Where Are the Names of the Disciples of Isa bin Maryam in the Quran?
An Academic Challenge to Islam, Allah, and the Quran
By Dr. Maxwell Shimba, Shimba Theological Institute
Introduction
The Quran asserts its role as a confirmation of the previous scriptures, specifically the Torah (Tawrat) and the Gospel (Injeel). This claim is foundational in Islamic theology, where Muslims believe that the Quran verifies, protects, and clarifies the earlier revelations. However, a close academic scrutiny reveals significant omissions, particularly concerning key details about Isa bin Maryam (Jesus), whose ministry and followers are richly documented in the canonical Gospels. This article raises a direct challenge: Where are the names of the twelve disciples (apostles) of Isa bin Maryam in the Quran?
The Theological Foundation
1. The Claim of Quranic Completeness and Confirmation
The Quran boldly declares itself as a “clear explanation of all things” (Quran 16:89) and “confirming what was before it of the Scripture” (Quran 5:48). Muslims are taught that the Quran provides guidance, light, and a criterion for judgment. If this is so, it must preserve or at least acknowledge the foundational facts that the Injeel (Gospel) records without ambiguity.
2. The Names of the Apostles in the Bible
In the Christian Scriptures, the twelve apostles are individually named in multiple places (e.g., Matthew 10:2-4, Mark 3:16-19, Luke 6:14-16, Acts 1:13). Their names—Peter, James, John, Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot—are historical, unambiguous, and verifiable within the biblical record.
The Quranic Silence
1. Absence of Names in the Quran
While the Quran mentions the “Hawariyyun” (disciples) of Isa (Quran 3:52, 5:111-115, 61:14), it never lists their names, nor does it provide any biographical details. This is a stunning omission, especially considering the Quran’s claim to confirm previous revelation and provide “clarification of all things.”
2. The Islamic Dilemma
If the Quran confirms the Injeel, why does it not confirm this basic and universally recognized detail—the names of Jesus’s closest companions? Are the names not important to God? Or was this knowledge unavailable to Muhammad, the purported recipient of the Quranic revelation?
3. Theological Implications
The absence is not a trivial gap; it strikes at the heart of the Quran’s claim to completeness and divine authorship. If Allah truly revealed the Injeel and then sent down the Quran to confirm it, the expectation is that at least such fundamental historical truths would be preserved. Instead, the Quran only alludes vaguely to the “disciples” without identifying them.
Scholarly Challenge
To Muslim scholars, apologists, and clerics: Provide the twelve names of the disciples of Isa bin Maryam from the Quranic text.
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Cite the chapter (surah) and verse (ayah) where these names are found.
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Show how the Quran fulfills its own standard of confirming the Gospel.
If such names cannot be produced from the Quran, then:
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How can one maintain that the Quran confirms the Gospel?
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Is the Quran truly “complete” as it claims (Quran 6:115, 16:89)?
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Or does this omission prove that the Quran is a man-made document, lacking essential historical details known to all biblical and historical sources?
The Bible’s Superiority in Preserving Revelation
In contrast, the Christian Bible—both Old and New Testaments—has preserved detailed genealogies, names, places, and historical facts across centuries. The specificity of the biblical record stands in stark contrast to the generalities and omissions of the Quran.
Conclusion
The inability of the Quran to provide the names of the twelve disciples of Isa bin Maryam is not merely an academic oversight but a theological indictment. It exposes the incompleteness and human origin of the Quran, which falls short of the standard it claims for itself.
Unless verifiable evidence from the Quran is produced, this silence stands as proof that the Quran is not the infallible Word of God, unlike the Bible.
References:
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Quran 3:52, 5:111-115, 61:14 (on the Hawariyyun)
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Matthew 10:2-4, Mark 3:16-19, Luke 6:14-16 (on the names of the apostles)
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Quran 5:48, 6:115, 16:89 (on Quranic claims to completeness and confirmation)
By Dr. Maxwell Shimba
Shimba Theological Institute
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