The orientalists, The seerah and the qur’an-6

The orientalists, The seerah and the qur’an-6

Jassim Ibn Da’yan


E. CONTEMPORARY ERRORS IN THE QUR’AN

The orientalists allege that certain mistaken notions about Judaism and Christianity prevailing at the time in certain quarters have crept into the Qur’an. They also suggest that some mistaken concepts prevailing at the time about the world and universe have been reproduced in the Qur’an.
MISTAKES ABOUT JUDAISM AND CHRISTIANITY
It has already been pointed out that Muhammad (pbuh) was illiterate. He could not have studied and selected appropriate passages from previous scriptures without the ability to read and write. There is an additional aspect to be considered regarding these insinuations. There was simply no Arabic version of the Bible during the time of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).



Thomas Patrick Hughes writes, ‘We have no evidence that Muhammad (pbuh) had access to the Christian scriptures…. It should be borne in mind that we have no clear traces of the existences of Arabic version of the Old or New Testament, previous to the time of Muhammad. The earliest Arabic version of the Old Testament of which we have any knowledge is that of R. Saadias Gaon A.D.900 (which was 300 years after the death of Muhammad (pbuh). The oldest Arabic version of the New Testament is that published by Erpenius in 1616 [which was 1000 years after the departure of Muhammad (pbuh).]’
The following explanations will show the stand taken by the Qur’an against these allegations by the orientalists.
E.1 Qur’an repeated the errors found in the old scriptures.



In the first place, the Qur’an does not really treat Judaism and Christianity as independent religions but as deviations from, and corruption of the original message delivered by God’s Prophets. Hence there is no question of its stating what the modern Jews and Christians think to be the correct articles of their faiths. The Qur’an is set to pointing out that what the Jews and Christians believed and practiced at the time were errors and that their scriptures had been altered and manipulated to accommodate such faults and incorrect beliefs. It also vigorously attempts to correct and rectify those errors.
What the modern Jews and Christians believe to be the correct doctrines of their faiths are not the same as those believed and practiced by their predecessors because these religions have undergone a number of reforms and modifications since the advent of Islam. It is never an exaggeration if we say that the Qur’an influenced these reforms especially in Christianity.


The Qur’an is basically not describing the tenets of Judaism and Christianity but was pointing out how the followers of these faiths had deviated from the original teachings of their prophets.


E.2 Mary part of Trinity


The Qur’an does not identify the entities or persons that constituted the Trinity. It simply denounces the whole concept as antithetical to and subversive of true monotheism. The orientalists write that the Qur’an has classified Mary as a person in the Trinity and maintain that is an error. However, a simple glance at the present day Catholics is sufficient to show that they indeed worship Virgin Mary and address their prayers to her. It is the same if you look at the history of Christian nations where the statues of Mother Mary adorn their churches, important building sites and street junctions. The recent proclamation of the Pope relating to the bodily assumption of Mary supports this conclusion.


The Qur’an also points out other errors such as against the Jews’ insinuations and innuendo against Mary where it unequivocally asserts her chastity and purity of character. Against the doctrine of the Trinity it uncompromisingly asserts the absolute and immutable unity of God.
Against the Jews’ and Christian notion of sonship, it emphatically states that God does not have any son nor is he a father of anyone as such. Against the divinity of Christ, it insists on his humanity and asserts that he was only a Prophet of God. It further states that those who worship him as god are unbelievers. But none of the orientalists dare write anything on this aspect.

E.3 Errors about Crucifixion
As regards the crucifixion, the Qur’an does not reproduce a popular mistake. The Qur’an specifically points out what the Jews said viz., that they crucified and killed Christ. The passage then says that it was made to appear like that to them, but that was an incorrect impression or illusion given to them and that they had no real knowledge of what actually happened but instead followed only a certain conjecture. The passage ends with an empathic reiteration that “they did not kill him for certain.”
Even though the orientalists say that the rejection of crucifixion in the Qur’an is an error, it may be noted that even some of the early Christian sects did not believe that Jesus died on the cross. Thus the Basilidans thought that someone else was substituted for him on the cross.
The Qur’an categorically asserts the truth and positively contradicts the Jews’ assertion that they had killed Jesus. In fact the Qur’anic statement is directed against the Jews as well as Christians. It contradicts the assertion of the Jews that they have killed Jesus and that therefore he was not a Prophet because he suffered what is called an “accursed death.” Similarly, it rejects the Christian doctrine of the divinity of Jesus and that of “vicarious atonement” and its basis, the concept of “blood sacrifice.”
The Qur’an emphatically states that the Jews did not kill Jesus. This is found in the Bible as well, and can be gleaned by any Christian if he really desires to seek the truth. There are statements in different Gospels, which strongly agree with the Qur’anic verdict that “they killed him not for certain”. In fact, these statements clearly suggest that Jesus avoided being discovered by his enemies and therefore escaped death on the cross.
Additionally, some of the recent researches confirm that Jesus did not suffer death on the cross.
Barbara Thiering, an Australian scholar, has demonstrated convincingly, on a meticulous analysis of the Dead Sea Scrolls that Jesus did not die on the cross.
Two European scholars, Holger Kersten and Elmer E Gruber, have assiduously pursued the story of radiocarbon test carried out on the famous “Turin Shroud” and have shown that Jesus did not die on the cross and that the “Turin Shroud” was a hoax.
E.4 Uzair is a Son of God
Old Testament was given its present form by Uzair, and some Jews in Madinah at the time considered Uzair as a son of God. This verse was read in front of them many times and none of them came forward to object to it. According to Qurtubi the Jewish sect that considered Uzair as the Son of God had become extinct by his time, probably due to influence of Qur’anic teachings. The Qur’an simply points out that these beliefs are errors and specifies the mistakes in adhering to these faults.