The Qur'an and Its Study. Adnan Zarzour
was slow in coming. In some cases, the unbelievers found this material for criticism and alleged that ‘Muhammad’s Lord has forsaken him.’ Then God revealed to him: ‘By the bright morning hours, and the night when it grows still and dark, your Lord has neither forsaken you, nor does He hate you. Surely the life to come will be better for you than this present life’ (93: 1–4).
ii.Revelation often came to him when, by human standards, he was not ready for it. Some scholars make a classification of Qur’anic verses according to the state the Prophet (peace be upon him) was in when they were revealed to him, and under this classification we have what is urban, during travel, by day, by night, in summer, in winter, in bed, during sleep etc.
We wonder if ever a person who was ill, asleep, or returning from a battle in which he had suffered wounds, or who was exhausted after long travel could compose anything, or dictate it from memory. How could all that he dictated in all these conditions be of the same fine and inimitable style as we know all parts of the Qur’an to be? How could it be possible that all of it maintains the same superior standard of eloquence, and remain free from any trace of tiredness, illness, or variation in mood? Moreover, all these points apply in every case and every situation.
iii.Several times the Prophet (peace be upon him) received revelations that were at variance with what he himself wished. It might, for example, tell him at times that he had undertaken some action that was wrong, or it might remonstrate with him or even warn him. God says: ‘Prophet, why do you prohibit yourself something that God has made lawful to you in your desire to please your wives? God is much-forgiving, ever merciful’ (66: 1). ‘May God forgive you [Prophet]! Why did you grant them permission [to stay behind] before you had come to know who were speaking the truth and who were the liars’ (9: 43). ‘And thus you would hide in your heart that which God wanted to bring to light. You stood in awe of people, whereas it was God alone of whom you should have stood in awe’ (33: 37). ‘It does not behove a Prophet to have captives unless he has battled strenuously in the land. You may desire the fleeting gains of this world, but God desires for you the good of the life to come. God is Almighty, Wise. Had it not been for a decree from God that had already gone forth, you would have been severely punished for what you have taken’ (8: 67–68). ‘It has been revealed to you, and to those before you, that if you ever associate partners with God, all your works shall certainly come to nothing, and you shall certainly be among the lost’ (39: 65). ‘Had he attributed some fabrications to Us, We would indeed have seized him by the right hand and cut off his life-vein, and none of you could have saved him’ (69: 44–47).
Far be it from the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his honourable standing to fabricate something and attribute it to God. He never told a lie to anyone. These verses serve as absolute statements that he was receiving revelations from God.
iv.Moreover, the Qur’an speaks of Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a direct addressee, or in the third person, and it addresses him as the Prophet or as God’s Messenger. It also gives him orders that educate, guide or even support him. God says: ‘You enfolded one! Stand in prayer at night, all but a small part of it’ (73: 1–2). ‘When the hypocrites come to you, they say, “We bear witness that you are indeed God’s Messenger.” God knows that you are truly His Messenger and He bears witness that the hypocrites are indeed liars’ (63: 1). ‘God bestowed a favour on the believers when He sent them a Messenger from among themselves, to recite to them His revelations, and to purify them, and teach them the Book and wisdom, whereas before that they were surely in plain error’ (3: 164). ‘All praise is due to God Who has bestowed this Book from on High on His servant, and has ensured that it remains free of distortion’ (18: 1). ‘It is He Who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth so as to make it prevail over all religions. Sufficient is God as a witness. Muhammad is God’s Messenger; and those who are with him are firm and unyielding towards the unbelievers, full of mercy towards one another. You can see them bowing down, prostrating in prayer, seeking favour with God and His good pleasure. They bear on their faces the marks of their prostrations. This is how they are pictured in the Torah. And in the Gospels, they are like a seed that brings forth its shoot, strengthens it, grows thick and stands firm on its stem, delighting the sowers. Through them God will enrage the unbelievers. To those of them who believe and do righteous deeds God has promised forgiveness and a rich reward’ (48: 28–29).
It is well known that numerous Qur’anic verses speak in the same vein. Indeed, the essence of the Qur’anic text and its phraseology provides absolute and clear distinction between the status of the Godhead and the status of prophethood. It makes absolutely clear that all creation are God’s servants and submit to Him, even though Prophet Muhammad and all other prophets (peace be upon them all) remain in the lead as they are God’s chosen servants.56
The Qur’an as a whole makes it clear that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is in the position of recipient of whatever God bestows on him. God says to the Prophet: ‘Most certainly, you receive the Qur’an out of the grace of One who is Wise, All-Knowing’ (27: 6).
v.We do not need much reflection to realise that the Qur’an does not react to situations in the same way as prophets react, let alone other people. Moreover, nothing of the psychological moods that occur to prophets or other people affects God. For example, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was very sad and grieved because his people turned away from the guidance he presented to them and persisted in disbelieving in God’s Oneness. God said to him: ‘Do not waste yourself sorrowing for them’ (35: 8). ‘Would you, perhaps, torment yourself to death with grief over them if they will not believe in this message?’ (18: 6).
When we look at what the unbelievers say about God and their false claims that He had a son, how some of them worshipped idols, a calf, planets, the sun or the moon, and what they alleged about prophets and angels, and when we look at the Qur’anic refutation of all these claims ‘we do not fail to see... that these are the words of a power that it is too strong to be influenced’.57
To sum up, an analytical study of the subject matter of the Qur’an will show the truth of revelation in an irrefutable way. It proves that this eternal Book is bestowed from on High by the One Who is Wise, Worthy of Praise.
3.2 The Nature of Qur’anic Topics
Any comparison between the Qur’anic topics, their diversity, depth and transcendence of time and place with the type of life the Prophet (peace be upon him) led before prophethood and his knowledge shows that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was merely the means of transmitting knowledge that was absolutely beyond the scope of humans. The Qur’an refers to this diversity and comprehensiveness: ‘One day We will raise up within every nation a witness from among themselves to testify against them. And We will bring you, [Prophet] as a witness against these [i.e. your people]. We have bestowed from on High upon you the Book to make everything clear, and to provide guidance and grace, and to give good news to those who submit themselves to God’ (16: 89). Another verse addresses the Prophet (peace be upon him): ‘Never have you been able to read a book before this, nor have you ever been able to transcribe one with your right hand; or else those who cling to falsehood would have had cause to doubt’ (29: 48). Yet another verse gives him an order: ‘Say: Had God so willed, I would not have recited it to you, nor would He have brought it to your knowledge. I spent a whole lifetime among you before it [was revealed to me]. Will you not, then, use your reason?’ (10: 16).
The breadth of knowledge pertaining during the time the Qur’an was revealed, not merely the Prophet’s own knowledge or that of his own people, and indeed the knowledge of many subsequent generations represent very little in comparison to the depth and diversity of the knowledge the Qur’an displays. Indeed, the Qur’an corrects flaws in such knowledge and sets things right, including some aspects that were still to be acquired. If this is not Divine revelation, then what can it be?
Malek Bennabi said that human ingenuity necessarily reflects the nature of the earth, with everything being subject to the laws of time and place. The Qur’an, by contrast, always transcends this law to point out, through the breadth of its subject matter, to the fact that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was merely a means to transmit absolute knowledge.
We may add that the Qur’an has gone beyond this law in its discourse