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The Islamic Whale: Difference between revisions
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===It's from the Jews=== | ===It's from the Jews=== | ||
The Quran was new to the Jews, so interpretation of the Quran couldn't be from the Jewish tradition. But there is a myth of a big sea monster called "Leviathan" in Judaism and Christianity: | |||
{{Quote| | {{Quote|Isiah 27:1| | ||
So " | In that day, | ||
the Lord will punish with his sword— | |||
his fierce, great and powerful sword— | |||
Leviathan the gliding serpent, | |||
Leviathan the coiling serpent; | |||
he will slay the monster of the sea. | |||
}} | |||
It's not clear whether it is a whale or a dolphin or a crocodile. It was also described as a dragon and serpent. There are many different interpretations. In Judaism Leviathan is sometimes understood metaphorically as a great enemy of Israel. In Christianity Leviathan is sometimes understood as Satan. The Torah nor the Bible say that Leviathan holds the earth on its back, but there is a rabbinic text saying that Leviathan is a flying serpent who has "middle bar of the earth" between its fins: | |||
{{Quote|Pirke De-Rabbi Eliezer (Ch. 9)| | |||
On the fifth day He brought forth from the water the Leviathan, the flying serpent, and its dwelling is in the the lowest waters; and between its fins rests the middle bar of the earth. | |||
}} | |||
So maybe the Islamic whale myth is based on one of the interpretations of the myth of Leviathan. But "It's from the Jews" is not an argument, because many Islamic teachings are inspired by Judaism. And Ibn Abbas, the ''turjuman ul-Qur'an'', is the one who interprets the Quran in this way. | |||
===Ibn Abbas narrated it from Jews, but didn't believe it=== | ===Ibn Abbas narrated it from Jews, but didn't believe it=== | ||