A Comparative Conceptual Analysis of “bənê hā’ĕlōhîm” (“Sons of God”) in the Qur’ān and Jewish Texts: Examining the Attribution of Polytheism to Jews in the Story of ‘Uzayr in Qur’ān
Keywords:
bənê hā’ĕlōhîm, Ibn Allāh, ʿUzayr, Islam, JudaismAbstract
This paper offers a comparative conceptual analysis of the expression bənê hā’ĕlōhîm (בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים, “Sons of God”) within Jewish theology and the Qur’ānic reference to ʿUzayr in verse Q 9:30. Employing an intertextual framework informed by Julia Kristeva’s theory of textual transposition and late antique Qur’anic hermeneutics, this study reassesses the dialogue between the Qur’anic corpus and its Biblical/post-Biblical subtexts. Contrary to conventional exegetical readings that attribute literal polytheism (Shirk) to Jews for this expression, I argue that both traditions fundamentally employ such idioms metaphorically and honorifically, designating spiritual proximity rather than ontological divinity. By analyzing the semantic trajectory along both historical and intertextual axes—particularly through key Qur’ānic terms such as arbāb (“lords”) and dūn Allāh (“apart from God”)—this study challenges traditional polemical readings and repositions the Qur’ān’s theological critique within its broader Late Antique context. Ultimately, this approach facilitates a more nuanced intertextual understanding of monotheism across Abrahamic traditions and contributes to current debates on scriptural semantics and interfaith hermeneutics.
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