al-Nubuwwa wal-Anbiya fi al-Yahudiyya wal-Masihiyya wal-Islam
- Author died
- -
- Editions
- Maktabat Wahba
al-Nubuwwa wal-Anbiya fi al-Yahudiyya wal-Masihiyya wal-Islam (Prophecy and the Prophets in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) is a comparative study of prophetic traditions across the Abrahamic religions by Ahmad Abd al-Wahhab Ali, published in Cairo by Maktabat Wahba in 1400 AH / 1980 CE.
Place in the Author's Series
The book forms the second volume of the author's comparative series Dirasa fi al-Adyan ("Studies in Religions"). It was released shortly after the first volume, al-Wahy wal-Mala'ika ("Revelation and Angels"), which covered revelation and angelology as two core pillars of faith shared among Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Although planned as the second part, its publication followed the third volume in the series, al-Masih fi Masadir al-Aqa'id al-Masihiyya ("The Messiah in the Sources of Christian Creeds"), which had appeared unnumbered over a year earlier due to procedural circumstances.
Structure and Contents
The work opens with an introduction asserting that primordial human religion was pure monotheism starting with Adam, and that divine messages share a unified origin. The core text is divided into four main chapters:
- Chapter One: Introduction to the Study of Prophecy and Prophets (Madkhal li-Dirasat al-Nubuwwa wal-Nabiyyin): Explores the biblical concept of prophecy, the linguistic usage of the term "prophet" (nabiyy), the distinction between genuine prophets and professional or false prophets in ancient Israel, the manifestations and methods of prophesying, and shared characteristics among prophets. In this chapter, the author engages with modern Old Testament scholarship, including the work of Oxford scholar Eric William Heaton.
- Chapter Two: Prophets of the Early Generations (Anbiya al-Qurun al-Ula): Focuses on the prophetic narratives of Noah and Abraham.
- Chapter Three: Prophets of the Children of Israel (Anbiya Bani Isra'il): Examines Moses, Elijah, and Jesus. The section on Jesus investigates the title "Messiah", the virgin birth, Jesus' names and titles, his portrayal and human nature across Gospel accounts (including his childhood, emotions, trade, and disciples), his miracles compared to those of earlier prophets, and his representation in the Quran.
- Chapter Four: The Prophet of the Worlds, Muhammad, Seal of the Prophets (Nabiyy al-Alamin Muhammad Khatam al-Nabiyyin): Discusses the prophethood of Muhammad and analyzes biblical prophecies (bisharat) foretelling his arrival. These include passages from the Torah, the Psalms, and the Book of Isaiah, as well as New Testament prophecies concerning the awaited prophet, the approaching Kingdom of Heaven, and the Spirit of Truth (Ruh al-Haqq / the Paraclete).
Method and Themes
The book employs a comparative textual approach, juxtaposing biblical passages from both the Old and New Testaments with Islamic scripture and classical commentaries. Beyond textual textual exegesis, the author analyzes historical and modern Christian–Muslim encounters, reviewing anti-Islamic polemics from the Crusades onward, the deliberations of the 1906 Cairo Missionary Conference presided over by Samuel Zwemer, and later 20th-century interfaith shifts following the Second Vatican Council and the Córdoba dialogue conference.
Answer updated