I have a problem with the word "claim" here. When you claim something, it doesn't mean it is true. For something to be true, there must be evidence that it is true.
I do not do word-acrobatics. I already explained this in the other thread.
No other than the Quraan itself claims that this is the word of God Himself. if you want proof, you can look into it yourself. Various researchers have looked into this, but they do not have much of an opinion about this. let alone suggestions of a particular author.
Some researchers claim that the stories in the Quraan pre-date Muhammad sas and are copied from the Bible or at least the apocryphal stories of it...which is only partially true.
Let me explain:
Of course these stories pre-date Muhammad sas, because they are not new. They are literally historic events that actually happened in the time of Adam (as), Moses (as), Noah (as), Jesus (as) and all others. So, of course those stories all are going to look as if they were copied from each other because the source is the same. And of course some of the stories will look like as if it were taken from apocryphal stories of the bible, because even those stories appearantly contain truth.
But the difference is that the mistakes and errors in the older versions of these stories will be corrected in the Quraan.
all the prophets are higly respected figures, carefully selected, noble persons who all were the perfect example for their own people.
They may have made some mistakes occasionally, but it was corrected right away and none of them actually sinned.
So prophets that get themselves drunk and sleep around with their own daughters, or a prophet who wants some married woman and goes ahead and kills her loving husband...
that is not really a befitting model for a prophet.
So the Quraan rementions those actual historical events, and even corrects them.
The Quran can only be the word of god if everything written in it is a fact. The only way to know if what is written is a fact is to verify this fact. So we need to verify that the Quran was literally written by god. Can you provide this proof to me? I also don't think it is unreasonable to question something which is not a proven fact.
I told you how the Quraan came into existence. No scientist (muslim or non-muslim) seems to have a different opinion about it. You will not find even a suggestion of who might be the potential author or authors of it.
I suggest investigate this issue yourself because you wouldn't be convinced if someone else tells you that.
Or you can take one other route which might be a little easier for you:
The word of God needs to be flawless. So that means, that if you find even 1 flaw or contradiction in it, you would prove it is not the word of God.
Which is a challenge for you.
But it needs to be a real flaw. anything you find not plausible because you do not see the whole picture yet, does not mean it must be a flaw.
You can look in the book "Tafsir ibn Kathir" for the accurate translation and the first explanation of the verses and what exactly they refer to.
Tafsir ibn Kathir is accepted as reliable by the most muslims and you can find it for free online.
It should even exist in APP-form.
Good luck
