Human Mission and Function in the Torah and the Qur’an: A Comparative Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63939/ajts.yfsje881Keywords:
Mission, Human Being, Function, Torah, Qur’an, ComparisonAbstract
This study undertakes a comparative examination of the Torah and the Holy Qur’an regarding the human being’s mission and function in life-the purpose for which God Almighty created humankind. It addresses the identification of the fundamental and original mission entrusted to the human being, as well as points of similarity and difference in both religions, through clarifying key concepts and terminology and analyzing passages from the Torah and the Qur’an that relate to this topic.
The study concludes that, in the Torah, the human mission and function is framed as a particular form of vicegerency assigned to a particular people - “God’s chosen people” - which does not support the foundations of building a nation and its civilization. By contrast, in the Holy Qur’an, the human mission and function is represented in realizing vicegerency on earth in its proper form; this constitutes a hallmark of Islamic civilization, a pillar of social life, and a basis for psychological well-being in this world and the hereafter, as well as for social and global peace.
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