Atheists in Quran (27) Noah’s values vs. their values

Noah presents his message clearly, free of all falsehood. He makes a gentle and friendly description of the truth. In Noah’s presentation, there were no flattery, no attempt to win any favor with anyone at the expense of the message. The Atheists stiffened their attitude became determined not to accept any proof of Noah’s case; they said: Noah! You have argued with us, and argued to excess. Bring upon us that with which you have been threatening us, if you are a truthful man.

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In the previous articles, the Atheists who were the council notables and the respected elders of Noah’s people claim that Noah is just looking for wealth and they said:

• We will never ever sit with Noah and listen to him unless he drives away those who are the most abject, lowly, and weak and the riffraff among us.
• Why have such lowly men followed Noah before us?

This was a part of their rotten arguments

They said such nasty statements to testify their unbelieving thoughts

The Atheists’ pride and arrogance are limitless.

In this article, the Atheists continue their stubborn arguments with Noah.

The meanings of the verses 11:31-33

The Atheists demanded that they would never believe Noah unless:

• Noah tells them that he possess the treasure houses of Allah
• Noah tells them that he has the keys to Allah’s stores of provision
• Noah tells them that he has knowledge of the Unseen
• Noah tells the lowly men who followed him that Allah will not give them any good

However, you know what Noah (they said), we cannot believe in human being, tell your Lord to send us an Angel or to convert you to an Angel

Noah remains unaffected by the false accusations, insolence and blind rejection with which his people have received his message.

He applies his own values and maintains his own standards. He does not make false claims or accusations as they have done. Nor does he try to give himself any false image or impart anything alien to his message.

However, Allah inspired Noah the answers for their rotten arguments.

Peacefully, Noah introduces himself and his message. His presentation is simple, devoid of any ornament and decoration, free of all false standards and values.

Noah reminds them of the true values, looking with contempt on all superficial ones. He renounces all superficiality and states his message as it is, pure and simple, with no false claims. He, who wants it, let him take it, as it is as pure as Allah made it.

Noah said:

I do not say to you that God’s treasures are with me.

I do not claim that I am rich or that I can make any of you rich. “Or that

I know what lies beyond the reach of human perception.

I do not make any claim of any super-human status or

I do not allege that my relationship with Allah exceeds the fact that I am a messenger conveying Allah’s message.

Nor do I say: I am an angel.

I do not claim to have a position, which you think to be higher than that of man, so that I may gain favor or high position from you.

I cannot say to those whom you scorn that Allah will never grant them any good, so that I satisfy your pride or accommodate your standards and values.

Allah knows best what is in their hearts (those whom you scorn).

I have to go by what I see.

To me, they appear deserving of honor and hope that Allah will grant them of His bounty.

If I made such false claims, saying to them that Allah will never grant them any good, I would be unjust

• I would be unjust to the very truth I have come to convey.
• I would also be unjust to myself, exposed to Allah’s wrath,
• I would be unjust to other people to whom I gave a status other than that given them by Allah.

Thus, Noah presents his message clearly, free of all falsehood. He faces them with the clarity and strength of the truth. Meanwhile, he makes a gentle and friendly description of the truth so that they may look it in the face and decide upon their line of action.

In Noah’s presentation, there were no pretense, no flattery, no attempt to win any favor with anyone at the expense of the message and its simple nature.

In this, Noah sets an example for all advocates of the Allah’s message in all generations and provides them with a lesson in how to confront the people of authority with the truth, without any attempt to compromise, or flatter, but with the sort of friendliness, which is not associated with submission.

At this point, it was clear to the notables that they had no chance of winning the argument. They stiffened their attitude, became determined not to accept any proof of Noah’s case, logical and natural as it certainly was.

Then they finally rallied themselves in order to deliver a challenge to Noah. They said:

Noah! You have argued with us, and argued to excess. Bring upon us that with which you have been threatening us, if you are a man of truth.

This is nothing short of deceit, an attempt to cover up their weakness by putting on a display of strength. It is a challenge made in order to mask their dread of the truth’s strength.

Noah, however, remains unaffected by their outright rejection and challenge. He maintains the noble attitude befitting a great prophet. He continues to explain to them the truth and the facts, which they have ignored

He restates the fact that he is only a messenger whose task is to deliver a message. Their punishment is left to Allah who has absolute control over their destiny.

Allah alone decides, at His own discretion, whether it is appropriate to punish them here and now or to delay their punishment until a later date. Allah’s will must happen, as it is and Noah has no power over it.

As a messenger, he has to continue to explain the truth to his people until the last moment. Their rejection and challenge must not deter him from fulfilling his task.

Hence, he says to them:

Only Allah can bring it upon you, if He so wills. You cannot be immune. Nor will my counsel benefit you, much as I desire to give you good counsel, if it is Allah’s will to let you remain in error. He is your Lord and to Him you shall return.

If He will to punish you, none can by no means escape His chastisement.

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The verses 11:31-33 in different translations:

QARIB:

31- I do not say to you that i possess the treasuries of Allah, and i do not know the unseen. I do not say I am an angel, nor do I say to those whom you despise, Allah will not give them any good. Allah knows best what is in their hearts. indeed, if this were so then I would be amongst the harmdoers. ‘

32- They said: ‘o Noah, you have disputed, and disputed too much, with us. bring (down) upon us that which you promised us, if what you say is true! ‘

33- He replied: ‘Allah will bring it (down) upon you if he will; you will never frustrate him.

SHAKIR:

31- And I do not say to you that i have the treasures of Allah and I do not know the unseen, nor do I say that i am an angel, nor do I say about those whom your eyes hold in mean estimation (that) Allah will never grant them (any) good– Allah knows best what is in their souls– for then most surely I should be of the unjust

32- They said: o nuh! indeed you have disputed with us and lengthened dispute with us, therefore bring to us what you threaten us with, if you are of the truthful ones

33- He said: Allah only will bring it to you if he please, and you will not escape:

PICKTHAL:

31- I say not unto you: “I have the treasures of Allah” nor “I have knowledge of the unseen,” nor say I: “lo! I am an angel!” nor say I unto those whom your eyes scorn that Allah will not give them good – Allah knoweth best what is in their hearts – lo! Then indeed, I should be of the wrong-doers.

32- They said: o Noah! thou hast disputed with us and multiplied disputation with us; now bring upon us that wherewith thou threatenest us, if thou art of the truthful.

33- He said: only Allah will bring it upon you if he will, and ye can by no means escape.

YUSUFALI:

31- “I tell you not that with me are the treasures of Allah, nor do I know what is hidden, nor claim I to be an angel. Nor yet do I say, of those whom your eyes do despise that Allah will not grant them (all) that is good: Allah knoweth best what is in their souls: I should, if I did, indeed be a wrong-doer.”

32- They said: “o Noah! thou hast disputed with us, and (much) hast thou prolonged the dispute with us: now bring upon us what thou threatenest us with, if thou speakest the truth!?”

33- He said: “truly, Allah will bring it on you if he wills,- and then, ye will not be able to frustrate it!

Atheists in Quran (20) their limited scope

The life of this world is alluring to those who reject faith, and they scoff at those who believe (because of their abject poverty for example).

However, those who believe shall be above them on the Day of Resurrection; and Allah sustains whomever He will without reckoning.

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Allah bestows His abundance without measures on whom He will.

Allah’s favors in this world seem unequal, and sometimes those get them who seem to deserve them least.

The verse 2:212 contrasts believers and Atheists, and the difference in their outlook.

This life, with its ephemeral interests and enjoyments, is all that the unbelievers know and aspire to. They are unable to see beyond the here-and now.

They know of no greater values or aspirations other than those of life on this earth.

Consequently, their scope is limited and they are underprivileged of the higher understanding and greater reward experienced by believers.

A believer seeks more from life than mere material or sensual enjoyment.

Believers look beyond their selfish egotistic needs and desires.

From the point of view of a person who only thinks of this life’s concerns and worldly affairs, that might seem strange or even ludicrous.

Hence, it may induce scorn and derision from unbelievers.

However, what justification could there be for such a reaction?

The unbelievers’ opinion is erroneous and utterly false. It is the view of unbelief and ignorance.

The true measure is that of Allah.

Allah said:

“Those who fear Allah shall be above them in rank on the Day of Resurrection”.

Believers should uphold their faith and disregard the mockery and scorn of the unbelievers.

Believers have Allah’s word that they shall occupy a higher position than the unbelievers shall on the Day of Resurrection,

That shall be the final Judgment.

What Allah has in store for believers is far better and far more favorable.

Allah will reward the believers in abundance as He wish and as He will here either in this life or in the Afterlife.

 “Allah grants sustenance to whom He wills beyond all reckoning.”

Allah is the gracious giver who gives directly, generously and with no restriction.

Allah’s bounty in unlimited to the just as well as the unjust in the life of this world.

In His wisdom, He may give to whomsoever He pleases.

However, the account is not taken in the life of this world, but will be taken in the end of man’s journey, when the balance will be redressed at the Day of Judgment.

In His infinite wisdom, He may give to those who do not believe much of the comforts and allurements of this world.

What He grants them is not based on any merit they may have. He also gives to the believers whatever He chooses to grant them both in this life and in the life to come. He is the sole benefactor and His choice is right, wise and most durable.

The two types of human being — believers who take their guidance and advice from Allah, and others for whom this life is the be-all and end-all, can be found in every age and every generation.

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The verse 2:212 in different translations:

QARIB:

For those who disbelieve, the worldly life is decked with all manner of decorations. They scoff at those who believe, but the cautious shall be above them on the day of resurrection. Allah gives without count to whom he will.

SHAKIR:

The life of this world is made to seem fair to those who disbelieve, and they mock those who believe, and those who guard (against evil) shall be above them on the day of resurrection; and Allah gives means of subsistence to whom he pleases without measure

PICKTHAL:

Beautified is the life of the world for those who disbelieve; they make a jest of the believers. But those who keep their duty to Allah will be above them on the day of resurrection. Allah giveth without stint to whom he will.

YUSUFALI:

The life of this world is alluring to those who reject faith, and they scoff at those who believe. But the righteous will be above them on the day of resurrection; for Allah bestows his abundance without measure on whom he will.

The Cow in Bible vs. Quran

In the Bible, God says: 1) the lion will eat straw like the ox; 2) you will bake your bread over cow manure instead of human excrement, etc. In addition, The Lord God will use a razor hired from beyond the River.

On the other hand, the Quran talks about the Story of the cow and the revival of the killed Israelite etc.

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The Cow is mentioned 34 in the Bible and four times in the Quran.

The Bible talks about 11 issues related to the cows; they are:

1) The lion will eat straw like the ox.

2) God will let you bake your bread over cow manure

3) God will use a hired razor

4) Do not slaughter a cow and its young on the same day.

5) Jacob’s gift to his brother was 40 cows

6) The Pharaoh’s dream of fat and lean cows.

7) The decoration of the Tent of Meeting and the Alter by Sea cows

8) Cheese from cows’ milk for David

9) Their cows calve and do not miscarry

10) The two cows did a good favor but they burnt them

11) The cows of Bashan is a symbol of Israel.

 

On the other hand, the Quran talks about three issues related to the cows; they are:

1) The Story of the cow and the revival of the killed Israelite

2) What is forbidden to eat, the male, the female, or the newborn cow?

3) Joseph interpreted the Egyptian\s King’s dream of the fat cows and the seven lean cows

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The Cow in the Bible

 

1) The lion will eat straw like the ox.

Isaiah 11:7

The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.

 

2) The Lord God will let you bake your bread over cow manure instead of human excrement.”

Ezekiel 4:15

“Very well,” he said, “I will let you bake your bread over cow manure instead of human excrement.”

 

3) The Lord God will use a razor hired from beyond the River

I wonder why the Lord uses a razor hired from beyond the River. Why He does not have a razor?

Isaiah 7:20 & 21

20- In that day the Lord will use a razor hired from beyond the River the king of Assyria to shave your head and the hair of your legs, and to take off your beards also.

21- In that day, a man will keep alive a young cow and two goats.

 

4) Do not slaughter a cow or a sheep and its young on the same day.

Leviticus 22:28

Do not slaughter a cow or a sheep and its young on the same day.

 

5) A part of Jacob’s gift to his brother was 40 cows

Genesis 32:15

Thirty female camels with their young, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys.

If they (the cows) are driven hard just one day, all the animals will die.

In fact, this is not true from the scientific point of view

Genesis 33:13

But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are tender and that I must care for the ewes and cows that are nursing their young. If they are driven hard just one day, all the animals will die.

 

6) The Pharaoh’s dream of the fat cows and the seven lean cows.

Genesis 41:2-4, 18-20, 26 and 27

2-When out of the river there came up seven cows, sleek and fat, and they grazed among the reeds.

3-After them, seven other cows, ugly and gaunt, came up out of the Nile and stood beside those on the riverbank.

4-And the cows that were ugly and gaunt ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.

18-When out of the river there came up seven cows, fat and sleek, and they grazed among the reeds.

19-After them, seven other cows came up—scrawny and very ugly and lean. I had never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt.

20-The lean, ugly cows ate up the seven fat cows that came up first.

26-The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years; it is one and the same dream.

27-The seven lean, ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are seven years of famine.

 

7) The decoration of the Tent of Meeting by Sea cows, acacia wood, shielding curtain, scarlet cloth, ram skins, the tent, goat hair, scarlet yarn and linen.

Exodus 25:5

Ram skins dyed red and hides of sea cows ; acacia wood;

Exodus 26:14

Make for the tent a covering of ram skins dyed red, and over that a covering of hides of sea cows.

Exodus 35:7

Ram skins dyed red and hides of sea cows ; acacia wood;

Exodus 35:23

Everyone who had blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen, or goat hair, ram skins dyed red or hides of sea cows brought them.

Exodus 36:19

Then they made for the tent a covering of ram skins dyed red, and over that a covering of hides of sea cows.

Exodus 39:34

The covering of ram skins dyed red, the covering of hides of sea cows and the shielding curtain;

Numbers 4:6

Then they are to cover this with hides of sea cows, spread a cloth of solid blue over that and put the poles in place.

Numbers 4:8

Over these they are to spread a scarlet cloth, cover that with hides of sea cows and put its poles in place.

Numbers 4:10

Then they are to wrap it and all its accessories in a covering of hides of sea cows and put it on a carrying frame.

Numbers 4:11

Over the gold altar, they are to spread a blue cloth and cover that with hides of sea cows and put its poles in place.

Numbers 4:12, 14 and 25

12-They are to take all the articles used for ministering in the sanctuary, wrap them in a blue cloth, cover that with hides of sea cows and put them on a carrying frame.

14-Then they are to place on it all the utensils used for ministering at the altar, including the firepans, meat forks, shovels and sprinkling bowls. Over it they are to spread a covering of hides of sea cows and put its poles in place.

25-They are to carry the curtains of the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, its covering and the outer covering of hides of sea cows, the curtains for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting,

 

8) Cheese from cows’ milk for David and his people to eat.

2 Samuel 17:29

honey and curds, sheep, and cheese from cows’ milk for David and his people to eat. For they said, “The people have become hungry and tired and thirsty in the desert.”

 

9) Their cows calve and do not miscarry

Job 21:10

Their bulls never fail to breed; their cows calve and do not miscarry.

 

10) The two cows did a good favor but the people sacrificed the cows as a burnt offering to the LORD.

1 Samuel 6:7, 10, 12 and 14

7-“Now then, get a new cart ready, with two cows that have calved and have never been yoked. Hitch the cows to the cart, but take their calves away and pen them up.

10-So they did this. They took two such cows and hitched them to the cart and penned up their calves.

12-Then the cows went straight up toward Beth Shemesh, keeping on the road and lowing all the way; they did not turn to the right or to the left. The rulers of the Philistines followed them as far as the border of Beth Shemesh.

14-The cart came to the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh, and there it stopped beside a large rock. The people chopped up the wood of the cart and sacrificed the cows as a burnt offering to the LORD.

 

11) The cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy and say to your husbands” is a symbol of Israel?

Amos 4:1

[Israel Has Not Returned to God] Hear this word, you cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy and say to your husbands, “Bring us some drinks!”

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The Cow in the Quran

1) The Story of the cow and the revival of the killed Israelite:

One Israelite was found killed. All the Israelites gathered around Moses asking him to find out who killed the man. Moses asked Allah. Allah commanded the Israelites to slaughter a cow, any cow. The Israelites yelled at Moses: are you fooling! Moses said this is Allah’s command. Then they ask about the cow age, color, marital status and they made it difficult to find out such a cow. Finally they did. Allah commanded Moses to lightly knock the killed man with a part of the slaughtered cow. The killed man woke up and told them who killed him.

This story has some deep theological significance; Allah showed up to the Israelites that

• The cow is a sign for Allah the Creator,
• The cow is by no means a god and
• Allah is able to woke-up the dead.

This is because the Israelites worshiped the cow and the ox and considered the cow a god.

Also, the Israelites deny the afterlife.

In addition, this story is not found in the Bible.

Surah 2: 67-73

67- and when Moses said to his people: surely Allah commands you that you should sacrifice a cow; they said: do you ridicule us? He said: I seek the protection of Allah from being one of the ignorant (fool)!”

68- They said: call on your Lord for our sake to make it plain to us what she (the cow) is. Moses said: he says, surely she is a cow neither advanced in age nor too young, of middle age between that (and this); do therefore what you are commanded

69- They said: call on your lord for our sake to make it plain to us what her color is. Moses said: he says, surely she is a yellow cow; her color is intensely yellow, giving delight to the beholders

70- they said: call on your lord for our sake to make it plain to us what she is, for surely to us the cows are all alike, and if Allah please we shall surely be guided aright

71- Moses said: he says, surely she is a cow not made submissive that she should plough the land, nor does she irrigate the tilth; sound, without a blemish in her. they said: now you have brought the truth; so they sacrificed her, though they had not the mind to do (it)

72- And when you killed a man, then you disagreed with respect to that, and Allah was to bring forth that which you were going to hide

73- so we said: strike the (dead body) with part of the (sacrificed cow), thus Allah brings the dead to life, and he shows you his signs so that you may understand

 

2) What is forbidden to eat, the male, the female, or the newborn cow?

The idolater Ignorant Arabs before Islam had some diverse religious traditions about the cows.

Some believed that it is eating the male cow (bull) is forbidden

Others believed that eating the female cow is forbidden.

Another Ignorant idolater Arabs believed that eating the first newborn cow is forbidden.

The Quran warns anyone who is saying that; the Quran says:

• Is this Allah’s commandments or a forged invented lie?
• Were you witnesses when Allah enjoined you this?

This issue is not found in the Bible.

Surah 6:144

And of camels a pair, and cows a pair cows. Say: has he forbidden the two males or the two females or that which the wombs of the two females contain? Or were you witnesses when Allah enjoined you this? Who, then, is more unjust than he who forges a lie against Allah that he should lead astray men without knowledge? Surely, Allah does not guide the unjust people

 

3) Joseph interpreted the Egyptian\s King’s dream of the fat cows and the seven lean cows

The Bible says that the lean cows were ugly.

The Quran does not say that.

In order to know the difference between the story of Joseph and Pharaoh in Bible vs. Quran, I recommend you smart reader to read the Story of the Prophet Joseph, the son of the Prophet Jacob it in both books.

Surah 12:43 and 46

43- The king (of Egypt) said: “i do see (in a vision) seven fat kine (cows), whom seven lean ones devour, and seven green ears of corn, and seven (others) withered. o ye chiefs! Expound to me my vision if it be that ye can interpret visions.”

46- The chief cupbearer said “O Joseph! O man of truth! Expound to us (the dream) of seven fat kine (cows) whom seven lean ones devour, and of seven green ears of corn and (seven) others withered: that i may return to the people, and that they may understand.”

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Back to the main issue of my series of articles (1-39); this is my question to you smart readers: “Is the Quran quoted from the Bible “?

Professor Dr. Ibrahim Khalil wrote this article

http://www.articlesbase.com/science-articles/the-cow-in-bible-and-quran-128385.html