Notes on Islam
I. Terminology
A) Koran, Quran
B) Allah/God
C) Islam
D) Islamic
E) Islamist
F) Muslim/Moslem
G) Mohammedan
II. Differences between Joseph’s Story in Genesis and
in the Koran:
Structure, Point of view, Characterization
A) Narrative structure:
1. Koran and Genesis are
both “vertical”: oriented up/down, stories tend to be independent of each other
2. Genesis:
a. Leisurely pace, 14
chapters, much longer than in Koran
b. Plenty of
interruptions: e.g. chpt 37 is about Joseph in
c. Joseph story woven
into the big story leading to Moses
3. Koran:
a. Faster pace, only 6
pages
b. Interrupted only by
“editorials” about God (e.g. p. 876)
c. Story can stand on
its own, separate from the other suras
i. Does not lead toward Moses
ii. Circles back to
Joseph’s original dream
4. God is a more active
participant in the Koran than in Genesis
a. In Genesis, he gives the dreams and interpretations
(e.g. p. 64); otherwise keeps out of it.
b. In Koran, he is always there
i. Gives Joseph a sign during the temptation (p. 875)
ii. “Wards off wiles” of
local ladies, p. 876
c. Note comments of
Joseph & God on p. 877
d. Koran: plenty of
opportunities to choose submission
B)
First-Person Point of View in Koran vs. Third Person in Genesis. Results:
1. Direct quotation has
a different impact on how we see the story
a. Genesis: rational
discourse gives impression of independent thought, free will (e.g. 39:7-8, p.
62).
b. Koran: God does all
the quoting, people speak the lessons he wants them to speak (e.g. Jacob, p.
875).
2. Koran’s way keeps us
aware of our dependence on God
3. Koran is a
“recitation”: submission makes one like a radio tuned to WGOD: there is none
but him; he rewards the faithful
C) Characterization: Genesis
has less than Homer; Koran has less than Genesis
1. Joseph is only
character is Sura 12 with a name
2. Motivations tend to
come from either God or Satan
a. E.g. Satan makes the servant/prisoner forget promise
to Joseph
3. Joseph’s character
follows the mold of all “messengers” in the Koran (e.g., in the Mary Sura)
a. Personal
characteristics:
i. Exemplary but clearly mortal (e.g. p. 877, “Not that
I… ”)
ii. Orientation of virtues is universal, not tribal
b. Directly guided by
God, not by a “plan” – obeying them = obeying God
c. Messengers polarize
their listeners into believers and unbelievers (viz. Noah)
d. Their message pairs
positive and negative: God’s mercy for the faithful, punishment for the
unfaithful
III. Differences between the two Noah stories
A) Same differences of
structure
1. Koran’s is much
shorter, almost not a “story” at all
2. Genesis weaves
together two Flood stories, takes its time
B) Koran’s Noah is not a
role model but a “messenger” (following the pattern)
1. Message
a. In Genesis: God angry about violence and “evil imagination”
(p. 56, 59)
b. In Koran: God and Noah angry about idolatry
2. Noah polarizes his
listeners into believers and unbelievers (“Lord, do not leave a single
unbeliever” – contrast Abraham in Gen. 18)