In 2014 the Islamic State destroyed the Mosul mosque in Iraq reputed to contain the tomb of the prophet Yunus, whom Christians know as Jonah. Some Westerners saw this act as a blow against any surviving vestige of Christianity in the region, but of course Jonah is also venerated by Jews and Muslims. Like many other patriarchs and prophets, he is part of the common heritage of all three faiths, although these figures are imagined differently.
Even when holy men and women are portrayed in sacred scriptures, the texts are subject to constant commentary and interpretation, which subtly or not so subtly changes the significance of the various characters. In turn, these fluid interpretations have a profound effect on popular belief and devotion, and commonly on artistic representations. Commentaries, then, are no mere appendices or optional extras, but rather an integral part of the wider story of faith, and of faiths.
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