Contradictions in the Qur’an – Part 3

Dr. Maxwell Shimba, Shimba Theological Institute, New York, NY

The Qur’an’s Consistency Claim

A foundational claim in Islamic theology is the inerrancy and internal consistency of the Qur’an. Muslims point to Surah 4:82 as textual evidence of the Qur’an’s divine origin:

"Do they not consider the Qur’an with care? Had it been from other than Allah, they would surely have found therein much discrepancy." — Surah 4:82

This verse presents a challenge to the reader: examine the Qur’an, and if contradictions are found, its divine origin is invalidated. Classical Islamic scholars have reiterated this as an apologetic stance affirming the Qur’an’s perfection.

Forgiveness of Sins: A Theological Inconsistency?

The specific issue under scrutiny in this analysis concerns the Qur’an’s statements regarding divine forgiveness. Does Allah forgive all sins without exception, or are there sins He categorically does not forgive?

Affirmation: Allah Forgives All Sins

One passage strongly emphasizes universal forgiveness:

"Say, O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful." — Surah 39:53

This verse has been frequently quoted to promote the Qur’anic message of hope and mercy. The language here is inclusive: “Allah forgives all sins.” It presents divine forgiveness as comprehensive and unconditional for the repentant.

Limitation: Allah Does Not Forgive Shirk (Associating Partners with Him)

In contrast, other passages limit this forgiveness:

"Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. And he who associates others with Allah has certainly gone far astray." — Surah 4:116
"Allah forgiveth not that partners should be set up with Him; but He forgiveth anything else, to whom He pleaseth..." — Surah 4:48

These verses explicitly state an exception: Shirk (polytheism or associating others with Allah) is unforgivable unless the person repents before death. The implication is clear — while many sins can be forgiven, shirk is treated as categorically different and, in the absence of sincere repentance, is unforgivable.

A Theological Tension

This leads to a theological tension. Surah 39:53 appears to affirm that all sins can be forgiven without exception. However, Surahs 4:48 and 4:116 introduce an exception that directly contradicts the former’s absoluteness.

Muslim apologists and exegetes (e.g., Al-Tabari, Al-Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir) have attempted to resolve this issue by interpreting Surah 39:53 as applying only to sins committed before shirk or only to those who repent prior to death. However, the phrase “Allah forgives all sins” in 39:53 is unqualified, making the restriction introduced later appear inconsistent unless read with heavy interpretive framing.

Conclusion

The juxtaposition of these verses introduces a genuine interpretative difficulty for the doctrine of divine forgiveness in the Qur’an. If the Qur’an claims that it contains no contradiction (Surah 4:82), then the universal declaration of forgiveness in 39:53 appears incompatible with the conditional exclusion found in 4:48 and 4:116.

Whether this constitutes a theological inconsistency or a nuance in divine justice remains a matter of perspective. From an academic standpoint, however, this serves as a legitimate example of internal tension within the Qur’anic text, calling into question its claim of absolute consistency.

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