Page 231 - History of The Quranic Text | Kalamullah.Com

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

EARLY HISTORY OF JUDAISM: A BRIEF LOOK

Israel was in the thought of God before the creation of the Universe
(Gen. R. 1.4)that heaven and earth were only created through the merit
of Israel. As the world could not exist without the winds, so is it im-
possible for the world to exist without Israel.'

In examining the Scriptures it is best to proceed chronologically, beginning
with the religious and political history ofJudaism. The traditionalJewish
accounts may well come as a shock to some, riddled as they are with idol-
atrousness, paganism and a frequent disregard for the Oneness of God.
My main objective here is to show that the early followers ofJudaism were
not favourably inclined towards Moses, or his message. Numerous tales
illustrate the early Jews' unfavourable opinions of their prophets and reveal
mind-boggling conceptions of God, and after recounting some of these I
will move on to the history of the Kings of Israel and Judah and their
idolatrous lives.This will provide the reader with a taste of the circumstances
under which the Old Testament (OT) laboured for many centuries, and
which ultimately decimated any hope of its faithful preservation."

1.Jewish History Prior to Establishing the Kingdom

Birth rif Ishmael and Isaac, sons rif Abraham

I Now Sarai Abram's" wifebore him no children: and she had an hand-
maid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.

I Rev. Dr.A.Cohen,Everyman's Talmud, London,p. 61,quotedbyS.A.Zia,A History
of.7ewish Crimes, Union BookStall, Karachi, 1969,p. 53.
2 The reader must takeinto accountthat the majorityof historicalincidentsmen-
tionedin thischapterhaveeithera directbearingon theOT,or showhowunfavourable
the prevalent religious andmoralpractices wereto the OT's intactsurvival. Mypurpose
is not to providea comprehensive historyof the Israelites; the interestedreader can
easilyfmdmany references that are equipped withdetailsof their militaryexcursions
and politicalallegiances etc.
3 This ishow the name appears in Genesis, with 'Abram' changing to 'Abraham'
upon his conversation with God.