Thursday, November 13, 2014

IS THE QUR’AN GOD’S WORD? - Part 4




Moral Reformation :
The Qur’an says: Who can be more wicked than one who invents a lie against Allah or says “I have received inspiration” when he has received none or (again) who says “I can reveal the like of what Allah has revealed?” (Al-Qur’an 6:93) This verse prescribes the most humiliating punishment for such liars. If Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was the author of the Qur’an, was he deceitfully ascribing it to God and describing himself as the most wicked man? Had he been the author of the Qur’an, there was every possibility that his fabrication might one day be uncovered and get him into trouble.

continue after the cut...



a) A similar warning is given in the Qur’an in the following verse: “And if the messenger were to invent any sayings in Our name We should certainly seize him by his right hand And We should certainly then cut off the artery of his heart: Nor could any of you withhold him (from Our wrath).” (Al-Qur’an 69:44-47) There are several such verses in the Qur’an e.g. Al-Qur’an 42:24 & 16:105.
b) Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) did not deliver the whole Qur’an at one sitting. He recited it piecemeal over a period of about 23 years during which any question would be answered. The Qur’an says: “If you ask about things when the Qur’an is being revealed they will be made plain to you” (Al-Qur’an 5:101) People took this opportunity to ask a wide range of questions covering subjects like intoxicants, gambling, charity, new moon, menstruation, spoils of war, or even historical figures like Zulqarnain. Therefore the Qur’an mentions in several places “They ask thee concerning such and such matter. Say: it is so and so”. In no way could Muhammad (pbuh) have known in advance the questions he would be asked, thus perfectly matching his reformation purposes for which he had set out to write the Qur’an. It would be foolish for a Prime Minister who wants to talk about the transportation facility in his country to call a press conference and invite the press to ask any question. They may choose to inquire about the food situation or even about political prisoners.
c) There is sufficient proof in the Qur’an against this moral reformation theory because Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) himself is corrected by the Qur’an in several places. Once while Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was deeply engrossed, trying to convince the teachings of Islam to pagan Quraish leaders of Makkah, a poor Muslim blind man, Abdullah Ibn Umm-Makhtum interrupted the discussion because he wanted to learn the Qur’an. The Prophet (pbuh) did not appreciate this interruption, which was evident by his frowning. Although the prophet (pbuh) did not say a word yet a revelation was consequently sent which is preserved forever in the Qur’an. “The (Prophet) frowned and turned away because there came to him the blind man (interrupting). But what could tell you but that perchance he might grow (in spiritual understanding)? Or that he might receive admonition and the teaching might profit him?” (Al-Qur’an 80:1-4) Anyone besides the Prophet (pbuh), whether saint or sinner, would not have been questioned so. But he, whose gentle heart ever sympathized with the poor and affected, got new light from above, and without the least hesitation published this revelation in the Qur’an. Subsequently every time he met this blind man, he received him graciously and thanked him that on his account, God had remembered him. There are several similar verses in the Qur’an e.g. in response to Prophet’s (pbuh) oath of not taking honey, Al-Qur’an 66:1 was revealed. In context of revenge of Hamzah (ra) death, Al-Qur’an 16:126 was revealed. In context of prisoners of war for ransom, Al-Qur’an 8:67 was revealed. When Prophet (pbuh) had prayed for a hypocrite, Al-Qur’an 9:84 was revealed.
Epileptic Theory : Some of the people agree that the Prophet (pbuh) was sincere and truthful but allege that he was suffering from epilepsy and during his epileptic seizures he recited what later became the Qur’an. Some writers have compared description of the Prophet (pbuh) when he received revelations with that of epileptic seizures. In actual fact they were far from similar. From the hadith i.e. tradition we learn that the Prophet (pbuh) received the revelation in one of the following conditions:
I.    In the Form of a ringing Bell.
II.   Sometimes when the revelation came even though it was very cold his brow would be streaming with perspiration.
III.  Sometimes he would look perturbed.
 IV. Sometimes he would become very heavy while receiving revelations.
 “These descriptions in no way bear resemblance to the medical symptoms of epilepsy. Epilepsy is a sudden and recurrent disturbance in the mental function or movement of the body, or both.” Its symptoms include “complete or partial loss of consciousness, accompanied by muscular spasms or convulsions or by more complex behaviour. 70% of patients suffer their first attack before the age of 20 and in some types of epilepsy attacks diminish as the patient enters adulthood.
There are 4 main types of epilepsy.
 a. Grand Mal Epilepsy or ‘the big sickness’
b. Petit Mal Epilepsy or ‘the little sickness’
c. Focal Seizures
d. Psycho-Motor Seizures The Prophet’s description when he received the revelation clearly indicates that he did not suffer from the epilepsy of any form.
Grand Mal Epilepsy
This form of epilepsy shows the following symptoms:
1. Generalized convulsions preceded by a complete loss of consciousness, a loud scream and falling to the ground;
2. A stiffening of the body (including the respiratory system sometimes) and jerking movements in all four extremities of the body. In some cases the tongue can get bitten because of a tightening in the muscle of the face;
3. At the end of the attack the patient is totally disorientated, confused, sleepy, sick;
4. The patient will have no recollection of what happened during the seizure or immediately afterwards. The Prophet (Pbuh) did not suffer from any of these symptoms during his life, and most importantly, he remembered everything that had happened to him during the time when the revelation was given to him and recited what he had been commanded to memorize.
Petit Mal
 Petit Mal occurs in children and dies out during early adulthood. An attack consists of a very brief episode of unresponsiveness lasting no more than 15 seconds usually. Since the Prophet (pbuh) first received revelation at the age of 40, and each period of revelation lasted a few minutes, it is impossible that the Prophet (pbuh) suffered from this malady.
Focal and Psycho-motor seizures
Focal seizures originate in a particular area of the brain and the seizure affects those parts of the body controlled by that part of the brain. An attack may show symptoms of jerking in particular extremities or as numbness and trembling in those extremities; the seizure can spread throughout the brain resulting in generalized convulsions.
Psycho-motor seizures are set off by an emotional, sensory or psychical aura - that is an unpleasant odour, taste or illusion about size and distance which causes intense fear. The patient becomes unresponsive and can do strange things such as suddenly walking off. The seizure lasts 1-3 minutes and after recovery, the patient will have no memory of the attack itself or the aura, which caused it in the first place. Again, these symptoms are totally dissimilar from what the Prophet (pbuh) experienced, and was seen to experience by his family and companions when receiving the Qur’an.
The causes of Epilepsy

Epilepsy is not a disease, it is a syndrome and therefore there is not usually one specific cause behind it. The actual syndrome is created through the malfunction of nerve cells in the brain where the neurons release or discharge excessive electrical energy causing thereby intense excitability in the cells - resulting in a loss of consciousness and convulsions. The reason for this abnormal behaviour in the nerve cells of an individual epileptic can be complex; there is no single cause normally. However in 50% of cases a primary or contributing factor for the syndrome can be identified. Such factors include injury at birth or later; congenital defects (e.g. Cerebral Palsy); infectious diseases such as Meningitis which attack the nerve tissue, parasitic infections, brain tumours, shock etc. An attack can also be brought on as a result of withdrawal from alcohol or barbiturates; extreme emotional distress, or fatigue. The Prophet (pbuh) had none of these problems and therefore did not have epilepsy either. He was known to be in perfect physical and mental health. Although he went through extremely exhausting and stressful times, he displayed a great deal of fortitude. The Qur’an is such an amazing, unchallengeable and glorious book, that one Muslim psychiatrist has said that if it was indeed the work of an epileptic, “I’d like to see more of these epileptic people!”
Islam prescribes Universal Brotherhood. It rejects the thought that human beings have been created in castes or in different levels. In the Glorious Qur’an, in Surah Hujurat, Chapter No. 49, Verse No. 13, Allah (swt) describes the Islamic concept of Universal Brotherhood :
‘O human kind, we have created you from a single pair of male and female, and have divided you into nations and tribes, so that you shall recognize each other (not that you shall despise each other), verily the most honoured in the sight of Allah (swt) is the person who has Taqwa (who fears Allah and is Righteous), Allah (swt) is all knowing and well acquainted with all things.’
This Verse of the Glorious Qur’an indicates that the whole human race originated from a single pair of male and female. All humans have common great grandparents and ancestors.
Further, Allah (swt) says that he has made nations and tribes, so that humans can recognize each other, and not so that they may despise each other and fight amongst themselves.
This verse also clarifies that the criteria for judgement in the sight of Allah (swt) does not depend on caste, colour, creed, gender or wealth, but on Taqwa – God consciousness, piety and righteousness. Anyone who is righteous, pious and God-conscious is honoured in the sight of Allah (swt).
The corner stone of the Islamic faith is the belief in one and only sole Creator and Sustainer of the entire universe who alone deserves worship and obedience. The same God has created all human beings, irrespective whether you are rich or poor, whether a male or female, whether  black or white, whichever caste, colour, creed you belong to – all humans are equal – they are created by the one and only Creator, Almighty God.
Only if you believe in and acknowledge the uniqueness and Oneness of God you truly practice Universal Brotherhood.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Concept of God in Islam

The best reply that any person can give you regarding the concept of God in Islam, is to quote to you Surah Al Ikhlas, Ch. No. 112, V. No. 1 to 4, which say :

 “Say : He is Allah the One and Only;
Allah the Eternal Absolute;
He begets not nor is He begotten;
And there is none like unto Him.”

This a four-line definition of Almighty God. If a person or any entity claims to be god, and if she / he satisfies the criteria specified in this four–line definitions, we Muslims have no objection in accepting that person or entity as Almighty God.
The four criteria are :
1.       ‘Say, He is God, One and only.
2.       Allah the Absolute and Eternal
3.       He begets not, nor is He begotten.
4.       And there is nothing like Him.’
This Chapter of the Glorious Qur’an i.e. Surah Ikhlas, Ch. No. 112,  is the touch stone of theology.
The moment you can compare a candidate or a claimant of divinity to anyone or anything in the world or in this Universe, s/he is not God. For example suppose someone says, “A particular entity that claims to be god is a thousand times as strong as Arnold Schwarzenegger – Arnold Schwarzenegger, the person who was given the title ‘Mr. Universe’, the strongest man in the world”. The moment you can compare the claimant to godhood to anything in this world, whether it be Arnold Schwarzenegger, or King Kong, or Dara Singh, whether it be by a thousand times, or million times – the moment you can compare the claimant to anything in this world, that claimant is not Almighty God.
‘There is nothing like Him.’
Otherwise, the Glorious Qur’an says:

Say: “Call upon Allah or call upon Rahman: by whatever name you call upon Him (it is well): for to Him belong the Most Beautiful Names. (Al-Qur’an 17:110)

You can call Allah (swt) by any name, but it should be a beautiful name and it should not conjure up a mental picture. There are no less than 99 attributes given in the Glorious Qur’an, for Allah (swt). A few of these are Ar-Rahman, Ar-Rahim, Most Merciful, Most Beneficent, etc.

In Islam, Universal Brotherhood spread not only in a horizontal manner, but also in a vertical manner. Horizontal spread of Islam covers all the regions and all the people of the whole world and universe.

Vertical spread of Islam: The Universal Brotherhood of faith, includes vertically, even the generation that came before you as also that went in the past, and the ones that will follow in future. You are a single race… or a single people.

It is only because of the belief in the Oneness and Uniqueness of the Creator that Universal Brotherhood can prevail in the whole Universe. This Universal Brotherhood of faith is far superior to the Brotherhood of blood relationship.
When it comes to brotherhood of faith, it is far superior to brotherhood of relationship. Where it comes to justice, where it comes to truth, justice is far superior to blood relationship.
The Qur’an says “come to common terms as between us and you”  Which is the first term? That we worship none but Allah.’ (Al-Qur’an 3:64).
Only believing in One Almighty God is not sufficient – You should also obey, serve and worship only the One Almighty God. Only when all humans believe in obey, serve and worship the One True and Unique God, will Universal Brotherhood prevail.
The corner stone of the Islamic faith is the belief in the one and only sole Creator and Sustainer of the entire universe who alone deserves worship and obedience. All humans are equal since the one and only Creator, Almighty God created them. Without this Universal faith and belief in the Oneness and Uniqueness of the Almighty God, Universal brotherhood and humanity cannot prevail.
Almighty God addresses us in the Glorious Qur’an and states:
‘O mankind! Reverence your Guardian-Lord Who created you from a single person created of like nature his mate and from them twain scattered (like seeds) countless men and women…’ (Al-Qur’an 4:1)

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