From: zmbenhal@netcom.com (Zeyd M. Ben-Halim)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.islam
Subject: RE: Contradictions in Quran?
Date: 13 Aug 92 06:52:00 GMT
Organization: California Institute of Technology
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41
Originator: Mughal@Romeo.Caltech.Edu (Asim Mughal -Moderator)


[Postmarked: 10 Aug '92 ]

In article <713329599@lear.cs.duke.edu> khushro@niagara.eecs.umich.edu (Khushro Shahookar) writes:
>
>Although I am not a Muslim, I have developed a respect for Islam by living
>most of my life in Pakistan. However, some contradictions in the Holy Quran
>were recently pointed out to me. Before I believe in any of them, I
>would like to hear the other side of the story from Muslim scholars. 
>
>Please read the following only if you are a scholar of Islam. I need
>correct, logical answers, not more contradictions and misinformation.
>----------------------------------------------

I'm afraid you are totally confused. No [Muslim] accepts what is called the
New Testemant as the Injeel. It is the writings of several people about
the life of Christ. The Injeel IS considered the word of God. Islam considers
the words and deeds of Christ to be altered (mostly by Paul) to creat a cult
based on the worship of Christ as the son of God.
Islam considers what you know as the bible as a corruption of the original
messages to Moses and Jesus. Therefore no contradiction exists.

>Question 1:
>In Surah 3:3. He has revealed to you the Book with truth, verifying that
>which is before it, and He revealed the Tavrat and the Injeel
>aforetime, a guidance for the people, and He sent the Furqan.
>
>5:46. And We sent after them in their footsteps Isa, son of
>Marium, verifying what was before him of the Taurat and We
>gave him the Injeel in which was guidance and light, and verifying 
>what was before it of Taurat and a guidance and an admonition 
>for those who guard (against evil).
>
>Also 5:68 and 57:27.
>
>6:115 And the word of your Lord has been accomplished truly
>and justly; there is none who can change His words, and He is
>the Hearing, the Knowing.
>
>10:64 They shall have good news in this world's life and in the
>hereafter; there is no changing the words of Allah; that is the
>mighty achievement.
>
>41:43. Naught is said to you but what was said indeed to the 
> apostles before you; surely your Lord is the Lord of 
> forgiveness and the Lord of painful retribution.
>
>The above verses clearly state that the Bible is God's word, and that God's
>word cannot be changed. Then the Quran points out errors in the Bible, which
>I think is a contradiction:
>
>4:171. O followers of the Book! do not exceed the limits in your
>religion, and do not speak (lies) against Allah, but (speak) the
>truth; the Messiah, Isa son of Marium is only an apostle of Allah
>and His Word which He communicated to Marium and a spirit
>from Him; believe therefore in Allah and His apostles, and say
>not, Three. Desist, it is better for you; Allah is only one God; far
>be It from His glory that He should have a son, whatever is in the
>heavens and whatever is in the earth is His, and Allah is sufficient
>for a Protector.
>
>This is contradictory to the Bible, since there are several verses in the
>Bible that claim that God himself came to the earth as Jesus, and Jesus
>himself said that he was God. I have read these verses, and there is no room
>for any doubt about their meaning. I am not listing those verses from the Bible
>here, but I can provide a list separately to whoever needs it. It is
>also available for anonymous ftp on z.eecs.umich.edu (141.212.99.7) in
>the file /pub/christ
>
>If there is a difference between 2 books, either one can be wrong. But if
>the Quran has already claimed that The Bible is God's word, and God's word
>cannot be changed, then this is a contradiction in the Quran. 
>If you claim that the Bible has been changed, then you are violating Suras 
>6:115, 10:64, 41:43, and others. 
>
>4:171 is just one example of the contradictions between the Quran and the
>Bible. I am sure you are aware of several others.
>
>I know that the Quran accepts the
>different religions, as shown by the following: (5:44-48)
>
>5:48. And We have revealed to you the Book with the truth,
>verifying what is before it of the Book and a guardian over it,
>therefore judge between them by what Allah has revealed, and
>do not follow their low desires (to turn away) from the truth
>that has come to you; for every one of you did We appoint a law
>and a way, and if Allah had pleased He would have made you
>(all) a single people, but that He might try you in what He gave
>you, therefore strive with one another to hasten to virtuous
>deeds; to Allah is your return, of all (of you), so He will let you
>know that in which you differed;
>
>This clearly states that God has given us different religions and that we
>will be judged by whatever has been given to us. However, if the Quran
>attacks another religion and says that some of its teachings are wrong, then
>that is a contradiction in the Quran. It is like saying that God's word is
>wrong, because the Bible is also God's word, and it has not been changed.
>
>The Quran also suggests the following possibility:
>
>3:78. Most surely there is a party amongst those who distort the
>Book with their tongue that you may consider it to be (a part) of
>the Book, and they say, It is from Allah, while it is not from
>Allah, and they tell a lie against Allah whilst they know.
>
>This means that the Christians are interpreting the Bible wrongly, and
>distorting it with their tongue. It does not say that the text of the Bible
>has been changed. In that case, I would ask any one to  read for themselves
>all those verses in the Bible that claim that Jesus is God, and tell me
>their real meaning. I am ready to discuss this issue further. I can provide
>you with a list of these verses. It is also available for anonymous ftp
>on z.eecs.umich.edu (141.212.99.7) in the file /pub/christ
>

Like I said, the BIBLE is considered a corruption of the Torah and Injeel.
Nothing in it is considered reliable as the word of God. So you arguments do
not apply.

>-------------------------------------
>
>Question 2:
>
>In several places the Quran says that it fulfills the prophesies in the
>Bible. What prophesies are these? I found a couple of them in an English
>translation of the Quran, but they proved to be false, ie the interpretation
>of the verses in the Bible was wrong. Can someone point me to a book that
>gives this information?
>Regarding prophesies for Jesus in the Old Testament, there are at least 50,
>including place and time of birth etc.
>------------------------------------
>

See above. All your arguments are built on the misconception that the BIBLE
is a valid copy of the Injeel & Torah. IN Islam it is not so.

>Question 3:
>
>The Quran gives several special previleges to the prophet Muhammad, PBUH,
>which is contradictory to the claim that prophets are ordinary humans like
>us, and they are not to be glorified.
>
>For example, 
>i) No one can marry the Prophet's wives, which is a violation of the Islamic
>law, which allows widows to re-marry:
>
>33:53 " nor that you should marry his wives after him ever;
>surely  this is grievous in the sight of Allah."
>

The reason for not allowing people to marry the Prophet's ex-wives is simple:
So that no man can claim special status by virtue of being married to any
of them. You can see the mess we got into when people started claiming special
rights by virtue (sic) of being related to the Prophet.

>ii) the prophet Muhammad was allowed to have more than 4 wives, where as the
>generally accpted limit for others is 4.
>
>iii) 6:50 also gives some extra previleges to the Prophet:
> 6:50 "and a believing woman if she gave 
> herself to the Prophet, if the Prophet desired to marry 
> her-- specially for you, not for the (rest of) believers;"
>

The Prophet was an ordinary human in the sense he was not divine. The ban on
pictorial representing the Prophet and others was to stop people from diefing
him (like christrians do with icons, crosses, etc.) BUT, the Prophet is an
extra-ordinary person by the mere fact of him being chosen to reveal the
final message of God. Obviously the Prophet has a higher status than the rest
rest of humanity. This entitles him to certain privilages accorded to him
by God. This is not to say that the Prophet is infallible (despite what
others on s.r.i think) He has been admonished by God for turning a blind man
back. If he was infallible he would not have lost in Uhud.

>On the other hand, Jesus, followed the Law given in the Taurat completely,
>he never changed any of it, and there were no exceptions or special
>previledges for him.
>

Oh, really! He only claimed to be the son of God. He could perform miracles
and rise from the dead. No [privileges] there :-)

>---------------------------------------
>
>
>--
>Copyright KHUSHRO SHAHOOKAR,   $0.02
>khushro@eecs.umich.edu   Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Modifications are copyright ZEYD M. BEN-HALIM, $1000000.

Wa Allahu 'alam,
			Zeyd