The Holy Quran (2) - The Most Authentic Book…

Continued from Part (1)…

- Reserved by God..

We mentioned in part (1) that ALLAH promised in his holy Quran that he will reserve the Quran, and will protect the Quran from being corrupted, lost or destroyed by any mean or force whatsoever. ALLAH says:

انا نحن نزلنا الذكر وانا له لحافظون

Verily We: It is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e. the Qur'ân) and surely, We will guard it (from corruption) (15:9)

And we will see how in the following sections:

- Written During Prophet's Days..

For those who like to argue that Quran is not correct because it was written after Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) by 1 year, let's make a comparison between the bible and the Quran and which one of them is more authentic.

It's well known that the Bible was written after Jesus by group who never saw Jesus himself or lived during his time, or heard him directly and in time span of 70-100 years after Jesus !!

But in other hand, Quran was compiled only of sheets (leathers, bones, wood pieces) that were written at Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) time and under his direct supervision, and were reserved in one place 1 year only after Prophet death by Zaid Ibn Thabet, his own companion and who memorized the whole Quran during prophet time and was his own writer, and it was not only him but also hundreds of Prophet’s companions who memorized the Quran too.

Few years later, this original collection for complete Quran was copied again on paper sheets because paper entered Arabia from other empires after Islam spreading outside Arabia, then a 5 copies was made and sent to all new Islamic regions to copy from them books of Quran for the public.

In next charts, it shows the comparison between compilation of Quran and Bible:

 

In conclusion: Quran was written during prophet time by his companions under his provision and audit (dictated to them), and collected one year after his death. Knowing that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) used to ask his writers to repeat what he dedicated to them, to make sure that no one had wrote a single word wrongly !!

Bible was never written during Jesus times (except by his writer Baranaba), never written by his companions or people lived during his time or met him, the first completed version is dated 350 years later !!

The Quran is still in its own language since 1430 years purely reserved with the same version (edition). There are no multiple versions that they chose among them, it’s only the bones, woods and leathers that were replaced by paper, and they were destroyed because they are going to ruin anyway, and usually when we have an old copy of Quran we usually burn it or destroy it, and not throw it as normal book, so nobody took the incomplete version and learn from it.

The holy Bible is in many translated versions which keep changing, and last updated one is on 2011, means 1978 years after Jesus ascending to heaven.

- No other versions..

Some  may think that there are many versions of Quran, but actually it's only one wherever you go on Earth from East to West or North to South, you will find only Arabic version, and it's a copy of the original written during prophets Companions. But, the difference could be one of the following:

-        Format of Quran printing by different publishers.

-      The paper size of Quran and count of Aay's in each pages, most of Quran books are 604 (standard) but some are less 300 pages and some +1000 pages.

-        The type of Arabic letter written, because in Eastern Muslim countries they write in different Arabic letter than the Western Muslim countries, but it's the same words.

-      Some minor changes in writing the vowels letters and characters movement, because of different Quran reciting, (which will be explained later in details in different Article), but for those who don’t know the Quran can be read in different 7 reciting, it’s the same words writing but different pronunciation according to Arabic tribes who were in Arabia, they used different Arabic dialects and characters movements (next image shows the different Arabic dialects used in Arab countries). [1]

As shown above they are all apparent changes not affecting the original of Quran, but some may go and search for Quran translation in English or French or others, and he may see differences in the translations of Quran and not in the original of Quran words in Arabic. Because of that we say it's translation of Quran meanings, because Quran can't be translated from Arabic, it's in Arabic and will be kept in Arabic forever. 

For the differences in Translations versions, it's human work and it depends on translator capacity and experience in both Arabic language and the language he is translating too.

- Original is still available..

For those who may don’t know, that 3 of the 5 copies which were copied during the 3rd Caliph Otham Ibn Aaffan, are still available as show next.

The following images for the Quran which was kept in Egypt in Alhussein Mosque Library, and it's said to be one of 5 originals sent by the Caliph Othman:

The following Image of the Quran kept in Topkapi museum Istanbul, which was originally in Madina and it's said to be the Mosahaf (book) of Caliph Othman himself, but the Othmans took it with them when they retreated from Madina and took it to Istanbul: 

And it's said there is a 3rd copy of the 5th originals kept in Hast Imam Library, Tashkent capital of Uzbekistan.

- Can’t be corrupted ever

Since first day of Islam, infidels are trying to distance the Muslims from Quran and from its teachings, and among their ways to fight Islam they tried to publish corrupted Quran books, but every time they tried to do it they were discovered and all their work is lost, they pay then they lose all what they pay for.

Among such trials that was done during last century, that some infidels tried to alter one verse of the Quran only, which is the following:

ومن يبتغ غير الاسلام دينا فلن يقبل منه وهو في الاخرة من الخاسرين

And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers. (3:85)

And they printed the whole Quran correctly except this verse but without the word (Ghayr) "other than", so the meaning will be that choosing Islam will never be accepted. Which is destroying the whole principle of Islam. The first copy of this Quran arrived Cairo was opened by a Muslim on the same page and he read this verse, he said immediately its is corrupted then whole shipment of these books were destroyed.

The infidels will keep trying again and again, but all their trials will fail and they will lose time and spend money then they will lose, as ALLAH promised:

ان الذين كفروا ينفقون اموالهم ليصدوا عن سبيل الله فسينفقونها ثم تكون عليهم حسرة ثم يغلبون والذين كفروا الى جهنم يحشرون

Verily, those who disbelieve spend their wealth to hinder (men) from the Path of Allâh, and so will they continue to spend it; but in the end it will become an anguish for them. Then they will be overcome. And those who disbelieve will be gathered unto Hell (8:36)

- Quran was never learned from Buhaira the Priest

Among infidels allegations, they promote that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) learned Quran from a priest called Buhaira.

For those who don’t know the story, when Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was boy in age of 10 he traveled with his uncle to Syria for trade, but during his travel and before arriving to Syria, they passed through a monastery for a Christian priest called Buhaira, this priests had never go out or greet the tribes passing through him whether they were Arabs or not.

But during that day, when the convey carrying Prophet Muhammad and his uncle was passing, he stepped down from his monastery and went to meet the new coming people, and he was interested to meet the Prophet and after he talked with him privately, he took his uncle and said to him that your nephew will become a prophet, and it's better to return him back to Makkah and not to continue to Damascus with him, because Jews may figure that he is the coming prophet and they may harm him, so his uncle took him and send him with some men back to Makkah. This is the whole story.

Some infidels read such story, and invented that Buhaira had taught Muhammad (PBUH) some scriptures which Muhammad used back to write the Quran in coming years. Of course, it's very silly allegation but it’s the most used by the people who fight Islam, and they promoted it among the people who don’t know Islam to prevent them from following Islam, therefore it was important to reply on this by the following points:

1-     The first reply from God (ALLAH) himself:

For those who say that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) learned from Buhaira, ALLAH replied on them the following:

ولقد نعلم انهم يقولون انما يعلمه بشر لسان الذي يلحدون اليه اعجمي وهذا لسان عربي مبين

And indeed We know that they (polytheists and pagans) say: "It is only a human being who teaches him (Muhammad SAW)." The tongue of the man they refer to is foreign, while this (the Qur'ân) is a clear Arabic tongue. (16:103)

This verse clearly refute this claim since Buhaira was non Arab, and he was most probably Syriac who explained in Wikipedia as "Semitic people, who speak and write distinct dialects of Eastern Aramaic exclusive to Mesopotamia and its immediate surroundings".

Therefore, how come that a non-Arab Priest inspired an Arabic Prophet to write a complete Arabic Holy Book? Never done before and never will be done, because it's impossible..

Did you ever someone who learned English for years with help of English Teacher, then write a perfect French novel !! imagine if he literate and learned in few hours only !! Impossible

2-     How come did he inspire an illiterate boy to write a Holy Quran in half an hour period (half day maximum) not only a book but to build a nation, religion, a civilization after 30 years later !!? The answer is: it's illogical..

3-     If the Bible was in foreign language and it was never translated to Arabic during or before Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) times, so how come a Prophet will quote from non-Arabic bible and he is illiterate in his own language !!

Let's see the following quotations that shows that Arabic bible was not exist before 400-500 years after Prophet death:

Quoted from Wikipedia - Bible Translations into Arabic

Translations of the Bible into Arabic are known from the early Christian churches in Syria, Egypt, Malta and Spain. Some of these translations are from Syriac (the Peshitta), Coptic or Latin. The earliest fragment of the Old Testament in Arabic is a text of Psalm 77, found in the Umayyad Mosque, dating from the 8th century. The first Jewish translations of the Hebrew Bible, and the bible translations by Roman Catholic clergy date from c. AD 1000. One of the oldest Arabic bibles was discovered in the 19th century at Saint Catherine's Monastery, Mount Sinai. The manuscript called Mt. Sinai Arabic Codex 151, was created in AD 867. It includes the biblical text, marginal comments, lectionary notes, and glosses, as found in the manuscript. [2]

Quoted from: Lebanese monastery to archive first Arabic Bible, thousands of manuscripts

A collection of 30,000 books is set to be digitally archived by the priests of St. Saviour Monastery in Joun, Lebanon. The monastery is home to thousands of ancient religious manuscripts including the oldest Arabic Bible printed in 1591 in Rome. The collection has been handed down by priests from generation to generation. [3]

4-   Let's go in details about Quran Chapters one by one, and see which chapters that has common stories with Bible (New and Old Testaments):

The following table shows How many pages in the Quran which talk about Prophets mentioned in Bible:

Therefore, we will find that around 88 pages maximum of all Quran chapters talk about prophets mentioned in the Bible, if we suppose controversy that it was taken from the bible then the rest of pages comes from whom??

Means if 88 pages from Quran is common with the Bible, means 88/604 = 15%. Then the 85% from Quran comes from whom?

- If it's from Buhaira, then from where did Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) get the 85%, which is the majority of Quran? He was illiterate and you say that Buhaira had taught him.

- If it's Not from Buhaira and it's from God, then the whole Quran came from God, including the stories of Prophets.

In coming articles, we will compare the stories of prophets mentioned in the Quran and in the bible and see how they are not 100% the same, there are some slight differences and see how the information in Quran complement those in the bible and correct some others too.

5-     Finally, we all know that Buhaira is a priest, then how come he taught an Arabic boy to build a new religion that is completely different than Christianity, not only different but doesn’t accept other way to God than Islam??

Did Buhaira taught against his teachings that he lived and died on it all his life?? And how come that someone teach someone else to build a nation, and to start a revolution without mentioning any reference to him not a single word from his teachings?

Then for what purpose Buhaira taught Mohammad for?

In conclusion

It's very clear that it's impossible that:

Someone teaches illiterate person from different language, to write a book not instantly but after 30 years, which majority has no similarities with the teacher book, and invented a religion is completely different than teacher religion in law and in worships (prayer, charity, pilgrimage, etc..), not only this but to build a nation and a victorious empire that it's not mentioning teacher name ever, but only as a someone who prophet Muhammad (PBUH) passed by during his first and last travel out of Arabia.

- No Error, no Contradiction

Some Infidels are really good researcher, not only good but expert too, they spend their most of their times just to figure something that can fight Islam, whether to find an error or contradiction in Quran, they are trying to destroy Islam and to stop people from following Islam and become muslims.

Since Islam day one and they are trying to achieve one of the following objectives:

- Figure an error or contradiction in Quran, to show to Muslims that it is not a perfect or correct book, so they may abandon it or stop following its teachings.

- They try to twist the fact and events mentioned in Quran or hadith to alter the image of prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in Muslims minds, so they don’t love him or follow him.

- They try to despise the Islam and what it comes with, such its laws or facts or stories trying to convince Muslims and non-Muslims that Islam is a ancient Eastern Religion far in history and can't be implemented or followed in current World civilization.

Of course all their efforts will fail and they'll affect only the bad ones, those who are skeptics and can't believe in anything, and those who announce themselves as x-muslims, those are hypocrites who where half muslim and half not, so losing them from Muslims group will not affect the muslims but they'll lose themselves only.

وحيل بينهم وبين ما يشتهون كما فعل باشياعهم من قبل انهم كانوا في شك مريب

And a barrier will be set between them and that which they desire [i.e. At-Taubah (turning to Allâh in repentance) and the accepting of Faith], as was done in the past with the people of their kind. Verily, they have been in grave doubt. (34:54)

Below are some few examples of how infidels try to fight Islam, so let's see how their sick mind and skeptic soul prevent them from understanding real Islam.

Example 1:

In the following verse, ALLAH mentions that he placed mountains on Earth so it won't shake with us:

وجعلنا في الارض رواسي ان تميد بهم وجعلنا فيها فجاجا سبلا لعلهم يهتدون

And We have placed on the earth firm mountains, lest it should shake with them, and We placed therein broad highways for them to pass through, that they may be guided. (21:31)

One of Arab infidels has a video on youtube which claims that Quran contradicts with science using this verse, asking: how come that mountains were installed on Earth to prevent it from shaking and most of earthquakes appear on mountains belt around earth?!! (as shown in the next photo).

Such claim is like saying:

Most people die in hospitals, then hospitals are dangerous places !!

The fact is that earthquakes appear in mountains area is correct but not because of mountains, but because Mountains slow down the earth crusts from crashing into each others, otherwise the floating crusts on Earth lava will be hitting each others frequently, and minimum earth quake will be of 9 degree and appear much more frequently all over the Earth.

 

But, mountains is slowing these crusts and pushing one to go under the other, and the slight fraction between these crusts is what causing earthquakes inside mountain areas.

Therefore, the Quran verse is absolutely right, and the infidel explanation is wrong and stupid in the same time, and this because his bad intention and arrogant against his God, thinking that he is more knowledgeable than God who created the whole universe.

Example 2:

Some infidels try to compare many verses together and figure that there is some contradiction in Quran, as in the following verses:

اذ قالت الملائكة يا مريم ان الله يبشرك بكلمة منه اسمه المسيح عيسى ابن مريم وجيها في الدنيا والاخرة ومن المقربين

(Remember) when the angels said: "O Maryam (Mary)! Verily, Allâh gives you the glad tidings of a Word ["Be!" - and he was! i.e. 'Īsā (Jesus) the son of Maryam (Mary)] from Him, his name will be the Messiah 'Īsā (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary), held in honour in this world and in the Hereafter, and will be one of those who are near to Allâh." (3:45)

فَاتَّخَذَتْ مِن دُونِهِمْ حِجَابًا فَأَرْسَلْنَا إِلَيْهَا رُوحَنَا فَتَمَثَّلَ لَهَا بَشَرًا سَوِيًّا  17 قَالَتْ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِالرَّحْمَن مِنكَ إِن كُنتَ تَقِيًّا 18 قَالَ إِنَّمَا أَنَا رَسُولُ رَبِّكِ لِأَهَبَ لَكِ غُلامًا زَكِيًّا 19

She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them; then We sent to her Our Ruh [angel Jibril (Gabriel)], and he appeared before her in the form of a man in all respects. (17) She said: "Verily! I seek refuge with the Most Gracious (Allâh) from you, if you do fear Allâh." (18) (The angel) said: "I am only a messenger from your Lord, (to announce) to you the gift of a righteous son." (19:19)

In first verse, ALLAH mentions that the Angels had informed Mary about her pregnancy of Jesus (PBUH), but in next verses, that Angel Gabriel was who informed Mary about carrying Jesus, so who told Mary: The Angels or The Angel?

Before answering this, let's ask the following:

If a student received a letter from university that his application to enter a university was accepted and the letter was sent and signed from the dean of faculty as usual.

Then, if the student said the university told me that I was accepted, or the dean of the university told me I was accepted, what will be the difference? Nothing, it has the same meaning..

Similarly, The holy Ghost "Gabriel" is the chief of all God's Angels, if himself had told Mary that she will carry Jesus and then she said that the Angles told me that I will carry Jesus it will be the same meaning, knowing mostly Gabriel as chief of Angels will be surrounded with other angels too, therefore both are correct, and best perfect answer will be that Gabriel surrounded by the Angels told Marry about Jesus coming.

Example 3:

Let's read the following verse:

وقوم نوح لما كذبوا الرسل اغرقناهم وجعلناهم للناس اية واعتدنا للظالمين عذابا اليما

And Nûh's (Noah) people, when they denied the Messengers We drowned them, and We made them as a sign for mankind. And We have prepared a painful torment for the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers). (25:37)

Some infidels say that: how to say that "People of Noah denied the messengers so they were drowned", although they received only one messenger: Noah (PBUH), so how come that this verse mention messengers in plural not in singular?

The answer is simple, that all messengers came with the same message from God: "ALLAH is the only God and he is the only God who is worthy to worship", so belying one of them as belying all of them, since the message is the same. ALLAH says:  

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْفُرُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَيُرِيدُونَ أَن يُفَرِّقُواْ بَيْنَ اللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَيَقُولُونَ نُؤْمِنُ بِبَعْضٍ وَنَكْفُرُ بِبَعْضٍ وَيُرِيدُونَ أَن يَتَّخِذُواْ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ سَبِيلاً 150  أُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ حَقًّا وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابًا مُّهِينًا 151  وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَلَمْ يُفَرِّقُواْ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّنْهُمْ أُوْلَئِكَ سَوْفَ يُؤْتِيهِمْ أُجُورَهُمْ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا 152

Verily, those who disbelieve in Allâh and His Messengers and wish to make distinction between Allâh and His Messengers saying, "We believe in some but reject others," and wish to adopt a way in between. (150) They are in truth disbelievers. And We have prepared for the disbelievers a humiliating torment. (151) And those who believe in Allâh and (ALL) His Messengers and make no distinction between any of them (Messengers), We shall give them their rewards, and Allâh is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (4:152)

Therefore, when People of Noah denied his message, then they denied the message of all ALLAH's Prophets not only Noah, because they all carry the same message.

In conclusion, we see that interpretation of Quran is not easy and can't be that superficial, and can't be done by people who carry bad intentions against God and Islam. They think they are saving the world, and they are the smartest and most intelligent by figuring something that nobody had discovered before them, but unfortunately they only destroying themselves but they don’t know, ALLAH says about those "stupid" and deceived people:

وكذلك جعلنا في كل قرية اكابر مجرميها ليمكروا فيها وما يمكرون الا بانفسهم وما يشعرون

And thus We have set up in every town great ones of its wicked people to plot therein. But they plot not except against their ownselves, and they perceive (it) not. (6:123)

Finally as advice, whenever figuring something that appears as contradiction or error while reading about Islam (Quran, Hadith, etc..), then be sure that you didn’t understand the words correctly and need to ask someone well-informed to explain it to you.

To be continued…

Thanks to ALLAH, Lord of the Worlds

References:

[1] Wikipedia, Varieties of Arabic, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varieties_of_Arabic

[2] Wikipedia, Bible Translation into Arabic, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bible_translations_into_Arabic

[2] English Alarabiya.net, Lebanese monastery to archive first Arabic Bible, thousands of manuscripts, http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/04/25/210238.html