Qur’an or Bible: Which is the Word of God?

1. Qur’an or Bible:Which is the Word of God?

2. Overview of the Bible • Two major sections: Old Testament & New Testament • A library of books : law, history, prophecy, poetry.

3. Details of the Bible • Written by 40 men (all Jewish except one) • Written over 1400 years • In 3 languages: Hebrew, Aramaic, Common (koine) Greek • Old Testament has 39 books & 23,000 verses, pointing to Christ • New Testament has 24 books & 8,000 verses, telling about Christ

4. Implications from the Bible • God works through history • God uses all kinds of people • God loves variety but also order (1.Cor.14:33,40) • The supreme revelation of the Bible is Jesus Christ • The Bible can be read in any language (Acts.2:7-11) – translated into 2300 languages • God accepts all cultures and languages (Acts.10:34,35; Rev.7:9)

5. Overview of the Qur’an • 114 chapters • Not in chronological order • Arranged by size: biggest  smallest • Unsure which chapters came first • Revealed to one man – no witnesses • Based on his 23 years of ministry • 6,200 verses • Written in Qurayshi Arabic

6. Implications from the Qur’an • Allah is not as concerned about history and order • The supreme time was the period of Muhammad (Q.3:110) • Muhammad is the best model for humanity (Q.33:21) • People should obey Muhammad as they do Allah (Q.4:80) • They should not ask questions (Q.5:101; 33:36) • The Qur’an can only be read in Arabic (Q.12:1,2)

7. The Reality Arabic Speakers 4% Arabic Speakers 18% 96% do not understand Arabic 82% do not understand Arabic

8. Times, places & people in Bible • Chronological order : Genesis (beginnings)  Revelation (the end) • Historical markers: Isaiah 6:1 ; Luke 3:1,2; world powers • Geographical markers: Genesis 2:14 – Tigris & Euphrates rivers; Revelation 1:9 – John was on the island of Patmos • Identifies people: genealogies, titles, relationships • Eyewitness or contemporary accounts: 1.Jn.1:.1-3

9. Implications from the Bible • The Bible stands by itself • The Bible invites verification • The Bible tells real stories about real people • The details of their lives are given, including the bad ones • God is intimately involved in the lives of these people • God can be involved in our lives too

10. Times, places & people in Qur’an • Not in chronological order (size of chapter) • No times or dates or reigns • Sparse Geography: ‘Mecca’; ‘Medina’ (x 2) ‘Arafat’; ‘Badr’; ‘Safa & Marwa’ ‘Bakkah’; ‘Hunain’; ‘Rome’ (x 1) ; Persia & Ethiopia (x 0) • Dead People: All but two people named were dead: 28 prophets, Pharoah, Al-Aziz; only one woman named (Mary) • Contemporary people: Muhammad x 4 ; ‘Abu Lahab’ x1

11. Q.58:1 • “Indeed Allah has heard the statement of her that disputes with you concerning her husband , and complains to Allah. And Allah hears the argument between you both.” (Q.58:1) • Who is the complaining woman? What did her husband do? Who is the ‘you’ she disputing with? • Some claim that she was Khaulah bint Tha’labahwho went to Muhammad and complained that her husband Aus bin As-Samit was refusing to sleep with her or to divorce her.

12. Q.80:1-12 • He frowned and turned away, because the blind man came to him. But what could tell you that perhaps he might become pure or that he might receive admonition, and that the admonition might profit him? As for the one who thinks himself self-sufficient, you attend to him, although it is no blame to you if he does not become pure. But you are neglectful to the one who came to you running, and is afraid. By no means! For it is indeed a Message of instruction: So whoever wills, let him pay attention to it.

13. Explanation of Q.80:1-12from al-Muwatta no. 0.630555555555556 • Yahya related to me from Malik from HishamibnUrwa that his father said that Abasa (Sura 80) was sent down about Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum. He came to the Prophet… and began to say, "O Muhammad, show me a place near you (where I can sit)," whilst one of the leading men of the idol worshippers was in audience with the Prophet... The Prophet… began to turn away from him and give his attention to the other man, and he said to him, "Father of so-and-so, do you see any harm in what I am saying?" and he said, "No, by the blood (of our sacrifices) I see no harm in what you are saying." And Abasa - "He frowned and turned away when the blind man came" - was sent down.

14. Implications from the Qur’an • The Qur’an generally tells incomplete stories of people long-dead before it was written • It goes not give historical or geographic details which could be affirmed or denied • Contemporary people are not identified • It reads more like Muhammad’s personal diary and meditations • The Qur’an is not open to historical investigation – it is ahistorical

15. Comparisons • Two prayers: Lord’s prayer & Fatiha

16. What the Bible says about itself

17. Titles of the Qur’an (1)

18. Titles of the Qur’an (2)

19. Number of verses about the Qur’an: Titles of the Qur’an 550 Verbs describing ‘revelation’ 328 • The word ‘aya/at’ 234 (‘verse/s, signs or miracles) • The word ‘surah’ 9 (chapter of the Qur’an) • Total references on the Qur’an to itself 1121 • The Qur’an has only 6200 verses • “The Qur’an is the most meta-textual, most self-referential holy text known in the history of world religions.”Stefan Wild (Professor of Islamic Studies, University of Bonn) • “meta-textual” – talking about itself • “self-referential” – quoting itself

20. The Qur’an claims that it is clear • a perspicuous/plain book or Qur’an kitaab/qur’aanmubeen(Q.5:15, 12:1; 15:1; 26:2, 195; 27:1; 28:2; 36:69; 43:2; 44:2) • with ‘clear verses’ayaatmubayyinaat (22:16; 24:34; 66:11) • Allah made His signs clear so you can understand kadhaalikyubayyinalaahlakumayaatihila’allakumta’qiloon(Q.2:242) • We (Allah) sent down/made an Arabic Qur’an so that you may understand • innanazalnaahu/ja’alnaahuqur’aanan ‘arabiyyanla’allakumta’qiluun(Q.12:2; 43:3) • in a clear Arabic tongue • wahaadhalisaanunarabiyyunmubeenun(Q.16:103; 26:195; 20:113; 39:28; 41:3,44; 42:7)

21. The Qur’an is not so clear “[Allah] has sent down to you) the Book (this Qur'an). In it are Verses that are entirely clear, they are the foundations of the Book and others not entirely clear… but no one knows its hidden meanings except Allah.” (Q.3:7) 29 suras have unknown lists of letters such as alif lam mimeg 2:1; 3:1, with the explanation: “Only Allah knows their meanings.” WaleedAly : “The Qur’an admits its own ambiguity” People Like Us p.217

22. Qur’an is not in pure Arabic Jalal-ud-din Al-Suyuti, (c. 1445-1505 AD) in his book Iqtan fi ‘Ulum al-qur’an “Perfection in the Quranic Sciences“ - found 275 non Arabic words in the Quran. He listed words from the following languages: 1        Ethiopic        Habashi 7        NabateanNabatiya 2        Persian         Farisiya 8        Coptic         Coptiya 3        Greek         Roumiya 9        Turkish        Turkiya 4        Indian         Hindiya 10        Negro         Zinjiya 5        SyriacSyriyaniya 11        Berber        Barbariya 6        Hebrew       Ibraniya The commentators al Tabari,  al Badhawi & al Razi also listed foreign words. Arthur Jeffery outlined about 118 foreign - non Arabic - words in the Quran, many of which are among the most important, without which the Quran could not possibly exist. (The Foreign Vocabulary of the Quran; Oriental Institute; Baroda 1938).

23. The Qur’an claims it is inerrant • no contradictions ikhtilaaf(Q.4:82) • no falsehood baatil (Q.41:42) • no crookedness ‘awjan(18:1; 39:28) • Its verses are perfected uHkimatayaatuhu(11:1)

25. The Qur’an claims that it is comprehensive • a detailed book alkitaab mufassilan(Q.6:114) • a detailed explanation of everything • tafseel kul shayin(Q.12:111) • an exposition of everything • tibyaanan kulli shayin (Q.16:89) • has neglected or omitted nothing ma farratna min shay’(Q.6:38)

26. Comprehensive ? But it lacks the • complete shahada • the five daily prayers • how to wash • Full details of fasting and pilgrimage • Circumcision • etc, etc

27. The Qur’an claims it is unique • The pagans are challenged to bring their own Book (28:49; 37:157), • or to at least produce a Sura like the Qur’an (2:23; 10:38), • or ten suras (11:13) • This is a feat beyond all humans and jinn (17:88; 28:86,87)

28. Muhammad ibn Zakariyā Rāzī(Rhazes)(865 – 925) – Persian Muslim physician • “You claim that the evidentiary miracle is present and available, namely, the Koran. You say: "Whoever denies it, let him produce a similar one." Indeed, we shall produce a thousand similar, from the works of rhetoricians, eloquent speakers and valiant poets, which are more appropriately phrased and state the issues more succinctly. They convey the meaning better and their rhymed prose is in better meter. ... By God what you say astonishes us! You are talking about a work which recounts ancient myths, and which at the same time is full of contradictions and does not contain any useful information or explanation. Then you say: "Produce something like it"?!”

29. Comparisons • The nature of God • Psalm 23 • Al Ikhlas (Sura 112)

30. What criteria? • Internal evidence: What is says about itself • External evidence: history, archaeology, prophecy

31. Archeologist Nelson Glueck • "It may be stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever contradicted a biblical reference."

32. Historian A. N. Sherwin-White • "For [the book of] Acts the confirmation of historicity is overwhelming. … any attempt to reject its basic historicity even in matters of detail must now appear absurd.".

33. Adolf Hitler • “It is deplorable that the Bible should have been translated into German, and that the whole of the German Folk should have thus become exposed to the whole of this Jewish mumbo jumbo...” • 5 June 1942

34. Desmond Tutu • "There's nothing more radical, nothing more revolutionary, nothing more subversive against injustice and oppression than the Bible. If you want to keep people subjugated, the last thing you place in their hands is a Bible." • September 2008.

35. What is the message of the Bible?