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Word Count Miracles in the Qur'an: Difference between revisions
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Modern Islamic apologists and [[Dawah|du'aah]] often seek to bolster the claim that the Qur'an is a divine book by reference to "[[Islam and Miracles|miracles]]" in the [[Qur'an]]. Recently, a novel strategy in this regard is to claim that the number of times certain words show up in the book constitute a "miracle." In point of fact though, there are exactly 0 word count miracles in the Qur'an. This is the conclusion not only of the critics of Islam, but also of many Islamic scholars. Islamic du'aah use various questionable counting methods to arrive at seemingly interesting number. In order to do this, though, multiple different counting methods are used, and this method if applied to any long text could reasonably be expected to result in similarly interesting numbers. It is probable - neither improbable nor miraculous. Some du'aah also rely on deceptive methods such as using translations to make the word count claims look better. Of all of the claims that are made in this regard, probably the most valid claim in this regard is that the Qur'an mentions "angel" (+ the plural "angels") and "shaytan" (+the plural "shaytans") both 88 times. Meanwhile, probably the most amazing claim of the word "day" appearing 365 days is false. It is based on arbitrary exclusions and uses the solar, Gregorian calendar, while the 12 months miracle claim uses a verse that defines the Islamic year as based on the lunar calendar, which lasts 354 days. But even this word count "miracle" is inconsistent with regards to its counting method, for it counts plural and singular forms together and includes words with prefixes and suffixes. The way this is marketed is also deceptive, with apologists/du'aah (in the description of the word count) trying to make it seem that only the singular (or only the plural) forms were counted,<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3QHYELlo1s "This book uses the word "angels" 88 times, ملائكاة ."ملائكاة (mala'ika) is the plural form. </ref> when in fact both are counted together. These word count "miracle" claims rather exemplify the struggles of apologists for Islam in the modern world; the Qur'an in Islamic Sunni theology holds a lofty position, being co-existant with [[Allah]] from the beginning of time, and its production through the lips of Muhammad, the illiterate prophet, is held as the greatest miracle of Muhammad and the proof of his prophethood. Despite this, read in translation and without the benefit of growing up for years hearing the Qur'an sung and recited at the most somber and important occasions, the book itself fails to make a great impression on the non-Muslim reader, or even the Muslim unfamiliar with the tradition; the poetry of the verses is nigh impossible to translate into another language, the book itself makes frequent references to stories which were forgotten by the Islamic tradition itself, frequently switches person in narration, makes references to events which are not explained, and generally lacks the properties of theme and consistency that most readers expect. These word count "miracles" can thus be seen as an embarrassed attempt by the Muslim du'aah community to bolster the traditional claims of their religion in the face of a modern world which relentlessly evaluates and criticizes its claim, criticisms which Islam was traditionally shielded from in its own lands, but which are increasingly finding their way into even the most devout communities of the Muslim world. | |||
Modern Islamic apologists and [[Dawah|du'aah]] often seek to bolster the claim that the Qur'an is a divine book by reference to "[[Islam and Miracles|miracles]]" in the [[Qur'an]]. Recently, a novel strategy in this regard is to claim that the number of times certain words show up in the book constitute a "miracle." In point of fact though, there are exactly 0 word count miracles in the Qur'an. This is the conclusion not only of the critics of Islam, but also of many Islamic scholars. Islamic du' | |||
==Apologetic Claim== | ==Apologetic Claim== | ||
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The word yawm (day) is mentioned 365 times in the Qur’aan, the number of days in a year. In order to prove this '''he counted the words “al-yawm” and “yawman” but he ignored words such as “yawmukum” (your day) and “yawmuhum” (their day) and yawma’idhin (on that day), because if he had done that, he would have got a different number'''. The same applies to the word al-isti’aadhah which refers to seeking refuge from the shaytaan. He says that it is repeated 11 times, but he includes in that the words “a’oodhu” (I seek refuge) and “fasta’idh” (seek refuge) but not “ ‘udhtu” (I sought refuge) or “ya’oodhoona” (they seek refuge) or “u’eedhuha” (I seek refuge for her) or “ma’aadh Allaah” (Allaah forbid).}} | The word yawm (day) is mentioned 365 times in the Qur’aan, the number of days in a year. In order to prove this '''he counted the words “al-yawm” and “yawman” but he ignored words such as “yawmukum” (your day) and “yawmuhum” (their day) and yawma’idhin (on that day), because if he had done that, he would have got a different number'''. The same applies to the word al-isti’aadhah which refers to seeking refuge from the shaytaan. He says that it is repeated 11 times, but he includes in that the words “a’oodhu” (I seek refuge) and “fasta’idh” (seek refuge) but not “ ‘udhtu” (I sought refuge) or “ya’oodhoona” (they seek refuge) or “u’eedhuha” (I seek refuge for her) or “ma’aadh Allaah” (Allaah forbid).}} | ||
=== Classical scholars view === | ===Classical scholars view=== | ||
* Ibn Hajar cited that Ibn Abbas (the cousin of Muhammad) warned against seeking the divination through the numerical numbers of the letters, because this is equal in the deed to the witchcraft.<ref>{{external link| url = https://archive.org/details/PerfectGuideToTheSciencesOfTheQuranByImamAlSuyuti/page/n235/mode/2up| title= Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti - Perfect Guide to the Sciences of the Quran - Translated by Muneer Fareed, page 236 (chapter "l-Muhtam and 'l-Mutashabih", page 32)| publisher = | author = Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti | date = | archiveurl = | deadurl = no}} - page sourced from archive.org</ref> | *Ibn Hajar cited that Ibn Abbas (the cousin of Muhammad) warned against seeking the divination through the numerical numbers of the letters, because this is equal in the deed to the witchcraft.<ref>{{external link| url = https://archive.org/details/PerfectGuideToTheSciencesOfTheQuranByImamAlSuyuti/page/n235/mode/2up| title= Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti - Perfect Guide to the Sciences of the Quran - Translated by Muneer Fareed, page 236 (chapter "l-Muhtam and 'l-Mutashabih", page 32)| publisher = | author = Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti | date = | archiveurl = | deadurl = no}} - page sourced from archive.org</ref> | ||
==See Also== | ==See Also== | ||