Answering Islam

The Incompleteness and Incoherence of the Qur'an

In the Qur'an we find a number of criteria based upon which the Qur'an invites the unbelievers to evaluate its claim of divine origin. Consider, for example, the following statements:

And if you are in doubt as to which We have revealed to Our servant, then produce a sura like it, and call on your helper, besides Allah, if you are truthful. Surah 2:23

Do they not ponder on the Qur'an? Had it been from other than Allah, they would surely have found therein much discrepancy. Surah 4:82

These verses are claims about the Qur'an which are phrased in the form of a challenge to those who question the authenticity and authority of the book. The above claims are discussed in detail in the sections on the alleged Miraculous Eloquence of the Qur'an and the existence of Contradictions in the Qur'an.

However, the Qur'an makes many more claims about itself which are not put in the form of a direct challenge to those who are skeptical of Muhammad and his message. Still, every such claim in the Qur'an is subject to be investigated and evaluated whether or not it is true.

One such claim is that the Qur'an is supposedly complete and exhaustive about everything. This cannot possibly be true if taken literally. However, we will not hold it against the Qur'an that it does not give instructions on how to build cars or how to send people to the moon. The articles in this section will only look into religious issues and, restricting the discussion even more, only those issues that are actually mentioned in the Qur'an.

• Introduction — a discussion of the quranic references claiming completeness
• Specific cases of incompleteness and/or incoherence in the Qur'an
  • Allah, his messengers, and their language
  • What kind of book is the Injil?
  • Abraham's wife, Abu Lahab, and the body on Solomon's throne
  • Abraham, Mecca and the Qibla
  • The Statements On Wine
  • The Qur'an and Lesbianism
  • The Seven Which Are Often Repeated
  • The Journey By Night, Muhammad, Ahmad and Zaid
  • Was Muhammad the Last Messenger?
  • The Quran and the Unlettered Prophet: Jesus or Muhammad?
  • Muhammads Multiple Marriages
  • Mysterious places, persons and events ...
  • Is Gabriel Really An Angel?
  • Is Allah a Messenger? Or is Gabriel God?
  • What is the Day of Congregation?
  • Whom does he talk to? (The Affect Allah's Intercession has on Divine Unity)
  • Does Allah Act Alone Or Does He Have Partners That Assist Him?
  • Allah: An Exalted Woman? Examining the Issue of Allah's Veil
  • The Stray Say examines Sura 2:97
  • Revelation Given to the Tribes?
  • Was the Torah given for guiding the Egyptians?
  • How did John confirm Jesus?
• The Quran's many Gods and Lords
• The Quran on Jesus as the Preexistent Spirit of Allah
• As-Samad: The Quran's Teaching on Islamic Monotheism
• Does the Quran really enjoin fearing Allah alone?
• The Quran's Inconsistent Use of Filial Terms & Its Polemic Against the Son of God

Examining the Qur'an
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