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230428P - HISTORICITY OF QUR'ANIC EVENTS FROM AN ISLAMIC EPISTEMOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

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Presented at a round table meeting of Scandinavian and Albanian Researchers in Islamic Studies, Durres Albania 29-30 April 2023 by Dr Omar Hasan Kasule MB ChB (MUK), MPH (Harvard), DrPH (Harvard) epidemiologist and bioethicist. Chairman of Human Ethics and Research Ethics Committees at King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz University Hospital Princess Nourah University.


THE MAIN ISSUE: SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE (مصادر المعرفة)

  • Islam accepts 2 types of knowledge: rational knowledge (‘ilm ‘aqli) and revealed knowledge (‘ilm naqli). Events told in the Qur’an are believed to be historical based on revelation alone. The emphasis is more on the moral lessons derived and not the historical details of persons, places, and time.
  • The modern secular outlook accepts only one source of knowledge: only rational knowledge (‘ilm aqli) with material evidence (oral, written, archeological etc) that can be proved. Historians consider accounts with no proof as ‘legends’ and not ‘historiography’.
  • Historicity studies the relation of the Bible to history based on historical evidence. There are diverse opinions among scholars some doubting that the events occurred in the way described. Some look at the personalities in these stories as ‘legendary’, ‘mythical’ or to have never existed.

QURANIC IS NOT LEGENDS (اساطير)
  • The Quran in many verses as we shall see below took pains to distinguish its message as true revelation from false legends that were very current at the time of revelation.
  • The non-believers and rejectionists claimed Qur’an was legends from the ancients: Qalam: 15[1], Furqan: 5[2], Naml: 68[3], An’am: 25[4], Ahqaf: 17[5], Nahl: 24[6], Muminuun: 83[7], Mutafifun: 13[8], Anfal: 31[9].

QURAN FOCUSES ON THE MORAL AND NOT THE PERSON-SPACE-TIME ASPECTS OF TRUE HISTORICAL EVENTS
  • Quranic verses are about revelation and not historiography. They focus on the moral message and are short on historical details of true events.
  • Ancient scholars had to resort to biblical stories calledاسرائيليات  for historical details.
  • اسرائيليات are quoted from the gospels and the torat and are three types; those known to be true, those known to be false, and those whose truth cannot be established. Some are pure fabrications.
  • The field of tafsir was very confused until it was cleared of سرائيليات  ا

STORIES OF PROPHETS (قصص الانبياء)
  • The stories of the prophets and messengers mentioned in the Qur’an deal with the moral dimensions and not person-space-time dimensions.
  • The distinguishing characteristic of Prophetic stories is conveying moral teachings and not historical information. This can be seen on analysis of the stories of Adam and Hawa, Nuh, Ibrahim, Ishaq, Yaqub, Yusuf, Musa, and Isa.
  • Surat Yusuf tells the most coherent and continuous story but it is focused on the low morals of the siblings of Yusuf, the Egyptian society and the high moral standing of Yusuf. The details were necessary because the events involved psychological and emotional dimensions.

THE PEOPLE OF THE CAVE (اهل الكهف) Kahf: 22[10]
  • The Quran discouraged arguments about the number of the people of the cave because it was not important what mattered was the moral lessons behind.
  • The moral lesson was rejection evil and self-isolation of a righteous minority from an immoral society.

THE STORY OF DHU AL QARNAIN  (ذو القرنين) Kahf: 83-100[11]
  • The name of Dhul al Qarnain was not mentioned. The places are also not specified.
  • The moral was that Dhu al Qarnain used his great strength and talents to build a barrier to protect weak and threatened people.

THE STORY OF THE RIGHTEOUS MAN(الرجل الصالح)  Kahf: 60-82[12]
  • The story of the righteous man with Musa. The moral was that Allah gives some people knowledge and insights that he does not give to others.
  • The name of the righteous man was not mentioned.
  • The place was mentioned as only the ‘meeting of two seas’. Speculations have varied from the meeting of the Blue Nile and White Nile at Khartoum to the meeting of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.

AUTHENTICITY OF THE QURAN: Textual integrity
  • The Quran was written down immediately after revelation by specialized scribes and was memorized by many companions.
  • Thousands even millions memorized the Qur’an by heart down the centuries making its distortion impossible.
  • No significant variants in the Quran text affecting meaning have been described showing one common origin free of distortions.
  • The Quran is internally consistent with no residual unexplained apparent differences.

AUTHENTICITY OF THE QURAN: Intellectual integrity
  • Opposing views were given space in the Quran. Statements of the most extreme opponents were reported and responded to intellectually.
  • The Quran reported in direct speech Firaun’s claim to be the highest god. Nazi’aat:17-26[13].
  • The Quran reported accusations against the Prophet that he was a mad poet (شاعر مجنون)[14]

AUTHENTICITY OF THE QURAN: Integrity of the messenger
  • The Prophet was truthful; he recited verses that condemned him.
  • The story of the blind man: The Prophet recited and exposed the Quranic condemnation of his frowning at an unreasonable blind man. The Prophet had given all the time and attention needed and then moved on to talk to others. The blind man then interrupted the Prophet in a rude manner. Abasa: 1-10[15].
  • Ransom for prisoners of Badr: The Prophet recited and exposed verses of the Quran condemning him and the believers for entertaining taking ransom to free prisoners of war at the battle of Badr. Anfal 67-69.[16]

AUTHENTICITY OF THE QURAN: Scientific validation
  • The body of Ramses: The Quran told us that the body of Firaun (Ramses II) was saved and was thrown out of the water as a sign to his people. Yunus: 92. Studies of the mummy of Ramses II by Maurice Bucaille support the Quranic account that the body of Ramses II did not perish in the water[17].
  • Scientific facts: The text of the Quran does not contradict obvious scientific facts as studies of the scientific miracles of the Quran have shown[18].
  • Belief in the whole book after proof of parts of it because it is an integrated text.


NOTES:

[1]  اذا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ آيَاتُنَا قَالَ أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ. القلم ١٥

 [2] وَقَالُوا أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ اكْتَتَبَهَا فَهِيَ تُمْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلًا. الفرقان ٥

 [3] لقَدْ وُعِدْنَا هَٰذَا نَحْنُ وَآبَاؤُنَا مِن قَبْلُ إِنْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ. النمل ٦٨

 [4] وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَسْتَمِعُ إِلَيْكَ ۖ وَجَعَلْنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ أَكِنَّةً أَن يَفْقَهُوهُ وَفِي آذَانِهِمْ وَقْرًا ۚ وَإِن يَرَوْا كُلَّ آيَةٍ لَّا يُؤْمِنُوا بِهَا ۚ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا جَاءُوكَ يُجَادِلُونَكَ يَقُولُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِنْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ. الانعام ٢٥

 [5] وَالَّذِي قَالَ لِوَالِدَيْهِ أُفٍّ لَّكُمَا أَتَعِدَانِنِي أَنْ أُخْرَجَ وَقَدْ خَلَتِ الْقُرُونُ مِن قَبْلِي وَهُمَا يَسْتَغِيثَانِ اللَّهَ وَيْلَكَ آمِنْ إِنَّ وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقٌّ فَيَقُولُ مَا هَٰذَا إِلَّا أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِين. الاحقاف ١٧

 [6] وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُم مَّاذَا أَنزَلَ رَبُّكُمْ ۙ قَالُوا أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ. النحل ٢٤

 [7] لقَدْ وُعِدْنَا نَحْنُ وَآبَاؤُنَا هَٰذَا مِن قَبْلُ إِنْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ. المؤمنون ٨٣

 [8] اذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ آيَاتُنَا قَالَ أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ. المطففون ١٣

 [9] اذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُنَا قَالُوا قَدْ سَمِعْنَا لَوْ نَشَاءُ لَقُلْنَا مِثْلَ هَٰذَا ۙ إِنْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ. الانفال ٣١

 [10] سَيَقُولُونَ ثَلَاثَةٌ رَّابِعُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ خَمْسَةٌ سَادِسُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ رَجْمًا بِالْغَيْبِ ۖ وَيَقُولُونَ سَبْعَةٌ وَثَامِنُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ ۚ قُل رَّبِّي أَعْلَمُ بِعِدَّتِهِم مَّا يَعْلَمُهُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ ۗ فَلَا تُمَارِ فِيهِمْ إِلَّا مِرَاءً ظَاهِرًا وَلَا تَسْتَفْتِ فِيهِم مِّنْهُمْ أَحَدًا .سورة الكهف ٢٢

 [11]وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنْ ذِي الْقَرْنَيْنِ قُلْ سَأَتْلُو عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْهُ ذِكْرًا (83) إِنَّا مَكَّنَّا لَهُ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَآتَيْنَاهُ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ سَبَبًا (84) فَأَتْبَعَ سَبَبًا (85) حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَ مَغْرِبَ الشَّمْسِ وَجَدَهَا تَغْرُبُ فِي عَيْنٍ حَمِئَةٍ وَوَجَدَ عِنْدَهَا قَوْمًا قُلْنَا يَا ذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ إِمَّا أَنْ تُعَذِّبَ وَإِمَّا أَنْ تَتَّخِذَ فِيهِمْ حُسْنًا (86) قَالَ أَمَّا مَنْ ظَلَمَ فَسَوْفَ نُعَذِّبُهُ ثُمَّ يُرَدُّ إِلَى رَبِّهِ فَيُعَذِّبُهُ عَذَابًا نُكْرًا (87) وَأَمَّا مَنْ آمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَلَهُ جَزَاءً الْحُسْنَى وَسَنَقُولُ لَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِنَا يُسْرًا (88) ثُمَّ أَتْبَعَ سَبَبًا (89) حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَ مَطْلِعَ الشَّمْسِ وَجَدَهَا تَطْلُعُ عَلَى قَوْمٍ لَمْ نَجْعَلْ لَهُمْ مِنْ دُونِهَا سِتْرًا (90) كَذَلِكَ وَقَدْ أَحَطْنَا بِمَا لَدَيْهِ خُبْرًا (91) ثُمَّ أَتْبَعَ سَبَبًا (92) حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَ بَيْنَ السَّدَّيْنِ وَجَدَ مِنْ دُونِهِمَا قَوْمًا لَا يَكَادُونَ يَفْقَهُونَ قَوْلًا (93) قَالُوا يَا ذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ إِنَّ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ مُفْسِدُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَهَلْ نَجْعَلُ لَكَ خَرْجًا عَلَى أَنْ تَجْعَلَ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُمْ سَدًّا (94) قَالَ مَا مَكَّنِّي فِيهِ رَبِّي خَيْرٌ فَأَعِينُونِي بِقُوَّةٍ أَجْعَلْ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ رَدْمًا (95) آتُونِي زُبَرَ الْحَدِيدِ حَتَّى إِذَا سَاوَى بَيْنَ الصَّدَفَيْنِ قَالَ انْفُخُوا حَتَّى إِذَا جَعَلَهُ نَارًا قَالَ آتُونِي أُفْرِغْ عَلَيْهِ قِطْرًا (96) فَمَا اسْطَاعُوا أَنْ يَظْهَرُوهُ وَمَا اسْتَطَاعُوا لَهُ نَقْبًا (97) قَالَ هَذَا رَحْمَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّي فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ رَبِّي جَعَلَهُ دَكَّاءَ وَكَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّي حَقًّا (98) وَتَرَكْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَمُوجُ فِي بَعْضٍ وَنُفِخَ فِي الصُّورِ فَجَمَعْنَاهُمْ جَمْعًا (99) وَعَرَضْنَا جَهَنَّمَ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَرْضًا 

 [12]وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَى لِفَتَاهُ لَا أَبْرَحُ حَتَّى أَبْلُغَ مَجْمَعَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ أَوْ أَمْضِيَ حُقُباً{60} فَلَمَّا بَلَغَا مَجْمَعَ بَيْنِهِمَا نَسِيَا حُوتَهُمَا فَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ فِي الْبَحْرِ سَرَباً{61} فَلَمَّا جَاوَزَا قَالَ لِفَتَاهُ آتِنَا غَدَاءنَا لَقَدْ لَقِينَا مِن سَفَرِنَا هَذَا نَصَباً{62} قَالَ أَرَأَيْتَ إِذْ أَوَيْنَا إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ فَإِنِّي نَسِيتُ الْحُوتَ وَمَا أَنسَانِيهُ إِلَّا الشَّيْطَانُ أَنْ أَذْكُرَهُ وَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ فِي الْبَحْرِ عَجَباً{63} قَالَ ذَلِكَ مَا كُنَّا نَبْغِ فَارْتَدَّا عَلَى آثَارِهِمَا قَصَصاً{64} فَوَجَدَا عَبْداً مِّنْ عِبَادِنَا آتَيْنَاهُ رَحْمَةً مِنْ عِندِنَا وَعَلَّمْنَاهُ مِن لَّدُنَّا عِلْماً{65} قَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى هَلْ أَتَّبِعُكَ عَلَى أَن تُعَلِّمَنِ مِمَّا عُلِّمْتَ رُشْداً{66} قَالَ إِنَّكَ لَن تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْراً{67} وَكَيْفَ تَصْبِرُ عَلَى مَا لَمْ تُحِطْ بِهِ خُبْراً{68} قَالَ سَتَجِدُنِي إِن شَاء اللَّهُ صَابِراً وَلَا أَعْصِي لَكَ أَمْراً{69} قَالَ فَإِنِ اتَّبَعْتَنِي فَلَا تَسْأَلْنِي عَن شَيْءٍ حَتَّى أُحْدِثَ لَكَ مِنْهُ ذِكْراً{70} فَانطَلَقَا حَتَّى إِذَا رَكِبَا فِي السَّفِينَةِ خَرَقَهَا قَالَ أَخَرَقْتَهَا لِتُغْرِقَ أَهْلَهَا لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئاً إِمْراً{71} قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ إِنَّكَ لَن تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْراً{72} قَالَ لَا تُؤَاخِذْنِي بِمَا نَسِيتُ وَلَا تُرْهِقْنِي مِنْ أَمْرِي عُسْراً{73} فَانطَلَقَا حَتَّى إِذَا لَقِيَا غُلَاماً فَقَتَلَهُ قَالَ أَقَتَلْتَ نَفْساً زَكِيَّةً بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ لَّقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئاً نُّكْراً{74} قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكَ إِنَّكَ لَن تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِي صَبْراً{75} قَالَ إِن سَأَلْتُكَ عَن شَيْءٍ بَعْدَهَا فَلَا تُصَاحِبْنِي قَدْ بَلَغْتَ مِن لَّدُنِّي عُذْراً{76} فَانطَلَقَا حَتَّى إِذَا أَتَيَا أَهْلَ قَرْيَةٍ اسْتَطْعَمَا أَهْلَهَا فَأَبَوْا أَن يُضَيِّفُوهُمَا فَوَجَدَا فِيهَا جِدَاراً يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَنقَضَّ فَأَقَامَهُ قَالَ لَوْ شِئْتَ لَاتَّخَذْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَجْراً{77} قَالَ هَذَا فِرَاقُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنِكَ سَأُنَبِّئُكَ بِتَأْوِيلِ مَا لَمْ تَسْتَطِع عَّلَيْهِ صَبْراً{78} أَمَّا السَّفِينَةُ فَكَانَتْ لِمَسَاكِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ فِي الْبَحْرِ فَأَرَدتُّ أَنْ أَعِيبَهَا وَكَانَ وَرَاءهُم مَّلِكٌ يَأْخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ غَصْباً{79} وَأَمَّا الْغُلَامُ فَكَانَ أَبَوَاهُ مُؤْمِنَيْنِ فَخَشِينَا أَن يُرْهِقَهُمَا طُغْيَاناً وَكُفْراً{80} فَأَرَدْنَا أَن يُبْدِلَهُمَا رَبُّهُمَا خَيْراً مِّنْهُ زَكَاةً وَأَقْرَبَ رُحْماً{81} وَأَمَّا الْجِدَارُ فَكَانَ لِغُلَامَيْنِ يَتِيمَيْنِ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ وَكَانَ تَحْتَهُ كَنزٌ لَّهُمَا وَكَانَ أَبُوهُمَا صَالِحاً فَأَرَادَ رَبُّكَ أَنْ يَبْلُغَا أَشُدَّهُمَا وَيَسْتَخْرِجَا كَنزَهُمَا رَحْمَةً مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَمَا فَعَلْتُهُ عَنْ أَمْرِي ذَلِكَ تَأْوِيلُ مَا لَمْ تَسْطِع عَّلَيْهِ صَبْراً{82}

[13] ﴿ٱذۡهَبۡ إِلَىٰ فِرۡعَوۡنَ إِنَّهُۥ طَغَىٰ ۝١٧ فَقُلۡ هَل لَّكَ إِلَىٰۤ أَن تَزَكَّىٰ ۝١٨ وَأَهۡدِیَكَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ فَتَخۡشَىٰ ۝١٩ فَأَرَىٰهُ ٱلۡـَٔایَةَ ٱلۡكُبۡرَىٰ ۝٢٠ فَكَذَّبَ وَعَصَىٰ ۝٢١ ثُمَّ أَدۡبَرَ یَسۡعَىٰ ۝٢٢ فَحَشَرَ فَنَادَىٰ ۝٢٣ فَقَالَ أَنَا۠ رَبُّكُمُ ٱلۡأَعۡلَىٰ ۝٢٤ فَأَخَذَهُ ٱللَّهُ نَكَالَ ٱلۡـَٔاخِرَةِ وَٱلۡأُولَىٰۤ ۝٢٥ إِنَّ فِی ذَ ٰ⁠لِكَ لَعِبۡرَةࣰ لِّمَن یَخۡشَىٰۤ ۝٢٦﴾ [النازعات ١٧-٢٦]

[14] وَيَقُولُونَ أَئِنَّا لَتَارِكُوٓاْ ءَالِهَتِنَا لِشَاعِرٍۢ مَّجْنُونٍ. الصفات ٢٦

[15] عبَسَ وَتَوَلَّى (1) أَنْ جَاءَهُ الْأَعْمَى (2) وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّهُ يَزَّكَّى (3) أَوْ يَذَّكَّرُ فَتَنْفَعَهُ الذِّكْرَى (4) أَمَّا مَنِ اسْتَغْنَى (5) فَأَنْتَ لَهُ تَصَدَّى (6) وَمَا عَلَيْكَ أَلَّا يَزَّكَّى (7) وَأَمَّا مَنْ جَاءَكَ يَسْعَى (8) وَهُوَ يَخْشَى (9) فَأَنْتَ عَنْهُ تَلَهَّى (10

[16] مَا كَانَ لِنَبِىٍّ أَن يَكُونَ لَهُۥٓ أَسْرَىٰ حَتَّىٰ يُثْخِنَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ تُرِيدُونَ عَرَضَ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱللَّهُ يُرِيدُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌۭ ٦٧ لَّوْلَا كِتَـٰبٌۭ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ سَبَقَ لَمَسَّكُمْ فِيمَآ أَخَذْتُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌۭ ٦٨ فَكُلُوا۟ مِمَّا غَنِمْتُمْ حَلَـٰلًۭا طَيِّبًۭا ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ. الانفال ٦٧-٦٩

[17] For further reading see La Bible, le Coran et la Science: Les Écritures Saintes examinées à la lumière des connaissances modernes, Seghers 1976.

[18] Keith L. Moore and Abdul-Majeed A. Azzindani, The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology; With Islamic Additions: Correralation Studies With Qur’an and Hadith (3rd ed., Philadelphia, PA: W.B. Saunders Company, 1982; 3rd ed., Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: Dar Al-Qiblah for Islamic Literature, 1983) [ISBN: 0721664725].