The Concept of Prophethood in the Torah and the Qurʾān in the Context of ʿIsmat al-Anbiyāʾ: The Case of Prophet Yaʿqūb

Muhammed Fatih Eren

Article Details

The Concept of Prophethood in the Torah and the Qurʾān in the Context of ʿIsmat al-Anbiyāʾ: The Case of Prophet Yaʿqūb

Authors:

Muhammed Fatih Eren

Publisher:

Harran University

Main Topics:

Kelam

Journal:

Harran İlahiyat Dergisi Issue 53, pp.369-391

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

6/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001342577

pISSN:

2791-6812

Keywords:

Abstract:

 The institution of prophethood and its essence, which plays a central role in conveying the divine message to humanity, is one of the main theological concerns in Abrahamic religions. However, despite sharing the same prophetic tradition, there are significant differences between the prophetic perceptions of the Abrahamic religions. It can be argued that this difference is not merely a difference in approach, but is directly related to the perception of God in their belief systems. In other words, the understanding of God adopted by the Abrahamic religions while determining their theological frameworks has been a fundamental factor shaping their conception of prophethood and, consequently, their views on the hereafter. In this regard, the Jewish scriptures portray God with human-like attributesdepicting Him as walking, wrestling, feeling anger and regret, hesitating and changing plans, and even commanding acts such as theft. In contrast, the Quranic conception of God presents a perspective of a deity that is centered on the principle of absolute monotheism, transcendent, supreme, merciful and the absolute source of justice. This difference naturally shapes the perception of the prophethood and leads to a deep divergence between the prophetic understandings of both religions. This study aims to examine the perceptions of prophethood in Jewish and Islamic theologies in a comparative perspective through the example of Prophet Yaʿqūb Jacob within the framework of the concept of Ismat al-Anbiya the infallibility of prophets. The main objective of the study is to identify the main distinctions behind the understanding of prophethood in these two theologies and to evaluate the negative attributions directed toward prophets, especially in Jewish scriptures, within the framework of Islams conception of prophethood. In this context, Jewish scriptures sometimes depict prophets with human weaknesses, sins and even ethically problematic actions. On the other hand, in Islamic theology, it is accepted that prophets have the attribute of ismat infallibility and are protected from major sins as a requirement of receiving revelation. This is because the example and guidance of the apostles, who take the responsibility of representation beyond the task of conveying the message, can only be possible through the consistency and harmony between the divine message they carry and their actions. Although there are various studies on the depictions of prophets and prophethood in Jewish sources, there is no research that specifically deals with the Prophet Yaqūb in the context of Ismat al-Anbiya. Accordingly, this study, which comparatively analyzes the understanding of prophethood in Jewish and Islamic theologies on the basis of the Torah and Quranic texts, aims to contribute to the literature by presenting the prophetic perspective of Jewish theology in a specific framework. With this comparison, Islams portrayal of prophethood through the Prophet Jacob in the Holy Qurʾān becomes more clearly defined. In this way, Islam positions the prophets as ideal moral guides for their societies, and restores them the dignity they deserve by reconstructing the true identities of the prophets who were falsified and discredited by the Jews. The study is based on the comparison of the narratives of Yaqūb in the Torah and the Qurʾān with the method of textual analysis and is supported by the data obtained from secondary literature. In this framework, the commentaries on the Torah were also consulted. The findings of the study reveal that in the Jewish tradition, the understanding that prophets may have moral weaknesses is widespread, whereas in Islam, the belief that prophets are protected from all kinds of sins by being characterized with the attribute of ismat is dominant. It is also concluded that the Qurʾān corrects the distorted portrayal of prophets in Jewish scriptures and repositions prophets as moral guides.

 The institution of prophethood and its essence, which plays a central role in conveying the divine message to humanity, is one of the main theological concerns in Abrahamic religions. However, despite sharing the same prophetic tradition, there are significant differences between the prophetic perceptions of the Abrahamic religions. It can be argued that this difference is not merely a difference in approach, but is directly related to the perception of God in their belief systems. In other words, the understanding of God adopted by the Abrahamic religions while determining their theological frameworks has been a fundamental factor shaping their conception of prophethood and, consequently, their views on the hereafter. In this regard, the Jewish scriptures portray God with human-like attributesdepicting Him as walking, wrestling, feeling anger and regret, hesitating and changing plans, and even commanding acts such as theft. In contrast, the Quranic conception of God presents a perspective of a deity that is centered on the principle of absolute monotheism, transcendent, supreme, merciful and the absolute source of justice. This difference naturally shapes the perception of the prophethood and leads to a deep divergence between the prophetic understandings of both religions. This study aims to examine the perceptions of prophethood in Jewish and Islamic theologies in a comparative perspective through the example of Prophet Yaʿqūb Jacob within the framework of the concept of Ismat al-Anbiya the infallibility of prophets. The main objective of the study is to identify the main distinctions behind the understanding of prophethood in these two theologies and to evaluate the negative attributions directed toward prophets, especially in Jewish scriptures, within the framework of Islams conception of prophethood. In this context, Jewish scriptures sometimes depict prophets with human weaknesses, sins and even ethically problematic actions. On the other hand, in Islamic theology, it is accepted that prophets have the attribute of ismat infallibility and are protected from major sins as a requirement of receiving revelation. This is because the example and guidance of the apostles, who take the responsibility of representation beyond the task of conveying the message, can only be possible through the consistency and harmony between the divine message they carry and their actions. Although there are various studies on the depictions of prophets and prophethood in Jewish sources, there is no research that specifically deals with the Prophet Yaqūb in the context of Ismat al-Anbiya. Accordingly, this study, which comparatively analyzes the understanding of prophethood in Jewish and Islamic theologies on the basis of the Torah and Quranic texts, aims to contribute to the literature by presenting the prophetic perspective of Jewish theology in a specific framework. With this comparison, Islams portrayal of prophethood through the Prophet Jacob in the Holy Qurʾān becomes more clearly defined. In this way, Islam positions the prophets as ideal moral guides for their societies, and restores them the dignity they deserve by reconstructing the true identities of the prophets who were falsified and discredited by the Jews. The study is based on the comparison of the narratives of Yaqūb in the Torah and the Qurʾān with the method of textual analysis and is supported by the data obtained from secondary literature. In this framework, the commentaries on the Torah were also consulted. The findings of the study reveal that in the Jewish tradition, the understanding that prophets may have moral weaknesses is widespread, whereas in Islam, the belief that prophets are protected from all kinds of sins by being characterized with the attribute of ismat is dominant. It is also concluded that the Qurʾān corrects the distorted portrayal of prophets in Jewish scriptures and repositions prophets as moral guides.

 The institution of prophethood and its essence, which plays a central role in conveying the divine message to humanity, is one of the main theological concerns in Abrahamic religions. However, despite sharing the same prophetic tradition, there are significant differences between the prophetic perceptions of the Abrahamic religions. It can be argued that this difference is not merely a difference in approach, but is directly related to the perception of God in their belief systems. In other words, the understanding of God adopted by the Abrahamic religions while determining their theological frameworks has been a fundamental factor shaping their conception of prophethood and, consequently, their views on the hereafter. In this regard, the Jewish scriptures portray God with human-like attributesdepicting Him as walking, wrestling, feeling anger and regret, hesitating and changing plans, and even commanding acts such as theft. In contrast, the Quranic conception of God presents a perspective of a deity that is centered on the principle of absolute monotheism, transcendent, supreme, merciful and the absolute source of justice. This difference naturally shapes the perception of the prophethood and leads to a deep divergence between the prophetic understandings of both religions. This study aims to examine the perceptions of prophethood in Jewish and Islamic theologies in a comparative perspective through the example of Prophet Yaʿqūb Jacob within the framework of the concept of Ismat al-Anbiya the infallibility of prophets. The main objective of the study is to identify the main distinctions behind the understanding of prophethood in these two theologies and to evaluate the negative attributions directed toward prophets, especially in Jewish scriptures, within the framework of Islams conception of prophethood. In this context, Jewish scriptures sometimes depict prophets with human weaknesses, sins and even ethically problematic actions. On the other hand, in Islamic theology, it is accepted that prophets have the attribute of ismat infallibility and are protected from major sins as a requirement of receiving revelation. This is because the example and guidance of the apostles, who take the responsibility of representation beyond the task of conveying the message, can only be possible through the consistency and harmony between the divine message they carry and their actions. Although there are various studies on the depictions of prophets and prophethood in Jewish sources, there is no research that specifically deals with the Prophet Yaqūb in the context of Ismat al-Anbiya. Accordingly, this study, which comparatively analyzes the understanding of prophethood in Jewish and Islamic theologies on the basis of the Torah and Quranic texts, aims to contribute to the literature by presenting the prophetic perspective of Jewish theology in a specific framework. With this comparison, Islams portrayal of prophethood through the Prophet Jacob in the Holy Qurʾān becomes more clearly defined. In this way, Islam positions the prophets as ideal moral guides for their societies, and restores them the dignity they deserve by reconstructing the true identities of the prophets who were falsified and discredited by the Jews. The study is based on the comparison of the narratives of Yaqūb in the Torah and the Qurʾān with the method of textual analysis and is supported by the data obtained from secondary literature. In this framework, the commentaries on the Torah were also consulted. The findings of the study reveal that in the Jewish tradition, the understanding that prophets may have moral weaknesses is widespread, whereas in Islam, the belief that prophets are protected from all kinds of sins by being characterized with the attribute of ismat is dominant. It is also concluded that the Qurʾān corrects the distorted portrayal of prophets in Jewish scriptures and repositions prophets as moral guides.

 İlahi mesajın insana iletilmesinde merkezi bir rol oynayan nübüvvet müessesesi ve onun mahiyeti, semavi dinler açısından teolojinin ana meselelerinden biridir. Ancak, aynı nebevi geleneği paylaşmakla birlikte semavi dinlerin nübüvvet algıları arasında önemli farklılıkların olduğu görülmektedir. Bu farklılığın, salt bir yaklaşım farkından ibaret olmadığı, aksine doğrudan inanç sistemlerinin Tanrı algısıyla bağlantılı olduğu söylenebilir. Başka bir ifadeyle, semavi dinlerin teolojik çerçevelerini belirlerken benimsedikleri Tanrı anlayışları, nübüvvet tasavvurunu ve dolayısıyla ahiret anlayışlarını da şekillendiren temel bir unsur olmuştur. Bu çerçevede Yahudi kutsal metinlerinde Tanrı, insanî özellikler taşıyan bir varlık olarak betimlenmekte, yürüyen, güreşen, kızgınlık ve pişmanlık duyan, tereddüt edip plan değiştiren, hatta hırsızlık gibi fiilleri emredebilen bir şekilde tasvir edilmektedir. Buna karşılık, Kuranın sunduğu Tanrı tasavvuru, mutlak tevhit ilkesini merkeze alan, aşkın, yüce, merhametli ve adaletin mutlak kaynağı olan bir ilah perspektifi ortaya koymaktadır. Bu farklılık, peygamber algısını da doğal olarak şekillendirmekte ve her iki dinin nübüvvet anlayışları arasında derin bir ayrışmaya yol açmaktadır. Bu çalışma, Yahudi ve İslam teolojilerinde peygamberlik algılarını ismetül-enbiya kavramı çerçevesinde Hz. Yakûb örneği üzerinden karşılaştırmalı bir perspektifle ele almayı amaçlamaktadır. Araştırmanın temel hedefi, söz konusu iki teolojideki peygamberlik anlayışlarının arkasında yatan temel ayrımları tespit etmek ve özellikle Yahudi kutsal metinlerinde peygamberlere yöneltilen olumsuz ithamları, İslamın peygamber tasavvuru çerçevesinde mukayeseli bir değerlendirmeye tabi tutmaktır. Bu bağlamda, Yahudi kutsal metinlerinde peygamberlerin kimi zaman insani zaaflarla, günahlarla ve hatta etik açıdan sorunlu eylemlerle betimlendiği görülmektedir. Buna karşılık, İslam teolojisinde peygamberlerin, vahiy almanın gereği olarak ismet sıfatına sahip oldukları ve büyük günahlardan korunmuş oldukları kabul edilmektedir. Zira tebliğ görevinin ötesinde temsil sorumluluğunu da üstlenen elçilerin örnekliği ve rehberliği taşıdıkları ilahi mesaj ile ortaya koydukları eylemler arasındaki tutarlılık ve uyumla mümkün olabilir. Yahudi kaynaklarındaki peygamber tasvirleri ve nübüvvet algılarına ilişkin çeşitli çalışmalar bulunmakla birlikte, Hz. Yakûbun ismetül-enbiya bağlamında özel olarak ele alındığı bir araştırmaya rastlanmamaktadır. Bu doğrultuda, Yahudi ve İslam teolojilerinin peygamberlik anlayışlarının, Tevrat ve Kurân-ı Kerîm metinleri temelinde karşılaştırmalı olarak analiz edildiği bu çalışma, Yahudi teolojisinin nübüvvet perspektifini spesifik bir çerçevede sunarak literatüre katkı sağlamayı hedeflemektedir. Bu mukayese ile birlikte İslamın Kuran-ı Kerim özelinde Hz. Yakup üzerinden ortaya koyduğu nübüvvet tasviri daha da belirginleşmiş olacaktır. Böylelikle İslamiyet elçileri, toplumları için ideal ahlâkî rehberler olarak konumlandırmakta, Yahudilerce tahrif edilen ve itibarsızlaştırılan peygamberlerin gerçek kimliklerini yeniden inşa ederek onlara hak ettikleri itibarı iade etmektedir. Çalışmada, Tevrat ve Kurân-ı Kerîmde Hz. Yakûba ilişkin anlatımların metin analizi yöntemiyle karşılaştırılması esas alınmış ve ikincil literatürden elde edilen verilerle desteklenmiştir. Bu çerçevede Tevratın tefsirlerine de başvurulmuştur. Araştırma bulguları, Yahudi geleneğinde peygamberlerin ahlâkî zaaflara sahip olabilecekleri anlayışının yaygın olduğunu, İslamda ise peygamberlerin ismet sıfatıyla tanımlanarak her türlü günahtan korundukları inancının hâkim olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır. Ayrıca, Kurân-ı Kerîmin, Yahudi kutsal metinlerinde yer alan çarpıtılmış peygamber tasvirlerini düzelterek peygamberleri ahlâkî rehberler olarak yeniden konumlandırdığı sonucuna ulaşılmıştır.

Article Details

The Concept of Prophethood in the Torah and the Qurʾān in the Context of ʿIsmat al-Anbiyāʾ: The Case of Prophet Yaʿqūb

Authors:

Muhammed Fatih Eren

Publisher:

Harran University

Main Topics:

Kelam

Journal:

Harran İlahiyat Dergisi Issue 53, pp.369-391

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

6/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001342577

pISSN:

2791-6812

Kalam

Prophethood

Islam

Judaism

ʿIsmat al-Anbiyāʾ

Prophet YaʿqūbKelâm

Nübüvvet

İslâm

Yahudilik

İsmetü’l-Enbiya

Hz. Ya‘kūb.

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Muhammed Fatih Eren

Publisher: Harran University

Main Topics: Kelam

Journal: Harran İlahiyat Dergisi Issue 53, pp.369-391

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 6/2025

Document Language: Turkish

Document ID (Org No.): 2001342577

pISSN: 2791-6812

Issues

Authors:

Muhammed Fatih Eren

Publisher:

Harran University

Main Topics:

Kelam

Journal:

Harran İlahiyat Dergisi Issue 53, pp.369-391

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

6/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001342577

pISSN:

2791-6812