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11 -- The Facts on Islam
SECTION III
The Bible of Islam: Is the Koran the Word of
God?
11. Does the Koran contain historical
errors and biblical distortions?
Muslims and Christians agree
that it is impossible for God to inspire error in His Word. But no one can deny
that the Koran contains a large number of errors. Dr. Robert Morey lists more
than 100 - for example, citing Ali's translation, the Koran teaches the Ark of
Noah came to rest on the top of Mt. Judi (Sura 11:44), not Mt. Ararat as the
Bible teaches; that Abraham's father was Azar (Sura 6:74), not Terah as the
Bible teaches; that he attempted to sacrifice Ishmael (Sura 37:100-112), not
Isaac as the Bible teaches; that Pharaoh's wife adopted Moses (Sura
28:8-9), not his daughter as the Bible teaches; that Noah's flood occurred in
Moses' day (Sura 7:36, cf. 7:59ff.); that Mary, the mother of Jesus, gave birth
to Jesus under a palm tree (Sura 19:22), not in a stable as the Bible teaches;
that Mary's father was named Imram (Sura 66:12), etc.
In the preface to his translation of the Koran, Rodwell notes
the presence of "contradictory and . . . inaccurate statements." For example,
Muhammad is nowhere found in the Bible, but the Koran claims that Muhammad
himself is "described in the Torah and the Gospel." The disciples of Christ were
obviously Christians, but the Koran teaches that the disciples of Christ were
Muslims. Six hundred years before Muhammad was born, Christ's disciples
allegedly claim, "We believe; and bear thou witness that we are Muslims."
The Koran also teaches that Abraham was not a Jew but a
Muslim. "No; Abraham in truth was not a Jew, neither a Christian; but he was a
Muslim . . . " But the Jews consider Abraham a Jew. The Christians consider
Abraham a Jew. Jesus Himself considered Abraham a Jew. All the world considers
Abraham a Jew - except the Koran.
There are also some rather unlikely events in the Koran. For
example, after Allah tempts the people to sin in judgment for their evil, "When
they had scornfully persisted in what they had been forbidden. We changed them
into detested apes." According to history, the army of the king of Ethiopia,
Abraham, halted its attack on Mecca due to a smallpox outbreak. But Sura 105
teaches he was defeated by birds that dropped stones of baked clay on the
soldiers.
Finally, the Koran has many biblical distortions. Almost
every biblical episode discussed in the Koran has additional and/or contrary
information supplied: "The names and events of Old Testament books and prophets
are very definitely copied in the Quran. However, often the stories in the Quran
are garbled and confused." For example, in Sura 2:56, 57, 61 the Jews returned
to Egypt after the Exodus which, biblically and historically, was never
the case. In Sura 3:41 it is stated that Zechariah would be speechless for
three days. Biblically, it was until John's birth - nine months
(Luke 1:18-20). In Sura 12:11-20 the Koranic story of Joseph is markedly
different from the biblical story of Genesis 37; the accounts are so contrary as
to demand one be in error. In Sura 2:241 Muhammad confuses the persons of Saul
and Gideon. There are also variations in Sura 12:21-32, 36-55 when compared with
Genesis 37-45.
Whether it is the descriptions of the creation of man, the
Fall, Moses and the burning bush, Noah and the ark, Joseph going into Egypt, or
the lives of Zechariah, John the Baptist, Mary and Jesus, or other biblical
characters, the Koran often contradicts biblical teachings.
Yet the Koran also explicitly claims to "confirm the Book of
Moses and the Gospel." So if the Bible is historically accurate, then it is the
Koran that must be in error.
John Ankerberg & John Weldon
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