By Dr. Nabil A Haroon
Source : Qu’ran, The Miracle of Islam
2/3 The Impossibility that the Prophet (SAWS) has been taught the Qur’an by a human teacher
Suppose Muhammad (SAWS) has learnt the Qur’an from a human teacher; to which of the human circles would that teacher have possibly belonged?
- Could it be the pagans or the illiterate? The answer is ” No,” because ignornce can never be a source of science.
- Could it be from among the scholars of the people of the Scripture? The answer is contingent upon the presence, at that time, of someone qualified enough to furnish Muhammad(SAWS) with the knowledge that is necessary for him and for writing the Qur’an. How could have that been, when the Qur’an itself has been the refuter of what they distorted and the discloser of what they concealed of the Scripture?
Allah (SWT) said what can be translated as,
“O population of the Book, why do you argue about Ibrahîm? And in no way were the Tawrah (The Book revealed to Mûsa “Moses”) and the Injil (The Book revealed to Isa “Jesus”) sent down except even after him. Do you not then consider?” (TMQ, 3:65).
“Or (even) do you say that Ibrahîm, and Ismacîl and Ishaq and Yaaqûb and the Grandsons (i.e. Tribes) were Judaic or Nasara (i.e. Christian)?” Say, “Do you know best or Allah?” And who is more unjust than he who has kept back in his presence a testimony from Allah? And in no way is Allah ever heedless of whatever you do.” (TMQ, 2: 140).
“All food was rightly lawful to the Seeds (Or: Sons) of Israel) except what prohibited for himself even before the Tawrah (The Book revealed to Mûsa: Moses) was being sent down. Say, “So come up with Tawrah, then recite it, in case you are sincere.”” (TMQ, 3:93).
“Surely the first Home laid down for mankind was indeed at Bakkah, (Another name of Makkah) a blessed (place) and a guidance to the worlds.” (TMQ, 3:96).
“Indeed Allah has already heard the saying of the ones who said, “Surely Allah is poor and we are rich.” We will write down what they have said, and their killing of the Prophesiers (i.e., the prophets) untruthfully, (i.e. without right) and We will say, “Taste the torment of the burning.””(TMQ, 3:181).
“And the Jews have said, “The Hand of Allah is shackled.” Shackled are their hands, and they are cursed for what they have said. No indeed (but) both His Hands are out spread, He expends how He decides. And indeed what has been sent down to you from your Lord will definitely increase many of them in all-in ordinance and disbelief; and We have cast among them enmity and abhorrence till the Day of the Resurrection. Whenever they kindle fire for war, Allah will extinguish it. And they endeavor (diligently) in the earth doing corruption; and Allah does not like the corruptors.” (TMQ, 5: 64).
“And the Jews have said, “cUzayr (i.e. Ezra) is the son of Allah. “And the Nasara (i.e. the Christians) have said, Al-Masîh (The Messiah) is the son of Allah.” That is their saying with their mouths, conforming with the saying of the disbelievers earlier. Allah fights them! However are they diverged (into) falsehood?” (TMQ, 9:30).
“And the Jews and Nasara (The Christians) have said, “We are the sons of Allah and His beloved ones.” Say, “Why then does He torment you for your guilty deeds?” No indeed, you are mortals, (Human beings) (like) all the (beings) He has created; He forgives whomever He decides, and He torments whomever He decides. And to Allah belongs the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them, and to Him is the Destiny.” (TMQ, 5: 18).
“Indeed they have already disbelieved, the ones who have said, “Surely Allah, He is the Masîh son of Maryam.” (The Missiah) And the Masîh said, “O Seeds(Or: Sons) of Israel, worship Allah, my Lord, and your Lord; surely whoever associates with Allah (anything), Allah has already prohibited him (entrance to) the Garden, and his abode will be the Fire; and in no way will the unjust have any vindicators.” Indeed they have already disbelieved, the ones who have said, “Surely Allah is the third of three.” And in no way is there any god except One God. And in case they do not refrain from what they say, indeed there will definitely touch the ones of them that have disbelieved a painful torment.” (TMQ, 5: 72-73).
“Say, “O population of the Book, (Or: Family of the Book, i.e., the Jews and Christians) come to a level word between us and you, that we worship none except Allah, and that we do not associate anything with Him, and that some of us do not take to themselves others (Literally: some “others”) as lords, apart from Allah.” So, in case they turn away, then say, “Bear witness that we are Muslims.” (Literally: we have surrendered “to Allah”).” (TMQ, 3:64).
“And as soon as the son of Maryam (levity (Son of Mary, ) is struck as a similitude, only then have your people clamored aloud thereat. And they have said, “Are our gods more charitable, or rather he? In no way have they struck (the similitude) to you except in dispute; no indeed, (but) they are a people, (who are) constant adversaries.” (TMQ, 43: 57-58).
“So, for their breaking of their compact, and their disbelieving in the signs of Allah, and their killing of the Prophesiers (i.e. prophets) untruthfully and their saying, “Our hearts are encased.” No indeed, (but) Allah has stamped upon them for their disbelief; so they do not believe except a few. And for their disbelief and their speaking against Maryam (Mary) a tremendous all-malicious (calumny). And for their saying, “Surely we killed the Masih, Isa son of Maryam, (The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary) the Messenger of Allah.” And in no way did they kill him, and in no way did they crucify him, but a resemblance of him was presented to them (i.e. the matter was made obscure for them through mutual resemblance). And surely the ones who differed about him are indeed in doubt about him. (Or: it, “that”) In no way do they have any knowledge about him except the close following of surmise, and in no way did they kill him of a certainty. No indeed, Allah raised him up to Him; and Allah has been Ever-Mighty, Ever-Wise. And decidedly there is not one of the population of the Book (Or: Family of the Book, i.e., the Jews and Christians) but will indeed definitely believe in him before his death, and on the Day of the Resurrection he will be a witness against them. So, for the injustice (on the part) of (the ones) who have Judaized, We have prohibited them good things that were lawful to them, and for their barring from the way of Allah many (people), and for their taking riba, (Usury and other types of unlawful) and they were already forbidden it, and eating (up) the riches of mankind untruthfully; (Literally: with untruth) and We have readied for the disbelievers among them a painful torment.” (TMQ, 4: 155-161).
After all that has been mentioned in the Qur’an about the people of the Scripture, could it be imagined that there could be teachers from among them to teach the Prophet (SAWS) the sciences of the Qur’an which he holds? As a matter of fact, the reverse is true: The Prophet (SAWS) – supported by the revelation – was the teacher who used to set right their falsehoods and criticize their mal-status.
Let another question be posed: Was the knowledge of the scholars at that time granted to its seekers; open to its requesters? Or were they keen on that knowledge more than on their lives, withholding it even from their own children; out of being zealous to retain their leadership, or out of coveting prophethood up to which they were looking at that era? Read the translation of the meaning of these supremely evident ayahs:
“So woe to (the ones) who write the Book with their hands; thereafter they say, ‘This is from (the Providence of) Allah’, that they may trade it for a little price. So, woe to them for what their hands have written, and woe to them for what they have earned.” [TMQ, 2:79].
“And surely (there is) indeed a group of them who twist their tongues with the Book that you may reckon it a (part) of the Book, and in no way is it a (part) of the Book, And they say, “It is from the Providence of Allah, ” and in no way is it from the Providence of Allah; and they say lies against Allah, and they know (that).” [TMQ, 3:78].
“And in no way have they estimated Allah His true estimate as they said, “In no way has Allah sent down anything on any mortal.” Say, “Who sent down the Book that Mûsa (Moses) came with (as) a light and a guidance to mankind? You make it into papers, displaying them, and concealing much; and you were taught what you did not know yourselves, nor your fathers.” Say, “ Allah.” Thereafter leave them out, playing in their wading (i.e., plunge in vain discourse).” [TMQ, 6:91].
“All food was rightly lawful to the Seeds (Or: Sons) of Israel) except what prohibited for himself even before the Tawrah (The Book revealed to Mûsa: Moses) was being sent down. Say, “So come up with Tawrah, then recite it, in case you are sincere.” [TMQ, 3:93].
“O population of the Book, (Or: Family of the Book, i.e., the Jews and Christians) why do you confound the Truth with the untruth and keep back the Truth, and you know (that)?” [TMQ, 3:71].
“O you Population of the Book, (Or: Family of the Book, i.e., the Jews and Christians) our Messenger has already come up to you; he makes evident to you many things you have been concealing of the Book, and he is clement about many things. A light has already come up to you from Allah, and an evident Book.” [TMQ, 5:15].
- Whoever claims that the Prophet(SAWS) had a human teacher, should specify: What was his name? Who saw him and heard him? What did he hear from him? When and where was all that?
But, who had been that man by whom Muhammad( SAWS) was said to be taught the inimitable Arabic Qur’an, the book that disclosed and rectified the distortions of the people of the Scripture and the aberrance of the polytheists; the book that came with fields of knowledge, in addition to concepts antedating the knowledge of all humans by centuries? That man was a non-Arab (Roman) blacksmith in Makkah:
“And indeed We already know that they say, “Surely only a mortal is teaching him.” The tongue (i.e., the language) of him about whom they blaspheme is foreign, and this is an evident Arabic tongue.” [TMQ, 16: 103].
Verily! Whoever becomes unable to stand within the narrow circle of seriousness feels free at only the wide space of foolishness. In other words, whoever contends these fake allegations is deficient in logic thinking.