Assalamu alaikum Peace be with you. We’re back for another episode of Islamic focus when I think will be very interesting. Today we are continuing with our 13th program in our series dealing with the sources of Islam. And we’ll be discussing or continuing our discussion which we began last week of the possibility of the prior existence of the Quran. Prior to its revelation to Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. I’m your host, Tom Rashid. And I have joining me on the program as usual. Dr. Medina, we have St. Mary’s University, Jamal assalamu Aleikum, Ronnie,
I have a very quickly summarize and highlight the main points that we touched on when we began this discussion last week. Sure, but before I do that brother kind of mimic a suggestion to the viewers that this program may require some notetaking for those who wish to examine the evidence presented. And since there are lots of evidence, then you probably wouldn’t be enough time to go in each one of them in greater detail. So may I suggest for those who wish to explore and investigate for themselves, just to get a pen and paper ready just to take note of the surah or chapter number and passage or verse, so that they could check it at a later time. But what we tried to present
basically last time,
is that there seemed to be a clear evidence that the entire Quran pre existed prior to its piecemeal revelation to covet Mohammed peace be upon him. And he said that that pre existence could not be except really in the knowledge of God.
To give some background to this, you indicated that the Quran was not all revealed, but once it was revealed a piece means over a period of two to three years.
And then we said that this period can be divided also into two major
sub periods,
about half and half, almost 13 years and 10 years. The first period is known as the meccan period that is prior to the integration of Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina. The other 10 years approximately, are the is the period in Medina after the prophets migrated to Medina. So there’s the Quran and Allah denies Quran, a portion of the Quran
and then it was indicated also that while the Quran both Mexican and midnight Quran is divided into 114 Sutras, quote unquote chapter Matsuura exhibit one,
not every surah was revealed, and completed before moving to the second Surah. It’s another feature in the Quran, that sometimes a few verses would deviate from this surah. And it’s incomplete. A few verses of passages will be from bats, whereas you could have several incompletes whereas it in one point of time, or the others, and then later on, of course, when the revelation was completed, every survey was completed. The third observation is that the orders in which the sutras are put in the Quran, are different from the chronological revelation of each portion of those sewers.
But what we find to be even more amazing
is that while the Quran was revealed in this unique way,
and without any particular chronology the way it appears today in the Quran, after the revelation is completed in 23 years, if you look at any particular surah, one of the 114 regardless of where it was revealed, how long how many years even took to be revealed, like certain Bukhara mentioned took nine years to be real. Regardless of the events that it came to comment on, there is a perfect fit, both in terms of dying or the stage of disorder, as well as the continuity of the meaning.
And that would be simply incredible and impossible for any human authorship to do.
Because even if a person can pre plan all of that, how could anyone pre plan it
The events that are going to take place in the future over a period of 23 years, and also have something to comment and directs on this particular events. So that when everything is finished, it fits perfectly unless the designer is guided
by the five examples that we explored last week, some of our viewers may be curious to know whether or not these
were specifically selected or if they’re unique or or if the same thing holds for other sources or chapters in the Quran as well. Okay, perhaps to explain that. Maybe I just backtrack for a minute to what you mentioned in the previous program about the methodology that we try to use in this kind of research. Yes. First of all, I give recognition and acknowledgement to stimulating my thinking in this particular area, I should say, from the introduction by Abdulkadir data in the book by asuci genetic Institute about the reason for the orders of the Quran, but he gave only a few examples, and I started on my own. And what I did actually was to go through the entire Quran from beginning to
end. Now, as mentioned before, the Quran is composed of 114 sutras. Now, not all of these sutras are necessarily one that includes a combination of necky and madonie. Revelation, I counted as many as 41, which has elements from both Mexican and midnight period, which obviously shows quite a bit of time lag between one portion and the other.
And I should also for
intellectual honesty, said clearly again, but as far as the definition or designation of Sutras, has been mainly revealed, basically, in Mecca or Medina, I had to depend on the very common very one accepted version of the version or let’s say print
of the Quran, which was done in Egypt under the supervision of another the famous Al Azhar University, yes. in which there is some designation on the basis of available information as to which of these sutras were revealed in Medina, which were revealed in Makkah. And authorities in the Quranic studies indicate that there are 20 sorters, which seem to be generally accepted as midianite, Sora, COVID, and Medina. And there are another 82 sources, which are generally agreed to the revelation in Mecca. But to be honest, also there are another 20 sutras where there is some difference of opinion on clarity as to whether it was revealed in the neck concrete, or meta
nightbreed. But interesting enough, I went through all of this one. And I found that none of these 12 actually includes combination of Mexican and magnetic levitation. So it does not affect the conclusions that we are coming up with. Of course, there are also some authorities who would
disagree with some versus some but not all, whether it was revealed in Mecca or Medina. There are also all kinds of differences of opinion, but but the more general, and widely accepted opinion is the one that I based on my research on, that is the designation of the surah, where it was revealed, as well as the designation of certain portions in that surah as being revealed in a different place.
Whether it’s Mecca,
or Medina.
And to get the content in to answer your question with this background. No, this will not specially selected examples, the one that we talked about last time, because the research covered own 41 sources in the Quran, which has this combination.
And these are not the only ones that just apply to the rest of the Quran. And they did examine carefully each variation. But I think the the topic is exciting, interesting enough that it merits some further examination. Could you give us some additional examples from the other versions that we haven’t touched on, which will illustrate the point we’ve been discussing? Okay, well, let me just give a couple of examples to start with. In surah nine in the Quran,
we find that it is designated as a denied surah living in Medina, with one exception, that is the last two passages, passages number 128 and 129. In order to show the continuity of the meeting, regardless of the time lag, as if it will just repeat the same time. Let me give you the background that summarize the context before these different verses were revealed.
versus before 128 simply talks about the reaction of the unbelievers, when a new suitor or new revelation came to Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, that they look at each other and Christ in to persist and stubbornness and reject his message.
Now, that’s the meta knife, but the part that is different or revealed in Mecca, it says there has come on to a profit from amongst yourselves, who is very careful and worried about you perishing because of this, that is because of this stubbornness. And then he is, again, try to protect you or provide guide you onto the truth. And then it continues if they turn away, or Mohammed say suffice for me is Allah in Arabic says the caja commercial, metaphysical. You notice here again, that the context is continuing without interruption as if they just leave it at the same time, it talks about their stubbornness. And then it says that this profit is very sad, very disappointed by your
stubbornness. And then again, if you continue to persist in the error, suffice Allah for him.
Again, nobody can feel that there’s indifference in and revelation resolved, that shows again, the pre design
and sort of 47. Again, this is a sutra received in Medina, mainly, except not just a few verses event, one in the middle. Imagine, verse 13, out of so many verses that just University in the middle of the surah, is different and was revealed in Makkah, no,
or actually in the way between Mecca and Medina when the Prophet was migrating after persecution. So that’s a different place of revelation altogether in different time frame. Now, if you go back to the context, before that different verse number 13, was revealed. You find that it talks about the unbelievers and how they eat and enjoy themselves as animals do, and that the fire would be their destiny. So it talks about the resistance, their stubbornness, their rejection of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him and their persecution of him. And now comes fairstein, Justin limited. And it says how many a village which was even stronger than that village of township that drove you away, or
Muhammad that will destroy them in the test? And they could not find any support? You notice the continuity of the meeting? There is absolutely no, you know, gap or no editing needed, it flows very nicely, as it reveals all at the same time, even though there’s a big gap in between timelines.
Well, you gave examples of the source or chapters revealed mainly in Medina, with a few passages that have been revealed in Mecca. Does the reverse situation hold true as well? Yes, the reverse also applies as well, because, as indicated earlier, the number of students revealed in Medina is relatively smaller, in that only about 20 out of 114. In fact, in my count, I found that there are only six sutras that were revealed in Medina, which has parts in the middle, or at the end reveal in Makkah, that is prior even to migration. But the great majority, actually of the other verses, that is all but it’s actually like 35 of the sort of what sources which were mainly in Mexican period,
that is in the earlier period, with only some parts in the middle that was revealed later on imagenet. And that’s even more surprising. Because, you know, you’re not just talking about some kind of completion or continuity in a sense of chronology. But you’re talking about sutras where the first part of the surah, and the last part of the surah
were revealed, for example, in Makkah in the earlier period, with some gaps left, and then later on after years, in Medina, in the Medina experience, another verse, a few verses, most of them, you find, like two or three passages were revealed. And then when you take it and put it back in that gap that was left deliberately deliberately for Genesis, but the meaning is continuous, which is amazing, like beginning and end, not just the continuity, beginning and end is in Mecca. And Medina is only something that sits right in the middle as if that place was specifically reserved for that passage or few passages of the Quran.
Now,
I hope you don’t mind it, but I have a big list here. I don’t know how much you can cover that and it’s impossible to go through all you know 35 whereas I just start with some of them. What I tried to do is to mention the surah number for those who wish to take notes to mention whether the surah is not permitted.
All of them actually, I don’t have to mention that all of them are in Makkah. So that is taken for granted. And then I mentioned the number of passages which are different, that is reviewed in a different place in a different time. That’s Medina. And then I try again to save time, instead of reciting the whole passage, this idea to the audience to discover by themselves. But let’s just summarize the context, before that different passage or passages emerge, that don’t that were revealed in Medina in a different place. And then talk about the context also after that, just to see whether the thing that came in the middle really makes any sense if it squeezed or if it
perfectly fits in the flow of meaning before and after, starting with surah number 10.
Now we find that passage number 40, is different.
If we look at the passage before 40, you find that it speaks about the unbelievers rejecting the Quran, denying the Quran and its authority and that it’s come, it came from, from Allah.
Now, the passage that’s different, that was evident Medina in a different place. It says, among them, there are some who believe in it, that is in the Quran, and some who don’t believe in it.
The one that after that, it talks about it being rejects you own 100, that is in this claim of Revelation, say, unto me is my deeds unto you is your deeds.
In other words,
the context of all three together really speaks about the Quran, rejection by the unbelievers, but some of them believe in it. But if they continue to disbelieve, say, suffice for you, is your suffice. Mine is my deeds. In other words, the flow of meaning does not seem to indicate the thought that the one in the method was revealed, maybe years later, in a different place altogether.
Now, take another example from Surah 11.
Again, Lucky surah. You notice, for example, in Surah, in the censura, in passage number 114. Again, that’s not necessarily beginning or end it just somewhere towards the end, but not exactly the last.
The context before 114, it speaks about invitation or instruction to Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him to be upright, as Allah ordained him, and also those who repented with him, and that they should not be inclined towards those who are oppressors.
Okay, now comes the different passage, continuing to address the Prophet it says, and establish the prayers, regular prayers at the beginning and end of the day. And remember Allah,
the context after it says, and be patient and persevere because Allah, Allah loves those who are patient. You’ll notice here to see observations of interest. One, that in all three passages, including the one that came in the middle in a different place in time, on address Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him and give him an instruction being applied, establish prayer, persevere, that’s one second observation is the perfect flow of meaning.
Because it talks about repentance talks about establishing prayers and patients, so these plastic fittings in terms of the flow of the meaning itself.
The third observation is that that passage that came in the middle about establishing prayers at night,
can actually as a result of a question that was put the Prophet Muhammad that makes it even more incredible, as merited in both Bukhari and Muslim. And then came to Prophet Muhammad and he said, I committed this error and so on, what should I do? So this verse was revealed, that is established
prayers, and, you know, they are nice and so on, which could be an evidence to the profit and address to the person also. So here, you get the different event altogether, in a different time in different place, but when you put the three together, there is perfect fit and flow of the meeting. Take for example, the surah number 15.
And that’s quite interesting also, the context before the different verse, which is 87 It speaks about the punishment of destiny of those who reject profits, and then address this prophet Muhammad, saying, forget them. So the evidence is to the Prophet. Then comes passage 87 which was dividend Medina, different one. It says we have given you all Muhammad, the Quran, which refers to the given using
term methane, which refers to the Koran, or part of the Quran. The context of the passage after that, it says, Don’t you aspire to what we have given some of them that is don’t aspire to some of the material things that we embezzled some, because after all, you have the Khurana. That’s what it means. Again, notice here, in all three passages, the evidence is given to the Prophet, Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.
In the different passages speaks about the blessing of the Quran in the following one, it indicates that that person is better than any other blessing that anyone has got a particular meaning as in as if, again, the three were revealed, at the same time, same, same place.
Another interesting passage in the Quran is 17. This is number 17. And here we find not only just one passage in the middle, that is different, and the whole sort of, but you find three or four different places in the middle. In other words, if you divided let’s say, in five, six portions, and maybe question one was a portion two, in Medina, portion, three in Mecca, portion four in arena. In other words, there’s a hole interspersed, something that would maximize the possibility of lack of consistency. However, if you look at it carefully, you’ll notice that in passage 26, which is different, if you look at the passage before it immediately, it speaks about kindness to parents,
and speaks about a person being repentant. So one aspect of moral teaching.
And then comes 26, which is different, and revealed in a different place. It says and give the relatives the right, that is kindness and charity, and also the orphan and do not be wasteful. And that ncf
the continuation, which was revealed a long time before in Makkah, it says, Those who are wasteful are the companions of the difference. This is most fascinating. In other words, the verse after 26, which is different, seem to be a perfect continuation of the same theme. Because one of them says, Don’t be Western. The other one says that those who are wasteful are the companions of the devil.
And they will not even at the same time.
Actually, the later one was revealed earlier than the first one, how it came together to fit in that perfect setting.
The second example in the same sort of, you keep moving to verse, or passage
32 through 33. These two passages, this again, are not revealed the neck as the whole, sir, are the major parts of the surah they revealed the Medina.
Again, looking at the context before them, it speaks about prohibition, of killing children, small that is female, male, male or female infanticide, that some urges to do because of a fear of poverty. And it says that Allah provides for all of you shouldn’t do that. That’s one moral teaching pertaining to preservation of life.
Then comes the two passages 30 233 revealed later in Medina, it seems to be continuing the same subject because it says, Do not approach adultery or fornication, do not kill the soul that Allah has made sanctified.
Again, one of the major 10 commandments, if you will, as most people would identify them. All right, the one after that speaks about respecting the rights of the orphans and not devouring the rights.
You put all three together, and there’s a perfect set a number of moral teachings in terms of the style.
You notice that it starts in Arabic, Wallah. What don’t you do? And don’t you do this, which seems again to be a perfect flow, without any editing just as it is fitting like a glove in the hand like they say.
Take another example from
Surah 19. One as Mary or Marian that’s Mary, the mother of Prophet Jesus, peace be upon him. That sutra was revealed, mainly in Makkah, with the exception of two passages. One is message number 57. The context before it as usual, okay. It speaks about several prophets in history and praise them and the characters. It talks about prophets, Abraham, Jesus, Moses, Ishmael, Idris and so on. And after it finishes that comes the different passage number 57. It says such or such perfect or Such are the ones that Allah has bestowed is
blessing upon among the Prophets, and the close, holy, pious people and so on. The one after that it says, but after them, ie, after those prophets, those who followed them, neglected their prayers and followed their own passions.
Can you see it? In other words, it just almost like a description, you’re talking about the profits. And then the different versions of it later, in Medina,
is commenting that these profits are among those whom Allah blessed, as if again, revealed at the same time, which was not
another example of the central the passage number 71. And that’s also equally amusing.
Because it speaks about the punishment and the Hellfire of those who reject the truth.
And it ends actually with the description of the punishment in the fire.
And then comes passage 71 revealed in a different place in Medina, different time.
And it adds, and when, and none of you that is not humans, except that you will pass over that his will pass over the Hellfire and the Day of Judgment, that’s called a syrup or the narrow pass. And then the one after that, it says, But Allah will save those who are pious and righteous and let the wrongdoers and oppressors take their punishment, against perfect law of meaning. And they are coming right in the middle. Fittingly, as if there is a particular niche is specifically designed for it, will it
take, for example, the insert of 30, I’m just trying to, you know, be brief, because there are so many of them, I have tables of each one of them that we hope that sometimes you can put together in sort of 30, for example.
You notice that passage number 17 is revealed in a different place, even in Medina.
And then the one after it, let’s say 18 and on were revealed before that. And however, you find that the orders in which it appears in the Quran is the reverse order of the chronology, but the meaning is perfect 10s of 50 because 17, which is a different one, the good the Medina, it says Glory be to Allah. And when you when the evening comes, and when you wake up in the morning, the following month that was revealed before that, it says unto Allah, our thanks and grace, and heavens on earth in the late afternoon, and when the day begins to decline. So both are speaking about remembrance of Allah, glorifying him at different times of the day, again, with the big gap and difference in reverse
order,
in terms of the time of Revelation, that you can hardly see anything weather who just and continues with the same consistently, in sort of 36.
For example,
this is again, an makansutra. However, passage 45 was revealed later in Medina, in the middle of the,
the context before it speaks about how Allah created for humans, the the ships to sail on, and that
he that he could drown them, if you will. And then comes the different verse, it says, when it is taught to them, that you should be careful that is you should heed and so on. And then the next one says, Whatever verses or science come to them from Allah, they turn away from, again, a perfect continuation of the meaning. And Surah 39, again, jumping over some in 39.
That’s an amazing one too, because it speaks about repentance to Allah, the immediate passages before the different ones. The different ones here, actually are the verses 52 to 55. This ones were revealed in Medina, unlike the rest of this world, and it speaks about a lot providing for all humans. And for those who commit evil or error, that the door is open for repentance. And it says that you should really follow the best revelation that has come to you from a lot before all of a sudden, you face your penalty, and you don’t feel it. So it talks about penalty either in the day of judgment or at the time of death that you should repent before it’s too late.
The ones that will read before that. In my case, it says such time when people are a sword would say I wish
that I could have done something better.
The context of talking about independence when it’s too late and that you will remember that time and regret you
did not repent
early enough. You could, like I said, go on and on. And this is only a sort of
few examples up to the sooner that you covered 39. And I have a few more if there’s time Next time, you can just get a few examples. Perhaps we can come back to this week. We’ll have to leave for today because we don’t have any more time left. But it’s very excellent, interesting research done in this very area that’s not commented on very much. But I want to thank you for being our guests and invite you back next. We continue with this discussion. From Aleikum peace beyond view
