Essay 6 - Kubin

         When comparing both texts, one can clearly see that Sarai in the Hebrew Bible has more autonomy and agency than in the Qur’an. In the Hebrew Bible, Sarai is given a more prominent role and the readers are given more insight into her character. Genesis 16:1 introduces Sarai as Abram’s wife, who is a woman who knows what she wants and will do anything to get it. Since Sarai cannot bear children, she tells Abram to sleep with her slave, Hagar, so that she can build a family through her (Genesis 16:2). Again in Genesis 16:6, Abram tells Sarai to “do with her whatever you think is best” when discussing Hagar. This is a clear indication of her sense of power and her strong influence. In Genesis 18:12, Sarai laughs in disbelief at the thought of her and her husband Abraham conceiving a child during their old age. To me, this seems as if she is questioning the Lord and what he has intended for her. In the Qur’an, there isn’t much to be said about Sarai. She is only introduced as “his wife” and that she “laughed” for reasons the Qur’an never specified (Q11: 71). All she says to the news about bearing a child is, “Shall I bear a child while I am an old woman, and here is my husband, an old man? Verily! This is a strange thing!"(Q11: 72).

            In both texts, the same doubt in bearing a child is found in both women. Her role in the Qur’an is less evident than in the Hebrew Bible, the most obvious sign of this is her not being named. It is difficult to characterize the Sarai in the Qur’an compared to the Sarai in the Hebrew Bible. With this, it is clear the role of Sarai in the Hebrew Bible has more autonomy and agency. 

Essay 6

Within the Hebrew Bible and the Qur’an Sarah is not only represented very differently, but is represented in a very different amount. Sarah has a significantly larger role in the Hebrew bible than she does within the Qur’an. Sarah has more autonomy within the Hebrew Bible, but God is still in control of her life.

Within chapters 16 of Genesis we discover that Sarah is having difficulties by having Abraham’s children. Sarah believed it was beyond her control, “You see that the Lord has prevented me from bearing children”, (Gen 16:2). This verse shows us a situation where Sarah does not have autonomy. As three men visit Abraham and Sarah, the three men foretell that Sarah will have a son “Now you have conceived and shall bear a son; you shall call him Ishmel” (Gen 16:11). Sarah denies this fact, commenting that her and Abraham are too old. The Lord after this asked why she was unsure, Sarah laughed, which she denied because she was afraid. The Lord was correct; “Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age” (Gen 21:2).

Sarah is hardly mentioned within the Qur’an. The only time Sarah is even referred to is within the verse of “only your wife will suffer the fate that befalls the others” (Q 11:81). This is during the time of the angels telling Lot of his wife beforehand.

Sarah by far has more autonomy within the Hebrew Bible, especially because her role is more significant within this version. But within both versions many situations, such as that of becoming a mother, are out of her hands and in control of God’s. Her role is so small within the Qur’an that it is hard to know much about her.

Essay 6

            The Qur’ran’s version of Sarah does not have near the autonomy her counterpart does in the Hebrew bible. Both versions share that they gave birth later in life. In the Qur’ran Sarah proclaims, “Woe to me! Shall I give birth while I am an old woman and this, my husband is an old man? Indeed, this is an amazing thing.” This version of Sarah shows nothing but joy. Now when one turns to the Hebrew Sarah and reads over the same scene in Genesis 18 they see Sarah laughing at the notion that now after all this time she will finally bear a son. It continues with her lying to her all-knowing, all-seeing Lord claiming that she never laughed. Not once. It certainly shows a certain amount of agency, hutzpah, and perhaps a dash of ignorance to lie to a being that knows when you’re lying.

            Hebrew’s Sarah continues her unique ways by telling her husband to sleep with her slave in order to gain a son in Genesis 16. As one might have predicted, jealousies begin to flare post conception. Sarah decides she wants her husband Abraham to have nothing to do with his son. The same son she gave him permission to conceive. Honestly, it reads like something one might see on an ABC primetime drama. The Hebrew version of Sarah is more memorable than the Qur’ran version with the addition of a moxy lacking in the latter version.

Essay 6

Sarah is known in the Hebrew bible as Abraham’s wife, and they are infamous for the couple that was unable to conceive until they were old. She has a small role, if it can even be a considered a role at all, in the Qur’an. The only mention of her is in Q11:69-83 when she is described as standing there smiling (Q11:71) and when she laughs and speaks out about her amazement at the messengers telling her she would finally become pregnant (Q11:72). However, though her part is small, she is portrayed as a happy and delightful woman.

The Qur’anic introduction of Sarah is extremely vague compared to the Hebrew bible. Sarah speaks from the very beginning of Genesis 16, and we become aware of the internal conflict she is struggling with. Having been unable to conceive, she is portrayed as unhappy and grudgeful, and she blames Abraham for her inability to have children (Gen 16:1-5). Sarah sends her husband to try and conceive with her slave because she thinks it is the only way she may have a chance at raising children. In comparison to the passage in the Qur’an (11:72), Genesis 18:12 portrays Sarah as laughing not out of delight (which can be interpreted from the Qur’anic verse) but out of pessimism. However, in Genesis 21:5-7, Sarah laughs again. This time it aligns well with the passage from Q11:72. She is delighted and pleased with God’s doing.

Sarah is once again portrayed as a jealous, unhappy woman. She is given a son and is yet still displeased. She orders Abraham to send away her slave and the son that they had together (Genesis 21:8-10).

Essay/Blog 6

Heather Albright

Essay/Blog 6

Sarah has a bigger role in the Hebrew Bible then she does in the Qur’an.  I think that Sarah has autonomy within both books but I think she has more autonomy within the Hebrew Bible.  I think this could be due to the fact that there are more stories about Sarah in the Hebrew Bible then there are in the Qur’an.

In the Hebrew Bible Sarah shows autonomy in many ways.  In Genesis 16 it talks about how she is unable to conceive so she tells her husband Abram to lay with her slave, Hagar, so that she may have children through her.  He does as she tells him but once Hagar conceives a son it says that she now looks at her with contempt and Sarah does not like this.  Abram tells Sarah “Your-slave girl is in your power; do to her as you please (Gen 16:6).” This shows me how much independence and power Sarah has because Abram does not tell Sarah what to do, but instead tells her to do whatever she wants to. 

In Genesis 18 Sarah laughs when the Lord tells her she will bear a child (Gen 18:12),  I think shows that she does not hold the Lord in a high regard like other people do or else she would not have laughed about what he said and she would have accepted this gift from the Lord with pleasure.  In Genesis 21 Sarah tells Abram now that she has a son by him he needs to cast out Hagar and her son, because she doesn’t want Hagar’s son to inherit anything (Gen 21:10). Abram does as Sarah tells him to do even though he is hesitant about it.  This also shows Sarah’s autonomy and power by Abram doing what she tells him to do.

In the Qur’an it doesn’t tell as much of the story of Abrahams wife.  It says that Abraham’s wife laughs and says “How am I to bear a child when I am an old woman, and my husband here is an old man? That would be a strange thing (Q11: 72)”.  They then told her that God and His blessings were upon the people of this house and he is worthy of all praise and glory (Q11:73). This is similar to the version in the Hebrew Bible and shows Sarah’s respect or lack there of for God because she laughed at what he tells her. 

            I think that Sarah is very independent person but she does not seem to praise God the way the Abram and others do.  She laughs at what he says which makes me think that she doesn’t believe what he is saying.  She acts selfishly when she sends Hagar and her son away, but God gives Hagar’s son all that he desires. I think Sarah shows self-agency by her actions and by how Abram does what she tells him to. 

Blog6Dellafemina

Christina Della Femina  

WGS 3463

Blog 6

                The conception story of Abraham and Sarah’s children is well known, but there is more to be said of it when comparing the same story from two different religious texts. Sarah’s character in the Hebrew Bible and in the Quran has different characteristics that make one more independent than the other.

                In the Hebrew Bible, Sarah’s first appearance comes in Genesis 16, and we see immediately that she is a woman who knows what she wants and will do what is necessary to get it. Although she cannot bear children, she tells her husband, “Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her” (Gen 16:2). This gives a sense of determination to Sarah that is undeniable. Just a few lines later, Abram explains to Sarah that “your slave is in your hands…do with her whatever you think best” (Gen 16:6). This is also a good example of the freedom Sarah had to do as she pleased. We see her strong influence again in Gen 18, when God tells Abraham to “Listen to whatever Sarah tells you” (12) concerning the banishment of Hagar and Ishmael. While it because of God that Abraham actually does as Sarah says, it still gives her a sense of power and control.

                The Quran’s account of Sarah’s miracle is not quite as telling of her character. In both accounts, it is said that Sarah laughs in disbelief at the news that she will become pregnant, showing her fleeting doubt of God’s will and comments that “This is truly a strange thing” (Q11:72). This is the extent of the dialogue that Sarah has about the matter. We do not see any interaction between Abraham and Sarah and therefore are left with little opinion of Sarah.

                Base on the information provided, it is clear that Sarah in the Hebrew Bible holds much more autonomy over the Sarah depicted in the Quran. The former is headstrong, controlling and insistent that what she wants be done. 

Essay 6

Sterling Von Strohe

Blog Essay #6

            Overall, Sarai in the Hebrew Bible has much more autonomy and agency than Sarai in the Qur’an. Sarai’s role in the Hebrew Bible was as Abram’s wife (Gen 16:1) who was filled with disbelief due to frustration with infertility and growing age with no child (Gen 18:10-15). In addition, within the Hebrew Bible, Sarai bore a child as the Lord had promised, Isaac (Gen 21:1-3). Sarai in the Hebrew text is found in three chapter in Genesis and also shows her power through how she treats her slave, Hagar (Gen21:10). God even instructs Abraham to listen and do as Sarai says in regards to Hagar (Gen 21:12). In the Qur’an, Sarai is not named but only referred to by Lot’s wife. Sarai is not favored in the Qur’an as she is in the Hebrew Bible. Sarai laughs at the messengers (Q11:71), responds in disbelief (Q11:72), and the messengers said that Sarai would “suffer the fate that befalls the others” (Q11:81). Through all these situations, Sarai is clearly not favored within the Qur’an. Unlike the Hebrew Bible, the Qur’an does not offer a detailed, chronological story, rather, the Qur’an seeks to “validate the point it is attempted to make at a given time” which does not seem to be focused on Sarai (Kaltner, 92).

            One other huge different between Sarai in the Hebrew Bible and in the Qur’an is the clear change in importance within each religion. Within the Hebrew Bible, Sarai is the mother of Isaac who is part of the line of Christianity. To Christians, Sarai is more important and prevalent than Hagar. On contrary, within the Qur’an, or what Muslims believe, Hagar, the slave of Sarai, was more important than Sarai due to the fact that Hagar bore Ishmael. Muslims believe that Muhammad is a descendant of Ishmael. After understanding how vital and different the roles played of Sarai were between texts, one could understand why Sarai was not even given a name within the Qur’an.