The Qur’an

“God’s Covenant with Abraham”

Sura 2

The Cow

260. And when Ibrahim said: My Lord! show me how Thou givest life to the dead, He said: What! and do you not believe? He said: Yes, but that my heart may be at ease. He said: Then take four of the birds, then train them to follow you, then place on every mountain a part of them, then call them, they will come to you flying; and know that Allah is Mighty, Wise.

The Bible

“God’s Covenant with Abram (Abraham)”

Genesis

Chapter 15

7. And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.
8. And he said, Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?
9. And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.
10. And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.
12. And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.
13. And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
14. And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.

17. And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.
18. In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates.

COMMENTARY

In the Qur’an:

1. Ibrahim asked Allah to show him a sign that He could bring life to the dead, and as a result, parts of birds reattached themselves together and flew to Ibrahim.

In the Bible:

1. Abraham (Abram) inquired of God how he could know that his seed will inherit the land that God had promised to him. God asked him to prepare a sacrifice. Every animal was cut into pieces, except the birds.

Here in the Bible we see that Abraham’s question to God was different than the one asked in the Qur’an, and it resulted in a special covenant (agreement) that God made with Abraham and his descendants.