Blasphemy Killings and their Islamic Roots

Anyone who listens to the world news attentively knows how uniquely intolerant Islamic world is on the topic of blasphemy or a perceived insult of Islam. The conviction that a person has committed blasphemy can turn a mob dedicated with all their anger and might towards publicly murdering a person. Let us take a moment to examine the straightforward connection between blasphemy killings and the Islamic doctrine and scripture.

The Quran contains a lot of hate speech and threat of violence against people who abuse the prophet or mock Islam. Let's take a look at a few of these verses:

Quran 33:57 to 33:61 - Indeed, those who abuse Allah and His Messenger - Allah has cursed them in this world and the Hereafter and prepared for them a humiliating punishment. And those who harm believing men and believing women for [something] other than what they have earned have certainly born upon themselves a slander and manifest sin. O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful. If the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is disease and those who spread rumors in al-Madinah do not cease, We will surely incite you against them; then they will not remain your neighbors therein except for a little. Accursed wherever they are found, [being] seized and massacred completely.

The Tafsirs show that the context applies to anyone who persistently mocks Allah and Muhammad.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (33:57-61) - (Verily, those who annoy Allah and His Messenger,) was revealed about those who slandered the Prophet over his marriage to Safiyyah bint Huyay bin Akhtab. The Ayah appears to be general in meaning and to apply to all those who annoy him in any way, because whoever annoys him annoys Allah, just as whoever obeys him obeys Allah. ... Then Allah issues a warning to the hypocrites, those who make an outward display of faith while concealing their disbelief.

Quran 9:61 to 9:66 - And among them are those who abuse the Prophet and say, "He is an ear." Say, "[It is] an ear of goodness for you that believes in Allah and believes the believers and [is] a mercy to those who believe among you." And those who abuse the Messenger of Allah - for them is a painful punishment. They swear by Allah to you [Muslims] to satisfy you. But Allah and His Messenger are more worthy for them to satisfy, if they should be believers. Do they not know that whoever opposes Allah and His Messenger - that for him is the fire of Hell, wherein he will abide eternally? That is the great disgrace. They hypocrites are apprehensive lest a surah be revealed about them, informing them of what is in their hearts. Say, "Mock [as you wish]; indeed, Allah will expose that which you fear." And if you ask them, they will surely say, "We were only conversing and playing." Say, "Is it Allah and His verses and His Messenger that you were mocking?" Make no excuse; you have disbelieved after your belief. If We pardon one faction of you - We will punish another faction because they were criminals.

From the Tafsirs it appears that the verses were revealed in context of punishing a man with stoning for mocking Islam.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (9:65) - `Abdullah bin `Umar said, "During the battle of Tabuk, a man was sitting in a gathering and said, `I have never seen like these reciters of ours! They have the hungriest stomachs, the most lying tongues and are the most cowardice in battle.' A man in the Masjid said, `You lie. You are a hypocrite, and I will surely inform the Messenger of Allah. ' This statement was conveyed to the Messenger of Allah and also a part of the Qur'an was revealed about it.''' `Abdullah bin `Umar said, "I have seen that man afterwards holding onto the shoulders of the Messenger's camel while stones were falling on him, declaring, `O Allah's Messenger! We were only engaged in idle talk and jesting,' while the Messenger of Allah was reciting,

Let us see this concept in action from the hadiths. In the below story, a blind man stabs his wife to death for repeatedly slandering Muhammad. When Muhammad heard the news he ordered the man to turn himself in. When he did, Muhammad let him away with no punishment.

Sunan an-Nasai 4070 - Ibn 'Abbas narrated that: There was a blind man during the time of the Messenger of Allah [SAW] who had an Umm Walad by whom he had two sons. She used to slander and defame the Messenger of Allah [SAW] a great deal, and he would rebuke her, but she would not pay heed, and he would forbid her to do that, but she ignored him. (The blind man said) One night I mentioned the Prophet [SAW], and she slandered him. I could not bear it so I went and got a dagger which I thrust into her stomach and leaned upon it, and killed her. In the morning she was found slain. Mention of that was made to the Prophet [SAW] and he gathered the people and said: "I adjure by Allah; a man over whom I have the right, that he should obey me, and he did what he did, to stand up." The blind man started to tremble and said: "O Messenger of Allah [SAW], I am the one who killed her. She was my Umm Walad and she was kind and gentle toward me, and I have two sons like pearls from her, but she used to slander and defame you a great deal. I forbade her, but she did not stop, and I rebuked her, but she did not pay heed. Finally, I mentioned your name and she slandered you, so I went and got a dagger which I thrust into her stomach, and leaned on it until I killed her. The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: "I bear witness that her blood is permissible."

While the above are more direct examples for blasphemy, there is a lot of hate speech in the Quran that is written against those who spread "corruption" in the land. If we examine within the Quran itself, we can see how easily it is possible to use the excuse of spreading corruption against blasphemers.

Quran 5:32 to 5:33 - Because of that, We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land – it is as if he had slain mankind entirely ... Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and strive upon earth [to cause] corruption is none but that they be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off from opposite sides or that they be exiled from the land. That is for them a disgrace in this world; and for them in the Hereafter is a great punishment.

Obviously Allah is invisible if he exists and Muhammad not alive today so any war that can be waged against Allah and his messenger today is a war of ideas. Besides, one big problem with this is that when the system itself is Islam, anything that challenges and tries to reform Islam can be classified as corruption. Quran in chapter 2 supports this notion.

Quran 2:8 to 2:12 - And of the people are some who say, "We believe in Allah and the Last Day," but they are not believers. They [think to] deceive Allah and those who believe, but they deceive not except themselves and perceive [it] not. In their hearts is disease, so Allah has increased their disease; and for them is a painful punishment because they [habitually] used to lie. And when it is said to them, "Do not cause corruption on the earth," they say, "We are but reformers." Unquestionably, it is they who are the corrupters, but they perceive [it] not.

Reforms and innovations are absolutely scorned upon in Islam. Before concluding, let's look at another hadith:

Sahih Muslim 1852 - It has been narrated on the authority of 'Arfaja who said: I have heard the Messenger of Allah say: Different evils will make their appearance in the near future. Anyone who tries to disrupt the affairs of this Umma while they are united you should strike him with the sword whoever he be.

CONCLUSION: Although what I did is a scriptural analysis on blasphemy within Islam, these don't present a complete picture of the existing problem. Lots and lots of Muslims who barely know the scripture in detail still support blasphemy punishments. Considering a medieval warlord as the perfect example for mankind by itself is extremely troublesome. When pointed out troublesome facts about Muhammad in the Islamic scripture, this can make people extremely defensive and angry as there is some truth in the accusations. Another part of the problem is in the belief that Quran is perfectly preserved, to the letter. This leads to people being extremely allergic to change and being intolerant of reform. The result of all this is that Islam creates a cult centred around the Quran as a book and Muhammad as a person, resisting even small amounts of criticism or reform, leading to an extreme intolerance to blasphemy.

Quran's Most Misquoted Verse 5:32

Quranic verses are often misquoted - purposefully or due to ignorance - to the easily fooled common man who doesn't know much about the actual scripture. Here are some quick facts about Quran's most misquoted verse - Verse 5:32 - which shows its dark side that doesn't get much public attention:

Misquoted verse: "Whoever kills an innocent human being, it is as if he has killed all mankind."

Actual verse: "Because of that, We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption done in the land it is as if he had killed all mankind."

(1) The common misquote of the verse leaves out two important things. First, that "corruption done in the land" could be used an excuse to kill a person. Now, from an Islamic point of view, what is the ultimate corruption that can be done in the land? Driving people away from or corrupting Islam. The following verse clearly shows that Muslims who claim to reform Islam are called out as corrupters.

Quran 2:8 to 2:12 - And of the people are some who say, "We believe in Allah and the Last Day," but they are not believers. They [think to] deceive Allah and those who believe, but they deceive not except themselves and perceive [it] not. In their hearts is disease, so Allah has increased their disease; and for them is a painful punishment because they [habitually] used to lie. And when it is said to them, "Do not cause corruption on the earth," they say, "We are but reformers." Unquestionably, it is they who are the corrupters, but they perceive [it] not.

Besides, Quran 4:48 and 4:116 makes it clear that "shirk", or associating partners with Allah is the ONLY unforgivable crime in the eyes of Allah. If anyone thinks that Christianity and Judaism are exempt from this, they should read 9:29 of the Quran which calls out Jews and Christians for shirk.

(2) The second important thing that is left out in the misquote has to do with what is conveniently omitted before the verse. "It was ordained to the children of Israel" - notice that the Quran is not making a new teaching here but referring to an old teaching that was already there - which as the Quran admits was given to the Jews (just like the Quran often refers to the Bible teachings throughout the book). Could it just be that this verse was found in another scripture?

Jewish Talmud, Mishnah Sanhedrin 37a - "For this reason was man created alone, to teach thee that whosoever destroys a single soul of israel, scripture imputes to him as though he had destroyed a complete world"

Notice how unlike the Quranic verse, the Talmud teaching doesn't give the dangerous exception for corruption done in the land as a green light to murder people.

(3) The last important point we need to know is the verse that comes immediately after the "peaceful" verse 5:32.

Quran 5:33 - "Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and strive upon earth [to cause] corruption is none but that they be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off from opposite sides or that they be exiled from the land."

Let's just think about this verse in today's context for a moment. Allah is invisible if he exists and Muhammad a long dead man. So how does someone wage a war against Allah and his messenger today and promote corruption in the land? By waging a war against Islam - the ideology. When the system itself is Islam, the ultimate corruption would be something that undermines the very system of Islam. With that in mind, the above verse can be very easily used against anyone who preaches against Islam or promotes any kind of deviation from the so-called "true" Islam (The Quran itself calls out people who deviate and try to reform Islam as corrupters). I'm pretty much waging a war against Allah and his messenger right now according to the Quran. I can be killed, crucified, mutilated or exiled depending on the level of criticism that I offer.

Quran's Failed Challenges and Appeal to Ignorance

The aim of this article is to expose some ridiculous claims and failed challenges made by the Quran, and its constant appeal to human ignorance of science and worldly facts.

(I) Quran's self defeating challenge to find contradictions in it:

4:82 - Then do they not reflect upon the Qur'an? If it had been from [any] other than Allah , they would have found within it much contradiction.

The most interesting thing about this challenge is that one only needs to go back four verses to see how it fails miserably. Here we have back to back verses contradicting each other:

4:78 - Wherever you may be, death will overtake you, even if you should be within towers of lofty construction. But if good comes to them, they say, "This is from Allah "; and if evil befalls them, they say, "This is from you." Say, "All [things] are from Allah." So what is [the matter] with those people that they can hardly understand any statement?

In the above verse, Allah criticizes people for accepting that good is from Allah while blaming others for evil. Allah affirms that all things (good and evil) are from himself. However in the very next verse Allah contradicts this, claiming that any evil that befalls a person is from the person himself.

4:79 - What comes to you of good is from Allah, but what comes to you of evil, [O man], is from yourself. And We have sent you, [O Muhammad], to the people as a messenger, and sufficient is Allah as Witness.

Now let's go to another clear contradiction - whether intercession (the act of a person requesting forgiveness for the sins of another person to save the latter from hell fire) will be acceptable on the day of judgement.

The following three verses clearly say NO to ANY sort of intercession being acceptable on the judgement day:

2:48 - And fear a Day when no soul will suffice for another soul at all, nor will intercession be accepted from it, nor will compensation be taken from it, nor will they be aided.

2:123 - And fear a Day when no soul will suffice for another soul at all, and no compensation will be accepted from it, nor will any intercession benefit it, nor will they be aided.

6:51 - And warn by the Qur'an those who fear that they will be gathered before their Lord - for them besides Him will be no protector and no intercessor - that they might become righteous.

The following three verses however say YES to the idea that intercession is acceptable - to those whom Allah permits:

20:109 - That Day, no intercession will benefit except [that of] one to whom the Most Merciful has given permission and has accepted his word.

34:23 - And intercession does not benefit with Him except for one whom He permits.

53:26 - And how many angels there are in the heavens whose intercession will not avail at all except [only] after Allah has permitted [it] to whom He wills and approves.

(II) The challenge to bring a Surah (chapter) like one in the Quran:

2:23 to 2:24 - And if you are in doubt about what We have sent down upon Our Servant [Muhammad], then produce a Surah the like thereof and call upon your witnesses other than Allah, if you should be truthful. But if you do not - and you will never be able to - then fear the Fire, whose fuel is men and stones, prepared for the disbelievers.

10:38 - Or do they say [about the Prophet], "He invented it?" Say, "Then bring forth a surah like it and call upon [for assistance] whomever you can besides Allah , if you should be truthful."

Notice that Allah challenges those who doubt the Quran to produce a chapter like one in the book, claiming that this challenge cannot be ever met. Let's put aside all the magnificent poetries, philosophical writings, and delightful novels and stories that people have produced over the ages from time immemorial. The sheer stupidity of this challenge can be shown by simply looking at certain chapters in the Quran. Let's take a look at one of them - chapter 111 of the Quran:

111:1 to 111:5 - May the hands of Abu Lahab be ruined, and ruined is he. His wealth will not avail him or that which he gained. He will [enter to] burn in a Fire of [blazing] flame. And his wife [as well] - the carrier of firewood. Around her neck is a rope of [twisted] fiber.

And that's it - the whole chapter. How beautiful! A whole chapter dedicated just to condemn some guy and his wife into hellfire and torture. Anyone can easily produce a much more valuable chapter than this. Nothing more needs to be added here.

(III) How the Quran tries to validate itself, appealing to human ignorance:

13:2 - It is Allah who erected the heavens without pillars that you [can] see; then He established Himself above the Throne and made subject the sun and the moon, each running [its course] for a specified term. He arranges [each] matter; He details the signs that you may, of the meeting with your Lord, be certain.

Implies that the "heavens" or objects that we can see in the atmosphere or beyond like planets or stars (depending on how people translate the word heavens) have invisible pillars supporting them from Earth. For those who argue that it implies no pillars at all, then the verse conveys that the atmosphere or celestial objects just being there is something miraculous. Either way this verse directly appeals to human ignorance of the basics of how gravity works.

16:15 - And He has cast into the earth firmly set mountains, lest it shift with you, and [made] rivers and roads, that you may be guided.

Mountains are in fact formed in the least stable parts of the Earth, and such regions are more prone to earthquakes or landslides. The claim of mountains holding the Earth firm is hence a laughable one. Also notice how Allah claims that rivers and roads were made so that humans would be guided. This is a strange enough claim with rivers, but I'll let you figure this out. Allah made paths or roads so that humans may be guided? Or... humans made paths or roads for their own guidance and travel.

16:79 - Do they not see the birds controlled in the atmosphere of the sky? None holds them up except Allah. Indeed in that are signs for a people who believe.

Back then, people really didn't know the basics of aerodynamics. Hence the idea that it is God who holds the birds up in the sky from falling down would seem credible and wonderful to those who hear it. This is projected as a sign for people to validate the Quran.

31:31 - Do you not see that ships sail through the sea by the favor of Allah that He may show you of His signs? Indeed in that are signs for everyone patient and grateful.

Again, claiming that ships sailing through the sea and not sinking is by the favor of Allah. We can see one of the repeated attempts at self-validation over here. Of course, the ignorance of basic hydrodynamics can make this feel wonderful.

(IV) Some dubious claims that any believer should think about:

15:26 - And We did certainly create man out of clay from an altered black mud.

Claims that humans were created from clay by shaping black mud.

16:8 - And [He created] the horses, mules and donkeys for you to ride and [as] adornment. 

Claims that horses, mules and donkeys were created by God for humans to ride and decoration or show.

CONCLUSION: I'm not stressing on proving any scientific or factual errors here, but rather the ridiculous nature of these claims made by the Quran. I invite anyone who believes in the divine nature of the Quran to ponder over these claims and the failed attempts at self-validation. It should be pretty clear to anyone who reads over this article with an unbiased mind that the Quran cannot possibly be from a divine being, if at all a divine being exists.

The Severe Hatred for Unbelievers

Islam inspires tremendous hatred towards unbelievers for Muslims who take its commands seriously. Let us have a look at the Quran and Sahih hadiths to see the extent of this hatred.

(I) Commands from the Quran:

48:29 - Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. And those with him are hard against the disbelievers and merciful among themselves.

60:4 - There has already been for you an excellent pattern in Abraham and those with him, when they said to their people, "Indeed, we are disassociated from you and from whatever you worship other than Allah. We have denied you, and there has appeared between us and you animosity and hatred forever until you believe in Allah alone"

5:51 - O ye who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians for friends. They are friends one to another. He among you who taketh them for friends is (one) of them. Lo! Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk.

9:23 - O ye who believe! Choose not your fathers nor your brethren for friends if they take pleasure in disbelief rather than faith. Whoso of you taketh them for friends, such are wrong-doers.

58:22 - Thou wilt not find folk who believe in Allah and the Last Day loving those who oppose Allah and His messenger, even though they be their fathers or their sons or their brethren or their clan.

8:55 - Indeed, the worst of living creatures in the sight of Allah are those who have disbelieved, and they will not [ever] believe

98:6 - Lo! those who disbelieve, among the People of the Scripture and the idolaters, will abide in fire of hell. They are the worst of created beings.

9:73 - O Prophet! Strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites! Be harsh with them. Their ultimate abode is hell, a hapless journey's end.

9:123 - O ye who believe! Fight those of the disbelievers who are near to you, and let them find harshness in you, and know that Allah is with those who keep their duty (unto Him).

3:151 - We shall cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve because they ascribe unto Allah partners, for which no warrant hath been revealed. Their habitation is the Fire, and hapless the abode of the wrong-doers.

22:19 to 22:22 - These are two adversaries who have disputed over their Lord. But those who disbelieved will have cut out for them garments of fire. Poured upon their heads will be scalding water. By which is melted that within their bellies and [their] skins. And for [striking] them are maces of iron. Every time they want to get out of Hellfire from anguish, they will be returned to it, and [it will be said], "Taste the punishment of the Burning Fire!"

4:56 - Indeed, those who disbelieve in Our verses - We will drive them into a Fire. Every time their skins are roasted through We will replace them with other skins so they may taste the punishment. Indeed, Allah is ever Exalted in Might and Wise.

33:64 to 33:66 - Indeed, Allah has cursed the disbelievers and prepared for them a Blaze. Abiding therein forever, they will not find a protector or a helper. The Day their faces will be turned about in the Fire, they will say, "How we wish we had obeyed Allah and obeyed the Messenger."

(II) Disbelief is a bigger crime than murdering an unbeliever:

For a Muslim, leaving Islam is considered a crime punishable with death. To add insult to injury, murdering a non-Muslim will not ever warrant a death penalty.

Sahih al-Bukhari 6922 - "Whoever changed his Islamic religion, then kill him."

Sunan ibn-Majah 2761 - “A Muslim should not be killed in retaliation for the murder of a disbeliever.”

(III) How Muhammad dealt with unbelievers:

Muhammad, the role model of mankind in Islam ordered the expulsion of every single non-Muslim from the Arabian peninsula.

Sahih Muslim 1767 - "I will expel the Jews and Christians from the Arabian Peninsula and will not leave any but Muslim."

Sunan Abu Dawud 3029 - “Expel the polytheists from Arabia, reward deputations as I did”.

Muwatta Imam Malik 1618 - "Two deens shall not co-exist in the Arabian Peninsula."

He pursued an all-out warfare to get rid of unbelievers from his territory if they refused to accept Islam.

9:5 - Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever ye find them, and take them (captive), and besiege them, and prepare for them each ambush. But if they repent and establish worship and pay the poor-due, then leave their way free. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

Sahih al-Bukhari 25: "I have been ordered (by Allah) to fight against the people until they testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is Allah's Messenger, and offer the prayers perfectly and give the obligatory charity."

CONCLUSION: The above is just a small (but significant) sample of the hateful commands and examples shown in Islam towards unbelievers. The Quran is littered with verses condemning unbelievers to tortures in hell and preaching hatred towards them. The authentic hadiths portray Muhammad as a bigoted warlord who was obsessed with spreading Islam by force.

Usage of Girls for Sex Slavery

The Quran makes it very clear it is permitted for men to have sex with "those whom your right hands possess" or in other words - women used as sex slaves, outside marriage. Slavery itself is unacceptable because slaves are obliged to obey their masters, being considered their "possessions". With this in mind, it is very clear that using slave women for sex effectively amounts to rape.

4:24 - Also (prohibited are) women already married, except those whom your right hands possess: Thus hath Allah ordained (Prohibitions) against you: Except for these, all others are lawful, provided ye seek (them in marriage) with gifts from your property,- desiring chastity, not lust, seeing that ye derive benefit from them, give them their dowers (at least) as prescribed; but if, after a dower is prescribed, agree Mutually (to vary it), there is no blame on you, and Allah is All-knowing, All-wise.

23:5-6 - Who abstain from sex, except with those joined to them in the marriage bond, or (the captives) whom their right hands possess,- for (in their case) they are free from blame.

70:27-30 - And those who are fearful of the punishment of their Lord, indeed, the punishment of their Lord is not that from which one is safe - And those who guard their private parts, Save with their wives and those whom their right hands possess, for thus they are not blameworthy.

The hadiths describe this clearly, referencing Muhammad's words:

1). Permission to use female captives for sex slavery, even if they are married:

Sunan Abu Dawud 11:2150 - Abu Said al-Khudri said: "The apostle of Allah sent a military expedition to Awtas on the occasion of the battle of Hunain. They met their enemy and fought with them. They defeated them and took them captives. Some of the Companions of the apostle of Allah were reluctant to have intercourse with the female captives in the presence of their husbands who were unbelievers. So Allah, the Exalted, sent down the Quranic verse, "And all married women (are forbidden) unto you save those (captives) whom your right hands possess". That is to say, they are lawful for them when they complete their waiting period." [The Quran verse is 4:24]

2). Muhammad advises men to stop withdrawing their penis during the sexual act (coitus interruptus) and instead complete the sexual act:

Sahih Bukhari 5:59:459 - Narrated Ibn Muhairiz: "I entered the mosque and saw Abu Khudri and sat beside him and asked him about coitus interruptus. Abu said, "We went out with Allah's messenger for the Ghazwa (attack upon) Banu Mustaliq and we received captives from among the Arab captives and we desired women and celibacy became hard on us and we loved to do coitus interruptus. So when we intended to do coitus interruptus we said "How can we do coitus interruptus without asking Allah's messenger while he is present among us?" We asked (him) about it and he said "It is better for you not to do so, for if any soul (till the Day of Resurrection) is predestined to exist, it will exist."

3). Muhammad supports Ali who obtained a slave girl from "khumus" or war-booty: 

Sahih Bukhari 5:59:637 - Narrated Buraida: The prophet sent Ali to Khalid to bring the Khumus ([one fifth] of the booty) and I hated Ali, and Ali had taken a bath (after a sexual act with a slave girl from the Khumus). I said to Khalid, "Don't you see this (i.e. Ali)?" When we reached the prophet I mentioned that to him. He said, "O Buraida! Do you hate Ali?" I said, "Yes" He said, "Do you hate him, for he deserves more than that from the Khumus."

CONCLUSION: Needless to say this is absolutely unacceptable. One might wonder why would a religion like Islam which normally strictly forbids sex outside marriage allows for this despicable practice. But when we look at things closely, sex in Islam follows a pattern:

1). Men are allowed to marry upto four wives while women are allowed only one husband.

2). Men who lead normal lives are restrained by the strict rules prohibiting sex outside marriage.

3). Men who take part in battles can obtain any number female captives who can be used for sex.

4). Men who are martyred in battles are promised paradise and extreme sexual pleasure in afterlife.

What do we see here? Islam was a religion made for men which entices men to take part in battles and get martyred to get the ultimate sexual pleasures on earth and paradise. If we cannot see through this, can we see through anything? It is good that Muslims don't mostly follow all of this today, but that doesn't change the fact that when the Islamic fundamentalist groups do it, their actions are well-justified scripturally.

The Flat Earth Theory

The Quran clearly endorses the age old theory that Earth is flat.

15:19 - And the earth We spread out, and placed therein firm mountains, and caused to grow therein all kinds of things in due proportion.

20:53 - Who has made earth for you like a bed (spread out); and has opened roads (ways and paths etc.) for you therein; and has sent down water (rain) from the sky. And We have brought forth with it various kinds of vegetation.

43:10 - Who has made for you the earth like a bed, and has made for you roads therein, in order that you may find your way.

79:30 - And after that He spread the earth.

These and other verses repeatedly mention that Allah spread the Earth like a bed - which implies that the Earth is flat. The Muslim defense comes mainly through interpreting 79:30 to mean that Earth is shaped like an ostrich egg. The justification for this is that 79:30 uses the arabic word "dahaha" which is derived from the word "duhiya" (every word in arabic is derived from its root word). They argue that duhiya means ostrich egg.

There are two big problems with this argument. Firstly duhiya does not mean ostrich egg but the place in sand where an ostrich lays its egg. Secondly even if we accept that it can somehow mean ostrich egg, the fact is that Earth is not shaped like an ostrich egg at all. Earth is roughly an oblate spheroid - which is the shape we get if we DECREASE the curvature of a sphere at its poles. Ostrich egg is roughly a prolate spheroid - which is the shape we get if we INCREASE the curvature of a sphere at its poles. A prolate spheroid never looks like an oblate spheroid no matter which angle we view it from. This is basic 3D geometry. Read this to get a basic idea on oblate and prolate spheroids.

Additionally, there is one more interesting verse that confirms the flat earth theory in the Quran.

2:144 - Verily! We have seen the turning of your (Muhammad's SAW) face towards the heaven. Surely, We shall turn you to a Qiblah (prayer direction) that shall please you, so turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid- al-Haram (at Makkah). And wheresoever you people are, turn your faces (in prayer) in that direction. Certainly, the people who were given the Scriptures (i.e. Jews and the Christians) know well that, that (your turning towards the direction of the Ka'bah at Makkah in prayers) is the truth from their Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what they do.

The above verse asks Muslims to turn their faces in the direction of the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, wherever they are during prayer time. Obviously since the Earth is curved, people living far away from Arabia will have their faces pointed at the outer space when they attempt to face Mecca (unless of course they are facing the ground). Again, this verse further substantiates the ignorance of the author of Quran of Earth being spherical. Ultimately, the Quran fails to explain the shape of Earth correctly no matter how you twist the verses.

Creation of Universe and Miracle Claims

It is often claimed by Islamic apologists that Quran explains the "creation" of Universe in a miraculously correct manner. Muslims often claim that Quran explains the Big Bang theory correctly despite being written over 1400 years ago. This is one of the most commonly cited "Scientific miracles of the Quran". However, a careful look at the verses of the Quran shows something entirely different. Apart from the fact that it doesn't explain the big bang, the Quran also appears to contradict it, and makes claims that go against basic scientific knowledge of the universe.

The following verse is the base of the Islamic claim:

21:30 - Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and the earth were joined together as one united piece, then We parted them? And We have made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?

This is allegedly referred to as an explanation of the big bang. The fact is though that apart from claiming that Earth and "heavens" (it is claimed that the heavens refers to the rest of the universe) were together, there is nothing that remotely matches big bang here. The verse also inaccurately claims that the Earth was "separated" or "parted" from the heavens. This is a troublesome claim because the Earth didn't even exist until BILLIONS of years after the big bang. Imagine how grossly inaccurate the verse is. But of course the apologists don't give up just like that. They say that the verse doesn't really claim the Earth existed in its current form when the separation happened. This doesn't sound convincing at all and if that was a description of the big bang, then it is the worst possible description I have ever read. Let's look at another part of the Quran to see some more claims it makes about the universe.

41:9 - Say (O Muhammad SAW): "Do you verily disbelieve in Him Who created the earth in two Days and you set up rivals (in worship) with Him? That is the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists).

41:10 - He placed therein (i.e. the earth) firm mountains from above it, and He blessed it, and measured therein its sustenance (for its dwellers) in four Days equal (i.e. all these four 'days' were equal in the length of time), for all those who ask (about its creation).

41:11 - Then He Istawa (rose over) towards the heaven when it was smoke, and said to it and to the earth: "Come both of you willingly or unwillingly." They both said: "We come, willingly."

41:12 - Then He completed and finished from their creation (as) seven heavens in two Days and He made in each heaven its affair. And We adorned the nearest (lowest) heaven with lamps (stars) to be an adornment as well as to guard (from the devils by using them as missiles against the devils). Such is the Decree of Him the All-Mighty, the All-Knower.

Look at the order of creation here. First Allah made the Earth, then he placed mountains and things for sustenance of life. Then he rose towards the heaven when it was nothing but a puff of smoke. Then he shaped them into seven heavens and made stars to decorate and "guard" the lowest heaven. These verses clearly claim that the Earth was formed before the stars, no matter how you look at it. This is in direct conflict with science. Science tells us that stars were formed billions of years before the formation of Earth.

CONCLUSION: The Quran makes huge scientific errors in its verses describing the universe and the claim of "scientific miracle" is an absolute joke. These are things that should become clear to anyone who has a basic understanding of what big bang and science tells us about the timeline of universe.