Twenty

Is the Qur'an a Divine Book?

Muslims claim that the Qura'n is a divine Book. How do people know that it is divine, and not written by Muhammad? What proof do you have?
The proof of the Quran's divinity is the Quran itself. The humanity has complete and clear history of the prophet as well as of the Qura'n that was revealed through him. Every aspect of the prophet's life - both the private and public - has been completely recorded. Life history of even the great people has not been so meticulously and comprehensively recorded.
Muhammad was born in the sixth century Arabia which was submerged in the darkness of ignorance. He grew up as an orphan in the heart of the desert. Muhammad, who turned to grazing sheep in boyhood, could not read and write. He never attended any school or participated in religious discussions. Makkah, his birth place, was the centre of poets, orators and literary figures. But until he was forty years old he had not written any prose or verse or a single line of poetry. Neither had he any skill in oratory and literary talent.
Muhammad, who had a deep inclination for spirituality was often involved in prayer and meditation, away from the evil atmosphere of Makkah. He liked loneliness. While he was on a lonely stay in the cave Hira, which is situated on a hill three kilometres to the North of Ka'aba, he got the divine revelation for the first time. The Holy Quran is the compilation of the divine revelations which he received during the next twenty three years. The Quran is not prose, verse, or poem in the usual sense. It has a totally distinct style. No one has been so far able to imitate it or to compete with it. No one can do it till the Day of Judgment.
There are several books which their followers claim to be divine. However, there is only one book which claims itself to be divine, and that is the Qura'n. The Qura'n repeatedly says that it is revealed by the God. If some one has any doubt about this claim, it asks, nay even challenges to bring at any single chapter, which is equal to any of its 114 chapters. One who takes this challenge is allowed to seek help from any scholar, literateur, or any genius. Allah says: ''And if ye are in doubt as to what we have revealed from time to time to our servant, then produce a sura like thereunto; and call your witnesses or helpers (if there are any) besides God, if your (doubts) are true" (2:23).
Since the prophet's time until this day many poets and literateurs, who were critics of Islam, have tried to take up this challenge. The result was that a majority of them accepted their inability and became the followers of the Quran. The remaining had to withdraw in defeat. The people who surrendered unconditionally before the Qura'n in prophet's time include the renowned Arabic literateurs Labeed, Hassan and Ka'ab Ibn Zuhair.
The Quraish dissuaded Thufail a poet and singer who had come from Yemen, from listening to the Quran. Thufail, who happened to hear it as if by some inner inspiration said about the Quran thus: "By God, who is omnipotent and omniscient. What I heard just now are unparalleled verses in the Arabic literature. Undoubtedly they are excellent and purer than any other. How rich they are in meaning! And how beautiful! And very attractive also. I have never heard anything of this kind. By God! These are not human words. They are divine. Undoubtedly they are divine verses.
Valeed, the son of Mugheera was a bitter opponent of Islam and the prophet. On hearing the recital of the Quran he expressed his views thus: ''There is sweetness in it which is difficult to define. There is also novelty. It is full of fruits and it will certainly reach great heights. Nothing can ever overcome it and it will break everything below it. No human being is ever able to say like these.''
On hearing the favourable comments of Valeed, Abu Jahl, who was the strongest enemy of the prophet approached him and asked to say something against the Quran. Valeed, now helpless addressed Abu Jahl thus: "What should I say? In song, prose, verse, poetry and in any other branch of Arabic literature I am better informed than you. By God! What this man says is none of these. God is my witness. Those words have an unusual sweetness and a special beauty. Its branches are full of fruits and its leaves green and beautiful. Undoubtedly they excel all other words, and all other words are below it.''
Hearing it Abu Jahl became restless. He told Valeed: "You know who you are? You are the highest leader of the Arabs, the hero of the young. Still do you support an orphan boy? Do you sing the glory of his mad utterances? Shame on great people like you. You better condemn Muhammad.''
Abu Jahl didn't miss his aim. Valeed, who became a prey of vanity, said: ''Muhammad is only a magician. He makes brothers fight against each other, severs marital relations, and destroys familial unity. Muhammad is only a magician who creates trouble in the country.''
It is remarkable that though they tried great literateurs like Valeed could not say a single word against the Qura'n.
Until he was forty the prophet had not uttered a single lie. So he was known by the name 'Al-Ameen' (trustworthy). It cannot be even imagined that such a person would utter a bigger lie in the name of God. If a person had actually written such an excellent book, it cannot be expected that he would deny his authorship and attribute it to someone other than him. Had the prophet claimed the Quran as his own work, he would have been esteemed more by the Arabs. What the prophet got from the people were severe oppressions.
Innumerable books have been written in the world. Some of the most noticeable among them could bring certain changes in the society, and some were causes for revolutions. However no other book, except the Qura'n has effected a total change in people's lives. Its influence was complete. It changed comprehensively the life of the individual, the state of the family and the community, the country and whole world. The Holy Quran's total influence was visible in people's beliefs, attitude to life, worship, customs and practices, personal life, the family, in social interactions, economic system, cultural life, political structure, administration, character and behaviour and this list can go on. There is no reason to think that an illiterate person can ever write such a comprehensive book which brought a great revolution. The Quran is such a book that it could change the minds of its bitter enemies, and its mesmerising effect made them new lives, and they became its followers. The most renowned person, who was so affected, is certainly the second Caliph Umar Ibnul Khatab. Even today those who attempt a serious study of the Qura'n become its followers.
The Qura'n has placed before the human beings a complete way of life. Its ideology can give peace to human minds, and can make the personal life pure, familial life peaceful, social structure healthy, nation secure and world a better place to live in. It is a comprehensive ideology. There is no other book in the world which contains such an ideology relevant to all times and all places, and also ever fresh. Of the millions of books written hitherto, there is none among them that could present such a comprehensive system of life. No one can argue that an illiterate person can write a book of this kind.
The Qur'an could brighten human thought. It effected a total revolution in the perceptions and feelings of the people, created a model society which is worthy of emulation for people of all times and places, and gave birth to a new culture and civilization. The Qur'an has 114 chapters, over six thousand verses, more than eighty six thousand words and over three hundred and twenty four thousand letters. It is divided into thirty parts and five hundred and forty paragraphs. Its basic purpose is the guidance of humanity and main theme is man. But it also contains history, prophesies, certain hints on science which are all meant for awakening human thought for convincing things and also for expanding the horizons of human knowledge. In all these spheres the Qur'an has uncovered many facts which were unknown to the people. Only a few of them are given here.
1. "Do not the unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder" (21:30)
Science discovered this truth many centuries after the Qura'n was revealed.
2. "We made from water every living thing" (21:30) and this truth was discovered by science only recently.
3. "Then he turned to the sky, and it had been (as) smoke" (41:11) Science discovered this secret only recently.
4. "And the sun runs unto a resting place for him: that is the decree of (Him), the exalted in Might, the All - Knowing. (36:38)
Eminent scientist like Copernicus had believed the sun was still. The physicists, until recently, were not willing to accept the movement of the sun. At last they had to admit the truth contained in the statement of the Quran.
5. "And we have made the heaven as a canopy well guarded: yet do they turn away from the signs which these things (point to)!" (21:32)
Till recently, based on this verse, the critics of the Qur'an used to laugh at it. But today we know of the ozone layer which guards the earth and other living things from cosmic radiation. This canopy is the stratosphere that protects our earth from the falling meteors. Ozone has also an important role in regulating the climate. The environmentalists have already started expressing concern over ozone depletion as a result of pollution. For life to continue on the earth the canopy mentioned in the Qura'n is essential. It is also this layer, the canopy that helps maintain the air which is needed for breathing, in the atmosphere.
6. ''Have we not made the earth as a wide expanse and the mountains as pegs'' (78:7)
''And we have set on the earth mountains standing firm lest it should shake with them, and we have made therein broad highways for them to pass through: that they may receive guidance'' (21:31) The role of mountains in maintaining the balance of the earth was not known until recently. Now the geologists have emphasised their role in preventing earthquakes, and in protecting the inner and outer structure of the earth.
7. ''With power and skill did we construct the firmament, for it is we who create the vastness of space'' (51:47)
This statement of the Qura'n is enough create wonder in people who have even an elementary knowledge of the universe and its structure.
8. It was only in 1876 that a zoologist from Netherlands, Somerdam, who proved that the hives are made by the female bees and honey is also collected by the females. This fact was revealed by the Qur'an fourteen centuries ago, as we understand from the feminine gender used in this context. (16:68, 69).
9. The 600 crore people of this world have different fingerprints. This is one of the great wonders of creation. But man understood this great wonder on the finger prints only recently. The Qur'an had drawn man's attention to this amazing fact fourteen centuries ago.
''Does man think that we cannot assemble his bones? Nay, we are able to put together in perfect order the very tips of his fingers'' (75:3, 4)
10. It was recently that the world understood that the Sun has its own light like a lamp, and the moon only reflects the Sun's light. The Qur'an has said it very clearly.
"Blessed is He who made constellations in the skies, and placed therein a Lamp, and a moon giving light'' (25:61)
The Quran has explained this lamp as the Sun.
"And made the moon a light in their midst, and made the sun as a (glorious) Lamp"? (71:16)
11. Until 18th century it was thought that only the (male) sperm was needed for human birth, and the womb was considered merely a place for the foetus to grow. The role of the ovum was recognised only later on. The Qur'an has emphasised the male - female role in birth. "O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female'' (49:13)
''Verily we created man from a drop of mingled sperm'' (76:2)
12. The Qur'an said that the sex of the embryo was determined by the sperm, but modern science discovered it only very late. ''That He did create in pairs, - male and female, from a seed when lodged (in its place)'' (53:45, 46)
Though a drop of semen contains millions of sperms, only one of them joins in fertilization with the ovum. Many facts of genetics can be seen mentioned in the Qura'n.
As all these need detailed study, they are not included here.
13. ''It is He who has let free the two bodies of flowing water: one palatable and sweet, and the other salt and bitter; yet Has he made a barrier between them, a partition that is forbidden to be passed'' (25:53)
In a book entitled 'Mir'athul Mamalik' written by Ameerul Bahr Syed Ali Raeez of Turky in the 16th century mention has been made to such body of waters existing at the bottom of Persian Gulf. But there was no evidence for its existence. But now a big reserve of sweet water is discovered in Ummu Suvali in the Persian Gulf, some three and a half kilometers away from the coast of Bahrain. The fresh water doesn't join here with the salty. So people could find out the fact behind the Qur'an statement that was made many centuries ago.
14. The Qur'an said that Noah's Ark had rested on Mount Judi (11:44). Charles Berlet in his book 'The Lost Ship of Noah' writes that a ruined ship was found in 1883 in the Judi Mount of Ararat Mountain ranges in Eastern Turkey. The ship had 450 feet length; 150 feet width, and 50 feet height. This ship which was found during a marine exploration is now accepted as the Ark Noah had made.
Not even a great scholar who lived in the sixth century and who had mastered all branches of the existing knowledge of his time could not have discovered the truth of the above statements, let alone the illiterate. Some fourteen centuries before, the Quran made certain bold statements which were unknown to the people of that century, which also remained unknown to the people of many succeeding centuries. These statements were made by a Book that claimed itself divine. Subsequently all these statements were proved true. This is one of the proofs for the divinity of the Qura'n. It is really amazing that a Book which claimed divinity boldly uncovered many truths of science, of which, nothing could be contradicted by the later scientific discoveries of human intellect.
Philosophy and science can evolve out of human thought. Historical facts are different. They cannot be reached by thought or meditation. The Qur'an, which was revealed through the prophet, has explained in detail the history of past people, which could not be proved wrong even by the staunch critics of Islam. Besides, proofs and documents validate the statements of the Qur'an.
The Qur'an, which claimed itself of divine origin, had made many similar statements about the future. These statements afterwards came true and it is also a good proof of its divinity.
The world is familiar with great writers such as Leo Tolstoy, Victor Hugo, Maxim Gorky, Shakespeare, Goethe, Shelley and Milton. However even before completing hundred years many words and usages of them had become obsolete and disappeared from the language.
The Bible is not available today in Aramaic which was the language of Christ. The Gospels do not exist in the same language and style in which they were written. They exist in translations, and hence their language and style is subject to frequent changes. The Vedic language in India is no longer a living language.
But even after a lapse of fourteen centuries, the language, style and usages of the Qur'an are considered the best in Arabic, and they are unparalleled and inimitable. The style of the Qur'an attracts people who are familiar with Arabic. Its meaning is easily comprehensible. It is impossible to find such an ever fresh Book anywhere in the world.
Above all, what is more helpful to find out the divinity of this Book is its study and regular recital.
All the evidence you quoted in favour of the Qur'an's divinity are from the Qur'an itself. Is it acceptable to others?
The proof for a golden bangle that it is made of gold is the bangle itself. The proof for a mango tree that it is mango tree is the tree itself. The strong and authentic proof that War and Peace is by Leo Tolstoy and The Glimpses of World History is by Jawaharlal Nehru is these books themselves. Similarly the strongest evidence for the Qur'an's divinity is the Qur'an itself.