The story of Noah from Islamic & Biblical Perspective along with a Critical Study of its Text

قصة نوح عليه السلام من المنظور الإسلامي والكتابي مع دراسة نقدية للنص

Abstract

The Book of Genesis, the first book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament, is traditionally attributed to Prophet Moses (circa 1400 BCE) in Jewish and Christian traditions. Serving as the foundational text of the entire Bible, it narrates the origins of the universe, humanity, Sabbath, marriage, sin, redemption, and the chosen lineage leading to Israel. This research examines the historical emergence, oral and written transmission, and textual development of Genesis across major traditions: the Masoretic Text, Samaritan Pentateuch, and Septuagint, highlighting significant variants and historical-theological discrepancies. Special attention is devoted to the Flood narrative (Genesis 6–9) and its distinctive differences from the Qur’ānic account of Prophet Nūḥ (peace be upon him) presented primarily in Sūrahs Hūd, Nūḥ, and al-A‘rāf. While the Biblical account portrays a global flood, the survival of Noah’s entire family, and a universal covenant with all living creatures, the Qur’ān emphasizes Nūḥ’s prolonged prophetic mission of tawḥīd, the local or regional nature of the punishment, and the disbelief and drowning of one of Noah’s sons, and the salvation of only the believers. By employing textual criticism, comparative religion methodology, and insights from classical and modern scholarship, this study illuminates how editorial processes, diaspora experiences, and theological priorities shaped the Genesis text over centuries, and how the Qur’ānic retelling corrects and completes the narrative from an Islamic viewpoint, reaffirming the oneness of God and the consequences of rejecting prophethood.