Contents

Introduction ………………………………………………. 4

Is the Quran we have today God’s Word? ………….. 5

i. The Recording and Perfect Preservation … 5

ii. Source or Authority of the Quran …………

16

Muhammad: unlettered and uneducated ………... 17

Muhammad’s known Integrity ………………………. 18

Style of the Quran ……………………………………… 19

Similarities and Discrepancies: Quran & Bible …. 20

Quran’s view on Satan & morality …………………. 23

Conclusion ………………………………………………. 24

References ……………………………………………….. 25

Contact details ………………………………………….. 26

“This is the Scripture whereof there is no doubt, a

guidance unto those who ward off (evil).”
[Quran 2:2]
 IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, MOST GRACIOUS, MOST MERCIFUL.

Introduction

The basis for the belief of most religions is their scriptures.

These scriptures form the bedrock of beliefs and constitute the
essence for the teachings of any particular religion. The
scriptures are believed to be inspired or revealed by Almighty
God.

This is also true for the Quran which is the holy book of Islam,
revered and followed by Muslims for more than 1400 years.
Muslims believe it to be the Word of God and a guide to living
in this world in order to get close to God and to obey Him.

The authenticity of the Quran is represented here in a

reasonable, honest and objective way in order to show the reader
that the Quran is indeed God’s Word and that at the very least
deserves one’s consideration in one’s search for the truth.

By the very fact that the Quran remains the only scripture and
revelation from God that is uncorrupted and in the same state as
when it was revealed – it should be accepted and followed as the
final guide for mankind.

Islam is based on the Quran and it lives or dies by the strength

of its authenticity and truth.

We ask the reader to read this booklet with an open mind and to
verify any historical, scriptural or scientific facts we have
presented to argue our case.

Ibn Yasin (Editor)

Brisbane
20 June, 2005.

2
 Is the Quran we have today is the word of God?

To answer this question, we first need to establish that the Quran

we have today is the same Quran as revealed to the Prophet
Muhammad and that no corruption has taken place in the
transmission of that message. In other words, we initially need
to prove the fact that the Quran has survived history, perfectly
preserved. Secondly, we need to establish who the author of the
Quran really is. This may be done by eliminating all possible
authors that are unacceptable to reason. That is, we may be
certain of the definite author by eliminating all unlikely authors.
This two-step process is outlined below:

i. The Recording and Perfect Preservation

The Quran, the Muslims’ religious Scripture, was revealed in

Arabic to the Prophet Muhammad through the angel Gabriel.
The revelation occurred piecemeal, over a period of twenty-
three years, sometimes in brief verses and sometimes in longer
chapters.1

The Quran (lit. a "reading" or "recitation") is distinct from the

recorded sayings and deeds (Sunnah) of the Prophet
Muhammad, which are instead preserved in a separate set of
literature collectively called the “Hadith” (lit. "news"; "report";
or narration").

Upon receiving revelation, the Prophet engaged himself in the

duty of conveying the message to his Companions through
reciting the exact words he heard in their exact order. This is
evident in his inclusion of even the words of God which were
directed specifically to him, for example: “Qul” (“Say [to the

1
Muhammad Hamidullah, Introduction to Islam, London: MWH
Publishers, 1979, p.17
3
people, O Muhammad]”). The Quran's rhythmic style and
eloquent expression make it easy to memorise.

Indeed, God describes this as one of its essential qualities for

preservation and remembrance2, particularly in an Arab society
which prided itself on orations of lengthy pieces of poetry.
Michael Zwettler notes that "in ancient times, when writing was
scarcely used, memory and oral transmission was exercised and
strengthened to a degree now almost unknown."3 Large portions
of the revelation were thus easily memorised by a large number
of people in the community of the Prophet.

The Prophet encouraged his Companions to learn each verse that

was revealed and transmit it to others 4 . The Quran was also
required to be recited regularly as an act of worship, especially
during the five daily prayers (salaah). Through these means,
many repeatedly heard passages from the revelation recited to
them, memorised them and used them in prayer. The entire
Quran was memorised verbatim (word for word) by some of the
Prophet’s Companions. Among them were Zaid ibn Thabit,
Ubayy ibn Ka’b, Mu’adh ibn Jabal, and Abu Zaid.5

Furthermore, the sequence or order of the Quran was arranged

by the Prophet himself and was also well-known to the
Companions.6 Each Ramadan7, the Prophet would repeat after
the angel Gabriel (reciting) the entire Quran in its exact order as
far as it had been revealed, while in the presence of a number of
his Companions8. In the year of his death, he recited it twice9.

2
Quran 44:58; 54:17,22,32,40
3
Michael Zwettler, The Oral Tradition of Classical Arabic Poetry, Ohio
State Press, 1978, p.14
4
Sahih al-Bukhari Vol.6, Hadith No.546
5
Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol.6, Hadith No.525
6
Ahmad von Denffer, Ulum al-Qur'an, The Islamic Foundation, UK,
1983, p.41-42; Arthur Jeffery, Materials for the History of the Text of the
Qur'an, Leiden: Brill, 1937, p.31
7
Ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar in which Muslims fast from
dawn to dusk for the whole month
8
Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol.6, Hadith No.519
4
Thereby, the order of verses in each chapter and the order of the
chapters became reinforced in the memories of each of the
Companions present.

As the Companions spread out to various provinces with

different populations, they took their recitations with them in
order to instruct others.10 In this way, the same Quran became
widely retained in the memories of many people across vast and
diverse areas of land.

Indeed, memorisation of the Quran emerged into a continuous

tradition across the centuries, with centres/schools for
memorisation being established across the Muslim world.11 The
Quran is perhaps the only book, religious or secular, that has
been memorised completely by millions of people.12 Leading
orientalist Kenneth Cragg reflects that "this phenomenon of
Quranic recital means that the text has traversed the centuries in
an unbroken living sequence of devotion. It cannot, therefore,
be handled as an antiquarian thing, nor as a historical document
out of a distant past. The fact of hifz (Quranic memorisation)
has made the Quran a present possession through the entire
lapse of Muslim time and given it a human currency in every
generation, never allowing its relegation to a bare authority for
reference alone."13

The entire Quran was however also recorded in writing at the

time of revelation from the Prophet’s dictation by some of his
literate companions, the most prominent of them being Zaid ibn
Thabit.14 Others among his noble scribes were Ubayy ibn Ka'b,
9
Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol.6, Hadith Nos.518 & 520
10
Ibn Hisham, Seerah al-Nabi, Cairo, n.d., Vol.1, p.199
11
Labib as-Said, The Recited Koran, translated by Morroe Berger, A.
Rauf, and Bernard Weiss, Princeton: The Darwin Press, 1975, p.59
12
William Graham, Beyond the Written Word, UK: Cambridge
University Press, 1993, p.80
13
Kenneth Cragg, The Mind of the Qur'an, London: George Allen &
Unwin, 1973, p.26
14
Jalal al-Din Suyuti, Al-Itqan fi 'Ulum al-Qur'an, Beirut: Maktab al-
Thaqaafiyya, 1973, Vol.1, p.41 & 99
5
Ibn Mas'ud, Mu’awiya ibn Abi Sufyan, Khalid ibn Waleed and
Zubayr ibn Awwam. 15 The verses were recorded on leather,
parchment, scapulae16 and the stalks of date palms.17

The codification of the Quran (i.e. into a 'book form') was done
soon after the Battle of Yamama (11A.H.18/633C.E.19), after the
Prophet's death, during the Caliphate of Abu Bakr. Many
companions became martyrs at that battle and it was feared that
unless a written copy of the entire revelation was produced,
large parts of the Quran might be lost with the death of those
who had memorised it. Therefore, at the suggestion of Umar to
collect the Quran in the form of writing, Zaid ibn Thabit was
requested by Abu Bakr to head a committee which would gather
together the scattered recordings of the Quran and prepare a
suhuf - loose sheets which bore the entire revelation on them20.

To safeguard the compilation from errors, the committee

accepted only material which had been written down in the
presence of the Prophet himself, and which could be verified by
at least two reliable witnesses who had actually heard the
Prophet recite the passage in question. 21 Once completed and
unanimously approved of by the Prophet's Companions, these
sheets were kept with Caliph Abu Bakr (d. 13A.H./634C.E.),
then passed on to Caliph Umar (13-23A.H./634-644C.E.), and
then to Umar's daughter and the Prophet's widow, Hafsa22.

15
Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani, Al-Isabah fi Taymeez as-Sahabah, Beirut: Dar
al-Fikr, 1978; Bayard Dodge, The Fihrist of al-Nadim: A Tenth Century
Survey of Muslim Culture, NY: Columbia University Press, 1970, p.53-
63. M. M. Azami, in Kuttab al-Nabi, Beirut: Al-Maktab al-Islami, 1974,
in fact mentions 48 persons who used to write for the Prophet)
16
Shoulder bones of animals.
17
al-Harith al-Muhasabi, Kitab Fahm al-Sunan, cited in Suyuti, Al-Itqan
fi 'Ulum al-Qur'an, Vol.1, p.58
18
After Hegira (Hijrah)
19
Common/Christian Era
20
Sahih al-Bukhari Vol.6, Hadith Nos.201 & 509; Vol.9, Hadith No.301
21
Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani, Fath al-Bari, Vol.9, p.10-11
22
Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol.6, Hadith No.201
6
Although the Quran was initially revealed in the Qurayshi
dialect of Arabic to the Prophet, it was also later revealed in
seven different Arabian dialects to aid the understanding of
those belonging to non-Qurayshi tribes23.24

At the time of the third Caliph Uthman (23-35A.H./644-

656C.E.), however, a companion named Hudhayfah ibn Al-
Yaman observed that the people of the regions of present-day
Syria and Iraq had begun disputing over various pronunciations
of some of the words of the Quran, while new Muslims in
provinces outside Arabia were unsure which dialect should be
learned. Urged by Hudhayfah to take heed of how the Jews and
Christians had differed among themselves regarding God's
Word, Uthman perceived the danger of divisions, disunity and
corruption arising on the basis of different readings/dialects of
the Quran which were earlier on approved by the Prophet25. He
therefore requested Hafsa to send him the manuscript of the
Quran which was in her safekeeping, and ordered the production
of several bounded copies of it (masaahif, sg. mushaf) using the
Qurayshi dialect26. This task was entrusted to the Companions
Zaid ibn Thabit, Abdullah ibn Az-Zubair, Sa'id ibn As-'As, and
Abdur Rahman ibn Harith ibn Hisham27.

Upon completion (in 25A.H./646C.E.), Uthman returned the

original manuscript to Hafsa and sent the copies to the major
Islamic provinces to replace other materials that were in
circulation. He also ordered that all other extracts or copies of
the Quran which differed from that undoubted “official” copy
(including incomplete manuscripts and those with additional
personal notes) be burnt so that the Quran would not suffer the
same fate of alterations, uncertainty of authenticity and

23
Sahih al-Bukhari Vol.6, Hadith Nos. 513-514
24
see also Jalal al-Din Suyuti, Al-Itqan fi 'Ulum al-Qur'an, Beirut:
Maktab al-Thaqaafiyya, 1973, Vol.1, p.41
25
Sahih al-Bukhari Vol.6, Hadith No.510
26
The dialect of the Prophet himself and in which the Qur'an had
commenced being revealed in.
27
Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol.4, Hadith No.709; Vol.6, Hadith No.507
7
contradictory versions which characterised previous religious
scriptures. This action of Uthman was unanimously approved of
by the Prophet's Companions, as evidenced in the accounts of
Zaid, Mus'ab, and Ali that the Companions had gathered in large
numbers to witness the burning, with no-one speaking out
against it, but rather declaring their support and how pleased
they were with him.28 It was therefore not the “Original” Quran
that was burnt, as alleged by some critics of Islam.

Some orientalist critics claim that the narrations in hadith

collections cannot be trusted due to their being recorded by
"Muslim sources". However, it could be argued that news and
social history has always been discovered through eye-witness
reports, and early Muslim scholars have developed some of the
most rigorous criteria to scrutinise such reports for authenticity,
including a continuous chain of reporters, each reporter's
memory skills and record of honesty, evidence that they were
there at the time of the event, as well as textual consistency with
the Quran and other established hadith. The majority of what
we know of the life of the Prophet and his Companions are from
mutawaatir29 reports.

This continuing and dynamic science (now over fourteen

centuries old) has produced highly accurate (albeit not perfect)
reports of Muslim history. The accusation that most Muslim
scholarship has been based on forgery would necessarily
implicate that all the geographically scattered scholars of the
first four centuries of hadith collection, who belonged to varied
and competing schools of thought, collaborated together in a
mutual conspiracy - an idea which neither appeals to reason nor

28
See Nizam al-Din al-Naysaburi, Ghara'ib al-Qur'an wa Ragha'ib al-
Furqan, Cairo, 1962; Ibn Abi Dawud, Kitab al-Masaahif, p.12, in Arthur
Jeffery, Materials for the History of the Text of the Qur'an, Leiden: Brill,
1937; and Badr al-Din al-Zarkashi, Al-Burhan fi Ulum al-Qur'an, Cairo,
1957, Vol.1, p.240 respectively
29
Reported by many different narrators, who all independently verify the
same account.
8
the fact that such scholars were renowned for their piety and
integrity of character.

A number of orientalists (e.g. Goldziher30) have been fond of the

theory that certain variations in some of the reports make the
entire story of the Quran's codification dubious. Yet other
scholars have pointed out that these differences are often
reconcilable due to context of each narration (contexts which,
incidentally, are also recorded in hadith collections), and the
time of narration31. Muslim scholars also note that the number
of memorisers was great for any given portion of the Quran and
therefore if any error had been made in Uthman's codification,
someone would have pointed it out. Furthermore, the majority
of the reports indicate that Uthman's codification is mutawaatir,
while other variant readings were only used by a sole
companion or occasionally two or three.32

Jeffrey Lang 33 points out that orientalists often base their

conclusions on mere speculation or fragmentary data which also
stem from the same hadith collections that they criticise. In line
with Edward Said's comments on the underlying biases of
Western scholarship,34 he also asserts that the bulk of orientalist
analysis has been so predisposed to write off discrepancies in
the body of early Muslim literature as evidence of hadith
fabrications that it often overlooks clear evidence which easily
explains otherwise.

An example of this is the frequent criticism that hadith were

forged in the second and third century after Hijra to support
30
Ignaz Goldziher , Muslim Studies II, London: George Allen & Unwin
Ltd., 1971
31
Some referring to earlier instances, such as prior to the completion of
the entire Qur'an - for an example of this, see the discussion of the
variance in the manuscripts of some Companions in footnote 41, p.48 in
Von Denffer, Ulum al-Qur'an, The Islamic Foundation, UK, 1983.
32
Bilal Philips, Usool at-Tafseer, Sharjah: Dar Al Fatah, 1997, p.159
33
Jeffrey Lang, Struggling to Surrender, Amana Publications, 1994, p.92
34
Edward Said, Orientalism, NY: Pantheon Books, 1978
9
jurists' legal rulings. Azmi 35 explains that such accusations
often relied on a faulty comparison of legal and hadith literature
when in fact they are two distinct fields. Inferences about one
science cannot validly be made by studying the development of
another. The theory that all hadith about the collection of the
Quran were forged in the second and third centuries after Hijra
has been further refuted by proof that the hadith were actually
written down in the first century.36

In an excellent attempt at objective analysis of Western criticism

of hadith traditions, Jeffrey Lang 37 concludes that Muslim
scholars’ deductions of history hold ground more solidly with
the available evidence than their orientalist counterparts'.
Orientalist theories are further addressed and refuted in the
works of Azmi38, Abbott39, Siddiqi40, and Abdul Ghafar41.
Despite such defective theories, many orientalists themselves
have admitted like H.A.R. Gibb that "It seems reasonably well
established that no material changes were introduced and that
the original form of Mohammed's discourses were preserved
with scrupulous precision." 42 John Burton, at the end of his
substantial work on the Quran's compilation, says with reference
to criticisms made of different readings narrated in hadith that
"No major differences of doctrines can be constructed on the
basis of the parallel readings based on the Uthmanic consonantal
35
Muhammad M. Azmi, Studies in Early Hadith Literature, Beirut, 1968
36
See, for example, Fuad Sezgin, Geschichte der Arabischen Schrifttums,
Leiden: Brill, 1967, Vol.1; Muhammad Hamidullah, Sahifa Hammam ibn
Munabbih: The Earliest Extant Work on the Hadith, Paris: Centre
Cultural Islamique, 1979
37
Struggling to Surrender, Amana Publications, 1994, p.90-105.
38
Muhammad M. Azmi, Studies in Early Hadith Literature, Beirut, 1968
39
Nabia Abbott, Studies in Arabic Literary Papyri, Vol.1: Historic Texts,
Chicago, 1957, & Vol.2: Qur'anic Commentary and Tradition, Chicago:
1967
40
Muhammad Z. Siddiqi, Hadith Literature, Calcutta: Calcutta
University Press, 1961
41
Suhaib H. Abdul Ghafar, Criticism of Hadith among Muslims, IFTA,
1984
42
H.A.R. Gibb, Mohammedanism, London: Oxford University Press,
1969, p.50
10
outline, yet ascribed to mushafs other than his. All the rival
readings unquestionably represent one and the same text. They
are substantially agreed in what they transmit…"43

He further states that the Quran as we have it today is "the text

which has come down to us in the form in which it was
organised and approved by the Prophet…. What we have today
in our hands is the mushaf of Muhammad." 44 Kenneth Cragg
describes the transmission of the Qur'an from the time of
revelation to today as occurring in "an unbroken living sequence
of devotion," 45 while Schwally concurs that "As far as the
various pieces of revelation are concerned, we may be confident
that their text has been generally transmitted exactly as it was
found in the Prophet's legacy."46

The historical credibility of the Quran is further established by

the fact that one of the copies sent out by Caliph Uthman is still
in existence today. It lies in the Museum at Tashkent in
Uzbekistan, Central Asia. 47 A facsimile of the mushaf in
Tashkent is available at the Columbia University Library,
USA.48 This copy is proof that the text of the Quran we have in
circulation today is identical with that of the time of the Prophet
and his companions49. A copy of the mushaf sent to Syria50 also

43
John Burton, The Collection of the Qur'an, Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 1977, p. 171
44
John Burton, The Collection of the Qur'an, Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 1977, p.239-40
45
Kenneth Cragg, The Mind of the Qur'an, London: George Allen &
Unwin, 1973, p.26
46
Schwally, Geschichte des Qorans, Leipzig: Dieterich'sche
Verlagsbuchhandlung,1909-38, Vol.2, p.120
47
Yusuf Ibrahim al-Nur, Ma' al-Masaahif, Dubai: Dar al-Manar, 1st ed.,
1993, p.117; Isma'il Makhdum, Tarikh al-Mushaf al-Uthmani fi
Tashqand, Tashkent: Al-Idara al-Diniya, 1971, p.22ff.
48
The Muslim World, 1940, Vol.30, p.357-358
49
For more arguments on the authenticity of these manuscripts and
refutations of Christian polemics against their historicity, see
http://www.muslim-answers.org/auth_q2.htm
11
exists in the Topkapi Museum in Istanbul51, Turkey. Another
early manuscript on gazelle parchment exists in Dar al-Kutub
as-Sultaniyyah in Egypt52.

More ancient manuscripts from all periods of Islamic history

found in the Library of Congress in Washington, the Chester
Beatty Museum in Dublin, Ireland and the London Museum
have been compared with those in Uzbekistan, Turkey and
Egypt, with results confirming that there have not been any
changes in the text from its original time of writing.53

The Institute for Koranforschung, for example, in the University

of Munich (Germany), collected over 42,000 complete and
incomplete ancient copies of the Quran. After around fifty years
of research, they reported that there was no variance between the
various copies, except the occasional mistakes of the copyist
which could easily be ascertained. This Institute was
unfortunately destroyed during the Second World War.54

Thus, due to the efforts of the early companions, with God's

assistance, the Quran as we have it today is recited in the same
manner as it was revealed. This makes it the only religious
scripture that is still completely retained and understood in its
original language. Indeed, as Sir William Muir states, "There is
probably no other book in the world which has remained twelve
centuries55 with so pure a text."56

50
Duplicated before a fire in 1310AH/1892CE destroyed the Jaami'
Masjid where it was housed.
51
Yusuf Ibrahim al-Nur, Ma' al-Masaahif, Dubai: Dar al-Manar, 1st ed.,
1993, p.113
52
ibid., p.114
53
Bilal Philips, Usool at-Tafseer, Sharjah: Dar Al Fatah, 1997, p.157
54
Mohammed Hamidullah, Muhammad Rasullullah, Lahore: Idara-e-
Islamiat, n.d., p.179
55
now fourteen centuries
56
Sir William Muir, Life of Mohamet, London, 1894, Vol.1, Introduction
12
The evidence above confirms God's promise in the Quran:

"Verily, I have revealed the Reminder, and verily I shall

preserve it."57

The Quran has been preserved in both oral and written form in a
way no other book has, and with each form providing a check
and balance for the authenticity of the other.

But though it is proven that the text of the Quran has remained
intact till today, how are we sure that that words actually
originated from God and not some other source? This takes us to
look at the authority, or source of the Quran.

ii. Source or Authority of the Quran

Concerning the authorship of the Quran, Muslims believe that it

was revealed verbatim (i.e. word for word) by God, to
Muhammad.

Muslims’ claim of “internal evidence” for the divine authorship

of the Quran from the Quran itself58 is understandably looked
upon with scepticism, as nearly anyone can quote passages from
his or her scripture that claim the scripture in question is
revelation from God. We are therefore forced by reason and
objectivity to look elsewhere for “external evidence” of the
Quran’s divine source or authority.

The simple proposed structure for the presentation of this

“external evidence” is an elimination process, where we get to
57
Quran 15:9
58
Quran 4:82; 6:19; 6:92; 27:6; 45:2, etc
13
the answer of the question — “Who is the author of the Quran?”
— by eliminating all alternative answers to this question which
are definitely implausible. In other words, the definite or (at
least) most probable author or source of the Quran is identified
by eliminating unacceptable alternative candidates.

There are various contradictory views and opinions held by

some non-Muslims as to the source of the Quran. The following
list of “possible” authors reflects the main theories.
1. Muhammad
2. Arab poets, scholars, etc.
3. Non-Arab scholars, or poets or religious personalities
4. Monks or Rabbis (i.e. from the Bible or Judeo-Christian
sources)
5. Satan (or other deceitful “spirits” or “aliens”, etc.)
6. God

We may now proceed to examine from a closer study of the

Quran and history how plausible these theories are.

Muhammad: unlettered and uneducated

The fact that Muhammad could neither read nor write59 is well
known and uncontested by even his non-Muslim contemporaries
and present day historians. He had no schooling or teacher of
any kind. He had never been known to compose oral poetry or
prose. The Quran, with its all-embracing laws and freedom from
all inconsistencies, has its greatness acknowledged even by non-
Muslim scholars.
Its contents treat social, economic, political and religious
legislation, history, views of the universe, living things, thought,
human transactions, war, peace, marriage, worship, business,
and everything relating to life - with no contradicting principles.
The Quran has never been edited or revised as it was never in
59
Quran 29:48
14
need of any revision or correction. How were such vast subject
areas expounded upon with such precision by a 7th century Arab
with no formal education or even the ability to read what scant
material there may have been in his environment on such topics?
Where and when has history ever produced such a scripture by
an illiterate and uneducated author?

Muhammad’s known Integrity

Muhammad’s sincerity, truthfulness and integrity were so well

known that he was even nicknamed “Al-Ameen” (The
Trustworthy) by his pre-Islamic community. Not a single lie is
recorded against him, and many modern Western orientalists
have themselves admitted that contrary to any deliberate
deception, the Prophet had a profoundly sincere conviction that
it was revealed to him by God Himself is undeniable60.
If his integrity had been in question, and he was supposed to
have been motivated by the desire for personal glory to produce
the Quran, why then would he disclaim authorship and instead
claim it was from God, especially when the pagan Meccans had
conceded that no one could produce such a scripture61 but only
marvel at it? His enemies even offered him kingship over
Mecca and any riches he desired if only he would stop reciting.
If it was true that he desired his personal glory and leadership,
why would he decline the offer when it was presented to him
and instead prefer a life of humility, simplicity, persecution,
sanctions, and even hostile attack by those who felt threatened
by the Message of One God?

In addition, how reasonable is it to believe that unlettered

Muhammad would author the Quran for personal benefit and
then within the Quran correct and reprove himself? For
example:

60
See for example, H.A.R. Gibb, Mohammedanism, London: Oxford
University Press, 1962, p.25; and W. Montgomery Watt, Muhammad at
Mecca, London: Oxford University Press, 1953, p.52.
61
Quran 2:23-24, 17:88, etc.
15
“He frowned and turned away when the blind man came to
him…” 62 “…And you did fear men, though God is more
deserving that you should fear Him.”63 Why would he embarrass
himself when he could simply omit or favourably modify such
verses in the Quran? They were certainly not to his advantage if
his goals were power and prestige. The existence of such verses
only proves that Muhammad was indeed a truthful and sincere
Messenger of God.

Style of the Quran

There is a world of difference between the style of the Quran

and Muhammad’s own style as recorded in the books of Hadith.
The differences between the two in every respect — style and
contents — are immediately evident. The sayings of Muhammad
(hadith) are conversational, oratorical, and expository, of a kind
the Arabs were already familiar with. By contrast, the style of
the Quran is authoritative (“We created the heavens and the
earth…”64; “Say! ...”65) and challenging (“…had it (the Qur’an)
been from any other than God, they would have found therein
much discrepancies”, 66 “…Say then: “Bring a chapter like it
and call, if you can, on other than God… 67 ; “…then bring a
chapter like unto it… and if you can not — for surely you
cannot, then…”68.

Which fallible human being would write a book and challenge

humanity to find discrepancies in it, as does the author of the
Quran? 69 Would any sensible student after writing an exam

62
Quran 80:1-2
63
Quran 33:37. See also 18:23-24, etc
64
Quran 46:3; 50:38; 38:27; 15:85; 44:38 & 46:3
65
Quran 112:1; 113:1, 114:1, etc
66
Quran 4:82
67
Quran 10:38
68
Quran 2:23-24
69
Quran 4:82
16
paper add a note to the lecturer saying “Read my answers with
care and find any discrepancies or mistakes in it if you can!”?
The style of the Quran is simply that of the All-Knowing and
Perfect Creator.

Furthermore, the Quran is a literary masterpiece of Arabic

which was and remains unrivalled in its eloquence 70 . Its
rhythmic style, rhyme, near-haunting depth of expression,
majesty, and “inimitable symphony, the very sounds of which
move men to tears and ecstasy”71, shook the foundations of a
society which had prided itself on its oratory skills. Contests
were held every year in Mecca for who could recite the longest
and most eloquent pieces from memory. When the Quran was
revealed, all such contests were brought to a halt, as there was
no more competition.

Like the miracle of Moses’ stick turning into a real snake which
outdid the ability of all the Pharaoh’s magicians at a time when
the Egyptians were noted for their mastery of sorcery and magic,
and the miracle of Jesus’ healing of the blind and bringing the
dead back to life which outdid the ability of all the doctors at a
time when the Jews were noted for their mastery of medicine,
the Quran was the Prophet Muhammad’s everlasting miracle72.
How could such magnificent and unrivalled expressions
emanate from a man who, for 40 years, was never known for
any such ability?

Similarities and Discrepancies: Quran & Bible

The mere existence of similarities between any two books is

insufficient to prove that one must have been copied from the
70
Arthur J. Arberry, The Koran Interpreted, London: Oxford University
Press, 1964, p.x
71
Pickthall, M. M. The Meaning of the Glorious Koran, NY: Dorset
Press, 1930, p.vii
72
Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol.6, Book on Virtues of the Qur’an, Hadith
No.504; Sahih Muslim, Book 1 (Book of Faith), Hadith No.283.
17
other. Both could have drawn information from a third common
source, thus accounting for some similarities between them.
This, in fact, is the argument of the Quran that God is the Source
of all authentic revelation73.

Some scholars have noted that the only Christians the Prophet is
recorded as having been personally introduced to prior to his
mission did not spend long enough time with him to teach him
of their scripture, and no other historical record mentions
anyone who taught the Prophet from among the Jews and
Christians 74 . Furthermore, the Arabs of his time were very
eager to discredit him. Hence, if there was any secret teacher,
he would most likely have been exposed by them.

Furthermore, could the Quran have been copied from the Bible
if they exhibit serious credal differences? Regarding doctrines
such as the concepts of God and prophethood, sin and
forgiveness, the Quran differs significantly with the Bible. The
Quran in fact addresses Jews and Christians directly when
correcting what it states are corruptions in their own scriptures.
Interestingly, Quranic revelations of doctrinal problems with
Christianity were sent largely in the Meccan period, prior to the
Prophet's migration to Medina, where he would have
encountered many more Jewish and Christian scholars.

Even in the case of narration common to both scriptures, vital

discrepancies can be observed. For example, the Quran, unlike
the Bible:
— does not blame women for the mistake committed by
Adam and Eve in disobeying God in the Garden of
Eden;75
— emphasises that Adam and Eve repented to God76 and
were forgiven by Him77;
73
Quran 4:47.
74
Bilal Philips, Usool at-Tafseer, Sharjah: Dar al-Fatah, 1997, p.127-128.
75
Compare Genesis 3:12-17 with Quran 91:7-8 and 2:35-37.
76
Quran 7:23.
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 — mentions that the eventual dwelling of Adam and Eve
on Earth was already part of God’s plan even before He
created them78, and not a sort of punishment79.

Other significant variations can be seen in the stories of

Solomon (e.g. the Quran rejects that this Prophet was ever a
worshipper of idols 80 ), Abraham (eg. the Quran describes the
account of the story of God’s command to sacrifice his son,
Ishmael, as occurring in a dream with his son as a willing
participant before being saved by God’s intervention, while the
Bible speaks of God speaking directly to him and his son, Isaac,
as unaware of his plans81), Noah (the Bible describes the Great
Flood as covering the entire Earth whereas the Quran describes
the flood as a local event only, a description which is more
consistent with scientific evidence 82 ), Moses (e.g. Pharaoh’s
magicians believing in God after their magic tricks failed83) and
Jesus (a critical difference is the Quran’s insistence that Jesus
was not crucified84).

The Quran also mentions a good amount of historical

information about which the Bible is completely silent. From
which portion of the Bible were the following copied?
— God speaking to the angels about the creation of
humankind85.
— About the Prophet Shu’aib and his people. 86
— The stories of the people of ‘Ad and Thamud, and their
Prophets, Hud and Saleh.

77
Quran 2:37.
78
Quran 2:30.
79
Genesis 3:17-19.
80
Compare Quran 2:102 with 1 Kings 11:4.
81
Compare Quran 37:99-111 with Genesis 22:1-19.
82
Compare Quran 25:37 with Genesis 7:23.
83
Quran 26:46-48.
84
Quran 4:157.
85
Quran 2:30.
86
Quran 7:85; 11:84; 26:177; 29:36.
19
 — The dialogue between Prophet Noah and his son before
the flood87.
— The dialogue between Abraham and his father88, as well
as between him and a king89, and between him and his
people90.
— The mention of the city of Iram91.
— Pharaoh having drowned with his body preserved as a
sign for people of future generations92.
— Jesus’ miracles of speaking from the cradle93, and his
producing (by God’s will) a bird from clay94.95

Quran’s view of Satan & morality

Some claim that the Quran was the work of the devil96. Let us
examine how much sense (or non-sense) this allegation makes.

If Satan authored or inspired the Quran, why would Satan curse

himself and call himself the worst enemy of man 97 , man's
deserter 98 , and an arrogant 99 sneaking whisperer 100 ? And why
would Satan command that before reciting the Qur’an, one must

87
Quran 11:42-43.
88
Quran 6:74.
89
Quran 2:258.
90
Quran 22:70-102; 29:16-18; 37:83-98; 21:57.
91
Quran 89:7.
92
Quran 10:90-92.
93
Quran 3:46
94
Quran 3:49
95
For further examples, see the following references from the Quran:
21:69, 2:260, and 3:37
96
See Norman Daniel’s Islam and the West: the Making of an Image,
UK: Edinburgh University Press, 1989, p.83, 94, etc.
97
Quran 35:6 & 36:60
98
Quran 25:29
99
Quran 38:74-75
100
Quran 114:4-5
20
first say “I seek refuge in God from Satan the accursed” 101 ?
How could Satan so vehemently condemn himself? Also, is it
really acceptable to common sense to hold the view that Satan
would ask people to do good, to be moral and virtuous deeds, to
worship none but God alone, to not follow Satan or his
whispers, and to avoid and struggle against evil?

To hold such a view is clearly repugnant to reason, as Satan has

only undermined himself through this means if he is the author.
Even the Bible attests: “And if Satan has risen up against
himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an
end.”102 This argument applies to any “Satanic forces”, be they
“evil spirits”, “deceitful aliens”, etc.

Conclusion

In the absence of any more acceptable alternative as source and

author of the Quran, one is more or less forced by reason to
accept the Quran for what it claims to be — revelation from God
through His Prophet Muhammad. This position seems
reasonable not just because it is the only option that cannot be
objectively eliminated, but because it is only reasonable to
expect that a book with such qualities and contents would come
from man’s Creator and Guide. Of all the possible sources of the
Quran, it is also only the last alternative — God — who even
claims in the Quran itself to be the author of the scripture103.

The position, therefore, which holds that God is the author of the
Quran, still stands, and the challenge (or falsification test 104 )
remains open to anyone to disprove the Quran’s claim to being

101
Quran 16:98
102
Mark 3:26, cited in H.M. Njozi, The Sources of the Quran: A Critical
Review of the Authorship Theories, Saudi Arabia: WAMY Publications,
1991, p.96.
103
Quran 4:82; 32:3; 35:31 & 55:2
104
Quran 4:82
21
revelation from God. Having undertaken this task ourselves, the
Muslim's contention that the Quran is the Word of God appears
not just a product of blind faith but, in fact, a product of very
sound and reasoned judgement in light of all the available
evidence. Indeed, after having assessed the evidence, it would
be blind faith to contend otherwise!

The evidence for the Divine Authorship of the Quran is also

evidence for the existence of the Divine. God must exist, unless
a more reasonably acceptable author of the Quran can be
produced!

* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~*
References:

• Train-the-Trainer Course, Part 1, Islamic Education Trust,

Nigeria.
• Dr Zakir Naik, “Is the Quran God’s Word?” (DVD),
Islamic Research Foundation, India.

“This Qur'an is not such as can be produced by other than Allah;

on the contrary it is
a confirmation of (revelations) that went before it and a fuller
explanation of the
Book wherein there is no doubt from
the Lord of the Worlds.
[Quran 10:37]

22
Some useful websites about Islam:

www.discoverislamaustralia.com
www.beconvinced.com
www.islam.com
www.islam-australia.ii.net

For further information contact us at:

Discover Islam Australia

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Lutwyche
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Ph: 1300 788 526

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Email us at:

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“Surely this Quran guides to the Way which is perfectly straight

and gives the good news to the believers who do good that they
shall have a magnificent reward.”
[Quran 17:9]

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