The Amazing Quran (part 4 of 9)
Description: A series of articles compelling the reader to ponder over the marvels of the Quran. Part 4: The burden of proof lies on the one who claims the Quran to be false.
- By Dr.Gary Miller (edited by www.islamhouse.com)
- Published on 24 Dec 2012
- Last modified on 04 Dec 2014
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YouDidNotKnowThisBefore!
Undoubtedly,thereisanattitudeintheQuranwhichisnotfound anywhereelse. Itisinteresting howwhentheQuranprovidesinformation,itoftentellsthereader,“Youdidnotknowthis before.” Indeed,thereisnoscripturethatexistswhichmakesthatclaim. Allof theotherancient writingsand scripturesthatpeoplehavedogivea lotof information,butthey alwaysstate wheretheinformationcamefrom.
Forexample,whentheBiblediscussesancienthistory,itstatesthatthisking livedhere,thisone foughtinacertainbattle,anotheronehadsomany sons,etc. Yetitalwaysstipulatesthatifyou wantmoreinformation,thenyoushouldreadthebookofsoandsobecausethatiswherethe informationcamefrom. Incontrasttothisconcept,theQuranprovidesthereader with informationandstatesthatthisinformationissomethingnew. Of course,therealwaysexiststhe advicetoresearchtheinformationprovidedandverifyitsauthenticity. Itisinterestingthatsuch a conceptwasneverchallengedby non-Muslimsfourteencenturiesago. Indeed,the MakkanswhohatedtheMuslims,and timeandtimeagainthey heardsuchrevelations claimingtobringnewinformation;yet,theynever spokeupandsaid,“Thisisnotnew. Weknow whereMuhammadgotthisinformation. Welearned thisatschool.”They couldnever challengeitsauthenticity becauseit really wasnew!
Proof of Authenticity:AnApproach
ItmustbestressedherethattheQuranisaccurateaboutmany,many things,butaccuracy doesnotnecessarilymeanthatabookisadivinerevelation. Infact,accuracyisonly oneof thecriteriafordivinerevelations. Forinstance,thetelephonebookisaccurate,butthatdoes notmeanthatitisdivinelyrevealed. Therealproblemliesinthatonemustestablish someproof of thesource of theQuran’sinformation. Theemphasisisintheotherdirection,inthattheburden ofproofisonthereader. OnecannotsimplydenytheQuran’sauthenticity withoutsufficient proof. If,indeed,onefindsamistake,thenhehastherighttodisqualifyit. Thisisexactly what theQuranencourages.
Onceamancameup tomeafteralectureI deliveredinSouthAfrica. Hewasvery angry aboutwhatI hadsaid,andsoheclaimed,“I amgoingtogohometonightandfindamistake intheQuran.”Ofcourse,I said,“Congratulations. Thatisthemostintelligentthingthatyou havesaid.”Certainly,thisistheapproachMuslimsneedtotakewiththosewhodoubtthe Quran’sauthenticity,becausetheQuranitself offersthesamechallenge. Andinevitably,after acceptingitschallengeanddiscoveringthatitistrue,thesepeoplewillcometobelieveit becausethey couldnotdisqualifyit. Inessence,theQuranearnstheirrespectbecausethey themselveshavehad toverify itsauthenticity.
Anessentialfactthatcannotbereiterated enoughconcerningtheauthenticity of theQuranisthatone’sinabilitytoexplainaphenomenonhimselfdoesnotrequirehisacceptanceof the phenomenon’sexistenceoranotherperson’sexplanationofit. Specifically,justbecauseone cannotexplain something, it doesnotmeanthatonehastoacceptsomeoneelse’sexplanation. However,theperson’srefusalofotherexplanationsrevertstheburdenofproofback onhimself tofindafeasibleanswer. Thisgeneraltheory appliestonumerousconceptsinlife,butfitsmost wonderfullywiththeQuranicchallenge,foritcreatesadifficulty foronewhosays,“I donot believeit.”Attheonsetofrefusaloneimmediately hasanobligationtofindanexplanation himselfifhefeelsothers’answersareinadequate.
Thisfamiliaritywiththeinformationwillgivetheperson“theedge”whenfuturediscoveriesare madeandadditionalinformationispresented. Theimportantthingisthatonedealswiththe factsanddoesnotsimply discardthem outof empathy anddisinterest.
ExhaustingtheAlternatives
Therealcertainty aboutthetruthfulnessoftheQuranisevidentintheconfidencewhichis prevalentthroughoutit;and thisconfidencecomesfrom a differentapproach-“Exhausting thealternatives.”Inessence,theQuran states,“Thisbookisadivinerevelation;if youdonot believethat,thenwhatisit?” Inother words,thereaderischallenged tocomeupwith some otherexplanation. Hereisa bookmadeof paperandink. Wherediditcomefrom?Itsaysitisa divinerevelation;ifitisnot,thenwhatisitssource?Theinterestingfactisthatnoonehasyet comeup withanexplanationthatworks. Infact,allalternativeshavebeenexhausted. Ashas beenwellestablished by non-Muslims,thesealternativesbasicallyarereduced totwomutually exclusiveschoolsof thought,insistingononeortheother.
Ononehand,thereexistsalargegroup ofpeoplewhohaveresearchedtheQuranfor hundredsofyearsandwhoclaim,“Onethingweknowforsure-thatman,Muhammadmay the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, thoughthewasaprophet. Hewascrazy!”Theyareconvinced thatMuhammad was fooledsomehow. Thenontheotherhand,thereisagroupwhichalleges,“Becauseofthis evidence,onethingweknowforsureisthatthatman,Muhammadwasaliar!”Ironically, thesetwogroupsneverseem togettogether withoutcontradicting.
Infact,many referencesonIslamusuallyclaimboththeories. They startoutbystatingthat Muhammadwascrazy and thenendby sayinghewasaliar. Theynever seemtorealize thathecouldnothavebeenboth!Forexample,ifoneisdeludedandreallythinksthatheisa prophet,thenhedoesnotsituplateatnightplanning,“HowwillI foolthepeopletomorrowso thattheythinkI amaprophet?”Hetruly believesthatheisaprophet,andhetruststhatthe answerwillbegiventohimby revelation.
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