IS THE QURAN GOD’S WORD?

IS THE QURAN GOD’S WORD?

Extract from a Public Talk by : Dr Zakir Naik

 

As-salaam wa-alaikum wa-rahmatullahi wa-barakatuhu.

May peace, blessings and mercy of Almighty Allah be on all of you.

 The topic of this talk is “IS THE QURAN GOD’S WORD?”

Many people have a misconception that Prophet Muhammad (May peace be upon him) was the founder of the religion of Islam. In fact, Islam is in existence since man first set foot on the earth. God Almighty has sent several revelations and messengers to this earth. All the previous Prophets sent by Allah (SWT) were meant only for their people and their nation and the complete message was meant for a particular time period. That is the reason that the miracle they performed like the parting of the sea, like raising the dead to life convinced the people of that time but cannot be examined and verified by us today.

Prophet Muhammad (May peace be upon him) was the last and final messenger of God Almighty sent to the whole of humanity and his message is meant till eternity. The Quran mentions in Surah Al-Ambiya, Ch. No. 21, Verse No. 107:

“That we have sent not thee but as a mercy to the whole of humankind, as a mercy to all the world.”

Since Prophet Muhammad may peace be upon him, was the last and final messenger and his message was everlasting, that is the reason, the miracle given to him by Allah (SWT) should also be everlasting and examinable by us at all the time. Though Prophet Muhammad (May peace be upon him), performed several miracles which are mentioned in the Hadith, that is the traditions, he never emphasized them. Though we Muslims believe in all those miracles. We only boast of the ultimate miracle given to him by Allah (SWT) that is the Holy Quran. Al-Quran is the miracle of all times. It proved itself to be a miracle 1400 years ago. It can be reconfirmed today and forever. In short, it is the miracle of miracles.

Probably the only point common amongst the people, whether they be Muslims or non Muslims is that the Quran was recited the first time by the man born in the city of Makkah in Arabia in the 6th Century by the name Muhammad (May peace be upon him). Regarding the source of the Holy Quran, there can be basically 3 different assumptions. The first is that the Holy Quran, its author is Prophet Muhammad (May Peace be upon him) himself consciously, sub-consciously or unconsciously. The second assumption that can be is that Prophet Muhammad (May peace be upon him) he obtained it from other human sources or from other religious scripture. And the third is that the Holy Quran does not have human author but it is verbatim the word or the revelation of God Almighty.

Let us examine today all the three basic assumptions. The first being that Prophet Muhammad (May peace be upon him) was the author himself consciously, sub-consciously or unconsciously. It is highly abnormal to challenge the testimony of a person who disclaims the responsibility of any great work. Whether it is literally, whether it be scientific or otherwise. But this is exactly what the orientalists do who doubt the origin of the Quran, when they say that Prophet Muhammad (May peace be upon him) was the author. The Prophet never ever claimed that he was the author of the Quran. In fact, he always said that it was a revelation from Allah (SWT). To think otherwise is illogical and would mean that he was telling a lie, God forbid.

History tells us that never has the Prophet been ever reported of telling a lie till the Prophethood, that is till the age of 40. And all the people acclaimed him as a person who was honest, who was noble, who was chaste. No wonder they gave him the title Al-Ameen – the trustworthy. Friends and foes alike. Even those people who said that he was a liar, God forbid, after he claimed Prophethood, even then, they kept their valuables with him for safe keeping. Then why should an honest person lie and say that the Quran is a word of God and that he was a Prophet. Let us examine the claims made by the orientalists. Some say that Prophet Muhammad (May peace be upon him) he attributed the Quran and said he was a Prophet for material gains, for worldly benefits, I do agree there are several people who falsely claim to be Prophets, saints and preachers for wealth. And they acquire riches and lead a luxurious life. We have several throughout the world. Especially in our country India.

Prophet Muhammad was financially better off before than after Prophethood. He had married a rich business woman by the name of Khadijah (May Allah be pleased with her) at the age of 25. 15 years before Prophethood and his life after he claimed he was a Prophet was unenviable.

According to the collection of Hadith by An-Nawawi in Riyadh as Saleheen, Hadith No. 492, it says, that Ayesha (May Allah be pleased with her) who was the wife of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (May peace be upon him) said that there were times when one or two months would pass without having fire been lit in the house because they did not have any cooked food. They survived on water and dates and sometimes supplemented by the goat milk given by the people of Madinah. This was not a temporary phase. It was a way of life for the Prophet.

According to Riyadh-as-Saleheen, Hadith No. 465 and 466, Hazrat Bilal (May Allah be pleased with him) he said that whenever the Prophet received gifts and provision for the future he gave it to the poor and the needy and never kept it back for himself.

Then why should you doubt that the Prophet told a lie, Nauzubillah for material gains. And there is a verse in the Quran which negates this thing. It is from Surah Al-Baqarah, Ch. No. 2, Verse No. 79, which says:

“Then vow to those who write the book with their own hands. And then say, this is from Allah. To traffic with it for a miserable price. Then vow to those for what their hands do write. Then vow to those for what they earn”.

This Verse is talking about the people who wrote the book with their own hands and said it is from God Almighty or they changed the words of Allah (SWT). There were every possibility that if Prophet Muhammad (May peace be upon him) himself would have written the Quran and attributed it to Allah (SWT) in some point of his life, he would have been exposed. Then he would be called as the biggest hypocrite and would be cursing himself in his own book. Some people say that Prophet Muhammad (May peace be upon him) attributed the Quran to Allah (SWT) and called himself a Prophet for status, for power, for glory, for leadership. What are the qualities of a person who wants power, status, leadership and glory? He wears fancy clothes. He eats very good food. He lives in mansions and in monumental buildings. He has guards etc,. Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (May peace be upon him) he milked his own goat. He mend his own clothes, he repaired his own shoes, he even many a times did the household work. He was an amazing model of simplicity and humbleness. He sat on the floor, he went to shop in the market without any guards. Even when the poor people used to invite him, he used to dine with them and eat graciously whatever was given to him. So much so that, that it is mentioned in the Quran in Surah Tauba, Ch. No. 9, Verse No. 61, said:

“Oh! He listens to everybody…”

What kind of a person is this who listens to every Tom, Dick and Harry. Once when the representative of the pagan Arab by the name of Udba. He came to the Prophet and said; “If you give up this claim of Prophethood, we will give you all the wealth in Arabia. We will make you the leader of Arabia and crown you the king. Only thing that we want is that you should give up this message that there is only one God”, and the Prophet refused.

By the revelation of the Quran from Surah Fussilat, Ch. No. 41. There were several attempts made once through his Uncle Abu Talib that you give up your message and we will make you the wealthiest man in Arabia. The Prophet said: “Oh! My Uncle, even if they put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left, I will not give up this mission until I die.”

Why should a person lead a life of such suffering and sacrifices when he was triumphant even with his advisories. And he was so humble and noble that, at all the times of victory, he always said, it is due to the help of Allah (SWT) and not my own genius. Some of the orientalists, they come up with a new theory, that the Prophet, he was suffering from Mythomania. God forbid, Mythomania is a mental disorder in which a person tells a lie and he believes in it. So they said that our Prophet Muhammad (May peace be upon him) told a lie, Nauzubillah and he believes in it.

If a psychiatrist has to treat a mythomaniac, he will pose him with facts because these people can not face facts. Suppose a person says I am the king of England. The psychiatrist will not tell him that he is crazy, he is mad. He will say okay if you are the king of England, where is your queen. He will say she is gone to my mother in laws place. Where is your minister, he has died. Where are the guards, the moment you keep on posing facts, finally the mythomaniac will say I think I am not the king of England. The Quran does the same. Quran poses the people with facts and questions. In fact it is not Prophet Muhammad (May peace be upon him) who was Mythomaniac, it is these people who are actually Mythomaniac because they say that the Prophet lied and they believe in it and Quran treats such people by posing facts, by posing questions. If you doubt, if you think that the Quran has been forged, do so and so, so and so things. If you think that the Quran is not from Allah (SWT) what about this. It poses several questions, which we will be dealing with InshaAllah, during the course of the talk.

Some have come up with a theory called the religious illusion theory or the sub conscious theory in which the Prophet they say Nauzubillah used to form his subconscious mind, he derived the Quran unknowingly. And some of them said he was crazy. God forbid. Let us analyze their claim. A person if he is suffering from the disease or if he is crazy, they fail to realize that the Quran was revealed during a course of time which was 23 years. The Quran was not revealed at one time. It was revealed over a period of 23 years in stages part by part. If this Quran as they claim is from a mind which is sub conscious or a crazy mind, it could not have been so consistent. And neither can a person be under the false impression that he is a Prophet when everything is coming from his sub conscious mind for a period of 23 years. There are several facts in the Quran which can disprove this. For example Quran mentions about several historical events which no one at the time of the Prophet knew. There are several prophecies, which are, mentioned which have been fulfilled. There are several scientific facts which were known through Quran that time and had been confirmed today. It is impossible for these sort of facts to come out from a subconscious mind or a crazy mind.

And the Quran testifies in Surah Araf, Ch. No. 7, Verse No. 184:

“Do they not deflect that their companion is not one possessed with evil but he is a perpetious warner”.

The Quran repeats in Al-Qalam, Ch. No. 68, Verse No. 2:

“Thou is not by the grace of thy lord crazy or possessed”.

It is said in Surah Tawkir, Ch. No. 81, Verse No. 22:

“Your companion is not possessed and mad”.

So why should a person lie, it is not possible to discuss all the various theories put forward by them. If any one had any new theory they are most welcome to put it during question answer time and InshaAllah, I will try my level best to clarify it. The second assumption is that the Prophet copied it from other religious scriptures or he got it from some human source. One historical fact is sufficient to prove this theory wrong. That is our beloved Prophet Muhammad (May peace be upon him) he was an illiterate and Quran testified in Surah Ankabut, Ch. No. 29, Verse No. 48, that:

“thou was not able to recite any book before this book was revealed, nor was thou able to transcribe it before this”.

In that case indeed the talkers of vanities would have doubted. Allah (SWT) knew that people would doubt the source of the Quran. That is the reason that in His divine wisdom, He chose His last and final messenger Prophet Muhammad (May peace be upon him) to be an Ummi, an illiterate and unlettered Prophet. Otherwise, surely, the talkers of vanities, the babblers in the market place would have something to say and if the Prophet was literate, the critics, the cynics would have had some weight to say that the Prophet copied it from somewhere else and rehatched it in a new form, Nauzubillah! But even this claim is denied.

A point hardly big enough to hang a fly. In the verses of the Quran from Surah Sajdah, Ch. No. 32, Verse No. 1 to 3:

“ ‘Alif laam meem…’. This is the revelation of book without doubt from the lord of the worlds. Do they say he has forged it? Nay! It is a truth from thy lord, so that thou may admonish a people to whom no warner was sent before. So that they may receive some guidance”.

The Quran is unlike any other religious scriptures which has a typical human type of narration like a storybook. How does the storybook begin? It begins with once upon a time, foxes and grapes, wolf and the lamb. Similarly, if you read other scriptures, it says, in the beginning was God, he made the heavens and the earth. In the beginning was the word. It may say now it came to pass as though so it happened. The Quran does not have such human narration… in the beginning was so and so and if you read the other religious scriptures, they have a typical sequence of the human narration’s. It talks about a particular person, talks about his family, about the children and the sequence runs in order – Chapter 1, Chapter 2, it is in order.

Quran too speaks about people and their family lives but it speaks not in a particular sequence like the human story book. The Quran has its own unique style. It is a unique book. The people who cannot prove that Quran is a work of a human being then they finally come up and say that the Quran is the deception? They will not be able to point out a single deception in the whole Quran. People they believe in things for which they have got no proof or reason. And they fool themselves but stick into it. For example if I believe that this particular man, he is my enemy for which I have got no proof for which I have got no reason. But the moment that man comes in front of me, because of my false belief, I start behaving like an enemy. He reacts and too behaves like my enemy and then I satisfy myself see! I was right. This man is my enemy because he is behaving like my enemy. If it had not been for my initial false belief, that man would have never behaved like my enemy. So people believe in things without proof and reason and fool themselves by sticking to it. Quran says that the revelation goes in parallel with reason. Some people says that holy scriptures, they are beyond reasoning if they are beyond reasoning, then how can we decipher, which of the Holy Scriptures are true and which are false. The Quran infact encourages reasoning, it encourages a discussion. Many Muslims feel that you should avoid religious discussions. You should avoid getting into a dialogue where religion is concerned. And they are sadly mistaken.

The Quran says in Surah Nahl, Ch. No. 16, Verse No. 125:

“Invite all to the way of thy lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching and argue with them and reason with them in the ways that are best and most gracious”.

Quran encourages discussion, encourages reasoning. No wonder the Arabic words “Qalu” which means “they say” is mentioned 332 times and the Arabic word “Qul” which means “say” is also mentioned 332 times. This proves that the Quran encourages discussion. There is a theory known as exhausting the alternatives. The Quran says that this book, the Quran, it is a revelation from God Almighty. If it is not, then what is it? You give the other alternative. Some may say it is a handiwork of Prophet Muhammad (May peace be upon him). It has been disproved. Some may say he lied for material gain, Nauzubillah! That has been disproved whatever claims they have got, put forth and see whether they stand the test. This is the Quran it is a book. It is paper and ink where is it confirmed it requires an explanation. The Quran says it is from Allah. It is from God Almighty. If it is not where did it come from?

In Surah Jathiyah, Ch. No. 45, Verse No. 1 & 2:

“ ‘Haa meem…’ This is a revelation of the book from Allah, the exalted in power full of wisdom”.

And Quran mentions in several places, that this is a revelation from God Almighty. It is mentioned in Surah Anam, Ch. No. 6, Verse No. 19, in Surah Anam, Ch. No. 6, Verse No. 92, in Surah Yusuf, Ch. No. 12, Verse No. 1 & 2, in Surah Taha, Ch. No. 20, Verse No. 113, in Surah Nahl, Ch. No. 27, Verse No. 6, it is mentioned in Surah Sajdah, Ch. No. 32, Verse No. 1 to 3, it is mentioned in Surah Yasin, Ch. No. 36, Verse No. 1 to 3, in Surah Al-Zumar, Ch. No. 39, Verse No. 1, in Surah Jathiyah, Ch. No. 45, Verse No. 45, Verse No. 2, it is mentioned in Surah Rahman, Ch. No. 55, Verse No. 1 to 2, it is mentioned in Surah Waqiah, Ch. No. 56, Verse No. 77 and 80, it is mentioned in several places. It is mentioned in Surah Insan, Ch. No. 76, Verse No. 23. In several places the Quran says:

“This is a revelation from God Almighty, if it is not, what is it?”

The scientific community, they have a different approach. If any one has a new theory, they say we do not have time to listen. And they have a reason for that. They say, that if you have a new theory do not bring it to me unless you have a way or a test to prove your theory wrong. Unless you do not have a way or a test to prove your theory wrong, I do not have time to waste with you. It is called as the falsification test. That is the reason that Albert Einstein in the beginning of the century, when he gave a new theory that I feel the universe works like that along with the theory he gave 3 falsification test saying that if you think my theory is wrong do these three things and my theory will be proved wrong. The scientists, they examined it for 6 years and then said yes the theory of Albert Einstein is correct. That does not mean that he is great person. It means he deserves a listening.

Quran has several such falsification tests. When you get into discussion in future, with anyone regarding religion, you have to ask him, that do you have a way to prove your religion? Believe me I have not come across any person who has told me that I have a way to prove my religion wrong. The Quran has, the Quran has several falsification tests. Some of them were only meant for the past. Some of them are applicable for all times. Let me give you a few examples. The Prophet had an uncle by the name of Abu Lahab. He was the staunchest opponent of the Prophet. Whenever the Prophet spoke to any stranger, he used to follow the Prophet, the moment the Prophet departed he used to go to the stranger and ask what did the Prophet tell you. Did he say it is day,… it is night. Did he say it is black,… it is white. He spoke exactly the opposite of what the Prophet said. And there is a full chapter Surah Lahab, Ch. No. 111, of the Quran which was revealed and it says that Abu Lahab and his wife, they will perish in hell. And it says indirectly that they will never except Islam. They will never become Muslims. This Surah was revealed 10 years before the death of Abu Lahab. In that span of time, many of his friends who were also opponents of Islam embraced Islam. But Abu Lahab did not embrace Islam. Since he used to lie always against the Prophet the only thing he had to do to prove the Quran wrong was to say I am a Muslim. He did not have to behave like a Muslim. He did not have to act like a Muslim. He only had to say I am a Muslim and the Quran would have been proved wrong. It was so easy for him to prove the Quran wrong. Since he had lied before, he just had to say an additional lie. It is as though the Prophet is telling him. You think I am your enemy, come on say this say I am a Muslim and I will be proved wrong. It was so easy. But he did not say it. It is proved that no human being can make such a statement in his book. It has to be a divine revelation.

Another such example is in Surah Al-Baqarah, Ch. No. 2, Verse No. 94 and 95, which says that:

“They say that the last home of Allah is with them alone. It is meant for them alone and no one else… Tell them that if the last home for Allah is for them alone tell them to seek for death. They will never seek for death because of the sins they have committed.”

This was revealed during a discussion during a confrontation between the Jews and the Muslims. The Jews said that the last home of Allah that is the paradise is for the Jews alone and not for anyone else. So a verse was revealed saying that if you think that paradise is specially meant only for the Jews you call for death, seek for death. The only thing the Jews had to do at that time anyone of them any one of those Jews a single person would have come out and said I seek for death. I want to die not that he had to die not that he had to act only thing he had to do was seek for death. Say I want to die and the Quran would have been proved wrong. It has so easy to prove the Quran wrong but none of the Jews came forward and said that I seek for death. It is a falsification test. But now you may tell me, that all these tests are of the past how can we prove the Quran wrong today if you want to prove it wrong Quran has tests, falsification tests which are also meant for all times. For that time and for today and till eternity, the Quran mentions that many people claimed and said that the Quran is false. The Quran tells them it is mentioned in Surah Isra, Ch. No. 17, Verse No. 88, that:

“Say if all the humankind and jinn’s were to gather together to produce the like of the Quran they will not be able to do it even if they helped each other.”

It is a challenge that if all the humankind and jinn’s gathered to produce the like of the Quran, they will not be able to do it even if they helped each other. The Quran is acclaimed as the best Arabic literature on the face of the earth by the Muslims and non-Muslims alike. The Arabic language of the Quran it is so clear so meaningful, intelligible, unsurpassable, miraculous. It does not deviate away from truth. Even though it rhymes unlike other poetry and literature. It is the highest order of rhetoric towards the revelation. The same verse of the Quran can convince even a common man as well as an intelligent person. It is a miraculous book.

The same challenge that produce a recital like the Quran is given in Surah Tur, Ch. No. 52, Verse No. 34, which… later on God Almighty, he made the test easy for the people. In Surah Hud, Ch. No. 11, Verse No. 13, which says:

“Do they say he has forged it, tell them produce 10 such Surahs forged and let them call for help anyone besides Allah if they speak the truth. And no one could produce 10 Surahs exactly like the Quran”.

Allah (SWT) further simplifies the test and says in Surah Yunus, Ch. No. 10, Verse No. 38, that:

“Do they say he has forged it, say produce one Surah exactly forged like the Quran. One Surah forged exactly like the Quran and call to help anyone besides Allah, if you speak the truth and they could not do it.”

Then Allah (SWT) gives an easiest of easy of the test. The easiest falsification test in Surah Baqarah, Ch. No. 2, Verse No. 23 and 24, which says:

“And if you are in doubt as what we have revealed to our servant from time to time. Then produce a Surah somewhat similar to it. And call forth your helpless and witnesses if there are any besides Allah. If you speak the truth. But you cannot, And of a surety you cannot. Then fear the fire whose fuel shall be men and stones. Which is prepared for those who reject faith”.

First the Quran gave a challenge – produce a recital like the Quran. Allah (SWT) simplified and said produce 10 Surah like the Quran. Then produce one Surah. Here it says produce one Surah somewhat similar. ‘Mim mislihi’, the other places the Quran says ‘Mislihi’. Here it says ‘Mim mislihi’ some what similar to the Quran and the non-Muslim Arabs they failed miserably. Arabic was at its peak when the Quran was revealed. Several, several pagan Arabs, they tried but they failed miserably. Some of their works is yet present in the historical books and it makes them a laughing stock. The challenge was there 1400 years ago, it is even there today. Today, there are more than 14 million Coptic Christians, Christians who are Arab by birth. Arabic is their mother tongue. This test is even for them. Even if they want to try and prove the Quran wrong, only thing they to do is produce one Surah somewhat similar. And if you analyze certain Surahs, certain chapters of the Quran, hardly containing a few words, but so far no one has been able to do it and no one will be able to do it in future InshaAllah.

You may tell me that Arabic is not my mother tongue. So where do I fit in this test. Quran has a test even for the non Arabs. For people who do not know Arabic every one in the world if they want if they want to try and prove the Quran wrong, they can very well try their level best. I started my talk by quoting a verse from the Holy Quran from Surah Nisa, Ch. No. 4, Verse No. 82, which says:

“That do not they consider the Quran with care? Had it been from anyone besides Allah, there would have been many contradictions.”

There would have been many discrepancies. The Quran is saying that if you want to prove the Quran wrong, just point out a single contradiction. A single discrepancy, a single fault in the Quran and the Quran would be proved not to be the word of the God. it is so easy. I do know that there are hundreds of people who have pointed out mistakes and contradictions in the Quran. Believe me all of them 100 percent are either out of context, they are misquotations, mistranslation to deceive the people. So far no one has been able to take out a single contradiction, or a single mistake in the Quran. Suppose there is a maulana who is very well versed in the history of Islam but is not very well versed with the scientific knowledge. I do know of several maulanas who are well versed in Islam as well as science but suppose there is a maulana who is only well versed with the historical facts of Islam but is not well versed with science. And suppose you go to that maulana and tell him that here there is a scientific mistake in the Quran, just because he cannot clarify that scientific mistake the alleged scientific mistake in the Quran that does not mean that Quran is not the word of God because Quran says in Surah Furqan, Ch. No. 25, Verse No. 59, that ask the person who is well acquainted with those things, if you want to ask about the Quran if the Quran speaks about science ask a scientist and he will clarify what does the Quran say.

Similarly suppose if any one points out an Arabic grammatical mistake in the Quran. I am not an expert in arabic. I am just a student and if I cannot clarify that arabic mistake, if I am able to Alhamdulillah, but if I am not able to clarify that arabic mistake since I am not an expert, that does not mean that person who has pointed out a mistake is correct. He needs to clarify with an expert in the field of Arabic.

So far no one has been able to take out a fault in the Quran. And InshaAllah no one will ever be able to take out a fault in the Quran. After these logical explanations no human being who believe in God can say that Quran is not from God. Those people who do not believe in God Almighty, if they say it is different. But a person who does not know who is not a Muslim but who believes in God after producing these proofs even he cannot say it is not from God. The only third basic assumption remains is that it is a divine origin. It is from God Almighty. It is from Allah (SWT) regarding the atheist those who do not believe in God all those atheist that are present here I would like to congratulate them. My special congratulation to the atheist because they are using their intellect. They are using their reasoning power. Most of the people in the world who believe in a God they are doing blind belief. He is a Christian because his father is a Christian, he is a Hindu because his father is a Hindu. Some Muslims are Muslims because their father is a Muslim. They are doing blind belief. This atheist even though he may belong to a religious background, to a religious family he thinks that how is it possible that the people around me they are worshipping a God which has got human qualities, qualities same as me. How can I believe in such a God so he says there is no God. He rejects, some Muslims may ask me. Zakir, how come you are congratulating an atheist. I am congratulating the atheist because he has said the first part of the Shahadah. The Islamic creed… ‘La ilaha’ there is no God. Now the only part remaining is ‘Illallah’ but Allah, which we shall do InshaAllah. He has argued with the first part of the Shahadah that there is no God. He does not believe in a God, which has got human qualities. So it is our duty now to prove to him about the one and true God Allah (SWT). The moment an atheist tells me I do not believe in God, I will ask him a question – what is the definition of God? What do you mean by God and he has to answer. You know why? Suppose I tell you, that this is a pen. If I say this is a pen for you to say it is not pen, you have to know the meaning of a pen, you should know the definition of a pen, you may not know what this is, but if I say this is a pen and if you have to say this is not a pen, you should at least know the meaning of the pen. The definition of a pen. In the same way if an atheist says there is no God, he should know what is the meaning of God, and the atheist they tell me that see these people around me what they worship, what Gods they worship. It is their own creation, they have got human qualities, therefore I do not believe in such Gods.

Because the concept of God that these people have is a wrong concept. Since you reject the wrong concept even I as a Muslim reject these wrong concepts of God ‘La ilaaha’. But the moment I agree with him, I have to also tell him the true concept of Allah(SWT). Suppose there is a non-Muslim who believes that Islam is a ruthless religion. It is merciless religion, it is a religion connected with terrorism, it is a religion which does not give rights to the women. It is a religion which conflicts with science. And if he rejects Islam, I will tell him I too reject such a religion which is merciless, which is ruthless, which does not give rights to the women, which is unscientific, at the same time, I have to correct the concept of Islam and tell him that Islam is a religion which is merciful, it has got nothing to do with terrorism. It gives equal rights to the women. It does not conflict with science, it conciliates with science. Then InshaAllah the non-Muslim will accept the religion of Islam. It is our duty to correct the concept. In the same manner I have to correct the concept of God Almighty, of Allah (SWT) to the atheist. The best definition that I can give of Allah (SWT) of God Almighty from the holy Quran is Surah Ikhlaas, Ch. No. 112, which says:

“Allah the absolute and eternal’, meaning, he is absolute, he is eternal. He has no beginning, he has no end, he is the one who helps other people but does not require help. Allah, the absolute and eternal. He begets not nor is he begotten, And there is nothing unto him like in this world.”

He has no father and mother. He has got no children, no begotten children. There is nothing comparable to him in this world. The moment you can compare Allah (SWT) to anyone, he is not Allah (SWT). This is a four line definition of Allah (SWT). If anyone who you claim to be God Almighty, who you claim to be Allah (SWT) fits in this four line definition, we Muslims, we have got no objection to accept him as God Almighty. Some may say, that Bhagwaan Rajneesh Osho, he is God Almighty. Let us put him to test. The first criteria is “Say he is Allah one and only”, Rajneesh – we have several people like Rajneesh. We have plenty of them in our country, but still a follower of Rajneesh will say no, Rajneesh is unique, he is the only one. Okay give him a chance, okay let him pass the first test. No problem, the second test is “Allah the absolute and eternal”. He does not require any help. He is the person who helps other people. Rajneesh we know very well, he was suffering from ‘Asthma’, from ‘Diabetes’. He could not cure his own disease, what will he cure your disease and my disease. When he went to America, he was imprisoned by the American government, imagine God being imprisoned. He could not free himself, how will he free you and me when we are in trouble and then he gives a statement that they gave me poison, slow poisoning. Imagine God can be poisoned? Put him to test, the Archbishop of Greece said that if you do not throw this godman Rajneesh out we will destroy his houses and the houses of his disciples and the president had to throw him out of Greece. Is he absolute and eternal? The third test “He begets not nor is he begotten”, I do not know how many children’s he had but I do know that he had a father and a mother. He was born on the 11th of December 1931 in Jabalpur and he died on the 19th of January 1990. But when you go to his center in Pune, there it is mentioned ‘Bhagwaan Rajneesh – never born, never died, but visited the earth from the 11th of December 1931 to 19th January 1990’. They did not mention that he was not allowed to enter 21 countries of the world. He was not given the visa. He tried to enter he could not enter 21 countries. Imagine God is visiting the world, he cannot visit 21 countries because of visas. Is this the God you believe in? And the last test “And there is nothing, there is nothing like him in this world”, there is nothing. There is nothing comparable, the moment you can think what God is, you can draw his figure he is not God. We know very well that Rajneesh, he had long hair, he had a big flowing beard which was white in color, he wore a robe, the moment you can think you can draw a picture of God, he is not God. If you say that God Almighty suppose is a thousand times as strong as Arnold Schwarzenneger, do you know Arnold Schwarzenneger? He was crowned Mr. Universe – the strongest man in the world. If you say that God Almighty is a thousand times as strong as Arnold Schwarzenneger or Dara Singh or may be King Kong, he is not God. The moment you can compare him with anyone whether a thousand times. whether a million times, whether ten million times. The moment you compare him with anything, he is not God. “There is nothing unto him like in this world”, I leave it upto the distinguished audience, the intellectual audience to decide for themselves that whichever God they are worshipping, let them put their God to test. To this 4 test of the Quran, if the God you are worshipping, if they pass these 4 test, we Muslims, we have got no objection in accepting him as God Almighty. Otherwise, you can decide for yourself.

After giving these proofs some atheists they may agree that now we believe in such a God. But most of the atheist will not agree. They will say we do not just believe in such definitions we believe in something, which is ultimate. We believe in science. I do agree today is the age of science and technology so lets put the scientific knowledge that we have. Let us apply it to the Quran. The atheists they say this is the world of science and technology, we do not believe in such Gods, prove to us scientifically the existence of God. Then we will believe in it. The first thing I would like to ask a question to these atheists or any educated man who does not believe in a God and who believes only in science, that can you tell me the first person who will be able to tell you the mechanism of an unknown object? There is an object, an unknown object, an unknown machine, which no one in the world has ever seen before or heard of before. Now this machine is brought in front of that atheist or the educated man who believes in science that who will be the first person who will be able to tell you the mechanism of this unknown object. I have asked this question to hundreds of atheist, after little bit of thinking he replies may be the creator, the person who has created the object, some may say the inventor. Some may say the manufacturer, some may say the producer. Whatever they will say believe me it will be somewhat similar. Either the creator, the maker, the manufacturer, the inventor, I have asked this question to hundreds of atheists and all have given me somewhat similar answer. Whatever answer they give me I accept it. I only keep it in my mind. It will be somewhat similar. The next person may be the person whom the creator has told or may be that someone does a research but the first person will be the creator, the manufacturer, the inventor or the producer. I ask the atheist who believes in science how did this world come into existence? So he tells me that initially the full universe was one mass the primary nebula, then there was a big bang, the secondary separation, which gave rise to galaxies. And it formed the stars and the planet in which we live. I ask him, where did you get all this fairy tales from? He says no! These are not fairy tales, these are established facts, we have got proof for this. I will say where did you learn? When did you learn all these fairy tales? He says no! These are scientific facts. They are not fairy tales, we learnt it yesterday, yesterday in science means 50 years back, may be 100 years back. Yesterday and in 1973 a couple of scientists got the noble prize for discovering the big bang theory. So I tell okay you say it is a fact, I accept it but what do you have to say about what is mentioned in the Quran 1400 years ago.

It is mentioned in Surah Al-Ambiya, Ch. No. 21, Verse No. 30:

“Do not the unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together and we clove them asunder.”

My Quran, which was revealed 1400 years ago, there are enough historical proofs to show it was a book which was present 1400 years ago, how come my Quran says it speaks about your big bang theory? It speaks in a nutshell. You say it was discovered yesterday, 50 years back, 100 years back, who could have mentioned this in the Quran. So the atheist tells me may be somebody guessed. I do not challenge him, I do not challenge him, I proceed. The world we live in what is the shape? He tells me, previously people thought the world was flat and people were afraid to venture too far lest they would fall over. But now we have enough scientific proof to show it is not flat, it is spherical. When did you learn? Yesterday! 100 years back, 200 years back in science. And if he has a good knowledge he replies that the first person who proved that the world was spherical was Sir Francis Drake in 1597.

I pose him a question, analyze what the Quran in Surah Luqman, Ch. No. 31, Verse No. 29, it says that:

“It is Allah who merges the night into day and merges the day into night”.

Merging means a slow and a gradual change. The night slowly and gradually changes into day and the day slowly and gradually changes to night. This phenomenon is not possible if the world is flat. It is only possible if the world is spherical.

A similar message is given in Surah Al-Zumar, Ch. No. 39, Verse No. 5, that:

“The night overlaps the day and the day overlaps the night”.

The Arabic word used is ‘Tanwara’ as though you coil a turban round the head, coiling. This coiling, this overlapping of the night over the day and the day over the night is only possible if the earth is spherical. It is not possible if the earth is flat. You tell me it was discovered recently. Can you account for who could have mentioned this in the Quran 1400 years ago. May be it is a good guess, it is a wild guess, it is a wild guess but it was a guess. I do not challenge him, I proceed. The light that we have obtain from the moon. Where does it come from. So he will tell me that previously we thought that the light of the moon was its own light, but today after science has advanced we have come to know that the light of the moon, its not its own light but it is a reflected light of the sun.

I will ask him a question that it is mentioned in this Quran in Surah Al-Furqan, Ch. No. 25, Verse No. 61:

“Blessed is he who has created the constellation and placed there in a lamp and a moon which has reflected light”.

The Arabic word for moon is ‘Qamar’ and the light described there is ‘Munir’ which is borrowed light or ‘Noor’ which is a reflection of light. The Quran mentions that the light of the moon is reflected light, you say you discovered it today how come it is mentioned in the Quran 1400 years ago? He will pause for a time. He will not reply immediately and then he may say may be, may be it is a fluke! I do not argue with him for sake just for the sake of discussion I say okay you say it is a guess I do not argue with you. Let us proceed, I ask him that when I was in school I passed my tenth standard in 1982. I had learned that the sun was stationary, the sun revolved but it was stationery so he asked me does this what the Quran says. I say no! this is what I learned in school, is it true? He says no. Today science is advanced, recently we came to know that the sun besides revolving it also rotates it is not stationary it rotates about its axis and if you have an equipment you can have the image of the sun on a tabletop. The sun has got black spots and it takes about 25 days for these black spots to complete one rotation. Does the Quran say it is stationary? He starts laughing Ha! Ha! I said no! The Quran says in Surah Ambiya, Ch. No. 21, Verse No. 33:

“It is He Who created the Night and the Day, and the sun and the moon: all (the celestial bodies) swim along, each in its rounded course.”

It revolves and rotates, each one rotating about its own axis. You tell me who could have mentioned this scientific fact in the Quran which was discovered recently? He is silent and after a long pause he replies that see the Arabs were very well advanced in the field of astronomy so may be some Arabs told your Prophet and he mentioned this in his book. I do agree, I do agree that the Arabs were very well advanced in the field of astronomy but I remind him that his dates are very poor. The Quran was revealed centuries before the Arabs became advanced in the field of Astronomy. So it is from the Quran which the Arabs learned about astronomy. It is not the vice-versa.

So Quran mentions about several scientific facts. The Quran says regarding the field of Geography regarding water cycle. It says in Surah Zumar, Ch. No. 39, Verse No. 21, that:

“Sees not thou that it is Allah who sends down rain from the top, from the sky and leads it into the sources of the earth and causes fields of various colors to grow”.

Quran speaks about the water cycle in great detail. It says in several other verses that the water from the ocean rises up, it forms into clouds. The clouds condense, there is lightning and rain falls from the clouds. It is mentioned in several places in the Quran, it is mentioned in Surah Muminun, Ch. No. 23, Verse No. 18. It is mentioned in Surah Rum, Ch. No. 30, Verse No. 24, it is mentioned in Surah Nur, Ch. No. 24, Verse No. 43, it is mentioned in Surah Rum, Ch. No. 30, Verse No. 48. In several places the Quran describes in detail this water cycle which was discovered by Bernard Palacy in 1580. Only in the year 1580 was this present coherent water cycle discovered. Who could have mentioned in the Quran, 1400 years ago?

In the field of Geology that atheist will tell you that there is a phenomenon known as ‘Folding’. The earth that we live on, the earth’s crust is very thin. These mountain ranges due to the phenomenon of ‘Folding’ prevents the earth from shaking. It gives stability to the earth. I tell him that the Quran mentions in Surah Naba, Ch. No. 78, Verse No. 6 and 7 that:

“We have made the earth as an expanse and the mountains as stakes”.

The Quran says that the mountains are made as stakes as pegs and this is the description which the scientist gave us today that like the text pegs. The mountains are like text peg and the Quran gives more information in Surah Al-Ambiya, Ch. No. 21, Verse No. 31:

“And We have set on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with them, and We have made therein broad highways (between mountains) for them to pass through: that they may receive Guidance.”

Quran says that we have made the mountains to prevent the shaking of the earth.

The atheist will tell us that even though the salt water and the sweet water though meet they do not mix, they do not mix. They remain separate, I will point out to him the verse in the Quran, from Surah Furqan, Ch. No. 25, Verse No. 53, which says:

“It is Allah who has created two bodies of free flowing water. One sweet and palpable and the other salt and bitter and between them, he has made a barrier which is forbidden to be trespassed”.

A similar message is given in Surah Rahmaan, Ch. No. 55, Verse No. 19 and 20 that:

“He has made two bodies of water between them is a barrier which is forbidden to be trespassed”.

Today science tells that salt water and sweet water do not mix. There is a partition. He may tell me that may be some Arab, may be some Arab went underwater and he saw the partition and mentioned in the Quran. They fail to realize that this is an unseen barrier. The Quran says ‘Barzak’ an unseen barrier and this phenomenon is very much evident in Cape Town, that is the southern most tip of Africa. Even in Egypt when the Nile flows into the Mediterranean Sea. And the best example is the Gulf Stream which runs for thousands of miles. Both the waters are present but they do not mix.

The Quran says in Surah Ambiya, Ch. No. 21, Verse No. 30:

“We have created every living things from water, will they not then believe”.

Imagine in the deserts of Arabia where there is scarcity of water who would have ever thought that every living creature is made of water. If they had to guess, they would have guessed everything but water and today science tells us that cytoplasm which is the main constituent of the cell it contains 80% of water. And every living creature contains 50 to 90 percent water. Who could have mentioned this fact in the Quran 1400 years ago? And the atheist is mum does not give you a reply.

There is a theory of ‘Probability’ that suppose there are two options and out of those two options one is right and one is wrong. The chances that if you make a wild guess, you will get the right answer, it will be one out of two. It will be 50% for example if I toss a coin, the chances that I will get a right answer is one out of two. It is 50%. If I toss a coin the second time the chances I will be correct the second time is one out of two it is 50%. But the chances that I will be correct in both the tosses first and second will be one out of two into one out of two that is one fourth or 50 percent of 50 percent, that is 25 percent. If I throw a dice. The dice has got six sides. 1,2,3,4,5,6. The chance if I make a wild guess, I will be right is one out of six. The chance I will be correct all three times, the first toss, the second toss and the third throw the chances I will be correct all three times, is 1 out of 2 into 1 out of 2 into 1 out of 6. Will be 1 upon 24. Lets apply this theory on ‘Probability’ to the Quran. Suppose, we agree for the sake of argument. Possible, a person gets all the matter that is mentioned in the Quran, may be somebody has guessed. Let us put the theory of ‘Probability’ to the Quran. The Quran says that the world is spherical. What different shapes can a person think of the earth? Some may it is flat, some may say it is triangular, some may say it is quadrangular, some may say it has 5 sides, pentagonal, some may say hexagonal, some may say heptagonal, some may say octagonal, some may say spherical. Let us say assume that you can think of about 30 different shapes of the Earth. The chances that that if any one makes a wild guess, he will be right are 1 upon 30. The light of the moon. It can be own light or it can be reflected light. The chances that any one makes a wild guess, he will be right are 1 upon 2. But the chances that both his guesses that the earth is spherical and the light of the moon is reflected, both are correct is 1 upon 30 into 1 upon 2 that is 1 upon 60. In the desert of Arabia, what can a person think that a human being can be made of, that the living creature be made of? A person in the desert may think, it is made of sand, may be it is made of wood, may be it is made of aluminum, of iron, of copper, of oil, of water, of hydrogen, of oxygen, you can make at least 10 thousand guesses and the last that any one will guess in the deserts of Arabia is water. But the Quran says that every living being is made of water. In Surah Al-Ambiya, Chapter No. 21, Verse No. 30, it says in Surah Nur, Chapter No. 24, Verse No 45, that:

“Every animal is made up of water”.

And Surah Furqaan, Chapter No. 25, Verse No. 54:

“Every human being is made of water”.

If you make a wild guess, the chances that you will be right is 1 upon 10 thousand. The chances that anyone will make 3 guesses and all 3 will be right, that the earth is spherical, that the light of the moon is reflected light, and every living being is made of water will be 1 upon 30 into 1 upon 2 into 1 upon 10 thousand which is 1 upon 60 thousand. It works out to .00017 percentage. I leave it upto you the audience to decide for your selves that if you apply the theory of probability to the Quran. The Quran mentions hundreds of facts, which were unknown at that time. If anyone made a guess, the chances that all the hundred would be right, it will be somewhere very very close to zero and in the theory of probability, it will be zero. Some may pose the question, that Zakir, are you using scientific knowledge to prove the Quran? I would like to remind that Quran is not the book of science ‘s-c-i-e-n-c-e’, it is a book of signs ‘s-i-g-n-s’, Quran has got 6000 signs, Ayats more than 6000. Out of which more than a thousand have scientific knowledge. I am not using science to prove the Quran right because to prove anything right, we have to use a yardstick. Something which is ultimate. For us Muslims, the ultimate is the Quran. Ultimate yardstick is the Quran. Quran is the Furqaan. It is the criteria to judge right from the wrong. But for that atheist, for an educated man who does not believe in God, for him, science is the ultimate. It is his yardstick. So I am using his yardstick to prove whatever Quran has said. And we know very well that many times science takes a U turn therefore I have only spoken about scientific facts which have got evidence and proof. I have not talked about theories, which are based on assumptions. I am using his yardstick to say that whatever your yardstick has said recently 100 years back, it has already been mentioned in the Quran and finally we come to a common agreement that the Quran is more superior than science.

Quran mentions about several scientific facts. Quran says in Surah Ta Ha, Chapter No. 20, Verse No. 53 that:

“The plant have been created in pairs”.

This was discovered recently.

It says in Surah Rad, Chapter No. 13, Verse No. 3, that:

“The fruits are created in pairs”.

In the field of geology, it is mentioned in Surah Anam Chapter No. 6, Verse No. 38, that:

“The animals and birds live in community”.

Animals and birds live in community and this was discovered recently by science.

The Quran says in Surah Nahl, Chapter No. 16, Verse No. 68 and 69:

“It is the female bee which goes out and collects the honey”.

It is not the male bee which science has discovered recently. These bees, they describe the pathway of the new garden they have found by the flapping of the wings. It is mentioned in the Quran, which we discovered recently.

The Quran says in Surah Ankabut, Chapter No. 29, Verse No. 41, that:

“The house of the spider is fragile”.

Besides describing the physical nature, of the web of the spider, it is also describing about the relationship, the family relation in which many a times the female spider kills the male spider.

The Quran says in Surah Naml, Chapter No. 27, Verse No. 17 and 18 that ants are talking to one another. You may think, it is a fairy tale book. What! Ants are talking to one another, Today science tells us, the insect or the animal, which has the closest resemblance to the lifestyle of the human beings, it is the ants. It buries the dead. It has a very higher system of communication. It has market place etc.

Quran also speaks about the medicine. It says in Surah Nahl, Chapter No. 16, Verse No. 68 and 69, that you get the honey from the belly of the bee which we discovered today and in the honey, there is a healing for man kind. Today science tells us in the honey, there are antiseptic properties. No wonder that Russian soldiers used it to cover their wounds which left very little scar tissue. It is used in the treatment of certain allergies.

Quran speaks about physiology. Its says in Surah Nahl, Chapter No. 16, Verse No. 66 and Surah Muminun, Chapter No. 23, Verse No. 21. It describes the blood circulation and the production of milk. And 600 years after the Quran speaks about blood circulation, Ibn Nafeez discovered it and 1000 years after the revelation of the Quran, did William Harvey made it famous to the western world.

Quran  speaks about Embryology. The first verses of the Quran to be revealed were from Surah Alaq or Surah Iqra. It says:

“Read, recite or proclaim in the name of thy lord who created”.

Who created the human being from some thing, which clings. A leech like substance. This and several other embryological data which is given in Quran was taken to Professor Keith Moore who happen to be one of the highest authority in the field of Embryology. He lives in Toronto in Canada. And was asked the question. Whatever matter the Quran speaks about embryology, is it true? Some Arabs followed the guidelines of the Quran – if you are in doubt ask the person who knows so they asked Professor Keith Moore. Is it true? He said that majority. Majority of the matter in the Quran is 100 percent perfect matching with the latest discoveries of embryology but there are certain statements in the Quran, which I cannot comment on because, I myself do not know it. And one such verse was this that we have created the human being from something, which clings – a leech like substance. He went and got a photograph of a leech and examined in his laboratory under a powerful microscope the early stages of an embryo and it exactly matched with the photograph.

Then he said, whatever the Quran mentions, its perfectly right and whatever new data he got from the Quran, he incorporated it into his book- The developing human. And took out a 3rd edition for which he got, the best medical book written by any person in that year. And he said that whatever the Quran mentions, all the things about embryology, we discovered recently. It is one of the latest branch of medicine. It cannot be written by any human being, it has to be of divine origin.

The Quran says in Surah Tariq, Chapter No. 86, Verses 5 to 7. It says:

“Does no man think from what he is created? He is created from a drop emitted from between his backbone and rib”.

And today we know, that the genital organs, testes and the ovaries, during the embryonic age, they develop from where the kidney is placed – between the backbone and the 11th and the 12th rib.

The Quran says in Surah Najm, Chapter no 53, Verse no 45 and 46, and Surah Qiyamah, Chapter No. 75, Verse No. 37 to 39, it says that it is the male which is responsible for the sex of the child which we discovered recently.

The Quran says that the embryo is covered, that the fetus is covered in three layers of darkness, which is confirmed today, the Quran describes the embryonic stages in great detail. In Surah Muminum, Chapter No. 23, Verse 12 to 14, and in Surah Hajj, Chapter No. 23, Verse No. 5, it says that:

“The human being have been created from a minute quantity of liquid”.

From something which clings, a leech like substance, then made into a ‘mudgah’ a chewed like substance, then made into ‘izamaan’ that is bones, then clothed with ‘Laham’ that is flesh Quran describe the embryonic stages in great detail. The Quran also mention in Surah Sajdah, Chapter No. 32, Verse No. 9 and Surah Insan, Chapter No. 76, Verse No. 2, that:

“It is Allah who gives you the faculty of hearing and sight”.

And today medical knowledge tells us, that hearing comes first. It is developed completely by the 5th month of pregnancy. And then the eyes is split open by the 7th month of pregnancy.

Quran gives the reply in Surah Qiyamah, Chapter No. 75, Verse No.s 3 to 4, that when the question is posed, how will Allah (SWT) assemble the bones on the day of judgement? Allah replies that we will not only be able to assemble your bone we even assemble your very fingertips. Quran is saying, Allah (SWT) can also assemble your fingertips. What does it mean?

In 1880, Sir Golt, he described the method of finger printing, which today we use it to identify people. No two fingerprints even in a million people are identical. Quran speaks about finger printing method 1400 years ago. There are several examples of science, if you want to know more details, about the scientific knowledge, which is mentioned in the Quran, you can refer to my videocassette ‘Quran and Modern Science Conflict or Conciliation’.

I would like to give one more scientific fact that there was a scientist in Thailand by the name of Professor Thagada Shaun. Who did a great deal of research in the field of pain receptors. Previously science thought that only the brain was responsible. Only the brain was responsible for the pain. But recently we have discovered, that there are pain receptor present in the skin, which is responsible, Quran mentions Surah Nisa, Chapter No. 4, Verse No. 54, that:

“As to those who reject our signs, we will cast them into the hell fire and as often as the skin is roasted, we shall change it with new skin so that they shall feel the pain.”

Indirectly Quran is saying, there is something in the skin, which is responsible for the pain. It is giving an indication about the pain receptor. At first Professor Tagada Shaun could not believe. On verification when he realized that this book is speaking about pain receptor, 1400 years ago, he embraced Islam in a medical conference at Cairo and said ‘La ilaaha illallah Muhammad ur Rasool Allah’. That there is no God but Allah and Muhammad (May peace be upon him) is the messenger of Allah.

Then you pose the question to the atheist – who could have mentioned all the scientific facts in the Quran? The only reply that he can give you, is the same, which he gave you earlier. Who is the person that can tell you the mechanism of an unknown object, It is the creator, It is the inventor. It is the maker, It is the producer. In the same way, the person who can mention all these facts in the Quran, is the maker the producer, is the creator of the Universe and its contents which we call in English language as God and more appropriately in the Arabic language as Allah.

Francis beacon has rightly said that little knowledge of science makes you an atheist but an in-depth study of science makes you a believer in God Almighty. No wonder today, scientists are eliminating the model of God but they are not eliminating.

I would like to end my talk by giving the translation of the second verses I quoted in the beginning of my talk, from Surah Fussilat, Chapter No. 41, Verse No. 53 which says:

“Soon we shall show them our signs in the furthest regions of the horizons and into their soul until it is clear to them, that this is the truth.”

 

Wa-akhiru dawaana anil hamdulillahi rabbil aalamin.

 

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