From Among all Nations or From the Seed of Abraham (pbuh)

Moiz Amjad · April 23, 2001

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Article:

In one of his articles[1]

Mr. Jochen Katz has pointed out a contradiction in Al-Ankaboot 29: 27 and

Al-Nah’l 16: 36.

The relevant part of Al-Ankaboot 29: 27 reads as:

And we gave him [i.e. Abraham] Isaac and Jacob and made prophethood in his

progeny.

While the relevant part of Al-Nah’l 16: 36 reads as:

And We have sent a messenger among all peoples.

Explaining the contents of these verses, Mr. Katz writes:

Surah 29:27 states that all prophets came [from] Abraham’s seed. But 16:36

claims that Allah raised messengers from among every people.

Though I really wonder if this objection is really intended seriously by Mr.

Katz or is it just included in the list to, somehow, complete the half-century

of ‘contradictions’ in the Qur’an, yet I present below the obvious:

The former verse does not say: “all prophets came [from] Abraham’s seed”,

on the contrary, it only states that God made prophets from among the progeny of

Abraham (pbuh). In fact, according to the Qur’an, initially God sent his

messengers among all the various peoples in the world. However, after Abraham (pbuh),

prophethood was restricted among the progeny of Abraham (pbuh).

This brief explanation should adequately clarify the two referred verses and

their mutual relationship.

with the Author

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