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God in Three Classic Scriptures
God in de Koran
In addition to his previous works Jack Miles analyses the way in which God appears in the Qur'an, compared with his role in the Tenach and the New Testament.
311 pages, Paperback
First published November 13, 2018
65 people are currently reading
726 people want to read
About the author
Jack Miles
40 books77 followersJack Miles (b. 1942) is an American author and winner of both the Pulitzer Prize and the MacArthur Fellowship. His work on religion, politics, and culture has appeared in numerous national publications, including The Atlantic Monthly, The New York Times, The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, and The Los Angeles Times.
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January 29, 2019
Who is God? That seems to be the question Jack Miles attempts to discover, not by presenting his own views but by examining the sacred scriptures of each of the three great monotheistic religions. Presumably, he is the same God (each religion proclaims there is but one God) but they do not always depict him in the same way.
"God in the Qur’an" is the third book in the series, although I am not sure Miles set out to write a series. I have not read the other two. The first book, "God: A Biography" (1996), is the God of the Hebrew Scriptures, the Tanakh, or what is commonly called the Old Testament. For this book, Miles won a Pulitzer Prize. His second book, "Christ: A Crisis in the Life of God" (2001), is God as seen by Christianity and as depicted in the New Testament. This third book is God, or Allah, the Arabic name for God, is God as depicted in the Qur’an (2018).
In a fairly long and helpful Foreword, Miles acknowledges that many Muslims reject reading the Qur’an in translation but he also reasons that many Muslims have to read it that way. He also acknowledges that some may object to his treating the sacred scriptures of each religion as literature that can be examined intellectually and objectively. And he sets his own cards on the table, so to speak, and acknowledges that he is a practicing Christian; nevertheless he asks his readers to believe that he can be objective in examining sacred scriptures as literature. He also explains that this book was begun in the aftermath of the campaign and then the election of Donald Trump to be the U.S. President, a time when anti-Muslim rhetoric and sentiment increased exponentially. So he writes that he hopes that non-Muslims can move past prejudices and stereotypes to encounter Allah with fresh eyes. “We must all learn,” he writes, “to read one another’s scriptures . . . with the same accommodating eye that we turn on our own.”
Miles approach to revealing the God of the Qur’an is to choose stories which are familiar both in the Tanakh (which I am just going to call the Bible or, as appropriate, the Old Testament) and in the Qur’an. New Testament scriptures are also used. Miles then compares and contrasts the details in the stories and especially God’s/Allah’s actions in each story. Does Miles cherry pick the stories? I don’t know. They seem to be logical choices. I’m not familiar enough with the Qur’an to know if there are other stories he could have chosen which would have different revelations. We get chapters on Adam and his family, on Noah, on Abraham and his family, on Joseph, on Moses, and finally on Jesus and His Mother. I am not going to recount what is revealed in each. Just a few that I found most illuminating and, in those, only the details I found the most salient.
First, it’s helpful to keep in mind that the Bible is about five times longer than the Qur’an, has many authors and was written over a period of about 1000 years, from about 900 BCE to 100 CE. The Qur’an, on the other hand, has one author and was written over a period of about 20 years in the early 7th century CE. And the Bible is more or less chronological. The Qur’an is not. At least one more thing to note: Muslims do not reject either the Old or the New Testament; they just do not believe it is Allah’s final word. The final word was given by Allah to the prophet Mohammad in order to augment the Bible and to correct its mistakes.
Here’s what I thought were the most interesting things Miles reveals in comparing and contrasting some familiar stories as recorded in the Bible and in the Qur’an.
Story of Adam. The creation story is told in both books with some interesting differences. The Genesis story tells of God creating man in his own image and breathing into his nostrils the breath of life. The Qur’an makes no such claims. Adam is not in the image and likeness of Allah and the deity is not “our Father.” No familial relationship is assumed.
Both Genesis and the Qur’an contain the prohibition against eating the fruit of a particular tree, but in Genesis only Adam is given this warning; in the Qur’an the warning is issued to Adam and Eve. Despite the warning issued only to Adam in the Genesis story, when both he and Eve eat the forbidden fruit, Adam immediately shifts blame for the disobedience to Eve, and then Eve shifts the blame to the serpent. In the Qur’an, no blame is shifted. Adam and Eve confess together, and are forgiven immediately. They will live a normal human life, with all of the incumbent joys and sorrows, and will be judged for how they have lived at the Last Judgment, as will all of their descendants.
In the Biblical story, God’s judgment is much more severe. Adam and Eve are driven from the Garden and angels with flaming swords will stand guard to make sure they cannot re-enter. But God’s wrath is not yet appeased. Eve and her daughters are consigned to terrible pain in childbirth, and mankind will forever have to toil hard to make the once fruitful earth yield anything but thorns and thistles. So not only do Adam and Eve have to pay dearly for their disobedience but so will all of their descendants. Because of their disobedience, the whole human race will suffer. The New Testament version expands further, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”
Story of Noah. God wreaks havoc in both accounts, but more arbitrarily in one account than in the other. In the Qur’an, Noah is not singled out so much to be spared but to preach to the unbelievers. He is sent to give them a warning to repent. He has a mission like the Jonah of the Old Testament but without the saving results. Although Noah pleads with the unbelievers to repent and worship only the one true God, they scoff and mock him. They refuse to heed his message and the flood comes and they drown, including one of Noah’s sons who also mocked him. A significant difference between this telling and the Biblical one is that in the Genesis story Noah is never asked to call anyone to repentance. God sees that Noah is righteous and decides to spare him and his family and gives Noah a plan to escape but everyone else will be drown, apparently without warning. God has had it with mankind.
The Qur’an tells of Noah’s cries when he loses his son, but Allah tells him he was not your son. Your family, Allah tells him, are those who believe with you. This parallels Jesus’ asking, Who is my mother and who are my brothers? And then answering his questions with my mother and my brothers are those who do the will of my Father in heaven. Thus, we see that both Islam and Christianity emphasize family is to be fellow believers rather than genealogy.
Abraham. Abraham, of course, is a key figure in each of the three monotheistic faiths. He is considered the father of each, but in the Qur’an, the emphasis on Abraham is not so much on him as the father of a great nation as on him as the ultimate example of a good Muslim who submitted to the will of Allah. And, as in the story of Noah, the Abrahamic stories emphasize that faith ties are to be stronger than family ties. Allah and Yahweh (the Hebrew God) are one in the expectation of submission and worship but, in return for obedience, the Qur’an promises a reward in the afterlife. In the Genesis story, if Abraham (or Abram as he is then called) obeys, he is not promised a reward in the afterlife, he is promised amazing fertility; and his heirs are promised earthly lands and dominion over other nations. God is very explicit about this. The Qur’an does not promise Abraham and his heirs such things.
There are many interesting things to be said about God’s call for Abraham to sacrifice his son. Was that Ishmael or was it Isaac? That’s one of the questions but there are others. First, it is important to note that earlier in Genesis human sacrifices are explicitly forbidden. Why then is God asking for one? And not just any human but Abraham’s son, the son through whom the fertility covenant was to be fulfilled. We know the story – Isaac was spared at the last moment, but Abraham must have had great faith to have gone as far as he did. In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul translates this obedience of Abraham into a familiar theme: it is faith that made Abraham great, and it is people of faith who are Abraham’s heirs and they will receive the blessings God offered to Abraham, even the Gentiles to whom Paul preached. Faith ties equal or surpass biological ties.
And what about Isaac? What does he know? The Old Testament doesn’t say. The emphasis is not on him. The emphasis is on Abraham’s faith. In the Qur’an, however, Ishmael does know what is asked of him and he is willing. The emphasis is on surrender.
Abraham in the Old Testament is allowed to argue with God as are many of his descendants. In the Qur’an, arguing with Allah would be unthinkable.
Moses. Surprisingly to me, Miles reports that Moses is mentioned more often in the Qur’an than any other Biblical figure. The stories of Israel’s escape from Pharaoh are broadly similar in both books but with a few significant differences, differences we have seen before. In the Old Testament story, a major point of emphasis is the defeat of Pharaoh; in the Qur’an, emphasis is put on the attempt to convert him. Allah addresses Moses as a prophet; he must preach to Pharaoh. In Genesis, God sees Moses as a liberator; he will save his people from Pharaoh.
Punishment falls on Pharaoh in both stories but, in the Qur’an, defiance is Pharaoh’s alone. Allah does not “harden Pharaoh’s heart,” as we are told repeatedly that God does in the Genesis story. In crossing the Red Sea, Pharaoh cries out to acknowledge Allah. He dies as a Muslim. Allah’s purpose has been fulfilled. Pharaoh has become a convert. In the Genesis story, God is not content to deliver the Israelites from Pharaoh’s clutches; he makes Pharaoh change his mind and pursue the Israelites after deciding to let them leave. God wants a spectacular victory. All the pursuing Egyptians are drown. Not one man was left alive, the Bible records, so that “I [God] will win glory for myself… ”
Jesus. Yes, Jesus is in the Qur’an, but not as God made flesh. To Muslims, such an idea is sacrilege. The Virgin Birth and Jesus’ Jewish lineage reaching back to David (or earlier depending upon which Gospel) are not recounted. What matters is that Jesus is a Muslim who received his own book from Allah. He is a messenger upon whom Allah bestowed special grace and is a model for Israel. He came with signs and wonders from his earliest days and taught with divine authority. Like Mohammad, he is a prophet but not as great a prophet. Or the final prophet.
There is no concept of substitutionary atonement in the Qur’an. Each person will be judged on his or her individual merits or demerits. No one is punished for anyone else’s failures (no in Adam have all sinned). Everyone will be granted the opportunity to submit to Allah.
How did Jesus die? Allah does not say, but he condemns the Jews for not heeding Jesus’ teachings. They will be punished for not listening to him, even as those who did not listen to Mohammad will be punished. But Allah is reasonable, consistent, compassionate, and merciful. And at the Last Day, those who repent, pay their alms, and believe in God will be given “a glorious recompense.”
Is the Qur’an the Word of God? It depends upon where you stand, Miles writes in answer to this question that he raised. But does it make a difference, he also asks. And replies, Yes.
If the Spanish had accepted Islam instead of driving the Muslims out of Spain, Spain might very well have been culturally and religiously closer to North Africa than it is to Europe. Would this be good or bad? Again, it depends upon where you stand. There is little question, however, that the Muslim civilization in Spain was much more advanced and less repressive at that time than the Roman Catholic regime that replaced it. (Of course if Spain hadn't driven the Muslims out, North Africa might not have become a Muslim majority country.)
To use another example, what about Egypt, the home of many famous founders of the Christian Church and its creeds. Egypt might have been culturally closer to Europe than to the Middle East had it remained with its dominant religion in the first several centuries of the Common Era.
But none of those things happened. The Islam that developed has many things in common with Judaism and Christianity but it took away what was the most precious and the most defining thing from Judaism – Jews exclusive claim as God’s chosen people – and eliminated what was most difficult to accept in Christianity – Jesus’ divinity and sacrifice as the way to salvation.
So, what did I learn about God in the Qur’an? For one thing, he is often depicted as more merciful than the way God is depicted in the Old Testament, and less mercurial. His relations with mankind are far less personal than are the relationships of the God of the Old Testament. Also less quarrelsome. The God of the Old Testament allows those he loves to argue with him. Allah is interested in submission and in conversion. In return for becoming a convert and for worship and obedience, Allah promises rewards in the afterlife. I was surprised to see that the God of the Old Testament didn’t ask his first subjects for worship or, initially, even to believe; he wanted fertility – “Be fruitful and multiply” he commanded both Adam and Abraham – and in return promised not a reward in the afterlife but blessings and dominion in the here and now.
Finally, is Islam a religion of peace, as adherents (not jihadists) claim? There is violence in the Qur’an, no question about that; but, Miles writes, that violence is fully matched in the Jewish and Christian scriptures. He says he would not claim that Islam is a religion of peace but, looking at Jewish and Christian scriptures, he would not be able to claim that for them either.
By chance I saw an interview with Jack Miles on C-Span. He was there to talk about this book, his latest one. I had never heard of him, but I thought the book sounded interesting so I checked his credentials. He has many. He first studied as a Jesuit seminarian in Rome and then later at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem before enrolling at Harvard University, where he earned a Ph.D in Near Eastern Languages. He is fluent in several modern languages. He’s been the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, a MacArthur Fellowship, among other honors, and has been a professor of English and Religious Studies at several universities. He’s the editor of the acclaimed Norton Anthology of World Religions, among other books. He’s now retired. Anyway, I thought he was credentialed enough for me to read his book. ;)
Just so you know, Miles includes the sura (chapter or reference) in the Qur’an in his text when he is quoting from it or summarizing its teachings just as he includes the book, chapter and verse when he is quoting or referencing stories in the Bible. It seemed cumbersome for me to include them and since I was not writing a scholarly paper, I did not; but you can check his book if you’re interested in researching those texts.
I liked this book quite a bit. I learned new things about the way Allah is depicted in the Qur’an, and I saw the God of the Old Testament with fresh eyes. One thing I thought was a bit strange is that Miles often refers to Christian writers to bolster his claims – John Milton being the most prominent; but he doesn’t do this at all with major Islam scholars. Don’t know why.
"God in the Qur’an" is the third book in the series, although I am not sure Miles set out to write a series. I have not read the other two. The first book, "God: A Biography" (1996), is the God of the Hebrew Scriptures, the Tanakh, or what is commonly called the Old Testament. For this book, Miles won a Pulitzer Prize. His second book, "Christ: A Crisis in the Life of God" (2001), is God as seen by Christianity and as depicted in the New Testament. This third book is God, or Allah, the Arabic name for God, is God as depicted in the Qur’an (2018).
In a fairly long and helpful Foreword, Miles acknowledges that many Muslims reject reading the Qur’an in translation but he also reasons that many Muslims have to read it that way. He also acknowledges that some may object to his treating the sacred scriptures of each religion as literature that can be examined intellectually and objectively. And he sets his own cards on the table, so to speak, and acknowledges that he is a practicing Christian; nevertheless he asks his readers to believe that he can be objective in examining sacred scriptures as literature. He also explains that this book was begun in the aftermath of the campaign and then the election of Donald Trump to be the U.S. President, a time when anti-Muslim rhetoric and sentiment increased exponentially. So he writes that he hopes that non-Muslims can move past prejudices and stereotypes to encounter Allah with fresh eyes. “We must all learn,” he writes, “to read one another’s scriptures . . . with the same accommodating eye that we turn on our own.”
Miles approach to revealing the God of the Qur’an is to choose stories which are familiar both in the Tanakh (which I am just going to call the Bible or, as appropriate, the Old Testament) and in the Qur’an. New Testament scriptures are also used. Miles then compares and contrasts the details in the stories and especially God’s/Allah’s actions in each story. Does Miles cherry pick the stories? I don’t know. They seem to be logical choices. I’m not familiar enough with the Qur’an to know if there are other stories he could have chosen which would have different revelations. We get chapters on Adam and his family, on Noah, on Abraham and his family, on Joseph, on Moses, and finally on Jesus and His Mother. I am not going to recount what is revealed in each. Just a few that I found most illuminating and, in those, only the details I found the most salient.
First, it’s helpful to keep in mind that the Bible is about five times longer than the Qur’an, has many authors and was written over a period of about 1000 years, from about 900 BCE to 100 CE. The Qur’an, on the other hand, has one author and was written over a period of about 20 years in the early 7th century CE. And the Bible is more or less chronological. The Qur’an is not. At least one more thing to note: Muslims do not reject either the Old or the New Testament; they just do not believe it is Allah’s final word. The final word was given by Allah to the prophet Mohammad in order to augment the Bible and to correct its mistakes.
Here’s what I thought were the most interesting things Miles reveals in comparing and contrasting some familiar stories as recorded in the Bible and in the Qur’an.
Story of Adam. The creation story is told in both books with some interesting differences. The Genesis story tells of God creating man in his own image and breathing into his nostrils the breath of life. The Qur’an makes no such claims. Adam is not in the image and likeness of Allah and the deity is not “our Father.” No familial relationship is assumed.
Both Genesis and the Qur’an contain the prohibition against eating the fruit of a particular tree, but in Genesis only Adam is given this warning; in the Qur’an the warning is issued to Adam and Eve. Despite the warning issued only to Adam in the Genesis story, when both he and Eve eat the forbidden fruit, Adam immediately shifts blame for the disobedience to Eve, and then Eve shifts the blame to the serpent. In the Qur’an, no blame is shifted. Adam and Eve confess together, and are forgiven immediately. They will live a normal human life, with all of the incumbent joys and sorrows, and will be judged for how they have lived at the Last Judgment, as will all of their descendants.
In the Biblical story, God’s judgment is much more severe. Adam and Eve are driven from the Garden and angels with flaming swords will stand guard to make sure they cannot re-enter. But God’s wrath is not yet appeased. Eve and her daughters are consigned to terrible pain in childbirth, and mankind will forever have to toil hard to make the once fruitful earth yield anything but thorns and thistles. So not only do Adam and Eve have to pay dearly for their disobedience but so will all of their descendants. Because of their disobedience, the whole human race will suffer. The New Testament version expands further, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”
Story of Noah. God wreaks havoc in both accounts, but more arbitrarily in one account than in the other. In the Qur’an, Noah is not singled out so much to be spared but to preach to the unbelievers. He is sent to give them a warning to repent. He has a mission like the Jonah of the Old Testament but without the saving results. Although Noah pleads with the unbelievers to repent and worship only the one true God, they scoff and mock him. They refuse to heed his message and the flood comes and they drown, including one of Noah’s sons who also mocked him. A significant difference between this telling and the Biblical one is that in the Genesis story Noah is never asked to call anyone to repentance. God sees that Noah is righteous and decides to spare him and his family and gives Noah a plan to escape but everyone else will be drown, apparently without warning. God has had it with mankind.
The Qur’an tells of Noah’s cries when he loses his son, but Allah tells him he was not your son. Your family, Allah tells him, are those who believe with you. This parallels Jesus’ asking, Who is my mother and who are my brothers? And then answering his questions with my mother and my brothers are those who do the will of my Father in heaven. Thus, we see that both Islam and Christianity emphasize family is to be fellow believers rather than genealogy.
Abraham. Abraham, of course, is a key figure in each of the three monotheistic faiths. He is considered the father of each, but in the Qur’an, the emphasis on Abraham is not so much on him as the father of a great nation as on him as the ultimate example of a good Muslim who submitted to the will of Allah. And, as in the story of Noah, the Abrahamic stories emphasize that faith ties are to be stronger than family ties. Allah and Yahweh (the Hebrew God) are one in the expectation of submission and worship but, in return for obedience, the Qur’an promises a reward in the afterlife. In the Genesis story, if Abraham (or Abram as he is then called) obeys, he is not promised a reward in the afterlife, he is promised amazing fertility; and his heirs are promised earthly lands and dominion over other nations. God is very explicit about this. The Qur’an does not promise Abraham and his heirs such things.
There are many interesting things to be said about God’s call for Abraham to sacrifice his son. Was that Ishmael or was it Isaac? That’s one of the questions but there are others. First, it is important to note that earlier in Genesis human sacrifices are explicitly forbidden. Why then is God asking for one? And not just any human but Abraham’s son, the son through whom the fertility covenant was to be fulfilled. We know the story – Isaac was spared at the last moment, but Abraham must have had great faith to have gone as far as he did. In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul translates this obedience of Abraham into a familiar theme: it is faith that made Abraham great, and it is people of faith who are Abraham’s heirs and they will receive the blessings God offered to Abraham, even the Gentiles to whom Paul preached. Faith ties equal or surpass biological ties.
And what about Isaac? What does he know? The Old Testament doesn’t say. The emphasis is not on him. The emphasis is on Abraham’s faith. In the Qur’an, however, Ishmael does know what is asked of him and he is willing. The emphasis is on surrender.
Abraham in the Old Testament is allowed to argue with God as are many of his descendants. In the Qur’an, arguing with Allah would be unthinkable.
Moses. Surprisingly to me, Miles reports that Moses is mentioned more often in the Qur’an than any other Biblical figure. The stories of Israel’s escape from Pharaoh are broadly similar in both books but with a few significant differences, differences we have seen before. In the Old Testament story, a major point of emphasis is the defeat of Pharaoh; in the Qur’an, emphasis is put on the attempt to convert him. Allah addresses Moses as a prophet; he must preach to Pharaoh. In Genesis, God sees Moses as a liberator; he will save his people from Pharaoh.
Punishment falls on Pharaoh in both stories but, in the Qur’an, defiance is Pharaoh’s alone. Allah does not “harden Pharaoh’s heart,” as we are told repeatedly that God does in the Genesis story. In crossing the Red Sea, Pharaoh cries out to acknowledge Allah. He dies as a Muslim. Allah’s purpose has been fulfilled. Pharaoh has become a convert. In the Genesis story, God is not content to deliver the Israelites from Pharaoh’s clutches; he makes Pharaoh change his mind and pursue the Israelites after deciding to let them leave. God wants a spectacular victory. All the pursuing Egyptians are drown. Not one man was left alive, the Bible records, so that “I [God] will win glory for myself… ”
Jesus. Yes, Jesus is in the Qur’an, but not as God made flesh. To Muslims, such an idea is sacrilege. The Virgin Birth and Jesus’ Jewish lineage reaching back to David (or earlier depending upon which Gospel) are not recounted. What matters is that Jesus is a Muslim who received his own book from Allah. He is a messenger upon whom Allah bestowed special grace and is a model for Israel. He came with signs and wonders from his earliest days and taught with divine authority. Like Mohammad, he is a prophet but not as great a prophet. Or the final prophet.
There is no concept of substitutionary atonement in the Qur’an. Each person will be judged on his or her individual merits or demerits. No one is punished for anyone else’s failures (no in Adam have all sinned). Everyone will be granted the opportunity to submit to Allah.
How did Jesus die? Allah does not say, but he condemns the Jews for not heeding Jesus’ teachings. They will be punished for not listening to him, even as those who did not listen to Mohammad will be punished. But Allah is reasonable, consistent, compassionate, and merciful. And at the Last Day, those who repent, pay their alms, and believe in God will be given “a glorious recompense.”
Is the Qur’an the Word of God? It depends upon where you stand, Miles writes in answer to this question that he raised. But does it make a difference, he also asks. And replies, Yes.
If the Spanish had accepted Islam instead of driving the Muslims out of Spain, Spain might very well have been culturally and religiously closer to North Africa than it is to Europe. Would this be good or bad? Again, it depends upon where you stand. There is little question, however, that the Muslim civilization in Spain was much more advanced and less repressive at that time than the Roman Catholic regime that replaced it. (Of course if Spain hadn't driven the Muslims out, North Africa might not have become a Muslim majority country.)
To use another example, what about Egypt, the home of many famous founders of the Christian Church and its creeds. Egypt might have been culturally closer to Europe than to the Middle East had it remained with its dominant religion in the first several centuries of the Common Era.
But none of those things happened. The Islam that developed has many things in common with Judaism and Christianity but it took away what was the most precious and the most defining thing from Judaism – Jews exclusive claim as God’s chosen people – and eliminated what was most difficult to accept in Christianity – Jesus’ divinity and sacrifice as the way to salvation.
So, what did I learn about God in the Qur’an? For one thing, he is often depicted as more merciful than the way God is depicted in the Old Testament, and less mercurial. His relations with mankind are far less personal than are the relationships of the God of the Old Testament. Also less quarrelsome. The God of the Old Testament allows those he loves to argue with him. Allah is interested in submission and in conversion. In return for becoming a convert and for worship and obedience, Allah promises rewards in the afterlife. I was surprised to see that the God of the Old Testament didn’t ask his first subjects for worship or, initially, even to believe; he wanted fertility – “Be fruitful and multiply” he commanded both Adam and Abraham – and in return promised not a reward in the afterlife but blessings and dominion in the here and now.
Finally, is Islam a religion of peace, as adherents (not jihadists) claim? There is violence in the Qur’an, no question about that; but, Miles writes, that violence is fully matched in the Jewish and Christian scriptures. He says he would not claim that Islam is a religion of peace but, looking at Jewish and Christian scriptures, he would not be able to claim that for them either.
By chance I saw an interview with Jack Miles on C-Span. He was there to talk about this book, his latest one. I had never heard of him, but I thought the book sounded interesting so I checked his credentials. He has many. He first studied as a Jesuit seminarian in Rome and then later at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem before enrolling at Harvard University, where he earned a Ph.D in Near Eastern Languages. He is fluent in several modern languages. He’s been the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, a MacArthur Fellowship, among other honors, and has been a professor of English and Religious Studies at several universities. He’s the editor of the acclaimed Norton Anthology of World Religions, among other books. He’s now retired. Anyway, I thought he was credentialed enough for me to read his book. ;)
Just so you know, Miles includes the sura (chapter or reference) in the Qur’an in his text when he is quoting from it or summarizing its teachings just as he includes the book, chapter and verse when he is quoting or referencing stories in the Bible. It seemed cumbersome for me to include them and since I was not writing a scholarly paper, I did not; but you can check his book if you’re interested in researching those texts.
I liked this book quite a bit. I learned new things about the way Allah is depicted in the Qur’an, and I saw the God of the Old Testament with fresh eyes. One thing I thought was a bit strange is that Miles often refers to Christian writers to bolster his claims – John Milton being the most prominent; but he doesn’t do this at all with major Islam scholars. Don’t know why.
February 18, 2019
Miles, a committed Christian, is not interested in finding the God of the Qur'an better or worse, more or less truthful, than the God of the Bible; rather, as he writes in the foreword, he comes at them as a literary critic would and suspends his belief. As characters, or figures, Yahweh, or Jehovah, and Allah both present the "word of God" and Miles doesn't care whether you "believe" in one or the other. What's important in this book is to see how they differ, even though they are similar in insisting on allegiance to a monotheistic creator.
His approach is to compare the areas where the Qur'an and the Bible overlap in their narratives. These include the stories of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah, Abraham and Isaac, Joseph, Moses, and Jesus and Mary. One key difference stands out. In the Qur'an, there is generally much less artistry and suspense that you find in the Bible. This is intentional, the Qur'an actually defuses any suspense - the lesson or moral is emphasized so that Allah's demands are perfectly clear and absolute.
Jesus, seen as a prophet in the Qur'an announces his miracles in advance. In some of the Hebrew Bible stories, greater use is made of Satan, a wily opponent, which has the effect of making Allah appear more forceful. But sometimes "forceful" in unexpected ways, showing Allah's mercy at work In the case of Adam and Eve, they are given a chance to repent, something not found in the Bible.
As for Jesus, the Qur'am rejects any notion of an expiatory savior, one who dies for all humanity and redeems them in the eyes of the Creator. It is quite clear in insisting that two wrongs do not make a right. If humans are sinful then they can only be saved by owning up to their faults and seeking the mercy of Allah, there is no notion of self-sacrifice being used to save someone else. The Qur'an sees Christ as a powerful and inspiring figure, but only one in a succession of prophets that extend back to Moses. There is no room to see him as a "godman"
Miles' conclusion is an interesting one. The inevitable question of which "word of God" is the TRUE one? For centuries, the competing versions could ignore the other, but today with ever increasing interactions between the two major religions, in terms of numbers of believers, that is impossible. Miles sees a possible hybrid civilization between the two emerging, and the more knowledge you have of the other, you may find it easier to trust the Muslim (or Christian, if you're a Muslim) who lives next door. The underlying assumption, of course, is that in today's world, we are all "neighbors"
His approach is to compare the areas where the Qur'an and the Bible overlap in their narratives. These include the stories of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah, Abraham and Isaac, Joseph, Moses, and Jesus and Mary. One key difference stands out. In the Qur'an, there is generally much less artistry and suspense that you find in the Bible. This is intentional, the Qur'an actually defuses any suspense - the lesson or moral is emphasized so that Allah's demands are perfectly clear and absolute.
Jesus, seen as a prophet in the Qur'an announces his miracles in advance. In some of the Hebrew Bible stories, greater use is made of Satan, a wily opponent, which has the effect of making Allah appear more forceful. But sometimes "forceful" in unexpected ways, showing Allah's mercy at work In the case of Adam and Eve, they are given a chance to repent, something not found in the Bible.
As for Jesus, the Qur'am rejects any notion of an expiatory savior, one who dies for all humanity and redeems them in the eyes of the Creator. It is quite clear in insisting that two wrongs do not make a right. If humans are sinful then they can only be saved by owning up to their faults and seeking the mercy of Allah, there is no notion of self-sacrifice being used to save someone else. The Qur'an sees Christ as a powerful and inspiring figure, but only one in a succession of prophets that extend back to Moses. There is no room to see him as a "godman"
Miles' conclusion is an interesting one. The inevitable question of which "word of God" is the TRUE one? For centuries, the competing versions could ignore the other, but today with ever increasing interactions between the two major religions, in terms of numbers of believers, that is impossible. Miles sees a possible hybrid civilization between the two emerging, and the more knowledge you have of the other, you may find it easier to trust the Muslim (or Christian, if you're a Muslim) who lives next door. The underlying assumption, of course, is that in today's world, we are all "neighbors"
May 10, 2021
God in the Qur'an, by Jack Miles; Alfred A. Knopf: New York; $26.95 hardback
How do you understand someone whose beliefs are different from yours? Jack Miles poses this question to those of the Christian, Jewish, and Muslim faiths. Miles, the Pulitzer Prize winning author of the renowned God: A Biography, is a wonderful writer. An extraordinarily accomplished academic, professor, and linguist, he nevertheless can communicate with the layman on such things as the differences we find in the Bible, in the Torah, and in the Qur'an. These Holy Books of the great faiths can be understood, he argues, if we can for a moment 'suspend our disbelief'; if we try to see them as their believers do. In this particular case he asks Jews and Christians, from which belief Miles comes, to try for a while to understand why the Muslim believes what he believes. Just for a moment stay away from some early Jewish thoughts about Christianity, "What's true isn't new, and what's new isn't true." If we try to see the world as our neighbors, who are of the Muslim faith, see their Holy Book, we can begin to understand them.
This study follows Abraham and his sons, Noah, Moses, and Jesus and and his mother. We discover for example that our Muslim neighbors believe that God warned Adam and Eve that Satan would tempt them, whereas in the Bible God does not. In the Qur'an God coached the first killer to compassion after he murdered his brother, whereas in the Bible we don't find this. And even Jesus was rescued by God from the Jews, to whom he was sent as a Prophet, unlike his end in the Bible.
Whole explanatory segments are devoted to what our Muslim neighbors believe of Satan, and the afterlife. Regarding the afterlife, several ideas which are noteworthy deal with when, where, or indeed if, such a life is mentioned in parts of the Bible. How the idea of the afterlife came about, similar to that of Satan as the adversary of God, will surprise even the most intense bible reader. A remarkable aside also deals with the Qur'an as the Word of God. You'll be fascinated by how Miles deals with this, showing how we all tend first to accept our Holy Book as divine, then read it, rather than the other way around.
After reading this remarkable book, you'll find yourself understanding your Muslim neighbor better. In fact, you won't be afraid of him anymore.
December 17, 2018
A must read.
October 7, 2020
I'm an hour into the audiobook of this, and after saying to myself almost a hundred times "get to the point!" or "he's getting to the bit about God soon" I just can't take any more of this book. I think reading the Qur'an itself would be an easier feat then reading/listening to this book.
August 10, 2019
This is definitely not the starting point for Qur’anic studies that I was hoping for (unlike Miles’s other God: A Biography, which I felt was very insightful on the Jewish Yhwh character). In spite of being about the Qur’an, Miles’s most insightful commentary is actually grounded in Christian and Jewish scholarship, which he then compares to Islam.
Muslims believe that god’s story has been corrupted over time. Through Muhammad’s transcription of Allah’s word into the Qur’an, Allah “sets the record straight” by removing key moments of ambiguity in the stories of key biblical characters such as Adam and Eve, Moses, and Jesus. This allows Muhammad to be the final prophet and that his revelation is the final and complete revelation of god’s message.
In his first book of this trilogy (God: A Biography), Miles argues that this ambiguity of god’s motivation and even self-understanding creates a complex literary figure that grants enormous aesthetic value to the Tahakh. Miles did his research, and the example-after-example provided was fascinating for me as a lay-reader.
Explicit in this book is that Islam intentionally stripped much of the ambiguity from god. Implicit is that when the Qur’an clarified of the events of the Abrahamic story and Allah’s motivations, it came at the cost of reducing in aesthetic value of the story.
But is this true? One obvious and immediate complaint is this is not a universal aesthetic quality (or that such universality does not even exist… that the “Western Cannon” is just that, a western one). But further, can I even trust Miles as an authority here? Arguably not, and you can see hints of that in the examples he uses, which are rich and varied in Judeo-Christian sources, but limited in Muslim ones.
A great early example is Miles comparing the Islamic accounting of the “Fall of Man” against the Judeo-Christian, and what it said and didn’t say about the intermingling of lust and sex. If god intended Adam and Eve to fornicate before their eating the forbidden fruit, did that in some sense make sex an acceptable practice? Miles cites passages like Genesis 2:24, and goes on to say
Miles continues with supporting reference from Milton’s Paradise lost Book 4, lines 736-747. He then contrasts against Islam, noting “There is little or nothing in the Qur’an to invite interpretation along these Augustianian or Miltonian/Blakean lines. Allah’s reference to the nakedness of Adam and his wife seems quite strongly to imply that the first couple were celibate until after their sin.”
In one regard, this example is fascinating – how does religion reconcile lust and sex? Were they always intertwined? The ambiguous Judeo-Christian account made fertile ground for artists and thinkers like Milton and Augustine to harvest engaging ideas and beautiful art. This ambiguity is in fact the crux of what made Miles’s first book in this trilogy so engaging.
But Miles does not look beyond Muhammad into Islamic art and theology for counter-examples. Is this because by design there isn’t any, or is it because Miles just didn’t have the experience to find them?
Of course, ambiguity can never be completely driven from anything, and Miles finds some literary ambiguity in Allah:
I only wish there were more examples like this, such that Miles could give Allah the same treatment as Elohim-Yahweh.
Muslims believe that god’s story has been corrupted over time. Through Muhammad’s transcription of Allah’s word into the Qur’an, Allah “sets the record straight” by removing key moments of ambiguity in the stories of key biblical characters such as Adam and Eve, Moses, and Jesus. This allows Muhammad to be the final prophet and that his revelation is the final and complete revelation of god’s message.
In his first book of this trilogy (God: A Biography), Miles argues that this ambiguity of god’s motivation and even self-understanding creates a complex literary figure that grants enormous aesthetic value to the Tahakh. Miles did his research, and the example-after-example provided was fascinating for me as a lay-reader.
Explicit in this book is that Islam intentionally stripped much of the ambiguity from god. Implicit is that when the Qur’an clarified of the events of the Abrahamic story and Allah’s motivations, it came at the cost of reducing in aesthetic value of the story.
But is this true? One obvious and immediate complaint is this is not a universal aesthetic quality (or that such universality does not even exist… that the “Western Cannon” is just that, a western one). But further, can I even trust Miles as an authority here? Arguably not, and you can see hints of that in the examples he uses, which are rich and varied in Judeo-Christian sources, but limited in Muslim ones.
A great early example is Miles comparing the Islamic accounting of the “Fall of Man” against the Judeo-Christian, and what it said and didn’t say about the intermingling of lust and sex. If god intended Adam and Eve to fornicate before their eating the forbidden fruit, did that in some sense make sex an acceptable practice? Miles cites passages like Genesis 2:24, and goes on to say
These passages, especially the reference to “one flesh,” suggested to early Christian interpreters, notably to Saint Augustine, that the first couple had been ordered to have – and did have – sexual relations even before eating the forbidden fruit. But in that case, how could they have only “realized that they were naked” after eating the fruit?
For Augustine, in The City of God, the answer lay in what this realization actually stood for – namely, not sexuality per se but rather sexual passion. It was the brutal intrusion of lust into their reproductive lives that turned their sin of disobedience into “the Fall of Man.” Before the Fall, reason ruled passion. Afterward, passion, uncontrollable passion, ran roughshod over reason. For the Augustine of the Confessions, this was all a matter of painful personal experience. Before the Fall, Augustine maintained, Adam’s penis would have become reliably erect when and only when Adam was obeying Elohim’s command to be fruitful and multiply. No erectile dysfunction would ever complicate his devout obedience. No unwanted erections would complicate his life at other times as Augustine’s own had so often done. His life was a kind of Platonic dream come true
Miles continues with supporting reference from Milton’s Paradise lost Book 4, lines 736-747. He then contrasts against Islam, noting “There is little or nothing in the Qur’an to invite interpretation along these Augustianian or Miltonian/Blakean lines. Allah’s reference to the nakedness of Adam and his wife seems quite strongly to imply that the first couple were celibate until after their sin.”
In one regard, this example is fascinating – how does religion reconcile lust and sex? Were they always intertwined? The ambiguous Judeo-Christian account made fertile ground for artists and thinkers like Milton and Augustine to harvest engaging ideas and beautiful art. This ambiguity is in fact the crux of what made Miles’s first book in this trilogy so engaging.
But Miles does not look beyond Muhammad into Islamic art and theology for counter-examples. Is this because by design there isn’t any, or is it because Miles just didn’t have the experience to find them?
Of course, ambiguity can never be completely driven from anything, and Miles finds some literary ambiguity in Allah:
Why might it not be beneath Allah to be troubled by whether mere human beings – His own lowly creatures, “created… from dust, then from a sperm, then from a blood clot, then from a morsel,” as we read at Qur’an 22:5 – should worship Him or not? But the matter clearly does trouble Him, and the consequences of the trouble reverberate on virtually every page of the Qur’an. Does Allah desire human worship for humans’ sake? Perhaps so, but if so, the Qur’an never clearly says so. It leaves us in wonderment, facing an all-shaping desire that simply must be taken on its own terms
I only wish there were more examples like this, such that Miles could give Allah the same treatment as Elohim-Yahweh.
January 5, 2019
Jack Miles says he wrote this book--following the example of C.S. Lewis--because it was a book that he would want to read that no one had written yet. He (along with John Shelby Spong and Bart Ehrman) definitely writes books I would like to have written in another life where I was a writer of books about religion and scriptures. I found it engrossing, engaging, and the most informative book I have yet read about the character of Allah and the message(s) of the Qur'an. I love the whole premise of this "trilogy," approaching the scriptures of the Abrahamic traditions as a literary critic and examining God as the central character. Don't know where you go from here, Mr. Miles, but I'm anxious to find out.
August 17, 2021
علی رغم همه ی اشکالاتش که گاهی مترجم اصلاح کرده و گاهی نه، یک معنای نو برای ایمان نشان میدهد. پس از خواندن این کتاب، ملتفت می شویم همانطور که فلسفه ها را نمی توان مستقل از هم درک کرد، فهم ایزوله از اسلام و بدون در نظر گرفتن میراث توراتی آن زمان هیچ ارتباطی با عقل پیامبر ندارد.
و باز فهم می کنیم که چرا ممکن نیست با خواندن تورات کسی یهودی شود اما اسلام آغوش گشوده ای برای همه دارد.
و باز فهم می کنیم که چرا ممکن نیست با خواندن تورات کسی یهودی شود اما اسلام آغوش گشوده ای برای همه دارد.
May 13, 2025
“EXAMINING GOD’S FINAL ADDENDUM”
‘God in the Qur’an’ is Mr. Miles third entry into his nonfiction series about a literary critique on how God is represented in the world’s three major monotheistic works. It was published in 2018. His first entry was the 1996 Pulitzer Prize winning ‘God: A Biography’ that focused on the Hebrew/Old Testament. The second work ‘Christ: A Crisis in the Life of God’ (published 2001) focused on the New Testament. ‘God in the Qur’an’ examines, well, the Qur’an. The author stresses in his introduction the three books are not historical critiques but literary. His objective is not to prove or disprove their respective works but to review them as works of art. Much as you suspend disbelief when watching a Star Wars film, the Game of Thrones series or whatnot, Mr. Miles asks you to do the same with the Hebrew Testament, the New Testament and the Qur’an. I have read both his previous installments and found them interesting and illuminating but presented in a somewhat academic manner. ‘God in the Qur’an’ addresses a book that I know very little about it. The author stressed that the reader should look upon it as a preliminary introduction to the Qur’an. That was good enough for me.
One difficulty in such an exercise is what sources the author would use to interpret the various works. There certainly is not one true interpretation of the respective collections. The validity of how the various books were created and compiled is another subject matter and can be found in oodles of other serious academic works. Mr. Miles explains that the Qur’an is a set of selective corrections and expansions of the original source, that being the Bible. The author’s book highlights the differences in interpretation between the King James Bible, the Hebrew Bible (the Christian Old Testament) and the Qur’an. The contrasts between the sources can be quite pronounced by what they emphasize and omit in the storyline.
Mr. Miles examines the differences and similarities in the stories about Adam and Eve; the world’s first murder in Cain and Abel; Noah and the Great Flood; Abraham and his sons; Isaac his son, Jacob, and Jacob’s son Joseph; Moses; and concluding with Jesus and his mom Mary. The Qur’an’s addendums to the original works in the Hebrew and New Testament are similar in some ways and drastically different in others. There’s no way the three major religions can reconcile their differences. The perspectives between Jesus being divine or simply a prophet is the big one. Islam means “submission” to the will of God and a Muslim is someone who adheres to this principle. All the people mentioned above are viewed as Muslim in Islam’s perspective. Muhammed is viewed as the last great prophet, Jesus his predecessor. They are not divine beings but simply conduits to Allah/Yahweh/Jehovah’s decrees. A common thread between the three works is that believers will endure a great deal of suffering but eventually be rewarded. That mindset is still very much with us today. While there are many examples of loving thy neighbor, Christians and Muslims are especially big, hell, I’d even say pathological on retribution for nonbelievers. The book’s short appendix does a nice job addressing Satan and the afterlife.
‘God in the Qur’an’ was a good introduction to the Muslim book for me. As a 64-year-old Mainer raised Catholic but have been agnostic for over thirty-five years, Mr. Miles’s nonfiction works are a nice way to get an overall feel about the storylines in the three very influential old books. If you are looking for a more historical critique of the Christian Bible, the Hebrew Bible and the Qur’an, I recommend Karen Armstrong’s works as well as the writings of Bart Ehrman. ‘God in the Qur’an’ is only 226-pages long but requires more concentration than reading, let’s say, a Stephen King novel. Mr. Miles hoped that his levelheaded trilogy would give readers a better understanding of how the various worshippers view the world. It certainly did for me. ‘God in the Qur’an’ did not have me rushing to pray at a mosque anymore than me attending a church or a pill-popping rage party but the trilogy was illuminating.
‘God in the Qur’an’ is Mr. Miles third entry into his nonfiction series about a literary critique on how God is represented in the world’s three major monotheistic works. It was published in 2018. His first entry was the 1996 Pulitzer Prize winning ‘God: A Biography’ that focused on the Hebrew/Old Testament. The second work ‘Christ: A Crisis in the Life of God’ (published 2001) focused on the New Testament. ‘God in the Qur’an’ examines, well, the Qur’an. The author stresses in his introduction the three books are not historical critiques but literary. His objective is not to prove or disprove their respective works but to review them as works of art. Much as you suspend disbelief when watching a Star Wars film, the Game of Thrones series or whatnot, Mr. Miles asks you to do the same with the Hebrew Testament, the New Testament and the Qur’an. I have read both his previous installments and found them interesting and illuminating but presented in a somewhat academic manner. ‘God in the Qur’an’ addresses a book that I know very little about it. The author stressed that the reader should look upon it as a preliminary introduction to the Qur’an. That was good enough for me.
One difficulty in such an exercise is what sources the author would use to interpret the various works. There certainly is not one true interpretation of the respective collections. The validity of how the various books were created and compiled is another subject matter and can be found in oodles of other serious academic works. Mr. Miles explains that the Qur’an is a set of selective corrections and expansions of the original source, that being the Bible. The author’s book highlights the differences in interpretation between the King James Bible, the Hebrew Bible (the Christian Old Testament) and the Qur’an. The contrasts between the sources can be quite pronounced by what they emphasize and omit in the storyline.
Mr. Miles examines the differences and similarities in the stories about Adam and Eve; the world’s first murder in Cain and Abel; Noah and the Great Flood; Abraham and his sons; Isaac his son, Jacob, and Jacob’s son Joseph; Moses; and concluding with Jesus and his mom Mary. The Qur’an’s addendums to the original works in the Hebrew and New Testament are similar in some ways and drastically different in others. There’s no way the three major religions can reconcile their differences. The perspectives between Jesus being divine or simply a prophet is the big one. Islam means “submission” to the will of God and a Muslim is someone who adheres to this principle. All the people mentioned above are viewed as Muslim in Islam’s perspective. Muhammed is viewed as the last great prophet, Jesus his predecessor. They are not divine beings but simply conduits to Allah/Yahweh/Jehovah’s decrees. A common thread between the three works is that believers will endure a great deal of suffering but eventually be rewarded. That mindset is still very much with us today. While there are many examples of loving thy neighbor, Christians and Muslims are especially big, hell, I’d even say pathological on retribution for nonbelievers. The book’s short appendix does a nice job addressing Satan and the afterlife.
‘God in the Qur’an’ was a good introduction to the Muslim book for me. As a 64-year-old Mainer raised Catholic but have been agnostic for over thirty-five years, Mr. Miles’s nonfiction works are a nice way to get an overall feel about the storylines in the three very influential old books. If you are looking for a more historical critique of the Christian Bible, the Hebrew Bible and the Qur’an, I recommend Karen Armstrong’s works as well as the writings of Bart Ehrman. ‘God in the Qur’an’ is only 226-pages long but requires more concentration than reading, let’s say, a Stephen King novel. Mr. Miles hoped that his levelheaded trilogy would give readers a better understanding of how the various worshippers view the world. It certainly did for me. ‘God in the Qur’an’ did not have me rushing to pray at a mosque anymore than me attending a church or a pill-popping rage party but the trilogy was illuminating.
June 22, 2019
I found this pretty interesting, Miles compares and contrast the Biblical stories that are also retold in the Koran. It is interesting to see how Mohammad cleaned some things up, sometimes painting a more positive portrait of God, providing some elements to show God is merciful where it wasn't depicted in Torah. Because many Christians today believe God is love, we read between the lines, construct good motives and try and spin these ancient stories where God doesn't seem to come across as an absolute monster, Mohammad was able to just simply change the story and make it scripture, but in doing so, it does bring to light the troubling fact that on the surface YHWH is not a very good, loving or just character.
In the Torah, there are not very many good role models, so it seems Mohammad cleaned up the biblical characters too; the ambiguities are removed until they are more two dimensional prophets with the single message that God is God and there is no other.
The elements of good story telling, all suspense is removed by Mohammad, the moral of the story is set forth clearly at the outset, all surprises and literary qualities are scrapped. Every story is simply a vehicle that God is God, and to show God is fanatical obsessed with (for no stated reason) his own homage. If people become Muslims, God will be merciful, otherwise they'll becoming eternal rotisseries over flames of hell. Due to it being so late, after Zoroastrianism, Platonism and Christianity had their influence, this late belief in eternal conscious torment was inserted into the old Hebrew stories where originally there was none of it.
One thing the comparison brings out is the literary qualities of the original stories in the Torah, its clear the Hebrews intended to create good stories, and were skilled in such, the stories are filled with suspense, ambiguities, and are without clear moral and they can thus generate a wealth of discussion and disagreement.
It is interesting how Miles paints almost an entirely negative picture of God in his first two books, on God in the Old Testament and Christ in the New, Miles was highly critical, and seemed always inclined towards the most unflattering interpretation that the text might offer concerning God. But in this last book, he avoids the harsh and negative critique and seems to try show God as presented in the Koran in as positive manner as possible. My Guess is that while writing for an audience likely most familiar with Christianity, he wanted to shatter the Sunday school view of God that is thought to be conveyed in scripture, and then try to convince people not to look so hard on our fellow Muslims, for in a number of ways our own bible is far more backwards and violent than theirs.
In the Torah, there are not very many good role models, so it seems Mohammad cleaned up the biblical characters too; the ambiguities are removed until they are more two dimensional prophets with the single message that God is God and there is no other.
The elements of good story telling, all suspense is removed by Mohammad, the moral of the story is set forth clearly at the outset, all surprises and literary qualities are scrapped. Every story is simply a vehicle that God is God, and to show God is fanatical obsessed with (for no stated reason) his own homage. If people become Muslims, God will be merciful, otherwise they'll becoming eternal rotisseries over flames of hell. Due to it being so late, after Zoroastrianism, Platonism and Christianity had their influence, this late belief in eternal conscious torment was inserted into the old Hebrew stories where originally there was none of it.
One thing the comparison brings out is the literary qualities of the original stories in the Torah, its clear the Hebrews intended to create good stories, and were skilled in such, the stories are filled with suspense, ambiguities, and are without clear moral and they can thus generate a wealth of discussion and disagreement.
It is interesting how Miles paints almost an entirely negative picture of God in his first two books, on God in the Old Testament and Christ in the New, Miles was highly critical, and seemed always inclined towards the most unflattering interpretation that the text might offer concerning God. But in this last book, he avoids the harsh and negative critique and seems to try show God as presented in the Koran in as positive manner as possible. My Guess is that while writing for an audience likely most familiar with Christianity, he wanted to shatter the Sunday school view of God that is thought to be conveyed in scripture, and then try to convince people not to look so hard on our fellow Muslims, for in a number of ways our own bible is far more backwards and violent than theirs.
July 21, 2024
This book delves into the heart of Islamic scripture, offering a unique perspective on the nature of Allah as presented in the text. Miles, known for his unconventional approach, departs from traditional theological analysis. Instead, he employs a comparative method, placing the Qur'an in conversation with the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. By examining shared themes and contrasting portrayals, Miles sheds light on the unique character of Allah.
At the core of Miles' analysis lies the concept of Allah as an uncategorizable and unknowable entity. The Qur'an, he argues, emphasizes God's absolute oneness and transcendence. Unlike the God of the Hebrew Bible who forms covenants and interacts with humanity, Allah in the Qur'an is a more distant figure. The focus is on God's actions and pronouncements, with less emphasis on personal relationships.
Miles' strength lies in his comparative approach. He highlights how the Qur'an reinterprets themes found in earlier scriptures. We see this in his analysis of Jesus, who is presented as a prophet but not the Son of God as in Christianity. Similarly, he examines the emphasis on monotheism and the rejection of idolatry, concepts central to all three Abrahamic faiths.
"God in the Qur'an" has been praised for its contribution to interfaith understanding. By offering a nuanced analysis of the Qur'an, Miles helps bridge the gap between Islam and other Abrahamic religions. However, some critiques have emerged. Critics argue that Miles' focus on the text itself neglects the historical and cultural context in which the Qur'an was revealed. Additionally, some scholars find Miles' portrayal of Allah as lacking in the richness and complexity of Islamic theological traditions.
Overall, "God in the Qur'an" offers a valuable window into the Islamic understanding of God. Miles encourages readers to approach the Qur'an with an open mind and fosters a deeper appreciation for the diversity within the Abrahamic tradition. Whether one fully agrees with his interpretations or not, the book serves as a springboard for further exploration and interfaith dialogue.
At the core of Miles' analysis lies the concept of Allah as an uncategorizable and unknowable entity. The Qur'an, he argues, emphasizes God's absolute oneness and transcendence. Unlike the God of the Hebrew Bible who forms covenants and interacts with humanity, Allah in the Qur'an is a more distant figure. The focus is on God's actions and pronouncements, with less emphasis on personal relationships.
Miles' strength lies in his comparative approach. He highlights how the Qur'an reinterprets themes found in earlier scriptures. We see this in his analysis of Jesus, who is presented as a prophet but not the Son of God as in Christianity. Similarly, he examines the emphasis on monotheism and the rejection of idolatry, concepts central to all three Abrahamic faiths.
"God in the Qur'an" has been praised for its contribution to interfaith understanding. By offering a nuanced analysis of the Qur'an, Miles helps bridge the gap between Islam and other Abrahamic religions. However, some critiques have emerged. Critics argue that Miles' focus on the text itself neglects the historical and cultural context in which the Qur'an was revealed. Additionally, some scholars find Miles' portrayal of Allah as lacking in the richness and complexity of Islamic theological traditions.
Overall, "God in the Qur'an" offers a valuable window into the Islamic understanding of God. Miles encourages readers to approach the Qur'an with an open mind and fosters a deeper appreciation for the diversity within the Abrahamic tradition. Whether one fully agrees with his interpretations or not, the book serves as a springboard for further exploration and interfaith dialogue.
November 23, 2024
Miles wants to get the reader to suspend his Christian thoughts and look at the Quran as a genuine religious work. Most westerners, especially in this post 9/11 world, see the Quran as the book of the terrorist. Miles wants the reader to see these people and their religion as humans, not monsters. The work does a great job in the comparison of specific Bible stories to the Quranic version of the same story. Then Miles contrasts what each story in each book is trying to say to us. For instance Exodus. We all know the Biblical story or at least have seen C. B. DeMills "The Ten Commandments", so I'm going to skip the Biblical story and go to the Quranic version. First, if you check my reading list you will see that I have read the Quran, so I am familiar with the Quranic story. But, in Miles book I see the Quranic version much more differently. Allah wants to convert Pharaoh to Islam. Islam, in the Quranic Exodus is meant as One God or a monotheist religion. Moses is trying to do two things in the Quran. First, convert Pharaoh. Second, free His people from Egyptian slavery. And Moses is successful on both counts. Pharaoh frees Israel and as he see's he about to drown while charging through the Sea of Reeds says, and I paraphrase, Moses God is God and I am a Muslim. Remember Islam as defined by the Quran is monotheism and a Muslim is a believer in a monotheist God/Allah. SO if you can put aside your western prejudices and keep an open mind for a few days, ( I say days, as I like to think on each section I read of any theological or religious criticism.) But, this work can be read in a weekend with out much trouble. I hope it opens your mind to other faiths and brings you away from the they them story line of the Post, Desert Storm world. I know this work has helped in my understanding of my Muslim neighbors.
December 5, 2025
"God in the Qur’an" is a literary study of how the divine is portrayed across the Abrahamic tradition. Jack Miles, an Episcopalian scholar of religion, approaches this study with literary analysis in mind—rather than theological argumentation—and treats God as a figure revealed through story, voice, and action.
The book centers on how Elohim, Yahweh, and Allah are presented as characters shaped by narrative context. Rather than focusing on doctrine or belief, Miles examines tone, structure, and repetition—how God commands, responds, retreats, and instructs across different traditions. This framing shifts attention from abstraction to depiction and allows the divine to be encountered as a presence unfolding through text.
Miles’s comparative reading draws attention to both continuity and divergence in how the Abrahamic God is imagined. At forefront, the Qur’anic Allah appears not as a disconnected invention, but as a re-framing of inherited stories. Differences in emphasis, moral portrayal, and narrative pacing are presented as features of literary evolution rather than theological deviation.
The book maintains a clear discipline in its methodology. Religious conviction is intentionally set aside in order to observe the text itself without devotional filtering, and this distance gives room for unique patterns to emerge—in how divine character is constructed, how authority appears, and how function differs across traditions.
Ultimately, "God in the Qur’an" reads as an exercise in seeing rather than believing. As such, it offers a way to engage sacred literature without reducing it to dogma or defense, and invites the reader to encounter God not as a conclusion, but as a figure shaped by narrative history.
The book centers on how Elohim, Yahweh, and Allah are presented as characters shaped by narrative context. Rather than focusing on doctrine or belief, Miles examines tone, structure, and repetition—how God commands, responds, retreats, and instructs across different traditions. This framing shifts attention from abstraction to depiction and allows the divine to be encountered as a presence unfolding through text.
Miles’s comparative reading draws attention to both continuity and divergence in how the Abrahamic God is imagined. At forefront, the Qur’anic Allah appears not as a disconnected invention, but as a re-framing of inherited stories. Differences in emphasis, moral portrayal, and narrative pacing are presented as features of literary evolution rather than theological deviation.
The book maintains a clear discipline in its methodology. Religious conviction is intentionally set aside in order to observe the text itself without devotional filtering, and this distance gives room for unique patterns to emerge—in how divine character is constructed, how authority appears, and how function differs across traditions.
Ultimately, "God in the Qur’an" reads as an exercise in seeing rather than believing. As such, it offers a way to engage sacred literature without reducing it to dogma or defense, and invites the reader to encounter God not as a conclusion, but as a figure shaped by narrative history.
January 15, 2019
I thought I was going to find this book interesting and I did. However, the best parts were the “forword” and “afterword” by the author, Jack Miles. The actual content of the book, I.e. God in the Quran, was rather difficult to follow and simply illogical at times. In addition, Miles does not accurately portray Jesus as God incarnate (my opinion, of course) and, in doing so, ignores the great contrast that exists between the three monotheistic faiths of the world. I realize Dr. Miles asks the reader for a suspension of disbelief .... and that is a fair but somewhat difficult request. However, for a Christian who truly believes that when the man, Jesus of Nazareth spoke, he spoke as the Almighty One, an honest comparison/contrast of the God concept within the three faiths simply can’t ignore that fact. Miles seems to diminish that glaring difference, perhaps in an attempt to not bring offense. However, in his afterward, he “bares his soul” and offers his reader, in a kind and compassionate manner, some words of advice for Jew, Christian and Muslim. Words which ironically are rather “Christ-like”.
November 4, 2020
God in the Quran
By Jack Miles
Genre: non-fiction, religion
Rate: 3.8/5 ❤️❤️❤️❤️
#bookreview
A good read for anyone interested in comparative religions. Author compares the stories where the Qur'an, the Hebrew Bible and the new Testament overlap in their narratives. These include the stories of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah, Abraham and Isaac, Joseph, Moses, and Jesus and Mary. Miles depicts how stories are more to the point and fill the gaps of other scriptures, at the same time focus on main idea of the stories. On the other hand the old and new testaments tells the stories with more suspense and follow a sequence.
I have found few new information regarding how the same stories differ in the three books. Also, fascinated with the writing style of the author.
For me the most catchy part of the book was 'Appendix: Of Satan and the Afterlife in the Bible and the Quran'.
I highly recommend this book to whoever love to read how same stories differ in the three monotheistic religions.
By Jack Miles
Genre: non-fiction, religion
Rate: 3.8/5 ❤️❤️❤️❤️
#bookreview
A good read for anyone interested in comparative religions. Author compares the stories where the Qur'an, the Hebrew Bible and the new Testament overlap in their narratives. These include the stories of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah, Abraham and Isaac, Joseph, Moses, and Jesus and Mary. Miles depicts how stories are more to the point and fill the gaps of other scriptures, at the same time focus on main idea of the stories. On the other hand the old and new testaments tells the stories with more suspense and follow a sequence.
I have found few new information regarding how the same stories differ in the three books. Also, fascinated with the writing style of the author.
For me the most catchy part of the book was 'Appendix: Of Satan and the Afterlife in the Bible and the Quran'.
I highly recommend this book to whoever love to read how same stories differ in the three monotheistic religions.
April 13, 2023
این کتاب بیشتر مقایسه الله در قرآن با یهوه در کتاب مقدس بود. هر فصل خلاصه و مقایسه داستان زندگی پیامبران ماقبل محمد از هر دو کتاب بود. در واقع سعی میکرد شیوه برخورد خدای قرآن و کتاب مقدس رو مسائل تحلیل و مقایسه کنه. مثلاً در داستان ابراهیم یهوه به صورت یک خدای باروری ظاهر میشه که مدام به ابراهیم وعده ازدیاد نسل و کشاورزی پر محصول میده ولی قرآن بیشتر روی یکتاپرستی و مسلم (به معنای تسلیم خدا بودن) ابراهیم تاکید میکنه. یا در داستان موسی یهوه به شکل خدایی انتقامجو و کینه توز درمیاد که فقط به گرفتن انتقام از دشمنان بنی اسرائیل یا حتی مجازات کسانی از قوم که از دستوراتش سرپیچی کردن در میاد. در حالیکه الله در آخرین لحظات حتی فرعون رو به نوعی میبخشه. کتاب به این نکته هم اشاره میکنه یهوه خودش رو فقط خدای بنی اسرائیل میدونه و به بقیه اهمیت نمیده ولی الله مکرراً در قرآن خدای همه جهان ذکر شده. در آخر هم به مخاطب غربی گوشزد میکنه اگر فکر میکنید اسلام دین خشونت و تررویسمه بهتره یه سری به کتابهای مقدس خودتون بزنید و مقایسه کنید!
جای دیگه هم ادعا میکنه اندیشه وجود شیطان در برابر خدا یا بهشت و زندگی پس از مرگ از ایران وارد ادیان ابراهیمی شده ولی سند و مدرکی برای این ادعا نمیاره.
جای دیگه هم ادعا میکنه اندیشه وجود شیطان در برابر خدا یا بهشت و زندگی پس از مرگ از ایران وارد ادیان ابراهیمی شده ولی سند و مدرکی برای این ادعا نمیاره.
February 2, 2019
I enjoyed this book, in particular the examinations of the differences involving the stories of Satan & Noah. However, I found that it approaches its main idea of comparing the God of the Qur'an to the God of the Old & New Testaments very indirectly. The last chapter I found to be a lost opportunity to assemble and analyse what the two versions of God ultimately appear to be. Instead, it seems (and partly by admission of the author) a revisit of the opening chapter. Ultimately, it's a bit too open-ended for me, when I preferred something a bit more definitive as a conclusion, and a bit less philosophically rambling. The author also needs to show off his thesaurus vocabulary a bit less. As I tell my own essay-writing students: simple, straightforward, clear language is always the most sophisticated form of writing. Showing off isn't necessary.
December 10, 2024
I picked this up hoping to learn more about the Quran as I am ignorant of it. But I read one chapter only to discover that this did not seem to be a reliable source for understanding the God of the Quran. Miles, claiming to be a Christian, makes numerous errors, in my opinion, in his interpretation of biblical scripture in just the first chapter. If I can find many misinterpretations of the scripture I know about, how can I trust his interpretations of the one I do not know about? In addition, he relies heavily on 2 poets for understanding texts of both the Bible and the Quran. Why not multiple commentaries of scholars of both the Bible and the Quran? Lastly, it seemed that the only thing similar he was able to point out was characters present in both texts. Beyond that, I saw vast differences in the texts he used but he left the differences unmentioned.
DNF.
DNF.
August 15, 2019
This book was a great introduction to the Quran.
As he states in his final chapter, his point was to let those not familiar with the sacred text understand a little bit of what it is and what it has to say in relation to the Bible. He covers the major characters that appear in the Quran and the Bible, like Adam & Eve, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. I didn't realize the Quran contained many of the same characters or that it is attempting to correct since earlier interpretations in the Bible. In multiple places Allah appears more merciful than in the Bible.
By no means a complete summary of the Quran, this book is great for an introduction and background, especially for those familiar with the Bible.
As he states in his final chapter, his point was to let those not familiar with the sacred text understand a little bit of what it is and what it has to say in relation to the Bible. He covers the major characters that appear in the Quran and the Bible, like Adam & Eve, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. I didn't realize the Quran contained many of the same characters or that it is attempting to correct since earlier interpretations in the Bible. In multiple places Allah appears more merciful than in the Bible.
By no means a complete summary of the Quran, this book is great for an introduction and background, especially for those familiar with the Bible.
June 25, 2021
Wonderful book. In the introduction to the book Jack Miles implores reader to practice 'suspension of disbelief', an exercise which will allow its readers to approach the book as a work of literary criticism, as a literary comparison of the character of God through his interaction with several characters (Adam, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Jesus etc) which are common between the two books - The Bible and The Quran.
A sentence from the book jacket which sums up the existence of this book:
"I hope," Miles writes, that by reading this book "you may find it a little easier to trust the Muslim next door as a man or woman whose religion, after all, may not be so wildly unreasonable that someone holding to it could not be a trusted friend."
A sentence from the book jacket which sums up the existence of this book:
"I hope," Miles writes, that by reading this book "you may find it a little easier to trust the Muslim next door as a man or woman whose religion, after all, may not be so wildly unreasonable that someone holding to it could not be a trusted friend."
September 17, 2019
Compared to his earlier book, God: A Biography, I find this work much more engaging. The Preface (Of God, Religion, and the Violence of Sacred Scriptures) and Afterward (On the Qur’an as the Word of God) alone are worth the read. They place the Qur’an in the context of the triumvirate of the Abrahamic religions. Miles encourages the Jew and Christian alike to move past their limited worldview and engage the Muslim next door with open arms: “So, let’s instead get to know him well enough to live with him in peace; and if that means getting to know his scriptures and his God, let’s take the time to do that, too.” (212)
July 3, 2023
Being a practicing muslim, having a social circle consisting of majorly practicing Christians, I always had a hard time in understanding where do they converge and where exactly the divergence is happening. This books answers a lot of those questions. The objectivity while answering these tough questions is remarkable. Quran and Bible are not easy scriptures to read specially when context plays a very important role and every sentence can be given so many meanings but Jack Miles holds the logic so close that every interpretation can only converge at one single point. Remarkable!
March 17, 2019
A good read for anyone interested in comparative religions, and Miles seems to do a nice job considering the pros and cons of the major religions in a fair manner, with a focus on how God is depicted in the Qur'an. He makes some interesting comparisons, for example during the tale of Abraham and the sacrifice of Isaac, how in the Bible we don't know Abraham's thoughts as all he says when called by God is "Here I am."
March 19, 2019
A in-depth comparison between the Qur'an, Torah, and bible. It was okay to read. I am not a scholar though and needed quicker side by side comparisons and summaries. However I liked the comparison on page 200 of the golden rings and find it a way to move forward with. I also liked the naming of Allah, Yahweh to help differnciate God. The sum of similarities and diffences were interesting...for especially satans role.
November 10, 2019
Not as good as his previous book: God and Christ.
It is a good introduction to parallel stories in the Bible and Koran—similarities and differences.
A little preachy about toleration, a one sided toleration (Christians, Jews, and unbelievers should...) that lacks the essentials of true toleration in which ALL parties consciously disagree, takes the disagreements seriously, and remain civil anyway.
It is a good introduction to parallel stories in the Bible and Koran—similarities and differences.
A little preachy about toleration, a one sided toleration (Christians, Jews, and unbelievers should...) that lacks the essentials of true toleration in which ALL parties consciously disagree, takes the disagreements seriously, and remain civil anyway.
November 27, 2023
Meh interessant maar wel moeilijk als je weinig voorkennis hebt van geloofsverhalen en figuren in Koran en Bijbel. Heel veel vergelijking met God in de Bijbel. Geen religieuze oordelen, ook al is de schrijver Christelijk en geleerd in de Bijbel. Vind sommige delen in het boek overbodig. Overall wel een leuke read tho.
August 10, 2019
Good info, a great exercise in comparative literature. It was hard to focus on in many places though. I had to repeatedly go back because I lost the thread of the argument due to little digressions and side paths the author insisted on taking.
October 30, 2023
This is a great book that deeply probes who Allah, the God in the Qur'an,, is and what does he ask of his followers. The author sets comparable passages from the Bible and the Qur'an.
It was quite the interesting read.
It was quite the interesting read.
March 4, 2019
Decent overview of major common characters, but presents a contrast instead of any argument.
June 20, 2019
The comparative approach of this book is well done and does a good job of highlighting the differences between the three major Western religions. It makes me want to read his other works.
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