Contradictions in the Quran: Difference between revisions

Jump to navigation Jump to search

Contradictions in the Quran (view source)

Revision as of 21:37, 10 September 2024

18,501 bytes added ,  10 September
→‎The forgiveness of Adam: Added another academic reference on how this contradiction likely came about. Worth putting in as PhD quotes are rare for studying the Qur'an.
[checked revision][checked revision]
No edit summary
(→‎The forgiveness of Adam: Added another academic reference on how this contradiction likely came about. Worth putting in as PhD quotes are rare for studying the Qur'an.)
 
(33 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{QualityScore|Lead=3|Structure=4|Content=4|Language=3|References=4}}A recurring [[:Category:Criticism of Islam|criticism]] of the [[Qur'an|Quran]] is that it, as is argued of many other religious scriptures, contains '''contradictory pronouncements'''. The occurrence of these contradictions, critics argue, is particularly problematic in the case of the Quran because the Islamic tradition holds it to be the the direct, unmediated word of [[Allah]], or God. Indeed, {{Quran|4|82}} makes the confident assertion: "Then do they not reflect upon the Qur'an? If it had been from [any] other than Allah, they would have found within it much contradiction." As such, theologians hold it to be timeless, infallible, and preeminently true - so true, in fact, that in reading it one is said to witness a miracle first hand. The contradictions proposed by critics militate against this doctrine. The critics hold that at least some of these contradictions are irresolvable through any reasonable interpretation and that, to resolve them, exegetes must resort to incredible interpretations. While some of the proposed contradictions, critics admit, may be resolved through the doctrine of [[Naskh (Abrogation)|abrogation]], whereby Allah is said to override his previous instructions (through, for instance, permitting [[alcohol]] at one point and prohibiting at another), many other contradictions are not resolvable in this manner. Indeed, the Islamic tradition holds that the doctrine of abrogation is only applicable in cases of law and not theology - what Allah says at any point with regards to the divine, the hereafter, history, the day of judgement, or other such non-legal matters, must (and, the tradition holds, does) always hold true. Critics, however, have stated that many, including some of the most problematic, of the proposed contradictions are precisely of the theological, and not legal, variety.  
{{QualityScore|Lead=3|Structure=4|Content=4|Language=3|References=4}}A recurring [[:Category:Criticism of Islam|criticism]] of the [[Qur'an|Quran]] is that it contains contradictory pronouncements, as is argued of many other religious scriptures. The occurrence of these contradictions, critics argue, is particularly problematic in the case of the Quran because the Islamic tradition holds it to be the direct, unmediated word of [[Allah]], or God. Indeed, {{Quran|4|82}} makes the confident assertion: "Then do they not reflect upon the Qur'an? If it had been from [any] other than Allah, they would have found within it much contradiction."  
 
Critics hold that at least some of these contradictions are irresolvable through any reasonable interpretation and that, to resolve them, exegetes must resort to incredible interpretations. While some of the proposed contradictions, critics admit, may be resolved through the doctrine of [[Naskh (Abrogation)|abrogation]], whereby Allah is said to override his previous instructions (through, for instance, permitting [[alcohol]] at one point and prohibiting at another), many other contradictions are not resolvable in this manner. Indeed, the Islamic tradition holds that the doctrine of abrogation is only applicable in cases of law and not theology - what Allah says at any point with regards to the divine, the hereafter, history, the day of judgement, or other such non-legal matters, must (and, the tradition holds, does) always hold true. Critics, however, have stated that many, including some of the most problematic, of the proposed contradictions are precisely of the theological, and not legal, variety.  


A similar discussion exists between critics and Islamic scholars surrounding supposed [[Contradictions in the Hadith|contradictions contained in the hadiths]].  
A similar discussion exists between critics and Islamic scholars surrounding supposed [[Contradictions in the Hadith|contradictions contained in the hadiths]].  
Line 12: Line 14:
Academic scholars have noticed that the author or editor of the Quran appears to have combined in verses 2:36-39 the stories of Adam in 7:22-25 and 20:121-124, with the awkward result that Allah tells Adam and company to go down from paradise twice, in verses 2:36 and 2:38.<ref>Witztum, Joseph. 2011. [https://www.docdroid.net/EBk1ghM/the-syriac-milieu-of-the-quran-the-recasting-of-biblical-narratives-pdf The Syriac Milieu of the Qur’ ̄an: The Recasting of Biblical Narratives] Ph.D. thesis, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA. pp. 69-79</ref>  
Academic scholars have noticed that the author or editor of the Quran appears to have combined in verses 2:36-39 the stories of Adam in 7:22-25 and 20:121-124, with the awkward result that Allah tells Adam and company to go down from paradise twice, in verses 2:36 and 2:38.<ref>Witztum, Joseph. 2011. [https://www.docdroid.net/EBk1ghM/the-syriac-milieu-of-the-quran-the-recasting-of-biblical-narratives-pdf The Syriac Milieu of the Qur’ ̄an: The Recasting of Biblical Narratives] Ph.D. thesis, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA. pp. 69-79</ref>  


Moreover, a contradiction was thereby created regarding the timing of Adam's forgiveness by Allah. In Surah 20, Adam is forgiven before the command to descend from paradise (part of a longer section narrated chronologically). In Surah 7 Adam requests forgiveness from Allah, but it does not say whether Allah did forgive him. Instead, it immediately proceeds to the command to descend in 7:24. Surah 2 appears to fix the ambiguity in surah 7 by inserting Allah's forgiveness after (fa<ref name="LanesLexiconFa">fa - [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume6/00000105.pdf Lane's Lexicon pp. 2321-2323]</ref>) the descent command seen in surah 7:24 (that whole verse is used word for word by 2:36 in the Arabic text). However, the first part of the command to descend as enemies of one another also occurs in 20:123 where the forgiveness has already occurred.
Moreover, a contradiction was thereby created regarding the timing of Adam's forgiveness by Allah. In Surah 20, Adam is forgiven before the command to descend from paradise (part of a longer section narrated chronologically). In Surah 7 Adam requests forgiveness from Allah, but it does not say whether Allah did forgive him. Instead, it immediately proceeds to the command to descend in 7:24. Surah 2 appears to fix the ambiguity in surah 7 by inserting the descent command seen in surah 7:24 into 2:36 (the whole verse is used word for word by 2:36 in the Arabic text) before Allah's forgiveness which "Then" follows immediately afterwards (Arabic: fa<ref name="LanesLexiconFa">fa - [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume6/00000105.pdf Lane's Lexicon pp. 2321-2323]</ref>). However, the first part of the command, to descend as enemies of one another is also in 20:123 where the forgiveness has already occurred in the previous verse.


{| class="wikitable"  width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" border="1" align="center"
{| class="wikitable"  width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" border="1" align="center"
Line 32: Line 34:
20:124 <span style="color:#800080">And whoever turns away from My remembrance - indeed, he will have a depressed life, and We will gather him on the Day of Resurrection blind."</span>
20:124 <span style="color:#800080">And whoever turns away from My remembrance - indeed, he will have a depressed life, and We will gather him on the Day of Resurrection blind."</span>
|}
|}
Durie (2018)<ref>Durie, Mark. 2018. ''The Qur’an and Its Biblical Reflexes: Investigations into the Genesis of a Religion'' (p. 408 - 415 Kindle Edition). Lexington Books. ''pp. 219 - 223''</ref> notes that scholars like Witztum and others have proposed an editorial process for the Qur'an, where earlier texts were reworked into later versions, with this contradiction being the result of combining the versions together. However, an alternative "oral-formulaic" approach, advocated by Bannister,<ref>Andrew Bannister, ''An Oral-Formulaic Study of the Qurʾan'', Lanham: Lexington Books, 2014, <nowiki>ISBN 978-0-7391-8357-1</nowiki>.</ref> suggests the Qur'an's narratives were shaped by oral performance rather than editing. Variations in the Fall stories reflect performance differences rather than textual dependence, with the performer adapting the story for different audiences. From the perspective of an oral-formulaic explanation, we can say that Q2 is an ill-formed performance, and its appearance of dependence upon Q7 and Q20 is simply because those other two recorded performances went more smoothly.<ref>Durie, Mark. 2018. ''The Qur’an and Its Biblical Reflexes: Investigations into the Genesis of a Religion'' (p. 410 Kindle Edition). Lexington Books. ''pp. 220''</ref>


===Timing of Allah's instructions to Noah===
===Timing of Allah's instructions to Noah===
Line 48: Line 51:


===Abraham and the idols===
===Abraham and the idols===
{{Quran-range|37|87|97}} contains a simpler version of the story in which Abraham smashes the idols in {{Quran-range|21|57|68}}. The two versions conflict in terms of where the events take place. In surah 37, everything takes place at the location of the idols. After some dialogue, we see in verse 90 “Then they turned away from him, departing” (fatawallaw ʿanhu mud'birīna); Abraham then smashes the idols; and “Then they came toward him, hastening” (fa-aqbalū ilayhi yaziffūna). Lane's Lexicon entry for the conjunction fa used at the start of 37:94 explains that in such usage as we see here, fa conveys proximate and uninterrupted succession.<ref name="LanesLexiconFa />
{{Quran-range|37|87|97}} contains a simpler version of the story in which Abraham smashes the idols in {{Quran-range|21|57|68}}. The two versions conflict in terms of where the events take place. In surah 37, everything takes place at the location of the idols. After some dialogue, we see in verse 90 “Then they turned away from him, departing” (fa-tawallaw ʿanhu mud'birīna); Abraham then smashes the idols; and “Then they came toward him, hastening” (fa-aqbalū ilayhi yaziffūna). Lane's Lexicon entry for the conjunction fa used at the start of 37:94 explains that in such usage as we see here, fa conveys proximate and uninterrupted succession.<ref name="LanesLexiconFa />


In contrast, the longer surah 21 version has the people return to find the smashed idols but Abraham is no longer present there. They send a party to bring him, and then back amidst the idols he shows them the folly of their ways. So in that version it is Abraham who comes to them.
In contrast, the longer surah 21 version has the people return to find the smashed idols but Abraham is no longer present there. They send a party to bring him, and then back amidst the idols he shows them the folly of their ways (in both versions this is when they decide to burn him). So in the surah 21 version it is Abraham who comes to them.


{| class="wikitable"  width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" border="1" align="center"
{| class="wikitable"  width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" border="1" align="center"
Line 124: Line 127:
Various contradictions are apparent in these parallels (the first 3 discussed by Witztum in his paper).
Various contradictions are apparent in these parallels (the first 3 discussed by Witztum in his paper).


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.
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 soon 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.
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.
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 directly 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.


4) In 11:70 the angels calm Abraham's fear by telling him that they have been sent to the people of Lot. Later, in verse 74, he argues with them on behalf of the people of Lot (qawmi lūṭin, again) perhaps having already understood their intention earlier. In surahs 15 and 51 they instead respond to Abraham's fear with the good tidings and it is only later in 15:57 and 51:31 that he seems to learn of their next mission when he asks “Then what” (famā) is their next business.
4) In 11:70 the angels calm Abraham's fear by telling him that they have been sent to the people of Lot. Later, in verse 74, he argues with them on behalf of the people of Lot (qawmi lūṭin, again) perhaps having already understood their intention earlier. In surahs 15 and 51 the angels instead respond to Abraham's fear by giving him the good tidings, and it is only later in 15:57 and 51:31 that he seems to learn of their mission to the people of Lot when he asks “Then what” (famā) is their next business.


===Lot and the angels===
===Lot and the angels===
Line 145: Line 148:
15:64 And we have come to you with truth, and indeed, we are truthful.<BR />
15:64 And we have come to you with truth, and indeed, we are truthful.<BR />
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 />
15:65 <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 />
15:66 And We conveyed to him [the decree] of that matter: that those [sinners] would be eliminated by early morning.<BR />
15:66 <span style="color:#0000FF">And We conveyed to him [the decree] of that matter: that those [sinners] would be eliminated by early morning.</span><BR />
15:67 '''And the people of the city came rejoicing.'''<BR />
15:67 '''And the people of the city came rejoicing.'''<BR />
15:68 <span style="color:#008000">[Lot] said, "Indeed, these are my guests, so do not shame me.</span><BR />
15:68 <span style="color:#008000">[Lot] said, "Indeed, these are my guests, so do not shame me.</span><BR />
Line 165: Line 168:
Three contradictions are evident in these parallel passages.
Three contradictions are evident in these parallel passages.


1) In surah 15, the angels tell Lot when they first arrive that they are there to save him and his family from the punishment to come. A mob arrives trying to take the visitors and Lot attempts to placate them by offering his daughters. In Q. 11, the sequence of events is very expressly the other way around, with the mob events occurring first, which leads to the angels explaining how they will save them. Although 15:67 starts with the "And" conjunction (like some of the previous verses), the suspicion of contradiction in Q. 15 is well justified from the textual sequence of the elements (this is, after all, a narrative), and from what naturally reads like the angels explaining themselves upon their arrival in the first few verses. This is even apparent from the way Lot addresses them as "people unknown" (qawmun munkarūna) in 15:62, mirroring the way Abraham addressed them when he greeted them in 51:25 (see above).
1) In surah 15, the angels tell Lot when they first arrive that they are there to save him and his family from the punishment to come. A mob arrives trying to take the visitors and Lot attempts to placate them by offering his daughters. In Q. 11, the sequence of events is very expressly the other way around: the mob events occur first, which leads to the angels explaining how they will save Lot and his family. Although 15:67 starts with the "And" conjunction (like some of the previous verses), the suspicion of contradiction in Q. 15 is well justified from the textual sequence of the elements (this is, after all, a narrative), and from what naturally reads like the angels explaining themselves upon their arrival in the first few verses. This is even apparent from the way Lot addresses them as "people unknown" (qawmun munkarūna) in 15:62, mirroring the way Abraham addressed the angels when he greeted them in 51:25 (see above).


2) Another contradiction concerns the context in which they tell Lot of their mission to save him and his family. In 15:61-66, the angels reveal this in response to him addressing them as people unknown / strange when they first come to him, alluding in verse 63 to Lot's pleadings to the people in other passages. In surah 11, instead they reveal this to ease the fear he expresses about the mob.
2) Another contradiction concerns the context in which the angels tell Lot of their mission to save him and his family. In 15:61-66, the angels reveal this in response to Lot addressing them as people unknown / strange when they first arrive, alluding in verse 63 to Lot's pleadings to the people in other passages. In 11:80-81, instead the angels reveal their mission in order to ease the fear Lot expresses about the mob.


3) Finally, the accounts conflict in sequencing the elements of Lot's appeal to the mob. In 11:78 he says “these are my daughters” then asks them to “fear Allah and do not disgrace me”. In 15:68-71 instead he asks them to “fear Allah and do not disgrace me”, the mob responds, and then comes the “These are my daughters” element.
3) Finally, the accounts conflict in sequencing the elements of Lot's appeal to the mob. In 11:78 he says “these are my daughters” then asks them to “fear Allah and do not disgrace me”. In 15:68-71 instead he asks them to “fear Allah and do not disgrace me”, the mob responds, and then comes the “These are my daughters” element.
Line 189: Line 192:
In this example, three accounts of Moses talking with Allah at the fire bear only a passing resemblance to one another. It is worth noting that {{Quran|4|164}} says regarding the nature of the interaction “And Allah spoke to Moses with [direct] speech". Al-Razi notes in his commentary for 20:12 that the Mu’tazilites, Al-Ash’ari and al-Maturidi had different theological views on whether the words of Allah came from via the bush itself, and whether they were audible.
In this example, three accounts of Moses talking with Allah at the fire bear only a passing resemblance to one another. It is worth noting that {{Quran|4|164}} says regarding the nature of the interaction “And Allah spoke to Moses with [direct] speech". Al-Razi notes in his commentary for 20:12 that the Mu’tazilites, Al-Ash’ari and al-Maturidi had different theological views on whether the words of Allah came from via the bush itself, and whether they were audible.


All three versions have “O Moses, Indeed, I am Allah” as a common element in the Arabic. However, there is otherwise little attempt at consistency in the variant stories. In surah 27, Allah is introduced as “Lord of the worlds” in the 3rd person and introduces himself with the common element along with another title. In surah 28 we see the opposite sequence with the “Lord of the Worlds” title used in the 1st person after the common introduction.
All three versions have “O Moses, Indeed, I am Allah” (or "your Lord") as a common element in the Arabic. However, there is otherwise little attempt at consistency in the variant stories. In surah 27, Allah is introduced as “Lord of the worlds” in the 3rd person and introduces himself with the common element along with another title. In surah 28 we see the opposite sequence with the “Lord of the Worlds” title used in the 1st person after the common introduction.


{| class="wikitable"  width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" border="1" align="center"
{| class="wikitable"  width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" border="1" align="center"
Line 337: Line 340:


===Moses berates Aaron about the golden calf===
===Moses berates Aaron about the golden calf===
After the golden calf incident, Moses grabs Aaron, who makes two very different pleadings in surahs 7 and 20. It is possible with some awkwardness to harmonise that he gave the two different excuses, one after the other, though it is further worth noting that in both accounts Aaron's protest begins with the common address “O son of my mother” as Moses grabs him.
After the golden calf incident, Aaron makes two very different pleadings in surahs 7 and 20 after Moses grabs him. It is possible with some awkwardness to harmonise that he gave the two different excuses, one after the other, though it is further worth noting that in both accounts Aaron's protest begins with the common address “O son of my mother” as Moses grabs him.


{| class="wikitable"  width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" border="1" align="center"
{| class="wikitable"  width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" border="1" align="center"
Line 343: Line 346:
! scope=col style="width: 50%;" |{{Quran-range|20|90|95}}
! scope=col style="width: 50%;" |{{Quran-range|20|90|95}}
|- style="vertical-align: top;"
|- style="vertical-align: top;"
|And when Moses returned to his people, angry and grieved, he said, "How wretched is that by which you have replaced me after [my departure]. Were you impatient over the matter of your Lord?" And he threw down the tablets and '''seized his brother by [the hair of] his head, pulling him toward him. [Aaron] said, "O son of my mother''', indeed the people oppressed me and were about to kill me, so let not the enemies rejoice over me and do not place me among the wrongdoing people."
|And when Moses returned to his people, angry and grieved, he said, "How wretched is that by which you have replaced me after [my departure]. Were you impatient over the matter of your Lord?" And he threw down the tablets and '''seized his brother by [the hair of] his head, pulling him toward him. [Aaron] said, "O son of my mother, indeed the people oppressed me and were about to kill me, so let not the enemies rejoice over me and do not place me among the wrongdoing people."'''
|20:90 And Aaron had already told them before [the return of Moses], "O my people, you are only being tested by it, and indeed, your Lord is the Most Merciful, so follow me and obey my order."<BR />
|20:90 And Aaron had already told them before [the return of Moses], "O my people, you are only being tested by it, and indeed, your Lord is the Most Merciful, so follow me and obey my order."<BR />
20:91 They said, "We will never cease being devoted to the calf until Moses returns to us."<BR />
20:91 They said, "We will never cease being devoted to the calf until Moses returns to us."<BR />
20:92 [Moses] said, "O Aaron, what prevented you, when you saw them going astray,<BR />
20:92 [Moses] said, "O Aaron, what prevented you, when you saw them going astray,<BR />
20:93 From following me? Then have you disobeyed my order?"<BR />
20:93 From following me? Then have you disobeyed my order?"<BR />
20:94 [Aaron] said, "'''O son of my mother''', do not seize [me] by my beard or by my head.''' Indeed, I feared that you would say, 'You caused division among the Children of Israel, and you did not observe [or await] my word.' "<BR />
20:94 [Aaron] said, "'''O son of my mother, do not seize [me] by my beard or by my head. Indeed, I feared that you would say, 'You caused division among the Children of Israel, and you did not observe [or await] my word.' "'''<BR />
20:95 [Moses] said, "And what is your case, O Samiri?"
20:95 [Moses] said, "And what is your case, O Samiri?"
|}
|}


===Command to the children of Israel upon reaching a town===
=== Did Moses's speech impediment get fixed? ===
In very similar passages in which Muhammad is asked to mention an episode occurring some time after the exodus from Egypt, parallel verses invert the order in which Allah quotes himself telling the children of Israel to enter a city gate bowing humbly and request relief of their burdens. Ironically, the next verse in each case complains about Allah's words being changed.
God showed Moses a magical fire that did not burn out, and informs him of his prophethood. Then commanded him to go to Pharaoh with his signs in the hope that he may be warned and fear God. Moses agreed but complained that he couldn’t speak clearly, and he asked God to cure him of it, and to open his breast and make the task easy/easier:
 
{{Quote|{{Quran|20|24-28}}|...“Go thou to Pharaoh, for he has indeed transgressed all bounds.” “( Moses) said: ‘O, my Lord! Expand me my breast,” ease my task for me, <b>and remove the impediment from my speech, so they may understand what I say.”</b> “( Allah) said: ‘Granted is thy prayer, O Moses!’”...}}
{| class="wikitable"  width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" border="1" align="center"
Here God seems to respond to his prayer instantly (the verses in between 20:29-20:35 are part of the same narrative so the order is linear):
! scope=col style="width: 50%;" |{{Quran-range|2|58|59}}
{{Quote|{{Quran|20|36}}|<b>...Allah responded, “All that you requested has been granted, O  Moses!... </b>}}
! scope=col style="width: 50%;" |{{Quran-range|7|161|162}}
However when he actually gets to Pharoah, he (Pharoah) states that he still cannot express himself clearly:
|- style="vertical-align: top;"
{{Quote|{{Quran|43|52}}|“And Pharaoh proclaimed among his people, saying, ‘O, my people! Does not the dominion of Egypt belong to me, (witness) these streams flowing underneath my (palace)? What! See ye not, then? Am I not better than this (Moses), who is a contemptible wretch, <b>and can scarcely express himself clearly?’”</b>}}
|2:58 And [recall] when We said, "Enter this city and eat from it wherever you will in [ease and] abundance, and <span style="color:#0000FF">enter the gate bowing humbly</span> and say, <span style="color:#008000">'Relieve us of our burdens.'</span> We will [then] forgive your sins for you, and We will increase the doers of good [in goodness and reward]."<BR />
2:59 But those who wronged changed [those words] to a statement other than that which had been said to them, so We sent down upon those who wronged a punishment from the sky because they were defiantly disobeying.
|7:161 And [mention, O Muhammad], when it was said to them, "Dwell in this city and eat from it wherever you will and say, <span style="color:#008000">'Relieve us of our burdens,'</span> and <span style="color:#0000FF">enter the gate bowing humbly</span>; We will [then] forgive you your sins. We will increase the doers of good [in goodness and reward]."<BR />
7:162 But those who wronged among them changed [the words] to a statement other than that which had been said to them. So We sent upon them a punishment from the sky for the wrong that they were doing.
|}


===The destruction of Thamud===
===The destruction of Thamud===
Line 372: Line 370:
{| class="wikitable"  width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" border="1" align="center"
{| class="wikitable"  width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" border="1" align="center"
! scope=col style="width: 33%;" |{{Quran-range|54|23|31}}
! scope=col style="width: 33%;" |{{Quran-range|54|23|31}}
! scope=col style="width: 33%;" |{{Quran-range|27|7|9}}
! scope=col style="width: 33%;" |{{Quran-range|11|64|68}}
! scope=col style="width: 33%;" |{{Quran-range|28|29|30}}
! scope=col style="width: 33%;" |{{Quran-range|91|11|15}}
|- style="vertical-align: top;"
|- style="vertical-align: top;"
|54:23 Thamud denied the warning<BR />
|54:23 Thamud denied the warning<BR />
Line 403: Line 401:
Thamud's sudden destruction by a thunderbolt is narrated also in {{Quran|51|44}}, where the thunderbolt seized Thamud as they looked on. The word thunderbolt in these verses is sa'iqatan, which can refer to the sound of a thunderbolt or the lightning bolt itself.<ref>sa'iqatan - [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume4/00000414.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 1690]</ref> Similarly, the instantaneous death of the people of Thamud by a thunderous blast (ṣayḥatan) appears in surah 11 and surah 54 quoted above in the previous section, and by a single blast (ṭāghiyati) in Q. 69:5. They were killed by an earthquake in Q. 7:78, though the word  l-rajfatu, needn't mean a literal earthquake, and can mean a convulsion or jolting according to Lane's Lexicon. Thus with some harmonising effort we have a story of sudden thunderous death for the people of Thamud.
Thamud's sudden destruction by a thunderbolt is narrated also in {{Quran|51|44}}, where the thunderbolt seized Thamud as they looked on. The word thunderbolt in these verses is sa'iqatan, which can refer to the sound of a thunderbolt or the lightning bolt itself.<ref>sa'iqatan - [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume4/00000414.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 1690]</ref> Similarly, the instantaneous death of the people of Thamud by a thunderous blast (ṣayḥatan) appears in surah 11 and surah 54 quoted above in the previous section, and by a single blast (ṭāghiyati) in Q. 69:5. They were killed by an earthquake in Q. 7:78, though the word  l-rajfatu, needn't mean a literal earthquake, and can mean a convulsion or jolting according to Lane's Lexicon. Thus with some harmonising effort we have a story of sudden thunderous death for the people of Thamud.


However, all other descriptions of Aad's destruction except for 41:13 say that it was by means of a violent wind over a day or number of days, which uprooted its people like trees and left only ruined homes.
However, all other descriptions of Aad's destruction except for 41:13 say that it was by means of a violent wind over a day or number of days, which uprooted its people like trees and destoyed everything, leaving only ruined homes.


In an attempt to rescue the contradiction, Al-Tabari in his tafsir for 41:13 claims that sa'iqatan (thunderbolt) is a catch all term for anything that destroys something, while al-Qurtubi claims that the wind was the sa'iqatan.
In an attempt to rescue the contradiction, Al-Tabari in his tafsir for 41:13 claims that sa'iqatan (thunderbolt) is a catch all term for anything that destroys something, while al-Qurtubi claims that the wind was the sa'iqatan.
Line 458: Line 456:
Lane's Lexicon has some discussion of the word mus'tamirrin ("continuous") as it is used in this verse and in Q. 54:2 where it is used in the phrase (“passing magic”) in the same grammatical form.<ref>mus'tamirrin - [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume7/00000230.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 2702]</ref>
Lane's Lexicon has some discussion of the word mus'tamirrin ("continuous") as it is used in this verse and in Q. 54:2 where it is used in the phrase (“passing magic”) in the same grammatical form.<ref>mus'tamirrin - [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume7/00000230.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 2702]</ref>


===Zechariah expressing his doubts===
=== Was Jonah cast onto the shore? ===
Amidst a dialogue with the angel bringing good tidings of John, Zechariah answers that his wife is barren and he is too old in 19:8, but answers the opposite way around in 3:40. The passages then resume in close parallel.
Yes - Allah casts him onto the shore.
 
{{Quote|{{Quran|37|139-145}}|“Indeed, Jonah was one of the messengers,”
{| class="wikitable"  width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" border="1" align="center"
“When he ran away to a ship completely laden,”
! scope=col style="width: 50%;" |{{Quran|19|8}}
“And then drew lots and was of those who are rejected.”
! scope=col style="width: 50%;" |{{Quran|3|40}}
“And the fish swallowed him while he was blameworthy,”
|- style="vertical-align: top;"
“Had he not been one of those who glorify (Allah)”
|He said, "My Lord, how will I have a boy when <span style="color:#0000FF">my wife has been barren</span> and <span style="color:#008000">I have reached extreme old age</span>?"
“He would certainly have remained inside the Fish till the Day of Resurrection.”
|He said, "My Lord, how will I have a boy when <span style="color:#008000">I have reached old age</span> and <span style="color:#0000FF">my wife is barren</span>?" The angel said, "Such is Allah; He does what He wills."
<i>“So We cast him onto the shore, while he was sick.”</i>}}
|}
No - he wasn't cast onto the shore due to Allah’s favour reaching him.
{{Quote|{{Quran|68|48-49}}|“So wait with patience for the Command of thy Lord, and be not like the Companion of the Fish, when he cried out in despair.”
<i>“Had it not been that favour from his Lord had reached him, he would indeed have been cast off onto the shore in disgrace.”</i>}}


==Allah==
==Allah==
===Where is Allah?===
===Where is Allah?===


Upon a throne
Verses such as 2:255 (the famous throne verse) and other anthropomorphic verses have long been a topic of controversy and debate as to what extent they should be taken metaphorically. For the Asharis they were beyond human understanding.<ref>Stephen J. Vicchio, "Biblical figures in the Islamic faith", USA: Wipf and Stock, 2008, pp. 13-15</ref> To critics, this lack of clear resolution is unsurprising given the apparent contradiction between verses that describe Allah in a location and those that imply he is everywhere.
 
Upon a throne (arsh and kursi)
 
{{Quote|{{Quran|2|255}}|Allah - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. '''His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth''', and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.}}


{{Quote|{{Quran|57|4}}|
{{Quote|{{Quran|57|4}}|
Line 484: Line 488:
{{Quote|{{Quran|2|115}}|
{{Quote|{{Quran|2|115}}|
To Allah belong the east and the West: Whithersoever ye turn, there is the presence of Allah. For Allah is all-Pervading, all-Knowing. }}
To Allah belong the east and the West: Whithersoever ye turn, there is the presence of Allah. For Allah is all-Pervading, all-Knowing. }}
His home, the [[Ka'bah]]
{{Quote|{{Quran|14|37}}|
O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in a valley without cultivation, by Thy Sacred House; in order, O our Lord, that they may establish regular Prayer: so fill the hearts of some among men with love towards them, and feed them with fruits: so that they may give thanks. }}
Nearby


{{Quote|{{Quran|2|186}}|
{{Quote|{{Quran|2|186}}|
Line 497: Line 494:
{{Quote|{{Quran|50|16}}|
{{Quote|{{Quran|50|16}}|
We verily created man and We know what his soul whispereth to him, and We are nearer to him than his jugular vein}}
We verily created man and We know what his soul whispereth to him, and We are nearer to him than his jugular vein}}


===Can Allah be seen?===
===Can Allah be seen?===
Line 504: Line 500:


{{Quote|{{Quran|6|103}}|No vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all vision: He is above all comprehension, yet is acquainted with all things.}}
{{Quote|{{Quran|6|103}}|No vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all vision: He is above all comprehension, yet is acquainted with all things.}}
Maybe


{{Quote|{{Quran|42|51}}|It is not fitting for a man that Allah should speak to him except by inspiration, or from behind a veil, or by the sending of a messenger to reveal, with Allah's permission, what Allah wills: for He is Most High, Most Wise}}
{{Quote|{{Quran|42|51}}|It is not fitting for a man that Allah should speak to him except by inspiration, or from behind a veil, or by the sending of a messenger to reveal, with Allah's permission, what Allah wills: for He is Most High, Most Wise}}
Line 513: Line 507:
{{Quote|{{Quran|53|1-18}}|I swear by the star when it goes down.Your companion does not err, nor does he go astray; Nor does he speak out of desire. It is naught but revelation that is revealed, The Lord of Mighty Power has taught him, The Lord of Strength; so he attained completion, And he is in the highest part of the horizon. Then he drew near, then he bowed. So he was the measure of two bows or closer still. And He revealed to His servant what He revealed. The heart was not untrue in (making him see) what he saw. What! do you then dispute with him as to what he saw? And certainly he saw him in another descent, At the farthest lote-tree; Near which is the garden, the place to be resorted to. When that which covers covered the lote-tree; The eye did not turn aside, nor did it exceed the limit. Certainly he saw of the greatest signs of his Lord.}}
{{Quote|{{Quran|53|1-18}}|I swear by the star when it goes down.Your companion does not err, nor does he go astray; Nor does he speak out of desire. It is naught but revelation that is revealed, The Lord of Mighty Power has taught him, The Lord of Strength; so he attained completion, And he is in the highest part of the horizon. Then he drew near, then he bowed. So he was the measure of two bows or closer still. And He revealed to His servant what He revealed. The heart was not untrue in (making him see) what he saw. What! do you then dispute with him as to what he saw? And certainly he saw him in another descent, At the farthest lote-tree; Near which is the garden, the place to be resorted to. When that which covers covered the lote-tree; The eye did not turn aside, nor did it exceed the limit. Certainly he saw of the greatest signs of his Lord.}}


===Could Allah have a son?===
The vision in the first part of surah al-Najm (53) quoted above was traditionally associated with the beginning of Muhammad's night journey. While there was debate among Muslim scholars as to whether the object of the vision was Allah or an angel, the general consensus of modern academic scholars is that Allah is the object of the vision in this passage, especially considering that it says in {{Quran|53|10}} "And he revealed to His Servant what he revealed". Furthermore, the use of the verb "see" (raʾā) in verses 11-13 and 18 regarding the vision, is used also in the next verse 19 when the opponents are challenged as to whether they have seen their own pagan deities "al-Lāt and al-ʿUzzā and Manāt". Some of the subsequent verses may suggest that the Quranic mushrikun considered these three to be angels rather than gods, though many academic scholars have observed that these are among the long verses (23 and 26-32) which seem to have been inserted later (whether by Muhammad or an editor) into a surah of otherwise short verses. As Tommaso Tesei notes, these long verses also coincide with the textual location in the surah where the [[Satanic_Verses_(Gharaniq_Incident)|Satanic verses]] were said to have originally appeared.<ref>Tommaso Tesei, [https://www.academia.edu/75302962/THE_QUR_%C4%80N_S_IN_CONTEXT_S_1 The Qurʾān(s) in Context(s)] Journal Asiatique 309.2 (2021): 185-202 (open access; see pp. 192-196)</ref>
 
Yes
 
{{Quote|{{Quran|39|4}}|
If Allah had willed to choose a son,
He could have chosen what He would of that which He hath created.
Be He Glorified! He is Allah, the One, the Absolute. }}
 
No
 
{{Quote|{{Quran|6|101}}|
Wonderful Originator of the heavens and the earth;
How can He have a son when He has no consort?
He created all things, and He hath full knowledge of all things  }}
 
===Is it possible to have a son without a consort?===
 
Yes


{{Quote|{{cite quran|19|20|end=21|style=ref}}|She said: "How shall I have a son, seeing that no man has touched me, and I am not unchaste?" He said: "So (it will be): Thy Lord saith, 'that is easy for Me: and (We wish) to appoint him as a Sign unto men and a Mercy from Us':It is a matter (so) decreed."}}
===Could Allah have a child?===
The Quran responds to the mushrikun who associated partners with Allah including sons and daughters. In one response it says this is impossible as Allah has no consort, but in another it responds by conceding it would be possible for him take a son from among his creation but he simply choses not to do so.


No
No, for he has no consort


{{Quote|{{Quran|6|101}}|To Him is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth: How can He have a son when He hath no consort? He created all things, and He hath full knowledge of all things.}}
{{Quote|{{Quran-range|6|100|101}}|Yet they ascribe as partners unto Him the jinn, although He did create them, and impute falsely, without knowledge, sons and daughters unto Him. Glorified be He and High Exalted above (all) that they ascribe (unto Him).
The Originator of the heavens and the earth! How can He have a child, when there is for Him no consort, when He created all things and is Aware of all things?}}


===Can only Allah see the unseen?===
Yes, he could by other means but he chooses not to


Yes
{{Quote|{{Quran-range|39|3|4}}|Surely pure religion is for Allah only. And those who choose protecting friends beside Him (say): We worship them only that they may bring us near unto Allah. Lo! Allah will judge between them concerning that wherein they differ. Lo! Allah guideth not him who is a liar, an ingrate.
 
If Allah had willed to choose a son, He could have chosen what He would of that which He hath created. Be He Glorified! He is Allah, the One, the Absolute.}}
{{Quote|{{Quran|10|20}}|
They say: "Why is not a sign sent down to him from his Lord?" Say: "The Unseen is only for Allah (to know), then wait ye: I too will wait with you." }}
 
No, Solomon can too
 
{{Quote|{{Quran|27|39}}|
Said an 'Ifrit, of the Jinns: "I will bring it to thee before thou rise from thy council: indeed I have full strength for the purpose, and may be trusted." }}


===Is Allah kind and merciful?===
===Is Allah kind and merciful?===
Line 562: Line 533:
{{Quote|{{Quran|4|56}}|
{{Quote|{{Quran|4|56}}|
Those who reject our Signs, We shall soon cast into the Fire: as often as their skins are roasted through, We shall change them for fresh skins, that they may taste the penalty: for Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise.}}
Those who reject our Signs, We shall soon cast into the Fire: as often as their skins are roasted through, We shall change them for fresh skins, that they may taste the penalty: for Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise.}}
===Does Allah forgive everything?===
Yes
{{Quote|{{Quran|39|53}}|
Say: "O my Servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah: for Allah forgives all sins: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. }}
No
{{Quote|{{Quran|4|116}}|
Allah forgiveth not (The sin of) joining other gods with Him; but He forgiveth whom He pleaseth other sins than this: one who joins other gods with Allah, Hath strayed far, far away (from the right)}}


===Does Allah forgive worshipping other gods/shirk?===
===Does Allah forgive worshipping other gods/shirk?===
Line 594: Line 553:
Yes
Yes


{{Quote|{{Quran|25|70}}|
{{Quote|{{Quran-range|25|68|70}}|Those who invoke not, with Allah, any other god, nor slay such life as Allah has made sacred except for just cause, nor commit fornication; - and any that does this (not only) meets punishment. (But) the Penalty on the Day of Judgment will be doubled to him, and he will dwell therein in ignominy,- Unless he repents, believes, and works righteous deeds, for Allah will change the evil of such persons into good, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful, }}
Unless he repents, believes, and works righteous deeds, for Allah will change the evil of such persons into good, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful, }}


=== Can anyone change the word of Allah? ===
Yes - the Jews especially seem to be charged with doing this, which is the mainstream Islamic view,<ref>E.g. see [https://quranx.com/Tafsir/Jalal/2.75 ''Tafsir Al-Jalalayn on verse 2:75''].  Jalal al-Din al-Mahalli (d. 864 ah / 1459 ce) and his pupil Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti (d. 911 ah / 1505 ce).</ref> though is not without controversy ''(see: [[Corruption of Previous Scriptures]])''.{{quote | {{Quran|2|59}}|But those who were unjust changed it for a saying other than that which had been spoken to them, so We sent upon those who were unjust a pestilence from heaven, because they transgressed.}}{{Quote|{{Quran|2|75}}|Have ye any hope that they will be true to you when a party of them used to listen to the word of Allah, then used to change it, after they had understood it, knowingly?}}{{Quote|{{Quran|2|79}}|Therefore woe be unto those who write the Scripture with their hands and then say, "This is from Allah," that they may purchase a small gain therewith. Woe unto them for that their hands have written, and woe unto them for that they earn thereby.}}{{quote |{{cite quran|3|77|end=79|style=ref}}|(As for) those who take a small price for the covenant of Allah and their own oaths-- surely they shall have no portion in the hereafter, and Allah will not speak to them, nor will He look upon them on the day of resurrection nor will He purify them, and they shall have a painful chastisement. '''Most surely there is a party amongst those who distort the Book with their tongue that you may consider it to be (a part) of the Book, and they say, It is from Allah, while it is not from Allah, and they tell a lie against Allah whilst they know.''' It is not meet for a mortal that Allah should give him the Book and the wisdom and prophethood, then he should say to men: Be my servants rather than Allah's; but rather (he would say): Be worshipers of the Lord '''because of your teaching the Book and your reading (it yourselves).'''}}{{quote | {{Quran|3|187}}|And when Allah made a covenant with those who were given the Book: You shall certainly make it known to men and you shall not hide it; but they cast it behind their backs and took a small price for it; so evil is that which they buy.}}{{quote | {{Quran|4|46}}|Of those who are Jews (there are those who) alter words from their places and say: We have heard and we disobey and: Hear, may you not be made to hear! and: Raina, distorting (the word) with their tongues and taunting about religion; and if they had said (instead): We have heard and we obey, and hearken, and unzurna it would have been better for them and more upright; but Allah has cursed them on account of their unbelief, so they do not believe but a little.}}{{quote |{{cite quran|5|13|end=15|style=ref}}|But on account of their breaking their covenant We cursed them and made their hearts hard; '''they altered the words from their places and they neglected a portion of what they were reminded of;''' and you shall always discover treachery in them excepting a few of them; so pardon them and turn away; surely Allah loves those who do good (to others). And with those who say, We are Christians, We made a covenant, '''but they neglected a portion of what they were reminded of''', therefore We excited among them enmity and hatred to the day of resurrection; and Allah will inform them of what they did. O followers of the Book! indeed Our Messenger has come to you making clear to you '''much of what you concealed of the Book and passing over much'''; indeed, there has come to you light and a clear Book from Allah;}}{{quote | {{Quran|5|41}}|O Messenger! let not those grieve you who strive together in hastening to unbelief from among those who say with their mouths: We believe, and their hearts do not believe, and from among those who are Jews; they are listeners for the sake of a lie, listeners for another people who have not come to you; '''they alter the words from their places, saying: If you are given this, take it, and if you are not given this, be cautious'''; and as for him whose temptation Allah desires, you cannot control anything for him with Allah. Those are they for whom Allah does not desire that He should purify their hearts; they shall have disgrace in this world, and they shall have a grievous chastisement in the hereafter.}}No
{{Quote|{{Quran|6|115}}|And the word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and in justice. None can alter His words, and He is the Hearing, the Knowing.}}


==Angels and demons==
==Angels and demons==
===How many angels helped Muhammad at Badr?===


===Can angels walk the earth?===
Three thousand


No
{{Quote|{{Quran|3|124}}|
Remember thou saidst to the Faithful: "Is it not enough for you that Allah should help you with three thousand angels (Specially) sent down? }}
 
One thousand
 
{{Quote|{{Quran|8|9}}|
Remember ye implored the assistance of your Lord, and He answered you: "I will assist you with a thousand of the angels, ranks on ranks." }}


{{Quote|{{Quran|17|95}}|
Some claim that one of these could refer to the battle of Uhud, but that was a defeat for the Muslims.
Say, "If there were settled, on earth, angels walking about in peace and quiet, We should certainly have sent them down from the heavens an angel for a messenger." }}


Yes
===Who could Allah send as messengers (rasulan)?===


{{Quote|{{Quran|2|102}}|
Not angels
...and such things as came down at babylon to the angels Harut and Marut. But neither of these taught anyone (Such things) without saying: "We are only for trial; so do not blaspheme." They learned from them the means to sow discord between man and wife. But they could not thus harm anyone except by Allah's permission...}}


Yes
{{Quote|{{Quran|17|95}}|
Say, "If there were settled, on earth, angels walking about in peace and quiet, We should certainly have sent them down from the heavens an angel for a messenger."}}


{{Quote|{{Quran|15|65}}|
Only men from amongst a community
So travel with thy household in a portion of the night, and follow thou their backs. Let none of you turn round, but go whither ye are commanded. }}


===How many angels helped Muhammad at Badr?===
{{Quote|{{Quran|12|109}}|
Nor did We send before thee (as messengers) any but men, whom we did inspire,- (men) living in human habitations. Do they not travel through the earth, and see what was the end of those before them? But the home of the hereafter is best, for those who do right. Will ye not then understand? }}


Three thousand
Both angels and men


{{Quote|{{Quran|3|124}}|
{{Quote|{{Quran|22|75}}|
Remember thou saidst to the Faithful: "Is it not enough for you that Allah should help you with three thousand angels (Specially) sent down? }}
Allah chooses messengers from angels and from men for Allah is He Who hears and sees (all things). }}


One thousand
=== Was Iblīs an angel or a jinn? ===
While the following example might be considered to be an example of poor writing rather than an irreconcilable contradiction, it is worth noting as it is contradictory on a plain reading; which has caused confusion and led to differing opinions on whether Iblīs was an angel or a jinn in traditional Islamic scholarship.<ref>[https://www.britannica.com/topic/Iblis Iblis] | Islam | Britannica </ref>


{{Quote|{{Quran|8|9}}|
As Sinai 2023<ref>Sinai, Nicolai. Key Terms of the Qur'an: A Critical Dictionary (p. 453 - 457). Princeton University Press.</ref> notes, the Arabic phrase qulnā li-l-malāʾikati sjudū li-ādama fa-sajadū illā iblīsa (Q 2:34, 7:11, 17:61, 18:50, 20:116; see also 15:30–31 and 38:73–74) is naturally rendered, “We said to the angels, ‘Prostrate yourselves to Adam,’ and they prostrated themselves, except for Iblīs.” This reading would be in line, for instance, with the view of Jacob of Sarug, who unequivocally declares Satan to have been an angel (Mathews 2020, 88–89, l. 2515; see in more detail below).<ref>Ibid. pp. 455.</ref> (Hence this is seen in virtually all official English translations of the verses).
Remember ye implored the assistance of your Lord, and He answered you: "I will assist you with a thousand of the angels, ranks on ranks." }}
{{Quote|{{Quran|17|61}}|And when We said to the Angels, "Prostrate to Adam." So they prostrated except Iblis. He said, "Shall I prostrate to (one) whom You created (from) clay?"}}{{Quote|{{Quran|20|116}}|When We said to the angels, ‘Prostrate before Adam,’ they prostrated, but not Iblis: he refused.}}{{Quote|{{Quran|15|31-32}}|Thereat the angels prostrated, all of them together, but not Iblis: he refused to be among those who prostrated.}}


Some claim that one of these could refer to the battle of Uhud, but that was a defeat for the Muslims.
See also {{Quran|2|34}}, {{Quran|7|11}} and {{Quran|38|73-74}}.


Allah does not send angels near disbelievers
However, the Qur'an explicitly states that Iblīs was one of the jinn (straight after this in Q 18:50), distinguishing him from angels, who are described as a separate, species ({{Quran|34|40-41}}) that are totally obedient to God and not judged by him in the afterlife (unlike the jinn), but rather even carry out punishments {{Quran|66|6}} and hold his throne judgement day {{Quran|69|17}}. This distinction is supported by Q 38:76 and Q 7:12, where Iblīs refuses to prostrate to Adam, citing his creation from fire, in contrast to Adam's creation from clay. Additionally, premodern Muslim scholars noted that angels are always obedient to God, reinforcing the idea that Iblīs could not have been an angel.<ref>Ibid.</ref> This is the current mainstream view.<ref>[https://islamqa.info/en/answers/8976/was-iblis-an-angel Was Iblis an Angel?] IslamQA. 2000.</ref>
{{Quote|{{Quran|18|50}}|When We said to the angels, ‘Prostrate before Adam,’ they prostrated, but not Iblis. He was one of the jinn, so he transgressed against his Lord’s command. Will you then take him and his offspring for guardians in My stead, though they are your enemies? How evil a substitute for the wrongdoers!}}
He also notes that despite the considerable grammatical ingenuity displayed by later Muslim exegetes to make the prostration be exclusive of Iblīs (such as Al-Zamakhshari), the most straightforward and uncontrived reading of fa-sajadū illā iblīsa and its variants would surely be “they prostrated themselves, except for Iblīs,” including the implication that Iblīs was indeed one of the angels.<ref>Ibid. pp. 456.</ref>


{{Quote|{{Quran|15|8}}|
El-Zein 2017<ref>El-Zein, Amira. Islam, Arabs, and the Intelligent World of the Jinn (Contemporary Issues in the Middle East) (p. 43-46). Syracuse University Press.</ref> notes that seemingly based off this verse, various Islamic sources have conceived of Iblis as an angel, for example the Sufi scholar Ibn 'Arabi in one writing describes him as a four-winged angel, and the Sunni jurist Al-Damari claimed “Iblis was the chief of the angels of heaven and their ruler, as well as ruler over the earth. He was one of the most studious angels and the most knowledgeable. He ruled between heaven and earth. He took great pride and honor in it. But he became arrogant and haughty. He rebelled and was ungrateful to God who transformed him into a cursed devil, shaytan.”<ref>Ibid. pp. 44.</ref> The Mu‘tazilah school of theology and Islamic thought (8th–10th century) also tended to view Iblis as depicted in Qur’an 18:50 as an angel rather than a jinn.<ref>Ibid.</ref>
We send not down the angels save with the Fact, and in that case (the disbelievers) would not be tolerated. }}


To resolve the incoherence between the two interpretations on the nature of Iblis, Muslim scholarship came up with some ingenious ideas. Al-Tabari, for example, argued it is possible God created one part of his angels from light and another part from fire; Iblis possibly could belong to that group of angels who were created from the scorching winds.<ref>Ibid. pp. 46.</ref> Al-Baydawi (d. 1286), meanwhile, had a more plausible explanation. He argued Iblis, a jinni made out of fire, was carried off as a captive by the angels during one of the combats between jinn and angels that took place on Earth. Because Iblis was still a child, he grew up among angels. When God ordered the angels to bow before Adam, Iblis refused, and thus revealed his true jinni nature.<ref>Ibid.</ref>


Sinai 2023 notes a potential reason for this repeated seemingly contradictory statement. In the Qur'an, nine out of eleven mentions of Iblīs occur in the context of the angels prostrating to Adam, with Iblīs refusing (Q 2:34, 7:11, 17:61, 18:50, 20:116, 15:30–31, 38:73–74), or in the immediate divine address to Iblīs (Q 15:32, 38:75). The other two occurrences (Q 26:95, 34:20) refer to Iblīs’s followers and those who follow Iblīs, respectively. He suggests a more satisfactory resolution to the issue is therefore the formula "fa-sajadū illā iblīsa" might have originated from pre-Qur’anic Arab traditions on this story, where the formula fa-sajadū illā iblīsa reached the Qur’anic milieu as a set phrase that had been coined in prior Arabophone narrative traditions. This idea is supported by similar pre-Qur’anic narrative phrases in the Qur'an, like God blowing His spirit into Adam or Mary (e.g. Q 15:29, 21:91).<ref>Sinai, Nicolai. Key Terms of the Qur'an: A Critical Dictionary (pp. 453-454 & 456). Princeton University Press.  </ref>
==Creation==
==Creation==
===Which was created first; the Heaven or Earth?===
===Which was created first; the Heaven or Earth?===
Line 653: Line 624:
He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth. Then turned He to the heaven, and fashioned it as seven heavens. And He is knower of all things.}}
He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth. Then turned He to the heaven, and fashioned it as seven heavens. And He is knower of all things.}}


===How long did it take Allah to create heaven and earth?===
===How many days did it take Allah to create heaven and earth?===
 
Commentators interpreted the first two days as part of the first four in the 2nd quote. Quite a few other verses mention the creation of the Earth in six days, so this may well simply be a badly worded description rather than a contradiction in terms of the intended meaning.


6 days
6 days
Line 665: Line 638:
He placed therein firm hills rising above it, and blessed it and measured therein its sustenance in four Days, alike for (all) who ask;  
He placed therein firm hills rising above it, and blessed it and measured therein its sustenance in four Days, alike for (all) who ask;  
Then He ordained them seven heavens in two Days and inspired in each heaven its mandate; and We decked the nether heaven with lamps, and rendered it inviolable. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Knower}}
Then He ordained them seven heavens in two Days and inspired in each heaven its mandate; and We decked the nether heaven with lamps, and rendered it inviolable. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Knower}}
===What was the first man created from?===
Dust
{{Quote|{{Quran|3|59}}|The similitude of Jesus before Allah is as that of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him: "Be". And he was.}}
Nothing
{{Quote|{{Quran|19|67}}|But does not man call to mind that We created him before out of nothing?}}
Clay
{{Quote|{{Quran|15|26}}|We created man from sounding clay, from mud moulded into shape;}}


===How long does it take Allah to create?===
===How long does it take Allah to create?===
Line 694: Line 652:


==Day of Judgement (''Qiyamah'')==
==Day of Judgement (''Qiyamah'')==
===How long will the unbelievers think they remained on Earth?===
===Will disbelievers speak on ''Qiyamah''?===


An afternoon or morning
No


{{Quote|{{Quran|79|46}}|It will be, on the Day they see it, as though they had not remained [in the world] except for an afternoon or a morning thereof.}}
{{Quote|{{Quran|27|85}}|
And the Word will be fulfilled against them, because of their wrong-doing, and they will be unable to speak}}


An hour
No


{{Quote|{{Quran-range|30|55|56}}|And the Day the Hour appears the criminals will swear they had remained but an hour. Thus they were deluded. But those who were given knowledge and faith will say, "You remained the extent of Allah 's decree until the Day of Resurrection, and this is the Day of Resurrection, but you did not used to know."}}
{{Quote|{{Quran-range|77|34|38}}|Woe, that Day, to the deniers. This is a Day they will not speak, Nor will it be permitted for them to make an excuse. Woe, that Day, to the deniers. This is the Day of Judgement; We will have assembled you and the former peoples.}}


Ten days
Not willingly, their body parts will speak the truth


{{Quote|{{Quran-range|20|102|104}}|The Day the Horn will be blown. And We will gather the criminals, that Day, blue-eyed. They will murmur among themselves, "You remained not but ten [days in the world]." We are most knowing of what they say when the best of them in manner will say, "You remained not but one day."}}
{{Quote|{{Quran|36|65}}|
 
That Day shall We set a seal on their mouths. But their hands will speak to us, and their feet bear witness, to all that they did. }}
A day or part of a day


{{Quote|{{Quran-range|23|112|114}}|[Allah] will say, "How long did you remain on earth in number of years?" They will say, "We remained a day or part of a day; ask those who enumerate." He will say, "You stayed not but a little - if only you had known.}}
Yes, and they can speak lies. Various verses describe dialogue taking place between disbelievers and believers or Allah or angels on the day of resurrection. For example:


===What happens to mountains on ''Qiyamah''?===
{{Quote|{{Quran-range|6|22|24}}|And [mention, O Muhammad], the Day We will gather them all together; then We will say to those who associated others with Allah, "Where are your 'partners' that you used to claim [with Him]?" Then there will be no [excuse upon] examination except they will say, "By Allah, our Lord, we were not those who associated." See how they will lie about themselves. And lost from them will be what they used to invent.}}


Become like wool
{{Quote|{{Quran-range|37|20|28}}|They will say, "O woe to us! This is the Day of Recompense." [They will be told], "This is the Day of Judgement which you used to deny." [The angels will be ordered], "Gather those who committed wrong, their kinds, and what they used to worship Other than Allah, and guide them to the path of Hellfire And stop them; indeed, they are to be questioned." [They will be asked], "What is [wrong] with you? Why do you not help each other?" But they, that Day, are in surrender. And they will approach one another blaming each other. They will say, "Indeed, you used to come at us from the right."}}


{{Quote|{{Quran|70|9}}|
===Will the disbelievers be blind on the day of resurrection?===
And the mountains will be like wool}}


They will disappear
Yes
 
{{Quote|{{Quran|78|20}}|
And the mountains are removed and will be [but] a mirage.}}
 
They will be lifted and levelled
 
{{Quote|{{Quran|69|14}}|And the earth and the mountains are lifted and leveled with one blow}}


===Will disbelievers speak on ''Qiyamah''?===
{{Quote|{{Quran-range|20|124|125}}|And whoever turns away from My remembrance - indeed, he will have a depressed life, and We will gather him on the Day of Resurrection blind." He will say, "My Lord, why have you raised me blind while I was [once] seeing?"}}


No
No


{{Quote|{{Quran|27|85}}|
{{Quote|{{Quran|16|76}}|And when those who associated others with Allah see their "partners," they will say," Our Lord, these are our partners [to You] whom we used to invoke besides You." But they will throw at them the statement, "Indeed, you are liars."}}
And the Word will be fulfilled against them, because of their wrong-doing, and they will be unable to speak}}


No
{{Quote|{{Quran-range|37|16|20}}|When we have died and become dust and bones, are we indeed to be resurrected? And our forefathers [as well]?" Say, "Yes, and you will be [rendered] contemptible." It will be only one shout, and at once they will be observing. They will say, "O woe to us! This is the Day of Recompense."}}


{{Quote|{{Quran-range|77|34-38}}|Woe, that Day, to the deniers. This is a Day they will not speak, Nor will it be permitted for them to make an excuse. Woe, that Day, to the deniers. This is the Day of Judgement; We will have assembled you and the former peoples.}}
===How long will the unbelievers think they remained on Earth?===


Not willingly
An afternoon or morning


{{Quote|{{Quran|36|65}}|
{{Quote|{{Quran|79|46}}|It will be, on the Day they see it, as though they had not remained [in the world] except for an afternoon or a morning thereof.}}
That Day shall We set a seal on their mouths. But their hands will speak to us, and their feet bear witness, to all that they did. }}


Yes. Other verses describe dialogue taking place between disbelievers and believers or angels on the day of resurrection. For example:
An hour


{{Quote|{{Quran-range|37|20|28}}|They will say, "O woe to us! This is the Day of Recompense." [They will be told], "This is the Day of Judgement which you used to deny." [The angels will be ordered], "Gather those who committed wrong, their kinds, and what they used to worship Other than Allah, and guide them to the path of Hellfire And stop them; indeed, they are to be questioned." [They will be asked], "What is [wrong] with you? Why do you not help each other?" But they, that Day, are in surrender. And they will approach one another blaming each other. They will say, "Indeed, you used to come at us from the right."}}
{{Quote|{{Quran-range|30|55|56}}|And the Day the Hour appears the criminals will swear they had remained but an hour. Thus they were deluded. But those who were given knowledge and faith will say, "You remained the extent of Allah 's decree until the Day of Resurrection, and this is the Day of Resurrection, but you did not used to know."}}


===Where do disbelievers receive their record book on Judgment day?===
Ten days


On their back
{{Quote|{{Quran-range|20|102|104}}|The Day the Horn will be blown. And We will gather the criminals, that Day, blue-eyed. They will murmur among themselves, "You remained not but ten [days in the world]." We are most knowing of what they say when the best of them in manner will say, "You remained not but one day."}}


{{Quote|{{Quran-range|84|7|12}}|
A day or part of a day
Then as for he who is given his record in his right hand, He will be judged with an easy account And return to his people in happiness. But as for he who is given his record behind his back, He will cry out for destruction And [enter to] burn in a Blaze.}}


On the left hand
{{Quote|{{Quran-range|23|112|114}}|[Allah] will say, "How long did you remain on earth in number of years?" They will say, "We remained a day or part of a day; ask those who enumerate." He will say, "You stayed not but a little - if only you had known.}}


{{Quote|{{Quran|69|25}}|
=== How many blowings of the trumpet on Qiyamah ===
And he that will be given his Record in his left hand, will say: "Ah! Would that my Record had not been given to me! }}
A single one.
{{Quote|{{Quran|69|13-15}}|When the <b>Trumpet is blown with a single blast</b>
and the earth and the mountains are lifted and levelled with a single levelling,
then, on that day, will the Imminent [Hour] befall}}
Two.
{{Quote|{{Quran|79|6-9}}|<b>On the day when the first trump resoundeth.
There will follow it the subsequent [one].</b>
Hearts, that Day, will tremble,
Their eyes humbled.}}


==Evil==
==Evil==
===Does evil come from Allah?===
===Does evil come from Allah?===


Line 776: Line 730:


==Heaven and Hell==
==Heaven and Hell==
 
===Is intercession possible on the last day?===
===When do people come back to life?===
 
On the appointed Hour (Day of Judgement)
 
{{Quote|{{Quran|22|7}}|
And verily the Hour will come: there can be no doubt about it, or about (the fact) that Allah will raise up all who are in the graves. }}
 
Immediately after their death
 
{{Quote|{{Quran|3|169}}|
Think not of those, who are slain in the way of Allah, as dead. Nay, they are living. With their Lord they have provision. }}
 
===Is there a fate other than Heaven or Hell?===
 
No
 
{{Quote|{{Quran|47|12}}|
Verily Allah will admit those who believe and do righteous deeds, to Gardens beneath which rivers flow; while those who reject Allah will enjoy (this world) and eat as cattle eat; and the Fire will be their abode. }}
 
Yes, there exists purgatory too
 
{{Quote|{{Quran|7|46}}|
Between them is a veil. And on the Heights are men who know them all by their marks. And they call unto the dwellers of the Garden: Peace be unto you! They enter it not although they hope (to enter).}}
 
===Is intercession possible?===


No
No
Line 819: Line 748:


Yes
Yes
{{Quote|{{Quran|10|3}}|
Verily your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and is firmly established on the throne (of authority), regulating and governing all things. No intercessor (can plead with Him) except after His leave (hath been obtained). This is Allah your Lord; Him therefore serve ye: will ye not receive admonition}}


===Will non-Muslims go to hell forever?===
===Will non-Muslims go to hell forever?===
Line 868: Line 794:
==Mankind==
==Mankind==
===Could someone bear another's burden?===
===Could someone bear another's burden?===
In some verses the Quran states that no person will bear the sins of another. Academic scholar Gabriel Said Reynolds notes that the Quranic story of Cain and Abel contradicts the maxim. Abel states in {{Quran|5|29}} "Indeed I want you to obtain [thereby] my sin and your sin so you will be among the companions of the Fire." (though Ibn Kathir has a report that some companions said this refers rather to Cain's sin of murdering him and to Cain's previous sins). Regarding this type of contradiction, Reynolds cites such verses as 4:111, 6:164, 17:13-15, 20:12, 39:7, 53:38-42 where each person bears only their own sin, compared to 5:29, 16:25, and 20:13 where someone will bear another's sin.<ref>Gabriel Said Reynolds (2018) ''The Qurʾān and Bible: Text and Commentary'' p. 198</ref> Here are some of those verses and similar examples:


No
No
Line 906: Line 834:
Yes
Yes


{{Quote|{{Quran|29|13}}|They will bear their own burdens, and (other) burdens along with their own, and on the Day of Judgments they will be called to account for their falsehoods.}}
{{Quote|{{Quran|29|13}}|They will bear their own burdens, and (other) burdens along with their own, and on the Day of Judgments they will be called to account for their falsehoods.}}Yes; this verse tells contemporary Jews that they will not get their wanted miracle from Muhammad because past Jews killed prophets that performed miracles.<ref>''[https://quranx.com/Tafsir/Jalal/3.183 Tafsir Al-Jalalayn on verse 3:183.]'' Al-Jalalayn / Al-Mahalli and as-Suyuti. Published 1505CE.</ref>
{{Quote|{{Quran|3|183-184}}|Tell those who say, ‘Allah has pledged us not to believe in any apostle unless he brings us an offering consumed by fire,’ ‘Apostles before me certainly did bring you manifest signs and what you speak of. Then why did you kill them, if you are truthful?’ But if they deny you, [other] apostles have been denied before you, who came with manifest signs, holy writs, and an illuminating scripture.}}


===Who takes people's souls?===
===Who takes people's souls?===
Line 926: Line 855:


==Muslims==
==Muslims==
===Who was the first Muslim?===
===Who was the first Muslim (submitter)?===
To be clear, the meaning of "Muslim" in all such verses is "submitter" in its essential sense of monotheistic worship and obedience rather than Muslim in the sense of the distinctly Islamic religion.
 
Muhammad
(after the word "first" in these verses, some translations add [among you] in square brackets, which is a commentary not present in the Arabic)


Muhammad (the square brackets is a commentary not present in the Arabic)
{{Quote|{{Quran-range|39|11|12}}|Say (O Muhammad): Lo! I am commanded to worship Allah, making religion pure for Him (only). And I am commanded to be the first of those who are muslims (surrender unto Him).}}


{{Quote|{{Quran|6|163}}|No partner has He. And this I have been commanded, and I am the first [among you] of the Muslims."}}
{{Quote|{{Quran|6|14}}|Say: Shall I choose for a protecting friend other than Allah, the Originator of the heavens and the earth, Who feedeth and is never fed? Say: I am ordered to be the first to surrender (unto Him). And be not thou (O Muhammad) of the idolaters.}}
 
{{Quote|{{Quran|6|163}}|He hath no partner. This am I commanded, and I am first of those who surrender (unto Him).}}


Noah
Noah
Line 943: Line 878:


{{Quote|{{Quran|22|78}}|And strive for Allah with the striving due to Him. He has chosen you and has not placed upon you in the religion any difficulty. [It is] the religion of your father, Abraham. Allah named you "Muslims" before [in former scriptures] and in this [revelation] that the Messenger may be a witness over you and you may be witnesses over the people. So establish prayer and give zakah and hold fast to Allah. He is your protector; and excellent is the protector, and excellent is the helper.}}
{{Quote|{{Quran|22|78}}|And strive for Allah with the striving due to Him. He has chosen you and has not placed upon you in the religion any difficulty. [It is] the religion of your father, Abraham. Allah named you "Muslims" before [in former scriptures] and in this [revelation] that the Messenger may be a witness over you and you may be witnesses over the people. So establish prayer and give zakah and hold fast to Allah. He is your protector; and excellent is the protector, and excellent is the helper.}}
The disciples of Jesus
{{Quote|{{Quran|5|111}}|And when I inspired the disciples, (saying): Believe in Me and in My messenger, they said: We believe. Bear witness that we have surrendered (unto Thee) "we are muslims"}}


===How strong is a believer?===
===How strong is a believer?===


One Muslim is more powerful than 10 non-Muslims
20 Muslims can overcome 200 disbelievers


{{Quote|{{Quran|8|65}}|
{{Quote|{{Quran|8|65}}|
If there be of you twenty steadfast they shall overcome two hundred, and if there be of you a hundred (steadfast) they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve }}
If there be of you twenty steadfast they shall overcome two hundred, and if there be of you a hundred (steadfast) they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve }}


One Muslim can overcome two non-Muslims
100 Muslims can overcome 200 disbelievers


{{Quote|{{Quran|8|66}}|So if there be of you a steadfast hundred they shall overcome two hundred, and if there be of you a thousand (steadfast) they shall overcome two thousand by permission of Allah. }}
{{Quote|{{Quran|8|66}}|So if there be of you a steadfast hundred they shall overcome two hundred, and if there be of you a thousand (steadfast) they shall overcome two thousand by permission of Allah. }}
Line 957: Line 896:
===Can you eat non-halal meat?===
===Can you eat non-halal meat?===


Yes
Yes, Christian and Jewish food may be eaten


{{Quote|{{Quran|5|5}}|
{{Quote|{{Quran|5|5}}|
Line 967: Line 906:
So eat of (meats) on which Allah's name hath been pronounced, if ye have faith in His signs. }}
So eat of (meats) on which Allah's name hath been pronounced, if ye have faith in His signs. }}


===Is drinking alcohol okay?===
===How bad is drinking wine?===


Yes
These verses are traditionally explained as gradual abrogation, while critics see a contradiction as a result of the author changing his mind over time.
 
{{Quote|{{Quran-range|83|22|26}}|Indeed, the righteous (will be) surely in bliss, On thrones observing. You will recognize in their faces (the) radiance (of) bliss. They will be given to drink of a pure wine sealed, Its seal (will be of) musk. And for that let aspire the aspirers.}}
 
Paradise has rivers of Alcohol
 
{{Quote|{{Quran|47|15}}|A parable (of) Paradise which is promised (to) the righteous. Therein (are) rivers of water not polluted, and rivers of milk not changes its taste, and rivers of wine delicious for (the) drinkers, and rivers of honey purified, and for them therein of all fruits and forgiveness from their Lord like he who (will) abide forever in the Fire and they will be given to drink water boiling so it cuts into pieces their intestines.}}


Yes
It is a wholesome drink (though not necessarily fermented in this verse)


{{Quote|{{Quran|16|67}}|
{{Quote|{{Quran|16|67}}|
And from the fruit of the date-palm and the vine, ye get out wholesome drink and food: behold, in this also is a sign for those who are wise}}
And from the fruit of the date-palm and the vine, ye get out wholesome drink and food: behold, in this also is a sign for those who are wise}}


Yes, as long as you're not praying
No prohibition on getting drunk as long as you're not praying


{{Quote|{{Quran|4|43}}|
{{Quote|{{Quran|4|43}}|
O ye who believe! Draw not near unto prayer when ye are drunken, till ye know that which ye utter, nor when ye are polluted, save when journeying upon the road, till ye have bathed. And if ye be ill, or on a journey, or one of you cometh from the closet, or ye have touched women, and ye find not water, then go to high clean soil and rub your faces and your hands (therewith). Lo! Allah is Benign, Forgiving. }}
O ye who believe! Draw not near unto prayer when ye are drunken, till ye know that which ye utter, nor when ye are polluted, save when journeying upon the road, till ye have bathed. And if ye be ill, or on a journey, or one of you cometh from the closet, or ye have touched women, and ye find not water, then go to high clean soil and rub your faces and your hands (therewith). Lo! Allah is Benign, Forgiving. }}


No, it is bad
It is Satan's handiwork, leave it aside


{{Quote|{{Quran|5|90}}|
{{Quote|{{Quran|5|90}}|
O ye who believe! Strong drink and games of chance and idols and divining arrows are only an infamy of Satan's handiwork. Leave it aside in order that ye may succeed. }}
O ye who believe! Strong drink and games of chance and idols and divining arrows are only an infamy of Satan's handiwork. Leave it aside in order that ye may succeed. }}


No, it is a severe sin
It is a severe sin


{{Quote|{{Quran|2|219}}|
{{Quote|{{Quran|2|219}}|
They question thee about strong drink and games of chance. Say: In both is great sin, and (some) utility for men; but the sin of them is greater than their usefulness. And they ask thee what they ought to spend. Say: that which is superfluous. Thus Allah maketh plain to you (His) revelations, that haply ye may reflect}}
They question thee about strong drink and games of chance. Say: In both is great sin, and (some) utility for men; but the sin of them is greater than their usefulness. And they ask thee what they ought to spend. Say: that which is superfluous. Thus Allah maketh plain to you (His) revelations, that haply ye may reflect}}
No, Alcohol is from Satan
{{Quote|{{Quran|5|90}}|
O you who believe! Strong drink and games of chance and idols and divine arrows are only an infamy of Satan's handiwork. Leave it aside that you may succeed}}


===How many sacred months are there?===
===How many sacred months are there?===
Line 1,027: Line 955:
Unto you your religion and unto me my religion  }}
Unto you your religion and unto me my religion  }}


Yes
Yes, the treaty-breakers must die unless they convert or individually seek refuge


{{Quote|{{Quran|9|5}}|And when the sacred months have passed, then kill the polytheists wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and sit in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they should repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, let them [go] on their way. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.}}
{{Quote|{{Quran|9|5}}|And when the sacred months have passed, then kill the polytheists wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and sit in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they should repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, let them [go] on their way. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.}}


Yes, unless the disbelievers pay you.
Yes, certain Christians and Jews who will not believe must be fought until they pay the jizyah


{{Quote|{{Quran|9|29}}|Fight those who (do) not believe in Allah and not in the Day the Last, and not they make unlawful what Allah has made unlawful and His Messenger, and not they acknowledge (the) religion (of) the truth, from those who were given the Scripture, until they pay the jizyah willingly, while they (are) subdued.}}
{{Quote|{{Quran|9|29}}|Fight those who (do) not believe in Allah and not in the Day the Last, and not they make unlawful what Allah has made unlawful and His Messenger, and not they acknowledge (the) religion (of) the truth, from those who were given the Scripture, until they pay the jizyah willingly, while they (are) subdued.}}
Line 1,094: Line 1,022:
It was not Allah who wronged them, but they wronged their own souls }}
It was not Allah who wronged them, but they wronged their own souls }}


===For whom is salvation?===
===How should disbelievers be treated?===
 
For all pious theists
 
{{Quote|{{Quran|5|69}}|
Those who believe (in the Qur'an), those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Sabians and the Christians,- any who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and work righteousness,- on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. }}
 
For all pious theists
 
{{Quote|{{Quran|2|62}}|
Verily! Those who believe and those who are Jews and Christians, and Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and do righteous good deeds shall have their reward with their Lord, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. }}
 
For Muslims only
 
{{Quote|{{Quran|3|85}}|
If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to Allah), never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter He will be in the ranks of those who have lost (All spiritual good). }}
 
For Muslims only
 
{{Quote|{{Quran|3|19}}|
Truly, the religion with Allah is Islam. Those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) did not differ except, out of mutual jealousy, after knowledge had come to them. And whoever disbelieves in the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allah, then surely, Allah is Swift in calling to account.. }}
 
===How should unbelievers be treated?===


Kindly
Kindly
Line 1,131: Line 1,037:


{{Quote|{{Quran|9|29}}|
{{Quote|{{Quran|9|29}}|
Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued. }}
Fight those who (do) not believe in Allah and not in the Day the Last, and not they make unlawful what Allah has made unlawful and His Messenger, and not they acknowledge (the) religion (of) the truth, from those who were given the Scripture, until they pay the jizyah willingly, while they (are) subdued.}}


===How to deal with an infidel in the family?===
=== Are Jews God's chosen people? ===
Yes - the idea of favouring one people over another for seemingly no apparent reason is strange and contradictory to begin with for a universal God. However this contradiction would have to be incorporated by a man claiming the former National Israelite God Yahweh (which initially had no relation to non-Israelites)<ref>This gradual change of an Israelite religion to a universal one is commonly accepted among historians, see: [https://www.britannica.com/topic/Yahweh Britannica Yahweh Entry] | Britannica


Be kind
To see an overview of the scholarly discussion of the history of Yahweh and the consensus, see e.g. Heath D. Dewrell's review of: ''Yahweh before Israel: Glimpses of History in a Divine Name''. By Daniel E. Fleming. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2020. Pp. xviii + 320 + 15 figures.


{{Quote|{{Quran|31|15}}|
https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/721377
And if they contend with you that you should associate with Me what you have no knowledge of, do not obey them, and keep company with them in this world kindly, and follow the way of him who turns to Me, then to Me is your return, then will I inform you of what you did }}


Abandon them
And Lewis, Theodore J., 'The Origin of Yahweh', ''[https://academic.oup.com/book/37440/chapter-abstract/331575152?redirectedFrom=fulltext The Origin and Character of God: Ancient Israelite Religion through the Lens of Divinity]'' (New York, 2020; online edn, Oxford Academic, 20 Aug. 2020), <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190072544.003.0006</nowiki>, accessed 14 June 2024.
 
</ref> was universal, or at least related and relevant to the Arabs of his time.
{{Quote|{{Quran|9|23}}|
{{Quote|{{Quran|2|47}}|“O Children of Israel! Remember my favour which I bestowed upon you, and that I favoured you over all other peoples.”}}{{Quote|{{Quran|2|122}}|Children of Israel, remember My blessing wherewith I blessed you, and that I have preferred you above all beings;}}
O ye who believe! Choose not your fathers nor your brethren for friends if they take pleasure in disbelief rather than faith. Whoso of you taketh them for friends, such are wrong-doers. }}
No, they are just like everyone else
{{Quote|{{Quran|62|6}}|“Say: ‘Oh, you who are Jews! If you claim that you are favoured of Allah to the exclusion of mankind, then long for death, if you are truthful.”}}


==People of the Book==
==People of the Book==
===How are Christians towards the believers?===
They are allies of the Jews, do not take them as allies


===Should Muslims have Christians for friends?===
{{Quote|{{Quran|5|51}}|
O you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are [in fact] allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you - then indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed, Allah guides not the wrongdoing people.}}


Yes
Christians are nearest in love to the believers


{{Quote|{{Quran|5|82}}|
{{Quote|{{Quran|5|82}}|
Strongest among men in enmity to the believers wilt thou find the Jews and Pagans; and nearest among them in love to the believers wilt thou find those who say, "We are Christians": because amongst these are men devoted to learning and men who have renounced the world, and they are not arrogant. }}
Strongest among men in enmity to the believers wilt thou find the Jews and Pagans; and nearest among them in love to the believers wilt thou find those who say, "We are Christians": because amongst these are men devoted to learning and men who have renounced the world, and they are not arrogant. }}


Yes
Christians have hearts of compassion and mercy


{{Quote|{{Quran|57|27}}|
{{Quote|{{Quran|57|27}}|
We sent after them Jesus the son of Mary, and bestowed on him the Gospel; and we ordained in the hearts of those who followed him compassion and mercy. }}
We sent after them Jesus the son of Mary, and bestowed on him the Gospel; and we ordained in the hearts of those who followed him compassion and mercy. }}
No
{{Quote|{{Quran|5|51}}|
O ye who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians for friends. They are friends one to another. He among you who taketh them for friends is (one) of them. Lo! Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk. }}
===Will Jews and Christians be saved from hell?===
Yes
{{Quote|{{Quran|2|62}}|Those who believe (in the Qur'an), and those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Christians and the Sabians,- any who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and work righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.}}
Yes
{{Quote|{{Quran|5|69}}|Those who believe (in the Qur'an), those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Sabians and the Christians,- any who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and work righteousness,- on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.}}
No
{{Quote| {{Quran|3|19}} | 
Truly, the religion with Allah is Islam. Those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) did not differ except, out of mutual jealousy, after knowledge had come to them. And whoever disbelieves in the Ayah (proofs, evidences, verses, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allah, then surely, Allah is Swift in calling to account.}}
No
{{Quote|{{Quran|3|85}}|If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to Allah), never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (All spiritual good).}}
==Prophets==
===Who does Allah send as prophets?===
Only men from amongst a community
{{Quote|{{Quran|12|109}}|
Nor did We send before thee (as messengers) any but men, whom we did inspire,- (men) living in human habitations. Do they not travel through the earth, and see what was the end of those before them? But the home of the hereafter is best, for those who do right. Will ye not then understand? }}
Also angels
{{Quote|{{Quran|22|75}}|
Allah chooses messengers from angels and from men for Allah is He Who hears and sees (all things). }}
Also a beast
{{Quote|{{Quran|27|82}}|
And when the Word is fulfilled against them (the unjust), we shall produce from the earth a beast to (face) them: He will speak to them, for that mankind did not believe with assurance in Our Signs}}
Entire tribes
{{Quote|{{Quran|4|163}}|We have sent thee inspiration, as We sent it to Noah and the Messengers after him: we sent inspiration to Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob and the tribes, to Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and solomon, and to David We gave the Psalms}}
===Are all Islamic prophets equal?===
Yes
{{Quote|{{Quran|2|285}}|
The Messenger believeth in what hath been revealed to him from his Lord, as do the men of faith. Each one (of them) believeth in Allah, His angels, His books, and His messengers. We make no distinction between any of His messengers. And they say: "We hear, and we obey: (We seek) Thy forgiveness, our Lord, and to Thee is the end of all journeys." }}
No
{{Quote|{{Quran|2|253}}|
Those messengers We endowed with gifts, some above others: To one of them Allah spoke; others He raised to degrees (of honour); to Jesus the son of Mary We gave clear (Signs), and strengthened him with the holy spirit. If Allah had so willed, succeeding generations would not have fought among each other, after clear (Signs) had come to them, but they (chose) to wrangle, some believing and others rejecting. If Allah had so willed, they would not have fought each other; but Allah Fulfilleth His plan. }}


==Sex==
==Sex==
Line 1,285: Line 1,134:
He it is Who has sent down to thee the Book: In it are verses basic or fundamental (of established meaning); they are the foundation of the Book: others are allegorical. But those in whose hearts is perversity follow the part thereof that is allegorical, seeking discord, and searching for its hidden meanings, but no one knows its hidden meanings except Allah. And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say: "We believe in the Book; the whole of it is from our Lord:" and none will grasp the Message except men of understanding. }}
He it is Who has sent down to thee the Book: In it are verses basic or fundamental (of established meaning); they are the foundation of the Book: others are allegorical. But those in whose hearts is perversity follow the part thereof that is allegorical, seeking discord, and searching for its hidden meanings, but no one knows its hidden meanings except Allah. And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say: "We believe in the Book; the whole of it is from our Lord:" and none will grasp the Message except men of understanding. }}


No, letters such as those at the start have an incomprehensible meaning
No, letters such as these at the start of some surahs have an incomprehensible meaning


{{Quote|{{Quran|2|1}}|
{{Quote|{{Quran|2|1}}|
Alif. Lam. Mim. }}
Alif. Lam. Mim. }}


== Quran Variants ==
{{Main|Textual History of the Qur'an}}
Among contradictions in narrative, meaning and instructions for the majority use Hafs Qur'an used today, we also find another type of Qur'anic contradiction; contradictions between different accepted versions of the Qur'an, furthering these issues. There are too many to list on this page, but some are discussed in the [[:en:Textual_History_of_the_Qur'an|main article]], with many more listed for those exploring further can be found on the [https://quranvariants.wordpress.com/ Quran Variants] website, for example '[https://quranvariants.wordpress.com/dialogue-quran-variants/ ''Dialogue variants in the canonical Qira’at readings of the Quran'']', '''[https://quranvariants.wordpress.com/superfluous-quran-variants/ Superfluous variants in the readings of the Quran]''<nowiki/>' and further resources listed [https://quranvariants.wordpress.com/resources/ here].


==Miscellaneous==
==Miscellaneous==
===How long does it take to wean?===
===How long does it take to wean?===


30 months (perhaps including 9 months pregnancy)
30 months (perhaps including 9 months pregnancy)
Line 1,303: Line 1,155:
{{Quote|{{Quran|31|14}}|
{{Quote|{{Quran|31|14}}|
And We have enjoined upon man concerning his partners - His mother beareth him in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years - Give thanks unto Me and unto thy parents. Unto Me is the journeying}}
And We have enjoined upon man concerning his partners - His mother beareth him in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years - Give thanks unto Me and unto thy parents. Unto Me is the journeying}}
Gabriel Said Reynolds notes that the idea of two years of suckling comes from the Babylonian Talmud Ketubbot 60a.<ref>Gabriel Said Reynolds (2018) ''The Qurʾān and Bible: Text and Commentary'' p. 92</ref>
===The moon was split===
''Main article: [[Muhammads Miracles#Moon Splitting Miracle|Moon splitting miracle]]''
The Qur'an (according to a common interpretation) and a hadith tradition claim that the moon was miraculously split into two pieces and then, presumably, put back together again.
{{Quote|{{Quran-range|54|1|2}}|1. The hour drew nigh and the moon did rend asunder.
2. Yet if they see a sign they turn away, and they say 'A continuous sorcery!'}}
Yet we are told Muhammad cannot produce a sign (in the form of a miracle), but only warn people with the message, in verses such as:
{{Quote|{{Quran|13|7}}|The unbelievers say, "Why has God not sent him, (Muhammad), some miracles." (Muhammad), you are only a warner. For every nation there is a guide.}}
{{Quote|{{Quran|6:109}}|They swear their strongest oaths by Allah, that if a (special) sign came to them, by it they would believe. Say: "Certainly (all) signs are in the power of Allah: but what will make you (Muslims) realise that (even) if (special) signs came, they will not believe."?}}
{{Quote|{{Quran|11|12}}|Perhaps you, (Muhammad), may by chance leave (untold) a part of that which is revealed to you and feel grieved because they say, "Why has some treasure not been sent to him or an angel sent down with him?" Say, "I have come only to warn you." God is the Guardian of all things.}}{{Quote|{{Quran|10|20}}|They (unbelievers) say, “Why has his Lord not given him some miracles to (support his claim of being His Messenger)?” Say “(The knowledge) of the unseen certainly belongs to God. Wait and I too shall be waiting with you}}{{Quote|{{Quran|21|9}}|But they said, ‘[They are] muddled dreams!’ ‘Indeed, he has fabricated it!’ ‘Indeed, he is a poet!’ ‘Let him bring us a sign, like those sent to the former generations.’}}


===What are the shares in an inheritance?===
===What are the shares in an inheritance?===
Line 1,308: Line 1,173:
As is much discussed in some detail on external websites, the Quranic inheritance laws can in many situations result in the total shares being greater than 100 percent. This was so problematic that the 'awl system had to be created after Muhammad's death to work around the issue.
As is much discussed in some detail on external websites, the Quranic inheritance laws can in many situations result in the total shares being greater than 100 percent. This was so problematic that the 'awl system had to be created after Muhammad's death to work around the issue.


{{Quote|{{Quran-range|4|11|12}}|Allah chargeth you concerning (the provision for) your children: to the male the equivalent of the portion of two females, and if there be women more than two, then theirs is two-thirds of the inheritance, and if there be one (only) then the half. And to each of his parents a sixth of the inheritance, if he have a son; and if he have no son and his parents are his heirs, then to his mother appertaineth the third; and if he have brethren, then to his mother appertaineth the sixth, after any legacy he may have bequeathed, or debt (hath been paid). Your parents and your children: Ye know not which of them is nearer unto you in usefulness. It is an injunction from Allah. Lo! Allah is Knower, Wise.
{{Quote|{{Quran-range|4|11|12}}|Allah instructs you concerning your children: for the male, what is equal to the share of two females. But if there are [only] daughters, two or more, for them is two thirds of one's estate. And if there is only one, for her is half. And for one's parents, to each one of them is a sixth of his estate if he left children. But if he had no children and the parents [alone] inherit from him, then for his mother is one third. And if he had brothers [or sisters], for his mother is a sixth, after any bequest he [may have] made or debt. Your parents or your children - you know not which of them are nearest to you in benefit. [These shares are] an obligation [imposed] by Allah. Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Wise.
<br>
<br />
And unto you belongeth a half of that which your wives leave, if they have no child; but if they have a child then unto you the fourth of that which they leave, after any legacy they may have bequeathed, or debt (they may have contracted, hath been paid). And unto them belongeth the fourth of that which ye leave if ye have no child, but if ye have a child then the eighth of that which ye leave, after any legacy ye may have bequeathed, or debt (ye may have contracted, hath been paid). And if a man or a woman have a distant heir (having left neither parent nor child), and he (or she) have a brother or a sister (only on the mother's side) then to each of them twain (the brother and the sister) the sixth, and if they be more than two, then they shall be sharers in the third, after any legacy that may have been bequeathed or debt (contracted) not injuring (the heirs by willing away more than a third of the heritage) hath been paid. A commandment from Allah. Allah is Knower, Indulgent.}}
And for you is half of what your wives leave if they have no child. But if they have a child, for you is one fourth of what they leave, after any bequest they [may have] made or debt. And for the wives is one fourth if you leave no child. But if you leave a child, then for them is an eighth of what you leave, after any bequest you [may have] made or debt. '''And if a man or woman leaves neither ascendants nor descendants but has a brother or a sister''', then for each one of them is a sixth. But if they are more than two, they share a third, after any bequest which was made or debt, as long as there is no detriment [caused]. [This is] an ordinance from Allah, and Allah is Knowing and Forbearing.}}
 
{{Quote|{{Quran|4|176}}|They request from you a [legal] ruling. '''Say, "Allah gives you a ruling concerning one having neither descendants nor ascendants [as heirs]."''' If a man dies, leaving no child but [only] a sister, she will have half of what he left. And he inherits from her if she [dies and] has no child. But if there are two sisters [or more], they will have two-thirds of what he left. If there are both brothers and sisters, the male will have the share of two females. Allah makes clear to you [His law], lest you go astray. And Allah is Knowing of all things.}}
 
As well as the above mentioned issue (and the many scenarios for which the Quran provides no answer at all), there are various contradictions concerning the shares of brothers and sisters. Inheritance shares are stipulated for siblings only when the deceased has no surviving parents or children, but contradictory instructions occur in the two verses where this situation is addressed, {{Quran-range|4|11|12}} and {{Quran|4|176}} (incidentally, the latter verse is oddly appended to the very end of surah al-Nisa). Both these verses set rules for the estate of someone who has "neither ascendants nor descendants" (kalālatan, l-kalālati). In a book dedicated to the exegetical history of this word, Pavel Pavlovitch has established that its original meaning was lost by the last quarter of the first century, with early figures admitting their inability to understand the word, as further evidenced by various narrations and interpretations generated during and after that period. Generally, jurists inferred it to mean a person who dies without a child, nor, it was ultimately decided, surviving parents. A later proposal in the mid 2nd century was that the word instead meant the non-parent or child relatives of the deceased, and that it is the direct object of the preceding verb in verse 12.<ref>See Chapter 6 Summary and Conclusion in Pavel Pavlovitch, 2016, "The Formation of the Islamic Understanding of Kalāla in the Second Century AH (718–816 CE)", Leiden: Brill</ref> Either way, the inheritance shares for siblings of a childless deceased person in verse 176 are incompatible with the shares that siblings can receive in verse 12.
 
- According to verse 12, a brother or sister would each receive a sixth share, but verse 176 says that a brother will have double the share of a sister.<br />
- According to verse 12, multiple siblings will split a third share between them (a sixth each or less), but verse 176 says two sisters will split a two-thirds share.<br />
- According to verse 12, if there is only a sister she will receive a sixth share, but verse 176 says she will receive a half share.<br />
- According to verse 12, if there is only a brother, he will receive a sixth share, but verse 176 says that a brother inherits the entire estate if his sister dies and has no child.
 
To solve the contradictions, Imam Malik in {{Muwatta|27||7}} is narrated as saying that the generally agreed way of doing things in his experience was to interpret verse 12 as relating to half-siblings by the mother of the deceased, whereas verse 176 was interpreted as relating to siblings by the same father as the deceased. There is no support for these interpretations whatsoever in the verses, which simply refer to brothers and sisters. Al-Tabari in his commentary for verse 12 includes a narration that Sa'd bin Waqas used to add the words "from the mother's side" in his recitation of that verse. It is not obvious why such additional words would not be included in the accepted text or readings of the Quran if they were authentic. Critics further point out that it would be very odd for the situation of half-siblings to be addressed early in Surah al-Nisa and that of full-siblings only in a verse appended to the very end of the surah.


==See Also==
==See Also==
Line 1,334: Line 1,210:
[[Category:Apologetics]]
[[Category:Apologetics]]
[[Category:Criticism of Islam]]
[[Category:Criticism of Islam]]
[[ar:تناقضات_القرآن]]
CPO675
580

edits

Retrieved from "http://wikiislamica.net/wiki/Special:MobileDiff/135206...138467"

Navigation menu