الاثنين، 16 مايو 2016

An Unmet Challenge

The Evidence

Initially, the Meccan unbelievers said Muhammad is the author of the Quran.  God responded to them:
"Or do they say, ‘He himself has composed this [message]’?  No, but they are not willing to believe!  But then, [if they deem it the work of a mere mortal,] let them produce another discourse like it - if what they say be true!  [Or do they deny the existence of God implicitly by denying the fact of His revelation?]  Have they themselves been created without anything - or were they, perchance, their own creators?" (Quran 52:33-35)
First, God challenged them to produce ten chapters like the Quran:
"Or they may say, ‘He forged it,’ Say, ‘Bring ye then ten suras forged, like unto it, and call (to your aid) whomsoever you can, other than God! - If you speak the truth!’  If then they answer not your (call), know you that this revelation is sent down with the knowledge of God, and that there is no god but He!  Will you then submit (to Islam)?" (Quran 11:13-14)
But, when they were unable to meet the challenge of ten chapters, God reduced it to a single chapter:
"And if you are in doubt about what We have sent down on Our slave, then produce a surah thereof and call upon your witnesses other than God, if you should be truthful.  But if you do not – and you will never be able to – then fear the Fire whose fuel is men and stones, prepared for the unbelievers." (Quran 2:23-24)
Finally, God foretold their eternal failure to meet the divine challenge:
"Say: ‘If all mankind and all jinn[1]  would come together to produce the like of this Quran, they could not produce its like even though they were to exert all their strength in aiding one another!’" (Quran 17:88)
The Prophet of Islam said:
"Every Prophet was given ‘signs’ because of which people believed in him.  Indeed, I have been given the Divine Revelation that God has revealed to me.  So, I hope to have the most followers of all the prophets on the Day of Resurrection." (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)
The physical miracles performed by the prophets were time-specific, valid only for those who witnessed them, whereas the like of the continuing miracle of our Prophet, the Noble Quran, was not granted to any other prophet.  Its linguistic superiority, style, clarity of message, strength of argument, quality of rhetoric, and the human inability to match even its shortest chapter till the end of time grant it an exquisite uniqueness.  Those who witnessed the revelation and those who came after, all can drink from its fountain of wisdom.  That is why the Prophet of Mercy hoped he will have the most followers of all the prophets, and prophesized that he would at a time when Muslims were few, but then they began to embrace Islam in floods.  Thus, this prophecy came true.

Explanation of Quran’s Inimitability

State of the Prophet Muhammad

He was an ordinary human being.
He was illiterate.  He could neither read nor write.
He was more than forty years old when he received the first revelation.  Until then he was not known to be an orator, poet, or a man of letters; he was just a merchant.  He did not compose a single poem or deliver even one sermon before he was chosen to be a prophet.
He brought a book attributing it to God, and all Arabs of his time were in agreement it was inimitable.

The Challenge of the Quran

The Quran puts a challenge out to anyone who opposes the Prophet. The challenge is to produce a chapter (surah) similar to it, even if it were to be a cooperative effort.  A person may summon all the help he can from the physical and spiritual realms.

Why this Challenge?

First, Arabs were poets.  Poetry was their supreme ornament and their most representative form of discourse.  Arabic poetry was rooted in the oral; it was a voice before it acquired an alphabet.  Poets could compose intricate poems spontaneously and commit thousands of lines to memory.  Arabs had a complex system of evaluating a poet and the poetry to meet rigid standards.  Annual competition selected the ‘idols’ of poetry, and they were engraved in gold and hung inside the Kaaba, alongside their idols of worship.  The most skilled served as judges.  Poets could ignite wars and bring truce between warring tribes.  They described women, wine, and war like no one else.
Second, the opponents of the Prophet Muhammad were strongly determined to quash his mission in any way possible.  God gave them a non-violent approach to disprove Muhammad.

Inability to Meet the Challenge and its Consequences

History is a witness that the pre-Islamic Arabs could not produce a single chapter to meet the challenge of the Quran.[2]  Instead of meeting the challenge, they chose violence and waged war against him.  They, of all people, had the ability and the motive to meet the Quranic challenge, but could not do so.  Had they done so, the Quran would have proven false, and the man who brought it would have been exposed as a false prophet.  The fact that the ancient Arabs did not and could not meet this challenge is proof of Quran’s inimitability.  Their example is of a thirsty man next to a well, the only reason he dies of thirst is if he was unable to reach the water!
Furthermore, the inability of previous Arabs to meet the challenge of the Quran implies later Arabs are less competent to meet the challenge, due to their lack the mastery of classical Arabic that the previous, ‘classical’ Arabs had.  According to linguists of the Arabic language, the Arabs before and during the time of the Prophet, in exclusion to subsequent generations, had the most complete mastery of the Arabic language, its rules, meters, and rhymes.  Later Arabs did not match the mastery of classical Arabs.[3]
Lastly, the challenge is for Arabs and non-Arabs alike.  If the Arabs cannot meet the challenge, the non-speakers of Arabic cannot claim to meet the challenge either.  Hence, the inimitability of the Quran is established for non-Arabs as well.
What if someone were to say: ‘perhaps the challenge of the Quran was met by someone in the time of the Prophet, but the pages of history did not preserve it.’?
Since the beginning, people have reported important events to their succeeding generations, especially in that which captures attention or what people are looking out for.  The Quranic challenge was well spread and well known, and had someone met it, it would have been impossible for it not to have reached us.  If it has been lost in the annals of history, then, for the sake of argument, it is also possible that there was more than one Moses, more than one Jesus, and more than one Muhammad; perhaps many scriptures were also revealed to these imaginary prophets, and it is possible the world knows nothing about it!  Just like these suppositions are unfounded historically, it is also unreasonable to imagine that the Quranic challenge was met without it reaching us.[4]
Second, had they met the challenge, the Arabs would have discredited the Prophet.  It would have been their biggest propaganda tool against him.  Nothing like this happened, instead, they chose war.
The fact that no effort of the non-Muslim has succeeded in ‘producing a verse’ like a verse of the Quran means that either no-one has taken the Quran seriously enough to make the effort, or that they made the effort, but were not successful.  This shows the inimitability of the Quran, a unique and everlasting message.  The uniqueness of the Quran combined with the divine message it brings to mankind is a sure indication of the truth of Islam. In the face of this, every person is faced with one of the two choices.  He either openly accepts the Quran is God’s Word .  In doing so he must also accept that Muhammad was sent by God and was His Messenger.  Or else he secretly knows the Quran is true, but he chooses in his heart to refuse it.  If the seeker is honest in his seeking, he need but explore this question of its inimitability to nurture the inner certainty that he has really found the final truth in the religion it predicates.


Footnotes:
[1] Invisible beings with parallel existence to humans.
[2] The fact is attested to by non-Muslim Orientalists.
‘That the best of Arab writers has never succeeded in producing anything equal in merit to the Quran itself is not surprising…’ (E H Palmer (Tr.), The Quran, 1900, Part I, Oxford at Clarendon Press, p. lv).
‘…and no man in fifteen hundred years has ever played on that deep-toned instrument with such power, such boldness, and such range of emotional effect as Mohammad did…As a literary monument the Quran thus stands by itself, a production unique to the Arabic literature, having neither forerunners nor successors in its own idiom…’.’ (H A R Gibb, Islam - A Historical Survey, 1980, Oxford University Press, p. 28).
and Christian Arabs:
‘Many Christian Arabs speak of its style with warm admiration, and most Arabists acknowledge its excellence. When it is read aloud or recited it has an almost hypnotic effect that makes the listener indifferent to its sometimes strange syntax and its sometimes, to us, repellent content. It is this quality it possesses of silencing criticism by the sweet music of its language that has given birth to the dogma of its inimitability; indeed it may be affirmed that within the literature of the Arabs, wide and fecund as it is both in poetry and in elevated prose, there is nothing to compare with it.’ (Alfred Guillaume, Islam, 1990 (Reprinted), Penguin Books, pp. 73-74)
[3] Rummani (d. 386 AH), a classical scholar, writes: ‘So if someone were to say: "You rely in your argumentation on the failure of the Bedouin Arabs, without taking into account the post-classical Arabs; yet, according to you, the Quran is a miracle for all. One can find in the post-classical Arabs excellence in their speech", the following can be said in reply, "The Bedouin had developed and had full command of the complete grammatical structure of Arabic but among the post-classical Arabs there are none who can use the full structure of the language. The Bedouin Arabs were more powerful in their use of the full language. Since they failed in the imitation of the Quran, so the post-classical Arabs must fail to an even greater extent."‘ (Textual Sources for the Study of Islam, tr. and ed. by Andrew Rippin and Jan Knappart)
[4] The argument was made by al-Khattabi (d.388 AH)


The Prophecies of the Quran

 


The Quran contains many prophecies that have been fulfilled, but in this discussion, we will limit ourselves to only five.[1]  The first two prophecies are noteworthy: unlike any other world scripture, the Quran prophesizes its own preservation under divine care, and we will demonstrate how it actually occurred.

The Protection of the Quran from Corruption

The Quran makes a claim no other religious text makes, that God Himself will keep its text safe from alteration.  God says:
"Behold, it is We Ourselves who have gradually revealed this reminder, and, behold, it is We who shall truly guard it [from all corruption]." (Quran 15:9)

The Ease of Memorizing the Quran

God has made the Quran easy to memorize:
"And in truth We have made the Quran easy to remember; who, then, is willing to take it to heart?" (Quran 54:17)
The ease with which Quran is memorized is inimitable.  There is not a single scripture or religious text in the world that is as easy to memorize; even non-Arabs and children commit it to memory easily.  The entire Quran is memorized by almost every Islamic scholar and hundreds of thousands of ordinary Muslims, generation after generation.  Almost every Muslim has some portion of the Quran memorized to read in his prayers.

The Twofold Prophecy

Before the rise of Islam, the Romans and the Persians were two competing superpowers.  Romans were led by Heraclius (610–641 CE), a Christian Emperor, whereas the Persians were Zoroastrians led by Khosrow Parviz (reigned 590–628 CE), under whom the empire achieved its greatest expansion.
In 614, the Persians conquered Syria and Palestine, taking Jerusalem, destroying the Holy Sepulcher and the ‘True Cross’ carried to Ctesiphon.  Then, in 619, they occupied Egypt and Libya.  Heraclius met them at Thracian Heraclea (617 or 619), but they sought to capture him, and he rode madly back to Constantinople, hotly pursued.[2]
The Muslims were grieved by the Roman defeat as they felt spiritually closer to Christian Rome than Zoroastrian Persia, but the Meccans were naturally buoyed up by the victory of pagan Persia.  To Meccans, the Roman humiliation was a sinister omen of the defeat of the Muslims at pagan hands.  At the time God’s prophecy comforted the faithful:
"The Romans have been defeated - in a land close by; but they, (even) after (this) defeat of theirs, will soon be victorious- within ten years.  With God is the Decision, in the past and in the future: on that Day shall the believers rejoice with the help of God.  He helps whom He will, and He is the Mighty, the Most-Merciful." (Quran 30:2-4)
The Quran made a prophecy of two victories:
(i)   The future Roman victory within ten years over Persians, something unimaginable at the time
(ii)  The joy of the faithful on a victory over the pagans
Both of these prophecies actually occured.
In 622, Heraclius left Constantinople as prayers rose from its many sanctuaries for victory over the Persian Zoroastrians and the reconquest of Jerusalem.  He devoted the next two years to campaigns in Armenia.  In 627, he met the Persians near Nineveh.  There, he killed three Persian generals in single combat, killed the Persian commander, and scattered the Persian host.  A month later, Heraclius entered Dastagird with its stupendous treasure.  Khosrow was overthrown by his son, who made peace with Heraclius.  Returning to Constantinople in triumph, Heraclius was hailed as a hero.[3]
Also, in the year 624 AH, Muslims defeated the Meccans in the first and decisive Battle at Badr.
In the words of an Indian scholar:
"…a single line of prophecy was related to four nations and the fate of two great empires.  All this proves the Holy Quran to be the Book of God."[4]

The Prophecy of Pagan Defeat

The Quran predicted the defeat of unbelievers in Mecca while Prophet Muhammad and his followers were still being persecuted by them:
"Or do they (the Meccan disbelievers) say: ‘We are a great multitude, and we shall be victorious?’  Their multitude will be defeated, , and they shall turn their backs [in flight]!" (Quran 54:45)
The prophecy was revealed in Mecca, but was fulfilled at the Battle of Badr, two years after the Prophet’s migration to the city of Medina.

The Fate of Specific Individuals

Waleed ibn Mugheera was a staunch enemy who openly ridiculed the Quran:
"Then said he: "This is nothing but magic, derived from of old; this is nothing but the word of a mortal!" (Quran 74:24-25)
The Quran prophesized he will never accept Islam:
"Soon will I cast him into Hell-Fire!  And what will explain to thee what Hell-Fire is?  It leaves naught nor does it spare aught." (Quran 74:26-28)
Waleed died in a state of disbelief as prophesized by the Quran.
Also, concerning Abu Lahab, a fiery opponent of Islam, the Quran foretold he will die opposing the religion of God:
"May the hands of Abu Lahab perish, and [indeed] he has perished.  His wealth and gains will not profit him.  He will be plunged in flaming Fire." (Quran 111:1-3)
Specifically, three prophecies were made about Abu Lahab:
(i)   The conspiracies of Abu Lahab against the Prophet would not succeed.
(ii)  His wealth and children would not benefit him.
(iii) He would die opposing God’s religion and enter the Fire.
Abu Lahab also died in a state of disbelief as prophesized by the Quran.  Had Waleed or Abu Lahab accepted Islam even outwardly, they would have disproved its prophecies and thus its heavenly source!
In addition, Abu Lahab had four sons, two of whom died at a young age during his lifetime.  The other two sons and a daughter embraced Islam and frustrated his hopes!  Finally, he died of a plague; people would not touch his body out of fear of contamination and dumped mud and stones on him where he died to make it his grave.
A key foundation to believing that a scripture is actually a revelation of God is internal truth, whether it be in regards to occurrences in the past, to come in the future, or in contemporary ages.  As one can see, there are many prophecies mentioned in that which is to come, some of which were fulfilled in the Prophet’s lifetime, or have been fulfilled since his death, while others are yet to appear.


Footnotes:
[1] For more Quranic prophecies please see ‘Mercy For the Worlds,’ by Qazi Suliman Mansoorpuri, vol.3, p. 248 - 313.
[2] "Heraclius."  Encyclopædia Britannica from Encyclopædia Britannica Premium Service.
(http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?tocId=9040092)
[3] "Heraclius."  Encyclopædia Britannica from Encyclopædia Britannica Premium Service.
(http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?tocId=9040092)
[4] ‘Mercy For the Worlds,’ by Qazi Suliman Mansoorpuri, vol.3, p. 312.



A Literary Challenge: “Bring Something Like It”






Many people misunderstand the Quran’s literary challenge to produce something like it.  Many people assume it simply means writing something as “good” as the Quran.
Because of this, many skeptics point out – and rightly so – that literary value judgments are highly subjective.  If someone says that he thinks a certain selection of prose or poetry is better than the Quran, who can argue with him?  Isn’t it really a matter of personal judgment and taste?  Who is to be the arbiter?
The Quran’s challenge, however, is not simply to write something of equal literary merit, but rather to produce something like the Quran.
We can see this in all the verses of challenge.  God says:
“Say (O Muhammad) if mankind and jinn were to come together to produce something like this Quran, they would not be able to do so, even if they were to help one another.” (Quran 17:88)
God says:
“Or they say: ‘He has forged it.’  Say: ‘Then bring ten forged chapters like it and If then they do not answer you, know that it is sent down with the Knowledge of God, besides Whom there is no other God.  Will you then be Muslims?” (Quran 11:13)
God says:
“Or do they say ‘He has forged it.’  Say: ‘Then bring a chapter like it and call whoever you can besides God if you are truthful’.” (Quran 10:38)
God says:
“And if you are in doubt concerning that which We have sent down to Our servant, then produce a chapter like it and call your witnesses besides God if you be truthful.  If you do not do so – and you will never do so – then fear a fire whose fuel is men and stones prepared for the disbelievers.” (Quran 2:23-24)
Therefore, it is not simply a matter of quality – it does not even have to be of equal merit! Similarity is all that matters.  What is required by the challenge is to achieve at least a comparable degree of the literary beauty, nobility, and sublimity of the Quran while at the same time emulating the Quran’s particular style.
It is possible to superficially mimic the style of the Quran, and many people have been successful in doing so – but all such attempts from the days of Musailimah to the present have proven to be silly and absurd, and have often invoked laughter and derision.  This is the unanimous consensus of everyone who has ever heard or read those attempts.
It is, likewise, possible for a person writing in Arabic to reach a great level of literary excellence and, in the most moving of poetry and prose, convey the noblest thoughts and sentiments – but nobody has ever done so using the Quran’s particular style.
And what an elusive style it has proven to be! The Quran is neither in Arabic prose nor in what is acknowledged as Arabic verse.  It is not written in a combination of both prose and poetry, but in neither of those modes.  It is unique.  At the same time, the Quran is internally consistent in maintaining its unique style.
Only the Quran achieves the highest level of literary excellence – so much so that it brings people to ecstasy and tears – while maintaining this style.
This, then, is the acid test: Write something in the exact same style as the Quran and in doing so produce something of arguably similar quality and sublimity.
Still, one could argue that the evaluation of the results is still grounded in subjective literary tastes.  This is agreed.  However, the second part of the challenge is to bring witnesses to attest to the quality of that evaluation, not just to stand there and make the claim.
Throughout history, people have attempted to write in the style of the Quran.  The results have always been so laughable that no one would venture to say that he believes the effort equals the Quran in literary merit.  The reason why no one would dare do so is not the fear of reprisal – as some skeptics have suggested – but rather the fear of looking like a complete idiot.  One early example was:
Al-Feel
Mal-Feel
Wa maa adraaka mal-feel
Lahu dhanabun radheel, wa khurtoomun taweel
…which translates as:
The Elephant –
What is the elephant?
And what would have you know what the elephant is?
It has a scraggly tail and a very long trunk.
We can grant that this is a successful attempt at imitating the superficial style of the Quran.  It is clearly modeled after the opening verses of Surah al-Qaari`ah or Surah al-Haaqqah.  However, with such fare on offer, it is no surprise that people are unwilling to stake their reputation on attesting to its literary excellence.
We should pause to consider: What other literary style can we think of which has produced an indisputably great work of literature but is at the same time guaranteed to bring the most wretched failure to anyone else who tries his hand at it?
Generally, it is not a bad idea for a writer to emulate a successful style.  However, a challenge to produce a single chapter like the Quran – the shortest chapter being merely three verses of modest length – has proven impossible to meet.
We should remember that not all Arabic speakers are Muslim.  Many are Christians and Jews.  Some are atheists.  They live all over the world.  Among all of these non-Muslim Arabs, there are leading poets and prose writers and important literary critics.  None of them claim that they or anyone else has produced a literary work that resembles the Quran in both style and quality.
For an Arabic speaker, this is an obvious thing.  Any Arab who looks at people’s attempts to write in the Quran’s style usually breaks out in laughter at its awkwardness or banality.
For non-Arabic speakers, though they cannot experience this directly, they can ascertain that no serious literary claim has been made.
Granted, there is subjectivity in any literary evaluation.  This would pose a problem in a challenge with a single judge or a panel of judges, or if there is a biased criterion like “only Muslims scholars can be judges”.
However, there is no such restriction in the challenge.
The general consensus of the international Arabic literary community – and the Arab masses – is that nothing exists to meet the challenge.  This is an objective yardstick.

The Challenge of the Quran


The Quran is not only unique in the way in which it presents its subject matter, but it is also unique in that it is a miracle itself.  By the term “miracle,” we mean the performance of a supernatural or extraordinary event which cannot be duplicated by humans.  It has been documented that Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, challenged the Arabs to produce a literary work of a similar caliber as the Quran, but they were unable to do so in spite of their well-known eloquence and literary powers.  The challenge to reproduce the Quran was presented to the Arabs and mankind in three stages:

l.      The Whole Quran

In the Quran, God commanded the Prophet to challenge all of creation to create a book of the stature of the Quran:
“Say: ‘If all mankind and the jinn would come together to produce the like of this Quran, they could not produce its like even though they exerted all their strength in aiding one another.’” (Quran 17:88)

2.      Ten Chapters

Next, God made the challenge ostensibly easier by asking those who denied its divine origin to imitate even ten chapters of the Quran:
“Or do they say that he has invented it?  Say (to them), ‘Bring ten invented chapters like it, and call (for help) on whomever you can besides God, if you are truthful.” (Quran 11:13)

3.      One Chapter

This final challenge was to produce even a single chapter to match what is in the Quran, whose shortest chapter, al-Kawthar, consists of only three verses:
“And if you all are in doubt about what I have revealed to My servant, bring a single chapter like it, and call your witnesses besides God if you are truthful.” (Quran 2:23)
These challenges were not just empty words with no one caring to prove them wrong.  Prophet Muhammad’s call to monotheism, to the abolition of idolatry in all its forms, and to the equality of slaves and their masters threatened the whole socio-economic framework of Mecca society in general, and the position of the ruling Quraishee tribe from which the Prophet came in particular.  Mecca, the trading center of Arabia, as well as its spiritual center, desperately wanted to stop the spread of Islam.  Yet all that the Prophet’s opponents had to do to crush the movement was to make up a single chapter like any one of those which the Prophet and his followers were reciting to the people.  A number of Quraishee orators and poets tried to imitate the Quran, but they failed.  They then resorted to offering him vast amounts of wealth, the position of king over them, and the most noble and beautiful of their women in exchange for his promise to stop inviting people to Islam.  He responded to them by reciting the first thirteen verses of Chapter Fussilat, until they asked him to stop.[1]  The Quraish also resorted to torturing their slaves and relatives who had embraced Islam in a vain attempt to cause them to revert to paganism.  Later they organized an economic boycott against the Prophet, his followers and the members of his clan, Banoo Haashim, in an attempt to starve them into submission.  But even this plan eventually failed.  Finally, they plotted to kill him in his home by sending armed young men from each of the clans of Quraish in order that the guilt of his murder be shared by all the clans, making revenge by the Prophet’s clan impossible.
However, God enabled the Prophet and his followers to flee Mecca and join a new band of converts who had arisen among the tribes of a city to the north called Yathrib.  Islam spread rapidly through the clans of Yathrib, and within a year Muslims became the city’s majority.  Prophet Muhammad was then made the ruler, and the name of the city was changed to Madinatun-Nabee (The City of the Prophet), which was then shortened to “Medina.” Over the next eight years, the clans of Mecca and its neighboring lands mounted a series of unsuccessful battle campaigns against the emerging Muslim state in Medina, which ended with the Muslim invasion of Mecca itself.
All of this bloodshed could have been avoided if only the Quraish and their allies had been able to produce a mere three lines of poetry or flowing prose similar to the shortest chapter of the Quran.  Hence, there can be no doubt about the inimitability of the Quran’s literary style, about the miracle of its rhyme and the marvel of its rhythm.
It has been suggested that the inimitability of the Quran is not necessarily unique, for great English poets like Shakespeare, Chaucer, or great poets in any language tend to have distinctly unique styles which set them apart from their contemporaries.  However, if, for example, some leading poet of today were to make an in-depth study of Shakespeare’s writings and write a sonnet in Shakespeare’s style in old ink and on old paper, then claim that he had discovered a lost poem of Shakespeare’s, the literary world would probably accept this claim, even after careful study.  Thus, even the greatest of poets could be imitated, no matter how unique his style was, just as the famous painters have been imitated.  [In fact, some English scholars consider much of what has been attributed to Shakespeare to have been written by his contemporary, Christopher Marlowe.] The Quran, however, is way above this level, as attempts to forge chapters have been made throughout the ages, yet none has withstood close scrutiny.  And, as was mentioned before, the incentive to imitate the Quran was more intense during the time of its revelation when literally skills were at their peak than at any other time, yet there was no successful attempt.


Footnotes:
[1] Collected by al-Haakim, al-Bayhaqee, Aboo Ya’laa and Ibn Hishaam, and declared hasan by lbraaheem al-’Alee in Saheeh as-Seerah an-Nabaweeyah, p.64.

Did Muhammad Author the Quran?


Who authored the Quran?  Someone must have produced it!  After all, how many desert men have stood up in the history of man and given the world a book like the Quran?  The book has amazing details of past nations, prophets, and religions as well as accurate scientific information unavailable at the time.  What was the source of all this?  If we were to deny the divine origin of the Quran, we are left with only a few possibilities:
- The Prophet Muhammad authored it himself.
- He took it from someone else.  In this case, he either took it from a Jew or a Christian or one of the foreigners in Arabia.  The Meccans did not bother to accuse him of having taken it from one of them.
A brief response from God is:
"And they say, ‘Legends of the former peoples which he has written down, and they are dictated to him morning and afternoon.’  Say, [O Muhammad], ‘It has been revealed by He who knows [every] secret within the heavens and the earth.  Indeed, He is ever Forgiving and Merciful.’" (Quran 25:5-6)
It was well known to his detractors that Muhammad, who was raised among them, never learned how to read or write from the time of his birth.  They knew whom he befriended and where he had traveled; they acknowledged his integrity and honesty by calling him ‘Al-Ameen,’ the Reliable, the Trustworthy, the Honest.[1]  Only in their revulsion against his preaching did they accuse him – and then it was anything they could dream up: He was accused of being a sorcerer, a poet and even an imposter!  They could not make up their minds.  God says:
"Look how they strike for you comparisons; but they have strayed, so they cannot [find] a way." (Quran 17:47)
Simply, God is aware of what is in the heavens and the earth, He knows the past and the present, and reveals the truth to His prophet.

Could Muhammad Have Authored It?

It is impossible that Muhammad could have authored the Quran due to the following reasons:
First, several occasions presented themselves where he could have fabricated revelation.  For example, after the first revelation came, people awaited to hear more, but the Prophet did not receive anything new for months.  The Meccans began making fun of him, ‘His Lord has abandoned him!’  This continued until the 93rd chapter, Ad-Doha, was revealed.  The Prophet could have compiled something and presented it as the latest revelation to end the mockery, but he did not.  Also, at one point during his prophethood, some of the hypocrites accused his beloved wife Aisha of being unchaste.  The Prophet could have easily fabricated something to free her of blame, but he waited for many excruciating days, all spent in pain, mockery, and anguish, until revelation came from God freeing her from the accusation.
Second, there is internal evidence within the Quran that Muhammad was not its author.  Several verses criticized him, and were on occasion strongly worded.  How can an imposter prophet blame himself when it may run him into the danger of losing the respect, perhaps following, of his followers?  Here are some examples:
"O Prophet!  Why do you prohibit [yourself from] what God has made lawful for you, seeking the approval of your wives?  And God is Forgiving and Merciful." (Quran 66:1)
"…while you concealed within yourself that which God is to disclose and you feared the people, while God has more right that you fear Him.." (Quran 33:43)
"It is not for the Prophet and those who have believed to ask forgiveness for the polytheists, even if they were relatives, after it has become clear to them that they are companions of Hellfire." (Quran 9:113)
"But as for he who came to you striving [for knowledge] while he fears [God], from him you are distracted.  No!  Indeed, they [these verses] are a reminder." (Quran 80:8-11)
If he were to hide anything, he would have hid these verses, but he recited them faithfully.
"And he [Muhammad] is not a withholder of [knowledge of] the unseen.  And it [the Quran] is not the word of a devil, expelled [from the heavens].  So where are you going?  It is nothing but a reminder to the worlds." (Quran 81:24-27)
The Prophet is cautioned, perhaps warned, in the following verses:
"Indeed, We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], the Book in truth so you may judge between the people by that which God has shown you.  And do not be an advocate for the deceitful.  And seek forgiveness of God.  Indeed, God is ever Forgiving and Merciful.  And do not argue on behalf of those who deceive themselves.  Indeed, God loves not the one who is a habitually sinful deceiver.  They conceal [their evil intentions and deeds] from the people, but they cannot conceal [them] from God, and He is with them [in His knowledge] when they spend the night in such as He does not accept of speech.  And God ever is encompassing of what they do,.  Here you are – those who argue on their behalf in [this] worldly life – but who will argue with God for them on the Day of Resurrection, or who will [then] be their representative?  And whoever does a wrong or wrongs himself but then seeks forgiveness of God will find God Forgiving and Merciful.  And whoever earns [i.e., commits] a sin only earns it against himself.  And God is ever Knowing and Wise.  But whoever earns an offense or a sin and then blames it on an innocent [person] has taken upon himself slander and manifest sin.  And if it was not for the favor of God upon you, [O Muhammad], and His mercy, a group of them would have determined to mislead you.  But they do not mislead except themselves, and they will not harm you at all.  And God has revealed to you the Book and wisdom and has taught you that which you did not know.  And ever has the favor of God upon you been great." (Quran 4:105-113)
These verses explain a situation in which a man from the Muslim inhabitants of Medina stole a piece of armor and hid it in the property of his Jewish neighbor.  When the owners of the armor caught up with him he denied any wrongdoing, and the armor was discovered with the Jewish man.  He, however, pointed to hisMuslim neighbor, also denying his involvement in the crime.  The people from the Muslim’s tribe went to the Prophet to plead on his behalf, and the Prophet began to incline towards them till the above verses were revealed clearing the Jewish man of wrongdoing.  All this despite the Jew’s rejection of Muhammad’sprophethood!  The verses instructed Prophet Muhammad himself not to side with the deceitful!  The verses:
"…and do not be an advocate for the deceitful and seek forgiveness of God…and if it was not for the favor of God upon you, [O Muhammad], and His mercy, a group of them would have determined to mislead you."
If Muhammad himself authored the Quran, thus being a lying imposter, he would have made sure that there was nothing in existence which could jeopardize the gaining of followers and supporters.  The fact that the Quran, on various occasions, reprimands the Prophet in certain issues in which he had made in incorrect judgment is in itself a proof that it was not authored by him.


Footnotes:
[1] ‘Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources’ by Martin Lings, p. 34.

الاثنين، 9 مايو 2016

The Authorship of the Quran (part 1 of 3): The Words of a Human?



Although it is proven that the text of the Quran has remained intact till today, how are we sure that the words actually originated from God and not some other source?  This takes us to look at the authenticity, authority, or source of the Quran.
Concerning the authorship of the Quran, Muslims believe that it was revealed verbatim (i.e. word for word) by God, to Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him.  Non-Muslims, however, who do not support this view, can have no differences with Muslims concerning the fact that the Quran was at least first witnessed to be uttered by Muhammad, a Meccan Arab in the 7thcentury CE and, as proved above, there have been no changes to the records of his utterances since then.


Muslims’ claim of “internal evidence” for the divine authorship of the Quran, i.e. from statements to that effect in the Quran itself (e.g. Quran 4:82; 6:19; 6:92; 27:6; 45:2, etc.), is understandably looked upon with skepticism, as nearly anyone can quote passages from his or her scripture that claim the scripture in question is revelation from God.  We are therefore forced by reason and objectivity to look elsewhere for “external evidence” of the Quran’s divine source or authority.
The simple proposed structure for the presentation of this “external evidence” is an elimination process, where we get to the answer of the question – “Who is the author of the Quran?” – by eliminating all alternative answers to this question which are definitely implausible.  In other words, the definite or (at least) most probable author or source of the Quran is identified by eliminating unacceptable alternative candidates.
There are various contradictory views and opinions held by some non-Muslims as to the source of the Quran.  The following list of “possible” authors reflects the main theories:
1)    Muhammad.
2)    Some other Arab poet(s), scholars, etc.
3)    Some non-Arab scholars, or poets or religious personalities.
4)    Monks or Rabbis (i.e. from the Bible or Judeo-Christian sources).
5)    Satan (or other deceitful “spirits” or “aliens”, etc.).
6)    God.
We may now proceed to examine from a closer study of the Quran and history how plausible these theories are.

Muhammad: Unlettered and Had No Teachers

The fact that Muhammad could neither read nor write (Quran 29:48) is well known and uncontested by even his non-Muslim contemporaries and present day historians.  He had no schooling or teacher of any kind.  He had never been known to compose oral poetry or prose.  The Quran, with its all-embracing laws and freedom from all inconsistencies, has its greatness acknowledged even by non-Muslim scholars.[1]  Its contents treat social, economic, political and religious legislation, history, views of the universe, living things, thought, human transactions, war, peace, marriage, worship, business, and everything relating to life - with no contradicting principles.  The Quran has never been edited or revised as it was never in need of any revision or correction.  How were such vast subject areas expounded upon with such precision by a 7th century Arab with no formal education or even the ability to read what scant material there may have been in his environment on such topics?  Where and when has history ever produced an illiterate author of such a scripture?

Muhammad’s Known Integrity

Muhammad’s sincerity, truthfulness and integrity were so well known that he was even nicknamed “Al-Ameen” (The Trustworthy) by his pre-Islamic community.  Not a single lie is recorded against him, and many modern Western Orientalists have themselves admitted that contrary to any deliberate deception, that the Prophet had a profoundly sincere conviction that it was revealed to him by God Himself is undeniable.[2]
If his integrity had been in question, and he was supposed to have been motivated by the desire for personal glory to produce the Quran, why then would he disclaim authorship and instead claim it was from God, especially when the pagan Meccans had conceded that no one could produce such a scripture (Quran 2:23-24, 17:88, etc.), but only marvel at it?  His enemies even offered him kingship over Mecca and any riches he desired if only he would stop reciting.  If it was true that he desired his personal glory and leadership, why would he decline the offer when it was presented to him and instead prefer a life of humility, simplicity, persecution, sanctions, and even hostile attack by those who felt threatened by the Message of One God?
In addition, how reasonable is it to believe that unlettered Muhammad would author the Quran for personal benefit and then within the Quran correct and reprove himself?  For example:
“He frowned and turned away when the blind man came to him…” (Quran 80:1-2)
And also,
“…And you did fear men, though God is more deserving that you should fear Him” (Quran 33:37)
There are other verse you may refer to, such as chapter18,verse 23-24, and others.  Why would he embarrass himself when he could simply omit or favorably modify such verses in the Quran?  They were certainly not to his advantage if his goals were power and prestige.  The existence of such verses only proves that Muhammad was indeed a truthful and sincere Messenger of God!


Footnotes:
[1] See Fredrick Denny, Islam, NY: Harper & Row, 1987, p.88; Dr. Maurice Bucaille, The Bible, the Quran and Science, Indianapolis: American Trust Publications, 1983, p.163; and H.A.R. Gibb, Wither Islam, NY: A.M.S. Press, 1932, p.350; etc.
[2] See for example, H.A.R. Gibb, Mohammedanism, London: Oxford University Press, 1962, p.25

The Authorship of the Quran (part 2 of 3): The Words of a Poet or a Teacher?

The Style of the Quran

There is a world of difference between the style of the Quran and Muhammad’s own style as recorded in the books of Ahadeeth.  The differences between the two in every respect – style and contents – are immediately evident.  The sayings of Muhammad (Ahadeeth) are conversational, oratorical, and expository, of a kind the Arabs were already familiar with.  By contrast, the style of the Quran is authoritative:
“We created the heavens and the earth…” (Quran 15:85, 44:38, 46:3, 50:38)
Also,
“Say!...”[1]
Also,
“… had it (the Quran) been from any other than God, they would have found therein much discrepancies.” (Quran 4:82)
Also,
“… Say then: ‘Bring a chapter like it and call, if you can, on other than God…’”(Quran 10:38)
Also,
“… then bring a chapter like unto it… and if you can not — for surely you cannot, then…” (Quran 2:23-24)
Which fallible human being would write a book and challenge humanity to find discrepancies in it, as does the author of the Quran (Quran 4:82)?  Would any sensible student after writing an exam paper add a note to the lecturer saying “Read my answers with care and find any discrepancies or mistakes in it if you can!”?  The style of the Quran is simply that of the All-Knowing Creator.
Furthermore, the Quran is a literary masterpiece of Arabic which was and remains unrivaled in its eloquence.  Its rhythmic style, rhyme, near-haunting depth of expression, majesty, and “inimitable symphony, the very sounds of which move men to tears and ecstasy”[2], shook the foundations of a society which had prided itself on its oratory skills.  Contests were held every year in Mecca for who could recite the longest and most eloquent pieces from memory.  When the Quran was revealed, all such contests were brought to a halt, as there was no more competition.
Like the miracle of Moses’ stick turning into a real snake which outdid the ability of all the Pharaoh’s magicians at a time when the Egyptians were noted for their mastery of sorcery and magic, and the miracle of Jesus’ healing of the blind and bringing the dead back to life which outdid the ability of all the doctors at a time when the Jews were noted for their mastery of medicine, the Quran was the Prophet Muhammad’s own miracle.[3]  How could such magnificent and unrivaled expressions emanate from a man who, for 40 years, was never known for any such ability?

Similarities and Discrepancies between the Quran and the Bible

The mere existence of similarities between any two books is insufficient to prove that one must have been copied from the other.  Both could have drawn information from a third common source, thus accounting for some similarities between them.  This, in fact, is the argument of the Quran that God is the Source of all authentic revelation (Quran 4:47).
Some scholars have noted that the only Christians the Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him,, is recorded as having been personally introduced to prior to his mission did not spend long enough time with him to teach him of their scripture, and no other historical record mentions anyone who taught the Prophet from among the Jews and Christian.[4]  Furthermore, the Arabs of his time were very eager to discredit him.  Hence, if there was any secret teacher, he would most likely have been exposed by them then.
Furthermore, could the Quran have been copied from the Bible if they exhibit serious creedal differences?  Regarding doctrines such as the concepts of God and prophethood, sin and forgiveness, the Quran differs significantly with the Bible.  The Quran in fact addresses Jews and Christians directly when correcting what it states are corruptions in their own scriptures.  Interestingly, Quranic revelations of doctrinal problems with Christianity were sent largely in the Meccan period, prior to the Prophet’s migration to Medina, where he would have encountered many more Jewish and Christian scholars.
Even in the case of narration common to both scriptures, vital discrepancies can be observed.  For example, the Quran, unlike the Bible:
— does not blame women for the mistake committed by Adam and Eve (may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him) in disobeying God in the Garden of Eden. (Compare Genesis 3:12-17 with Quran 91:7-8 and 2:35-37);
— emphasizes that Adam and Eve repented to God (Quran 7:23) and were forgiven by Him (Quran 2:37);
— mentions that the eventual dwelling of Adam and Eve on Earth was already part of God’s plan even before He created them (Quran 2:30), and not a sort of punishment (Genesis 3:17-19).
Other significant variations can be seen in the stories of Solomon[5], Abraham[6], Ishmael and Isaac, Lot, Noah[7], Moses and Jesus[8] (may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him).
The Quran also mentions a good amount of historical information about which the Bible is completely silent.  From which portion of the Bible were the following copied?
·        The stories of the people of ‘Ad and Thamud, and their Prophets, Hud and Saleh.
·        The dialogue between Prophet Noah  and his son before the flood (Quran 11:42-43).
·        The dialogue between Abraham  and his father (Quran 6:74), as well as between he and a king (Quran 2:258), and between he and his people (Quran 22:70-102; 29:16-18; 37:83-98; 21:57).
·        The mention of the city of Iram (Quran 89:7).
·        The Pharaoh of the Exodus having drowned, with his body preserved as a sign for people of future generations (Quran 10:90-92).
·        Jesus’ miracles of speaking from the cradle (Quran 3:46), and his producing (by God’s will) a bird from clay (Quran 3:49), etc.
For further examples, see the following references from the Quran: 21:69, 2:260, and 3:37.


Footnotes:
[1] This is mentioned in too many places in the Quran to mention here. See. Quran 112,113,114 for an example (E).
[2] Marmaduke Pickthall, The Meaning of the Glorious Quran, New York: The Muslim World League, 1977, p.vii.
[3] Saheeh Al-Bukhari Vol.6, Hadeeth No.504; Saheeh Muslim Vol.1, Hadeeth No.283.
[4] Bilal Philips, Usool at-Tafseer, Sharjah: Dar al-Fatah, 1997, p.127-128.
[5] eg. the Quran rejects that this Prophet was ever a worshipper of idols – compare Quran 2:102 with 1 Kings 11:4.
[6] eg. the Quran describes the account of the story of God’s command to sacrifice his son as occurring in a dream with his son as a willing participant before being saved by God’s intervention, while the Bible speaks of God speaking directly to him and his son as unaware of his plans - compare Quran 37:99-111 with Genesis 22:1-19
[7] The Bible describes the Great Flood as covering the entire Earth whereas the Quran describes the flood as a local event only, a description which is more consistent which scientific evidence - compare Quran 25:37 with Genesis 7:23.
[8] A critical difference is the Quran’s insistence that Jesus was never truly crucified.