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-{{QualityScore|Lead=3|Structure=4|Content=4|Language=3|References=4}}A recurring [[:Category:Criticism of Islam|criticism]] of the [[Qur'an|Quran]] is that it contains contradictory pronouncements, as is argued of many other religious scriptures. The occurrence of these contradictions, critics argue, is particularly problematic in the case of the Quran because the Islamic tradition holds it to be the direct, unmediated word of [[Allah]], or God. Indeed, {{Quran|4|82}} makes the confident assertion: "Then do they not reflect upon the Qur'an? If it had been from [any] other than Allah, they would have found within it much contradiction."
+{{#seo:
+ |title=Slavery in Islamic Law
+ |title_mode={{{title_mode|}}}
+ |keywords={{{keywords|}}}
+ |description={{{description|}}}
+ |image=Are_There_Contradictions_in_The_Quran.jpg
+}}
+[[File:Are_There_Contradictions_in_The_Quran.jpg ‎|thumb|275px|Video thumbnail for a Youtube vide by Dr Shabir Ally]]{{QualityScore|Lead=3|Structure=4|Content=4|Language=3|References=4}}A recurring [[:Category:Criticism of Islam|criticism]] of the [[Qur'an|Quran]] is that it contains contradictory pronouncements, as is argued of many other religious scriptures. The occurrence of these contradictions, critics argue, is particularly problematic in the case of the Quran because the Islamic tradition holds it to be the direct, unmediated word of [[Allah]], or God. Indeed, {{Quran|4|82}} makes the confident assertion: "Then do they not reflect upon the Qur'an? If it had been from [any] other than Allah, they would have found within it much contradiction."
 Critics hold that at least some of these contradictions are irresolvable through any reasonable interpretation and that, to resolve them, exegetes must resort to incredible interpretations. While some of the proposed contradictions, critics admit, may be resolved through the doctrine of [[Naskh (Abrogation)|abrogation]], whereby Allah is said to override his previous instructions (through, for instance, permitting [[alcohol]] at one point and prohibiting at another), many other contradictions are not resolvable in this manner. Indeed, the Islamic tradition holds that the doctrine of abrogation is only applicable in cases of law and not theology - what Allah says at any point with regards to the divine, the hereafter, history, the day of judgement, or other such non-legal matters, must (and, the tradition holds, does) always hold true. Critics, however, have stated that many, including some of the most problematic, of the proposed contradictions are precisely of the theological, and not legal, variety.
@@ Line 34: / Line 41: @@
 :124 <span style="color:#800080">And whoever turns away from My remembrance - indeed, he will have a depressed life, and We will gather him on the Day of Resurrection blind."</span>
 |}
+Durie (2018)<ref>Durie, Mark. 2018. ''The Qur’an and Its Biblical Reflexes: Investigations into the Genesis of a Religion'' (p. 408 - 415 Kindle Edition). Lexington Books. ''pp. 219 - 223''</ref> notes that scholars like Witztum and others have proposed an editorial process for the Qur'an, where earlier texts were reworked into later versions, with this contradiction being the result of combining the versions together. However, an alternative "oral-formulaic" approach, advocated by Bannister,<ref>Andrew Bannister, ''An Oral-Formulaic Study of the Qurʾan'', Lanham: Lexington Books, 2014, <nowiki>ISBN 978-0-7391-8357-1</nowiki>.</ref> suggests the Qur'an's narratives were shaped by oral performance rather than editing. Variations in the Fall stories reflect performance differences rather than textual dependence, with the performer adapting the story for different audiences. From the perspective of an oral-formulaic explanation, we can say that Q2 is an ill-formed performance, and its appearance of dependence upon Q7 and Q20 is simply because those other two recorded performances went more smoothly.<ref>Durie, Mark. 2018. ''The Qur’an and Its Biblical Reflexes: Investigations into the Genesis of a Religion'' (p. 410 Kindle Edition). Lexington Books. ''pp. 220''</ref>
 ===Timing of Allah's instructions to Noah===
@@ Line 353: / Line 361: @@
 :95 [Moses] said, "And what is your case, O Samiri?"
 |}
+=== Did Moses's speech impediment get fixed? ===
+God showed Moses a magical fire that did not burn out, and informs him of his prophethood. Then commanded him to go to Pharaoh with his signs in the hope that he may be warned and fear God. Moses agreed but complained that he couldn’t speak clearly, and he asked God to cure him of it, and to open his breast and make the task easy/easier:
+{{Quote|{{Quran|20|24-28}}|...“Go thou to Pharaoh, for he has indeed transgressed all bounds.” “( Moses) said: ‘O, my Lord! Expand me my breast,” ease my task for me, <b>and remove the impediment from my speech, so they may understand what I say.”</b> “( Allah) said: ‘Granted is thy prayer, O Moses!’”...}}
+Here God seems to respond to his prayer instantly (the verses in between 20:29-20:35 are part of the same narrative so the order is linear):
+{{Quote|{{Quran|20|36}}|<b>...Allah responded, “All that you requested has been granted, O  Moses!... </b>}}
+However when he actually gets to Pharoah, he (Pharoah) states that he still cannot express himself clearly:
+{{Quote|{{Quran|43|52}}|“And Pharaoh proclaimed among his people, saying, ‘O, my people! Does not the dominion of Egypt belong to me, (witness) these streams flowing underneath my (palace)? What! See ye not, then? Am I not better than this (Moses), who is a contemptible wretch, <b>and can scarcely express himself clearly?’”</b>}}
 ===The destruction of Thamud===
@@ Line 446: / Line 462: @@
 Lane's Lexicon has some discussion of the word mus'tamirrin ("continuous") as it is used in this verse and in Q. 54:2 where it is used in the phrase (“passing magic”) in the same grammatical form.<ref>mus'tamirrin - [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume7/00000230.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 2702]</ref>
+=== Was Jonah cast onto the shore? ===
+Yes - Allah casts him onto the shore.
+{{Quote|{{Quran|37|139-145}}|“Indeed, Jonah was one of the messengers,”
+“When he ran away to a ship completely laden,”
+“And then drew lots and was of those who are rejected.”
+“And the fish swallowed him while he was blameworthy,”
+“Had he not been one of those who glorify (Allah)”
+“He would certainly have remained inside the Fish till the Day of Resurrection.”
+<i>“So We cast him onto the shore, while he was sick.”</i>}}
+No - he wasn't cast onto the shore due to Allah’s favour reaching him.
+{{Quote|{{Quran|68|48-49}}|“So wait with patience for the Command of thy Lord, and be not like the Companion of the Fish, when he cried out in despair.”
+<i>“Had it not been that favour from his Lord had reached him, he would indeed have been cast off onto the shore in disgrace.”</i>}}
 ==Allah==
@@ Line 533: / Line 562: @@
 {{Quote|{{Quran-range|25|68|70}}|Those who invoke not, with Allah, any other god, nor slay such life as Allah has made sacred except for just cause, nor commit fornication; - and any that does this (not only) meets punishment. (But) the Penalty on the Day of Judgment will be doubled to him, and he will dwell therein in ignominy,- Unless he repents, believes, and works righteous deeds, for Allah will change the evil of such persons into good, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful, }}
+=== Can anyone change the word of Allah? ===
+Yes - the Jews especially seem to be charged with doing this, which is the mainstream Islamic view,<ref>E.g. see [https://quranx.com/Tafsir/Jalal/2.75 ''Tafsir Al-Jalalayn on verse 2:75''].  Jalal al-Din al-Mahalli (d. 864 ah / 1459 ce) and his pupil Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti (d. 911 ah / 1505 ce).</ref> though is not without controversy ''(see: [[Corruption of Previous Scriptures]])''.{{quote | {{Quran|2|59}}|But those who were unjust changed it for a saying other than that which had been spoken to them, so We sent upon those who were unjust a pestilence from heaven, because they transgressed.}}{{Quote|{{Quran|2|75}}|Have ye any hope that they will be true to you when a party of them used to listen to the word of Allah, then used to change it, after they had understood it, knowingly?}}{{Quote|{{Quran|2|79}}|Therefore woe be unto those who write the Scripture with their hands and then say, "This is from Allah," that they may purchase a small gain therewith. Woe unto them for that their hands have written, and woe unto them for that they earn thereby.}}{{quote |{{cite quran|3|77|end=79|style=ref}}|(As for) those who take a small price for the covenant of Allah and their own oaths-- surely they shall have no portion in the hereafter, and Allah will not speak to them, nor will He look upon them on the day of resurrection nor will He purify them, and they shall have a painful chastisement. '''Most surely there is a party amongst those who distort the Book with their tongue that you may consider it to be (a part) of the Book, and they say, It is from Allah, while it is not from Allah, and they tell a lie against Allah whilst they know.''' It is not meet for a mortal that Allah should give him the Book and the wisdom and prophethood, then he should say to men: Be my servants rather than Allah's; but rather (he would say): Be worshipers of the Lord '''because of your teaching the Book and your reading (it yourselves).'''}}{{quote | {{Quran|3|187}}|And when Allah made a covenant with those who were given the Book: You shall certainly make it known to men and you shall not hide it; but they cast it behind their backs and took a small price for it; so evil is that which they buy.}}{{quote | {{Quran|4|46}}|Of those who are Jews (there are those who) alter words from their places and say: We have heard and we disobey and: Hear, may you not be made to hear! and: Raina, distorting (the word) with their tongues and taunting about religion; and if they had said (instead): We have heard and we obey, and hearken, and unzurna it would have been better for them and more upright; but Allah has cursed them on account of their unbelief, so they do not believe but a little.}}{{quote |{{cite quran|5|13|end=15|style=ref}}|But on account of their breaking their covenant We cursed them and made their hearts hard; '''they altered the words from their places and they neglected a portion of what they were reminded of;''' and you shall always discover treachery in them excepting a few of them; so pardon them and turn away; surely Allah loves those who do good (to others). And with those who say, We are Christians, We made a covenant, '''but they neglected a portion of what they were reminded of''', therefore We excited among them enmity and hatred to the day of resurrection; and Allah will inform them of what they did. O followers of the Book! indeed Our Messenger has come to you making clear to you '''much of what you concealed of the Book and passing over much'''; indeed, there has come to you light and a clear Book from Allah;}}{{quote | {{Quran|5|41}}|O Messenger! let not those grieve you who strive together in hastening to unbelief from among those who say with their mouths: We believe, and their hearts do not believe, and from among those who are Jews; they are listeners for the sake of a lie, listeners for another people who have not come to you; '''they alter the words from their places, saying: If you are given this, take it, and if you are not given this, be cautious'''; and as for him whose temptation Allah desires, you cannot control anything for him with Allah. Those are they for whom Allah does not desire that He should purify their hearts; they shall have disgrace in this world, and they shall have a grievous chastisement in the hereafter.}}No
+{{Quote|{{Quran|6|115}}|And the word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and in justice. None can alter His words, and He is the Hearing, the Knowing.}}
 ==Angels and demons==
@@ Line 566: / Line 598: @@
 Allah chooses messengers from angels and from men for Allah is He Who hears and sees (all things). }}
+=== Was Iblīs an angel or a jinn? ===
+While the following example might be considered to be an example of poor writing rather than an irreconcilable contradiction, it is worth noting as it is contradictory on a plain reading; which has caused confusion and led to differing opinions on whether Iblīs was an angel or a jinn in traditional Islamic scholarship.<ref>[https://www.britannica.com/topic/Iblis Iblis] | Islam | Britannica </ref>
+As Sinai 2023<ref>Sinai, Nicolai. Key Terms of the Qur'an: A Critical Dictionary (p. 453 - 457). Princeton University Press.</ref> notes, the Arabic phrase qulnā li-l-malāʾikati sjudū li-ādama fa-sajadū illā iblīsa (Q 2:34, 7:11, 17:61, 18:50, 20:116; see also 15:30–31 and 38:73–74) is naturally rendered, “We said to the angels, ‘Prostrate yourselves to Adam,’ and they prostrated themselves, except for Iblīs.” This reading would be in line, for instance, with the view of Jacob of Sarug, who unequivocally declares Satan to have been an angel (Mathews 2020, 88–89, l. 2515; see in more detail below).<ref>Ibid. pp. 455.</ref> (Hence this is seen in virtually all official English translations of the verses).
+{{Quote|{{Quran|17|61}}|And when We said to the Angels, "Prostrate to Adam." So they prostrated except Iblis. He said, "Shall I prostrate to (one) whom You created (from) clay?"}}{{Quote|{{Quran|20|116}}|When We said to the angels, ‘Prostrate before Adam,’ they prostrated, but not Iblis: he refused.}}{{Quote|{{Quran|15|31-32}}|Thereat the angels prostrated, all of them together, but not Iblis: he refused to be among those who prostrated.}}
+See also {{Quran|2|34}}, {{Quran|7|11}} and {{Quran|38|73-74}}.
+However, the Qur'an explicitly states that Iblīs was one of the jinn (straight after this in Q 18:50), distinguishing him from angels, who are described as a separate, species ({{Quran|34|40-41}}) that are totally obedient to God and not judged by him in the afterlife (unlike the jinn), but rather even carry out punishments {{Quran|66|6}} and hold his throne judgement day {{Quran|69|17}}. This distinction is supported by Q 38:76 and Q 7:12, where Iblīs refuses to prostrate to Adam, citing his creation from fire, in contrast to Adam's creation from clay. Additionally, premodern Muslim scholars noted that angels are always obedient to God, reinforcing the idea that Iblīs could not have been an angel.<ref>Ibid.</ref> This is the current mainstream view.<ref>[https://islamqa.info/en/answers/8976/was-iblis-an-angel Was Iblis an Angel?] IslamQA. 2000.</ref>
+{{Quote|{{Quran|18|50}}|When We said to the angels, ‘Prostrate before Adam,’ they prostrated, but not Iblis. He was one of the jinn, so he transgressed against his Lord’s command. Will you then take him and his offspring for guardians in My stead, though they are your enemies? How evil a substitute for the wrongdoers!}}
+He also notes that despite the considerable grammatical ingenuity displayed by later Muslim exegetes to make the prostration be exclusive of Iblīs (such as Al-Zamakhshari), the most straightforward and uncontrived reading of fa-sajadū illā iblīsa and its variants would surely be “they prostrated themselves, except for Iblīs,” including the implication that Iblīs was indeed one of the angels.<ref>Ibid. pp. 456.</ref>
+El-Zein 2017<ref>El-Zein, Amira. Islam, Arabs, and the Intelligent World of the Jinn (Contemporary Issues in the Middle East) (p. 43-46). Syracuse University Press.</ref> notes that seemingly based off this verse, various Islamic sources have conceived of Iblis as an angel, for example the Sufi scholar Ibn 'Arabi in one writing describes him as a four-winged angel, and the Sunni jurist Al-Damari claimed “Iblis was the chief of the angels of heaven and their ruler, as well as ruler over the earth. He was one of the most studious angels and the most knowledgeable. He ruled between heaven and earth. He took great pride and honor in it. But he became arrogant and haughty. He rebelled and was ungrateful to God who transformed him into a cursed devil, shaytan.”<ref>Ibid. pp. 44.</ref> The Mu‘tazilah school of theology and Islamic thought (8th–10th century) also tended to view Iblis as depicted in Qur’an 18:50 as an angel rather than a jinn.<ref>Ibid.</ref>
+To resolve the incoherence between the two interpretations on the nature of Iblis, Muslim scholarship came up with some ingenious ideas. Al-Tabari, for example, argued it is possible God created one part of his angels from light and another part from fire; Iblis possibly could belong to that group of angels who were created from the scorching winds.<ref>Ibid. pp. 46.</ref> Al-Baydawi (d. 1286), meanwhile, had a more plausible explanation. He argued Iblis, a jinni made out of fire, was carried off as a captive by the angels during one of the combats between jinn and angels that took place on Earth. Because Iblis was still a child, he grew up among angels. When God ordered the angels to bow before Adam, Iblis refused, and thus revealed his true jinni nature.<ref>Ibid.</ref>
+Sinai 2023 notes a potential reason for this repeated seemingly contradictory statement. In the Qur'an, nine out of eleven mentions of Iblīs occur in the context of the angels prostrating to Adam, with Iblīs refusing (Q 2:34, 7:11, 17:61, 18:50, 20:116, 15:30–31, 38:73–74), or in the immediate divine address to Iblīs (Q 15:32, 38:75). The other two occurrences (Q 26:95, 34:20) refer to Iblīs’s followers and those who follow Iblīs, respectively. He suggests a more satisfactory resolution to the issue is therefore the formula "fa-sajadū illā iblīsa" might have originated from pre-Qur’anic Arab traditions on this story, where the formula fa-sajadū illā iblīsa reached the Qur’anic milieu as a set phrase that had been coined in prior Arabophone narrative traditions. This idea is supported by similar pre-Qur’anic narrative phrases in the Qur'an, like God blowing His spirit into Adam or Mary (e.g. Q 15:29, 21:91).<ref>Sinai, Nicolai. Key Terms of the Qur'an: A Critical Dictionary (pp. 453-454 & 456). Princeton University Press.  </ref>
 ==Creation==
 ===Which was created first; the Heaven or Earth?===
@@ Line 663: / Line 711: @@
 {{Quote|{{Quran-range|23|112|114}}|[Allah] will say, "How long did you remain on earth in number of years?" They will say, "We remained a day or part of a day; ask those who enumerate." He will say, "You stayed not but a little - if only you had known.}}
+=== How many blowings of the trumpet on Qiyamah ===
+A single one.
+{{Quote|{{Quran|69|13-15}}|When the <b>Trumpet is blown with a single blast</b>
+and the earth and the mountains are lifted and levelled with a single levelling,
+then, on that day, will the Imminent [Hour] befall}}
+Two.
+{{Quote|{{Quran|79|6-9}}|<b>On the day when the first trump resoundeth.
+There will follow it the subsequent [one].</b>
+Hearts, that Day, will tremble,
+Their eyes humbled.}}
 ==Evil==
@@ Line 783: / Line 841: @@
 Yes
-{{Quote|{{Quran|29|13}}|They will bear their own burdens, and (other) burdens along with their own, and on the Day of Judgments they will be called to account for their falsehoods.}}
+{{Quote|{{Quran|29|13}}|They will bear their own burdens, and (other) burdens along with their own, and on the Day of Judgments they will be called to account for their falsehoods.}}Yes; this verse tells contemporary Jews that they will not get their wanted miracle from Muhammad because past Jews killed prophets that performed miracles.<ref>''[https://quranx.com/Tafsir/Jalal/3.183 Tafsir Al-Jalalayn on verse 3:183.]'' Al-Jalalayn / Al-Mahalli and as-Suyuti. Published 1505CE.</ref>
+{{Quote|{{Quran|3|183-184}}|Tell those who say, ‘Allah has pledged us not to believe in any apostle unless he brings us an offering consumed by fire,’ ‘Apostles before me certainly did bring you manifest signs and what you speak of. Then why did you kill them, if you are truthful?’ But if they deny you, [other] apostles have been denied before you, who came with manifest signs, holy writs, and an illuminating scripture.}}
 ===Who takes people's souls?===
@@ Line 986: / Line 1,045: @@
 {{Quote|{{Quran|9|29}}|
 Fight those who (do) not believe in Allah and not in the Day the Last, and not they make unlawful what Allah has made unlawful and His Messenger, and not they acknowledge (the) religion (of) the truth, from those who were given the Scripture, until they pay the jizyah willingly, while they (are) subdued.}}
+=== Are Jews God's chosen people? ===
+Yes - the idea of favouring one people over another for seemingly no apparent reason is strange and contradictory to begin with for a universal God. However this contradiction would have to be incorporated by a man claiming the former National Israelite God Yahweh (which initially had no relation to non-Israelites)<ref>This gradual change of an Israelite religion to a universal one is commonly accepted among historians, see: [https://www.britannica.com/topic/Yahweh Britannica Yahweh Entry] | Britannica
+To see an overview of the scholarly discussion of the history of Yahweh and the consensus, see e.g. Heath D. Dewrell's review of: ''Yahweh before Israel: Glimpses of History in a Divine Name''. By Daniel E. Fleming. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2020. Pp. xviii + 320 + 15 figures.
+https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/721377
+And Lewis, Theodore J., 'The Origin of Yahweh', ''[https://academic.oup.com/book/37440/chapter-abstract/331575152?redirectedFrom=fulltext The Origin and Character of God: Ancient Israelite Religion through the Lens of Divinity]'' (New York, 2020; online edn, Oxford Academic, 20 Aug. 2020), <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190072544.003.0006</nowiki>, accessed 14 June 2024.
+</ref> was universal, or at least related and relevant to the Arabs of his time.
+{{Quote|{{Quran|2|47}}|“O Children of Israel! Remember my favour which I bestowed upon you, and that I favoured you over all other peoples.”}}{{Quote|{{Quran|2|122}}|Children of Israel, remember My blessing wherewith I blessed you, and that I have preferred you above all beings;}}
+No, they are just like everyone else
+{{Quote|{{Quran|62|6}}|“Say: ‘Oh, you who are Jews! If you claim that you are favoured of Allah to the exclusion of mankind, then long for death, if you are truthful.”}}
 ==People of the Book==
@@ Line 1,074: / Line 1,146: @@
 Alif. Lam. Mim. }}
+== Quran Variants ==
+{{Main|Textual History of the Qur'an}}
+Among contradictions in narrative, meaning and instructions for the majority use Hafs Qur'an used today, we also find another type of Qur'anic contradiction; contradictions between different accepted versions of the Qur'an, furthering these issues. There are too many to list on this page, but some are discussed in the [[:en:Textual_History_of_the_Qur'an|main article]], with many more listed for those exploring further can be found on the [https://quranvariants.wordpress.com/ Quran Variants] website, for example '[https://quranvariants.wordpress.com/dialogue-quran-variants/ ''Dialogue variants in the canonical Qira’at readings of the Quran'']', '''[https://quranvariants.wordpress.com/superfluous-quran-variants/ Superfluous variants in the readings of the Quran]''<nowiki/>' and further resources listed [https://quranvariants.wordpress.com/resources/ here].
 ==Miscellaneous==
-===How long  does it take to wean?===
+===How long does it take to wean?===
 months (perhaps including 9 months pregnancy)
@@ Line 1,089: / Line 1,164: @@
 Gabriel Said Reynolds notes that the idea of two years of suckling comes from the Babylonian Talmud Ketubbot 60a.<ref>Gabriel Said Reynolds (2018) ''The Qurʾān and Bible: Text and Commentary'' p. 92</ref>
+===The moon was split===
+''Main article: [[Muhammads Miracles#Moon Splitting Miracle|Moon splitting miracle]]''
+The Qur'an (according to a common interpretation) and a hadith tradition claim that the moon was miraculously split into two pieces and then, presumably, put back together again.
+{{Quote|{{Quran-range|54|1|2}}|1. The hour drew nigh and the moon did rend asunder.
+. Yet if they see a sign they turn away, and they say 'A continuous sorcery!'}}
+Yet we are told Muhammad cannot produce a sign (in the form of a miracle), but only warn people with the message, in verses such as:
+{{Quote|{{Quran|13|7}}|The unbelievers say, "Why has God not sent him, (Muhammad), some miracles." (Muhammad), you are only a warner. For every nation there is a guide.}}
+{{Quote|{{Quran|6:109}}|They swear their strongest oaths by Allah, that if a (special) sign came to them, by it they would believe. Say: "Certainly (all) signs are in the power of Allah: but what will make you (Muslims) realise that (even) if (special) signs came, they will not believe."?}}
+{{Quote|{{Quran|11|12}}|Perhaps you, (Muhammad), may by chance leave (untold) a part of that which is revealed to you and feel grieved because they say, "Why has some treasure not been sent to him or an angel sent down with him?" Say, "I have come only to warn you." God is the Guardian of all things.}}{{Quote|{{Quran|10|20}}|They (unbelievers) say, “Why has his Lord not given him some miracles to (support his claim of being His Messenger)?” Say “(The knowledge) of the unseen certainly belongs to God. Wait and I too shall be waiting with you}}{{Quote|{{Quran|21|9}}|But they said, ‘[They are] muddled dreams!’ ‘Indeed, he has fabricated it!’ ‘Indeed, he is a poet!’ ‘Let him bring us a sign, like those sent to the former generations.’}}
 ===What are the shares in an inheritance?===