TRANSLATION:
"The problem is, as Dr Soroush said, it’s not the knowledge we acquire in youth that is carved in stone, but the beliefs we acquire during youth that become carved in stone. The belief we are taught since childhood where the child sees his mother and father kissing the Qur’an and put it on their forehead, saying this is from God, it is the speech of God. As he grows he hears this constant indoctrination. This indoctrination goes and mixes into his soul and spirit and body and so prevents any rational view of the Qur’an.
In these critical lectures we want to uncover the facts, so we can be on a clear evidence/reality of our religion. So we have to shine a light on our beliefs is this Qur’an - as they have indoctrinated us - the word of God? And is it really not possible for a human being to come with the like of it?
I’m going to read you some quotes from Nahj al-Balagha (by Imam Ali) and quotes from the Qur’an and you judge for yourselves. You are people with an average appreciation of eloquence. It will be clear that Nahj al-Balgha is either more eloquent than the Qur’an or at least on the same level. In which case, where is the Eloquent miraculousness? I insist that the scholars of Islam have made a huge error in the sense they say the miraculousness of the Qur’an is a miracle of literary eloquence and from there they assert it is the word of God.
We shall prove that this (Qur’an) is not a miracle of eloquence first of all and secondly it is not from God. It is simply - in the view of those who truly understand - an “existential inspiration” (وحي وجودي - imho he means a general type of inspiration that comes through the world/existence - وجود around us) that is not from Muhammad (although it was Muhammad who had to articulate this inspiration into his own words as Ahmad Qabbanji explains in several other places.) But that doesn’t mean it is a miracle of eloquence. Let us read some quotes from Nahj al-Balagha…"
(He goes on to compare a piece from Nahl al-Balagha with Sura AL-HUMAZA (104) Highlighting the beautiful meaning, choice of words and elegance of Nahj al-Balagha and the flaws and weaknesses in the above Sura. This needs to be listened to in Arabic to get the full impact of what he’s saying.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhqULeeupoU
Topic: Birmingham Quran Manuscript