Answering Christianity Research Center

If you think there is a contradiction in the Quran, then ask the following:

Have I made any unverified assumptions?
Have I considered all possible definitions of the words?
Have I considered all possible translations of the words?
Have I considered all grammatical syntactic definitions/renderings?

If the answer is no to the first one and yes to the last 3 and there still is a contradiction--you have found a contradiction.

If you wonder why verses in the Quran are vague and don't 100% show God, consider these logical premises

Premise 1: God created humans to test if we worship him without proof of his existence
Premise 2: If God created humans to worship him without proof of his existence, then he has to give us sufficient evidence.
Premise 3: If God has to give us sufficient evidence, it cannot be a strong enough evidence that automatically 'proves' God. The evidence has to be  there, but it cannot be too strong.
Premise 4: Therefore, God gave sufficient evidence for those whose hearts are open, unbiased to show his existence, but that evidence is sufficiently vague so it doesn't compel those whose hearts are closed.

Imagine the Quran was a strong miracle that was 100% compelling and there was no vaguness in it and it was direct. Imagine the Quran listed scientific phenomena so clearly that in the future everyone knows its divine. Does that make sense for God to do that given the fact that our purpose in life is to worship him without 100% proof? If he gave us really strong proof of his existence, then our purpose in life is violated. We all believe in God and life is no longer a test--because everyone saw the undeniable proof.

Life is a multiple choice test with many choices. If you pick the wrong choices throughout the test, you will be punished; if you pick the right choices throughout the test, you will be rewarded. The test is going to have many tricks in it to see your answer. This is life. Make the right choices. If the Quran was presented with unvague, clear 100% proof of God, then everyone passes the test. Its like the professor decides to give everyone the answers to the exam--Whats the point of the exam?

If you think that the Quran sounds like it was written by a 7th century Nomad consider the following premises:

1.) If God were to give a revelation to 7th century nomads it has to compel them and has to give them things to reflect upon so they believe in the scripture
2.) If that revelation is the final revelation and is supposed to compel people of the future, then that revelation cannot contradict reality that future humans will discover
3.) Therefore, the Quran MUST affirm 7th century belief without contradicting science.

And it must be sufficiently vague (read my past logic)

So yes, you find that in the Quran many words are purposely avoided or the Quran used alternate words so it could affirm 7th century beleif without contradicting (but supporting) science. So the Quranic scientific miracles have to be vague enough so they don't compel those whose hearts are closed and has to NOT contradict 7th century belief.

Imagine Muhammad directly told everyone at the time that the Earth is round and that you are standing off of the middle so you won't fall off. People at that time would have considered him "idiotic" and "unscientific" and would have never considered Islam. So what did God do? In the Quran, there isn't a single verse that says the Earth is flat and there are many verses that hint at the Earth being round. Those have to be sufficient enough to compel those whose hearts are closed AND not contradict 7th century belief AND support modern science.

So why does the Quran sound so basic and why didn't the Quran cover extensively the complex scientific topics?

God kinda patronizes us in the Quran. He knows we are only limited to understanding certain things, and that is what he utilizes. So of course the Quran has to give 7th century people something to reflect upon. Its like me trying to explain the theory of relativity to a 2 year old. I am going to sound like I am 2 year old. Right?

I just wanted to let everyone know that through this logic, I have converted to Islam and seen the rationality behind my decision. I hope it helps others inshallah.

Zul quarnain is NOT Alexander the Great, This article assumes he is. I fail to see why.

http://www.answering-christianity.com/quran/5701.htm
http://www.answering-christianity.com/blog/index.php/topic,468.0.html

As far as babylon and Samairtons go, Haman is a name--it may exist many times in history. We found that Haman is the name actually discovered in ancient egypt hyroglyphs.

http://www.answering-christianity.com/quran/matthew_smith.htm
http://www.answering-christianity.com/quran/samer_kadoura.htm
http://www.islamic-awareness.org/Quran/Contrad/External/haman.html

About the birth of Mary, you cannot show a contradiction in the Quran by a means of the bible. That is circular logic and stupidity. The fact that Mary shook a palm tree tells you that Jesus was born in the summer as many many Christians come to realize.

About Abraham and Ishmael, yes it is not historically documented that he built the Kaaba :/, Just like it is not historically documented he offered the sacrifice in the first place. It was too long ago for historical documentation. Its documented in the Torah/bible, but not in authentic history.

And the the article starts quoting people who have  testimony and then talk about the response. Wow, they must have really disproved the Quran. Why not take the testimony of people and their opinions. Mythical stories? Prove they are mythical.

ASSALAMUALYKUM.

  Brother one Question, will the calculation remain the same after 1 or 2 billion years if the earth exists till then? If so, can you please mathematically prove it?

Hello, Good question--I asked this myself when I first found it. NO, the ratio would not always be the same, but I realized it was irrelevant.

[Quran 7.54] And your Lord, Allah, who created the Heavens and the Earth in six days and then settled on the Throne...
Those six days are on the Throne; so the frame of reference for creation is the Throne, not Earth.

[Quran 41.9] Say: "Is it that you deny Him [Allah] who created the Earth in two days?...


Also those two days are on the Throne. The frame of reference for creation is still the Throne, not Earth. When God says that He created the Heavens, Earth and EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN (including you and me) in six days this means that He is referring to the period of existence. Earth has been in existence for 2 days (out of 6).

So according to God's throne-at the time of Muhammad- The universe has been in existence for 6 days and the Earth in 2 days.

The Universe and the Earth were created simultaneously and their process of the creation is still not complete (God says he is still expanding the universe-that means its creation is still having a process-so at the time of Muhammad God's throne experienced 6 days of creation of the universe).

 So this only works for the throne at the time of Muhammad

The article says that the idea of Humans were created from Clay were found in many ancient pagan writings, for example:

For example: Greeks:

Ancient Greeks
Prometheus shaped man out of mud, and Athena breathed life into his clay figure.[7]

Ancient Egyptian
Khnum, the ram-headed god of Elephantine, the potter, fashioned men on his wheel, making use of the clay in his locality as his basic material.[3]

Europe
The Cheremiss of Russia, a Finnish people, tell a story of the creation of man which recalls episodes in the Toradjan and Indian legends of the same event. They say that God moulded man's body of clay and then went up to heaven to fetch the soul, with which to animate it.[9]



http://wikiislam.net/wiki/Creation_of_Humans_from_Clay

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=M4T4uD7sjBk

^Please watch critically. I am sure that verses 41:9-12 are talking about Earth's atmosphere. Here is my little explanation (watch the video please 

Say, "Do you indeed disbelieve in He who created the earth in two days and attribute to Him equals? That is the Lord of the worlds."

And He placed on the earth firmly set mountains over its surface, and He blessed it and determined therein its [creatures'] sustenance in four days without distinction - for [the information] of those who ask.

^After the Earth was created he put mountains/volcanoes over its surface and through those activities in the mountains, the creatures on the Earth could have sustenance!!!!

Then He directed Himself to the heaven while it was smoke and said to it and to the earth, "Come [into being], willingly or by compulsion." They said, "We have come willingly."

^After it talks about mountains, it mentions SMOKE!!--Volcanoes! That is how the Earth's atmosphere was created, through volcanic emissions. Through those emission the atmospheres could develop!

And He completed them as seven heavens within two days and inspired in each heaven its command. And We adorned the nearest heaven with lamps and as protection. That is the determination of the Exalted in Might, the Knowing.

^It doesn't say the nearest haven has 'lamps', it says it was adorned or decorated with lamps. So the lower heaven is adorned with the beauty of the stars and not the stars themselves!


Think about it: The Quran is discussing the creation of the Earth in the first verse. It does not say the Earth was created and then the universe (heavens), it says the earth was created and then the atmosphere (heavens can also mean sky)--Which is scientifically accurate. MOREOVER, the QUran says that through mountains--smoke developed and made the atmosphere which was competed therefore creatures could have sustenance. Without the atmosphere, the first life forms could have not evolved.

^I love this video! Alhamdulliah I have found it--It cleared up so much!

I hope it does for you,
Salam


Now my question is: When the Quran said that God created the heavens and the Earth in 6 days, is it referring to the universe or the atmosphere?

This is from a website:

It is very clear from the Qur'an and scientific observations that the moon makes rounds around the earth. The Qur'an mentions the sun and the moon in such a way as if they are following each other
[ Qur'an 13:2 mentions Allah subjected the sun and the moon, each pursuing an appointed course ]
There is only one moon and one sun in the entire Qur'anic universe. The position of all these celestial bodies within this universe are clearly described in the Qur'an. For example, the heavens are above the earth, and the sun and the moon are within the heavens, and the earth and the stars are below the lowest heaven to beautify it.
[ Qur'an 71:15-16 - Have you not seen how Allah created the seven heavens one above the other, setting in them the moon as a light and the sun as a lantern? ]
The Qur'an mentions heavenly bodies traveling in their own orbits, but so do the concepts of day and night. None of the bodies are supposed to run into each other.
The heavens are firmly held in place lest they move from where they are and fall on the earth.
[ Qur'an 2:22-29, Qur'an 35:41, Qur'an 21:104, Qur'an 2:65, Qur'an 17:92, and Qur'an 34:9 ]

According to the Qur'an, the supposed course of the sun:
is clearly visible.
is (almost always) compared to the Moon's course.
is repeated regularly.
is to be used by the Muslims for timekeeping.
has a destination. Beginning in the east, it goes up to a high point, then goes down to the west.

Don't judge Islam by what a muslim has done, rather, judge the scripture.