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The stories of the Prophets ( Qaṣaṣ al-Anbīyāʼ ) in the Qur'an and the Old Testament (OT), while seemingly narrating shared figures, reflect two distinct conceptual frameworks at the level of structure, function, and message. This article employs a comparative approach to examine the fundamental differences between these two texts in narrating the Prophets' stories. It demonstrates that the Qur'an presents these narratives as a tool for individual spiritual development, social reform, and the realization of Divine Laws (Sunan Ilahi) in history. In contrast, these stories in the OT are predominantly ethnocentric, historical, and confined to the fate of the Israelites. In the Qur'an, the Prophets are universal models for combating oppression, inviting to Monotheism, and establishing a Monotheistic Nation; whereas in the OT, they often function as tribal leaders or local advisors. These differences have profound implications in the educational, theological, and civilizational spheres, such that the Qur'anic stories have served as a civilizational and epistemic pillar of the Islamic world, shaping the Ummah system and its universal values. Conversely, the OT's perspective on these stories largely serves to establish ethnic and territorial identity. The present article uses a descriptive-analytical method, analyzing the content of the Holy Qur'an and the Old Testament, to investigate this distinction and its functions across social, historical, and doctrinal dimensions. In the Qur’an, prophets are introduced as universal exemplars—leaders in the struggle against injustice, advocates of monotheism, and architects of a unified, God-conscious community. In the Hebrew Bible, however, prophets typically function as tribal leaders or local moral reformers. These divergent portrayals carry far-reaching implications in theological, educational, and civilizational domains. Qur’anic prophetic narratives, as a foundational epistemic and civilizational component of Islamic thought, have played a pivotal role in shaping the vision of a global ummah and its ethical values. In contrast, the Hebrew Bible’s rendering of prophetic stories serves predominantly to affirm national and territorial identity. This article employs a descriptive-analytical method, using content analysis of the Qur’an and the Hebrew Bible, to investigate this structural and functional divergence and its ramifications in the social, historical, and doctrinal dimensions.

The story of Joseph and Zulaikha is one of the most frequent stories in Muslim culture, and to a lesser extent, among Jews and Christians. This article uses a comparative analysis method, first presenting the story as narrated in the Old Testament, then examining the additions and embellishments made by Jews. Following that, it reviews the Quranic narrative and subsequent retellings by authors of the Qaṣaṣ al-Quran (Stories of the Quran) and some commentators. The two narratives, specifically the Torah and Quranic versions, and more broadly, the Jewish and Islamic ones, are then briefly compared. Next, the representation of Zulaikha's character and her adventures with Joseph in Jewish-Christian and Muslim art are analyzed comparatively using an iconological approach. In the works of Western painters, the focus is primarily on Joseph's rejection of Zulaikha's advances, and the inspiration from the Torah narrative is clearly evident. In Muslim miniatures, two events, Joseph's escape from Zulaikha and Zulaikha's banquet to change the judgment of the Egyptian women, have received more attention than other events. Although other events, such as the reunion of Joseph and Zulaikha, have also been a focus for some Islamic artists, these events are inspired by the poems of Persian poets, especially Jami. In the works of Western painters, mainly, the part related to the rejection of the request of illegitimate relationship by Yusuf is taken into consideration and the inspiration of the Torah narrative is clearly evident. Among the works of Muslim artists, the two themes of Yusuf's escape from Zuleikha and the establishment of the famous Zuleikha party to change the judgment of Egyptian women have received more attention than other events.