Inquiring of Joseph: Getting to Know a Biblical Character through the Qur'an

by John Kaltner

The account of Joseph that is found in Genesis 37-50 is one of the most well-known stories in the Bible. Its classic rags-to-riches plot explores themes that have intrigued people throughout murder, betrayal, sibling rivalry, greed, natural disaster, and mistaken identity. In  Inquiring of Joseph , John Kaltner shows there are two ways to tell this story, and both are worth reading. Inquiring of Joseph  puts the biblical Joseph in conversation with his Qur'anic self. The Islamic text is a clear parallel to the biblical story in the events of Joseph's life, but there are some important differences between them that result in two distinct versions of the tale. This interface allows for a new understanding of the familiar biblical tradition as aspects that are often missed become more prominent and puzzling elements are seen in a new light. Chapters are "Introduction," " Joseph and his Family (Genesis 37; Qur'an 12:1-20 )," "The Narrators and Joseph and Potiphar's Wife (Genesis 39:1-20; Qur'an 12:21-34;)," " Joseph and the Prisoners (Genesis 39:21-40:23; Qur'an 12:35-42)," " Joseph and Pharaoh (Genesis 41:1-45; Qur'an 12:43-57)," " Joseph and His Brother (Genesis 42:1-44:17; Qur'an 12:58-86)," and " Joseph and His Family (Genesis 44:18-50:21; Qur'an 12:87-101)." Receive  From Earth's Creation to John's Revelation   FREE  with the purchase of two or more  Interfaces  volumes. Mention this offer in the comment section of the order form when placing your order or call 1.800.858.5450. John Kaltner, PhD, is associate professor of religious studies at Rhodes College, Memphis, Tennessee. He is the author of  Ishmael Instructs An Introduction to the Qur'an for Bible Readers  of the  Connections  series published by the Liturgical Press.

152 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2003

Reviews

[Nate Duriga · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been drawn to the story of the biblical Joseph and the Quranic Youssouf because this biblical story and its quranic retelling represent the longest shared narrative between the two "holy texts." Kaltner writes well and insightfully, with a great grasp of narrative technique, and teases out the differences in the themes of the stories between the two accounts. He effectively shows the differences in how much characters change in the course of the story.

I regret greatly, however, that he writes off Genesis 38 as an "insertion," and not part of the narrative. He chooses to ignore how Judah changes, and for the most part to treat "the brothers" as a unit. I think this leaves out an important part of the Bible's message - in terms of character transformation and links to salvation history - and thus does not bring these aspect into contrast with the Quranic version.