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THE QUR’AN A CRITICAL ASSESSMENT

THE QUR’AN A CRITICAL ASSESSMENT. 2010 (Jay Smith). Find out what they claim about the Qur’an. It is Inimitable (Therefore above criticism) : It is Superior to all other revelations It is Stylistically perfect It is Grammatically perfect It is Linguistically perfect (pure Arabic)

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THE QUR’AN A CRITICAL ASSESSMENT

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  1. THE QUR’AN A CRITICAL ASSESSMENT 2010 (Jay Smith)

  2. Find out what they claim about the Qur’an • It is Inimitable(Therefore above criticism): • It is Superior to all other revelations • It is Stylistically perfect • It is Grammatically perfect • It is Linguistically perfect (pure Arabic) • It is Universally unique • It has no Contradictions • It has no Errors • It is Compiled perfectly • It has no History (uniquely preserved)

  3. INIMITABLE CLAIMS: Muslim’s claim the Qur’an is UNIQUE: • The Qur’an is the greatest wonder among the wonders of the world . . . This book is second to none in the world according to the unanimous decision of the learned men in points of diction, style, rhetoric, thoughts and soundness of laws and regulations to shape the destinies of mankind.Hadith (Mishkat III, pg. 664)

  4. Muslim’s claim the Qur’an is SUPERIOR to all other pieces of literature: • Will they say, ‘Muhammad hath forged it?’ Answer: ‘Bring therefore a chapter like unto it, and call whom ye to your assistance, besides Allah, if ye speak truth.’(Suras10:37-38; 2:23; 17:88) • “Mother of Books” (Sura 43:3)

  5. a) Sura 16:93; 76:29-30 (Allah controls all) b) Sura 111 (The wrath of Allah) … c) Suras 4:74,84; 5:33; 9:29 48:16-17 (Fight your enemies) d) Sura 109 (Allah leaves us alone) e) Sura 24:2 (Flog the sinner) f) Suras 2:222-223, 282; 4:11, 34,176 (Women are 2nd class) a) I Tim. 2:4, Luke 15:3-4, Jn. 10:14,18 (God lets us choose) b) Francis of Assisi's prayer (The Love of God) (see Nehls, Christians Ask Muslims, 1987, pg.75, no.11) c) Matthew 5:3-12; I Corinthians 13:4-7 (Bless & love your enemies) d) Psalm 23 (The Lord is our Shepherd) e) John 8:3-12 (Forgive the sinner) f) Ephesians 5:22-25 (Women are equal) Muslim’s claim the Qur’an has perfect literary style, & content…yet Compare:

  6. It has many Literary defects: • Not chronological • Endless repetitions • Jumps from one topic to the next • Inconsistencies in grammar, law, and theology • Verbs left out

  7. WHAT DO THE EXPERTS TODAY SAY? German secular scholar Salmon Reinachstates that: • “From the literary point of view, the Koran has little merit. Declamation, repetition, puerility, a lack of logic and coherence strike the unprepared reader at every turn. It is humiliating to the human intellect to think that this mediocre literature has been the subject of innumerable commentaries, and that millions of men are still wasting time in absorbing it.” (Reinach 1932:176)

  8. Theodore Nöldeke: • “Chaotic Confusion...prosaic...stiff in style...tedious sermonizing...rhetorical...never metrical...and the rhyme on the whole a burdensome yoke...superfluous verbiage...syntax betrays great awkwardness...tiresome effect of its endless iterations...[so that dogma] turns a defective literary production into an unrivalled masterpiece, in the eyes of the believers” (Nöldeke 1998:36,44-47)

  9. Muslim’s claim the Qur’an is Grammatically perfect, yet: • 2:177, the word Sabireen should be Sabiroon; • 3:59, the words Kun feekunu should be written, Kun fakaana; • 5:69, the title al Sabioon, should be written al Sabieen (see also sura 2:62 & sura 22:17) • 7:160, Uthnati(feminine)Ashrat(feminine)Asbaataan. should be Uthnaiy (masculine)AsharaSibtaan.

  10. Muslim’s claim the Qur’an contains only Perfect Arabic (Suras 12:2; 13:37; 41:41,44): • Yet uses Egyptian, Hebrew, Syriac, Christian Aramaic, & Ethiopic words. • -Accadian (No.Iraq) words: Adam andEden repeated 24 times. A more correct term for “Adam” in Arabic would be basharan or insan, meaning “mankind.” “Eden” would be the word janna in Arabic, which means “garden.” • -Assyrianwords: Abraham (sometimes recorded asIbrahim). The correct Arabic equivalent would be Abu Raheem. • -Persianwords:Siratmeaning “the path” has the Arabic equivalent, Altareeq.Hoormeaning “disciple” has the Arabic equivalent, Tilmeeth. Firdaus meaning “the highest or seventh heaven" has the Arabic equivalent, Jannah. • -Greekwords:Injil, which means “gospel” was borrowed, yet it has the Arabic equivalent, Bisharah

  11. Muslim’s claim the Qur’an isUNIVERSAL: • Case 1: Women’s Position: • (Suras 2:224-230; 4:11,24-25,34,176; 55:56; 56:36; 78:33) • Case 2: Violence vs. Peace • Suras4:74,84; 5:33; 8:39; 9:5,29; 33:49; 47:4; 48:16-17 • vs. Bible:Matthew 5:38-44; 26:52….

  12. Polygamy:S 4:3 1 husband/ 4 wives and what right hand possesses (slaves/concubines) Inheritance: S 4:11”inheritance to the male, equal to that of two females.” Wife Beating: S 4:34, men may beat wives Testimony: S 2:282, Bukhar1:301 Muhammad replied, “Is not the testimony of a woman equivalent to half the testimony of a man? Tilth: S 2:223“Your women are a tilthfor you (to cultivate) so go to your tilth as ye will” Slaves/Concubines: S 33:50 “We have made lawful unto thee whom you have paid dowries (contract), those whom thy right had possesses (Slaves) of those whom Allah hath given thee as spoils of war... Polygamy...Genesis 2:24, Mt. 19:5, 1 Tim 3:2, perfect marriage relationship between 1 man and 1 woman. Love one’s wife: 1 Pet. 3:7, Col. 3:19“husbands must love your wives & NEVER treat them harshly.” Testimony: Matthew 28:9 First witnesses of Christ’s resurrection were women Equality:Galations3:28 “all believers are equal in Christ” -Hebrews 4:14-16 “both can approach God directly. -1 Peter 3:7 “you are equal together in the grace of life.” -1 Corinthians 7:1-40, Their bodies belong to each other. Not one is above the other. -Eph 5:25As Christ gave his life for the church, so a husband should do for his wife Slavery: Gal. 3:28 ‘There is neither slave nor free...male nor female...all one in Jesus Christ (Philemon 16 – Slave -> brother) WOMEN IN ISLAM VS. CHRISTIANITY

  13. Paradise In the Qur’an: A Beautiful Garden: • Surah 55 :26two gardens • Surah 56:12 Garden of delights • Surah 56: 31 water flowing constantly, fruit in plenty With Female and Male Servants: • Surah 55: 56 chaste females whom no man has been with • Surah 55: 70fair and beautiful women • Surah 55: 72 - 74 Hûr - beautiful, fair females, guarded in pavilions - virgins • Surah 56:22 Hûr, with wide, lovely eyes • Surah 55: 76reclining on green cushions and beautiful mattresses • Surah 56 : 34-38 on couches or thrones raised high, a special creation, and made them virgins, loving... • Surah 56:17 immortal boys will go around, serving with cups...flowing wine

  14. Muslim’s claim the Qur’an isUNIVERSAL:Case 2: Violence vs. Peace • Violence: • Suras 4:74,84; 5:33; 8:39; 9:5,29; 33:49; 47:4; 48:16-17 • vs. Bible:Matthew 5:38-44; 26:52….

  15. Looking at the Qur’an: ThePeace Verses: Sura 2:256 = “For there is no compulsion in religion” “Law of Abrogation” (Suras 2:106, 16:101) “That which we give, we give something better” (Mansukh vs. Nasikh) Thus, Sura 2:256 is a weak verse, abrogated by 101 verses which follow!

  16. Sura 2:190-193 = “Those who fight you, Do not transgress limits, / …and slay them wherever ye catch them, and fight them, until there prevail faith in Allah”

  17. AModerateInterpretation: Sura 5:31-32(raven, and blood of Abel)“we ordained for the Children of Israel that if anyone slew a person…it would be as if he slew the whole people; and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people...”

  18. A RadicalInterpretation: Sura 5:31-32 “we ordained for the Children of Israel that if anyone slew a MUSLIM…it would be as if he slew ALL MUSLIMS; and if anyone saved A MUSLIM, it would be as if he saved the life of ALL MUSLIMS...”

  19. The MedinanSword Verse: Sura 9:5: = “But when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay those who join other gods with Allah wherever you find them; besiege them, seize them, lay in wait for them with every kind of ambush..”

  20. Sword Verse against Christians, Jews: Sura 9:29 = “...Make war upon such of those to whom the scriptures have been given as believe not in Allah, or in the last day, and who forbid not what Allah and his apostle have forbidden...until they pay tribute...”

  21. Methodology of Sword Verses: Sura 47:4= ”When you encounter the unbelievers, strike off their heads, until ye have made a great slaughter among them...” Sura 8:38-39= “Unbelievers…And fightthem on until there is no more Tumult or oppression, and there prevail Justice and faith in Allah”

  22. Recompense for those who die in Jihad: Sura 4:74= “Let those who fight in the cause of Allah who sell the life of this world for the hereafter. To him who fighteth in the cause of Allah, whether he is slain or gets victory, Soon shall we give him a reward of great value” Sura 47:4-6= “…But those who are killed in the way of Allah, He will never let their deeds be lost…and admit them to Paradise”

  23. The Qur’an’s149 Sword Verses: 1.   2:178 2.       2:179 3.       2:190 4.       2:191 5.       2:193 6.       2:194 7.       2:216 8.       2:217 9.       2:218 10.   2:244 11.   3:121 12.   3:122 13.   3:123 14.   3:124 15.   3:125 16.   3:126 17.   3:140 18.   3:141 19.   3:146 20.   3:152 21.   3:153 22.   3:154 23.   3:155 24.   3:156 25.   3:157 26.   3:165 27.   3:166 28.   3:167 29.   3:169 30.   3:172 31.   3:173 32.   3:195 33.   4:071 34.   4:072 35.   4:074 36.   4:075 37.   4:076 38.   4:077 39.   4:084 40.   4:089 41.   4:090 42.   4:091 43.   4:094 44.   4:095 45.   4:100 46.   4:102 47.   4:104 48.   5:033 49.   5:035 50.   5:082 51.   8:001 52.   8:005 53.   8:007 54.   8:009 55.   8:012 56.   8:015 57.   8:016 58.   8:017 59.   8:039 60.   8:040 61.   8:041 62.   8:042 63.   8:043 64.   8:044 65.   8:045 66.   8:046 67.   8:047 68.   8:048 69.   8:057 70.   8:058 71.   8:059 72.   8:060 73.   8:065 74.   8:066 75.   8:067 76.   8:068 77.   8:069 78.   8:070 79.   8:071 80.   8:072 81.   8:073 82.   8:074 83.   8:075 84.   9:005 85.   9:012 86.   9:013 87.   9:014 88.   9:016 89.   9:019 90.   9:020 91.   9:024 92.   9:025 93.   9:026 94.   9:029 95.   9:036 96.   9:038 97.   9:039 98.   9:041 99.   9:044 100.      9:052 101.      9:073 102.      9:081 103.      9:083 104.      9:086 105.      9:088 106.      9:092 107.      9:111 108.      9:120 109.      9:122 110.      9:123 111.      16:110 112.      22:039 113.      22:058 114.      22:078 115.      24:053 116.      24:055 117.      25:052 118.      29:006 119.      29:069 120.      33:015 121.      33:018 122.      33:020 123.      33:025 124.      33:026 125.      33:027 126.      33:050 127.      47:004 128.      47:020 129.      48:015 130.      48:016 131.      48:017 132.      48:022 133.      48:024 134.      49:015 135.      59:002 136.      59:005 137.      59:006 138.      59:007 139.      59:008 140.      59:014 141.      60:009 142.      61:004 143.      61:011 144.      61:013 145.      63:004 146.      64:014 147.      66:009 148.  73:020 149.76:008

  24. TALMUDIC SOURCES: *Abraham Sura 21:51-71: (smashed idols,fiery pit) = Midrash Rabah - Jewish Folktales & UR = "fire" =Jonathan Ben Uziel(2nd c.) • Mt. Sinai Sura 7:171 of God lifting up Mount Sinai and holding it over the heads of the Jews = Hails from a second century apocryphal Jewish book, The Abodah Sarah(2nd c.)

  25. Sura 5:31 Then Allah sent a raven, who scratched the ground, to show him how to hide the shame of his brother. `Woe is me!' said he; `Was I not even able to be as this raven, and to hide the shame of my brother?' Then he became full of regrets. Targum of Jonathan-ben-Uzziah(150-200 A.D.) Adam and Eve, sitting by the corpse, wept not knowing what to do, for they had as yet no knowledge of burial. A raven came up, took the dead body of its fellow, and having scratched at the earth, buried it thus before their eyes. Adam said, `Let us follow the example of the raven,' so taking up Abel's body, buried it at once. *Cain and Abel(Sura 5:31):

  26. Qur'an- sura 5:32 On that account: We ordained for the Children of Israel that if anyone slew a person -unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land- it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people... Mishnah Sanhedrin 4:5(5th c.) We find it said in the case of Cain who murdered his brother, `the voice of thy brother's blood crieth out' [this latter is a quote from the Bible, Genesis 4:10], and he says, `it does not sayeth he hath blood in the singular, but bloods in the plural.' Thou was created single in order to show that to him who kills a single individual, it should be reckoned that he has slain the whole race. But to him who has preserved the life of a single individual, it is counted that he has preserved the whole race. Cain & Abel(Sura 5:32)

  27. Qur'an- sura 27:17-44 (aya 17) And before Solomon were marshalled his hosts-of Jinns and men, and birds, and they were all kept in order and ranks. (aya 20) And he took a muster of the Birds; and he said: `Why is it I see not the Hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees? (aya 21) I will certainly punish him with a severe penalty, or execute him, unless he bring me a clear reason (for absence). (aya 22) But the Hoopoe tarried not far: he (came up and) said: `I have compassed (territory) which thou hast not compassed, and I have come to thee from Saba with tidings true. (aya 23) I found (there) a woman ruling over them and provided with every requisite; and she has a magnificent throne... (aya 27) (Solomon) said: `Soon shall we see whether thou hast told the truth or lied! (aya 28) Go thou, with this letter of mine, and deliver it to them: then draw back from them, and (wait to) see what answer they return." (aya 29) (The queen) said: "Ye chiefs! Here is-delivered to me-a letter worthy of respect. (aya 30) It is from Solomon, and is (as follows): `In the name of Allah, most Gracious, Most Merciful: Be ye not arrogant against me, but come to me in submission (to the true Religion).'" (aya 32) She said: "Ye chiefs! Advise me in (this) my affair: no affair have I decided except in your presence." (aya 33) They said: "We are endued with strength, and given to vehement war: but the command is with thee; so consider what thou wilt command." (aya 35) She said..."But I am going to send him a present, and (wait) to see with what (answer) return (my) ambassadors." (aya 42) So when she arrived, (aya 44) she was asked to enter the lofty Palace: but when she saw it, she thought it was a lake of water, and she (tucked up her skirts), uncovering her legs. He said: "This is but a palace paved smooth with slabs of glass." II Targum of Esther(2nd c.) "Solomon...gave orders...I will send King and armies against thee...(of) Genii [jinn] beasts of the land the birds of the air. Just then the Red-cock (a bird), enjoying itself, could not be found; King Solomon said that they should seize it and bring it by force, and indeed he sought to kill it. But just then, the cock appeared in the presence of the King and said, "I had seen the whole world (and) know the city and kingdom (of Sheba) which is not subject to thee, My Lord King. They are ruled by a woman called the Queen of Sheba. Then I found the fortified city in the Eastlands (Sheba) and around it are stones of gold and silver in the streets." By chance the Queen of Sheba was out in the morning worshipping the sea, the scribes prepared a letter, which was placed under the bird's wing and away it flew and (it) reached the Fort of Sheba. Seeing the letter under its wing (Sheba) opened it and read it. "King Solomon sends to you his Salaams. Now if it please thee to come and ask after my welfare, I will set thee high above all. But if it please thee not, I will send kings and armies against thee." The Queen of Sheba heard it, she tore her garments, and sending for her Nobles asked their advice. They knew not Solomon, but advised her to send vessels by the sea, full of beautiful ornaments and gems...also to send a letter to him. When at last she came, Solomon sent a messenger...to meet her...Solomon, hearing she had come, arose and sat down in the palace of glass. When the Queen of Sheba saw it, she thought the glass floor was water, and so in crossing over lifted up her garments. When Solomon seeing the hair about her legs, (He) cried out to her..." Solomon & Sheba - sura 27:17-44

  28. Qur'an- sura 19:22-26 So she conceived him [Jesus], and she retired with him to a remote place. And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree: She cried (in her anguish): `Ah! would that I had died before this! would that I had been a thing forgotten and out of sight'! Then [the babe ‘Isa (Jesus)] cried unto her from below her, saying: `Grieve not! for thy Lord hath provided a rivulet beneath thee: And shake towards thyself the trunk of the palm tree; it will let fall fresh ripe dates upon thee. So eat and drink and cool (thine) eye. The Lost Books of the Bible(2nd c.) Now on the third day after Mary was wearied in the desert by the heat, she asked Joseph to rest for a little under the shade of a Palm Tree. Then Mary looking up and seeing its branches laden with fruit (dates) said, `I desire if it were possible to have some fruit.' Just then the child Jesus looked up (from below) with a cheerful smile, and said to the Palm Tree, `Send down some fruit.' Immediately the tree bent itself (toward her) and so they ate. Then Jesus said, `O Palm Tree, arise; be one of my Father's trees in Paradise, but with thy roots open the fountain (rivulet) beneath thee and bring water flowing from that fount.' Jesus and the Palm Tree:(Sura19:22-26)

  29. *Jesus's Childhood: -Baby Jesus talking- S.19:29-33 = The first Gospel of the Infancy of Jesus Christ (2nd c.) -Creating birds from clay- S.3:49 = Thomas' Gospel of the Infancy of Jesus Christ (2nd c.) --------------------------------------- • Poetryin the Qur’an (Meccan Suras) =Gunther Lűling: traced the poetry to pre-Islamic Christian Syriac hymns, written in the 6th c., with Arab themes added

  30. CONTRADICTIONS: • Ifthe words of Allahcannot be changed (Sura 6:34,115; 10:6), then how does Allah ‘substitute one revelation for another’ (Sura 2:106, 16:101)? • Does Allah's dayequal to 1,000 human years (22:47, 32:5) or 50,000 human years (70:4)? • Was the earth createdin 6 days (7:54; 25:59) or 8 days (41:9-12)? • Does the angel Gabrielbring the revelation from Allah to Muhammad (2:97), or is it the Holy Spirit (16:102)? • 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...)?

  31. (Contradictions cont.) • Is the punishment for adulteresseslife imprison­ment (4:15) or 100 floggings (24:2)? • Why is it that Homosexuals are let off if they repent (4:16), though the same allowance is not given for heterosexuals (24:2; 4:15). • Did Abraham confront his people and smash their idols(21:51‑59), or did he not, and leave the area after confronting them (19:41‑49, 6:74‑83)? • Were there 9 plagues, or signs (17:101), or only 5 (7:133)? • Did Jesus not die (4:157) or did he die, and rise again (19:33)? [note: refer to sura 19:15, which repeats the same words for Yahya]

  32. ERRORS: (Historical Anachronisms and Scientific problems) Cross:S.7:124 = Moses’s Pharaoh-1447BC, 12:41 = Joseph’s Baker- 1800BC: 1st crucifixions = Darius =519BC (900 & 1,300 yrs later). 2) (Sura 19:7) Yahya is a name unique to John the Baptist; what about (2Kings 25:23)? 3) (S.19:28; 66:12; 20:25-30) How was Mary, Jesus’ mother, Aaron’s sister and Imran’s daughter, as she lived1,570 years later? 4)(S.20:85-87, 95-97) Samaritan built ‘golden calf’ in 1447 BC, Samaritans began in 722 BC, or 725 years later. 5) (S.28:38; 29:38; 40:25,38) Can Haman be an Egyptian who builds a tower to God, as this name is Babylonian, & the tower was built 750 years earlier.

  33. 6) (S.18:96) Where is Alexander the Great’siron and brasswall between two mountains, in330 BC? No Record! • 7)Mountains (S.16:15; 21:31; 31:10; 78:6-7; 88:19) are not tent-pegs to keep earth from shaking, due to volcanoes & tectonic plates • 8)BadMath(S.4:11-12) Inheritance for widow =1/8 + 3 daughter =2/3 +2 parents =1/3, totalling1&1/8 or112.5%!? Or (S.4:11-12 & 176) My mother = 1/3, my wife = 1/3, my two sisters = 2/3 totalling: 4/3rds, or 133%!! • 9) (S.86:5-7) Does Semen really originate in the back or the kidney or is this simply borrowing from 5th century B.C. Hippocrates? • 10)Dirham (S.12:20) ‘a few dirham counted out’ for Joseph, yet coins created in 7th cent. BC by Lydians. Drachmas from 590-650 AD, but Dirhams not minted till 642 AD, by Caliph Umar; vs. Gen.37:28 = Shekels = 0.2 kgs. of silver!

  34. 20th-21st Century Polemics: Revisionists • The Revisionist’s Prime Concern: • To Reassess the Classical Model • Their principle Conclusions: • Islam, as we know it, did not exist in the 7th century, but evolved over a period of 200-300 years. (Humphreys 1991:71,83-89) • The Qur’an probably was not revealed to one man in 22 years, but likely evolved over a period of 100-200 years (Rippin 1985:155;1990:3,25,60; Lester 99:44-45; Wansbrough 1977:160-163)

  35. THE PRINCIPLE MODERN REVISIONISTS: • John Wansbrough (1977-1978): (Qur’anic Studies: Sources and Methods of Scriptural Interpretation 1977) (The Sectarian Milieu: Content and Composition of Islamic Salvation History 1978) • Took Schacht’s thesis even further, believing that both the Qur’an and the later Hadith came about as a result of Jewish & Christian Sectarian controversies, borrowed from outside the Hijaz, then redacted back “onto an Arabian point of origin”, so that the Qur’an was a composite, which evolved into its canonical form at the end of the 2nd Muslim century (Wansbrough-Qur’anic Studies 1977:20,44,49,51,79) • Looked at the Sira/Maghazi literature and noticed that Islam developed after the Arab conquests of the Holy Land in the mid-7th century and so on, and emerged by means of intense debates over religion between Christians and Jews

  36. Michael Cook (1975, 1983): (Muhammad, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1983) (Hagarism, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1977) • Took an even more radical approach, rejecting the traditional view on early Islamic history almost entirely (i.e. that of the Sira, Hadith, Tafsir, Ta’rikh), due to their late compilation:

  37. Thus, “if knowledge of the life of Muhammad was transmitted orally for a century before it was reduced to writing, then the chances are that the material will have undergone considerable alteration in the process” (Cook 1983:65) So, he went to Greek, Syriac, and Armenian sources from the 7th-8th c. & found a contrasting picture to the Islamic Traditions. Along with Patricia Cröne, theysought to step outside the Islamic Traditions and start again, piecing together an original account from non-Islamic sources of Muhammad’s time. The two together wrote “Hagarism”…a sort of “What if” in 26 pages, supported by 226 notes in a further 27 pages (Robinson 1996:47) Conclusion: suggested that the history of Islam, at least to the time of the caliph Abd al-Malik (685-704AD), is a later fabrication.

  38. Qibla (Archaeological Evidence) • Creswell & Fehervari on ancient mosques in the Middle East Umayyad mosques in Iraq (670-680) vWassit mosque v‘Kufa’ mosque vFustat(outside Cairo)

  39. Middle East Asia Minor Baghdad Jerusalem Kufa Cairo Egypt Medina Arabia Mecca

  40. Qibla (Documentary Evidence) Christian writer: Jacob of Edessa (705 AD)He refers to the ‘Mahgraye,’ saying, “So from all this it is clear that it is not to the south that the Jews and the Mahgraye here in the regions of Syria pray, but towards Jerusalem or the Ka’ba, the patriarchal places of their races.”

  41. Dome of the Rock • Built by ‘Abd al-Malik in 691 AD, and rebuilt by al Zaher Li-L’zaz in 1022 after an earthquake • Third most holy site after Mecca & Medina • Built to commemorate the night when Muhammad went up to heaven to speak with Moses and Allah concerning the number of prayers required of the believers (known as the Mi’raj)

  42. But, no Qibla(Suras 17:1 & 2:145-149) • Inner Ambulatories have Qur’anic inscriptions which do not parallel the Qur’an

  43. The Jews • According to Qur’an (Sura 2:144, 149-150) Muhammad severed relationship with Jews around 624 AD • DoctrinaIacobi (634-640 AD)Warning for Greek Christians about Jews who mix with the Arabs (Saracens) • Armenian Chronicler of 660 ADv Muhammad established a community which comprised both Ishmaelites and Jews v Break occurred between Jews and Arabs in 640 AD after Jerusalem conquest, 15 years later than Qur’an recorded • Other references to continued relationship:Genesis Rabbah (61:7), Babylonian Talmud, & Book of Jubilees,Abu DawudSulayman & Ahmad b. Muhammad ibnHanbal

  44. Patricia Cröne (1975, 1987): (Slaves on Horses, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1980) (Meccan Trade and the Rise of Islam, Princeton University Press, 1987) (“The First-Century Concept of Higra”, Arabica, XLI, E.J.Brill, Leiden, 1994) Hijra: 56 References, but none from Mecca to Medina, almost all from the Hijaz to the north. • Often to the Promised Land Abu Dawud, “there will be ‘hijra’ after ‘hijra,’ but the best of men are to follow the ‘hijra’ of Abraham.”

  45. Mecca • “Mecca is the center of Islam, and the center of history.” • “The first sanctuary appointed for mankind was that at Bakkah (Mecca)” Sura 3:96 • Mecca is the “mother of all settlements.” Sura 6:92 & 42:5

  46. Earliest reference to Mecca’s existence: Apocalypse of pseudo-Methodius ContinuatioByzantia ArabicaEarly reign of caliph Hisham(724-743 AD) • Cröne in her work points out that the Greek trading documents refer to the towns of Ta’if (which is close to present-day Mecca), and to Yathrib (later Medina), as well as Kaybar in the north, but no mention of Mecca.

  47. “Muslim” & “Islam” vMagaritai(Greek papyri 642), Mahgre or Mahgraye (Syriac letters 640) -Athanasius in 684 AD termed Mahgrayes v Jacob of Edessa in 705 AD mentions them as Hagarenes (descendants of Abraham & Hagar)…also Ishmaelites: Same as Hagarenes v ‘Muhajirun’ (those who took part in the hijra or exodus) v ‘Islam’, or the term ‘Muslim’ don’t appear until late 7th century - sense of ‘submission to God’, now ‘peace’

  48. Yehuda D. Nevo (1994) “Towards a Prehistory of Islam,” Jerusalem Studies in Arabic and Islam, vol.17, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 1994 • Arabic Inscriptions • Caliphal Protocals (Sufyani and Marwanid Periods, upto ‘Abd al-Malik – 691) • -no ”Muhammad Formula” ----------------------------------------------------------------- • G.R. Hawting (SOAS) The First Dynasty of Islam, The Umayyad Caliphate AD 661-750, London, Groom Helm, 1986 • Andrew Rippin Muslims, Their Religious Beliefs and Practices, vol. 1, London, Routledge, 2003

  49. Critique of the Qur’anic Manuscripts

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