It is probable that the Qur'an is from God

Thank you, Microsuck, for challenging me to this great and very important debate. It's a pleasure to be debating with you again.As Pro, I will argue that it is probable that the Quran is from God, meaning that it is more likely than not. Since Microsuck and I have agreed to give only arguments at round 1, I will now only give my arguments, and then I will refute Con's arguments in my second round. In proving my case that it is more probable than not that the Quran is from God, I will give 3 arguments:1) The Quran on the seasModern Science has discovered that in places where two different seas meet, there is a barrier between them. For example, the famous French oceanographer, J. Cousteau, says: “We studied the assertions by certain researchers about barriers separating seas, and noticed that the Mediterranean Sea had its own salinity and density and housed autochthonous fauna and flora. Then we examined the water of the Atlantic Ocean and discovered features entirely different from those of the Mediterranean Sea. According to our expectations, these two seas that merged in the strait of Gibraltar should present similar characteristics in terms of salinity, density and other properties. The two seas presented different features even though they were adjacent. This greatly puzzled us. An incredible barrier prevented the two seas from coming together. The same sort of a barrier had also been observed in Bab Al-Mandab in the Gulf of Aden connecting with the Red Sea.'[1] 'About the picture: The Mediterranean sea water as it enters the Atlantic over the Gibraltar sill with its own warm, saline, and less dense characteristics, because of the barrier that distinguishes between them. (Marine Geology, Kuenen, p. 43)'.[2] This fact that astounded oceanographers was revealed 1,400 years ago in the Quran:He is the One who has set free the two seas; one is sweet and palatable, and the other is salty and bitter. And He made a barrier between them, a partition that is forbidden to be passed. (25:53)He has let free the two seas meeting together. Between them there is a barrier which they do not transgress. (55: 19-20)The people (including prophet Muhammad) at the Arabian peninsula (where the Quran was written) didn't in any way have knowledge or experience on oceanography. And even if they did have some knowledge or experience on oceanography, they could never have known that some seas has barriers in it, because this barrier cannot be seen by the naked eye and has been discovered only in the modern age, using advanced and modern equipments to discover it. Indeed, this fact could only have come from God. 2) The word 'Haman' in the QuranA Haman was basically a close helper of the Pharaoh, and was "the head of the stone quarries".[3] Surprisingly, the Quran mentions Haman as a person who directed construction work under the command of the Pharaoh:"Pharaoh said, 'Council, I do not know of any other god for you apart from Me. Haman, kindle a fire for me over the clay and build me a lofty tower so that perhaps I may be able to climb up to Moses' god! I consider him a blatant liar.' (28:38)What is amazing is that the name Haman was not known until the decoding of Egyptian hieroglyphics in the 19th century (1,300 years after the Quran). When the hieroglyphics were decoded, it was understood that Haman was a close helper of the Pharaoh, and was "the head of the stone quarries".[Ibid]For example, in the dictionary of People in the New Kingdom, that was prepared based on the entire collection of inscriptions, Haman is said to be "the head of stone quarry workers".[Ibid]Now, the old testament mentions the word Haman. However, according to it, a Haman was the helper of a Babylonian king who inflicted many cruelties and evils on the Israelites.[Ibid] This is obviously wrong. Indeed, the Quran is far more correct with recent archaeological discoveries, and nothing and no one described this word "Haman" before the Quran so correctly as the Quran did. This historical fact could not have been understood in the time that the Quran was written and finished. In fact, hieroglyphics could not be deciphered until the late 1700s.[Ibid] However, in a miraculous way, the Quran tells us this historical information 1,400 years ago.3) The challenge of the Quran“If you (mankind) are in doubt concerning what We revealed to Our servant, than bring a chapter like it….” (2:23)This chapter is used as a proof of the Islamic creed. Indeed, if someone successfully create just one chapter like that of the Quran, then the Quran cannot be from God. However, although many people (like for example thinkers, poets, and literary critics such as Musaylamah; Ibn Al-Mukaffa‘; Abu’l-’Ala Al-Marri; Yahya b. Al-Hakam al-Ghazal; Sayyid ‘Ali Muhammad; Ibn al-Rawandi; Bassar bin Burd; Sahib Ibn ‘Abbad; Abu’l; and some wannabe Christian missionaries [4]) have tried to create a chapter like that of the Quran, they have all failed, and the challenge of Quran has remained unbeaten for 1,400 years. Not even the Arabs, who were masters on the Arabic language and known to have been Arabic linguists par excellence, failed to successfully challenge the Quran.[5] Indeed, E. H. Palmer is very correct in saying that:“The best of Arab writers has never succeeded in producing anything equal in merit to the Quran itself.' [Ibid]Now, it is obvious why nobody has been able to produce a chapter like that of the Quran, because although the challengers have had the same tools, like for example the 29 Arabic letters, they have completely failed to:1. Replicate the Qur’ans literary form. [Ibid]2. Match the unique linguistic genre of the Qur’an. [Ibid]3. Select and arrange words like that of the Qur’an. [Ibid]4. Select and arrange particles like that of the Qur’an. [Ibid]5. Match the Qur’ans phonetic superiority. [Ibid]6. Equal the frequency of rhetorical devices. [Ibid]7. Match the level of informativity. [Ibid]8. Equal the Qur’ans conciseness and flexibility. [Ibid]Forster Fitzgerald Arbuthnot, who was a notable British Orientalist and translator, states:“…and that though several attempts have been made to produce a work equal to it as far as elegant writing is concerned, none has as yet succeeded.' [Ibid]The Quran is an amazing book by itself and a Arabic literature of a masterpiece. The fact that no one has been able to take the challenge of the Quran in over 1,400 years (i.e. producing just one chapter like that of the Quran) indeed proves its divine source.ConclusionThis information (the Quran on the seas and the word 'Haman' in the Quran) just cannot have been known by prophet Muhammad or by any other person at the time of the Quran. Moreover, argument 3 (the challenge of the Quran) proves that the Quran is from God because no one has been able to produce a chapter like it. Not even the Arabs could challenge it, even due they were masters on the Arabic language and on Arabic poetry. Indeed, these examples clearly shows us that the Quran is from God.The conclusion stands very strong: It is more probable than not that the Quran is from God.Sources[1] http://www.quranmiracles.com...[2] http://www.islam-guide.com...[3] http://www.miraclesofthequran.com...[4] http://www.hamzatzortzis.com...[5] http://www.hamzatzortzis.com...We can see that I have used '[Ibid]' in many places here, so what does it mean? '[Ibid]' means that it is in the same place. If I for example make source [1] as the source behind A, and then make [Ibid] as the source behind B, then that means that B are from the same source as A, which is from source '[1]'.