Comparison of parallel motifs between ancient Mesopotamian mythology and Quranic stories

Our research consists of a comparative study between mythical stories found in ancient Mesopotamian mythology and certain prophetic narratives recounted in the Qur'an. The history and mythology of ancient Mesopotamia are composed of the Sumerian, Akkadian, Babylonian, and Assyrian civilizations. Fundamental aspects of these societies' worldviews—such as the creation of the universe and humankind, belief in the afterlife, and certain mythical narratives— contain motifs that are similar to those found in the Qur'anic stories.In our study, we first examine Mesopotamian history and mythology, followed by a comparison of the creation of the universe and humankind and the story of Adam's expulsion from Paradise with the Sumerian myth "Enki and Ninhursag's Water Works." Additionally, the beliefs in Heaven and Hell are analyzed by comparing them with relevant Qur'anic narratives, focusing on similar motifs. The flood catastrophe described in Mesopotamian mythology is compared with the story of Noah's Flood in the Qur'an, highlighting common elements. Similarly, the tale of Akkadian King Sargon, who was placed in a basket and set adrift on a river after birth, is compared with the story of Prophet Moses in the Qur'an, focusing on shared narrative features. In Assyrian mythology, the figure of Oannes, depicted as half-human and half-fish, who emerged from the sea to teach wisdom to mankind, is evaluated alongside the story of Prophet Jonah, who was delivered from the belly of a fish and sought to guide his people to the right path. Parallels between their missions and a linguistic comparison of the names "Oannes" and "Yunus" are also discussed. Lastly, the Sumerian myth of "The Suffering Man" or the poem "Man and His God," which tells the story of a man afflicted by misfortune who prays to the gods for relief, is compared to the Qur'anic account of Prophet Job's trial and his patient endurance. Through this study, thematic, objective, and structural similarities between the Mesopotamian myths and Qur'anic narratives—particularly those concerning the creation of the universe and humanity, the concepts of Heaven and Hell, and the stories of Prophets Adam, Noah, Moses, Jonah, and Job—have been examined using both local and international sources from Qur'anic exegesis literature. KEYWORDS: Adam, Job, Jonah, Mesopotamian Mythology, Moses, Noah, Qur'anic Stories.