Atheism vs. the Quran
December 2, 2010 at 5:55 pm
(This post was last modified: December 2, 2010 at 6:45 pm by Rayaan.)
In this thread, I'm proposing a challenge for anyone to provide a reasonable explanation to justify their belief that the Quran is the work of a man who lived 14 centuries ago. In other words, tell me why you think that the Quran is not a revelation from God, and then, support your theory of the Quran by using historical evidence and/or by using logical arguments.
But first, you'll have to consider the following things which I'm about to explain. Then, you are free to reply in accordance to your own perception of the Quran (after reading my original post).
1. Science in the Quran
Since you guys believe that the Quran is just one of the many fairy tales of the ancient, I would like to bring to attention a few of the scientific facts that are mentioned in the Quran which could not have been known by human beings living in the 7th century (except if the knowledge came to them from a divine source, i.e. God). For example, there are several verses in the Quran that speak about the structure and formation of the human embryo inside the uterus in no uncertain terms.
Check it out:
http://www.islamicmedicine.org/embryoengtext.htm
A French medical doctor named Maurice Bucaille was told by his church to find scientific mistakes in the Quran. Then, after studying the Quran, he ended up writing a book entitled "The Bible, the Qur'an and Science: The Holy Scriptures Examined in the Light of Modern Knowledge," in which he intelligently points out the correlations between the Quran and science. In the book, he questions the reader by saying:
"The above observation makes the hypothesis advanced by those who see Muhammad as the author of the Qur'an untenable. How could a man, from being illiterate, become the most important author, in terms of literary merits, in the whole of Arabic literature? How could he then pronounce truths of a scientific nature that no other human being could possibly have developed at that time, and all this without once making the slightest error in his pronouncement on the subject?" (Bucaille, 132).
Once again, how can a man in the 7th century know all these information about the human embryo before the invention of the first electron microscope?
Scientists on the Quran:
http://www.islamic-awareness.org/Quran/S...tists.html
There are also videos on each of the scientists who are quoted in the link above at youtube. Search for "Al-Quran: A Miracle of Miracles (1/6)," and you will hear them talking about the Quran as they explain the scientific truths that are found in many of the verses. There are also videos of Dr. Maurice Bucaille and Dr. Keith Moore at youtube. So, you can hear their comments for yourself if you don't believe me.
2. The inimitable language of the Quran
One of the interesting things about the Quran is that it has a challenge for all of us who thinks that the Quran is a work of a poet. The challenge is to simply imitate the linguistic style of the Quran, or to produce something that is better than the Quran. And many non-Muslims in the past have tried to do this. They were among the ones who knew the Arabic langauge fluently and some of them were even experts in the language. Even Arab Christians and Arab atheists took up the challenge. So, they were all trying to imitate a single chapter of the Quran, any chapter, in terms of it's linguistic eloquence. Why? Because they wanted to prove that the Quran is wrong in saying that it cannot be reproduced by human beings. But ultimately, nobody could do this for the past 1,400 years.
Many of the pagan Arabs were thinking that Muhammad was the author of the Quran, that he somehow forged it. That's when God revealed the following verse to the Prophet (pbuh): "Say: If the whole of mankind and Jinns were to gather together to produce the like of this Qur'an, they could not produce the like thereof even if they backed up each other with help and support" (Surah 17:88). Then, many of the Arabs and poets were trying to produce a book that is similar to the rhythms of the Quran. But not surprisingly, they couldn't do it even though they were helping each other. So God made the challenge easier for them, and said to Muhammad: "Or do they say: 'He forged it.' Say (to them): 'Then bring ten chapters, the like thereof, and call on whomever you can besides God, if you are truthful'" (Surah 11:13). They couldn't do that either. So then, God made it even easier for them and said: "And if you are in doubt as to that which We have revealed to Our servant, then bring a single chapter like it, and call your witnesses besides God if you are truthful" (Surah 2:23). But again, they couldn't even produce a single chapter that is similar to nor better than the Quran.
The Challenge of the Quran: http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/648/
So, how is it rational to believe that Muhammad was the author of the Quran if no one else was able to write something that is better than the Quran, let alone the fact that he was illiterate?
3. The historical information on the Quran
Unlike the other religious scriptures, there are authentic historical information about the compilation of the Quran that the majority of scholars agree with (both Muslims and non-Muslims). To say that such a book is a plagiarism of other sources, you will have to show that this is true by falsifying all the historical facts about the Quran by using other, opposing historical facts (i.e. those which would support the idea that the Quran is work of plagiarism). Recently, I was reading a book entitled "The History of the Quranic Text, from Revelation to Compilation: A Comparative Study with the Old and New Testaments," by Muhammad Mustafa Al-Azami. It is a comprehensive and well-researched analysis in which the author responds to many different attacks on the possibility of the Quran being fabricated. He looks at each claim separately and clearly shows how everyone has failed in proving that the Quran is a fabrication.
Here's a downloadable file: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=8MF5SKDE
4. The beautiful character of Muhammad (pbuh)
After learning about the life of Muhammad, I have no doubts that he was not a liar or an imposter, as many tend to believe unknowingly. All the ill notions about Muhammad are presented only by those who are not knowledgeable about the history of Islam and the life of the prophet (pbuh). There are many biographies written about Muhammad that were written by both Muslims and non-Muslims which show how much of a good character and compassion he had. After we look at these biographical facts with an unbiased approach, it's not reasonable for anyone to believe that Muhammad was a crazy man, or a trickster, or a psychopath, or a man with an evil agenda.
A quote from from a non-Muslim scholar, who said:
"His readiness to undergo persecution for his beliefs, the high moral character of the men who believed in him and looked up to him as a leader, and the greatness of his ultimate achievement - all argue his fundamental integrity. To suppose Muhammad an impostor raises more problems that it solves. Moreover, none of the great figures of history is so poorly appreciated in the West as Muhammad ... Thus, not merely must we credit Muhammad with essential honesty and integrity of purpose, if we are to understand him at all; if we are to correct the errors we have inherited from the past, we must not forget the conclusive proof is a much stricter requirement than a show of plausibility, and in a matter such as this only to be attained with difficulty" (W. Montgomery Watt in 'Muhammad at Mecca," Oxford, 1953).
More comments from non-Muslim scholars: http://www.cyberistan.org/islamic/quote1.html
5. No rational arguments which support that Muhammad is the author of the Quran
See this: Why the Quran cannot be written by Muhammad (pbuh)
Having said that, now the burden of proof is on the atheists to prove that the Quran is not the word of God, because I have explained five different reasons on why there has to be a divine source behind the Quran. Additionally, even the Quran itself is telling us why the book is a miracle (such as the verses on scientific facts that could not have been known by Muhammad nor anyone else living during that time).
"This Quran is not such as can be produced by anyone other than Allah." (10:37)
So, what other theories can you come up with in regards to the Quran?
If the Quran is not a revelation, then what is it? And secondly, how would you get around all the points that I mentioned above to support your own theory of the Quran? Can you justify it?
But first, you'll have to consider the following things which I'm about to explain. Then, you are free to reply in accordance to your own perception of the Quran (after reading my original post).
1. Science in the Quran
Since you guys believe that the Quran is just one of the many fairy tales of the ancient, I would like to bring to attention a few of the scientific facts that are mentioned in the Quran which could not have been known by human beings living in the 7th century (except if the knowledge came to them from a divine source, i.e. God). For example, there are several verses in the Quran that speak about the structure and formation of the human embryo inside the uterus in no uncertain terms.
Check it out:
http://www.islamicmedicine.org/embryoengtext.htm
A French medical doctor named Maurice Bucaille was told by his church to find scientific mistakes in the Quran. Then, after studying the Quran, he ended up writing a book entitled "The Bible, the Qur'an and Science: The Holy Scriptures Examined in the Light of Modern Knowledge," in which he intelligently points out the correlations between the Quran and science. In the book, he questions the reader by saying:
"The above observation makes the hypothesis advanced by those who see Muhammad as the author of the Qur'an untenable. How could a man, from being illiterate, become the most important author, in terms of literary merits, in the whole of Arabic literature? How could he then pronounce truths of a scientific nature that no other human being could possibly have developed at that time, and all this without once making the slightest error in his pronouncement on the subject?" (Bucaille, 132).
Once again, how can a man in the 7th century know all these information about the human embryo before the invention of the first electron microscope?
Scientists on the Quran:
http://www.islamic-awareness.org/Quran/S...tists.html
There are also videos on each of the scientists who are quoted in the link above at youtube. Search for "Al-Quran: A Miracle of Miracles (1/6)," and you will hear them talking about the Quran as they explain the scientific truths that are found in many of the verses. There are also videos of Dr. Maurice Bucaille and Dr. Keith Moore at youtube. So, you can hear their comments for yourself if you don't believe me.
2. The inimitable language of the Quran
One of the interesting things about the Quran is that it has a challenge for all of us who thinks that the Quran is a work of a poet. The challenge is to simply imitate the linguistic style of the Quran, or to produce something that is better than the Quran. And many non-Muslims in the past have tried to do this. They were among the ones who knew the Arabic langauge fluently and some of them were even experts in the language. Even Arab Christians and Arab atheists took up the challenge. So, they were all trying to imitate a single chapter of the Quran, any chapter, in terms of it's linguistic eloquence. Why? Because they wanted to prove that the Quran is wrong in saying that it cannot be reproduced by human beings. But ultimately, nobody could do this for the past 1,400 years.
Many of the pagan Arabs were thinking that Muhammad was the author of the Quran, that he somehow forged it. That's when God revealed the following verse to the Prophet (pbuh): "Say: If the whole of mankind and Jinns were to gather together to produce the like of this Qur'an, they could not produce the like thereof even if they backed up each other with help and support" (Surah 17:88). Then, many of the Arabs and poets were trying to produce a book that is similar to the rhythms of the Quran. But not surprisingly, they couldn't do it even though they were helping each other. So God made the challenge easier for them, and said to Muhammad: "Or do they say: 'He forged it.' Say (to them): 'Then bring ten chapters, the like thereof, and call on whomever you can besides God, if you are truthful'" (Surah 11:13). They couldn't do that either. So then, God made it even easier for them and said: "And if you are in doubt as to that which We have revealed to Our servant, then bring a single chapter like it, and call your witnesses besides God if you are truthful" (Surah 2:23). But again, they couldn't even produce a single chapter that is similar to nor better than the Quran.
The Challenge of the Quran: http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/648/
So, how is it rational to believe that Muhammad was the author of the Quran if no one else was able to write something that is better than the Quran, let alone the fact that he was illiterate?
3. The historical information on the Quran
Unlike the other religious scriptures, there are authentic historical information about the compilation of the Quran that the majority of scholars agree with (both Muslims and non-Muslims). To say that such a book is a plagiarism of other sources, you will have to show that this is true by falsifying all the historical facts about the Quran by using other, opposing historical facts (i.e. those which would support the idea that the Quran is work of plagiarism). Recently, I was reading a book entitled "The History of the Quranic Text, from Revelation to Compilation: A Comparative Study with the Old and New Testaments," by Muhammad Mustafa Al-Azami. It is a comprehensive and well-researched analysis in which the author responds to many different attacks on the possibility of the Quran being fabricated. He looks at each claim separately and clearly shows how everyone has failed in proving that the Quran is a fabrication.
Here's a downloadable file: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=8MF5SKDE
4. The beautiful character of Muhammad (pbuh)
After learning about the life of Muhammad, I have no doubts that he was not a liar or an imposter, as many tend to believe unknowingly. All the ill notions about Muhammad are presented only by those who are not knowledgeable about the history of Islam and the life of the prophet (pbuh). There are many biographies written about Muhammad that were written by both Muslims and non-Muslims which show how much of a good character and compassion he had. After we look at these biographical facts with an unbiased approach, it's not reasonable for anyone to believe that Muhammad was a crazy man, or a trickster, or a psychopath, or a man with an evil agenda.
A quote from from a non-Muslim scholar, who said:
"His readiness to undergo persecution for his beliefs, the high moral character of the men who believed in him and looked up to him as a leader, and the greatness of his ultimate achievement - all argue his fundamental integrity. To suppose Muhammad an impostor raises more problems that it solves. Moreover, none of the great figures of history is so poorly appreciated in the West as Muhammad ... Thus, not merely must we credit Muhammad with essential honesty and integrity of purpose, if we are to understand him at all; if we are to correct the errors we have inherited from the past, we must not forget the conclusive proof is a much stricter requirement than a show of plausibility, and in a matter such as this only to be attained with difficulty" (W. Montgomery Watt in 'Muhammad at Mecca," Oxford, 1953).
More comments from non-Muslim scholars: http://www.cyberistan.org/islamic/quote1.html
5. No rational arguments which support that Muhammad is the author of the Quran
See this: Why the Quran cannot be written by Muhammad (pbuh)
Having said that, now the burden of proof is on the atheists to prove that the Quran is not the word of God, because I have explained five different reasons on why there has to be a divine source behind the Quran. Additionally, even the Quran itself is telling us why the book is a miracle (such as the verses on scientific facts that could not have been known by Muhammad nor anyone else living during that time).
"This Quran is not such as can be produced by anyone other than Allah." (10:37)
So, what other theories can you come up with in regards to the Quran?
If the Quran is not a revelation, then what is it? And secondly, how would you get around all the points that I mentioned above to support your own theory of the Quran? Can you justify it?
