The Rabbit in Bible vs. Quran vs. Science

The Bible says that the Rabbit is a ruminant animal. The scientists say that the Rabbit is not a ruminant animal.

The Quran does not mention the Rabbit by name but it gives an Arabic word of four letters that can be applicable for man, animals, birds, plants and microbes.

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The Rabbit in the Bible:

RABBITS ERRONEOUSLY CALLED RUMINANTS IN THE BIBLE

The rabbits are mentioned in the Old Testament in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14. The rabbit does not mentioned in the New Testament.

The quotes herein are from the New International Version.

Leviticus 11:3-6:

‘Whatever divides the hoof, and is cloven-footed, chewing the cud, among the animals, that you shall eat.

‘Only, you shall not eat these of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: the camel, for he chews the cud but does not divide the hoof; he is unclean to you.

And the rock badger, because he chews the cud, but does not divide the hoof; he is unclean to you.

‘And the hare, because he chews the cud but does not divide the hoof; he is unclean to you.’

 

Deuteronomy 14:6-8:

You may eat any animal that has a split hoof divided in two and that chews the cud.

However, of those that chew the cud or that have a split hoof completely divided you may not eat the camel, the rabbit or the Coney. Although they chew the cud, they do not have a split hoof; they are ceremonially unclean for you.

The pig is also unclean; although it has a split hoof, it does not chew the cud. You are not to eat their meat or touch their carcasses.

 

These verses made the digestive process of the rabbit an object of a hot theological discussion.

In Hebrew “arnebeth” means rabbit

Also, in Arabic “arnab” means a male rabbit and “arnabat” means a female rabbit.

The Hebrew words are: ‘ALEH GERAH, lit,

These Hebrew words mean ‘Gerah the cud’ and translated to ‘chew the cud’

The exact or the true translation should be: “raising up what has been swallowed”)? Or may be translated to ‘bring up the cud’

Rabbits do not bring up anything; they let it go all the way through, and then eat it again. The description given in Leviticus is inaccurate. Rabbits do eat their own dung; they do not bring anything up and chew on it.

The Bible says that the hare chews the cud, but the scientists claim that the Bible is in error on this point.

Furthermore, some skeptics claim that since the Bible contains this error, it is not the Word of God and cannot be taken seriously on any other points either.

 

Animals that ‘chew the cud’ are called ruminants. They hardly chew their food when first eaten, but swallow it into a special stomach where the food is partially digested. Then it is regurgitated, chewed again, and swallowed into a different stomach. Animals which do this include cows, sheep and goats, and they all have four stomachs. Coneys and rabbits are not ruminants.

Animals which do this include cows, sheep, goats, deer, and giraffes; they all have four stomachs and chewing a cud consisting of regurgitated, partially digested food.” Coneys and rabbits are not ruminants.

The rabbit does not fit this definition, and trying to classify it as a ruminant is not accepted.

Biblical scholars refuse to see this statement as a biological error that incorrectly classifies the rabbit as a ruminant or cud-chewer.

When defining the rabbit, most of the Bible Dictionaries say that the habit of the rabbit is to grind its teeth and move its jaw as if it actually chewed the cud. But, like the Coney, it is not a ruminant with four stomachs, but a rodent like the squirrel, rat, etc. Moses speaks of it according to appearance. It is interdicted because, though apparently chewing the cud, it did not divide the hoof.”

Examples of what is said about the rabbit in some Bible Dictionaries

A) Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible, page 525:

“The assertion that the hare is a ruminant is contrary to fact. Some movements of the mouth and jaws have been erroneously interpreted as cud-chewing.”

B) International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, page 616:

“This animal is mentioned only in the lists of unclean animals in Leviticus and Deuteronomy…The hare and the Coney are not ruminants, but might be supposed to be from their habit of almost continuously moving their jaws.”

C) Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible, 2000 edition, page 552:

“Because it “chews the cud” but “does not have divided hoofs,” the hare is classified as an unclean animal (Lev. 11:6; Deut. 14:7). Actually, it is not a ruminant but may have appeared as such to ancient observers because of its constant chewing movements.”

A Biblical scholar said:

“I don’t believe the rabbit chews the cud in the modern technical sense. It simply makes a chewing motion that from an observational point of view can be associated with other animals that do chew the cud in the technical sense.”

Another intellectual claims that “the Hebrew “arnebeth” means an unidentified animal which is rendered hare or rabbit, perhaps incorrectly”. His opinion is far beyond the reality!

Other Biblical academic scholar said:

“Does the rabbit ruminate? True ruminants normally have four stomachs, and that which has been worked over in these stomachs is regurgitated into the mouth when it is ready to be chewed again. In this technical sense neither the rabbit nor the hare can be called ruminants, but they do give the appearance of chewing their cud in the same way ruminants do.”

Herein the conclusion of what the Biblical researchers say:

• The Rabbits do give the appearance of chewing their cud in the same way ruminants do.
• The Rabbits are not ruminants, but might be supposed to be from their habit of almost continuously moving their jaws.
• The Rabbits are not ruminants but may have appeared as such to ancient observers because of their constant chewing movements.

Now the question is: what is the relation between the Word of God and the ancient observers who assumed that the Rabbits are cud-chewing due to its habit of continuously moving its jaws?

In addition, who wrote the Bible God or those observers?

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The Rabbit in the Quran:

The rabbit by name is not mentioned in the Quran.

However, the Quran gives an Arabic word of four characters that can be applicable for man, animals, birds, plants and microbes.

You will read about this comprehensive word very soon.

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Back to the main issue of my series of articles; 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-rabbit-in-bible-and-quran-115417.html

The Shadow in Bible vs. Quran

In the Bible, God the Almighty Creator has a shadow; also, the Angels, the Death, the evening etc. have shadows.

On the other hand, the Quran talks about two Historical Shadows and the Shadow at the Day of Judgment for the believers and the unbelievers; also, the Quran gives some scientific facts about the Shadow.

 

The Bible talks about:

1)     The Lord God has a shadow

2)     What is in heaven has Shadow

3)     The Shadow of death, its valley and its land

4)     The Evening Shadows that grow long

5)     The Deep shadow that ring the eyes

6)     The Shadow goes forward or backward ten steps

7)     Our Life is shadow

8)     Some other Biblical facts about the Shadow

The Quran talks about:

1) Two Historical Shadows

2) Scientific facts about the Shadow

3) The Shadow at the Day of Judgment

4) The Shadow for the believers and the unbelievers in the Afterlife

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The Shadow in the Bible:

The Shadow is mentioned 51 in the Bible and 19 times in the Quran.

Upon talking about the Shadow, the Bible declares that:

• God has a shadow,
• God’s hand has a shadow,
• God’s wings have shadow, and
• God does not change like shifting shadows.

In addition, the Bible says that “What is in heaven has Shadow”. It is known that the Angels are in the heaven; have they shadows too like their Creator.

Moreover, the Bible talks about the death has shadow and there are the valley of the shadow of death and the land of the shadow of the death.

In addition, the Bible talks about the evening has shadows, there are deep shadows, the Shadow and the ten steps etc.

In fact, most of the above especially God, Angels and death have no shadow(s) at all!

If God has a shadow, then He is a body like us!

The Angels are created from light, has the light a shadow?

In addition, does anyone see the shadow of the death?

 

1) The Lord God has a shadow, His hand has a shadow, His wings have shadow, and He does not change like shifting shadows

Psalm 91:1

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

Isaiah 49:2

In the shadow of His Hand, he hid me;

Isaiah 51:16

I have put my words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of My Hand

Psalm 17:8

Hide me in the shadow of your wings

Psalm 36:7

How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.

Psalm 57:1

I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.

Psalm 63:7

Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

James 1:17

The Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows,

 

2) What is in heaven has Shadow

Hebrews 8:5

They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven.

 

3) The Shadow of death, the valley and the land of the shadow of the death

The Bible states that the death has shadow and there are the valley of the shadow of death and the land of the shadow of the death.

Job 38:17

Have the gates of death been shown to you?

Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death ?

Psalm 23:4

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Isaiah 9:2

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.

Matthew 4:16

The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”

Luke 1:79

to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

 

4) The Evening Shadows that grow long

Job 7:2

Like a slave longing for the evening shadows, or a hired man waiting eagerly for his wages,

Nehemiah 13:19

When evening shadows fell on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered the doors to be shut and not opened until the Sabbath was over. I stationed some of my own men at the gates so that no load could be brought in on the Sabbath day.

Psalm 102:11

My days are like the evening shadow; I wither away like grass.

Psalm 109:23

I fade away like an evening shadow; I am shaken off like a locust.

Jeremiah 6:4

“Prepare for battle against her! Arise, let us attack at noon! But, alas, the daylight is fading, and the shadows of evening grow long.

 

5) The Deep shadow that ring the eyes

Job 10:21

Before I go to the place of no return, to the land of gloom and deep shadow,

Job 10:22

To the land of deepest night, of deep shadow and disorder, where even the light is like darkness.”

Job 12:22

He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into the light.

Job 3:5

May darkness and deep shadow claim it once more; may a cloud settle over it; may blackness overwhelm its light.

Job 16:16

My face is red with weeping; deep shadows ring my eyes;

Job 34:22

There is no dark place, no deep shadow, where evildoers can hide.

Isaiah 59:9

So justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We look for light, but all is darkness; for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows.

 

6) The Shadow goes forward or backward ten steps

2 Kings 20:9

“This is the Lord’s sign to you that the LORD will do what he has promised: Shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or shall it go back ten steps?”

2 Kings 20:10

It is a simple matter for the shadow to go forward ten steps,” said Hezekiah. “Rather, have it go back ten steps.”

2 Kings 20:11

The LORD made the shadow go back the ten steps it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.

Isaiah 38:8

I will make the shadow cast by the sun go back the ten steps it has gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.’ “So the sunlight went back the ten steps it had gone down.

 

7) Our Life is shadow

Our days on earth (few and meaningless) are like a fleeting shadow, without hope

1 Chronicles 29:15

Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope.

Job 8:9

For we were born only yesterday and know nothing, and our days on earth are but a shadow.

Psalm 144:4

Man is like a breath; his days are like a fleeting shadow.

Ecclesiastes 6:12

For who knows what is good for a man in life, during the few and meaningless days he passes through like a shadow? Who can tell him what will happen under the sun after he is gone?

Ecclesiastes 8:13

Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them, and their days will not lengthen like a shadow.

 

8) Some other Biblical facts about the Shadow

You mistake the shadows of the mountains for men

Judges 9:36

“You mistake the shadows of the mountains for men.”

Job 14:2

He springs up like a flower and withers away; like a fleeting shadow,

Job 17:7

My eyes have grown dim with grief; my whole frame is but a shadow.

Job 40:22

The lotuses conceal him in their shadow;

Psalm 11:2

They (the wicked) set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.

Song of Solomon 2:17

Until the day breaks and the shadows flee, turn, my lover, and be like a gazelle

Song of Solomon 4:6

Until the day breaks and the shadows flee, I will go to the mountain…

Isaiah 16:3

Make your shadow like night

Isaiah 25:5

Heat is reduced by the shadow of a cloud

Isaiah 32:2

Each man will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.

Isaiah 34:15

The owl will nest there and lay eggs, she will hatch them, and care for her young under the shadow of her wings; there also the falcons will gather, each with its mate.

Jeremiah 48:45

“In the shadow of Heshbon the fugitives stand helpless

Lamentations 4:20

We thought that under his shadow we would live among the nations.

Colossians 2:17

These are a shadow of the things that were to come

Acts 5:15

At least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.

Hebrews 10:1

The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming

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The Shadow in the Quran:

The Quran talks about:

1) Two Historical Shadows

2) Scientific facts about the Shadow

3) The Shadow at the Day of Judgment

4) The Shadow for the believers and the unbelievers in the Afterlife

 

1) Two Historical Shadows

The Quran mentions two important Historical Shadows;

One of them is the Shadow for Moses and the Israelites and

The other is the Shadow for the deniers of the Prophet “Shu’aib” and their grievous day of punishment.

These two Historical Shadows are not mentioned in the Bible.

a-The Shadow for Moses and the Israelites

Surah 28:24

So he (Moses) watered (their flock) for them. Then he turned aside into the shade, and said: my Lord! i am needy of whatever good thou sendest down for me.

Surah 7:160

We divided them into twelve tribes, nations; and we inspired Moses, when his people asked him for water, saying: smite with thy staff the rock! And there gushed forth therefrom twelve springs, so that each tribe knew their drinking-place. And we caused the white cloud to overshadow them and sent down for them the manna and the quails (saying): eat of the good things wherewith we have provided you. They wronged us not, but they were wont to wrong themselves.

Surah 7:171

and when we shook the mountain over them as if it were a covering overhead, and they thought that it was going to fall down upon them: take hold of what we have given you with firmness, and be mindful of what is in it, so that you may guard (against evil)

Surah 2:57

And We gave you the shade of clouds and sent down to you Manna and quails, saying: “Eat of the good things We have provided for you:” (but they rebelled); to Us they did no harm, but they harmed their own selves.

b-The Shadow for the deniers of the Prophet “Shu’aib”

The Shadow furnished for people of the Prophet “Shu’aib” who denied him and their grievous day of punishment.

The Prophet “Shu’aib” is never mentioned in the Bible.

Is that because He was Arabic?

Surah 26:189

But they rejected and denied him (Shu’aib) and called him a liar (Shu’aib) then the punishment of the day of overshadowing gloom seized them, surely it was the punishment of a grievous day

 

2) Scientific facts about the Shadow:

Allah extends the shade; if He pleases, He would certainly have made it stationary and then have made the sun an indication of it.

Scientifically speaking, the shade will be stationary when the Earth stops its circular movement about itself. In such case, half of the Earth will be day and the other will be night.

So, the sun is the indicator for such event. Who could do that? It is Allah the Creator of the Sun.

Surah 25:45

Have you not considered (the work of) your Lord, how he extends the shade? And if he had pleased he would certainly have made it stationary; then we have made the sun an indication of it

All things that Allah has created have their shadows and prostrate unto Him.

Surah 16:48

Have they not observed all things that Allah hath created, how their shadows incline to the right and to the left, making prostration unto Allah, and they are lowly?

Surah 16:81

it is Allah who made out of the things he created, some things to give you shade; of the hills he made some for your shelter; he made you garments to protect you from heat, and coats of mail to protect you from your (mutual) violence. thus does he complete his favors on you, that ye may bow to his will (in Islam).

Surah 35:19-21

19 and the blind and the seeing are not alike

20 nor the darkness and the light,

21 nor is the shadow equal with the sun’s full heat;

 

3) The Shadow at the Day of Judgment

At that horrible day, everything is already judged in justice.

Man is one of two, believer or unbeliever; each one has his own Shadow.

The Coming of Allah:

Surah 2:210

Wait they for naught else than that Allah should come unto them in the shadows of the clouds with the angels? Then the case would be already judged. All cases go back to Allah (for judgment).

 

4) The Shadow for the believers and the unbelievers in the Afterlife

The Shadow for those who believe; this meaning is not mentioned in the Bible.

Surah 4:57

And as for those who believe and do good works, we shall make them enter gardens underneath which rivers flow – to dwell therein forever; there for them are pure companions – and we shall make them enter plenteous shadow.

Surah 36:56

They and their associates will be in a pleasant shadow, reclining on thrones (of dignity);

Surah 76:14

And the shades of the (garden) will come low over them, and the bunches (of fruit), there, will hang low in humility (being easy to reach).

Surah 56:30

In shade long-extended,

Surah 77:41

As to the righteous, they shall be amidst (cool) shades and springs (of water).

 

The Shadow for those who do not believe;

This implication is not cited in the Bible

Surah 56:43

And the shade of black smoke

Surah 77: 28-31

28 ah woe, that day, to the rejecters of truth!

29 (it will be said 🙂 “Depart ye to that which ye used to reject as false!

30 “depart ye to a shadow (of smoke ascending) in three branches,

31 “(which yields) no shade of coolness, and is of no use against the fierce blaze.

32 indeed it throws about sparks (huge) as palaces,

Surah 56:43

And the shade of black smoke

 

The following verse summarizes the Shadow for the believers and the unbelievers.

Surah 13:35

a likeness of the garden which the righteous are promised; there now beneath it rivers, its food and shades are perpetual; this is the requital of those who guarded (against evil), and the requital of the unbelievers is the fire.

 

It is very important to declare that anyone believes that the Lord God, the Almighty Creator, has a shadow, hand and/or wings then he surely is unbeliever, he will dwell in the Eternal Hell in the Afterlife forever, and he made Paradise forbidden for him.

Professor Dr. Ibrahim Khalil wrote this article

http://www.articlesbase.com/science-articles/the-shadow-in-bible-and-quran-127402.html

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Back to the main issue of my series of articles (1-38); this is my question to you smart readers: “Is the Quran quoted from the Bible “?