cello wrote:This is a continuation of a discussion in the topic "The Ten Commandments".
I am curious about how related the Koran is to the Bible. From what I have read from some posts from some well-read members in past topics in S&R, it is my understanding that the Koran (Islam) is derived or based somehow on the Bible (Judaism or Christianity). I don't know if that is correct, or the extent of that relation. Maybe some members from the three religions can provide some more input on this issue.
"Is the Qur'an based on the Bible?"
This is indeed a very important question and I thank you very much,
cello, for asking it.
Here is a logical answer, provided by an Islamic Scholar (and I totally agree with him on it):
I. LOGICAL GROUNDS TO PROVE THAT THE PROPHET DID NOT LEARN THE QUR'AN FROM JEWS OR CHRISTIANS
1. The day-to-day life of the Prophet was an open book for all to see. In fact a revelation came asking people to give the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) privacy in his own home. If the Prophet had been meeting people who told him what to say as a revelation from God, this would not have been hidden for very long.
2. The extremely prominent
Quraish nobles who followed the Prophet and accepted Islam were wise and intelligent men who would have easily noticed anything suspicious about the way in which the Prophet brought the revelations to them - more so since the Prophetic mission lasted 23 years.
3. The enemies of the Prophet kept a close watch on him in order to find proof for their claim that he was a liar - they could not point out even a single instance when the Prophet may have had a secret rendezvous with particular Jews and Christians.
4. It is inconceivable that any human author of the Qur'an would have accepted a situation in which he received no credit whatsoever for originating the Qur'an.
Thus, historically and logically it cannot be established that there was a human source for the Qur'an.
II. MUHAMMAD (PEACE AND BLESSINGS BE UPON HIM) WAS UNLETTERED
The theory that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) authored the Qur'an or copied from other sources can be disproved by the single historical fact that he was illiterate.
Allah testifies Himself in the Qur'an:
"And thou was not (able) to recite a Book before this (Book came), nor art thou (able) to transcribe it with thy right hand: in that case, indeed, would the talkers of vanities have doubted."
[Al-Qur'an 29:48]
Allah Almighty knew that many would doubt the authenticity of the Qur'an and would ascribe it to Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Therefore Allah in His Divine Wisdom chose the last and final Messenger to be an
, i.e. unlettered, so that the talkers of vanity would not then have the slightest justification to doubt the Prophet. The accusation of his enemies that he had copied the Qur'an from other sources and rehashed it all in a beautiful language might have carried some weight, but even this flimsy pretence has been deprived to the unbeliever and the cynic.
Allah reconfirms in the Qur'an in Surah
A'raf chapter 7 verse 157:
"Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find mentioned in their own (Scriptures) in the Law and the Gospel"
The prophecy of coming of the unlettered Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is also mentioned in the Bible in the book of
Isaiah chapter 29 verse 12:
"And the book is delivered to him that is not learned."
[Isaiah 29:12]
The Qur'an testifies in no less than four different places that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was illiterate. It is also mentioned in Surah
A'raf chapter 7 verse 158 and in Surah
Al-Jumu'a chapter 62 verse 2.
III. ARABIC VERSION OF THE BIBLE WAS NOT PRESENT
The Arabic version of the Bible was not present at the time of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). The earliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that of R. Saadias Gaon of 900 C.E. - more than 250 years after the death of our beloved Prophet. The oldest Arabic version of the new Testament was published by Erpenius in 1616 C.E. - about a thousand years after the demise of our Prophet.
IV. SIMILARITIES IN THE QUR'AN AND THE BIBLE DUE TO COMMON SOURCE
Similarities between the Qur'an and the Bible does not necessarily mean that the former has been copied from the latter. In fact it gives evidence that both of them are based on a common third source; all divine revelations came from the same source - the one universal God. No matter what human changes were introduced into some of these Judeo-Christian and other older religious scriptures that had distorted their originality, there are some areas that have remained free from distortion and thus are common to many religions.
It is true that there are some similar parallels between the Qur'an and the Bible but this is not sufficient to accuse Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) of compiling or copying from the Bible. The same logic would then also be applicable to teachings of Christianity and Judaism and thus one could wrongly claim that Jesus (peace and blessings be upon him) was not a genuine Prophet (God forbid) and that he simply copied from the Old Testament.
The similarities between the two signify a common source that is one true God and the continuation of the basic message of monotheism and not that the later prophets have plagiarized from the previous .
If someone copies during an examination he will surely not write in the answer sheet that he has copied from his neighbor or Mr. XYZ.
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) gave due respect and credit to all the previous prophets (peace and blessings be upon them). The Qur'an also mentions the various revelations given by Almighty God to different prophets.