Word Count Miracles in the Qur'an

This article takes a look at alleged word count "miracles" in the Qur'an.

Apologetic Claim

In an attempt to prove the divine origins of Islam, there are many Islamic websites promoting "word count miracles" in the Qur'an. The basic claim here is that certain words in the Qur'an are repeated a specific and in some way miraculous number of times.

The Deceptive Tactics

In general there are two main ways of manipulating data and doctoring a "miracle".

Selective Choice of Words Used

The first one is the selective choice of words to interpret as miracles. If for a certain word there exists a nice number of repetitions, then it is mentioned and included as a miracle. If no nice number of repetitions exist, it is not mentioned and discarded. By only mentioning the instances where there are "nice repetitions" one gets the impression that there is something special about it, while statistically the same probability of finding similar "miracles" exists in all texts.

Selective Choice of Grammatical Forms Counted

The second way of manipulating data is the selective choice of which Arabic grammatical forms are to be counted. Are just singular forms counted? Or also plural forms? Duals? Forms with or without prefix? And so on. By choosing different ways of counting, you get a lot of different results. Of course, those who claim there are "word repetition miracles in the Qur'an" will not tell you that they have chosen a specific way of counting words to get the desired result.

The 365 days Maths Miracle

One of the most popular claims is that the word "yawm" (singular of day) is repeated 365 times in the Qur'an, its plural and dual forms "days" (ayyam and yawmayn) together are repeated 30 times, while the number of repetitions of the word "month" (shahar) is 12.

Islamic Miracle Using Christian Calendar

The first flaw with this claim is the fact that the Islamic calendar consists of 354 or 355 days a year,^[1] so these apologists are effectively favoring Christianity by their use of the Gregorian calendar, which consists of 365 or 366 days.

Manipulated Data

These counts are manipulated, generally in unstated ways, to produce the desired totals. Most individuals will not take the time needed to count and verify the claim themselves, so they may assume on good faith that it is true.

When you check with word count software, the total "yawm" concordance finds 475 mentions, not 365. However, this includes the dual and plural forms. Of all the different forms of "yawm," 3 are in the dual and 27 are in the plural.^[2] If you have a database program with easy formats you can easily counter this lie too and find out that all forms with suffixes are discarded on Islamic websites.

Furthermore, the word yawm in most of its occurrences in the Qur'an does not mean a 24 hour day. For example, the Day of Judgment is mentioned a very large number of times in different ways.

Burden of Proof

We could claim that the word "Allah" has been mentioned 666 times on WikiIslam and therefore Islam is false (since in some cultures, 666 represents the number of the devil). If we cannot list all the occurrences of the word by showing where it occurs for each of those 666 times, then our claim is unproven. There is not a single website that lists all the occurrences of the word "day" in the Qur'an showing it to be 365 times.

Conclusion

There is no miracle to be found here. Apologists have manipulated data and used an un-Islamic method of counting days within a year to make the (unverified) numbers "fit".

But let's say for a moment the 365 occurrences of the word "yawm" is a mathematically sound citation. If this was discovered at a time when people did not know how many days there were in a year then it may be considered a miracle, but calenders have existed since 3000 BC, and the Julian calendar (which consisted of 365 or 366 days) began in 45 BC.^[3]

This is one of the most oft-quoted but there are more such dubious mathematical claims but they are equally deceitful. But putting that aside, even if day or yawm was mentioned 365 times in the Qur'an, would that mean it is from Allah?

"Prayer" mentioned 5 times

One of the supposed "numerical miracles" is that the word salawat (صلوات), which supposedly means "prayer", is mentioned 5 times - which is exactly the number of prayers Muslims are supposed to do every day.

Uthmani or simple script?

There are two versions of the Qur'an and there is a different number of occurences of the word "salawat" in them. Here is a demonstration of the difference:

• Quran 5:6 (English translation): "O you who believe! when you rise up to prayer..."
• Quran 5:6 (Uthmani script): "...(salawat) يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ "
• Quran 5:6 (Simple script): "...(salat) يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ"

Uthmani script

Let's look at the occurences of the word salawat in the Uthmani script. You can use a search tool to look up the word salawat (ٱلصَّلَوٰة) ^[4] but let's look at some verses with this word here:

• 1) Qur'an 2:43 (1 occurrence) "وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱرْكَعُوا۟ مَعَ ٱلرَّٰكِعِينَ "
• 2) Qur'an 2:238 (2 occurrences, "وَٱلصَّلَوٰةِ" means "and prayer") "حَٰفِظُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلصَّلَوَٰتِ وَٱلصَّلَوٰةِ ٱلْوُسْطَىٰ وَقُومُوا۟ لِلَّهِ قَٰنِتِينَ"
• 3) Qur'an 4:103 (3 occurrences) "فَإِذَا قَضَيْتُمُ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ فَٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ قِيَٰمًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِكُمْ فَإِذَا ٱطْمَأْنَنتُمْ فَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ إِنَّ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَٰبًا مَّوْقُوتًا "
• 4) Qur'an 6:72 (1 occurrence)"وَأَنْ أَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَٱتَّقُوهُ وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ "
• 5) Qur'an 14:40 (1 ocurrence) "رَبِّ ٱجْعَلْنِى مُقِيمَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِى رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلْ دُعَآءِ "
• 6) Qur'an 29:45 (2 occurrences) "ٱتْلُ مَآ أُوحِىَ إِلَيْكَ مِنَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ إِنَّ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ تَنْهَىٰ عَنِ ٱلْفَحْشَآءِ وَٱلْمُنكَرِ وَلَذِكْرُ ٱللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ "
• ...

We can clearly see that the word salawat (ٱلصَّلَوٰة) is mentioned more than 5 times. This is the script from the oldest manuscripts, so the miracle should have been here.

Simple script

Now let's look at the simple script version of the Qur'an, which is more in line with the modern Arabic. Here the word for prayer is salat (الصَّلَاةِ) and salawat is used for the plural. But the problem is that salawat doesn't always mean prayer. That also explains why Muslims don't show the list of the verses with this word.

• 1) Qur'an 2:157 "أُولَـٰئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَاتٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ ۖ وَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُهْتَدُونَ"
  • Translation (Shakir): "Those are they on whom are blessings (salawatun) and mercy from their Lord, and those are the followers of the right course."
  • So this verse is not talking about prayers Muslims do. If salawat means "prayers", then "salawat min rabbihim" (صَلَوَاتٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ) in this verse would be "prayers from their lord". Is Allah praying? Who is he praying to?

• 2) Qur'an 2:238 "حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلَاةِ الْوُسْطَىٰ وَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ قَانِتِينَ"
  • Translation (Shakir) "Attend constantly to prayers (as-salawati) and to the middle prayer and stand up truly obedient to Allah."
  • 1st valid occurence.

• 3) Qur'an 9:99 "وَمِنَ الْأَعْرَابِ مَن يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَيَتَّخِذُ مَا يُنفِقُ قُرُبَاتٍ عِندَ اللَّهِ وَصَلَوَاتِ الرَّسُولِ ۚ أَلَا إِنَّهَا قُرْبَةٌ لَّهُمْ ۚ سَيُدْخِلُهُمُ اللَّهُ فِي رَحْمَتِهِ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ"
  • Translation "And of the dwellers of the desert are those who believe in Allah and the latter day and take what they spend to be (means of) the nearness of Allah and the Messenger´s prayers (wasalawat); surely it shall be means of nearness for them; Allah will make them enter into His mercy; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful."
  • Why do we suddenly count the form "wasalawat" with the wa- (و) prefix? In the 365 days miracle, the word day with this prefix was not counted. But it means prayers so let's count it as 2nd valid occurence.

• 4) Qur'an 22:40 "الَّذِينَ أُخْرِجُوا مِن دِيَارِهِم بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ إِلَّا أَن يَقُولُوا رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ ۗ وَلَوْلَا دَفْعُ اللَّهِ النَّاسَ بَعْضَهُم بِبَعْضٍ لَّهُدِّمَتْ صَوَامِعُ وَبِيَعٌ وَصَلَوَاتٌ وَمَسَاجِدُ يُذْكَرُ فِيهَا اسْمُ اللَّهِ كَثِيرًا ۗ وَلَيَنصُرَنَّ اللَّهُ مَن يَنصُرُهُ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَقَوِيٌّ عَزِيزٌ"
  • Translation: "Those who have been expelled from their homes without a just cause except that they say: Our Lord is Allah. And had there not been Allah´s repelling some people by others, certainly there would have been pulled down cloisters and churches and synagogues (wasalawat) and mosques in which Allah´s name is much remembered; and surely Allah will help him who helps His cause; most surely Allah is Strong, Mighty."
  • Here the word salawat refers to jewish synagogues. What do jewish synagogues have to do with the 5 daily muslim prayers?

• 5) Qur'an 23:9 "وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَوَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ"
  • Translation "And those who keep a guard on their prayers (salawatihim);"
  • If we count the word with -ihim suffix, meaning "their", then this is the 3rd valid occurrence.

Conclusions

• The word salawat in the uthmani script appears more than 5 times.
• If we count all forms of the word salawat in the simple script, we can get 5 occurrences. 3 out of them refer to the plural "prayers", but the other 2 mean "blessings" and "synagogues".
• The claim that the word "prayer" or "prayers" is mentioned 5 times in the Qur'an, is a lie.
• The claim that the Arabic word salawat is mentioned 5 times (and letting people think it means always "prayer"), is misleading.

"Seven heavens" mentioned 7 times

The Qur'an talks much more than 7 times about the seven heavens if we don't require both the words "seven" and "heavens" to be in the verse. There are dozens of verses with the plural word "heavens", which just don't have the word "seven" in them, like this one:

• Verse 2:107 "Do you not know that Allah´s is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and that besides Allah you have no guardian or helper?"

Here is the list of verses which talk about the seven heavens and explicitly mention the word seven (sabAAa, سبع) in them:

• 1) Verse 2:29 "He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth, and He directed Himself to the heaven, so He made them complete seven heavens (سَبْعَ سَمَٰوَٰتٍ), and He knows all things"
• 2) Verse 17:44 "The seven heavens (ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتُ ٱلسَّبْعُ) declare His glory and the earth (too), and those who are in them; and there is not a single thing but glorifies Him with His praise, but you do not understand their glorification; surely He is Forbearing, Forgiving."
• 3) Verse 23:17 "And certainly We made above you seven heavens (سَبْعَ طَرَآئِقَ); and never are We heedless of creation."
  • Here the word for heavens is taraiqa (طَرَآئِقَ), which literally means "paths" and they are called paths, because heavens are used as paths by the angels. ^[5]
• 4) Verse 23:86 "Say: Who is the Lord of the seven heavens (ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ ٱلسَّبْعِ) and the Lord of the mighty dominion?"
• 5) Verse 41:12 "So He ordained them seven heavens (سَبْعَ سَمَٰوَاتٍ) in two periods, and revealed in every heaven its affair; and We adorned the lower heaven with brilliant stars and (made it) to guard; that is the decree of the Mighty, the Knowing."
• 6) Verse 65:12 "Allah is He Who created seven heavens (سَبْعَ سَمَٰوَٰت), and of the earth the like of them; the decree continues to descend among them, that you may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah indeed encompasses all things in (His) knowledge."
• 7) Verse 67:3 "Who created the seven heavens (سَبْعَ سَمَٰوَٰتٍ) one above another; you see no incongruity in the creation of the Beneficent Allah; then look again, can you see any disorder?"
• 8) Verse 71:15 "Do you not see how Allah has created the seven heavens (سَبْعَ سَمَٰوَٰتٍ), one above another,"
• 9) Verse 78:12 "And We made above you seven strong ones (سَبْعًا شِدَادًا),"
  • "Seven strong-ones" (sabAAan shidadan, سَبْعًا شِدَادًا) refers to the seven heavens. ^[6]

We can get 7 occurrences if we count only the occurrences where the seven heavens are explicitly called seven "heavens" (samawat, سَمَٰوَٰتٍ) and not "paths" or "strong ones". So we could consider this word count to be valid. But is this really a miracle?

And are there 7 heavens in reality? And when we consider that they are one above the other (verse 67:3) and stars are in the lowest heaven (41:12), that means our universe is the lowest heaven, and we can see only this universe, so do we really see all the 7 heavens as the verse 71:15 claims we should?

See Also

• Mathematical Miracles - A hub page that leads to other articles related to Mathematical Miracles

External Links

• An alleged ‘miracle’ in the Holy Quran
• Mathematical Miracles in the Qur'an or the Bible?

References