Muhammad’s Claim to Prophethood (part 3 of 3): Was He Insane, a Poet, or a Sorcerer?

Was He Insane? Someone who has dealt with mentally ill knows people can be identified by their symptoms.  Muhammad displayed no symptom of insanity at any time in his life  No friend, wife, or family member suspected or abandoned him due to insanity.  As for the effects of revelations on the Prophet, such as perspiration and the likes, it was due to the intensity of the Message which he had to bear and not due to any epileptic fit or instance of insanity... Quite to the contrary, Muhammad preached for a long time and brought a Law unknown in its completeness and sophistication to ancient Arabs.  If the prophet was insane, it would have been obvious to those around him at one point in a period of twenty three years.  When in history did an insane man preach his message to worship One God for ten years, three of which he and his followers spent in exile, and eventually became the ruler of his lands?  Which insane man has ever won the hearts and minds of people who met him and earned the respect of his adversaries?

Muhammad’s Claim to Prophethood (part 2 of 3): Was He a Liar?

A Logical Analysis of His Claim As discussed earlier, Muhammad made the claim, ‘I am God’s Messenger.’  Either he was true in his claim or he was not.  We will begin by the assuming the latter and investigate all possibilities raised by skeptics of past and present, discussing some of their misconceptions.  Only if all other possibilities are exhausted can one reasonably claim that the only possibility left is that he was true in what he claimed.  We will also look at what the Quran has to say on the matter. Was He a Liar?

Muhammad’s Claim to Prophethood (part 1 of 3): Proofs of His Prophethood

Divine facilitation is proportionate to human need.  God makes acquisition easier as the need of humans increase.  Air, water, and sunlight are necessary for human survival, and thus God has granted their acquisition to all without hardship.  The greatest human need is to know the Creator, and thus, God has made it easy to know Him.  The evidence for God, however, differs in its nature.  In its own way, everything in creation is evidence of its Creator.  Some evidence is so obvious that any lay person can immediately ‘see’ the Creator, for instance, the cycle of life and death.  Others ‘see’ the handiwork of the Creator in the elegance of mathematical theorems, universal constants of physics, and the development of the embryo:

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:

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

The Miraculous Quran (part 11 of 11): A Challenge for Humanity

The Linguistic Miracle of the Quran There is another important aspect that Muslim scholars have traditionally considered the greatest miraculous aspect of the Quran, this is the linguistic miracle.  Unfortunately, though, before becoming a Muslim (and even afterwards), I had no way to truly appreciate this topic.  I could only read what some scholars had written about the language and beauty of the Quran.  For example, John Naish wrote: The Quran in its original Arabic dress has a seductive beauty and charm of its own.  Couched in concise and exalted style, its brief pregnant sentences, often rhymed, poses an expressive force and explosive energy which is extremely difficult to convey by literal word for word translation.[1] Similarly, Arberry yearned for his earlier days when he would hear the Quran being recited during Ramadhan in Egypt.[2]  I actually had no access to hearing the Quran being recited and therefore did not know what a moving experience it is.  Furthermore, without knowledge of the Arabic language, the impression of the English translations could not possibly be like that of the original Arabic.  However, I must discuss this miraculous here, however briefly, because it is truly one of the most amazing aspects of the Quran.

The Miraculous Quran (part 10 of 11): Scientific Miracles

Scientific Miracles of the Quran The “scientific miracles” of the Quran is a topic that many people are talking about nowadays, as the research in many fields continues.  The source for this is probably the fact that there are literally hundreds of verses of the Quran in which God points to different aspe cts of this creation and encourages humans to reflect and learn from what they are seeing. Shortly after I became Muslim, I became aware of Maurice Bucaille’s The Bible, the Quran and Science.  For the sake of brevity, I wish to share with you the important conclusions that he reached: The Quran follows on from the two Revelations that preceded it and is not only free from contradictions in its narrations, the sign of the various human manipulations to be found in the Gospels, but provides a quality all of its own for those who examine it objectively and in the light of science i.e. its complete agreement with modern scientific data.  What is more, statements are to be found in it (as has been shown) that are connected with science: and yet it is unthinkable that a man of Muhammad's time could have been the author of them.  Modern scientific knowledge therefore allows us to understand certain verses of the Quran which, until now, it has been impossible to interpret. In view of the level of knowledge in Muhammad's day, it is inconceivable that many of the statements in the Quran which are connected with science could have been the work of a man.  It is, moreover, perfectly legitimate, not only to regard the Quran as the expression of a Revelation, but also to award it a very special place, on account of the guarantee of authenticity it provides and the presence in it of scientific statements which, when studied today, appear as a challenge to explanation in human terms.[1]

The Miraculous Quran (part 9 of 11): A Unique Prophecy

Coming from a Christian perspective, I was anxious to see what kind of prophecies were related to the Quran and the Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him. I was taught that if a prophet’s prophecies do not come to pass, he could not be a true prophet of God. There are a number of such prophecies in the Quran but I will highlight only one of them—actually I have already made mention of one, the fact that the Quran would be preserved. (Similarly, God promised, although the Prophet had many adversaries who wanted to see him dead, that He would protect the Prophet Muhammad until his mission was concluded. Indeed, the Prophet did not die until after God had revealed the verse, “This day I have completed your religion for you…”) I am highlighting this one prophecy because it had to do with events that were completely out of the control of the Prophet or the Arabs. There is a passage in the Quran that reads:

The Miraculous Quran (part 8 of 11): From Savages to Saints

The next aspect that caught me eye—and this again was something that non-Muslims were mentioning in their works—was the effect that the Quran had on the generation of the Prophet. May the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, and afterwards. It is clear that the Arabs at the time of the Prophet were wont to drink, make merry and engage in tribal battles. They were known to sometimes kill their female babies. However, one finds that in a short span of close to twenty years a movement that started with just one man was able, due to the grace of God and the miraculous effect of the Quran, to change almost all of the Arabs and non-Arabs in the Arabian peninsula and bind them together into a brotherhood of faith and mercy which was so strong that if any one part of this brotherhood was in anguish, the whole brotherhood would be affected negatively. At that time, one could find two people who were from previously antagonistic tribes sharing their wealth and willing to give up their lives for each other. Indeed, one was willing to split half of his wealth and divorce one of his wives for the sake of his new brother who was from a “foreign” tribe. Perhaps one of the best descriptions of the change that took place among the Muslims can be seen in the famous statement of the Companion Jafar ibn Abu Talib who was asked by the Negus of Abyssinia about the mission of the Messenger. He told him, O king, we were an ignorant people, worshipping idols, eating carrion and indulging in sexual pleasures. We ridiculed our neighbors, a brother oppressed his brother, and the strong devoured the weak. At this time a man rose among us, who had already been known to be truthful, noble and honest. This man called us to Islam. And he taught us to give up worshipping stones, to speak the truth, to refrain from bloodshed, and not to defraud the orphans of their property. He taught us to provide comfort to our neighbors and not to bring a slander against chaste women. He enjoined upon us to offer prayers, observe fasts and give alms. We followed him, gave up polytheism and idolatry and refrained from all evil deeds. It is for this new way that our people have become hostile to us and compel us to return to our old misguided life.[1]

The Miraculous Quran (part 7 of 11): Various Aspects of the Law

I noticed almost immediately that the Quranic teachings are very comprehensive, complete, balanced and practical. For the sake of brevity, I will not go into this aspect in any detail but it was something that impressed me quite a bit. The range and flexibility of the laws of the Quran are impressive. It was clear to me that this book was not revealed just for a people at a specific time but was meant for people of very different times and places. The Quran is very comprehensive in that it touches upon and gives clear guidance concerning such diverse issues as ritual acts of worship, business transactions, marriage, divorce, the laws of warfare and so on. There is a definite balance that one feels when one reads the Quran. A human’s spiritual and mundane needs are met simultaneously in the same passage. Even the most detailed passages concerning law still contain admonition, remembrance of Allah and exhortation to behave in the best manner possible. The scope of the Quranic teachings is not just for the individual himself. It is not the case that Allah has given him some kind of spiritual guidance to, perhaps, only guide his morals and character. Instead, Allah has also revealed a law that is meant for society as a whole. Humans do not have to grope about trying to decide what is best for the community at large. It has been given by Allah to guide mankind to the best way of life. It covers the individual’s personal practice and piety as well as his relationship with his parents, spouse, children, neighbors, community and humanity as a whole. All of this with a proper balance and within the overall framework of making one’s life a true and complete form of worship of God alone. There is clearly one only goal for humans—the worship of God—and all of the deeds of this worldly life fall within the scope of that goal. There is no schizophrenia in a person’s life. He is not trying to please God and Caesar at the same time or even at different times. He does not even need to resort to chasing after vain desires and compromise his ethics to live a rewarding life in this world. He simply needs to live his life in this world in a wholesome manner under the shade of the comprehensive guidance of the Quran. One Particular Aspect of Islamic Law: Its Practicality

The Miraculous Quran (part 6 of 11): The Excellence of its Teachings II

Furthermore, in the Talmud[1]—and some non-Muslim scholars, such as Rodinson, claimed that the Quranic material came from the Talmud—it  states that there was a dispute between God and the Jewish scholars.  After a lengthy debate with no resolution, they decided to refer the matter to one of the rabbis.  After the rabbi’s decision, God was forced to admit that He was mistaken.[2]  Thus, God, according to them, is not even perfect with respect to His knowledge.  The Christian conception of God and God having a son is, of course, completely blasphemous from an Islamic perspective.  I often wondered how there could have been a semi-human son of God or how Jesus in particular could be the son of God.  As Jesus is pictured in the New Testament, besides performing some miracles that earlier prophets performed, there is nothing special about him.  He lived like a human being, eating and drinking.  He suffered like a human and even prayed out to God.  The Romans and Jews[3] defeated God’s supposed son and he could not save himself, even crying out to his father.  Beyond that, there are also of the difficult questions encountered by Christians: was he partially divine and partially human, was he completely divine, he was completely human, was he divine since birth, was he divine at a time and then that divinity left him and so on.  In the Islamic conception of God, there is nothing of this nature whatsoever.  In fact, the Quran even denies the crucifixion—surely if the Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, were simply copying from the Bible, he would have included that story.

The Miraculous Quran (part 5 of 11): The Excellence of its Teachings I

I was very impressed with the Quran’s teachings about God and found it unlike any other scripture that I had studied.  This was once again proving to me that this scripture was free of all human interpolation.  I was also very impressed with the way that it handled belief about God in particular and its belief system as a whole. Let me explain what I mean by this. No Leap of Faith Coming from a Christian background, I experienced what many experienced concerning matters of belief and how to understand them.  It was virtually impossible to get straight answers concerning the very basics of Christian beliefs from the pastors and priests.  The reality is that the concepts of belief were meant to be a “mystery” and belief in what one cannot truly understand is what proved a person’s faith. That approach simply did not sit well with me and I found it, and still find it, illogical.  It does not seem that the truth as revealed by the Merciful and Wise God, who has given so many marvelous signs in the creation, should lead one to have to say, as the 2nd-century North African Church Father Tertullian is well known for saying: credo quia absurdum est, “I believe because it is absurd.” Religion should not be simply “faith-based”—a leap of faith, as such.  Actually, it should be first as well “knowledge-based,” so that both the heart and the mind find solace in it and submit to it with a firm resolution.  And this is what I found in Islam.

The Miraculous Quran (part 4 of 11): The Detailed Preservation of the Quran

I was painfully aware of much of the history of the Bible and it was one of the main problems that I had with Christianity.[1]  I had asked pastors and the like about this question and most of them at that time, this was before the fundamentalists became very mainstream, were very open about it and would admit that there were problems with the historical authenticity of the Bible.  At the same time, though, most of them proclaimed that the “teachings” have been preserved although the details may not have been.  In other words, the Bible was clearly not God’s word; they would claim that the Biblical writers were “inspired” by God.  That is the most that they could claim, although even that they could not prove.  This seemed to me to be blind faith because if you do not know if the details have been preserved, how can you be so certain that the main teachings have truly been preserved.  In reality, we do not even know who Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were and why exactly their names were attached to those famous Gospels. In the light of this, I found Jeffrey, while trying to prove that there are some minor difficulties with the Quran, demonstrating that the compilation of the Quran from its earliest years is known in great detail, as most of his work was concerning the time of the Companions of the Prophet.  I was very impressed and this supposed attack on the Quran simply, again as I alluded to earlier, made me continue in my study of the Quran.  (Of course, much later I would read responses to Jeffrey’s arguments, totally refuting his claims of the Quran not being preserved in tact.) The Quran’s Promise that it Shall be Preserved

The Miraculous Quran (part 3 of 11): A Sacred Scripture Must be From God

My First Parameter: If it is God’s Religion I am Looking for, the Sacred Scripture Must be From God In my study of other religions, one of my goals was to read each religion’s sacred scriptures directly, in order to understand directly from the source what the religion was all about.  This is obviously what piqued my curiosity in the Quran. I already had a strong belief in God and was convinced of the existence of a Supreme Being.  In fact, for a while, I was sometimes a Christian and sometimes simply a deist, following in the footsteps of Voltaire and many of the “founding fathers” of the United States. Already believing in God, therefore, my first parameter for a true religion was that the religion must have God as its original source.  No one can know the details about God except God.  He is above and beyond the realm of human experience.  More importantly, no one knows how He should be worshipped except Him.  No one knows what way of life is pleasing to Him except Him.  Although humans are able to come to many sound conclusions about God, no human could logically claim that he has somehow—independent of revelation from God—discovered the way in which God should be worshipped and the way that is pleasing to God.  Thus, if the ultimate goal in one’s heart is to truly please and worship God as He should be worshipped, then one has no alternative but to turn to Him for guidance and direction.

The Miraculous Quran (part 2 of 11): The Quran and Orientalists

Studying the Quran in 1976: The Quran Versus many Non-Muslim Writers You should keep in mind that this took place in 1976.  This was before the Iranian Revolution and Islam being plastered all over the media.  I didn’t know any Muslims at the time.  (I was living in a relatively small college town and I incorrectly assumed that there were no Muslims there.) Thus, there was no one trying to convince me of the truth of Islam.  In fact, I eventually converted to Islam before ever meeting a Muslim, doing my best to learn the prayers from a book written by a missionary, T. P. Hughes’ The Dictionary of Islam.

The Miraculous Quran (part 1 of 11): My Path to Islam

Opening Statement Let me state at the outset that, after being Muslim for many years now, if I were given the topic of “The Miraculous Quran,” as I see it now, I would be emphasizing and discussing aspects that were completely unknown to me at the time that I was studying Islam as a non-Muslim.  I have been studying the Quran for over thirty years now and it never fails to fascinate me.  In fact, the phenomenon of continually finding new fascinating aspects of the Quran has been true for the Muslim scholars throughout the years.  Over the centuries, as they have spoken about the Quran, later scholars recognize the miraculous aspects that the earlier scholars mentioned while coming across other aspects that they consider no less remarkable and amazing.  Thus, for example, in the past century, we have had Aishah bint al-Shaati, Sayyid Qutb and Mustafa Saadiq al-Raafi’ee all adding components to the overall theory of the miraculous nature of the Quran.[1]  Lately, many have emphasized what are called the “scientific miracles of the Quran,” a topic we shall try to visit toward the end of this lecture. However, this lecture is about “my story” and my path to Islam via the Quran.  Therefore, I will be emphasizing those aspects of the Quran that influenced me the most at that time and I will give less time to other aspects that I have studied in detail since then. A Very Brief Introduction to the Prophet Muhammad and the Quran

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

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

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?

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 7th century 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:

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 Authorship of the Quran (part 3 of 3): Was it the Words of Satan or God?

Quranic Teachings about Satan and about Morality Some claim that the Quran was the work of the devil.[1]  Let us examine how much sense (or non-sense) this allegation makes. If he authored or inspired the Quran, why would Satan curse himself and call himself the worst enemy of man (Q.35:6; 36:60)?  Why would Satan command that before reciting the Quran, one must first say: “…I seek refuge in God from Satan the accursed.” (Quran 16:98) How could Satan so vehemently condemn himself?  Is it really acceptable to common sense to hold the view that Satan would ask people to do good, to be moral and virtuous, to worship none but God, to not follow Satan or his whispers, and to avoid and struggle against evil? To hold such a view is clearly repugnant to reason, as Satan has only undermined himself through this means if he is the author.  Even the Bible attests: “And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end.” (Mark 3:26)[2] This argument applies to any “Satanic forces”, be they “evil spirits”, “deceitful aliens”, etc. The Quran’s Factual Contents and Scientific Information

Preservation of the Quran (part 2 of 2): The Written Quran

The entire Quran was however also recorded in writing at the time of revelation from the Prophet’s dictation, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, by some of his literate companions, the most prominent of them being Zaid ibn Thabit.[1]  Others among his noble scribes were Ubayy ibn Ka’b, Ibn Mas’ud, Mu’awiyah ibn Abi-Sufyan, Khalid ibn Waleed and Zubayr ibn Awwam.[2]  The verses were recorded on leather, parchment, scapulae (shoulder bones of animals) and the stalks of date palms.[3] The codification of the Quran (i.e. into a ‘book form’) was done soon after the Battle of Yamamah (11AH/633CE), after the Prophet’s death, during the Caliphate of Abu Bakr.  Many companions became martyrs at that battle, and it was feared that unless a written copy of the entire revelation was produced, large parts of the Quran might be lost with the death of those who had memorized it.  Therefore, at the suggestion of Umar to collect the Quran in the form of writing, Zaid ibn Thabit was requested by Abu Bakr to head a committee which would gather together the scattered recordings of the Quran and prepare a mushaf - loose sheets which bore the entire revelation on them.[4]  To safeguard the compilation from errors, the committee accepted only material which had been written down in the presence of the Prophet himself, and which could be verified by at least two reliable witnesses who had actually heard the Prophet recite the passage in question[5].  Once completed and unanimously approved of by the Prophet’s Companions, these sheets were kept with the Caliph Abu Bakr (d. 13AH/634CE), then passed on to the Caliph Umar (13-23AH/634-644CE), and then Umar’s daughter and the Prophet’s widow, Hafsah[6].

Preservation of the Quran (part 1 of 2): Memorization

The Glorious Quran, the Muslims’ religious Scripture, was revealed in Arabic to the Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, through the angel Gabriel.  The revelation occurred piecemeal, over a period of twenty-three years, sometimes in brief verses and sometimes in longer chapters.[1] The Quran (lit. a “reading” or “recitation”) is distinct from the recorded sayings and deeds (Sunnah) of the Prophet Muhammad, which are instead preserved in a separate set of literature collectively called the “Ahadeeth” (lit. “news”; “report”; or “narration”). Upon receiving revelation, the Prophet engaged himself in the duty of conveying the message to his Companions through reciting the exact words he heard in their exact order.  This is evident in his inclusion of even the words of God which were directed specifically to him, for example: “Qul” (“Say [to the people, O Muhammad]”).  The Quran’s rhythmic style and eloquent expression make it easy to memorize.  Indeed, God describes this as one of its essential qualities for preservation and remembrance (Q. 44:58; 54:17, 22, 32, 40), particularly in an Arab society which prided itself on orations of lengthy pieces of poetry.  Michael Zwettler notes that: “in ancient times, when writing was scarcely used, memory and oral transmission was exercised and strengthened to a degree now almost unknown.”[2] Large portions of the revelation were thus easily memorized by a large number of people in the community of the Prophet.

The Pleasures of Paradise in Brief

Description: A glance at the nature of Paradise as described in the Quran and the saying of Prophet Muhammad.

God has said in the Quran: “And give good news (O Muhammad) to those who believe and do good deeds, that they will have gardens (Paradise) in which rivers flow....” (Quran 2:25) God has also said: “Race one with another for forgiveness from your Lord and for Paradise, whose width is as the width of the heavens and the earth, which has been prepared for those who believe in God and His messengers....” (Quran 57:21)

The Pleasures of Paradise (part 2 of 2)

Description: The second of a two-part article defining the fundamental differences between Paradise and the life of this world.  Part 2: The superiority of its joys and delights in comparison to this life.

The Eternalness of the Hereafter The Pleasures of this world are transient whilst the joys of the hereafter are lasting and eternal.  In this life when a person enjoys something, it is only a short while before they get bored with it and proceed to search for something they feel is better, or they may not feel a need for it altogether.  As for the delights of Paradise, a person will never feel bored with anything, but rather, its goodness will increase each time they indulge in it. Also, the life of this world is very short.  Humans only live on this earth for a short while, and very few people reach the age of seventy. “…Say: Short is the enjoyment of this world.  The Hereafter is (far) better for him who fears God...” (Quran 4:77) As for Paradise, people will live forever.  God says: “...its provision is eternal and so is its shade…” (Quran 13:35) “What is with you must vanish, and what is with God will endure …” (Quran 16:96) “(It will be said to them): This is Our Provision, which will never finish” (Quran 38:54) Superior Delights

The Pleasures of Paradise (part 1 of 2)

Description: The first of a two-part article defining the fundamental differences between Paradise and the life of this world. Part 1: The absence of those things which cause grief, pain and suffering in this life.

The reality of Paradise is something which people will never be able to understand until they actually enter it, but God has shown us glimpses of it in the Quran.  He has described it as a place essentially different to the life of this world, both in the very nature and purpose of life, as well as the types of delights which people will enjoy therein.  The Quran tells people about Paradise, which God offers to them, describes its great blessings, and proclaims its beauties to everyone.  It informs people that Paradise is one of two ways of life prepared for them in the afterworld, and that every good thing will be theirs in Paradise to a degree that surpasses our present ability to imagine.  It also shows that Paradise is a place where all blessings have been created perfectly and where people will be offered everything their souls and hearts will desire, and that people will be far removed from want and need, anxiety or sadness, sorrow and regret.  Every kind of beauty and blessing exists in Paradise and will be revealed with a perfection never seen or known before.  God has prepared such blessings there as a gift, and these will be offered only to people with whom He is pleased. But what is the nature of these delights in Paradise, and how will it be different from the delights of this world?  We will try to highlight a few of these differences. Pure delight without pain and suffering

Bible Prophecies of Muhammad (part 4 of 4): More New Testament Prophecies of Muhammad

Description: The Biblical evidence that Muhammad is not a false prophet.  Part 4: A further discussion on the prophecy mentioned in John 14:16 of the Paraclete, or “Comforter”, and how Muhammad fits this prophecy more than others.

5.      Jesus describes the function of the other Parakletos: John 16:13 “He will guide you into all the truth.” God says in the Quran of Muhammad: “O mankind!  The Messenger has now come unto you with the truth from your Lord: believe, then, for your own good!...” (Quran 4:170) John 16:14 “He will glorify Me.” The Quran brought by Muhammad glorifies Jesus: “…who shall become known as the Christ Jesus, son of Mary, of great honor in this world and in the life to come, and [shall be] of those who are drawn near unto God.” (Quran 3:45) Muhammad also glorified Jesus: “Whoever testifies that none deserves worship except God, who has no partner, and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, and that Jesus is the servant of God, His Messenger, and His Word which He bestowed in Mary, and a spirit created from Him, and that Paradise is true, and that Hell is true, God will admit him into Paradise, according to his deeds.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim) John 16:8 “he will convince the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.”

Bible Prophecies of Muhammad (part 3 of 4): New Testament Prophecies of Muhammad

Description: The Biblical evidence that Muhammad is not a false prophet.  Part 3: A discussion on the prophecy mentioned in John 14:16 of the Paraclete, or “Comforter”, and how Muhammad fits this prophecy more than others.

John 14:16  “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.” (American Standard Version) In this verse, Jesus promises that another “Comforter” will appear, and thus, we must discuss some issues concerning this “Comforter.” The Greek word paravklhtoß, ho parakletos, has been translated as ‘Comforter.’  Parakletos more precisely means ‘one who pleads another’s cause, an intercessor.’[1]  The ho parakletos is a person in the Greek language, not an incorporeal entity.  In the Greek language, every noun possesses gender; that is, it is masculine, feminine or neutral.  In the Gospel of John, Chapters 14, 15 and 16 the ho parakletos is actually a person.  All pronouns in Greek must agree in gender with the word to which they refer and the pronoun “he” is used when referring to the parakletos.  The NT uses the word pneuma, which means “breath” or “spirit,” the Greek equivalent of ruah, the Hebrew word for “spirit” used in the OT.  Pneuma is a grammatically neutral word and is always represented by the pronoun “it.”

Bible Prophecies of Muhammad (part 2 of 4): Old Testament Prophecies of Muhammad

Description: The Biblical evidence that Muhammad is not a false prophet.  Part 2: A discussion on the prophecy mentioned in Deuteronomy 18:18, and how Muhammad fits this prophecy more than others.

Deuteronomy 18:18  “I (God) will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee (Moses), and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.” Many Christians believe this prophecy foretold by Moses to be in regards to Jesus.  Indeed Jesus was foretold in the Old Testament, but as will be clear, this prophecy does not befit him, but rather is more deserving of Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him.  Moses foretold the following: 1.         The Prophet Will Be Like Moses . Areas of Comparison Moses Jesus Muhammad Birth normal birth miraculous, virgin birth normal birth Mission prophet only said to be Son of God prophet only Parents father & mother mother only father & mother Family Life married with children never married married with children Acceptance by own people Jews accepted him Jews rejected him[1] Arabs accepted him Political Authority Moses had it (Num 15:36) Jesus refused it[2] Muhammad had it Victory Over Opponents Pharaoh drowned said to be crucified Meccans defeated Death natural death claimed to be crucified natural death Burial buried in grave empty tomb buried in grave Divinity not divine divine to Christians not divine Began Mission at age 40 30 40 Resurrection on Earth not resurrected resurrection claimed not resurrected   2.         The Awaited Prophet will be from the Brethren of the Jews

Bible Prophecies of Muhammad (part 1 of 4): Witnesses of Scholars

Description: The Biblical evidence that Muhammad is not a false prophet.  Part 1: The difficulties faced in discussing biblical prophecies, and accounts of some scholars who attested that Muhammad has been alluded  to in the Bible.

Preliminary Issues The Bible is the sacred scripture of Judaism and Christianity.  The Christian Bible consists of the Old Testament and the New Testament, with the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox versions of the Old Testament being slightly larger because of their acceptance of certain books not accepted as scripture by Protestants.  The Jewish Bible includes only the books known to Christians as the Old Testament.  Furthermore, the arrangements of the Jewish and Christian canons differ considerably.[1]  Prophet Muhammad has been prophesized in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Jesus and the Apostles are believed to have spoken Aramaic.  Aramaic continued in wide use until about AD 650, when it was supplanted by Arabic.[2]  The present day Bible is not, however, based on the Aramaic manuscripts, but on Greek and Latin versions. Quoting the Bible prophecies does not entail that Muslims accept the present day Bible in its entirety as God’s revelation.  For the Islamic belief on previous scriptures, please click here.  It is not a pre-condition of acceptance that a prophet be foretold by an earlier prophet.  Moses was a prophet to Pharaoh even though he was not prophesized by anyone before him.  Abraham was God’s prophet to Nimrod, yet no one prophesized his coming.  Noah, Lot, and others were true prophets of God, yet they were not foretold.  The evidence of a prophet’s truth is not limited to old prophecies, but it includes the actual message brought by him, miracles and more. Discussing prophecies is a delicate matter.  It requires sifting through Bible versions and translations, recently discovered manuscripts and searching out Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic words and investigating them.  The task becomes especially difficult when: “prior to the printing press (15th century), all copies of Bibles show textual variations.”[3]  This is not an easy subject for lay people.  For this reason, the best testimony comes from ancient and modern experts in the area who acknowledged the prophecies. We have records of early Jews and Christians, both monks and rabbis, who witnessed that Muhammad was the fulfillment of specific Bible prophecies.  The following are some examples of these people. The Awaited Prophet

The Seven Earths

Description: The seven layers of the earth which scientists have recently discovered was eluded to by Prophet Muhammad 1400 years ago.

A simple image of Earth and the interior layers.  Windows to the Universe, at (http://www.windows.ucar.edu) at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR).  ©1995-1999, 2000 The Regents of the University of Michigan; ©2000-05 University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. The Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad is the second revealed source of Islam.  Like the Quran, it contains scientific information unavailable 1400 years ago.  From these miracles is the “seven” earths, mentioned by the Prophet in several of his sayings.  From them are the following two: Hadith 1

The Victory of the Romans and the Lowest Point on Earth

Description: The Quran lays light on the lowest place of earth.

In the early 7th century, the two most powerful empires at the time were the Byzantine[1]  and Persian Empires.  In the years 613 - 614 C.E the two Empires went to war, with the Byzantines suffering a severe defeat at the hands of the Persians.  Damascus and Jerusalem both fell to the Persian Empire.  In the chapter, The Romans, in the Holy Quran, it is stated that the Byzantines had met with a great defeat but would soon gain victory: “The Romans have been defeated in the lowest land, but after their defeat they will soon be victorious.  Within three to nine years.  The decision of the matter, before and after, is with God.” (Quran 30:2-4) These verses, above,  were revealed around 620 C.E, almost 7 years after the severe defeat of the Christian Byzantines at the hands of the idolater Persians in 613 – 614 C.E.  Yet it was related in the verses that the Byzantines would shortly be victorious.  In-fact, Byzantine had been so heavily defeated that it seemed impossible for the Empire to even maintain its very existence, let alone be victorious again.

The Quran on the Expanding Universe and the Big Bang Theory

Description: This article delineates the correlation between the most accepted scientific explanation of the origin and expansion of the Universe, and the description of its origin and expansion in the Quran.

Hubble’s Law For thousands of years, astronomers wrestled with basic questions concerning the universe.  Until the early 1920’s, it was believed that the universe had always been in existence; also, that the size of the universe was fixed and not changing.  However, in 1912, the American astronomer, Vesto Slipher, made a discovery that would soon change astronomers’ beliefs about the universe.  Slipher, noticed that the galaxies were moving away from earth at huge velocities.  These observations provided the first evidence supporting the expanding-universe theory.[1] Before the invention of the telescope in 1608, man could do little more than wonder about the origin of the universe. (Courtesy: NASA) In 1916, Albert Einstein formulated his General Theory of Relativity that indicated that the universe must be either expanding or contracting.  Confirmation of the expanding-universe theory finally came in 1929 in the hands of the well known American astronomer Edwin Hubble. By observing redshifts[2] in the light wavelengths emitted by galaxies, Hubble found that galaxies were not fixed in their position; instead, they were actually moving away from us with speeds proportional to their distance from earth (Hubble's Law).  The only explanation for this observation was that the universe had to be expanding.  Hubble’s discovery is regarded as one of the greatest in the history of astronomy.  In 1929, he published the velocity-time relation which is the basis of modern cosmology.  In the years to come, with further observations, the expanding-universe theory was accepted by scientists and astronomers alike.

The Miracle of Iron

Description: The Quran seems to imply that the iron was something “sent down” and not from this earth, an idea not foreign to 20th century science.

Iron is one of the elements highlighted in the Quran. In the chapter known Al-Hadeed, meaning Iron, we are informed: “And We also sent down iron in which there lies great force and which has many uses for mankind…” (Quran 57:25) The word “anzalna,” translated as "sent down" and used for iron in the verse, could be thought of having a metaphorical meaning to explain that iron has been given to benefit people. But, when we take into consideration the literal meaning of the word, which is, "being physically sent down from the sky, as this word usage had not been employed in the Quran except literally, like the descending of the rain or revelation, we realize that this verse implies a very significant scientific miracle. Because, modern astronomical findings have disclosed that the iron found in our world has come from giant stars in outer space.[1]

The Quran on Clouds

Description: Details mentioned in the Quran about cloud formation over 1400 years ago has only recently been discovered by science.

Scientists have studied cloud types and have realized that rain clouds are formed and shaped according to definite systems and certain steps connected with certain types of wind and clouds. One kind of rain cloud is the cumulonimbus cloud.  Meteorologists have studied how cumulonimbus clouds are formed and how they produce rain, hail, and lightning. They have found that cumulonimbus clouds go through the following steps to produce rain: 1)                  The clouds are pushed by the wind: Cumulonimbus clouds begin to form when wind pushes some small pieces of clouds (cumulus clouds) to an area where these clouds converge (see figures 1 and 2). Figure 1: Satellite photo showing the clouds moving towards the convergence areas B, C, and D.  The arrows indicate the directions of the wind. (The Use of Satellite Pictures in Weather Analysis and Forecasting, Anderson and others, p. 188.)