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.
I agree Sarai has much more autonomy than Abram's wife in the Qur'an. Sarai is openly cynical, though only to the reader and God. Although she has much more agency than what is depicted in the Qur'an, she still has to ask Abram for permission to deal with Hagar. She works within a very patriarchal system, but does it to benefit herself and her future family.
ReplyDeleteYou make some great points and helped clarify some parts of the texts that I confused within my paper. I confused Lot's wife with Sarai due within the Qur'an and now see how Sarai clearly had greater autonomy and agency within the Hebrew Bible. In addition, Sarai in the Hebrew Bible is explained within the story and her characteristics and personality show through. Within the Qur'an, Sarai's name is not even mentioned, as you pointed out. Clearly Sarai in the Hebrew Bible is seen as more important and plays a bigger role than in the Qur'an.
ReplyDeleteYour blog is very good - I did confuse Lot's wife with Sarai in the Qur'anic version at first, but upon second reading, did realize that it was Abraham's wife who laughed. Sarai/Sarah is certainly not mentioned much at all in the Qur'an, so she not only has much less agency, she is nearly invisible and her only voice is that of her laughter (which is highly disapproved of by her peers). Good job.
ReplyDeleteMy Google Chrome name (and Facebook, and my pennname and nickname), is Kamea Moonmaiden, but I am enrolled in this class as Kari Velasquez, which I figured everybody already knows, since its been this way the whole semester. I wasn't sure how to resolve this without starting a whole new Google Chrome account, and I am working on simplifying my life, not making it more complicated. At any rate, I apologize for any confusion due to that discrepancy.
ReplyDeleteI too agree that Sarah is given more of a character in the Bible than in the Qur'an. Her name is not mentioned in the Qur'an and she is not treated as an individual but rather a wife to her husband. She is skeptical in both the Bible and Qur'an about becoming pregnant, but is viewed as less pessimistic in the Bible.
ReplyDelete