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