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Contradictions in the Qur'an: Fully Detailed Or Incomplete? - E.g., The Statements On Wine
Qur'an Contradiction:
Fully Detailed Or Incomplete?
E.g., The Statements On Wine
The Quran claims to be completely comprehensive in its instructions,
being fully detailed:
There is not an animal in the earth, nor a flying creature flying on two wings,
but they are peoples like unto you. We have neglected nothing in the Book
(of Our decrees). Then unto their Lord they will be gathered. S. 6:38 Pickthall
Shall I seek other than Allah for judge, when He it is Who hath revealed unto you
(this) Scripture, fully explained? Those unto whom We gave the Scripture
(aforetime) know that it is revealed from thy Lord in truth. So be not thou (O Muhammad)
of the waverers. S. 6:114 Pickthall
This is the path of thy Lord, a straight path. We have detailed Our revelations
for a people who take heed. S. 6:126 Pickthall
This Quran could not possibly be authored by other than GOD.
It confirms all previous messages, and provides a fully detailed scripture.
It is infallible, for it comes from the Lord of the universe. S. 10:37 R. Khalifa
In their history verily there is a lesson for men of understanding. It is no invented
story but a confirmation of the existing (Scripture) and a detailed explanation of
everything, and a guidance and a mercy for folk who believe. S. 12:111 Pickthall
One day We shall raise from all Peoples a witness against them, from amongst
themselves: and We shall bring thee as a witness against these (thy people): and We
have sent down to thee the Book explaining all things, a Guide, a Mercy, and Glad
Tidings to Muslims. S. 16:89 A. Yusuf Ali
Nothing could be further from the truth! The Quran fails to provide many important
details in relation to key passages. This in turn leaves the reader confused and even
perplexed in trying to understand the Quranic narratives and/or specific injunctions.
In the words of the late Iranian Scholar Ali Dashti:
"The Qor'an contains sentences which are incomplete and not fully intelligible
without the aid of commentaries; foreign words, unfamiliar Arabic words, and words
used with other than the normal meaning; adjectives and verbs inflected without observance
of the concords of gender and number; illogically and ungrammatically applied pronouns
which sometimes have no referent; and predicates which in rhymed passages are often remote
from the subjects. These and other such aberrations in the language have given scope to
critics who deny the Qor'ans eloquence. The problem also occupied the minds of
devout Moslems. It forced the commentators to search for explanations and was probably
one of the causes of disagreement over readings." (Dashti, Twenty-Three Years:
A study of the Prophetic Career of Mohammad, Allen and Unwin, London, 1985, pp. 48-49;
underline emphasis ours)
"To sum up, more than one hundred Qoranic
aberrations from the normal rules and structure of Arabic have been noted. Needless to
say, the commentators strove to find explanations and justifications of these
irregularities. Among them was the great commentator and philologist Mahmud
oz-Zamakhshari (467/1075-538/1144), of whom a Moorish author wrote: This
grammar-obsessed pedant has committed a shocking error. Our task is not to make the
readings conform to Arabic grammar, but to take the whole of the Qoran as it is
and make Arabic grammar conform to the Qoran." (Ibid., p. 50;
underline emphasis ours)
An example of such incoherence and unintelligibility is the Quranic view of strong
drinks and wine. The Quran is clearly confused regarding its view of intoxicants as
the following passages conclusively demonstrate:
And We have not revealed to you the Book except that you may make clear to them that
about which they differ, and (as) a guidance and a mercy for a people who believe.
And Allah has sent down water from the cloud and therewith given life to the earth after
its death; most surely there is a sign in this for a people who would listen. And most
surely there is a lesson for you in the cattle; We give you to drink of what is in their
bellies -- from betwixt the feces and the blood-- pure milk, easy and agreeable to swallow
for those who drink. And of the fruits of the palms and the grapes -- you obtain from
them intoxication (sakaran) and goodly provision; most surely there is a sign
in this for a people who ponder. And your Lord revealed to the bee saying: Make hives in
the mountains and in the trees and in what they build: Then eat of all the fruits and walk
in the ways of your Lord submissively. There comes forth from within it a beverage of many
colours, in which there is healing for men; most surely there is a sign in this for a
people who reflect. S. 16:64-69 Shakir
The impression given by this passage is that intoxicants are something good, since the
context deals with signs or proofs of Gods care and provisions for mankind. Nothing
is said about the negative affects of intoxicants or whether it is impermissible for
believers.
O you who believe! do not go near prayer when you are Intoxicated (sukara)
UNTIL YOU KNOW (WELL) WHAT YOU SAY, nor when you are under an obligation to perform a
bath -- unless (you are) travelling on the road-- until you have washed yourselves; and if
you are sick, or on a journey, or one of you come from the privy or you have touched the
women, and you cannot find water, betake yourselves to pure earth, then wipe your faces
and your hands; surely Allah is Pardoning, Forgiving. S. 4:43 Shakir
This verse forbids Muslims from coming to prayers while intoxicated. This gives the
impression that drinking before praying is permissible, provided that one doesnt
get drunk.
They ask thee concerning wine (al-khamri) and gambling. Say: "In them
is great sin, AND SOME PROFIT, for men; but the sin is greater than the profit."
They ask thee how much they are to spend; Say: "What is beyond your needs."
Thus doth Allah Make clear to you His Signs: In order that ye may consider. S. 2:219
A. Yusuf Ali
Here, wine (which falls under the category of intoxicants) is said to be both sinful
and profitable, with the sin being greater. Even this passage stops short of explicitly
prohibiting the consumption of wine.
Finally:
O ye who believe! Intoxicants (al-khamru) and gambling, (dedication of) stones,
and (divination by) arrows, are AN ABOMINATION,- OF SATANS HANDWORK: eschew
such (abomination), that ye may prosper. Satan's plan is (but) to excite enmity and hatred
between you, with intoxicants (al-khamri) and gambling, and hinder you from
the remembrance of Allah, and from prayer: will ye not then abstain? S. 5:90-91
A. Yusuf Ali
This passage says that intoxicants are the handiwork of Satan! Hence, the Quran goes
from describing wine as something good to something completely evil.
Now a Muslim may interject here and claim that the verses which permit intoxicants were
abrogated. Yet, this is precisely the point. How does a Muslim know that these verses have
been abrogated? Where does the Quran explicitly, or even implicitly, state this? Second,
how does the Muslim know for certain which verses came first? Does the Quran give the date
these "revelations" were allegedly sent down so that we can know which passage
came first? After all, one can just as likely claim that S. 16:66-67 was
"revealed" last and therefore abrogated S. 2:219 and 5:90-91. How can one know
for certain?
A Muslim may claim that Muslims dont follow the Quran alone, but also consult the
hadith literature. If so, then try telling the following Muslims that they need the hadith
literature:
The Submitters, who present their reasoning in the articles listed on this page:
Hadith & Sunna
Furthermore, the moment one appeals to the hadiths for clarification of these passages
one ends up falsifying the Quran. The Quran is shown to be incomplete and therefore false
in its claim of being fully detailed.
Sam Shamoun
Further articles on the Incompleteness
and Incoherence of the Qur'an.
Contradictions in the Qur'an
Answering Islam Home Page