Answer
Short Answer: This Book has been preserved unedited, unaltered for over 14 hundred years. Even those who attack it were never able to change a word in it; they can only misquote or take verses out of context. But there is no power on earth that can edit or change or destroy this Book. It remains the ONLY Book on earth memorized from cover to cover by MILLIONS of people around the world. If you burn all copies of the Quran in the world, within a few hours, you’ll have the whole book back in front of you. Simply because it is a recitation preserved and memorized in the hearts of believers from the time it was revealed and until the end of time. This does not apply to any other book. This Book is unrivaled.
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What is the Quran & Can We Simply Ignore It?
If someone came and told you “your house will collapse in a couple of weeks and you need to evacuate”, what is the smart thing to do here?
You can’t simply deny/sleep/rest knowing that this can be true because the outcome will be catastrophic.
So, you need to do everything possible to double check that this message is accurate and take actions accordingly.
To simply deny and/or take the risk of having the house fall over your head is not really smart, right?
Now, this Quran brings you the message that there is life after death, there is Paradise and Hellfire and people will be held accountable for their deeds.
Are we going to ignore this message?
Even if we ignore, it does not deny the fact that the Quran exists. So what is this Quran?
Miracles of the Quran
This Book has been preserved unedited, unaltered for over 14 hundred years.
Even those who attack it were never able to change a word in it; they can only misquote or take verses out of context. But there is no power on earth that can edit or change or destroy this Book.
It remains the ONLY Book on earth memorized from cover to cover by MILLIONS of people around the world.
If you burn all copies of the Quran in the world, within a few hours, you’ll have the whole book back in front of you. Simply because it is a recitation preserved and memorized in the hearts of believers from the time it was revealed and until the end of time.
This does not apply to any other book.
This Book is unrivaled.
This Book is telling you “Read!” …and it’s in fact the first word revealed in it.
If you’re an honest person and you’re faced with such a powerful Book, then at least you must give it the benefit of the doubt.
You need to ask: who is the author of the Quran; is it really from The Creator of the Universe?
There can only be a few answers to this question.
Either the Quran is from Satan, or Prophet Muhammad made it up, or it’s copied from someone else/other Scriptures, OR it is from Allah the Creator of the Universe.
Let’s examine the possibilities and do proof by elimination.
Can the Quran be from Satan?
How can it be from Satan while he is constantly tarnishing his own image, warning people against following him, and forbidding all forms of evil and immorality?
Think about it: will Satan ask women to cover their bodies and behave modestly?
Look at what the Quran says:
“O you who have believed, do not follow the footsteps of Satan. And whoever follows the footsteps of Satan – indeed, he enjoins immorality and wrongdoing. And if not for the favor of Allah upon you and His mercy, not one of you would have been pure, ever, but Allah purifies whom He wills, and Allah is Hearing and Knowing. (Quran 24:21)
“O mankind, eat from whatever is on earth [that is] lawful and good and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy. (Quran 2: 168)
“O you who have believed, enter into Islam completely [and perfectly] and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy. (Quran 2: 208)
“So when you recite the Qur’an, [first] seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the expelled [from His mercy].” (Quran 16: 98)
So the Quran being from Satan is utterly illogical and laughable.
Can the Quran be from Muhammad himself?
There are many evidences to disprove this claim. We’ll mention just a few.
In the Quran there are verses that are correcting Muhammad. Think about it: how can he write something that corrects or scolds him?
( 1 ) The Prophet frowned and turned away
( 2 ) Because there came to him the blind man, [interrupting].
( 3 ) But what would make you perceive, [O Muhammad], that perhaps he might be purified
( 4 ) Or be reminded and the remembrance would benefit him?
( 5 ) As for he who thinks himself without need,
( 6 ) To him you give attention.
( 7 ) And not upon you [is any blame] if he will not be purified.
( 8 ) But as for he who came to you striving [for knowledge]
( 9 ) While he fears [Allah],
( 10 ) From him you are distracted.
( 11 ) No! Indeed, these verses are a reminder; (Quran 80: 1-11)
The language here is very strong in correcting the Prophet. But most outstandingly, this situation happened between Muhammad and a blind man. The blind man didn’t even see that Muhammad was frowning.
If Muhammad is the author, he wouldn’t have corrected himself about an incident that nobody even saw, not even the one involved!
True Predictions in the Quran
Additionally, the Quran gives true predictions about things that nobody knew anything about. Like:
( 2 ) The Byzantines have been defeated”
( 3 ) In the nearest land. But they, after their defeat, will overcome.
( 4 ) Within three to nine years. To Allah belongs the command before and after. And that day the believers will rejoice” (Quran 30: 2-4)
If the Prophet was making this up, it would have been such a major risk due to the high probability of being proven wrong.
Why would he take that risk?
Moreover, it is a fact -without over magnification of this issue-, that there are some scientific miracles in the Quran that could have never been known to a human at the Prophet’s time.
Yes, the Quran is not a science book and it is not intended to be. What the Quran mentions that have been proven later right, are only signs for those who use reason. But this Book is a Book of guidance, not a science book.
The Amazing Quran
I recommend reading “The Amazing Quran” by Gary Miller. He is a theologian who provided a really insightful analysis of arguments against the Quran and dismantled them one by one.
Interestingly, Miller examined some of these verses in the Quran that were later proven by science which show the impossibility of them being known by a man in the desert centuries ago.
For example:
“Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of Creation), before We clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?” (Quran 21: 30)
Miller commented:
“This verse is exactly the subject of the scientific research that won the Noble Prize in 1973 and was about the theory of the “Great Explosion”. According to this theory, the universe was the result of a great explosion that led to the formation of the universe with its skies and planet. The Qur’an reveals the origin of the universe – how it began from one piece – and mankind continues to verify this revelation, even up to now. Additionally, the fact that all life originated from water would not have been an easy thing to convince people of fourteen centuries ago. Indeed, if 1400 years ago you had stood in the desert and told someone, “All of this, you see (pointing to yourself), is made up of mostly water,” no one would have believed you. Proof of that was not available until the invention of the microscope. They had to wait to find out that cytoplasm, the basic substance of the cell, is made-up of 80% water. Nonetheless, the evidence did come, and once again the Qur’an stood the test of time.” (Miller)
Logically then, the Quran being from Muhammad is evidently a dishonest claim.
Is the Quran Copied from other Scriptures?
This is another point Miller analyzed thoroughly in his work, and it’s worth sharing his commentaries. He said:
“No doubt there is something unique in Qur’an that is not present anywhere else, as the Qur’an gives you specific information and tells you that you did not know this before. For example:
“That is from the news of the unseen which We reveal to you, [O Muhammad]. And you were not with them when they cast their pens as to which of them should be responsible for Mary. Nor were you with them when they disputed.” (Quran 3: 44)
“Such are some of the stories of the Unseen, which We have revealed unto you [O Muhammad]: before this, neither you nor your People knew them. So persevere patiently: for the best outcome is for the righteous” (Quran 1: 49)
“That is from the news of the unseen which We reveal, [O Muhammad], to you. And you were not with them when they put together their plan while they conspired.” (Quran 12: 102)
No other holy book uses this style; all the other books consist of information that tells you where this information came from. For example, when the Bible discusses ancient history, it states that this king lived here; this one fought in a certain battle, another one had so many sons, etc. Yet it always stipulates that if you want more information, then you should read the book of so and so because that is where the information came from.
Distinct Style of the Quran
This is in contrary to the Quran which gives you the information and tells you that it’s new. And what’s amazing is that the people of Mecca at that time (time of inspiration of those verses) used to hear those verses and the challenge that the information in those verses was new and was not known by Muhammad (PBUH) nor by his people at that time, and despite that, they never said: We know this and it is not new, and they did not say: We know where Muhammad came from with those verses. This never happened, but what happened is that nobody dared to say that he was lying to them because the information really was new” (Miller).
So that’s another claim we disproved. You can read Dr. Gary Miller’s Full Book here for more evidences.
It now becomes a matter of honesty. If someone sees the evidence and still chooses to disbelieve, then it’s their choice.
“There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion. The right course has become clear from the wrong. So whoever disbelieves in false gods and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold, one that will never break. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing.” (Quran 2: 256)
And Allah knows best.
I hope this helps.
Salam and please keep in touch.
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