Comparative Religion: Method and Major Questions
Comparative religion analyses doctrinal and legal texts across religions in parallel, reading each text in its original language and historical setting before any comparison is drawn. Prof. Aldulaimi's work in this field falls into four axes: prophethood and prophetic figures, worship and offerings, legislation and social systems, and contemporary questions such as abortion and gender transition.
What is the methodological rule for comparing religious texts?
Comparison begins by reading each text in its original language and historical context before any parallel is drawn. Old Testament, New Testament and Talmudic passages are studied in their own settings; Qur'anic verses and prophetic hadith in theirs. Only then is the comparison made at the level of concept, ruling and purpose together. This sequence guards the study against projecting the categories of one religion onto another.
How are prophetic figures treated comparatively?
The study of Sarah, wife of Abraham, illustrates the pattern: Jewish and Christian sources ascribe prophethood to her, while Islamic law confines prophethood to men. The sources nevertheless agree that she conceived Isaac in old age as a miracle, and agree on her patience, generosity and contentment. Agreement in description alongside divergence in rank is a recurring methodological finding.
What place do offerings and worship hold in the comparison?
The study of the offerings of earlier nations across the Old Testament and the Qur'an shows the concept standing close to the Islamic udhiya, with substantive differences in meaning, application, types of sacrifice and manner of presentation. Lexical proximity alongside legal divergence is among the most delicate sites of comparison.
How does comparative study address contemporary questions?
Abortion, gender transition and the democratic electoral system are handled by tracing each back to its textual roots in the three religions, then assessing its effect on human formation and social cohesion. On abortion, the ruling is detailed before and after ensoulment. On elections, the pillars of democracy and its development from direct to representative form are weighed against the three religions.