Re: Discussion about "My Ordeal with the Qur'an"
Reply #789 - June 14, 2010, 08:42 PM
Chapter 4 - The Miraculous Nature of the Qurʾān (cont...)
Part 4 - Where is the Eloquence of the Qurʾān? (cont...)
The first thing that strikes one in the Qur'an is it's disjointed nature. Yet this disjointedness is not felt by the believer, firstly because of his long familiarity with the text and secondly because his faith is a protective armour, shielding him from paying attention to the flaws this text contains. As for the non-Muslim, and especially if he is an Orientalist studying the Qur'an for the first time, he will be stunned when he sees this strange cocktail in a single chapter - in fact, in a single page - of the word of the Lord of the Worlds. He may have been taken aback by many things, but not a cocktail like the Qur'an.
1. Continuity is rare in the Qur'an. In fact it is non-existent apart from Sura Yusuf and some of the short stories, then it reverts to it's original style of interruption and disjunction. Even Sura Yusuf which contains one hundred and eleven verses, has the last nine verses disjointed from those before it, not to mention that these nine verses between them are a strange cocktail with no connection between the elements that they are made of. However the waffling exegetes had no problem in uniting this untidy hem into one piece and creating all kinds of links and ties between its elements. And no wonder! For each one of them - like Allah - is 'able to do all things'! That is when they turn their attention to any disjointedness or disarray in the Qur'an - or at least - when they admit to it!!
2. Look at these jumping verses and show me what links them together? (NB: Verses 70 to 88 of Sura al-Isra')
Indeed we have honoured the children of Adam. We carry them on the land and the sea, and have made provision of good things for them, and have greatly preferred them above many of those whom we created
On the day when We will call every people with their Imam; then whoever is given his book in his right hand, these shall read their book; and they shall not be wronged in the least
Whoever is blind here will be blind in the Hereafter, and most astray from the Path.
And they indeed strove hard to beguile you (NB: Singular, i.e. addressing Muhammad) away from that which We have revealed to you, that you should invent other than it against Us; and then would they have taken you as a friend.
And if We had not made you firm you might almost have inclined to them a little.
In that case We would certainly have made you to taste double (punishment) in this life and double (punishment) after death, then you would not have found any helper against Us.
And surely they purposed to unsettle you from the land that they might expel you from it, and in that case they will not tarry behind you but a little.
(Such was Our) way in the case of those whom We sent before you, you will find no change in Our ways.
Establish regular prayers, at the sun's decline till the darkness of the night, and the morning recitation; surely the morning recitation is witnessed.
And some part of the night awake for it, an extra one for you, maybe your Lord will raise you to a praised position
And say: My Lord! make me to enter a goodly entering, and cause me to go forth a goodly going forth, and grant me from Thy Presence an authority to aid (me).
And say: Truth has come and Falsehood has vanished; surely falsehood is ever bound to perish
And We reveal of the Qur'an that which is a healing and a mercy for believers though it increase the evil-doers in nothing but ruin.
And when We bestow Our favours on man he turns away and behaves proudly, and when evil afflicts him, he is despairing
Everyone acts according to his own disposition, but your Lord best knows who is best guided in the path
They ask you concerning the soul, say: The soul is one of the commands of my Lord, and you are not given anything of knowledge but a little.
And if We wanted, We could certainly take away that which We have revealed to you, then you would not find anyone to to plead your case against Us.
Except for Mercy from your Lord: Indeed his bounty is to you great.
Say: If men and jinn should combine together to bring the like of this Quran, they could not bring the like of it, though some of them were aiders of others.
(17:70-88)
Indeed the whole of Sura al-Isra' is like this. Jumps that the Qur'an makes from one place to another, without traversing the wide roads or intersections between them or covering the vast spaces that lead to them. Does this have the slightest connection with eloquence, oh princes of eloquence? Answer me, oh champions of twisting, turning and apologetics? I cannot see in all that other than an insult to the mind and lulling it into unhealthy consequences and a terrible end! (ref to Qur'an). What is the difference between you and the journalists of the third world that sell themselves to the ruler and promote his decree in every place without conscience or integrity?
Topic: Discussion about "My Ordeal with the Qur'an"