Hammad Ahmad RLST 110: Intro To The Old Testament by MR John Haas Insight Paper 2: Genesis (1-4)

Hammad Ahmad
RLST 110: Intro to the Old Testament by Mr John Haas
Insight Paper 2: Genesis (1-4)
The book of Genesis is called the “Bereshit” in Hebrew, named after the first words “In the
beginning of”. As a Muslim, I admire the Jewish tradition using the Hebrew term as it shows
their bond to their scripture. According to scholars, three sources are combined within the book,
the Yahwist, Elohist, and the Priestly sources. From an Islamic standpoint, this shows a problem
in the Jewish claim of the Torah being divinely preserved and authored by Moses, as there are
two accounts present, showing human influence and uncertainty in authorship.
The first 2 chapters recount the two accounts of creation: the Yahwist Account, and the Priestly
Account. The priestly account starts with a detailed description of God’s creation of the world in
second person, which is brief yet present in the Yahwist account. The priestly account describes
the creation of the world with reference to a seven-day sequence, that too in a poetic manner,
said by scholars to have been an aid in oral transmission. The first 3 days seem to address
creation of a ‘major’ scale from a cosmetic point-of-view, where God creates an outline of the
Heavens, Earth, and Water. The next 3 days, God begins to fill these 3 outlines. He fills the
heavens by creating celestial bodies to be a means of measurement and change on Earth via
seasons and time measurement by darkness and light. God fills the outline of the Earth by
creating life on it and filling it with vegetation and beasts by the means of the seas, which he
makes a means of life; interestingly coinciding with evolutionary theories stating the beginning
of life from water. In similitude with the Quranic verse: “And have the ones who disbelieve not
seen that the heavens and the earth were one integrated (mass), then We unseamed them, and of
water We have made every living thing? Would they then not believe?” (21:30) After these 6
days, God “establishes” and settles the project of creation. The use of the word “rest” can be seen
as blasphemous within Jewish and Muslim traditions as it degrades God as needing rest.
The Yahwist Account presents the creation very briefly, it strangely refers to a single day rather
than 6 days. It focuses on presenting the story of Adam and Eve and the origins of mankind. The
story of Adam and Eve is also recognized in the Islamic tradition, but unlike majority Christians,
Muslims and Jews deny the doctrine of original sin and blaming Eve for mankind’s struggle on
Earth, rather they both committed a sin out of forgetfulness, which God warned of beforehand
“So do not let him (Satan) expel you both from the garden, lest that you suffer hardship.”
(Quran 20:117) Interestingly. Prophet Muhammad reports about his ascension journey to the
heavens, that there are four rivers emerging from Eden: two of which are known and the same as
those mentioned in Genesis, while the other two are unknown and belong to the unseen realm.
To me it seems to be a further proof of the truthfulness of Prophet Muhammad. One may claim
that he may have learned this from a Jew or Christian, but he only met the Jews 4 years after the
Night and Ascension Journey.
The story of Adam is mentioned, including Eve’s creation from Adam himself, till the expulsion
of Adam and Eve onto Earth using similar words mentioned in the Quran “Get down from here,
some of you enemies to others.” In contrast to the harsh tone present in Genesis, the Quran
further adds for mankind not to despair “So will come from me guidance, so whoever follows the
guidance, upon them shall not be any worry nor shall they grieve. And whoever disbelieves and
belies our signs, they are the people of the fire, they shall live there forever.” (2:38-39)
An interesting theological discussion within scholarly circles is where the Garden of Eden was
present, with some referring to the interesting link between the Epic of Gilgamesh tablets having
a very similar parallel story within of a man and woman who had to leave their realm and a
serpent stealing a fruit of life.
The story of Cain and Abel is narrated in detail, describing the first incident of murder on Earth.
The story of the first murder shows an early instance of jealousy as a trait of mankind. Cain
displayed possessive jealousy towards his produce, which made him stingy in his offering to
God, while Abel generously offered of his first produce. Upon God not accepting Cain’s stingy
offering, Cain killed Abel out of hateful jealousy. For committing this major sin as well as his
rebellious character, Cain was severely punished, marked as cursed, and separated from his
people and God, this shows the severity of the sin of unjust murder. He did not just kill an
innocent man close to God, but his brother and son of his father. Islamic tradition mentions that
Adam ordered the marrying of the son of one birth to the daughter of the other, Cain to the twin
sister of Abel, and the Abel to the twin sister of Cain, to which Cain refused and demanded the
opposite, being an additional reason for his grudge towards Abel. The Quran supplements the
story of Cain’s act of murder, “Then God sent a raven scratching the Earth to show him how to
bury the corpse of his brother. He said “Woe to me! Was I not even able to do the same as this
raven and so bury my brother? Then he became full of remorse.” (5:31)
Next, the family tree of the Cain is narrated, the descendants of Cain were the founders of early
music and metal tools, showing their leaning towards worldly interests. Since Adam, had lost
one son to murder and the other son who left, he and Eve gave birth to Seth, who is
acknowledged as the second person divinely given Prophethood in Islamic Tradition, who
revived the remembrance of God amongst people, in contrast to the descendants of Cain who are
shown to give priority to worldly matters. I end using the phrase Abel uttered in response to his
brother’s reproach “God only accepts from those who fear Him.”

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Hammad Ahmad

RLST 110: Intro to the Old Testament by Mr John Haas

Insight Paper 2: Genesis (1-4)

two accounts present, showing human influence and uncertainty in authorship.

Night and Ascension Journey.

serpent stealing a fruit of life.

raven and so bury my brother? Then he became full of remorse.” (5:31)

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