fish of the sea,
the birds of heaven, the cattle, all the wild animals and all the creatures
that creep along the ground." Genesis,1:26-27 |
And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the
variations in your languages and your colours: verily in that are Signs for
those who know. Y.30:22 |
Man and Woman |
Man and Woman |
God created man in the image of
himself, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them. 28God blessed them, saying to them,
"Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and subdue it. Be masters of the
fish of the sea, the birds of heaven and all the living creatures that move
on earth." ….And so it was. God saw all he had made, and indeed it was very good.
Evening came and morning came: the sixth day. Genesis,1:27-31 |
He has made for you pairs from among yourselves, and pairs among cattle:
by this means does He multiply you… Y,42:11 He has created you from a single being, then made its mate of the same
(kind), He creates you in the wombs
of your mothers-- a creation after a creation-- in triple darkness; S, 39:6 |
Completion,
rest |
Continuity,
direction |
Thus heaven and earth were completed with all their array. On the seventh day God had completed the work he had been doing. He rested on the seventh day after all the work he had been doing. God
blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on that day he rested after
all his work of creating. Genesis 2:1-3 Translation used: New Jerusalem Bible,
available online at www.kofc.duq.edu/scripture/genesis.html |
See they not how God originates creation, then repeats (reproduces) it:
truly that is easy for God. Y.29:19We created the heavens and
the earth and all between them in Six Days, nor did any sense of weariness
touch Us. Y.5:38 Lo! your Lord is God Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days,
then He established Himself upon the Throne, directing all things. P. 10: 3 Translations used used: Y.= Yusufali P.= Pickthal S.= Shakir www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran.htm |
‘Creation’
is the first of a set of texts from the Holy Bible and the Noble Qur’an,
selected for their suprising similarities. For that reason the word God has
been used on both sides to signify the source of creation. Readers are however
free to insert Yahweh or Allah if they prefer. This is part of an ongoing
project of reflexions@planet.nl aimed
at making similar stories from the two books available to a large public. The
Bible and the Qur’an belong to our common heritage These texts can be copied for websites, sent to friends, used in
discussion groups etc. I would like to
thank Cynthia and David Capey and Manwar Ali for their advice and
encouragement.
A
preview of the project was given just before Christmas with the story of Mary
and Jesus, appearing on their sites:
UK
Jimas charity organisation for all www.jimas.org/qrnbbl.htm
UK
Suffolk Inter-Faith Resource www.sifre.org.uk/nativity.htm
And from Canada www.muslima.ca/iman/comparing.html
Please let us know if
you are adding your site to this list, at reflexions@planet.nl
Thankyou! Marlies ter Borg, the Netherlands