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'''The claim is that this parallelism originated from the Midrash as an invention of a Rabbi:''' | '''The claim is that this parallelism originated from the Midrash as an invention of a Rabbi:''' | ||
From the perspective of a believing Muslim, it seems shocking that a Jewish legend about Abraham, created thousands of years after the event it purports to relate, made its way into the unerring Qur'an. For the secular scholar studying the Qur'an as a historical document of its time and place, the ancient near east, this is not at all surprising given the wide range of religious literature which was read and spread in the ancient near east. This story is a well known illustration invented by Rabbi Hiyya in the 2nd century CE; it is recorded in the Midrash Rabbah Genesis and all authorities agree that it was never meant to be considered historical, even by the audience for whom it was composed. | |||
The Quranic account of Abraham and the idols commences in {{Quran|6|74}} where Abraham is quoted as saying "Takest thou idols for gods?" and this theme is then expanded in Sura {{Quran|21|51-71}} . It is exactly the same theme of the Midrashic legend where Abraham takes issue over the idols of his father. | The Quranic account of Abraham and the idols commences in {{Quran|6|74}} where Abraham is quoted as saying "Takest thou idols for gods?" and this theme is then expanded in Sura {{Quran|21|51-71}} . It is exactly the same theme of the Midrashic legend where Abraham takes issue over the idols of his father. |