The Concept of Prophethood and Mission in Abrahamic Religions: A Study of Common Functions and Characteristics

Subject Areas : Theological and philosophical criticism of religious-Islamic subjects

leyla ghasemivenus ¹

1 - PhD in Religions, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Received: 2023-09-13 Accepted : 2023-12-07 Published : 2024-03-05

Keywords: Prophethood, Messengership, Prophets, Heavenly books, Common characteristics, Religious identity,

Abstract :

This research provides a comparative analysis of the concept of prophethood and messengership in the Qur'an, Torah, and Gospel, examining the common functions and characteristics of prophets in these three religious traditions. Prophethood, as the medium of communication between God and humanity, holds a central position in all three heavenly books. In the Torah, prophets are introduced as messengers of divine covenant and guides for the people of Israel; in the Gospel, Christ is presented as the Word of God and savior of the world; and in the Qur'an, messengers are portrayed as bearers of good tidings and warnings, and perfect human exemplars. Using qualitative textual analysis, this study demonstrates that despite theological and interpretive differences, the essential characteristics of prophets including infallibility, truthfulness, trustworthiness, and exemplarity are common across all three traditions. The results of this study reveal the importance of prophets' role in shaping the religious and moral identity of believing communities and provide the possibility of creating mutual understanding among followers of different religions.

References:

منابع فارسی:
بهشتی، م. (۱۳۹۸). تاریخ انبیا در ادیان توحیدی. تهران: امیرکبیر.
جوان آراسته، ح. (۱۳۹۷). نبوت در قرآن و کتاب مقدس. قم: معارف.
رضائی اصفهانی، م. ع. (۱۳۹۶). مقایسه نبوت در اسلام و مسیحیت. قم: مؤسسه آموزشی و پژوهشی امام خمینی.
سبحانی، ج. (۱۳۹۵). پیامبران الهی و کتب آسمانی. قم: مؤسسه بوستان کتاب.
مطهری، م. (۱۳۹۴). خاتم الانبیاء. تهران: صدرا.
English References:
Blankinsopp, J. (2019). A history of prophecy in Israel (Revised ed.). Westminster John Knox Press.
Neusner, J. (2018). Prophecy in the Hebrew Bible: Selected studies from Vetus Testamentum. Brill Academic Publishers.
Rippin, A. (2020). Muslims: Their religious beliefs and practices (5th ed.). Routledge.
Sawyer, J. F. A. (2017). Prophecy and the prophets of the Old Testament. Oxford University Press.
Tottoli, R. (2021). Biblical prophets in the Qur'an and Muslim literature. Routledge.