One of the most frequently repeated objections to the Quran's account of the golden calf concerns a single word: al-Sāmirī (ٱلسَّامِرِىُّ), "the Samarian." Critics argue this constitutes a historical anachronism, since Samaria did not exist as a city until centuries after Moses. The objection appears straightforward: the Quran projects a later geographical identity backward into … Continue reading The Samarian: An Archetype for Samaria
