A Critique of Goldziher’s View on Adaptation of Islamic Teachings from Judaism

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Ph.D. Student of Islamic Studies Majoring in the Qurʾān and Religious Texts - Pardis Farabi Campus, Tehran University (m.r.ghazaie313@gmail.com

2 . Department Head and Associate Professor, Pardis Farabi Campus, Tehran University (a.sadi@ut.ac.ir).

Abstract

Islam is a religion that has attracted the attention of many people because of the scope of its influence. Among them are Orientalists, who have carried out research in the field of Islam. One of them is the Jewish scholar Ignaz Goldziher, who has done a lot of research and written copiously in this field. In an article in the Jewish Encyclopedia and in some of his works, he has stated his rejection of the revelatory nature of Islam and has claimed that the Prophet of Islam followed and took his teachings from Judaism, and has provided some examples to prove his assertion. Among the teachings, he has discussed the ‘belief in God’, ‘fasting’, ‘Qiblah’, ‘slaughter of animals’ and ‘washing the dead’. In this article we have examined the validity of Goldziher’s claims about Islam and the borrowing of Islamic teachings from Judaism. By studying and comparing the teachings of Judaism and Islam, it becomes clear that his claim is without merit and that mere similarity in some teachings does not mean that borrowing or adaptation has taken place, as it is quite possible that the singular source of monotheistic religions could also be the reason for their similarity. The fundamental difference between the two religions in some of the commandments is further evidence of the falsity of Goldziher’s claims.

Keywords

The Qur’an from Orientalists Point of View
Volume 14, Issue 26
September 2019
Pages 63-82

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History

  • Receive Date: 01 May 2019
  • Revise Date: 01 June 2019
  • Accept Date: 13 July 2019

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