Appendix D18:31f 18:31f 18:31f 18:31f Parable of two men with gardens. Parable of two men with gardens. Parable of two men with gardens. Parable of two men with gardens.Andrae, Ursprung, p. 133, thinks this narration is related to the Syrian
parable found in Anecdota Syriaca, vol. 2, pp. 39 f. See comments to
Qur'an 68:17f above.
18:43 18:43 18:43 18:43 Parable of water. Parable of water. Parable of water. Parable of water.
Cf. Ps. 90:5-6; Is. 55:9-10.
18:59f 18:59f 18:59f 18:59f Moses and his servant meet a prophet, Moses and his servant meet a prophet, Moses and his servant meet a prophet, Moses and his servant meet a prophet,
they journey together. they journey together. they journey together. they journey together.Geiger, in WMJA, p. 203, n. to p. 168, (citing Zunz) shows that this
narration is similar to Jewish legends about Rabbi Joshua ben Levi.
Nöldeke-Schwally, GQ, p. 142, note, think that the parallels to Rabbi
Joshua are remote, but also see a weak relation to the Syrian legend about
Alexander the Great. Horovitz, Untersuchungen, pp. 141 f, elaborates on
this idea, maintaining that Moses was somehow confused with Alexander
and perhaps with R. Joshua ben Levi as well. Horovitz also shows that the
Qur'anic narration also shares a resemblance to the Gilgamesh epic, in
which the mountain Masu, may have led someone to substitute "Musa."
Horovitz shows that the Qur'anic narrative is similar to a homily of Jacob of
Sarug. In any event, the later Islamic legends about al-Khidr also reinforce
the idea that the Qur'anic version of this story is a conglomeration of
various Middle Eastern narrations. Cf. SEI, pp. 232 f.
18:82f 18:82f 18:82f 18:82f Alexander goes to where the sun sets and Alexander goes to where the sun sets and Alexander goes to where the sun sets and Alexander goes to where the sun sets and
sees it set in a muddy spring. He prays to sees it set in a muddy spring. He prays to sees it set in a muddy spring. He prays to sees it set in a muddy spring. He prays to
Allah. Alexander goes so far to the East Allah. Alexander goes so far to the East Allah. Alexander goes so far to the East Allah. Alexander goes so far to the East
that he meets a people who were not that he meets a people who were not that he meets a people who were not that he meets a people who were not
protected from the sun, and who could protected from the sun, and who could protected from the sun, and who could protected from the sun, and who could
hardly understand a word. Alexander built hardly understand a word. Alexander built hardly understand a word. Alexander built hardly understand a word. Alexander built
a barrier of iron to keep Gog and a barrier of iron to keep Gog and a barrier of iron to keep Gog and a barrier of iron to keep Gog and
Magog from entering the land. Magog from entering the land. Magog from entering the land. Magog from entering the land.This Qur'anic narrative is based on the Syrian Alexander the Great legend,
which appears to have been written in 515-516 AD. (cf. Nöldeke-Schwally,