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Who Wrote the Quran?
December 7, 2008
Idea Lab
Who Wrote the Koran?
By MOHAMMAD AYATOLLAHI TABAAR
For more than two decades, Abdulkarim Soroush has been Iran’s leading public intellectual. Deeply versed in Islamic theology and mysticism, he was chosen by Ayatollah Khomeini to “Islamicize� Iran’s universities, only to eventually turn against the theocratic state. He paid a price for his dissidence. Vigilantes and other government-supported elements disrupted his widely attended lectures in Iran, beat him and reportedly nearly assassinated him. In a country where intellectuals are often treated like rock stars, Soroush has been venerated and reviled for his outspoken support of religious pluralism and democracy. Now he has taken one crucial step further. Shuttling from university to university in Europe and the U.S., Soroush is sending shock waves through Iran’s clerical establishment.
The recent controversy began about eight months ago, after Soroush spoke with a Dutch reporter about one of Islam’s most sensitive issues: the divine origin of the Koran. Muslims have long believed that their holy book was transmitted word for word by God through the Prophet Muhammad. In the interview, however, Soroush made explicit his alternative belief that the Koran was a “prophetic experience.� He told me that the prophet “was at the same time the receiver and the producer of the Koran or, if you will, the subject and the object of the revelation.� Soroush said that “when you read the Koran, you have to feel that a human being is speaking to you, i.e. the words, images, rules and regulations and the like all are coming from a human mind.� He added, “This mind, of course, is special in the sense that it is imbued with divinity and inspired by God.�
As Soroush’s words spread thanks to the Internet, Iran’s grand ayatollahs entered the battlefield. In their rebuttal, the clerics pointed to the Koranic verses that state “this is a book we have sent down to you (O Muhammad).� They ask, Don’t these verses imply that God is the revealer and Muhammad the receiver? They also point out that there were times when Muhammad waited impatiently for the revelation to come to him and that in more than 300 cases the prophet is commanded to tell his people to do one thing or another. This demonstrates, the argument goes, that the commands are coming from elsewhere rather than from the heart or the mind of the prophet himself.
Soroush, in turn, responds by saying that the prophet was no parrot. Rather, Soroush told me, he was like a bee who produces honey itself, even though the mechanism for making the honey is placed in him by God. This is “the example the Koran itself sets,� says Soroush, citing the Koran: “And your Lord inspired to the bee: take for yourself among the mountains, houses . . . then eat from all the fruits . . . there emerges from their bellies a drink . . . in which there is healing for people.�
Soroush has been described as a Muslim Luther, but unlike the Protestant reformer, he is no literalist about holy books. His work more closely resembles that of the 19th-century German scholars who tried to understand the Bible in its original context. Case in point: when a verse in the Koran or a saying attributed to Muhammad refers to cutting off a thief’s hand or stoning to death for adultery, it only tells us the working rules and regulations of the prophet’s era. Today’s Muslims are not obliged to follow in these footsteps if they have more humane means at their disposal.
Soroush’s latest views have not endeared him to the powerful conservative wing of Iran’s establishment. Some have accused him of heresy, which is punishable by death. There have been demonstrations by clerics in Qom, the religious capital of Iran, against his recent work. But Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, unexpectedly warned against feeding the controversy. He said those who are employing “philosophy or pseudo-philosophy� to “pervert the nation’s mind� should not be dealt with “by declaring apostasy and anger� but rather countered with the “religious truths� that will falsify their arguments.
In Iran today, many opponents of the government advocate the creation of a secular state. Soroush himself supports the separation of mosque and state, but for the sake of religion. He seeks freedom of religion, not freedom from religion. Thus he speaks for a different — and potentially more effective — agenda. The medieval Islamic mystic Rumi once wrote that “an old love may only be dissolved by a new one.� In a deeply religious society, whose leaders have justified their hold on power as a divine duty, it may take a religious counterargument to push the society toward pluralism and democracy. Soroush challenges those who claim to speak for Islam, and does so on their own terms.
Mohammad Ayatollahi Tabaar is an adjunct lecturer at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University.
Copyright 2008 The New York Times Company
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I agree with Mr. Soroush on Prophet's remarkable qualities as a divinely embedded creative man, though I highly doubt the divine itself. But I see the political implications of his work as well.
Nevertheless, the West will play around his works, only to rough up Muslims all around the world.
I must say these are bad times for such scholarly works. Sad, isn't it?
Thanks for posting.
-E
BY: Aurpon Bhattacharya
The Qur’an is to Islam what the Torah is to Judaism, the Bible to Christianity and the Gita to Hinduism. I believe that the Qur’an has three basic themes. In this paper, I show the importance of the Qur’an to Muslims and, in the process, attempt to capture the essence of the Qur’an through the critical reading of three Surahs -- 96, 74 and 107.
Muslims believe that Allah (God) had, through Abraham, Moses and Christ, sent down his teachings. Yet, over time, the teachings of Allah lost its purport. Neither Moses, nor Abraham nor Christ had recorded Allah’s teachings, leading to people misinterpreting and corrupting Allah’s word as the teachings were handed down orally from one generation to the other. The Torah and the Gospel came to be composed many years later and in the process, God’s original teachings went through numerous editions.
However, it is believed that the Qur’an was compiled and recorded during the Caliphate of Uthman (644-656 A.D.), just a few years after the Prophet Mohammed’s demise (632A.D.). Thus, the final revelation of Allah had been faithfully recorded, word for word.
The Qur’an is God’s final revelation to mankind through the prophet Mohamed. It is intended to guide its followers—the Muslims – and the people of the Book (Jews and Christians—for they too had received some form of Allah’s teachings through the Torah and the Gospel) to the right path—the path of complete submission (Islam) to Allah.
In the year 610 AD, Mohammed underwent his first religious experience at Mount Hira. During this time Mohammed felt the presence of the divine and was terrified at the unnerving experience at the beginning when the revelations began but finally he realized that Allah was sending down his word to him through the angel Gabriel and the Qur’an was revealed to the prophet Mohammed.
There are 114 Surahs or chapters in the Qur’an. Each Surah consists of Ayat or verses. Thus, the 114 Surah’s consist of 6000 Ayat. Each Surah has a title and begins by exhorting Allah. These exhortations reinforce the belief in one God—Allah.
Surah 96 is God’s first words to Mohammed. It summarizes the reasons behind Allah’s revelation and thus, is a very important Sura to analyze if we wish to understand the Qur’an. Allah reminds Mohammed that he is man’s creator and preserver. Through this Surah one is made to realize how insignificant man is compared to the power of Allah who “Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood.� Allah has been mankind’s teacher and has taught man everything he knows and yet mankind has forgotten him. Allah goes on to say that our ego has blurred our minds in that we see ourselves as completely independent and detached from him and consider ourselves as the masters of our destiny.
This is not to say that Islam is a completely fatalistic faith for the notion of individual accountability does exist (Sura 74:38). Which means one should follow the path of Islam but if one strays from it, one should be ready to accept what comes to him. It does not mean that Allah has decided beforehand what sort of lives we shall lead and that we have no hand in shaping our future.
Sura 96 also reminds us that Allah is omnipresent, omniscient—he sees all and knows all—so we should be careful in how we conduct ourselves. Allah knows when we sin and all mortal power fades away in front of his judgement which is final. Thus, God exhorts mankind to turn to him and to not pay heed to sinners. We come close to God as soon as we submit to him.
It is clear why the Qur’an was handed down to Mohammed by Allah through this Sura. Mankind had lost its way and the Qur’an serves as a reminder of God’s greatness and calls upon us to realize there is a higher being, a higher intelligence than us to whom we should turn to, away from sin.
Surah 74 reiterates the importance of submitting to Allah, turning away from a life of sin, before it is too late. This Surah also makes clear the concept of individual accountability (94:38) and the consequences of an evil life. Allah makes it clear that he does not need to prove himself through miracles. One could almost say that God has shown enough of miracles over the past and yet people have gone astray and consequently, this final revelation is a miracle in itself and those who submit shall find themselves closer to God; those who don’t and keep waiting for miracles to enforce their faith in God are forewarned.
So who are these people who sin? What is sin in Islam?
We get a direct and precise answer in Surah 74. Those who do not pray, are uncharitable, and egotistic, denying the existence of Allah as well as of the Day of Judgement are those who will be assigned and banished to hell (74:43-47). Though Allah says in Surah 74 that he does as he pleases (Ayat 31) it is quit clear that it is up to the individual to make his own future. Should he submit to Allah, he might be forgiven, though he may be a sinner for it is up to Allah who to forgive and whom to punish.
Finally, Surah 107 mentions the duties of those who submit to Allah. People should accept that they will be judged by Allah and those who sin shall be appropriately punished. Thus we should dedicate our lives to goodwill and charity. We should look after the orphan—implying that we should care for those who are weak and cannot fend for themselves. It is a Muslim’s duty to give alms—to provide for those who are not lucky enough to provide for themselves. Consequently, those who are hungry should be fed. Muslims should not go about with a bloated ego. Those who want to be admired by others and who, at the same time, refuse to be good to others, failing to carry out their basic duties, will be punished as well.
These three Surahs—96, 74 and 107— capture the essence of the Qur’an. The exhortations at the beginning of each Surah emphasize the tawhid or unity of Allah. One of the most important themes in the Qur’an is that of judgement by Allah, his warning that he should be obeyed. Allah is repeating his warning one last time and people should heed his warning and turn towards him, ceasing from sin. The third theme is that of intelligent responsibility. As I have mentioned earlier, the Qur’an makes it quite clear that Allah hasn’t decided on the fate of mankind. Every person is free to choose as he pleases but at the same time those who turn away or do not turn to Allah should be aware of the consequences. The Qur’an exhorts mankind to turn to Allah, away from sin. Obviously had Allah already decided on the fate of mankind there would have been no need of revealing himself to Mohammed.
What then is Islam?
It is a monotheistic faith that believes in one and only one God. Everyone can be a Muslim. All one needs to do is submit to Allah and lead a life of charity and goodwill for Allah will judge those who sin. It is also a miracle in itself as it is the direct word of Allah. Allah need not show us signs to make us believe in him for the Qur’an is a miracle in itself and the last sign. Through the ages Allah has sent down his word that has been misinterpreted and the Qur’an is his final sign, his final revelation.
This is what Muslims believe in, this is Islam.
----------------
About the author: Born in 1980 and studied in St.Xavier's Collegiate School and La Martiniere for Boys in Calcutta Aurpon joined Wabash College for under-graduation. He is majoring in Political Science with minor in Religion and Films. He loves writing and has worked with The Statesman, The Asian Age and The Telegraph in Calcutta and is on the editorial board of the college's literary journal here. He loves reading (Edgar Rice Burroughs, Christopher Moore, Tolkien, Rider Haggard, Wodehouse), writing, watching movies (Chaplin, Kubrick, Polanski, Tarantino), and listening to music (Hindi and easy listening). He also loves traveling and seeing new places. After graduating cum laude from Wabash College with the best political science student award he has joined the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, on a scholarship for his Masters in Public affairs.
Faith=Seeing the Unseen
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen� (Hebrews 11:1). You might not find these words if you looked up “faith� in a dictionary, but there is no better description of what faith is.
Faith is a key word in the New Testament and a key concept in the Bible. It means conviction of the truth of something and, by extension, trust or confidence in what is believed. Faith provides “assurance� and “conviction.� “Assurance� (“substance� in some versions) denotes what is real. “Conviction� (or “evidence�) signifies a proof or demonstration. These words normally call to mind things we can see and touch. But this verse applies them to spiritual realities that are not discerned with physical senses. Faith makes real and certain what would otherwise be unknowable. The NIV reads, “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.�
Verse 3 gives an example of this principle of faith: “By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.� We cannot go back in time and observe the origin of the universe, but we have a confident conviction that God created it. (Incidentally, the evolutionist also exercises “faith�; he cannot witness the beginning of the world, either. Thus the creation-evolution debate is not between faith and science, but between two different “faiths.�)
Faith is not wishful thinking. It is based on testimony. For instance, our belief that God created the material universe out of nothing is based on the Bible’s statements that He did so (Genesis 1; Psalm 33:6,9). The same should hold true for all of our beliefs about spiritual things. “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ� (Romans 10:17).
“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him� (verse 6). Faith believes in the existence of the invisible God (“He is�). But it doesn’t stop there (see James 2:19); faith also acknowledges God’s moral government (“He is a rewarder of those who seek Him�). It recognizes His authority and submits to Him in obedience. Without action, faith is dead (James 2:17).
In a way, Hebrews 11 does for faith what 1 Corinthians 13 does for love. Just as Paul described to the Corinthians what love does, the writer of Hebrews shows, through the examples of Old Testament heroes, what faith does. “For by it [faith] the men of old gained approval� (verse 2). These great men and women of the past did what they did because they trusted even though they could not see. The same trust on our part will produce the same fruits.
Even though the Bible is no longer accessible in it's original form as was revealed to Jesus/Esa AS, yet Faith in the Unseen is one of the basics of christian faith
Quite a name Soroush goes by, The Servant of Karim, Karim being one of the many attributes of Allah SWT.
Did he give it a thought to change his name to something other than being the Servant of Karim?
-or-
He knows not what his name means? i.e. another lost sheep.
O)NE happened its not endorsement of anything .
Its very easy there are jews living in Iran
jews who still wail at the wall and hope Abrahm to get them Jerusalem no matter what
Does Not Sound less dogmatic biggotry
wasn't me!!
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=2g5Hz17C4is&feature=related
"Finally there is a descent educated and open minded Muslim with guts to ask that 1300 year old question. Who really wrote the Quran."
These 'descent, educated, open minded Muslims (?) with guts' are the darlings of the Western puppet-masters, all nicely paid to ask raise a cloud of dust over non-issues. No sane adult Muslim doubts God's Eternal Word revealed to the chain of prophets.
What is your opinion? Stop pasting and start thinking now!
In other words: gazillion "details" and "specifics" can be changed by first distilling the "inner" meaning of words by first studying "prophet’s era" and then sort of re-writing "cutting off a hand" or "stoning to death" by modern (secular) "equivalents". Who will do that? Raise your hands. I dont see any hands going up. For raising hands heads will be chopped off.
Sitting in west, holding a cushy university job Soroush's of these world roar like lion. Wah re Wah!
Don't go that route, neembu. You must insist that Quran is Allah's word, and that Allah is the one and only true god while all other gods are false.
neembu
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