Imagine you started out on a long journey and at a crossroad, you met a friend whose destination is the same as yours. Suppose this friend upon hearing of the route that you are taking tries to convince you that you are going in the wrong direction, what would you do? Would you become violently angry because he implied that you had made a mistake? Would you physically attack him and then continue on in your journey? Surely not! Would it not be wise to calmly discuss the matter and make a comparison of the sources of your information? After all, both of you want to get to your destination, do you not?
Muslims and Christians alike are traveling on life’s road and both are confident that they are on the right path leading to their salvation. Yet they are heading in opposite directions. This is because they follow two different sources of information. While Christians follow the guidance of the Bible, Muslims on the other hand follow the guidance of the Quran. Which is right? Our salvation depends on examining the authenticity of what we have been taught to believe.
A note to Muslims: Please do not judge the Bible on the basis of the standards established by the Churches of Christendom. Christendom does not represent the teachings of the Bible. Many of her doctrines are in direct conflict with the teachings of the Bible. Additionally, her participation in the conflicts of the nations as well as her involvement in the politics of the world violates the teachings of Jesus. Please do not reject the Bible simply because of the detestable record that Christendom has inscribed on the pages of history. However, there are true Christians who strictly uphold the teachings of the Holy Bible.
THE APPROVAL OF GOD
At about the age of forty, Muhammad was convinced that he had received a revelation from Allah. And for the remaining twenty-three years of his life, he continued to receive such revelations. Well, what evidence did Muhammad provide to validate the Quran as the inspired Word of God? Centuries earlier when Moses was chosen to deliver the message of God, Jehovah empowered him with powerful miracles to validate his appointment as a Prophet of the true God:
Exodus 4:2-9: Then Jehovah said to him: “What is that in your hand?” He answered: “A rod.” He said: “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. Jehovah now said to Moses: “Reach out your hand and seize it by the tail.” So he reached out and seized it, and it became a rod in his hand. God then said: “This is so that they may believe that Jehovah the God of their forefathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.”
Jehovah said to him once more: “Put your hand, please, into the upper fold of your garment.” So he put his hand into the fold of his garment. When he drew it out, why, his hand was stricken with leprosy like snow! Then he said: “Return your hand into the upper fold of your garment.” So he returned his hand into his garment. When he drew it out of the garment, it was restored like the rest of his flesh! He said: “If they will not believe you or pay attention to the first sign, then they will certainly heed the next sign. Still, even if they will not believe these two signs and refuse to listen to your voice, you will take some water from the Nile River and pour it out on the dry land, and the water that you take from the Nile will become blood on the dry land.”
Seeing these powerful miracles, the people believed:
Exodus 4:30-31: “. . . and he performed the signs before the eyes of the people. At this the people believed.”
These powerful miracles proved that Moses was indeed a true Prophet of God. But more importantly, they validated the authenticity of the Scriptures which God revealed through Moses. The Quran acknowledges that God empowered Moses to perform many outstanding miracles. (Surah 26:10-67) Centuries later when Jesus came, the question of authenticity was once again answered through the demonstration of powerful miracles. With Jehovah’s divine backing, Jesus performed many powerful signs to authenticate that he was indeed sent by God. The following are some of his outstanding miracles:
Matthew 11:5: The blind are seeing and the lame are walking, the lepers are being cleansed and the deaf are hearing, the dead are being raised up and the poor are being told the good news.
The Quran acknowledges these powerful miracles of Jesus. Confirming this undeniable truth, the following Quranic verse cites the testimony of Jesus:
Surah 3:49: “I heal the blind and the lepers and bring the dead back to life, by the permission of God. I can tell you about what you eat and what you store in your homes. This is a miracle for you if you want to have faith.” (Sarwar)
On account of the powerful miracles, Jesus could say to the religious leaders of his day:
John 10:37-38: “If I am not doing the works of my Father, do not believe me. But if I am doing them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works.”
God chose Moses and Jesus to introduce “a new system of things” for the outworking of his divine purpose to save mankind from sin and death. God assigned Moses to introduce “a new system of things” by instituting the Law Covenant. Centuries later when the time came to replace the Law Covenant, God assigned Jesus to introduce “a new system of things” by instituting the New Covenant. It is vital to note that to validate the authenticity of the “new system of things” which God established through each of them individually, he empowered both Moses and Jesus with miracles. But what signs did God provide to prove that he is now introducing “a new system of things” in Arabia through Muhammad? None!
In view of the fact that the earlier Messengers of God performed many powerful miracles to validate the authenticity of their message, the contemporaries of Muhammad demanded divine evidence to validate his message. However, since there were no signs or miracles to authenticate the Quran, they rejected his message:
Surah 21:5: They have said: “It (the Quran) is only the result of some confused dreams. He is only a poet. He should show us some miracles as the ancient Prophets had done.” (Sarwar)
Muhammad openly confessed the reason for his inability to perform miracles:
Surah 17:93: “Glory be to my Lord. Am I any more than a human messenger?” (Rashad)
This is a lame excuse by Muhammad. The other messengers of God who performed miracles are not humans? As a result, his contemporaries viewed him not as a messenger of God but as a madman:
Surah 15:6: And they say, “O you upon whom the Message has been sent down, indeed you are mad.” (Sahih International)
Furthermore, when the contemporaries of Muhammad demanded miracles as evidence to authenticate the legitimacy of his message, Allah dodged them by saying:
Surah 17:59: What stopped us from sending the miracles is that the previous generations have rejected them. (Rashad)
Contrary to this false claim of Allah, multitudes of Jews and Christians who lived before the time of Muhammad did believe in the miracles performed by both Moses and Jesus. The Quran itself admits that even the magic practicing priest of Egypt repented and abandoned their demonic practices when they witnessed the powerful miracles performed by Moses. (Surah 7:113-122) It is hard to imagine how Muslims can put faith in this lame excuse of Allah. In contrast, Jehovah performed many powerful miracles through Moses, Jesus, and many other prophets. These powerful miracles validated the authenticity of the messages they were commissioned to deliver. And the miracles also validated their appointment as Prophets of the true God. In fact, the Quran substantiates this vital truth as one of the reasons why God empowered Jesus to perform miracles. In the following Quranic verse, Jesus testifies:
Surah 3:49: “I have brought you Signs of my appointment from your Lord.” (Farook Malik)
The powerful miracles of Jesus validated his appointment as a representative of the true God. Yes! Jesus came with credentials. Muhammad had none. But more importantly, the powerful miracles of Jesus validated the legitimacy of his message. They proved that the Gospel is indeed the inspired Word of God. Unlike Jesus, Muhammad could not say to his contemporaries:
John 10:38: Even though you do not believe me, believe the works.
Neither Allah nor Muhammad provided any pieces of evidence to prove that the Quran is indeed the authentic Word of God. The Quran did not have the seal of approval from the true God. This provides a strong reason for Muslims to reject the Quran. Well, what about the claim that the Quran is a miracle?
IS THE QURAN A MIRACLE?
Muslims claim that the Quran is a miracle in itself. This claim must be analyzed objectively. For a miracle to be truly miraculous, it should be recognized as such no matter where a person may live. For example, when someone is raised from the dead, it will be recognized as a miracle in Europe, Africa, Asia or any other place on earth. Both the Bible and the Quran acknowledge that Jesus performed many powerful works. Both confirm that he cured the lepers, restored the sight of those born blind, and raised the dead. This is the true definition of a miracle. It does not need any interpretation, translation, education, explanation or above the average intelligence to recognize it as a miracle.
Coming to the Quran, Muslims claim that only when it is read in the original Arabic language, one can see the miracle in it. Today more than 80% of the world’s population are not Muslims. As such, they simply cannot see the Quran as anything remotely close to a miracle as Muslims claim. As for the remaining 20% who are Muslims, most of them do not read or understand Arabic. This means that the great majority of the Muslims themselves cannot see it as a miracle. Furthermore, we must understand which Arabic is being discussed here? The Arabic of the Quran is Archaic Arabic which is totally different from spoken Arabic of today. This means that even most Arabs today cannot see it as a miracle. And even those who knew the Arabic of the Quran did not view it as a miracle. The contemporaries of Muhammad who had a thorough knowledge of the Arabic of his day were not impressed. Instead of viewing the Quran as a miracle as Muslims claim, this is how they responded:
Surah 8:31: And when Our Verses of the Qur’an are recited to them, they say: “We have heard this (the Qur’an); if we wish we can say the like of this. This is nothing but the tales of the ancients.” (Hilali-Khan)
Now, try giving the Quran to a man who does not know Arabic and tell him: “This is a miracle.” What do you think would be his response? His response would very likely be something like this:
“What miracle? Are you kidding me? I don’t understand this language. I cannot see any miracle in it. How could this be a miracle? It might be a miracle for you, but not for me.”
Today many – including Muslims – express doubts when they read the Quran in the language they could understand. When they read the Quran with understanding, they realize not only does it contain numerous errors but also teachings that are morally unacceptable. For example, when they read verses such as the following, they become doubtful:
Surah 15:19: And the earth We have spread out (sutihat) like a carpet. (Yusuf Ali)
Tafsir al-Jalalayn is recognized as one of the most important exegeses of the Quran. It is an early classical Tafsir of the Quran. On page 509, al-Jalalayn stated the following:
“And the earth, how it was laid out flat . . . As for His words sutihat, ‘laid out flat,’ this on a literal reading suggests that the earth is flat, which is the opinion of most of the scholars of the revealed Law, and not a sphere as astronomers (ahl al-hay’a) have it.”
In contrast, if you go to the inspired writings of the Bible, you will discover how it perfectly describes the shape of the earth with scientific accuracy:
Isaiah 40:22: “There is One who is dwelling above the circle of the earth.”
The Book of Isaiah was written more than 700 years before Christ. Yet it accurately describes planet earth as a globe. Whereas the Quran which was revealed about 600 years after Christ believes that the earth is as flat as a carpet. Where is the miracle in this? Well, how does the Quran measure-up in its teachings on morality? Shockingly it contains numerous teachings that are morally offensive. We will consider just two examples:
Surah 33:50: O Prophet! Behold, We have made lawful to you your wives unto whom you have paid their dowers, as well as those whom your right hand has come to possess from among the captives of war whom Allah has bestowed upon you. (Asad)
Allah made it lawful for Muhammad to engage in sexual intercourse with the women captives of war. By authorizing Muhammad to engage in sexual intercourse with the female captives, Allah sanctions rape in the Quran. The above Quranic verse also reveals it is Allah who provides these captives for his Prophet to rape. Allah does not overlook the rest of the Muslims either:
Surah 4:24: Also forbidden are married women, except those who have passed into your hands as prisoners of war. This is a commandment of God to you. (W. Khan)
Tafsir Ibn Kathir on Surah 4:24:
Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri said, “We captured some women from the area of Awtas who were already married, and we disliked having sexual relations with them because they already had husbands. So, we asked the Prophet about this matter, and this Ayah was revealed, ‘Also forbidden are women already married, except those whom your right hands possess. Accordingly, we had sexual relations with these women.’” This is the wording collected by At-Tirmidhi An-Nasa’i, Ibn Jarir and Muslim in their Sahih.
Muhammad’s men were reluctant to engage in sexual intercourse with the captives because they were already married. They consulted Muhammad and Allah immediately revealed a Quranic verse authorizing them to rape these women. Whatever trace of decency they had just moments ago was now obliterated by this single verse in the Quran. And they began raping these women with an untroubled conscience. While Muslims are prohibited from engaging in sexual intercourse with married women, there is an exception to this rule if the married woman is a captive of war. Under such circumstances, Muslims are authorized to rape these married women. Rape is clearly sanctioned in the Quran. Can the Quran which contains such evil teachings be described as a miracle? The evidence we have provided is just the tip of the iceberg. There are much more damaging evidence against the Quran. If Muslims truly value their salvation, they should reject the Quran.
DOES THE QURAN CONFIRM THE PREVIOUS SCRIPTURES?
The Quran repeatedly claims to confirm the previous Scriptures of God. The following is just one out of the many that can be found in the Quran:
Surah 5:46-48: We caused Jesus, son of Mary, to follow in their footsteps, confirming that which was revealed before him in the Torah, and We bestowed on him the Gospel wherein is guidance and a light, confirming that which was revealed before it in the Torah – a guidance and an admonition unto those who ward off evil . . . And unto you We revealed the Scripture (Quran) with truth, confirming whatever Scripture was before it, and a watcher over it. (Pickthall)
One of the most outstanding attributes of God is his quality of consistency:
1 Corinthians 14:33: God is not a God of confusion, but of order.
Therefore, we would expect all his revealed Scriptures to be consistent with one other. This is certainly true with the Torah and the Gospel. The Gospel is thoroughly consistent with the inspired writings of the Torah. The Quran itself testifies to this undeniable truth:
Surah 5:46: Then in the footsteps of the prophets, We sent Jesus, son of Mary, confirming the Torah revealed before him. And We gave him the Gospel containing guidance and light and confirming what was revealed in the Torah. (The Clear Quran)
Consistency between the various Scriptures of God is mandatory to validate their authenticity. It would be impracticable to validate their claim of authenticity if they are inconsistent in any way with one another. Thus, the consistency between the Torah and the Gospel confirms their authenticity. Since the Quran claims to confirm the previous Scriptures, then it should be consistent with the teachings of the previous Scriptures. But is that true with the Quran? Let us consider an example.
The Almighty God revealed his divine name in the Bible. His divine name is Jehovah. This divine name is of paramount importance throughout the Bible. The significance of the name of God is emphasized in both the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) and the Christian Greek Scriptures (New Testament). God revealed his divine name to Moses and to his chosen people:
Exodus 6:2-3: Then God said to Moses: “I am Jehovah. And I used to appear to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Almighty.”
2 Samuel 7:24: You established your people Israel as your own people for all time and you, O Jehovah, have become their God.
Psalm 83:18: May people know that you, whose name is Jehovah, You alone are the Most High over all the earth.
When a Scribe who was well-versed in the Hebrew Scriptures asked Jesus which is the greatest commandment, Jesus answered:
Mark 12:29-30: “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel, Jehovah our God is one Jehovah, and you must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind and with your whole strength.’” (NWT)
The above encounter between Jesus and the Jewish Scribe is recorded in the Christian Greek Scriptures. Yet, Jesus quoted word for word from Deuteronomy 6:4-5. This not only verifies the perfect harmony between the Hebrew and the Christian Greek Scriptures but it also testifies to the significance of the divine name of God. Both Moses and Jesus came in the divine name of Jehovah. (Exodus 3:15; Mark 11:9) On the night before his execution, Jesus declared to his Father in prayer:
John 17:6: I have made your name manifest to the men whom you gave me out of the world.
Like the ancient prophets of God, Jesus and his disciples also manifested the divine name of God to others. It is mandatory for the prophets who represent the true God to speak in the name of Jehovah. If a prophet who claims to represent the true God “speaks in the name of other gods,” he will be put to death:
Deuteronomy 18:20: If any prophet presumptuously speaks a word in my name that I did not command him to speak or speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet must die.
According to this divine law of God, Muhammad should be put to death. He did not come in Jehovah’s name but in the name of Allah. But who is Allah? Allah is the name of a pagan deity in Arabia. The pagans worshipped Allah long before Muhammad came onto the scene. Allah was one of the deities worshipped at the Ka’ba. Allah was the chief deity of the Quraysh tribe to which Muhammad belonged.
Muhammad’s father died long before the arrival of Islam. In fact, he died before Muhammad was even born. He was a pagan. Yet, he carried the name of Allah. His name was Abd Allah (Abdullah) which means “Slave of Allah.” This proves that the pagans worshipped Allah long before the time of Islam. Not only does this confirm that Allah was a pagan deity but it also proves the pre-Islamic origin of Allah. Allah was part of the polytheistic system of worship which existed in pagan Arabia. Muhammad belonged to the pagan religion of his parents. He grew up as a pagan and remained as a pagan until his alleged calling as a prophet at the age of forty. The Quran verifies this irrefutable truth:
Surah 42:52: And thus We by Our Command sent Revelation to you (O Prophet): You did not know before what was Revelation, and what was Faith. (Syed Vickar Ahamed)
Muslims will find it difficult to accept the fact that Muhammad was a pagan. However, the great scholars of Islam recognize this truth about Muhammad’s pagan origin. The renowned Arab scholar and historian, Hisham ibn al-Kalbi (737 C.E. – 819 C.E.) confirmed the pagan origin of Muhammad in his scholarly work known as Kitab al-Asnam (The Book of Idols). And he documented the following:
We have been told that the Apostle of Allah once mentioned al-Uzza saying, “I have offered a white sheep to al-Uzza, while I was a follower of the religion of my people.” (p. 17)
Al-Uzza was one of the female deities worshipped by the Quraysh pagans. Muhammad who belonged to this tribe was once a worshipper of this pagan idol. And he made sacrifices to this idol. In contrast to Muhammad, both Moses and Jesus knew the true God from infancy. From infancy, they worshipped Jehovah – the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Would the true God who after choosing every single one of his prophets from among those who were true worshippers, now choose a prophet from among the pagans? Muhammad not only came from a pagan family but he himself was an idol-worshipper?
The Bible clearly identifies Jehovah as the only true God. He is the true Author of the Scriptures that were revealed to the Jews and the Christians. The divine name of God appears in both the Hebrew and the Christian Greek Scriptures. However, we cannot find a single reference to this divine name in the entire Quran. The Quran does not confirm the divine name of God. Thus, the claim that the Quran confirms the previous Scriptures is a preposterous lie. However, to justify this lie, Muslims claim that the Quran does confirm the previous Scriptures but as they were originally revealed. In other words, they claim that our Bible has become corrupted. We will now expose their deception.
IS THE BIBLE CORRUPTED?
Muslims claim that our Bible has become corrupted. But since when? The Scriptures of the Bible could not have become corrupted either before or during the time of the Quran’s revelation. If they were, it would falsify the Quran’s claim to confirm the previous Scriptures since this would now mean that the Quran is confirming corrupted Scriptures. Thus, if at all the previous Scriptures were corrupted, it has to be after the time of Muhammad. We will now prove why it is impossible to corrupt the Bible after the time of Muhammad. In fact, the Quran itself rules out such a possibility. To begin, it repeatedly testifies that the previous Scriptures of the Bible were revealed by Allah:
Surah 5:44: Lo! We did reveal the Torah, wherein is guidance and a light. (Pickthall)
Surah 4:163: “. . . and to David We gave the Psalms.” (Yusuf Ali)
Surah 5:46: We sent after them in their footsteps Jesus, son of Mary, verifying that which was before him of the Torah; and We gave him the Gospel containing guidance and light. (Maulana)
All the above-mentioned Scriptures can only be found in the Bible that we have in our possession today. Therefore, if the Bible has become corrupted, then it means that Allah has failed to preserve his Scriptures which he revealed to the Jews and the Christians. Moreover, when Muslims reject the Bible, all these Scriptures of Allah simply disappear into oblivion. Are Muslims willing to accept this? Now read the following Quranic verses carefully:
Surah 6:115: None can change His Words. He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower. (Hilali-Khan)
Surah 10:64: None can change the Words of Allah. This is indeed the Supreme Triumph. (Pickthall)
Surah 18:27: There is none who can change His Words. (Pickthall)
Since “none can change the Words of Allah,” then this proves that the Bible which contains the Scriptures of Allah cannot be changed or corrupted as Muslims falsely claim. Honest Muslim scholars recognize the fact that it is absolutely impossible for the previous Scriptures to become corrupted. Among them is none other Fakhr al-Din al-Razi (1149 C.E.–1209 C.E.), a well-respected Sunni Muslim Theologian and Philosopher of Persian origin. In his Tafsir (Commentary) which is based on the authoritative works of Ibn Abbas – a paternal cousin of Prophet Muhammad – he stated the following:
“The Jew and early Christians were suspected of altering the text of the Tawrat and Injil; but in the opinion of eminent doctors and theologians, it was not practicable thus to corrupt the text, because those Scriptures were generally known and widely circulated, having been handed down from generation to generation. No interpolation could therefore be made in them, although it is admitted that some people used to conceal their true sense and interpretation.” (Sayyid Ahmad, THE MOHAMMEDAN COMMENTARY ON THE HOLY BIBLE, 7th discourse, p.81)
Fakhr al-Din al-Razi provided solid evidence to substantiate why it is impossible for the previous Scriptures to become corrupted. His conclusions are based on the documented evidence of the “eminent doctors and theologians of Islam.” According to these scholars, it is impossible to corrupt the previous Scriptures after the time of Muhammad because by then these “Scriptures were generally known and widely circulated.” Therefore, it is impossible for any individual to clandestinely corrupt them. Any alterations can be easily detected. They also testified that “it was not practicable to corrupt the text.” In other words, no intrusions of any sort can be made by the deliberate insertion of foreign or unauthorized words into the written text of the previous Scriptures. Therefore, no textual corruption is possible.
All these evidence clearly disprove the Muslim claim that the previous Scriptures were corrupted after the time of Muhammad. Muslims beware! Each time you claim that the Bible has become corrupted, you falsify the Quran at the same instance. And each time you claim that the Bible has become corrupted, you accuse Allah of failure to preserve his previous Scriptures as he had guaranteed in the Quran:
Surah 5:48: And to you We have revealed the Book containing the truth, confirming the earlier Revelations and preserving them from change and corruption. (Ahmed Ali)
Since the Quran testifies that none can change the words of Allah, this means that the divine name Jehovah as it is revealed in the previous Scriptures is the true name of God. Yet, this divine name does not appear in the Quran – even once. All these evidence prove that the Quran does not confirm the previous Scriptures as it claims. In desperation, Muslims try to justify this obvious error by falsely claiming that the Bible has become corrupted. As proven, the error lies with the Quran. As such, the Quran simply cannot be the Word of God! It will be wise for Muslims to reject the Quran.
Of course, it is not Allah but Jehovah who inspired the Scriptures of the Bible. He is the true Author. However, our reason for presenting the claim of Allah as evidence is merely to prove to the Muslims how their very own Quran confirms the integrity of the Bible.
IS THE QURAN CONSISTENT WITH ITSELF?
If the Quran is truly inspired by God, it must be consistent with itself. However, a careful study of the Quran exposes serious contradictions within its teachings. The Quran not only acknowledges these contradictions but it also tries to explain away the reason for such discrepancies in it:
Surah 2:106: None of Our revelations do We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, but We substitute something better or similar: Know that Allah has power over all things? (Yusuf Ali)
How can a perfect verse of Allah be substituted with a “better” verse when all his verses are supposed to be perfect from the start? How can one perfect verse be “better” than another perfect verse? Also, what logical reason is there for Allah to replace a verse with another “similar” verse? Moreover, why should Allah cause his own verses to be “forgotten” after revealing them? This is even more damaging when we realize that the entire Quran was revealed within a short period of just twenty-three years. The fact that some of its verses were abrogated within such a short period of time clearly disproves the claim of divine inspiration. According to Islamic sources, some verses were even abrogated within a day after they were revealed.
Jalaluddin Al-Suyuti (1445–1505 C.E.) is an esteemed Muslim scholar who was given the title, “Son of Books.” He clarified the circumstances for the revelation of Surah 2:106. Quoting the words of Ibn Abbas on the subject of abrogation in the Quran, he revealed the following shocking truth.
Al-Suyuti, Asbab al-Nuzul, p. 19:
“Ibn ’Abbas himself said, ‘Sometimes the revelation used to descend on the prophet during the night and then he forgot it during daytime, thus God sent down this verse: Surah 2:106.’”
What justification is there for Allah to reveal a Quranic verse in the night only to abrogate that verse the following day? How can the forgetfulness of Muhammad be taken as an indication of abrogation? How could circumstances change so drastically during the course of the night to justify the abrogation of the Quranic verse the following day? Why did not Allah know that? How could the eternal Book of Allah have such time-bound revelations in it? Why does Allah find it necessary to abrogate his verses so soon after they were revealed? Does not this nullify the claim of divine authorship? Either Allah is an impostor or Muhammad is faking inspiration. Either option disqualifies the Quran as the eternal Word of God.
Let us consider now clear evidence of contradiction in the Quran. On the one hand, Allah strictly forbids Compulsion in Religion in the Quran:
Surah 2:256: Let there be no compulsion in religion. (Yusuf Ali)
Surah 10:99: Will you then compel mankind against their will to believe! (Yusuf Ali)
Surah 13:40: Your sole mission is to deliver the Message. It is We who will call them to account. (Rashad)
And Allah commanded Muhammad to say to the unbelievers:
Surah 109:6: You shall have your religion and I shall have my religion. (Shakir)
All the above Quranic verses harmonize with the principle of justice. However, Allah abolishes all these peaceful verses and replaces them with verses that command Muslims to violently subjugate all those who reject Islam. Carefully note the abrupt change of Allah’s position:
Surah 4:89: But if they turn back from Islam, take hold of them and kill them wherever you find them. (Hilali-Khan)
Surah 8:7: But Allah wished to confirm the truth by His words, and wipe the unbelievers out to the last. (Samira)
Surah 8:12: I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every finger-tip off them. (Shakir)
Surah 9:5: Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captive, and besiege them, and prepare for them each ambush. (Pickthall)
Surah 9:123: O you who believe! Fight those of the unbelievers who are near to you and let them find in you hardness. (Shakir)
Surah 47:4: When you encounter the unbelievers, strike off their heads, until you have made a great slaughter among them. (Sale)
Muslims claim that the commandments to fight and kill the unbelievers are defensive in nature. This is another lie. The following Quranic verse clearly exposes their deception:
Surah 9:29: Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold forbidden which have been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, even if they are the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission and feel themselves subdued. (Yusuf Ali)
Surah 9:29 is not commanding Muslims to fight those who attack them but to fight all those who believe not in Allah nor acknowledge Islam as the religion of Truth. This is an unmistakable commandment to wage offensive wars against all those who do not accept the religion of Islam. Though the peaceful verses still exist in the Quran, they are no longer relevant today. All these peaceful verses are abrogated by the sword verses which were revealed later to Muhammad. Muslims subtly use these peaceful verses to elevate Islam as a religion of peace. The standing order of Allah for Muslims today is the violent verses. Allah contradicted his own teachings in the Quran by shifting his position from non-compulsion to compulsion in religion.
Another clear contradiction is the teaching of Predestination in the Quran. On the one hand, Allah clearly teaches that man has the freedom to choose his own destiny:
Surah 18:29: And say: “It is the Truth from your Lord; wherefore let him who will, believe, and let him who will, disbelieve.” (Sherali)
Surah 25:57: Tell them, “I ask no recompense for my preaching to you, except the fact that whoever wants should choose the way of God.” (Sarwar)
Surah 73:19: This is a Reminder. Let him who will, then, choose a way unto his Lord. (Pickthall)
The above Quranic verses harmonize perfectly with the principle of divine justice. It would be absurd if God on the one hand predestines the actions of men and on the other hand punishes or rewards them for their actions. Without free will, the whole concept of man’s religious accountability would be unjust and meaningless. However, Allah contradicts his own teachings in the Quran:
Surah 10:100: No soul can believe, except by the will of Allah, and He will place doubt on those who will not understand. (Yusuf Ali)
Surah 76:29-31: All this is an admonition and reminder, and so let him who wills, take a path to his Lord. You cannot will unless Allah wills. Surely God is All-Knowing, All-Wise. He admits whom He wills into His mercy. (Ali Unal)
The claim of free will in Islam is illusory. As the above Quranic verses clearly testify, the will of Allah prevails over the free will of humans. The overpowering will of Allah supersedes and decimates the free will of humans. As such, human free will does not have an independent reality on its own. The claim by Muslims that free will exists in Islam is refuted by none other than Allah himself. Carefully digest the words of Allah in following Quranic verses.
Surah 76:30: You cannot will unless Allah wills. (Ali Unal)
How can there be free will when you do not have the free will to exercise your free will. No one is exempted. Allah seals the fate of every single individual. Listen to Allah:
Surah 54:49: Verily! We have created everything according to Our predestination. (M. Usmani)
There are many more verses that completely destroy the claim of free will in Islam. They are far too many to be included in this article. The Quran repeatedly teaches that man is created without the freedom to choose and all his actions are predestined by Allah. Even the salvation of an individual is predetermined by Allah. To understand the overpowering authority of predestination in Islam, carefully digest the words of Allah in the following Quranic verses:
Surah 9:51: Say: “Nothing shall ever happen to us except what Allah has ordained for us.” (Hilali-Khan)
This is why Muslims use the expression “Insha Allah” which means “If Allah Wills” so often in their conversation. The Quran clearly teaches that every misfortune that befalls a person is ordained by Allah:
Surah 57:22: Every misfortune that befalls the earth, or on your own person, is ordained before We bring it into being. That is easy for Allah. (Dawood)
Even the timing of a person’s death is predestined by Allah:
Surah 3:145: No soul can die without Allah’s Will at the destined time. (The Clear Quran)
The concept of fatalism which is common in many pagan religions is also taught in the Quran:
Surah 3:154: Say: Had you remained in your houses, those for whom slaughter was ordained would have gone forth to the places where they would be slain. (Maulana)
Every good and every evil deed are predetermined by Allah. Since the entire life course of an individual is decided upon by Allah, there is no such thing as free will in Islam. One of the most damaging effects of predestination in Islam is that it nullifies the function of the prophets to save sinners from their sinful course. Reflect carefully on the damaging effects of this teaching in Islam. Allah asks Muhammad:
Surah 4:88: Do you want to guide those whom Allah has caused to go astray? You cannot find guidance for those whom Allah has made to go astray. (Sarwar)
No prophets – not even Muhammad – can guide those whom Allah has caused to go astray. And Allah confirms this yet again in the following Quranic verse:
Surah 5:41: And the one whom Allah wills to send astray, you will never be able to help him in the least against Allah; they are those whose hearts Allah did not will to cleanse; for them is disgrace in this world, and for them is a great punishment in the Hereafter. (Faridul Haque)
Provided below is another damaging verse in the Quran:
Surah 16:93: And had Allah willed, He could have made you all one nation, but He sends astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills. But you shall certainly be called to account for what you used to do. (Hilali-Khan)
Allah decides the salvation of every single human. No one has the freedom to determine his or her own destiny. As the following Hadith reveals, Islam completely eliminates any hope for an individual to work out his or her own salvation.
Sahih Muslim, Book 033, Number 6436:
Aisha, the mother of the believers, said that the Messenger was called to lead the funeral prayer of a child of the Ansar. She said: “Allah’s Messenger, there is happiness for this child who is a bird from the birds of Paradise for it committed no sin nor has he reached the age when one can commit sin.” He said: “Aisha, per adventure, it may be otherwise, because God created for Paradise those who are fit for it while they were yet in their father’s loins and created for Hell those who are to go to Hell. He created them for Hell while they were yet in their father’s loins.”
The expression “while they were yet in their father’s loins” actually refers to the time before the child is even conceived by its mother. How can Allah pass a judgment of condemnation on someone before that person is even conceived? This controversy regarding predestination has given rise to various sects within Islam and much blood was shed over it in the past. In contrast, Jehovah is consistent in upholding his principle of divine justice. Jehovah lovingly stated the following:
Deuteronomy 30:19: “I have put life and death before you, the blessing and the curse. You must choose life so that you may live.”
Yes! We have the freedom to determine our salvation. We have the freedom to work out our own salvation by choosing to live in harmony with the teachings of the true God. Jehovah guarantees that:
Philippians 2:12: Keep working out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Unlike Allah who contradicts himself, the true God is consistent in all his ways. Thus, the teachings of Jehovah are dependable:
James 1:17: Every good gift and every perfect present is from above, coming down from the Father of the celestial lights, who does not vary or change like the shifting shadows.
There are many more discrepancies in the Quran involving a wide variety of subjects. However, the above evidence are sufficient to prove that the Quran cannot be the inspired Word of God. Ironically, Allah himself passed the verdict of guilt on the Quran in the following verse:
Surah 4:82: Do they not ponder over the Quran? Had it been from other than Allah, surely they would have found many contradictions in it. (Abdul Hye)
Allah himself provides a strong reason for Muslims to reject the Quran.
IS THE QURAN PROPHETIC?
Muslims claim that the Quran is the inspired Word of God. For this to be true, the Quran must be trustworthy in every way. Well, what about the prophecies of Allah in the Quran? Are they trustworthy? Are they true and accurate in every detail? We will let the Quran answer these vital questions. We will examine an interesting prophecy of Allah. Please read the prophecy carefully:
Surah 8:65: O Prophet! Rouse the Believers to the fight. If there are twenty amongst you, patient and persevering, they will vanquish two hundred: if a hundred, they will vanquish a thousand of the Unbelievers. (Yusuf Ali)
It is vital to understand that Surah 8:65 was not revealed as a Commandment but as a Prophecy. It does not say: “If a hundred, they MUST vanquish a thousand of the Unbelievers.” Had Allah stated this, then this Quranic verse can rightly be construed as a Commandment from him. However, it is different when Allah proclaims: “If a hundred, they WILL vanquish a thousand of the Unbelievers.” This means that the success of the victory is prophetically guaranteed by Allah. The victory is assured even before the Muslims venture into battle. Thus, the success of the battle depends not on the Muslims but on the mighty hands of Allah. Allah was so sure of its fulfillment that he engraved the prophecy permanently in the Quran. Surah 8:65 is clearly a Prophecy from Allah.
Allah prophesied in no uncertain terms that from now on – from the time this prophecy was revealed – a single Muslim warrior “will vanquish” ten enemy fighters. In other words, Muslims will be able to now defeat their enemies ten times more numerous than them – a ratio of 1 to 10. Allah guarantees this stunning victory at every encounter between the Muslims and their enemies. He clearly revealed: “If a hundred, they will vanquish a thousand of the Unbelievers.” Can it be expressed any clearer than this?
Since no amount of obstacles is insurmountable for Allah, the victory will be achieved, not by the strength of the fighting skills of the Muslims, but by the mighty power of Allah. To substantiate the reliability of his prophecies, Allah testifies that not a single sentence that comes from him can be changed. This means every inspired prophecy of Allah will be fulfilled to the letter:
Surah 50:29: The sentence that cometh from Me cannot be changed. (Pickthall)
Did the prophecy in Surah 8:65 come true? Divine bombshell for Muslims! Just one verse later, Allah abrogated his prophecy in the Quran. He abolished his own divine prophecy in which he specified the exact ratio of the number of enemies that the Muslims would defeat in battle. Allah guaranteed this much and Allah failed. As a result, Allah had to substitute his earlier prophecy with another contradictory prophecy in the very next verse:
Surah 8:66: For the present, Allah hath lightened your task, for He knows that there is a weak spot in you: But even so, if there are a hundred of you, patient and persevering, they will vanquish two hundred, and if a thousand, they will vanquish two thousand, with the leave of Allah: for Allah is with those who patiently persevere. (Yusuf Ali)
Even though Allah guaranteed in Surah 8:65 that the Muslims “will” be able to defeat enemies ten times more numerous than them, they did not trust Allah with their lives. Upon receiving this prophetic message, they became afraid and complained bitterly at the impossible odds they would have to now face when they fight their enemies. As a result, Allah abolished his prophecy without delay and substituted it with a contradictory prophecy in Surah 8:66. Allah changed the ratio from 1:10 to 1:2. Lack of faith led to the abrogation of Allah’s prophecy. To gain the support of faithless men to fight his battles, Allah abolished his eternal prophecy in the Quran. What a shame!
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 6, Book 60, Number 176:
Narrated Ibn Abbas: When the Verse: – “If there are twenty steadfast amongst you (Muslims), they will overcome two-hundred (non-Muslims).” was revealed, it became hard on the Muslims when it became compulsory that one Muslim ought not to flee (in war) before ten (non-Muslims). So Allah lightened the order by revealing:
“But now Allah has lightened your task for He knows that there is weakness in you. So if there are of you one-hundred steadfast, they will overcome two-hundred (non-Muslims).” (S. 8:66)
Ishaq: 326
Abdullah told me that when this verse came down it was a shock to the Muslims who took it hard. They were afraid as the odds were too great. So Allah relieved them and cancelled the verse with another: ‘Now has Allah relieved you and He knows that there is a weakness among you, so if there are 100 (rather than 20) they will vanquish 200.’ (Ibn Ishaq, Sirat Rasul Allah – The Life of Muhammad – Translated by A. Guillaume, Oxford University Press)
Even though the fault lies with Allah, he blamed the Muslims for the changes:
Surah 8:66: Now Allah has lightened your burden for He knows that there is weakness in you. (The Clear Quran)
Why did not Allah know their weakness when he revealed his prophecy in Surah 8:65 – just one verse earlier? If Allah is truly All-knowing, he would have known their weakness before revealing Surah 8:65. Since he did not, he had to dishonorably abolish his failed prophecy and replace it with a contradictory prophecy in Surah 8:66. Allah knew about the weakness of the Muslims only after they openly complained to Muhammad. One of the strongest evidence for the authenticity of the Bible is the fulfillment of numerous prophecies in it. The ability to foretell the future is a distinctive quality of the true God. Thus, Jehovah challenged the false gods to prove their divinity by prophesying the future:
Isaiah 41:21-23: “Present your case,” says Jehovah. “Bring forth your proofs,” says the King of Jacob. “Produce evidence and tell us the things that will happen. Do tell us about the former things, So that we may reflect on them and know their outcome. Or declare to us the things that are coming. Tell us what will happen in the future, So that we may know that you are gods.”
Since the false gods of the nations were unable to foretell the future, Jehovah exposed their true worth:
Isaiah 41:24: You are nothing. Your work is nothing. Anyone who chooses you is detestable.
The irrefutable evidence of a failed prophecy in the Quran proves that Allah is a false god. He failed the challenge of Jehovah to prove his divinity. According to the verdict of Jehovah, Allah is nothing. As such, the Quran cannot be the divine Word of God. This provides Muslims with another valid reason to reject the Quran.
DOES THE QURAN STAND THE TEST OF TIME?
For the Quran to be divinely inspired, it must stand the test of time. The teachings therein must be true for all eternity. Is this true of the Quran? There are numerous teachings in the Quran that conflict with established scientific facts that are easily verifiable. The following account is one out of the many which confirm the failure of the Quran to stand the test of time:
Surah 18:83-86: And they ask you about Zulqarnain. Say, “I shall recite to you something of his story.” Verily We established him on earth, and We gave him the means to everything. So he followed a way. Until when he reached the setting place of the sun, he found it setting in a spring of black muddy water. And he found near it a people. We said by inspiration: “O Zulqarnain! Either you punish them or treat them with kindness.”
Zulqarnain then continued on with his journey. . .
Surah 18:89-90: Then he followed another way, Until when he came to the rising place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had provided no covering protection against the sun. (Hilali-Khan)
Most Islamic scholars identify Zulqarnain as Alexander the Great. According to the Quran, Zulqarnain traveled on until he reached the setting place of the sun. And he found the sun setting in a muddy spring. This is a gross scientific error. We know for a certainty that the sun does not set in a muddy spring. However, Muslims try to explain away this error by claiming that the Quran was narrating the account from the visual perspective of Zulqarnain. Is this true?
Note the language articulated in this account. The Quran states: “Until when he reached the setting place of the sun.” The word “reached” denotes a place and not the visual perspective of someone. Thus, the Quran is clearly testifying that Zulqarnain actually “reached” the “setting place” of the sun. Moreover, the Quran does not say that he “saw” but rather he “found” the sun setting in a muddy spring.
Of course, it is acceptable to speak of the sun as rising or setting when it is expressed from the visual perspective of someone who is observing the event from a distance. However, it is different when the Quran speaks of a specific place where the sun rises and sets. The Quran clearly states that Zulqarnain reached the setting place of the sun. Since such a place does not exist on this earth, the Quran has a serious error in it and stands to be corrected. It is also vital to note that the story is related from the perspective of Allah and not from that of Zulqarnain. Allah is narrating the story. This is confirmed by the reference of Zulqarnain in the ‘third person pronoun’ in this account:
“So he followed a way. Until when he reached the setting place of the sun, he found it setting in a spring of black muddy water.”
Therefore, to claim that the account is narrated from the visual perspective of Zulqarnain is dishonest to the Quranic text. If Allah is truly describing the setting of the sun from the visual perspective of Zulqarnain, he would have said so as he did in the case of Abraham:
Surah 6:78: “When he (Abraham) saw the sun rising in splendour, he said: “This is my Lord; this is the greatest of all.” But when the sun set, he said: “O my people! I am indeed free from your guilt of giving partners to Allah.” (Yusuf Ali)
When Allah described the event from Abraham’s visual perspective, he clearly stated that Abraham “saw” the sun rising. However, in the case of Zulqarnain, Allah chose words that clearly suggest that Zulqarnain literally “reached” the “setting place of the sun” and “found” it setting in a muddy spring. Thus, Allah was actually describing the very place where the sun supposedly sets and rises. Otherwise, it makes no sense for Allah to single out that particular sunset and sunrise as something special in the life of Zulqarnain since the sun rises and sets every day and on every nation. Now note how Allah describes the next phase of the journey where Zulqarnain “reached the rising place of the sun.”
Surah 18:85-90: So he followed a way until when he reached the setting place of the sun, he found it setting in a spring of black muddy water. He found near it a people . . . Then he followed another way until, when he reached the rising place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We provided no shelter against the sun. (Abdul Hye)
Do the above verses express the idea that the following morning Zulqarnain saw the sun rising? The Quran clearly states: “Then he followed another way until when he reached the rising place of the sun.” In other words, after so many sunrises and sunsets, he finally “reached the rising place of the sun.” Another vital piece of evidence can be found in the last part of the above Quranic verses which state:
“. . . he found it rising on a people for whom We provided no shelter against the sun.”
Why does the Quran specifically mention that Allah “provided no shelter against the sun” for these particular people? This would only make sense if the rest of mankind is given shelter from the sun by Allah. Since this is not the case, the Quran is clearly suggesting that because of the close proximity of the sun to the place where they live, this particular person needed shelter from the sun. However, for some unknown reason, Allah did not provide them with the needed protection. The need for protection from the sun will not be an issue if the Quran is simply describing the sun rising and setting from the visual perspective of Zulqarnain. Muslims can deny all that they want but what is important is how the Prophet of Islam understands this teaching of Allah in the Quran? Let’s find out.
Sunan Abu Dawud, Hadith Number 3991:
Abu Dharr said: I was sitting behind the Apostle of Allah who was riding a donkey while the sun was setting. He asked: Do you know where this sets? I replied: Allah and his Apostle know best. He said: It sets in a spring of warm water.
If the Quran is truly inspired by God, it will stand the test of time. But it does not. One single error is one too many since God does not make such mistakes. However, there are not one but multiple errors in the Quran. This clearly proves that the Quran is not the inspired Word of God. As such, it will be wise for Muslims to reject the Quran.
THE DARK BEGINNING OF THE QURAN
All the evidence verify that the Quran could not have originated from the true God. While there is undeniable evidence proving the involvement of human elements, there is however a more sinister force behind the inspiration of the Quran. To identify the true source behind the origin of the Quran, we must begin at the beginning. We must examine how the Quran came into existence. The writings of the Quran began with the revelation Muhammad first received in the Cave of Hira. This is where it all started. This is the seed from which Islam sprouted. Islam began with the person of Muhammad. Therefore, to identify the source behind the inspiration of the Quran, we must examine the calling of Muhammad as a prophet of Allah. Let’s go back to the time when Muhammad began receiving his revelations. We will now examine the most authentic Hadith in Islam to discover the truth.
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 1, Number 3:
Allah’s Apostle used to go in seclusion in the Cave of Hira where he used to worship Allah . . . till suddenly the Truth descended upon him while he was in the Cave of Hira. The angel came to him and asked him to read. The Prophet replied, “I do not know how to read.”
The Prophet added, “The angel caught me forcefully and pressed me so hard that I could not bear it any more. He then released me and again asked me to read and I replied, ‘I do not know how to read.’ Thereupon he caught me again and pressed me a second time till I could not bear it any more. He then released me and again asked me to read but again I replied, ‘I do not know how to read.’ Thereupon he caught me for the third time and pressed me, and then released me and said, ‘Read in the name of your Lord, who has created all that exists, has created man from a clot. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous.’”
Then Allah’s Apostle returned with the Inspiration and with his heart beating severely. Then he went to Khadija bint Khuwailid and said, “Cover me! Cover me!” They covered him till his fear was over and after that he told her everything that happened and said, “I fear that something may happen to me.” Khadija replied, “Never! Allah will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with your Kith and kin, help the poor and the destitute, serve your guests generously and assist the deserving calamity-afflicted ones.”
Muhammad was physically abused by the spirit who delivered the revelation of Allah to him. He fled the cave in terror. Not wanting to see the cause of that terror again, he pleaded to his wife: “Cover me! Cover me!” Fearing for his life, he told her: “I fear that something may happen to me.” The supernatural confrontation in the cave was more demonic than divine. There is not a single instance in the entire Bible where an angelic messenger physically abused the one chosen by God to receive his revelation. Ironically, Muhammad was the first person to doubt the genuineness of the revelation which he received from the spirit in the Cave of Hira. Thus, began the revelation of the Quran. This terrifying encounter is also documented in the earliest biographical record of Muhammad.
Ibn Ishaq, Sirat Rasul Allah, p. 106:
So I read it, and he (Gabriel) departed from me. And I awoke from my sleep, and it was as though these words were written on my heart. Now none of God’s creatures was more horrible to me than a poet or a man possessed: I could not even look at them. I thought, “Woe is me poet or possessed – Never shall Quraysh say this of me! I will go to the top of the mountain and throw myself down that I may kill myself and gain rest.”
Yes, you read it right. After this terrifying and violent encounter with the spirit, Muhammad became suicidal. Muhammad believed he was possessed by a demon. Of course, the spirit is not the angel Gabriel as Muslims claim but a wicked spirit. When Jesus drove out the demons from a man, they entered into a herd of swine. And like Muhammad, they became suicidal. The herd of swine committed suicide just as Muhammad had contemplated doing.
Matthew 8:32: Jesus said to them, “Go!” The demons came out and went off into the swine. Suddenly, the whole herd rushed down the cliff into the sea and died in the waters.
It is absolutely outrageous that someone could be pushed towards suicide following a revelation from God. Islamic scholars avoid speaking about the suicide attempts of Muhammad since it destroys the authenticity of his appointment as a prophet of God. Can a calling such as this come from the true God? In the final assessment, we can see that the very first revelation that Muhammad received began amidst a dark and violent encounter with some sort of a spirit creature in the darkness of a cave. And the Quran was built on the foundation of this dark and fearsome encounter. As such, the Quran cannot be the inspired Word of God. It will be wise for Muslims to turn to Jehovah – the only true and living God. Muslims should reject the Quran and turn to the true Word of God – the Holy Bible.
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