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How does the Qur’an compare to the Bible? Do Muslims read it the way evangelical Christians read the Bible? And if the Qur’an is Islam’s sacred text, why are the Hadith so important for understanding what Muslims believe and how they live?
In part two of our series on Islam, Preston sits down with Dr. Gabriel Said Reynolds, a Catholic Qur’an scholar and the Crowley Professor of Islamic Studies and Theology at the University of Notre Dame. He earned his Ph.D. from Yale University and is the author of The Qur’an and Its Biblical Subtext, The Qur’an and the Bible, and Christianity and the Qur’an.
Together, they explore how Muslims understand the Qur’an, where it came from, how it took shape, and how its form and use compare with the Bible. They also discuss Muhammad’s relationship to the Qur’an, the early Islamic conquests, passages concerning violence and women, and why reading the Qur’an by itself does not necessarily tell you how Muslims will interpret or apply it.
Gabriel’s books explore how the Qur’an engages earlier scriptures and what that relationship can tell us about the emergence of Islam. His latest book, Christianity and the Qur’an, was published by Yale University Press in 2025.
You can find more of Gabriel’s work on his YouTube channel, Exploring the Qur’an and the Bible.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Why reading the Quran alone isn’t enough
00:42 Introducing Dr. Gabriel Said Reynolds
02:15 How Gabriel began studying Islam
05:31 What is the Quran?
09:03 Where did the Quran come from?
12:24 Did Muhammad write the Quran?
14:13 How does the Quran compare to the Bible and Psalms?
19:13 The biggest differences between the Quran and the Bible
21:42 Violence and the early Islamic conquests
27:10 How early Muslims treated Christians and other conquered peoples
32:29 Does the Quran command violence?
39:32 How Muslims interpret difficult Quranic passages
43:28 Is Islam inherently violent?
47:25 What does the Quran say about women?
49:58 Polygamy and the disputed passage about striking wives
52:29 Modesty, honor, and women in Muslim societies
59:07 What are the Hadith, and why do they matter?
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