Comparison with earlier scriptures
The Qur'an's emphasis on reason and some of its rulings, set beside their parallels in the earlier scriptures (Torah, Psalms, Gospel) — and the Qur'an's direct citations of them. Every text with its source, soberly.
The Qur'an's explicit citations
The Qur'an cites this directly: 'And We ordained for them therein [the Torah]: a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth...' (Q 5:45) — an explicit in-text reference matching Exodus 21:24.
The Qur'an explicitly says 'We wrote in the Zabūr (Psalms), after the Reminder, that the land is inherited by My righteous servants' (Q 21:105) — matching Psalm 37:29.
After invoking 'the scrolls of Moses and Abraham' (Q 53:36-37), the Qur'an states: 'that no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another' (53:38). Ezekiel 18:20 (and Deut 24:16) is the same principle of individual responsibility.
The Qur'an describes the believers by 'their likeness in the Gospel': 'like a seed that sends forth its shoot, then strengthens it...' (Q 48:29) — the same growing-grain image as Mark 4:28.
The Qur'an says: 'We decreed for the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul... it is as if he killed all mankind, and whoever saves one, as if he saved all mankind' (Q 5:32) — matching the famous ruling of Mishnah Sanhedrin 4:5. Note: the printed (Vilna) text reads 'a soul of Israel'; some manuscripts (e.g. Kaufmann) omit 'of Israel', giving the universal reading found in the Qur'an. (Scholarly note.)
“When will you use reason?”
Thematic parallel: Psalm 94:8 rebukes 'when will ye be wise?' — the Arabic Van Dyck renders it with the very root 'تعقلون' (will you reason). It echoes the Qur'an's recurring refrain 'afalā taʿqilūn' (will you not use reason?). (Interpretation: shared theme, not literary dependence.)
The senseless, worse than beasts
Thematic parallel: 'A brutish man knoweth not, neither doth a fool understand' (Psalm 92:6) runs alongside Qur'an 8:22, where those who do not reason are 'the worst of creatures' — both place the failure to reason at the bottom. (Interpretation.)
Thematic parallel: 'A nation void of counsel, without understanding' (Deut 32:28) overlaps with the Qur'an's critique of those who will not reason (8:22; 7:179). (Interpretation.)
The animal-without-understanding simile
Thematic parallel: 'Be not as the horse or mule, which have no understanding' (Psalm 32:9) is the same image as Qur'an 25:44, 'they are but like cattle — nay, more astray.' (Interpretation.)
Thematic parallel: 'The ox knoweth his owner... but my people doth not consider' (Isaiah 1:3) shares the same animal comparison as Qur'an 7:179, 'they are like cattle — nay, more astray.' (Interpretation.)
Eyes that see not, ears that hear not
Thematic parallel: 'eyes, and see not; ears, and hear not' (Jeremiah 5:21) is almost a word-for-word counterpart to Qur'an 7:179, 'hearts that understand not, eyes that see not, ears that hear not.' (Interpretation.)
Thematic parallel: 'eyes to see, and see not; ears to hear, and hear not' (Ezekiel 12:2) carries the same sensory formula as Qur'an 7:179. (Interpretation.)
Thematic parallel: Jesus' 'Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not?' (Mark 8:18) runs alongside Qur'an 2:171, 'deaf, dumb, blind — they do not reason.' (Interpretation.)
Thematic parallel: 'seeing they see not; hearing they hear not, neither understand' (Matthew 13:13) shares the same motif as Qur'an 2:171's emphasis on not reasoning. (Interpretation.)
Creation & cosmology
Six-day creation is shared: 'in six days the LORD made...' (Exodus 20:11) ↔ 'your Lord created the heavens and the earth in six days' (Q 7:54; also 10:3; 11:7; 25:59; 32:4; 50:38; 57:4). (Interpretation: shared theme; 'day/yawm' is also read as a period. For the rest difference see Genesis 2:2 ↔ 50:38.)
Shared theme of separation + water in creation: Genesis 1:7 divides the waters by a firmament; the Qur'an says 'the heavens and the earth were a joined entity, then We separated them, and We made from water every living thing' (Q 21:30). (Interpretation: a close theme, not identical.)
Shared: man formed from dust + the breath of life: 'of the dust... breathed the breath of life' (Genesis 2:7) ↔ 'We created man from an extract of clay' (Q 23:12) and 'I breathed into him of My spirit' (Q 15:29; 32:9). (Interpretation.)
Shared image of spreading/stretching the heaven: 'stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain... as a tent' (Isaiah 40:22) ↔ 'the heaven We built with might, and We are expanding it' (Q 51:47). (Interpretation: a shared textual image — NOT a 'scientific miracle/proof' claim.)
Creation as witness to the Creator is shared: 'The heavens declare the glory of God' (Psalm 19:1) ↔ 'the seven heavens and the earth and whatever is in them exalt Him; there is nothing that does not glorify His praise' (Q 17:44; also 41:53). (Interpretation.)
Shared image of the earth made stable: 'Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed' (Psalm 104:5) ↔ 'He cast into the earth firm mountains, lest it shift with you' (Q 16:15; also 78:7 'mountains as pegs'). (Interpretation: a shared textual image, not a geological claim.)
A clear difference: Genesis 2:2 (and Exodus 31:17 'rested and was refreshed') says God RESTED on the seventh day. The Qur'an negates fatigue: 'We created the heavens and the earth and what is between them in six days, and no weariness touched Us' (Q 50:38; cf. 2:255 'neither drowsiness nor sleep overtakes Him'). (Distinction.)
Stewardship & the earth
Shared trust over the earth: 'fill the earth, and subdue it... have dominion' (Genesis 1:28) ↔ 'I will make upon the earth a khalīfa (steward/successor)' (Q 2:30). Both: a granted, responsible role. (Interpretation.)
Shared keeping/care: man is placed in the garden 'to dress it and to **keep** it' (Genesis 2:15) ↔ 'do not cause **corruption** upon the earth after its reformation' (Q 7:56; also 30:41 'corruption has appeared on land and sea by what men's hands earned'). Stewardship = care, not exploitation. (Interpretation.)
Where the Qur'an differs
The Gospels narrate that Jesus was crucified (John 19:18). The Qur'an differs: 'they did not kill him, nor crucify him, but it was made to appear so to them' (Q 4:157). (Distinction; the Qur'anic position.)
John 3:16 speaks of God's 'only begotten Son.' The Qur'an says of God 'He neither begets nor is begotten' (Q 112:3) and rejects the title 'son of God' (Q 9:30). (Distinction.)
Matthew 28:19 mentions baptism 'in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost' (a triadic formula; the doctrine of the Trinity itself is a later conciliar definition, not the verse's wording). The Qur'an says 'they have disbelieved who say God is the third of three' (Q 5:73), rejecting 'three.' (Distinction; respectfully.)
Romans 5:12 says that through one man (Adam) sin and death passed to all humanity (the basis of original sin). The Qur'an says 'no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another' (Q 6:164), not accepting inherited sin. (Distinction.)