Are there errors in the Qur’an (Koran)?

Answer

Though Muslims often argue for the divine origin of the Qur’an by stating that no errors, alterations, or variations have affected its copies since its inception, this assertion does not accurately depict the reality. While it is true that the current Qur’an is a nearly flawless replica of its seventh-century original, the belief that these copies precisely mirror the words transmitted by Muhammad is increasingly contentious.

Historical evidence indicates that there were multiple texts in circulation in Syria, Iraq, and Armenia before the final revision undertaken by Uthman. Zaid, Muhammad’s longtime secretary, was summoned by Uthman to supervise the ultimate and definitive authorized version of the Qur’an. Subsequently, all other Qur’an copies were destroyed to eliminate any challenges to the authorized text. The question remains as to why Uthman needed to create an authorized Qur’an version if the Qur’an had indeed been perfectly preserved from the start!

In the words of Alfred Guillaume, a renowned non-Muslim scholar of Islam:

“Only the men of Kufa rejected the new edition, and their version was still in existence as late as A.D. 1000. Uthman’s edition continues to be the authoritative scripture for Muslims. However, even today, variant readings, encompassing not only different vowel readings but also occasionally distinct consonantal texts, are considered equally authoritative!”

Upon comparing the various transmitted versions of the Qur’an, it becomes apparent that there are indeed discrepancies among them. While these differences typically involve variations in individual letters, vowels, or diacritical marks, the Muslim assertion of complete uniformity in the Qur’an copies is inaccurate.

Furthermore, as part of the Islamic belief that God has been revealing messages to humanity throughout history, includIn reading the Psalms of David and the four Gospels, one may question why it is asserted that Allah miraculously preserved the Qur’an in flawless copies, while Allah seemed unable to achieve the same with the previous revelations.

Let us assess the validity of this assertion. How remarkable is the literary quality? Ali Dashti, a devout Shiite Muslim, stated, “The Qur’an includes sentences that are incomplete and not entirely understandable without commentaries; foreign words, unfamiliar Arabic terms, and words used with meanings other than their usual ones; adjectives and verbs inflected without regard for gender and number agreement; illogical and ungrammatical pronoun usage that is often disconnected from the subjects in rhymed passages. These and similar deviations in language have provided ammunition to critics who challenge the Qur’an’s eloquence. . . . In total, over 100 deviations from standard Arabic rules and structure have been identified in the Qur’an” (G. Allen & Unwin, 1985, p. 47). Given the numerous linguistic “deviations” and instances of incorrect grammar, the Qur’an can hardly be considered flawless.

Are there inaccuracies in the Qur’an? – What about fulfilled prophecies?

Islamic defenders argue that the Qur’an foretells that Muslims will achieve victory both domestically and internationally (Surah 30:1-5). However, this cannot be convincingly used as evidence of a divine origin. The prophecy of Muslim military triumph (especially given Muhammad’s significant military might) is not particularly compelling.

Not only is the timeframe between these prophecies and their fulfillment almost nonexistent, but some suggest that the prediction of Islamic victory is better interpreted as a pre-battle rallying cry from Muhammad to boost his troops’ morale.

Islamic prophecy falls short of the caliber of prophecies found in the Bible, many of which were pennedHundreds of years in advance, such as the prediction that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem «But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. », (Micah 5:2).

Are there errors in the Qur’an? – What about scientific insights?

In A Brief Illustrated Guide to Understanding Islam, Islamic apologist I. A. Ibrahim argues:

“The Qur’an, which was revealed fourteen centuries ago, mentioned facts only recently discovered or proven by scientists. This proves without doubt that the Qur’an must be the literal word of God, revealed by him to the Prophet Muhammad, and that the Qur’an was not authored by Muhammad or by any other human being.”

How valid is this claim? First, conformity to science is not proof of divine inspiration. As modern scientists will admit, scientific models are constantly changing, so they are not an absolute gauge for what is true or false. Second, there are some highly suspect scientific statements in the Qur’an which are ignored by modern Islamic apologists. For example, Surah 23:14 makes the claim that human beings are formed from a clot of blood. Surah 18:86 claims that the sun sets in a spring of murky water. Clearly, even if the claims with respect to scientific insights were valid, the above statements would immediately falsify any such notion of divine inspiration.

Are there errors in the Qur’an? – Are there historical inaccuracies?

While the list of historical inaccuracies and anachronisms is vast, one has been selected for discussion here. Surah 20 relays the incident of the golden calf. In Surah 20:85-88, 95 we read:

“He [Allah] said, ‘We have tempted thy people since thou didist leave them. The Samaratin has led them into error.’ Then Moses returned…and we cast them [(gold) ornaments], as the

Samaritan also threw them into the fire.’ (Then he brought out for them a Calf, a mere body that lowed; and they said, ‘This is your god, and the god of Moses, whom he has forgotten.’)…Moses said, ‘And thou, Samaritan, what was thy business?’”

Now, let us consider this for just a moment. How can a Samaritan have led the Israelites astray at the time of Moses (approx 1400 B.C.) when the city of Samaria was founded by King Omri about 870 B.C.? The Samaritans did not exist until after the exile of the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the resettlement of the area under King Sargon II in 722 B.C. with non-Israelites who then adopted a syncretism (mixture) between the religion of the Jews and their own polytheistic background. The Samaritans did not exist until 530 years after Moses. By this mistake alone, the Qur’an can be rendered unreliable and certainly not an inerrant work of God.

Are there errors in the Qur’an? – Conclusion

Having outlined just a handful of many problems and difficulties pertaining to the Qur’an as a divinely inspired work, we are all but forced to reject the Islamic claim that the Qur’an represents an error-free word of God to humanity. When a similar standard is applied to the Bible, the result is self-vindicating, for the Bible emerges flawless.