THE QURAN

THE QURAN

It is stated that the Qur’an is the supreme authority in Islam.  It is the essential, chief, main

source of the creed, rituals, ethnics, and laws of the Islamic religion.  It regulates and controls

the Muslim’s life.  It is said that “the Qur’an is said to have been in a Preserved Tablet from the

beginning of time some of its verses abrogate and nullify other verses and render them

ineffectual.”

Muslims are not well equipped with the full picture of the Qur’an.  The Qur’an consists of the

Hadith, Sira, and Sunna.  The Bible has everything in this one book to live a Christian life.  The

Muslims need three books to live their lives. Confusion?

I will just touch upon several issues in the Qur’an that leads the Muslim in a state of confusion

because they don’t know what set of rules to believe due to abrogation of some of their verses.

The Qur’an is not in chronological order.  The suras and ayas are not in chronological order. 

You have to go back to what was being said in the Hadith to understand what Muhammad was

saying.  The Hadith and the Sira explains the verses in the Qur’an.  These two books form the

Sunna.  They are the actions of Muhammad.

The Bible is used for everyday use but the Qur’an is not.  The Qur’an is written in poetry form

and that’s why redundancy isn’t so bad.  It repeats itself over and over to make sure they

understand what’s being said.  The Qur’an doesn’t necessarily change the heart if just changes

the mind.

Muhammad never collected the Qur’an because he knew he was going to abrogate verses.  No

matter how you look at the formation of the Qur’an you will always have doubt.  There is a

problem of validity in the Qur’an.  The Qur’an and Hadith are responsible for allowing the

Muslims to run the government.  If problems are there how can they run the government?

If there is a problem with the Qur’an and Muhammad the people will never come together. 

They will be separated.  If the Qur’an has a flaw Muhammad has a flaw.  If Muhammad has a

flaw the Qur’an has a flaw.

Dean C. Halverson, General Editor of THE COMPACT GUIDE TO WORLD RELIGION, compares

the similarities and differences of the God of the Qur’an and the God of the Bible.  I think this

list is important today because there are a lot of people who think the God in the Qur’an and

the God in the Bible are the same.  I was one of them before this class.

THE SIMILARITIES

1.     Both are One

2.     Both are transcendent

3.     Both are sovereign

4.     Both are omnipotent

5.     Both have spoken to humanity through messengers or prophets, through angels, and through the written word

6.     Both know in intimate detail the thoughts and deeds of men

7.     Both will judge the wicked

THE DIFFERENCES

1.     The God of the Qur’an is a singular unity, but the God of the Bible is a compound unity who is one in essence and three in person (Matthew 28:19; John 10:30, Acts 5:3-4)

2.     The God of the Qur’an is not a father, and he has begotten no sons (Surahs 19:88-92; 112:3); but the God of the Bible is a tri-unity who has externally existed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; Luke 3:21-22; John 5:18).

THE DIFFERENCES (continued)

3.     Through the Quran, God broke into history through a word that is written but through Jesus Christ, God broke into history through the Word who is a Person (John 1:1, 14; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:2-3; 1 John 1:1-3; 4:9-10)

4.     The God of the Qur’an “loves not the prodigals” (Surahs 6:142; 7:31, Ali; ‘Ali has wasters”); but Jesus tells the story of a father, a metaphor for God the Father, who longs for the return of his prodigal son Luke 15:11-24)

5.     “Allah loves not those that do qrong” (Surah 3:140, Ali) and neither does He love “him who is treacherous, sinful” (Surah 4:107, Ali); but “God demonstrates his own love for us in this:  While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8)

6.     “Allah desires to afflict them for some of their sin” (Surah 5:49, Ali’ also see Surah 4:168-169; 7:179; 9:2; 40:10) but the God of the Bible does not “take any pleasure in the death of the wicked” (Ezekiel 18:23) and is “not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9)

7.     The Standard for Judgment for the God of the Qur’an is that our good deeds must outweigh our bad deeds (Surahs 7:8-9; 21:47); but the standard of the God of the Bible is nothing less than complete perfection as measured by the Holy character of God (Matthew 5:48; Romans 3:23)

8.     The God of the Qur’an provided a messenger, Muhammad, who warned of Allah’s impending judgment (Surahs 2:119; 5:19; 7:184, 188; 15:89-90) and who declared that “No bearer of a burden can bear the burden of another” (Surahs 17;15; 35:18, Ali) ; but the God of the Bible provided a sinless Savior, Jesus, who took our sins upon himself and bore God’s wrath in our stead (Matthew 20:28; 26:28; Luke 22:37; John 3:16; 10:9-11; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10). 

I think the purpose for these Surahs is to negate Jesus giving His life for us on the cross

because Jesus took our sins upon Him and this is how we are able to go before the

Father and ask for forgiveness.  The Muslims don’t believe Jesus (Isa) died for us.

Ram Swarup in UNDERSTANDING THE HADITH – THE SACRED TRADITIONS OF ISLAM,

has his say on the Qur’an.  He states that the source of Islam is the Qur’an and the

Hadis.  Their center lies in Muhammad.  The Qur’an consists of Muhammad’s

”revelations” and the Hadis consist of what he said or did, or enjoined, forbade or did

not forbid, approved or disapproved.  Both the Quran and Hadis provided the Muslim

people with equal guidance.  They are interdependent and mutually illuminating.  The

Qur’an provides the text, the Hadis the context.

M.A.S. Abdel Hallen in THE QUR’AN , states every time the Prophet has a new

revelation there was an addition to the Qur’an.  He would recite these additions to his

followers.  Gabriel was the one who instructed Muhammad where that new revelation

should go in the final corpus.

The followers memorized first what Muhammad said and then to be safe they stared

writing it down so none would be lost.  According to this author Muhammad knew the

correct ordering o the Qur’anic material.  Their background was that of memorizing

literature, history and genealogy.

Two years after Muhammad died they had battles of war and people who knew the

Qu’ran were being killed and the fear was that Qur’anic material was being lost through

these wars.  The first caliph, Abu Bakr, ordered a written copy of the whole body of

Qur’anic material as arranged by Muhammad and memorized by the Muslims be stored

safely away by him.  Twelve years later, Uthman ordered that a number of copies be

distributed to different parts of the Muslim world as the official copy of the Quran know

as the “Uthmanic Codex”. This is recognized as the authentic document of the Qur’an as

revealed by the Prophet Muhammad.

David Goldman’s ISLAM AND THE BIBLE – WHY TWO FAITHS COLLIDE, states some

revelations in the Qur’an are kind to non-Muslims others are adversarial.  He also stated

that according to Qur’anic teaching Allah can change His mind and replace a verse with

a later and better revelation, (Sura 2:106; 16:101).  Jihad was a later revelation for

fighting the enemy.

BASIC FACTS ABOUT THE QUR’AN

Here are some basic facts about the structure of the Qur’an, Muhammad’s role in its writing,

and the Quran’s revered position among Muslims:

·        The Qur’an was reputedly revealed in Arabic over a period of twenty-two years (610-632)

·        The arrangement of the 114 suras is not chronological.  The longest suras are placed first in the Qur’an

·        According to Theodore Noldeke’s Geschichte de Quorans (History of the Quorans), ninety suras (chapters) were revealed while Muhammad was in Mecca and twenty-four suras, while he was in Medina

·        Sura 96 is said to be the first sura revealed to Muhammad

·        Sura 1 (the Fatiha) is often described as “the essence” of the Quran

·        The “mother of the Quran” (Ummu-L-Kitab) is said to be in heaven, written by Allah Himself

·        Muslims say that the angel Gabriel revealed the Quran to Muhammad

·        The Quran is considered an integral part of Allah’s being.  It was not created.  Starting in A.D. 610 Muslims believe there was a telling forth of that which always was.

My last entry of reading will be on this knowledgeable book you had us to read which I have

truly learned so much, THE QUR’AN DILEMMA, By:  The Quran.com Islam is spreading all over

the world and this book provides an objective tool that will investigate the truth about Islam. 

This book allows people to see the Qur’an through clear lenses not obscured by propaganda or

missionary zeal.  This book “also presents the text of the Qur’an with parallel commentary,

addressing important issues that Muslim scholars have wrestled with through the centuries.”

In this book it states that the Qur’an was revealed to Muhammad in the Arabic language, (Q

12.2; Q 13.37).  It states that its verses are part of the series of the holy books, e.g. the Torah,

the Gospel, (Q 2.41, 91, 97: Q3.3, 50).  After Muhammad died his companions gathered the

Qur’an into a book.

The Quran’s common name is al-Mushaf (“the Codex”).  It’s less common name is al-Furgan

(“the Criterion”).  The Qur’an had other names as well, al-Kitab (“the Book”) Q 2.2, al-Wahi

(“the Inspiration”) Q 21.45, and al-Dhikr (“The Reminder”) Q 15.9.  The books of Qur’anic

science had fifty-five names for the Qur’an but here are three, Nur (“Light”) Q 4.174, Shifa’

(“Healing”) Q 17.82, Q 41.44, Maw’iza (“Guidance”) Q 3.138, Q 10.57.

The Qur’an consisted of Al-Qur’an-the book, Al-Sura-the chapter, Al-Aya-the verse and Al-

Fasila-the end of the verse.

Critical Analysis

The Muslims say that the Qur’an is a miraculous book sent down from heaven.  It is said Jibril

was supposed to have came to Muhammad and he revealed the meaning of what Jibril said in

his own language.  If this is the case then Muhammad’s revelation is not divine, it’s human. 

Where does the Qur’an stand now?  Now the book can be researched and criticized because man

made it not Allah.

Compilation of the Qur’an

Abu Bakr the caliph who succeeded Muhammad did the first compilation of the Qur’an.  This

came about because of wars in the land and some of the people who were killed in these wars

memorized the Qur’an.  Umar suggested to Abu Bakr to compile the Qur’an.  Abu Bakr charged

Umar and Zayd to compile the Qur’an.

Abu Bakr Requested people of high quality of memorization to work with Zayd to compile the

Qur’an.  When Zayd finished he gave it to Abu Bakr.  When Umar became the second caliph he

received it after his daughter Hafsa received it.

A lot of different variants of the Qur’an was floating around causing confusion to the people in

reading the Qur’an so Uthman, the third caliph got together a compilation committee to create

one Qur’an for all peoples.  Zayd had a second compilation of the Qur’an with the help of the

copy Hafsa had which was considered the only unique copy.  They based their work off that

copy.  Uthman made an attempt to make on unified text but it did not work.  Variant readings

are here today because of the absence of dotting and supplementary diacritical marks.

Chronological Sequence of the Qur’an

The Chronological sequence of the Qur’an seemed of little importance to Muhammad.  The

Qur’an is organized by the length and not the chronology of its suras and the verses are

arranged from the different eras (Meccan and Median).

You have four categories of the breakdown of the Qur’an:

1.     The “lengthy” (al-tuwal) – long suras (more than 100 verses)

2.     The “one-hundreds” (al-ma’un) – which follow the seven longest suras, each containing approximately 100 verses

3.     The “double digits” (al-mathani) – following the one-hundreds and containing less than one hundred verses each

4.     The “section” (al-mufassal) – following the double-digits.  These are the shortest of the suras

The Meccan message focused on the call to Allah and rejection of polythesian.  In Medina,

when Muhammad established a society submissive to his (Muhammad’s) authority, he

presented a message that had liturgical, regulative, and legislative aspects. [Works by al-

Haddad]

Abrogation in the Qur’an

I am so glad I serve a God who is not a wishy washy God that keeps changing his mind over and

over again and I’m glad that His Word is the same yesterday, today and forever.  It never

changes.  No one would be saved because God would change His mind about forgiving us. We

would all be damn to hell.  Thank you Jesus for your blood sacrifice. Not like the Qur’an where

abrogation was allowed and forget about salvation for even Muhammad wasn’t sure if he was

going to Paradise.

The Arabic word for abrogation is naskh which means “to copy”.  The word abrogation also

means “to annul.”  In the Qur’an the annulment of the authority or ruling of a verse is called

abrogation which consists of omitting (removal) Q 22:52, substitution Q 16:101 and alteration

(transference).  Abrogation deals with sociopolitical issues too and an example of that deals

with the peace issue.  The Sword verse changes all the peace verses which is about 114, (Q9.5)

al-Sayf, “But when the Sacred months are passed away, Kill the idolaters wherever ye may find

them…”

There are different modes of abrogation just to name a few:

1.     The verses whose recitations are abrogated but those rulings remain in effect. [Example: The Stoning verse]

2.     The verses whose ruling was abrogated but whose recitation remains in effect. [Example Q2.109]

3.     The verses whose readings and rulings are abrogated.

There are different modes of abrogation just to name a few: (continued)

4.     “The forgotten verses” [Example Q2.106]

Abrogation, do the giver have a problem or the messenger?  If the Qur’an has a flaw

Muhammad has a flaw and if Muhammad has a flaw the Quran has a flaw.  Bases of a religion

are faith.  If faith in a religion fails then they cannot believe in that religion.  And if there is a

problem with the Qur’an and Muhammad the people will never come together.  They will be

separated. “If what the Qur’an was saying came from Allah, then abrogation would not be

permissible.”

Variant Readings of the Qur’an

Different readings of the Qur’an caused a lot of confusion among the Muslim people.  Uthman

tried to fix this problem with the official text of the Qur’an (“Uthmanic codex) which was

without dots on the letters or other diacritical marks and when people read this Qur’an they

based it on their own linguistic knowledge which led to more confusion.  The Qur’an was read

differently.  There were so many readings that it was narrowed down to seven and the readings

outside the seven were considered Deviant Readings which were considered stronger than the

approved ones.

There were differences in the Readings according to Ibn Qutayba:

1.     The difference in grammar without changing the transcription of the word.

2.     The difference in grammar that changes the meaning without changing the transcription of the word.

3.     The difference in the letters of the words, which in turn changes their meanings, without changing the grammar.

There were differences in the Readings according to Ibn Qutayba: (continued)

4.     The difference in the entire word, without changing the meaning.

5.     The difference in the word and its meaning.

6.     The difference in the order of the words.

7.     The difference by addition and omission.

Ibn Qutayba omitted two more kinds:

8.     The difference by deletion.

9.     The difference by addition.

Today there are ten readings of the Qur’an and each reading has two narrators which will give

you twenty narrations of the Qur’an.

 And out of the ten variant readings four are major by different readers:

1.     Reading of Hafs

2.     Reading of Warsh

3.     Reading of Qalum

4.     Reading of al-Duri according to Abu Amr

All of the readings are taken from one codex-that of Uthman and I believe not placing the dots

and diacritical marks changed the meaning for each individual/culture as they read it.  They

interpreted it the way they wanted to according to their knowledge.

In closing, the Qur’an has so many problems which bring to reality is it a book of truth?  How

can you trust a religion when the text the people are to live by changes so many times?  What

is the real truth?  How are they to follow?  If what was said came from Allah who gives the

right for His Word to be changes?  Who will you serve today?  You have free will and the  

choice is yours.  Where will you spend eternity?

REFERENCES

1)    THE COMPACT GUIDE TO WORLD RELIGIONS, By:  Dean C Halverson, Published by: Bethany House Publishers, Copyright 1996 International Students, Inc.

2)    UNDERSTANDING THE HADITH:  THE SACRED TRADITIONS OF ISLAM, By: Ram Swarup, Publiched by: Prometheus Books, Copyright 2002 by the Estate of Ram Swarup

3)    THE QUR’AN, By:  M.A.S. Abdel Haleem, Published by:  Oxford University Press Inc., New York, Copyright 2004, 2005, 2010 M.A.S. Abdel Haleem

4)    ISLAM AND THE BIBLE:  WHY TWO FAITHS COLLIDE, By: David Goldman, Foreword By: Erwin W. Lutzer, Published By:  Zondervan Publishing House, Copyright 2004 by David Goldman

5)    THE BIBLE