Bible: An Islamic Perspective:From Manarchy to Hellenism

From Monarchy to Hellenism is a potpourri of stories common to both Biblical and Islamic tradition. This volume of The Bible: An Islamic Perspective series begins with the story of the strange prophet Elijah and his confrontations with Ahab and Jezebel. We then examine the Biblical and Quranic versions of the story of Jonah. Though Nebuchadnezzar is not mentioned in the Quran, his destruction of the Temple is. As a postscript to this story, we look at the story of Habakkuk. We next consider the Ezra controversy before turning to the Islamic story of Dhul- Qarnayn, though by many to be identified with Alexander the Great, thus bringing us up to Hellenism. this involves discussions of God and Magog, Daris the Great, Cyrus the Great, and others. Finally, we turn to question of the identity of another sage well known in the Islamic world, Luqman the Wise. Is he Balaam, Aesop, or someone else? A few words about the Old Testament in general conclude the volume.