Understanding Islam XXXVII: Islamic Naskh Is Contradiction, Part 1

Yes, the next three posts are extremely long but as you will find, they are predominately a list you can cut-n-paste. We must understand the idea of Islamic Naskh/Tasfir or abrogation. Once a reader understands the truth of Naskh/Tasfir abrogation they will better understand why Muslims call it abrogation. In actuality it is a form of dissimulation or dishonesty (perpetual al-Taqiyya). This is better than naming it for what it really is…illogical or contradictory.

Understanding the necessity for Naskh is crucial in understanding Islam and its theology. Quite simply it is a principle instituted by Islam to cover the contradictions in the Qur’an. How? This principle basically says that when two verse/ayah in the Qur’an clearly contradict one another, the later verse supersedes the former (as if a supposed omniscient being like Allah revealing himself in a book would allow a contradiction). Yeah, you heard that right, even though all of the Qur’an is the perfect word of Allah revealed to Muhammad, when a contradiction arises, the latter ayah trumps the previous (facepalm).

In an attempt to be as intellectually honest and unbiased as possible I have attempted to exegete these passages in their proper context as possible to assure that what you read are actually contradictions. I present to you 50 of the most prominent examples of textual contradiction, err, abrogation in the Qur’an in the next two posts:

1) If the words of Allah cannot be changed (Sura 6:34,115; 10:6), then how does Allah “substitute one revelation for another” (Sura 2:106, 16:101)?

2) Law of abrogation (Sura 2:106, 16:101) contradicts sweeping changes: in the Qibla (Sura 2:115,177,124-151), pilgrimage rites (Sura 2:158), dietary laws (Sura 2:168-174) law of talio (Sura 2:178-179), in bequests (Sura 2:180-182), the fast (Sura 2:182-187), and the pilgrimage again (Sura 2:196-203).

3) Does Allah's day equal to 1,000 human years (22:47, 32:5) or 50,000 human years (70:4)?

4) Where is Allah and his throne? Is he nearer than the jugular vein (50:16), or is he also on the throne (57:4) which is upon the water (11:7), while at the same time so far away, that it takes between 1,000 and 50,000 years to reach him (32:5, 70:4)?

5) Could Allah have a son? Sura 39:4 says he could if he wished it, yet (Sura 6:101) denies it.

6) Was the earth created in 6 days (7:54; 25:59) or 8 days (41:9-12)?

7) Muhammad will not forget the revelations which Allah gives him (Sura 87:6-7), is then changed to withdrawing that which Allah’s wills to withdraw (i.e. revelations) (17:86).

8) Does the angel Gabriel bring the revelation from Allah to Muhammad (2:97), or is it the Holy Spirit (16:102)?

9) If the Qur'an is in pure Arabic (12:2; 13:37; 16:103; 41:41,44) then why are there numerous foreign words in it (Egyptian, Acadian, Assyrian, Aramaic, Persian, Syriac, Hebrew, Greek, & Ethiopian)?

10) If the Qur'an is in "clear Arabic speech." (16:103) and "men of understanding do grasp it" (3:7), then why can "none knows its interpretation, save only Allah” (3:7)?

11) The infinite loop problem : Suras (26:192,195,196; 41:43-44) say the Arabic Qur’an is found in the earlier revelations (Torah and Injil), but they are written in Hebrew and Greek, and we know they don’t contain all that is found in the Qur’an (41:43). Hence these earlier writings have to be contained in yet other earlier writings and we are in an infinite loop, which is absurd.

12) Does the newer revelation confirm the old (2:97) or substitute it [16:101]?

13) If the Bible is considered authoritative (4:136; 5:47-52,68; 10:95; 21:7; 29:46), then why is so much of it contradicted by the Qur’an (5:73-75,116; 19:7; 28:9, etc...)?

14) Allah commits himself as law to act mercifully, which implies cause and effect (6:12), yet later in the same Sura it is he who decides everything (6:35 & 39).

15) In (30:2; 16:49-50) everything is devoutly obedient to Allah, yet what about the proud disobedience of Satan (7:11, 15:28-31, 17:61, 20:116, 38:71-74, 18:50)?

Understanding Islam XXXVI: Nazil Revelation & Bizarre Behavior, Part 2

The last few posts have leds us into the question of inspiration and makes us focus on Muhammad himself. We’ve already said that Allah requires agents in the form of prophets to communicate his truth to his creation. Yet how does Allah communicate his thoughts and will to these prophets? How is revelation carried out?

The Arabic term which best explains the process of revelation is the word Wahy, which can mean `divine inspiration.' According to the Qur'an the primary aim of Wahy is two fold: 1) to prove Muhammad's call to prophet-hood (Suras 13:30 and 34:50), and 2) to give him authority to warn people (Sura 6:19). In other words, to give himself and his message authority. Concerning the inspiration of the previous prophets, we are told very little.

According to the above Sura there are three methods by which Allah communicates to his creation: 1) by direct inspiration, 2) from behind a veil, and 3) through a messenger (the implication is that of an angelic being). This begs a question: Could these angelic beings have been demonic. Demons are angelic beings. Since the Qur'an tells us little concerning how Muhammad received his revelations, we refer to those who compiled the Sira of the prophet, men like Ibn Ishaq, Ibn Hisham, Ibn Athir, and the Turkish writer Ali Halabi to get a clearer insight. These are insights that are quite revealing about Muhammad.

While the Wahy (inspiration) lasted, according to Muhammad’s wife Aisha, there were the sounds of bells ringing as he sweated profusely. He would become greatly perturbed and his face would change (Mishkat IV, p.359). Muslim Tradition tells us that sometimes he would shiver and swoon, his mouth would foam, and he would roar like a camel (Pfander 1910:345). At other times when the inspiration descended there was the sound near his face like the buzzing of bees (from Umar ibnu’l Khattab and the Mir’at I Kainat,vol.1,p.411), while at other times he felt a tremendous headache (from Abu Hurairah).

Many times it seemed to his friends that he swooned and looked like someone intoxicated (from Ali Halabi’s Insanu’l Uyun). It is interesting to note from a biblical perspective that all of these are signs of demonic possession. All of them. Also revealing is the report by Al Waqidi that Muhammad had such an aversion to the form of the cross that he would break everything brought into the house with a shape of the cross on it.

Understanding Islam XXXV: Nazil Revelation & Bizarre Behavior, Part 1

The interesting thing to note about Allah’s supposed revelation to Muhammad about the Qur’an is the complete lack of corroborating evidence that the Christian Scriptures supply. What do I mean? I am speaking of the Muhammad’s Nazil Revelation of the Qur'an, or the fact that it comes from one source alone, the man to which it was supposedly revealed, Muhammad. Nazil tranlateed means “come down”. In Islamic Nazil revelation there were no outside witnesses before or at the time who can corroborate Muhammad's testimony; nor are miracles provided to substantiate his claims. In fact, the evidences for the authority of God's revelation, which the Bible emphatically produces are completely absent in the Qur'an. They are:

1) That the revelation of God usually speaks in the name of God, Yahweh (Exodus 3:1-15; the New Testament equivalent is also “I am,” John 8:58)

2) That the message must conform to revelation which has gone before. In other words, revelation must conform to the pattern of Scripture (Deuteronomy 4:1-2; Isaiah

8:20; Matthew 5:17-18; 24:35; and Revelation 22:18-20)

3) That it must make predictions which are verifiable (Deuteronomy 18:21-22; Isaiah 43:9; and John 13:18-21). A prophet speaking on behalf of God is 100% correct or it is not God speaking to the prophet. God is infallible and non-contradictory.

4) That the revelation is generally accompanied by signs and wonders in order to give it authority as having come from God (Exodus 10:1-2; Deuteronomy 18:21-22; Isaiah 41:21-24; and John 7:20-23). Because these are missing in the case of the prophet Muhammad and of the Qur'an, for those of us who are Christians, it seems indeed that it is the Qur'an and not the Bible which turns out to be the most human of documents.

In the next post I will focus on how Muhammad received these supposed Nazil Revelations. When you are don reading you will probably be as uncomfortable as I was because of the nature of the revelation and what it did to Muhammad. It certainly sounded familiar but not for good reasons.