koran

In The Koran, Surah 12, the story of Joseph is told. This story is very familiar to many Christians and Jews. There are many elements of this story as told in The Koran. Five specific elements of this version of the classic story are the narrator, the knowledge of the events, the importance of Joseph’s vindication, the parallel made between Joseph and Mohammed as teachers and prophets, and the appearance of details being omitted from this version of the story, as compared to the story as told in the Bible. This story is probably the most easily understood in The Koran because it is the only surah that reads as a narrative.

It is very interesting that in this telling of the story, God himself is the narrator and is referred to in the first-person plural. Referring to God as "We" is probably a reflection of the majesty of God or God encompassing everything. From reading The Koran, we know that God revealed himself to Mohammed and that is why God is the narrator. From this omniscient point-of-view, the reader gains knowledge, not necessarily present in other versions. For example, here the reader gains an insight as to how Joseph perceived what was happening to him because God spoke to him, "And when [the brothers] took [Jo

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Furthermore, God is warning Mohammed about the people he will encounter; God told Mohammed, "Many are the marvels of the heavens and the earth; yet they pass them by and pay no heed to them. He was possessed of knowledge which We had given him. After Joseph framed his brother, who is not named but we understand to be Benjamin, Joseph revealed himself to his brother. The reader is inundated with names and locations, and it may be difficult to discern the true meaning of the story through the plethora of facts.

The purpose of God telling this story to Mohammed may be to make a parallel to Mohammed about his future. " This statement further confirms that The Koran was given to Mohammed from God so that people could understand God’s message and not lose the meaning in a sea of minute details. 16) It seems that throughout this story, Jacob and Joseph had a clear understanding of the outcome and the purpose. "It was but a wish in Jacob’s soul which he had thus fulfilled. It teaches that God has a plan and although He may not reveal Himself and tell it, people must continue to heed the Word of God.

The final pertinent element is the apparent omission of very specific details that are revealed in the Bible. Even Joseph was tempted, but he prayed to God and sought counsel in Him. God is telling Mohammed that he will be up against all men just as Joseph was up against his brothers. In Genesis 37-50, very specific details are given. Joseph’s actions should be revered and true followers should strive to be more like Joseph.

Approximate Word count = 879
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

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