Author: Syed AbulHasan Nadwi (RA)
Translator: Mohammad Qasim
The Guidelines and Methods for Interpreting the Holy Quran (part Two)
The Miracles of the Holy Quran
The Holy Qur’an itself claims that it is a miracle and has invited people who have doubts about its divinity to fight; First, pay attention to the following verses:
(وَإِن كُنتُمۡ فِي رَيۡبٖ مِّمَّا نَزَّلۡنَا عَلَىٰ عَبۡدِنَا فَأۡتُواْ بِسُورَةٖ مِّن مِّثۡلِهِۦ وَٱدۡعُواْ شُهَدَآءَكُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَ ٢٣) “If you are in doubt about what We have sent down to Our servant, then bring a Surah like it and call all your associates besides Allah, if you are truthful.” [Al-Baqarah: 23].
(أَمۡ يَقُولُونَ ٱفۡتَرَىٰهُۖ قُلۡ فَأۡتُواْ بِسُورَةٖ مِّثۡلِهِۦ وَٱدۡعُواْ مَنِ ٱسۡتَطَعۡتُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَ ٣٨) Do they say: The Prophet brought it from himself? Say: If you are telling the truth, create a surah like it, and for this purpose, seek help from whoever you can besides Allah. [Younes: 38].
(أَمۡ يَقُولُونَ ٱفۡتَرَىٰهُۖ قُلۡ فَأۡتُواْ بِعَشۡرِ سُوَرٖ مِّثۡلِهِۦ مُفۡتَرَيَٰتٖ وَٱدۡعُواْ مَنِ ٱسۡتَطَعۡتُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَ ١٣ فَإِلَّمۡ يَسۡتَجِيبُواْ لَكُمۡ فَٱعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّمَآ أُنزِلَ بِعِلۡمِ ٱللَّهِ وَأَن لَّآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَۖ فَهَلۡ أَنتُم مُّسۡلِمُونَ ١٤) “Do they say: The Prophet brought the Qur’an from himself? If you are sincere in your claim, then prepare and bring ten surahs like it on your behalf and invite everyone you can to cooperate in this regard. If they do not respond to your call, then know that the Qur’an was revealed with divine knowledge, and now there is no Allah but Him. Do you surrender?” [Hood: 13-14].
(قُل لَّئِنِ ٱجۡتَمَعَتِ ٱلۡإِنسُ وَٱلۡجِنُّ عَلَىٰٓ أَن يَأۡتُواْ بِمِثۡلِ هَٰذَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانِ لَا يَأۡتُونَ بِمِثۡلِهِۦ وَلَوۡ كَانَ بَعۡضُهُمۡ لِبَعۡضٖ ظَهِيرٗا ٨٨) “Say: If humans and jinn gather to bring something like the Qur’an, they will never be able to, even if they join hands and cooperate.” [Al-Isra: 88].
(قُلۡ فَأۡتُواْ بِكِتَٰبٖ مِّنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ هُوَ أَهۡدَىٰ مِنۡهُمَآ أَتَّبِعۡهُ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَ ٤٩ فَإِن لَّمۡ يَسۡتَجِيبُواْ لَكَ فَٱعۡلَمۡ أَنَّمَا يَتَّبِعُونَ أَهۡوَآءَهُمۡۚ وَمَنۡ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنِ ٱتَّبَعَ هَوَىٰهُ بِغَيۡرِ هُدٗى مِّنَ ٱللَّهِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهۡدِي ٱلۡقَوۡمَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ٥٠) Say: If you are telling the truth, bring a more guiding book than these two from Allah so that I can follow it. If they don’t accept your words, know that they are only following their own selfish desires, and who can be more misguided than someone who has abandoned Allah’s instructions and follows his own selfish whims? Undoubtedly, Allah does not give way to oppressors. [Al-Qasas: 49-50].
The Miraculous Circle of the Holy Quran
In the above verses, polytheists and doubters are asked to present a word like the Quran. Of course, no word or book will be like the Quran unless it has all the features of the Quran and is a miracle in all fields. The Qur’an is not only a miracle in terms of its words and interpretations, eloquence and eloquence, but in terms of its content and meanings, scientific knowledge and occult information, eternal truths and moral and social programs, civil teachings and revolutionary effects, prophecies and predictions.
Of course, when no one can match its words, they will be much less able to match it in other dimensions.
Almighty Allah says in Surah Hud: (فَإِلَّمۡ يَسۡتَجِيبُواْ لَكُمۡ فَٱعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّمَآ أُنزِلَ بِعِلۡمِ ٱللَّهِ وَأَن لَّآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَۖ فَهَلۡ أَنتُم مُّسۡلِمُونَ ١٤)”If they do not accept your words, then know that this Qur’an has been revealed with divine knowledge and there is no true Allah but Him. Will you surrender?” [Hood: 14].
It is clear from this verse that the secret of the miracle of the Qur’an is that its source is divine knowledge, in other words, the Qur’an is the manifestation of Allah’s special knowledge. For this reason, humans are not able to confront the Holy Qur’an with their suspicious, doubtful, incomplete and limited knowledge, yes, just as humans cannot compare with other attributes of Allah, their knowledge will definitely not be like Allah’s knowledge. The sentence: ﴿ أَنَّمَا عنزلَ بعِلْمِ اللہِ﴾﴾ indicates this, just as Allah, the Exalted, is unique in the attribute of divinity, He also has no equal in His knowledge. When there is no deity except him, his book also has no like.
(وَلَقَدۡ جِئۡنَٰهُم بِكِتَٰبٖ فَصَّلۡنَٰهُ عَلَىٰ عِلۡمٍ هُدٗى وَرَحۡمَةٗ لِّقَوۡمٖ يُؤۡمِنُونَ ٥٢) “And we brought to them a book which we explained in detail with knowledge and that book is guidance and mercy for the believers.” [Al-Araf: 52].
It is obvious that divine knowledge is not only related to words and interpretations, but also to meanings and facts.
Regarding the eloquence of words, there are many interpretations such as:
(قُرۡءَٰنًا عَرَبِيّٗا﴾ ﴿كِتَٰبِ ٱلۡمُبِينِ﴾ ﴿لِسَانٌ عَرَبِيّٞ مُّبِينٌ﴾ has been used, all of which indicate the beauty of words and rhetorical superiority.
(الٓرۚ تِلۡكَ ءَايَٰتُ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ ٱلۡمُبِينِ ١ إِنَّآ أَنزَلۡنَٰهُ قُرۡءَٰنًا عَرَبِيّٗا لَّعَلَّكُمۡ تَعۡقِلُونَ ٢)
A. Lam Ra. These are the clear verses of the book. Indeed, we have sent down the Qur’an in Arabic so that you can understand it. [Yousof: 1-2].
(لِّسَانُ ٱلَّذِي يُلۡحِدُونَ إِلَيۡهِ أَعۡجَمِيّٞ وَهَٰذَا لِسَانٌ عَرَبِيّٞ مُّبِينٌ)
“The language of the one who ascribes (the teaching of the Qur’an) to him is a foreigner, and this Qur’an is in clear Arabic.” [Al-Nahl: 103].
In Surah Qassas (verse 54), the people were asked to bring a book that is superior to the Qur’an in terms of guidance and correction.
(قُلۡ فَأۡتُواْ بِكِتَٰبٖ مِّنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ هُوَ أَهۡدَىٰ مِنۡهُمَآ أَتَّبِعۡهُ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَ ٤٩) “Say: If you are telling the truth, bring a more guiding book than these two (Torah and Qur’an) from Allah so that I can follow it.” [Al-Qassas: 49].
Therefore, it can be said that the eloquence and the miracle of expression are actually only a part of the miracle of the Qur’an. And the miracle of the Quran is not limited to eloquence. When the early scholars discussed or wrote about the miracles of the Qur’an, considering the place of literature and literary taste among the Arabs of that time, most of them made the rhetorical dimension of the Holy Qur’an the subject of their speech. And there is no doubt that they have provided wonderful tips and beauty in this field and provided a lot of material which is difficult to add. Therefore, it is necessary to refer to their works in this field.
The first and greatest miracle of the Holy Qur’an is the religion of Islam
The Holy Quran is the last religious and ideological guidance for the world of humanity. A guide that has not been seen more powerful and detailed than it. But the previous religions are considered incomplete today because they came for a special test. But the Qur’an is the last guidance that is free from any defects and deficiencies. Quran is a book that saves people from all kinds of misguidance and deviation and creates sincerity and spirituality in their lives. The Holy Qur’an practically revolutionized the lives of people and presented the best example of a civil and moral society to the world, which has never been seen better.
The Holy Quran solves all the issues and problems that have occurred so far or will occur in the future until the Day of Judgment with a miraculous method. And it states such principles and laws, based on which the best society can be established at any time and human life can be adjusted in a new way at any point. Since the Qur’an is a divine book, it is free from any human mistakes and legal defects, and since it is the last book, it does not need any additions or revisions. And since it is eternal and permanent, it does not need to be changed or abrogated, and since it is complete, it does not need to be appended or noted.
(يَوۡمَ أَكۡمَلۡتُ لَكُمۡ دِينَكُمۡ وَأَتۡمَمۡتُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ نِعۡمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ ٱلۡإِسۡلَٰمَ دِينٗا) “Today I have perfected your religion for you, and I have completed my blessing on you, and I have approved Islam as a religion for you.” [Al-Maedah: 3].
If the laws of the Holy Qur’an are implemented, the problems that have occupied thinkers and sociologists for thousands of years and the final solution of which has never been presented will not arise, and many economic and political problems will not appear in such an environment. Yes, what the thinkers of the world have achieved today after thousands of years of experience and mistakes, the Holy Quran expressed it 1400 years ago in the language of the uneducated prophet. Undoubtedly, this guidance and this law, which is called Islam, is an example of the declaration of divine power.
(صُنۡعَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّذِيٓ أَتۡقَنَ كُلَّ شَيۡءٍ) “It is Allah’s work that has made everything strong and stable.” [Al-Naml: 88].
And because Islamic principles and rules are taken from the Qur’an, they are miracles.
(هُوَ ٱلَّذِي بَعَثَ فِي ٱلۡأُمِّيِّۧنَ رَسُولٗا مِّنۡهُمۡ يَتۡلُواْ عَلَيۡهِمۡ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ وَيُزَكِّيهِمۡ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ وَٱلۡحِكۡمَةَ وَإِن كَانُواْ مِن قَبۡلُ لَفِي ضَلَٰلٖ مُّبِينٖ ٢) “He is the one who raised a messenger among the uneducated and illiterate from among themselves to read his verses to them and cultivate them and teach them the book and wisdom. Although before the Prophet’s mission, they were in clear error. [Friday: 2].
The description and explanation of this miraculous aspect of the Holy Quran is actually the description and explanation of Islam itself, for which there are libraries.
In the field of beliefs, ethics and society, it is necessary to deeply contemplate the miraculous comprehensiveness of the Holy Quran and its various wisdoms, although it is not possible for any human to have full access to its wonderful points, secrets and beauties at any time.
(وَلَوۡ أَنَّمَا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مِن شَجَرَةٍ أَقۡلَٰمٞ وَٱلۡبَحۡرُ يَمُدُّهُۥ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِۦ سَبۡعَةُ أَبۡحُرٖ مَّا نَفِدَتۡ كَلِمَٰتُ ٱللَّهِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٞ ٢٧) “If it happens that all the trees of the earth and all the water of the sea are mixed, and seven other seas are added to it and become mixed, Allah’s words, that is, His attributes, will not end. Indeed, Allah is Mighty and Wise.” [Laqman: 27].
(قُل لَّوۡ كَانَ ٱلۡبَحۡرُ مِدَادٗا لِّكَلِمَٰتِ رَبِّي لَنَفِدَ ٱلۡبَحۡرُ قَبۡلَ أَن تَنفَدَ كَلِمَٰتُ رَبِّي وَلَوۡ جِئۡنَا بِمِثۡلِهِۦ مَدَدٗا ١٠٩) “Say: If the sea is filled to write the words of my Lord, before the words of my Lord reach the end, the sea will sink, even if we bring another sea to help it.” [Al-Kahf: 109].
The second miracle of the Holy Quran is its sciences and teachings
The second miracle of the Holy Qur’an is its countless sciences and knowledge, and its various truths and secrets, each of which has its own miracle. No matter how much human science advances and the veils are removed from the eyes of mankind, the beauty of the Qur’an seems unsullied. In fact, the circle of human understanding is very narrow, that’s why it can’t tolerate the infinite expanses of the Holy Quran.
( أَنزَلَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءٗ فَسَالَتۡ أَوۡدِيَةُۢ بِقَدَرِهَا) “He sent down water from the sky, so the rivers flowed in their sizes.” [Rad: 17].
There are many dimensions in these miracles, one of them is its eternity and certainty, which is actually a characteristic of divine knowledge and divine books. Because change and error are part of human science, the Holy Quran is the word of Allah and it is infallible in every respect, its truths are eternal and definitive.
The Integration of Human Science in the Old Books
Whenever a religion or its heavenly books are distorted and interfered by humans, then human sciences and human theories enter that religion, and its certainty and eternity will not remain because human science is limited and infallible. But the Holy Qur’an is eternal and definitive from the beginning to the end, the changeable opinions of people and their experiences and research have nothing to do with it. No matter how much human knowledge advances, astronomy and astronomy reach every stage, whether the earth’s sphericity is proven or not, the facts are in no case Qurani are not affected, because these facts are not like Ptolemy’s theory, which was proven invalid by Copernicus’ research.
Unlike the Holy Qur’an, the Bible was not immune to human distortions and ijtihad, human ideas and thoughts were mixed in it. This is where, according to the theory of the Bible, the age of the world is six thousand years, the earth is flat, the sun, the moon and the stars are mobile, the earth is the center of the universe and the other spheres are subordinate to it, there are no settlements on the other side of the earth, and according to Saint Augustine, the greatest The reason why the earth is not spherical is that if the earth is spherical, how will people see Allah on the Day of Resurrection when He descends from the sky?
Such behaviors may have been accepted by the people at the time when the commentators of the holy books came to me, but in any case, it did not correspond to the reality, and the time came when such religious beliefs were considered against reason. And from that time the downfall of religion began. But such a day will not happen in Islamic history. Because people’s knowledge will conflict with each other, one will be right and the other will be wrong, or both will be wrong, but Quranic truths will never face discovered facts, rather, everything that is contrary to Quranic truths is not true.
Certificate of modern science
Proving the scientific laws from the verses of the Holy Qur’an and matching the discovered laws with some of its verses (in the way that Allama Tantawi Johari has attempted in the interpretation of “Al-Javahir”) is a very sensitive and dangerous task because the possibility of this existence It is (as it has been experienced in the history of science and research) that the achievements of science and research, which are now obvious and proven, will be completely changed or doubted in the future. In addition, these types of efforts (even though they are done with good intentions and have some benefits) but they do not correspond to the main topic and purpose of the Holy Qur’an, and a kind of ignorance is felt in it. It is worth mentioning that regarding ancient philosophy and famous historical traditions, such slips have also occurred from some commentators of the past. But because it has been very little, it has not been noticed in scientific circles. Therefore, it can be said that the Holy Quran has never faced such problems, but unfortunately, the Old Testament and previous books were not immune from such tests.
This is where we see that many of the famous theories of that time were included in the interpretation of the Holy Scriptures, so that in the Christian world the title “Christian Sacred Geography”
(Christian Topography) had become very famous. In any case, although the subject of the Quran is the guidance of humans, when a sane and realistic researcher (who is far from intellectual stagnation and knowledge) studies the Quran, he will be completely surprised how this great book, which was written fourteen hundred years ago by an individual Amy and Dares Unread has been revealed in an environment far from science and knowledge, it raises deep discussions about history and geography, astronomy, celestial spheres, physiology, medicine and genetic science, which new science has only been able to prove in recent centuries, and so far there is no material in the Qur’an. It has not been proven that science says otherwise.
The description and explanation of these details do not fit in a book, here we are satisfied with the testimony of a French researcher and scientist. Maurice Bucaie writes in his book The Bible, The Quran and Science:
The scientific aspects of the Holy Qur’an have astonished me from the very beginning, in my mind there was no such belief at all that a book that has been around for 1300 years offers a variety of content on various topics and is completely in harmony with modern scientific research.
The mentioned author has discussed about the creation of the heavens and the earth, the existence of the universe, the celestial spheres, the size of the world, the essential role of waters and seas in human life, the surface of the earth and mountains, the world of plants and animals, the origin and beginning of life, and how humans are born and the development of the fetus. Is. And at the same time, he has researched historical events such as the flood of Noah (pbuh), the stay of the Israelites in Egypt, the migration of Prophet Moses (pbuh) from Egypt, and how the Pharaoh died, and all these topics are presented after a comparative study of the Holy Quran and holy books in the light of science. Newly discussed and finally made the following conclusion:
“The explanations of the Holy Qur’an have a special privilege in comparison to the explanations of the Torah and the Bible, due to their conformity with the latest results of science and research.”
The mentioned author ends his valuable book with these sentences:
“Man does not imagine that all these words and scientific claims were written by one human being. Considering the level of science and knowledge that was common at the time of Muhammad ﷺ, it is fair to say: Quranic sayings are definitely based on Allah’s revelation. And it is for this reason that its authenticity is beyond any doubt. For this reason, when the scientific statements of the Qur’an were studied and examined in the light of new science, its correctness was completely proven.
This is where it can be said: the social, economic and political tendencies of humans have never been able to be involved in the Quran, and without doubt the Quran is the eternal guide of humanity in all these dimensions.
The Third Miracle of the Holy Qur’an is the Mention of Unseen Events
One of the miracles of the Holy Qur’an is the mention of events related to previous prophets and past peoples, indeed, the source of the information of the Holy Prophet was nothing but divine knowledge and heavenly revelation. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) was illiterate and did not study.
Most of the events and stories are told in Makkah surahs. According to historians, there were no Christians or Jews in Makkah. Warqa bin Naufal, who had information about the Bible, died in the first year of Prophethood after the first revelation. It is said: Before the migration, the Prophet of Islam met two Christians, one was Bahira Rahab, in “Basri” of Syria, and the other was Adas, whom he met on the way to Taif, but the first meeting lasted more than a few hours and the second meeting more than It did not last a few minutes. The age of that Prophet was thirteen years old when he first met, it is obvious that if we consider this short meeting as a fact, can a sane person believe that the Prophet of Islam, despite not knowing the language, was able to acquire all the sciences within a few moments and then in Within twenty-three years, it should be delivered to the people with explanation and elaboration. And with such accuracy and determination that the Christian and Jewish scriptures lack.
But the second meeting was with Adas, he was not a scholar himself, and in the meantime he converted to the Messenger of Allah. Can it be claimed that the sciences and knowledge presented by the Qur’an, all of which have been completely proven after scientific research and discoveries, are the source of those whose personalities are questionable? After all, how is it possible to light a torch with a lamp that has no light? These poor Christians did not have anything that others could use.
Therefore, it was proved that the statement of these events had no human source, but the only source was divine revelation. And this is the miraculous dimension of the Qur’an that has been emphasized many times, as it says after the birth of Maryam and Yahya: (ذَٰلِكَ مِنۡ أَنۢبَآءِ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ نُوحِيهِ إِلَيۡكَۚ وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَيۡهِمۡ إِذۡ يُلۡقُونَ أَقۡلَٰمَهُمۡ أَيُّهُمۡ يَكۡفُلُ مَرۡيَمَ وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَيۡهِمۡ إِذۡ يَخۡتَصِمُونَ ٤٤) “(O Muhammad, these are news from the unseen that We are sending revelations to you, and when they cast their pens to draw lots for Maryam’s support, you were not there, nor when they were arguing.” [Al-Imran: 44].
After the storm, Prophet Noah said:
تِلۡكَ مِنۡ أَنۢبَآءِ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ نُوحِيهَآ إِلَيۡكَۖ مَا كُنتَ تَعۡلَمُهَآ أَنتَ وَلَا قَوۡمُكَ مِن قَبۡلِ هَٰذَاۖ فَٱصۡبِرۡۖ إِنَّ ٱلۡعَٰقِبَةَ لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ ٤٩﴾
[Hood: 49]. “This story is from unseen news that we are sending to you as a revelation. Before this, neither you nor your people knew about it. Wait, the end of the pious is good.”
While narrating the incident, Yusuf says: (نَحۡنُ نَقُصُّ عَلَيۡكَ أَحۡسَنَ ٱلۡقَصَصِ بِمَآ أَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَيۡكَ هَٰذَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ وَإِن كُنتَ مِن قَبۡلِهِۦ لَمِنَ ٱلۡغَٰفِلِينَ ٣) “We narrate the best story to you through this Qur’an which we have revealed to you, and before that you were one of the ignorant.” [Yusuf: 3].
And at the end of the episode Allah (S.W.T) says:
(ذَٰلِكَ مِنۡ أَنۢبَآءِ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ نُوحِيهِ إِلَيۡكَۖ وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَيۡهِمۡ إِذۡ أَجۡمَعُوٓاْ أَمۡرَهُمۡ وَهُمۡ يَمۡكُرُونَ ١٠٢) These are the tidings of the Unseen that We send to you, and you were not with them when they agreed upon their counsel.” [Yusuf: 102].
Finally, in the same surah, he says: These events are not fabricated, but they are the confirmation and interpretation of the previous books.
(لَقَدۡ كَانَ فِي قَصَصِهِمۡ عِبۡرَةٞ لِّأُوْلِي ٱلۡأَلۡبَٰبِۗ مَا كَانَ حَدِيثٗا يُفۡتَرَىٰ وَلَٰكِن تَصۡدِيقَ ٱلَّذِي بَيۡنَ يَدَيۡهِ وَتَفۡصِيلَ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ وَهُدٗى وَرَحۡمَةٗ لِّقَوۡمٖ يُؤۡمِنُونَ ١١١) “Every mirror in their stories is a lesson for those who have wisdom. The Qur’an is not a book that was prepared by itself, but it confirms the books before it and explains everything in detail, and it is guidance and mercy for the believers. [Yusuf: 111].
The disbelievers said that the reference of these events are the old notes of the Prophet of Islam, the Holy Quran says in their answer:
(وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓاْ إِنۡ هَٰذَآ إِلَّآ إِفۡكٌ ٱفۡتَرَىٰهُ وَأَعَانَهُۥ عَلَيۡهِ قَوۡمٌ ءَاخَرُونَۖ فَقَدۡ جَآءُو ظُلۡمٗا وَزُورٗا ٤ وَقَالُوٓاْ أَسَٰطِيرُ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ ٱكۡتَتَبَهَا فَهِيَ تُمۡلَىٰ عَلَيۡهِ بُكۡرَةٗ وَأَصِيلٗا ٥) And they said: The Qur’an is the legends of the ancients, which he wrote, and it is recited to him in the morning and in the evening. Say: He who knows the secrets of the heavens and the earth has sent it down. Verily, He is Forgiving, Merciful. [Al-Furqan: 4-5].
Somewhere, he gave this answer to the infidels who said: the contents of the Quran are fake and the result of the cooperation of others.
(وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓاْ إِنۡ هَٰذَآ إِلَّآ إِفۡكٌ ٱفۡتَرَىٰهُ وَأَعَانَهُۥ عَلَيۡهِ قَوۡمٌ ءَاخَرُونَۖ فَقَدۡ جَآءُو ظُلۡمٗا وَزُورٗا ٤) “And the disbelievers say: (The Qur’an) is fabricated and the Prophet fabricated it in front of himself and others helped him in this matter. This speech of these (disbelievers) is oppression and slander. [Al-Furqan: 4].
In Surah Al-Qassas, he says that the absence of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) when the events took place is a proof that the source is only divine revelation.
(وَمَا كُنتَ بِجَانِبِ ٱلۡغَرۡبِيِّ إِذۡ قَضَيۡنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَى ٱلۡأَمۡرَ وَمَا كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلشَّٰهِدِينَ ٤٤ وَلَٰكِنَّآ أَنشَأۡنَا قُرُونٗا فَتَطَاوَلَ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلۡعُمُرُۚ وَمَا كُنتَ ثَاوِيٗا فِيٓ أَهۡلِ مَدۡيَنَ تَتۡلُواْ عَلَيۡهِمۡ ءَايَٰتِنَا وَلَٰكِنَّا كُنَّا مُرۡسِلِينَ ٤٥ وَمَا كُنتَ بِجَانِبِ ٱلطُّورِ إِذۡ نَادَيۡنَا وَلَٰكِن رَّحۡمَةٗ مِّن رَّبِّكَ لِتُنذِرَ قَوۡمٗا مَّآ أَتَىٰهُم مِّن نَّذِيرٖ مِّن قَبۡلِكَ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ ٤٦) “(O Muhammad (PBUH)) when We sent the decree to Moses, you were neither in the western side nor among those present on the stage, but We created several nations after Moses. A long time passed for them. And you did not live in Medina to read Our verses to the people there. Of course, we are the messengers of the prophets. And when we called Moses, you were not present at the side of the mountain. But your Lord has mercy on you to inform the people who have not been guided before you, so that they will be wise and come on their way. [Al-Qasas: 44-46].
In Surah Ankabut, it is said that because you are an uninitiated person and did not know about these events, then why are the disbelievers now doubting that the source is a divine revelation.
(وَمَا كُنتَ تَتۡلُواْ مِن قَبۡلِهِۦ مِن كِتَٰبٖ وَلَا تَخُطُّهُۥ بِيَمِينِكَۖ إِذٗا لَّٱرۡتَابَ ٱلۡمُبۡطِلُونَ ٤٨) “Before the revelation of the Quran, you could not read a book or write anything with your hand. In that case, their crooked thinking would fall into doubt.” [Al-Ankabut: 48].
The Difference between the Holy Qur’an and the previous scriptures
Those who believed in the era of Prophethood or later that the Quranic sciences and the stories told in it were adapted from the Torah and the Bible, they actually did not know about the Torah and the Bible. There is no problem in researching this, because the Torah and the Bible are available and according to the general opinion of Jews and Christians is protected, therefore the Qur’an can be adapted to them and the truth of this claim made clear.
Some of the stories of the prophets that are mentioned together in the Qur’an and the books of the past. From their study, it turns out that some elements are common and harmonious in such a way that it is clear that they originated from a single source, which is indeed divine revelation, but at the same time, it is clear that some of the elements mentioned in the previous scriptures are the result of human intervention. They are not immune. The ways of expression are sometimes so different that in some places it indicates its luminosity and revelation. When a person reads them, he feels that these events are not related to the historical aspect of individuals that is usually seen in historical discussions. Only selected parts of the events that can guide and teach people at any time. As it says in Surah Yusuf:
(لَقَدۡ كَانَ فِي قَصَصِهِمۡ عِبۡرَةٞ لِّأُوْلِي ٱلۡأَلۡبَٰبِۗ مَا كَانَ حَدِيثٗا يُفۡتَرَىٰ وَلَٰكِن تَصۡدِيقَ ٱلَّذِي بَيۡنَ يَدَيۡهِ وَتَفۡصِيلَ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ وَهُدٗى وَرَحۡمَةٗ لِّقَوۡمٖ يُؤۡمِنُونَ ١١١) “Every mirror in their stories is a lesson for those who have wisdom. The Qur’an is not a book that was made and paid for by itself, but it confirms the books before it and explains everything in detail, and it is guidance and mercy for the believers. [Yusuf: 111].
The point of miracles in the events of prophets and nations of the past
In describing the events of prophets and nations of the past, it is clearly seen that the Qur’an does not mention irrelevant material and historical details, and only mentions material that is useful for the salvation and guidance of humans.
Pharaoh tried very hard to engage Musa with historical discussions, but Musa closed the gate of this discussion with the utmost beauty and continued with his original call:
(قَالَ فَمَا بَالُ ٱلۡقُرُونِ ٱلۡأُولَىٰ ٥١) “What do you know about the condition of previous nations?”. [Taha: 51].
Moses said: (قَالَ عِلۡمُهَا عِندَ رَبِّي فِي كِتَٰبٖۖ لَّا يَضِلُّ رَبِّي وَلَا يَنسَى ٥٢) “Their knowledge and information is in a book with my Lord. My Lord neither makes mistakes nor forgets.” [Taha: 52].
But if you read the history of creation in the Torah book of Sultans, you will see that the historical color has prevailed. Mention of numbers, persons, tribes, complete description of buildings is seen in abundance. Of course, sometimes the lights of revelation are felt, and the human heart believes that these can be the translation of the divine word.
The story of Hazrat Yusuf in Torah and Quran
In order to explain the difference between the Torah and the Qur’an, we will take as an example the incident of Prophet Yusuf, which is mentioned in relatively detail in the Qur’an and the Torah.
There are many contents in the Torah, most of which are related to names and dates. In the third chapter, a story about Judah is mentioned, which does not match the family of Hazrat Yaqub (MAPH) in any way, and one feels ashamed to read it. Some things have been attributed to Yusuf (MAPH) that contradict his prophethood (paragraph 42). But in the Qur’an, there are important things mentioned that are not at all in the Torah. For example, Hazrat Yusuf’s (MAPH) pleasant sermon about monotheism, which he gave during the interpretation of dreams, has such points and wisdom, that the perfections and wisdom of Hazrat Yusuf (MAPH) were fully manifested in it. If this sermon is not mentioned in the Torah at all (Surah Yusuf 36-41).
It is mentioned in the Quran:
When the king of Egypt had a dream and heard the interpretation of Hazrat Yusuf regarding his dream, he became interested in meeting him and sent a messenger to him. But Hazrat Yusuf did not rush and considered it necessary to investigate his accusation before his release. Until, as his accusation has become famous, his chastity and innocence will also become famous among people. And let everyone know that his release was not due to the pardon of the king, but his innocence was proven. This way of dealing was completely in line with his position of prophethood and his family origin, and it was appropriate for his understanding, but this part of the story is not mentioned in the Torah. Now pay attention to the following contents of the Torah:
This interpretation was interesting to Pharaoh and his servants. Pharaoh said to them: Can we find this man who has the spirit of Allah in him? And Pharaoh said to Yusuf: Since Allah has given your insight, there is no one as wise and knowledgeable as you, you have authority in my house, carry out your orders with my people, of course I am superior to you in sitting on the throne. (Book of Genesis, verse 37-40).
The Quran says:
(فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُ ٱلرَّسُولُ قَالَ ٱرۡجِعۡ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ فَسَۡٔلۡهُ مَا بَالُ ٱلنِّسۡوَةِ ٱلَّٰتِي قَطَّعۡنَ أَيۡدِيَهُنَّۚ إِنَّ رَبِّي بِكَيۡدِهِنَّ عَلِيمٞ)
“So, when the [King’s] envoy came to him, he said: Return to your lord and ask him, what was the dignity of those women who cut their hands? Verily, my Lord knows their machinations. [Yusuf: 50].
When Zuleikha himself, who was accused by Hazrat Yusuf was imprisoned, he declared his innocence in his own words. Hazrat Yusuf explained the reason for his request as follows:
(ذَٰلِكَ لِيَعۡلَمَ أَنِّي لَمۡ أَخُنۡهُ بِٱلۡغَيۡبِ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهۡدِي كَيۡدَ ٱلۡخَآئِنِينَ ٥٢) “(Yusuf said): The demand for this investigation is so that Aziz Egypt knows for sure that I did not betray him in absentia and also know that Allah does not fulfill the plan of betrayers.” [Yusuf: 52].
Then he dispelled the suspicion of the claim with his prophetic authority as follows:
(وَمَآ أُبَرِّئُ نَفۡسِيٓۚ إِنَّ ٱلنَّفۡسَ لَأَمَّارَةُۢ بِٱلسُّوٓءِ إِلَّا مَا رَحِمَ رَبِّيٓۚ إِنَّ رَبِّي غَفُورٞ رَّحِيمٞ ٥٣)[Yusuf: 53]. “And I do not consider my soul to be free from every fault. Because the human soul leads its owner to evil unless the mercy of my Lord covers his condition. Indeed, my Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.”
Indeed, this matter is clear from the word of prophecy, and in it, a manifestation of Prophet Yusuf’s life and actions can be clearly seen. But this important part is omitted in the Torah.
3- In the conversation of Hazrat Yaqub, which is quoted in the Torah, the prophetic expression and sincerity that is seen in the Qur’an does not appear. The dear reader can recognize this claim by comparing the Book of Genesis in the Torah and Surah Yusuf in the Quran; From the words of the Qur’an, it appears that Yusuf trusts in Allah, and in every situation he sees the hand of the power of truth, in every difficulty he speaks the name of Allah and expresses his greatness, but in the Torah, he is a person who is suffering, has a child, and is an individual. He is introduced as old and experienced. The incident of Benjamin staying with Yusuf, the return of the brothers to Prophet Yaqoob, and the painful and trusting conversation of Yaqoob are not mentioned in the Torah at all.
4- It is stated in the Holy Qur’an that when Prophet Yusuf met his father and brothers after a long separation, he thanked Allah from the bottom of his heart and manifested his religiosity and prophethood at the height of his rule and power. At the same time, he showed his humility and greatness and praised his Lord and prayed like this:
(رَبِّ قَدۡ ءَاتَيۡتَنِي مِنَ ٱلۡمُلۡكِ وَعَلَّمۡتَنِي مِن تَأۡوِيلِ ٱلۡأَحَادِيثِۚ فَاطِرَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ أَنتَ وَلِيِّۦ فِي ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَٱلۡأٓخِرَةِۖ تَوَفَّنِي مُسۡلِمٗا وَأَلۡحِقۡنِي بِٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ ١٠١) “Lord! You made me benefit from government and submissiveness and you gave me the knowledge of dream interpretation! O creator of the heavens and the earth, you are my guardian in this world and the hereafter! Let me die in obedience and servitude and join the righteous.” [Yusuf: 101].
Unfortunately, this very effective part of the Torah has been removed.
The lives of the prophets in the mirror of the Torah and the Qur’an
The big difference between the Holy Qur’an and the Torah is that the Qur’an, in the Prophets’ lives, introduces the prophets as completely clean and flawless so that they correspond to the position of prophethood. The Holy Qur’an denies all accusations that were known among enemies or ignorant friends, but in the pages of the Old Testament (Torah) there are things about the holy prophets that a person is ashamed to read and his forehead sweats because at times they accuse the prophets of disbelief and immorality. has accused, in the book of Genesis chapter 9 about Prophet Noah (pbuh), and in chapter 16 of the same book about Prophet Lot, and in the book of Exodus chapter 32 about Aaron, and in the book of king’s chapter 11 about Prophet Solomon Unbelief, polytheism, debauchery, and sin have been attributed explicitly. However, the Holy Qur’an introduced Prophet Noah in Surah “Shu’ara” of Rasool Amin, and in Surah “Hud” it blessed him, and it said the following about Prophet Lot:
(وَلُوطًا ءَاتَيۡنَٰهُ حُكۡمٗا وَعِلۡمٗا وَنَجَّيۡنَٰهُ مِنَ ٱلۡقَرۡيَةِ ٱلَّتِي كَانَت تَّعۡمَلُ ٱلۡخَبَٰٓئِثَۚ إِنَّهُمۡ كَانُواْ قَوۡمَ سَوۡءٖ فَٰسِقِينَ ٧٤) “And We gave Prophet Lut wisdom, prophethood, and knowledge and freed him from a land whose people were doing ugly things. They were a very wicked and disobedient nation.” [Al-Anbia: 74].
In the Torah, Hazrat Harun is explicitly accused of worshiping the calf, the words of the Torah are as follows:
“In the absence of Moses, according to the suggestion of the Israelites, Aaron made an idol of ornaments and asked all the Israelites to worship it and sacrifice to it and told them that this is your Allah who brought you out of Egypt.”
But the Holy Qur’an has given exactly the opposite of the content:
(وَلَقَدۡ قَالَ لَهُمۡ هَٰرُونُ مِن قَبۡلُ يَٰقَوۡمِ إِنَّمَا فُتِنتُم بِهِۦۖ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُ فَٱتَّبِعُونِي وَأَطِيعُوٓاْ أَمۡرِي ٩٠) And Aaron had said to them before: O people! You have been tested (with this calf). Your Lord is Allah, follow me and accept my words.” [Taha: 90].
About Hazrat Soloman in the Torah, the following statement can be seen:
“When Solomon reached old age, his wives turned him to other Gods, it was here that his heart was no longer directed towards Allah. As was the case of his father Dawood. In any case, Solomon started following Astron, who was the Allah of the Sidanis, and the hated Malcolm, who was the idol of the Ammonites.
It comes before these phrases.
“The Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the God of Israel. Allah had again ordered him not to follow other Gods, but Solomon did not accept what Allah commanded.
Now look at the following verse of the Qur’an, which praises Solomon’s sincerity and devotion:
(وَوَهَبۡنَا لِدَاوُۥدَ سُلَيۡمَٰنَۚ نِعۡمَ ٱلۡعَبۡدُ إِنَّهُۥٓ أَوَّابٌ ٣٠) And We gave Solomon to David. What a good servant he is! Because he always returned to Allah (and remembered him)!” [Sad: 30].
Earlier, his close authority has stated the following about the right: (وَإِنَّ لَهُۥ عِندَنَا لَزُلۡفَىٰ وَحُسۡنَ مََٔابٖ ٤٠)
“Indeed, he has a close and high position with us.” [Sad: 40].
The Jews have made unjust accusations against Jesus Christ and his mother, which the Holy Qur’an has rejected, and has introduced Jesus Christ as a blessed and noble prophet (see Surah Al-Imran, Ma’idah, Maryam, Zakharf).
Despite these fundamental differences that exist between the contents of the Qur’an and the previous pages, if someone claims that the Holy Qur’an is taken from them, it is because of his ignorance and lack of knowledge about his own books.
Indeed, the contents of the Holy Qur’an are directly from Allah, and its source is divine revelation, in this respect, it is completely consistent with reality and is free from any doubt and error. This is where the Holy Qur’an protects the books of the past and confirms them, and in At the same time, they reject the false relations of the Jews.
The method of expressing the Holy Qur’an about the distortion of the past books and the explanation of the beliefs of the previous religions
One of the miraculous aspects of the Holy Quran is that it accurately and decisively expresses the opinions and thoughts of various Christian sects and emphasizes points that the general public is not aware of. Yes, many Jews did not accept it, but their religious sources, which are now widely published, fully confirm the statements of the Qur’an. And amazing facts are proven in this regard. And this is how it turns out that the Holy Qur’an about them, every interpretation it used was completely accurate and appropriate. About some people and events, the Holy Qur’an emphasizes certain points or negates some issues, all because Jews and Christians did not accept it. The goal of the Holy Quran is to reject them.
In this regard, three examples are sufficient:
1- The Holy Qur’an absolved Prophet Solomon from disbelief and said:
(وَمَا كَفَرَ سُلَيۡمَٰنُ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱلشَّيَٰطِينَ كَفَرُواْ) “And Solomon never disbelieved, but the devils disbelieved.” [Al-Baqarah: 102].
A wise and healthy person may be surprised and ask himself what the need for Allah was to acquit a famous and glorious prophet from the slander of disbelief, because the position of prophethood not only requires faith, but also a prophet, leader and leader of the people of faith and It is the source of guidance for others. But if you look at the statements of the Torah about Solomon (some examples of which have already been mentioned), you will see that the Jews accused Solomon of polytheism, idolatry, teaching witchcraft, etc.
In new Jewish sources such as the Jewish Encyclopedia and the Encyclopedia of Religions & Ethics, there are materials about Hazrat Suleiman, after reading which one will understand why the Qur’an testifies to his infallibility and innocence. The world of Judaism and Christianity (whose sources of their beliefs are the books of the Old Testament) finally had to turn to the facts that were stated by the Prophet Ami fourteen hundred years ago in the Arab desert and far from the scientific centers of civilization, and accept it unwillingly.
In the encyclopedia “Britain” it is clearly stated about Hazrat Suleiman: “Suleiman was a sincere person and a worshiper of the only Allah”.
In the Encyclopedia Biblica, which is the result of the research and research of Old Testament scholars and Christian scholars, it is clearly stated that every verse from the Old Testament in which Prophet Suleiman is attributed to blasphemy and polytheism is distorted and it is an addition, and this accusation has been explicitly denied that Hazrat Suleiman worshiped their Allahs under the influence of his wives.
2- It is stated in the Holy Quran that the creator of the world did not get tired after creating the heavens and the earth:
(وَلَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَا فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٖ وَمَا مَسَّنَا مِن لُّغُوبٖ ٣٨) “We created the heavens and the earth and what is between them in six days and did not get tired.” [Qaf: 38].
When a healthy person reads this verse, he feels surprised and asks himself that the Almighty Allah who describes him: (وَلَا ئَُودُهُۥ حِفۡظُهُمَا) “Protecting the earth and the sky does not tire him”. [Al-Baqarah: 255]. “He neither sleeps nor naps.”
It has entered, what is the need to negate the lack of fatigue. And to say that he was not tired after the creation of the heavens and the earth. But when he studies the Torah, he sees that it is written that Allah created the earth and the heavens in six days and rested on the seventh day.
In the Arabic translations, it is written “فاستراح فی یوم السابع”.
In the translation of the King James documentary, the following words appear:
[And He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done].
Yes, it is after these statements that a person realizes the necessity and importance of the interpretation (وَمَا مَسَّنَا من لُّغوبٖ) and admits that this sentence was actually made in order to refute the ignorant opinion and remove the misunderstanding, that is about a nation that claims They were knowledge and guidance, maybe that is the reason why they still honor Saturday and do not do anything on it.
The Holy Qur’an mentions three types of Christian belief about the Jesus:
1- (لَّقَدۡ كَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلۡمَسِيحُ ٱبۡنُ مَرۡيَمَ) “Those who say: Indeed, Jesus’ son of Mary is God, they are disbelievers.” [Al-Maedah: 17].
2- (وَقَالَتِ ٱلۡيَهُودُ عُزَيۡرٌ ٱبۡنُ ٱللَّهِ) “And Jews say that Uzair is the Son of Allah.” [Al-Tobah: 30].
3- (وَقَالُواْ ٱتَّخَذَ ٱللَّهُ وَلَدٗاۗ سُبۡحَٰنَهُۥ) And they say: Allah has a son. not never, He is free from these unjust slanders. [Al-Baqarah: 116].
3-2- (وَقَالُواْ ٱتَّخَذَ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُ وَلَدٗا ٨٨ لَّقَدۡ جِئۡتُمۡ شَيًۡٔا إِدّٗا ٨٩) And they say: Allah has a son. You have really spoken an ugly word.” [Maryam: 88-89].
3-3- (وَمَا يَنۢبَغِي لِلرَّحۡمَٰنِ أَن يَتَّخِذَ وَلَدًا ٩٢) “It is not worthy of Allah to adopt someone.” [Maryam: 92].
3-4- (وَقُلِ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِي لَمۡ يَتَّخِذۡ وَلَدٗا وَلَمۡ يَكُن لَّهُۥ شَرِيكٞ فِي ٱلۡمُلۡكِ) “And say: All praises are due to Allah who has no children and no partner in rulership.”
3-5- (وَيُنذِرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُواْ ٱتَّخَذَ ٱللَّهُ وَلَدٗا ٤) “And fear those who say: Allah has adopted someone.” [Al-Kahf: 4].
Is it not possible to say: here the difference is only the way of expression, and the concept and meaning are the same? No! If we examine the above verses of the Holy Qur’an in the light of the history of Christian sects and study their beliefs, we will understand the exact differences in these verses. Especially when it has become clear that a group of Christians called [Adoptionist] believe that Jesus Christ is not the son of Allah, but rather his adoptive son, then man acknowledges the miracle of the Holy Qur’an, how the unread prophet thousand and four hundred years before, based on the divine revelation, he has removed the veil from the truth and has considered and pointed out the dark difference that the Christians themselves were not aware of. Allamah Abdul Majed Daryabadi writes in this regard:
“One of the Christian sects called Adoptionist has passed away. Their basic belief is “Adoptionism”. In short, their belief is that the first Allah, the great and supreme Allah, made Christ his adopted son and partner in his divinity. It has been translated, now he is a partner and sharer in all divine attributes such as divinity and ownership. There are evidence of this belief in 185 ADS, in the 6th century, Pope II considered this belief to be atheism and life, in the Holy Quran, this branch of Christianity is explicitly mentioned.
These narrow words and this miraculous dimension are beyond the power of a human being who did not have accurate information about many Jewish and Christian ideas. Undoubtedly, this book is the book of Aalam al-Ghaib, in which there are no doubts or flaws.
(وَإِنَّهُۥ لَكِتَٰبٌ عَزِيزٞ ٤١ لَّا يَأۡتِيهِ ٱلۡبَٰطِلُ مِنۢ بَيۡنِ يَدَيۡهِ وَلَا مِنۡ خَلۡفِهِۦۖ تَنزِيلٞ مِّنۡ حَكِيمٍ حَمِيدٖ ٤٢) “The Qur’an is a valuable book; A lie will not reach it either from the front or from the back: it is revealed by Allah, the All-Knowing and All-Praised. [Foselat: 41-42].
Continues…
