Quran=the literal word of God - reasonable?

[adamskeptic]

I´m going to ask a very blunt and straightforward question.

How is it - seriously now - reasonable to believe that the Quran is actually the literal word of God?

As a very skeptic non-believer, it seems obvious to me that this belief simply does not make any sense, given certain notions of God. Not if one is intellectually honest about it, for real. Not even if you apply the "you have to interpret the text in the right way"-perspective.

Here´s how it seems to me:

God is (supposedly) almighty and omniscient. This means he can do anything, and knows everything about everything. He knows everything that is going to happen everywhere, until the end of time.

Would you agree on these notions of God? If you would, here´s where we run into serious problems.

Apparently, God chose to express Himself exactly the way he did, and his exact words ended up in the Quran - ambiguously enough so as to require a finely calibrated interpretation apparatus in order for Him not to be misunderstood by His followers. So important was this way of speaking in far-fetched allegories to Him, that it obviously trumped the rights of human beings not to get injured or even killed as a result of the inevitable "misinterpretations" of his words - misinterpretations that he must have known about beforehand, being omniscient. He did not choose to express himself consistently in a clear and straightforward way that could not reasonably be interpreted as encouraging violence or hostility in any way. He could have, but he simply didn´t. This very simple fact alone should be enough - to anyone who does not engage in any degree of self-deception - to completely discount the Quran as the literal word of an almighty, benevolent God. Either that or you would have to grant that God is either pretty nasty, or frankly incompetent in getting his message across to his own creation.

Again - please don´t refer to the "the problem lies in the interpretations and not in the text itself"-argument. That argument is an intellectual insult to all parties. The fact is that the text is ambiguous at best, when it should´t have to be. An almighty God should (and would) know better.

So, I ask the question once more: How is it, seriously, reasonable to believe that the Quran is actually the literal word of an almighty, omniscient, benevolent God?

 

[greenhill]

This is not the first time this question has been raised and it certainly won't be the last. You said it yourself, "as a very skeptic non believer" means that it is not within you to build up the possibilities in incremental steps. It is all or nothing one shot, on a plate.

It is not so simple. You see Allah gave us a choice. How do you make choices? You use your "reason". And who picks the choices every time? We do. And who will account for the wrong decisions? We will. If we were removed from the choice making process, or given no choice, then there would be no purpose to our life as a test. So the path we lead must be entirely our own. Hence, if we were to use reason, we should search. The truth must be out there!

Why would I believe the Quran to be the word of Allah? If I were to pick one, it would be the scientific claims it made all that time ago which still stands until today. How would anyone know them then? And how until now has not been disproved or found to be inaccurate? Could a 'wannabe' have made such claims? It only points to a Creator Who knows about what He created and informing us so that we can reflect on the words said and see if it is indeed true.

As an atheist, a very skeptical one at that, it would not be in your interest to believe as it becomes a restriction or a burden for you even if the signs show otherwise. That is the beauty of choice. If God revealed Himself, where's the choice now? You'd almost be 'forced' to believe and not depend on your reasoning skills to find the answer. Even the scientists have said the super extra fine balance required to ensure the 'big bang' actually lead the the universe as it is today. In mathematical terms, if the combination was like the total number of sand on the beaches on earth, just taking 3 (three) grains away and the universe would not be as it is now. 3 grains of sand, that's all it takes. Still people rather believe in the 'chance' element of things happening. It's such a stupidly small probability. Crazy to bet a whole eternity of heaven or hell on it.

But is there god? Now for some, it's a 50/50. A heck of a lot better chance don't you think, compared to the idea of 'chance happening? Plus the fact that the Quran is without flaws, I think the chances of getting it right is 100% that there IS God, and His name is Allah and Quran is His Inspiration and that His education for us came via the prophets.


eace:

 

[bestoflights]

I´m going to ask a very blunt and straightforward question.

How is it - seriously now - reasonable to believe that the Quran is actually the literal word of God?

As a very skeptic non-believer, it seems obvious to me that this belief simply does not make any sense, given certain notions of God. Not if one is intellectually honest about it, for real. Not even if you apply the "you have to interpret the text in the right way"-perspective.

Here´s how it seems to me:

God is (supposedly) almighty and omniscient. This means he can do anything, and knows everything about everything. He knows everything that is going to happen everywhere, until the end of time.

Would you agree on these notions of God? If you would, here´s where we run into serious problems.

Apparently, God chose to express Himself exactly the way he did, and his exact words ended up in the Quran - ambiguously enough so as to require a finely calibrated interpretation apparatus in order for Him not to be misunderstood by His followers. So important was this way of speaking in far-fetched allegories to Him, that it obviously trumped the rights of human beings not to get injured or even killed as a result of the inevitable "misinterpretations" of his words - misinterpretations that he must have known about beforehand, being omniscient. He did not choose to express himself consistently in a clear and straightforward way that could not reasonably be interpreted as encouraging violence or hostility in any way. He could have, but he simply didn´t. This very simple fact alone should be enough - to anyone who does not engage in any degree of self-deception - to completely discount the Quran as the literal word of an almighty, benevolent God. Either that or you would have to grant that God is either pretty nasty, or frankly incompetent in getting his message across to his own creation.

Again - please don´t refer to the "the problem lies in the interpretations and not in the text itself"-argument. That argument is an intellectual insult to all parties. The fact is that the text is ambiguous at best, when it should´t have to be. An almighty God should (and would) know better.

So, I ask the question once more: How is it, seriously, reasonable to believe that the Quran is actually the literal word of an almighty, omniscient, benevolent God?

The simplest ANSWER is Al-Quran is NEVER AMBIGUOS. The verses of Al-QURAN is BAYYINAT or CLEAR.

====
Al-Quran is MUBIN [BAYYINAT] (CLEAR), it is HIM who makes it CLEAR because HE TAFS°IL (Explains in Detail), and not VAGUE :

Al-An'aam : 105

وَكَذٰلِكَ نُصَرِّفُ الْءَايٰتِ وَلِيَقُولُوا دَرَسْتَ وَلِنُبَيِّنَهُۥ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ

● And thus do We EXPLAIN IN DETAIL (NUS°ARRIFU) the verses so they may say, "You have studied," and so We may make the Qur'an CLEAR (NUBAIYYINAHU) for the people who KNOW. ●

Al-An'aam : 126

وَهٰذَا صِرٰطُ رَبِّكَ مُسْتَقِيمًا ۗ قَدْ فَصَّلْنَا الْءَايٰتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَذَّكَّرُونَ

● And this is the path of your Lord, [leading] straight. We have EXPLAINED in DETAILS (FASS°OLNA) the verses for the people who TAKE HEED. ●

Al-Ahqaf : 7

وَإِذَا تُتْلٰى عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايٰتُنَا بَيِّنٰتٍ قَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِلْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ هٰذَا سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ

● And when Our verses are recited to them CLEARLY (BAYYINAT), those who DISOBEYS say of the truth when it has come to them, "This is obvious magic." ●

Az-Zukhruf : 2

وَالْكِتٰبِ الْمُبِينِ

● By the CLEAR Book, ●

Allah mentions many time that AL-QURAN is MUBIN.

many-many times.

Al-QURAN is CLEAR.

=====
1) There are 2 types of verses in The Quran :

a) MUHKAMAAT
b) MUTASYAABIHAAT


Aal-i-Imraan : 7

هُوَ الَّذِىٓ أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتٰبَ مِنْهُ ءَايٰتٌ مُّحْكَمٰتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ الْكِتٰبِ وَأُخَرُ مُتَشٰبِهٰتٌ ۖ فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِمْ زَيْغٌ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشٰبَهَ مِنْهُ ابْتِغَآءَ الْفِتْنَةِ وَابْتِغَآءَ تَأْوِيلِهِۦ ۗ وَمَا يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُۥٓ إِلَّا اللَّهُ ۗ وَالرّٰسِخُونَ فِى الْعِلْمِ يَقُولُونَ ءَامَنَّا بِهِۦ كُلٌّ مِّنْ عِندِ رَبِّنَا ۗ وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّآ أُولُوا الْأَلْبٰبِ

● It is He who has sent down to you, [O Muhammad], the Book; in it are verses [that are] precise (MUHKAMAAT) - they are the foundation of the Book - and the others are 'unspecific/vague?' (MUTASYAAHIHAAT). As for those in whose hearts is deviation [from truth], they will follow that of it which is 'unspecific?' (MA TASYABAHU), seeking discord and seeking an 'interpretation' (TAKWIL) [suitable to them]. And no one knows its [true] "interpretation' (TAKWIL) except Allah. But those firm in knowledge say, "We believe in it. All [of it] is from our Lord." And no one will be reminded except those of understanding. ●

Above is normal translation from the Arab to other languange. Most of the time, MUTASYABIHAAT has always been translated to 'Vague' or 'Unspecific'.

[Muhkamaat is always translated to precise, direct and clear. Refer to other article on this. This article is about Mutasyabihat]

2) Now, before we even delve into the true meaning of Mutasyabihat, let us think a bit - how would Allah guide us through the Quran if what HE SAYS in The Quran is VAGUE and UNCLEAR ? How would we, the one who supposed to Read and Understand The Quran will understand ?

3) NOW, let us look at other verse of Al-Quran that mentions the word Mutasyabihat :

Az-Zumar : 23

اللَّهُ نَزَّلَ أَحْسَنَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتٰبًا مُّتَشٰبِهًا مَّثَانِىَ تَقْشَعِرُّ مِنْهُ جُلُودُ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ ثُمَّ تَلِينُ جُلُودُهُمْ وَقُلُوبُهُمْ إِلٰى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ۚ ذٰلِكَ هُدَى اللَّهِ يَهْدِى بِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَمَن يُضْلِلِ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُۥ مِنْ هَادٍ

● Allah has sent down the best statement: a Book wherein its part is RESEMBLING EACH OTHER (MUTASYAABIHAA) and OFF-REPEATED. The skins shiver therefrom of those who fear their Lord; then their skins and their hearts relax at the remembrance of Allah. That is the GUIDANCE of Allah by which He guides whom He wills. And one whom Allah leaves astray - for him there is no guide. ●

4) From the 2 verses above, it is clear that MUTASYAABIHAAT has been INDUCED its interpretation by some Scholars and they would say that MUTASYAABIHAAT means VAGUE or UNCLEAR on UNSPECIFIC.

However, it is clear in verse 23, Az-Zumar that the Actual Meaning of MUTASYAABIHAAT without INDUCED INTERPRETATION is RESEMBLE or ITS MEANING close to each other or Similar or Look alike.

SO, MUTASYABIHAAT means RESEMBLING each other.

5) Now let us look at other verse that use the word Mutasyabihat and we use the real meaning of it :

Al-Baqara : 70

قَالُوا ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّن لَّنَا مَا هِىَ إِنَّ الْبَقَرَ تَشٰبَهَ عَلَيْنَا وَإِنَّآ إِن شَآءَ اللَّهُ لَمُهْتَدُونَ

● They said, "Call upon your Lord to make clear to us what it is. Indeed, [all] cows LOOK ALIKE (TASYABAHA) to us. And indeed we, if Allah wills, will be guided." ●

The above verse is about People of Moses (MUSA) where when commanded to sacrifice a Cow, they asked too many questions leading to a simple command becomes so difficult to be executed.

6) Let us go back to the verse 7, Aali-Imran :

Aal-i-Imraan : 7

هُوَ الَّذِىٓ أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتٰبَ مِنْهُ ءَايٰتٌ مُّحْكَمٰتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ الْكِتٰبِ وَأُخَرُ مُتَشٰبِهٰتٌ ۖ فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِمْ زَيْغٌ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشٰبَهَ مِنْهُ ابْتِغَآءَ الْفِتْنَةِ وَابْتِغَآءَ تَأْوِيلِهِۦ ۗ وَمَا يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُۥٓ إِلَّا اللَّهُ ۗ وَالرّٰسِخُونَ فِى الْعِلْمِ يَقُولُونَ ءَامَنَّا بِهِۦ كُلٌّ مِّنْ عِندِ رَبِّنَا ۗ وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّآ أُولُوا الْأَلْبٰبِ

● It is He who has sent down to you, [O Muhammad], the Book; in it are verses [that are] MUHKAMAT - they are the foundation of the Book - and others RESEMBLING EACH OTHER (MUTASYAAABIHAAT). As for those in whose hearts is deviation [from truth], they will follow that of it which is WHAT RESEMBLING from IT[THE BOOK] (MA TASYABHA MINHU), seeking discord and seeking an INTERPRETATION (TAKWIL) [suitable to them]. And no one knows its [true] INTERPRETATION (TAKWIL) except Allah. But those firm in knowledge say, "We believe in it. All [of it] is from our Lord." And no one will be reminded except THOSE OF UNDERSTANDING (ULUL ALBAB). ●

The meaning of Muhkamat is skipped for this scope of article.

It is clear that Mutasyabihat means Resembling each other.

Now, the other word that most translation has done WRONG is the words :

MA TASYABAHA MINHU.

- which also being translated as VAGUE.

That is Wrong.

The real meaning is :

MA = What or Whatever

TASYABAHA = which RESEMBLES

MINHU = from It(the Book)

The whole meaning of the wordings is :

"As for those whose hearts in deviation, they will follow WHAT RESEMBLES AL-QURAN..."

It means PEOPLE whose HEART (QALBU) has been deviated, they DONT FOLLOW AL-QURAN but they FOLLOW what LOOKS LIKE or SIMILAR to Al-Quran.

===