Plain wrong!! Th Qur'an is not a divine miracle
Reader comment on item: More on the North Carolina Jihadi, Mohammed Taheri-azar
in response to reader comment: The Quran a Divine Miracle?

Submitted by Lactantius (United Kingdom), Mar 21, 2006 at 05:50

Dear Dr Pipes,

Muslims like would-be shahid ("martyr") Mohammed Taheri-azar, who claim that the Qur'an is Allah's final revelation, containing guidance for living and all that is true, also being "a scientific and mathematical miracle," have a big problem.

Those like Taheri-azar who use the "modern science proves the Qur'an" argument self-destruct, by using science, not the Qur'an, as the ultimate truth and authority, using the former to judge the latter, and if Muslims wish to argue that the Qur'an contains modern science and is therefore a miracle, then there is a further problem. The logical extent of their argument is that the Qur'an is no longer authoritative. For the sake of argument, suppose that Surah 25:53 really does talk about the science of oceans. But this is only one sentence, and to discover more about this subject, we need to look outside the Qur'an at the abundance of journals, books, and scientific papers, from which we will learn much more than the Qur'an "teaches" on this subject. This then leads naturally to the question: if we can learn more about this one thing by reading outside the Qur'an, rather than by reading the Qur'an, then why not other things as well?

How can Muslims claim that the Qur'an contains all the guidance mankind needs for living? Perhaps we need to read elsewhere? How do they know that the Qur'an teaches us all we need to know about Allah's nature? or about how he wants us to live? Perhaps they need to read elsewhere to get the full picture? and so on. The "modern science proves the Qur'an" argument is thus hugely problematic for Islam, completely destroying the authority of the Qur'an, and is best avoided by Muslims seeking to convince non-Muslims of its divine inspiration.

The claims I have seen Muslims make, that "modern science proves the Qur'an," such as those made for creation, the solar system, numerical miracles, and embryology etc.are plain wrong, not only do they not do so, and far from proving the alleged divine credentials of the Qur'an, actually provide further convincing evidence for its human origins.

With Kind regards and best wishes

"Lactantius"

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