The orientalists, The seerah and the qur’an-8

Jassim Ibn Da’yan
H. WAHYINSINUATION
One of the contentions of the Orientalists was that the angel Jibril was introduced at a later stage, because the three instances where the name is mentioned is in the verses revealed in Madinah Chapter 2: Verses 97, 98. They also allege that the Prophet (pbuh) did not know this angel until he came to Madinah.
ANSWER
It is probably the most childish and immature statement for several reasons. The angel Jibril was known among the pagan Arabs, the Jews and the Christians even before the advent of Islam.
The verses quoted above came in reply to the Jews in Madinah. The Jews rejected Jibril and preferred that Michael should have brought the Wahy to the Messenger of Allah. The Qur’an refutes their choice of the angel with a statement that if they were to become enemies to either of the angels, then Allah is the enemy to the disbelievers.
The insinuation with regard to Satanic Verses mentioned above, contain the allegation that Jibril came in the evening to the Prophet (pbuh) to point out the error in the Surah an-Najm, which was revealed in the 2nd year of Prophethood. In the same breadth, the orientalists turn back and allege that the angel Jibril was not known and as such was not mentioned throughout the Makkah period. This type of about-turn at their fancy by the orientalists only goes to show that they are not objective or keen to sift through the evidence seeking the truth, but to insinuate anything as long as it is against Islam, the Holy Qur’an and the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
CONCLUSSION
The Qur’an is its own defense. Jewish, Christian or Pagan sources claimed it was ‘from other than God’ and the Qur’an openly declares that it is from Allah and there are no inconsistencies in the Qur’an.
“Do they not then consider the Qur’an itself? Had it been from other than Allah, they would surely have found therein much contradictions.” Ch 4: V82.
As long as this assertion of the Qur’an is not proved wrong, all allegations as mentioned above or otherwise can have little value. In the final analysis, it does not matter at all what imputations are, or are not heaped on the person, character and intentions of the Prophet (pbuh), for the truth and authenticity of his claim can only be disproved if the message he brought is proved false in any of the claims it puts forth, given the nature of the claim. The challenge to this effect, by the message itself, is open and eternal. Any attack on the person of the Messenger is peripheral to, and sidestepping the issue. Any serious critic of the Qur’an should establish the error, then explain the reasons for the error. Any other approach would be speculations on possibilities of error.
All critics, whether orientalists or others have failed in their relentless effort to find fault with the Qur’an which is Allah’s word, and to insinuate other reasons in the person of the Final Messenger Muhammad (pbuh).
It is sad to see the aversion of these orientalists to Islam and the last Messenger (pbuh), but sadder still is to see them going astray from the path of Mercy of Allah and from the only salvation which is categorically mentioned in the Old and the New Testaments, and other eastern religious scriptures.
The Qur’an presents a complete way of life – a code of conduct and a scheme for organizing the total gamut of human life – belief, action and society. It does not divide itself into watertight material and spiritual, this-worldly and that-worldly, compartments. It creates only one supreme loyalty – to Allah and His Prophet and tries to organize the whole fabric of human life on this basis. Muhammad (pbuh) as the last Prophet of Allah has set the example and shown that life in the most practical way and as such it is for our own benefit that we learn the Qur’an and the life of Muhammad (pbuh).
We call upon every man and woman, Muslim and non-Muslim to take time to read the Qur’an in a language they understand better and ponder its message, which is eternal and time tested. Then, let them be the judge and decide whether:
It is the rambling of an epileptic, or an imposter suffering under his own hallucination,
It is borrowed information from the Biblical sources with numerous errors and contradictions or
It is The Book from the Lord of Worlds revealed to mankind through the last Messenger Muhammad (pbuh) who was sent to the world to complete Allah’s Message to the mankind.
The life of Muhammad (pbuh) is one to be studied and implemented in our own lives or to be entirely avoided as something that might lead us astray. and
• The Qur’an and the Seerah can give peace and purpose not only to our own lives in this fleeting world but to all the societies and all nations.
May Almighty Allah in His Mercy accept this tiny effort from us to spread the truth among the human race and may His Blessings be on the Prophet (pbuh), his family, his companions and all those who follow him seeking paradise in the path of Allah.