Contradictions in the Quran: Difference between revisions

The parallel Guests of Abraham stories in the Quran have been analysed in depth in a paper by Joseph Witztum in order to determine the relative chronology of the parallel passages.<ref>Joseph Witztum. “Thrice upon a Time: Abraham’s Guests and the Study of Intra-Quranic Parallels”. In Holger Zellentin (ed.), The Quran’s Reformation of Judaism and Christianity: Return to the Origins. London: Routledge, 2019, pp. 277–302.</ref> Four contradictions between them are particularly notable here and discussed below.

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15:52 '''When they entered upon him and said, "Peace." [Abraham] said, "Indeed, we are fearful of you."'''<BR />

1) In Surah 11 and Surah 51 Abraham's fear comes after the angels do not take the food and it is at that point that they reassure him of their mission (either to the people of Lot or to bring him the good tidings). In surah 15 however, Abraham expresses his fear as they arrive exchanging greetings of peace.

2) Abraham's wife receives the good tidings either directly (Surah 11) or indirectly having overhead the tidings given to Abraham (Surah 51). Her immediate reaction is the same in both versions.

3) In 51:28 (and 15:53) Abraham is only given tidings of a learned boy (singular), which his wife overhears, whereas in 11:71 his wife is given tidings both of Isaac and of Jacob. Again, it is notable that her same immediate reaction is given in 51:29 and 11:72, so these are portraying the same moment.

15:65 <span style="color:#0000FF">So set out with your family during a portion of the night and follow behind them and let not anyone among you look back and continue on to where you are commanded."</span><BR />

15:68 <span style="color:#008000">[Lot] said, "Indeed, these are my guests, so do not shame me.</span><BR />

15:69 <span style="color:#008000">And fear Allah and do not disgrace me."</span><BR />

15:71 <span style="color:#800080">[Lot] said, "These are my daughters - if you would be doers [of lawful marriage]."</span><BR />

11:78 '''And his people came hastening to him, and before [this] they had been doing evil deeds.''' <span style="color:#800080">He said, "O my people, these are my daughters; they are purer for you.</span> <span style="color:#008000">So fear Allah and do not disgrace me concerning my guests.</span> Is there not among you a man of reason?"<BR />

11:81 '''The angels said, "O Lot, indeed we are messengers of your Lord; [therefore], they will never reach you.''' <span style="color:#0000FF">So set out with your family during a portion of the night and let not any among you look back - except your wife; indeed, she will be struck by that which strikes them. Indeed, their appointment is [for] the morning. Is not the morning near?"?</span><BR />

|20:11 And when he came to it, he was called, "<span style="color:#0000FF">O Moses,</span><BR />

20:12 <span style="color:#0000FF">Indeed, I am your Lord</span>, so remove your sandals. Indeed, you are in the sacred valley of Tuwa.<BR />

20:14 <span style="color:#0000FF">Indeed, I am Allah.</span> There is no deity except Me, so worship Me and establish prayer for My remembrance.<BR />

|27:8 But when he came to it, he was called, "Blessed is whoever is at the fire and whoever is around it. And exalted is Allah, <span style="color:#008000">Lord of the worlds.</span><BR />

27:9 <span style="color:#0000FF">O Moses, indeed it is I - Allah</span>, the Exalted in Might, the Wise."'''

|28:30 But when he came to it, he was called from the right side of the valley in a blessed spot - from the tree, <span style="color:#0000FF">"O Moses, indeed I am Allah,</span><span style="color:#008000"> Lord of the worlds."</span>

26:12 <span style="color:#0000FF">He said, "My Lord, indeed I fear that they will deny me</span><BR />

26:13 <span style="color:#008000">And that my breast will tighten and my tongue will not be fluent, so send for Aaron.</span><BR />

26:14 <span style="color:#800080">And they have upon me a [claim due to] sin, so I fear that they will kill me."</span><BR />

|28:33 <span style="color:#800080">He said, "My Lord, indeed, I killed from among them someone, and I fear they will kill me.</span><BR />

28:34 <span style="color:#008000">And my brother Aaron is more fluent than me in tongue, so send him with me as support, verifying me.</span> <span style="color:#0000FF">Indeed, I fear that they will deny me."</span><BR />

|41:13 But if they turn away, then say, "'''I have warned you of a thunderbolt like the thunderbolt [that struck] 'Aad and Thamud.'''<BR />

41:14 [That occurred] when the messengers had come to them before them and after them, [saying], "Worship not except Allah." They said, "If our Lord had willed, He would have sent down the angels, so indeed we, in that with which you have been sent, are disbelievers."<BR />

41:15 As for 'Aad, they were arrogant upon the earth without right and said, "Who is greater than us in strength?" Did they not consider that Allah who created them was greater than them in strength? But they were rejecting Our signs.<BR />

41:16 '''So We sent upon them a screaming wind during days of misfortune to make them taste the punishment of disgrace in the worldly life'''; but the punishment of the Hereafter is more disgracing, and they will not be helped.<BR />

41:17 And as for Thamud, We guided them, but they preferred blindness over guidance, so the thunderbolt of humiliating punishment seized them for what they used to earn.