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Dismantling Islam: Session 2

Calvary Chapel Chino Hills・119 minutes read

Muhammad's origins and the development of Islam are analyzed through various historical artifacts and texts, raising questions about the Quran's preservation and early Islamic history. Scholars have debated the textual variations in the Quran for centuries, highlighting discrepancies in manuscripts and challenging traditional narratives of its unchanged nature.

Insights

  • Muhammad was born in Mecca in 570 and died in Medina in 632.
  • Coins and rocks from Muhammad's time period are crucial for historical accuracy and preservation.
  • The introduction of Muhammad on coins, the Dome of the Rock, and protocols occurred in the late 7th century, indicating an evolving Islamic identity.
  • The Quran's preservation has faced scholarly debates and complexities, with various versions and textual variations existing.
  • The existence of diverse Quran versions and textual discrepancies has sparked controversy and debates among scholars and Muslims.

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Recent questions

  • What is the significance of Muhammad in Islamic history?

    Muhammad is considered the last and greatest Prophet in Islam, serving as a model for Muslims and receiving the Quran. His birth in Mecca in 570 and death in Medina in 632 mark crucial events in Islamic history. Muslims believe that Muhammad's teachings and actions exemplify the core principles of Islam, guiding followers in matters of faith, morality, and conduct. The Quran, believed to be the word of God as revealed to Muhammad, serves as the holy scripture of Islam, shaping the beliefs and practices of Muslims worldwide. Muhammad's role as a Prophet is central to the Islamic faith, with his life and teachings serving as a source of inspiration and guidance for millions of believers.

  • How did early Islamic coins reflect religious and political identities?

    Early Islamic coins played a significant role in reflecting religious and political identities, particularly in establishing a ruler's authority and beliefs. Coins from the 7th century depicted Christian symbols and rulers until 661, showcasing the influence of Christianity in the region. The introduction of coins by Muslim ruler Muya in 663, featuring crosses and the name "Muhammad," indicated a blend of religious symbols. The title "Muhammad," meaning "the praised one" in Arabic, was historically associated with Jesus, highlighting the religious connotations on coins. As Islamic territories expanded, coins began to incorporate Islamic references, such as the Shahada, reflecting the evolving religious landscape. The use of coins to convey religious and political messages underscores the interconnectedness of faith and governance in early Islamic societies.

  • How did the Quran's preservation evolve over time?

    The preservation of the Quran underwent a complex evolution over time, marked by various stages and challenges. Following Muhammad's death in 632, the Quran was compiled and standardized by Uthman due to differing recitations among Muslims. Copies of the standardized Quran were sent to different regions to prevent discrepancies, highlighting early efforts to preserve the text. However, the introduction of dots and vowels in Arabic script in the 8th century led to multiple interpretations and variations in Quranic manuscripts. By the 10th century, there were around 700 Quran versions, reflecting the diversity and complexity of textual variations. The selection of popular Quran versions in later centuries was based on popularity rather than textual accuracy, resulting in significant differences among versions. The preservation of the Quran has been a subject of scholarly debate, with ongoing discussions about the authenticity and accuracy of different Quranic texts.

  • What challenges did early Islamic manuscripts face in terms of preservation?

    Early Islamic manuscripts faced several challenges in terms of preservation, leading to textual variations and discrepancies. The introduction of dots and vowels in Arabic script in the 8th century resulted in diverse interpretations and multiple Quran versions. Different individuals from various regions created their Quran versions, contributing to around 700 variations by the 10th century. The selection of popular Quran versions based on popularity rather than textual accuracy further complicated the preservation process. The existence of 93,000 differences among Quranic manuscripts highlighted the challenges in maintaining a singular, unchanged Quran. Discrepancies in expressions, entire sentences, and missing prepositions in early manuscripts underscored the complexities of preserving the Quran's original text. These challenges have fueled scholarly debates and discussions surrounding the authenticity and reliability of Quranic manuscripts.

  • How did the early Islamic manuscripts reveal textual discrepancies and variations?

    Early Islamic manuscripts revealed significant textual discrepancies and variations, shedding light on the complexities of preserving the Quran's original text. The Sana manuscript, discovered in Yemen, exhibited 70 variants between the visible text and the underlying text, dating back to the 7th century. Discrepancies in expressions, entire sentences, missing prepositions, and isolated letters occurred multiple times in the text, highlighting the challenges in maintaining textual consistency. The lower text of the Sana manuscript was washed off, and corrections were made above to save parchment, indicating efforts to preserve the text. Carbon dating of fragments from the Sana manuscript showed discrepancies among European labs, raising questions about the manuscript's dating and authenticity. The analysis of early Quranic manuscripts, such as the Sana manuscript, underscored the intricate nature of textual variations and the complexities involved in preserving the Quran's original form.

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Summary

00:00

"Muhammad: Last Prophet or Christian Identity?"

  • Muhammad was born in Mecca in 570 and died in Medina in 632.
  • Muslims claim Muhammad was the last and greatest Prophet, modeling Islam and receiving the Quran.
  • References to Muhammad in the 9th and 10th centuries are too late, 200 years after his time.
  • Coins and rocks from Muhammad's time period are crucial as they do not deteriorate like other materials.
  • Coins were used to establish a ruler's identity, including their image, name, religion, mint name, and date.
  • Numismatists faced challenges in interpreting coins due to the imposition of an Islamic narrative.
  • Coins from the 7th century show Christian rulers until 661, with crosses and Christian symbols.
  • Muya, a Muslim ruler, minted coins with crosses and the name "Muhammad" in 663, indicating a different Muhammad.
  • The title "Muhammad" means "the praised one" in Arabic, historically associated with Jesus.
  • Coins from 624 to 660 lack Islamic references, despite the control of Islamic territories, indicating a Christian identity.

14:04

Early Islamic Evolution and Emergence of Islam

  • During the Rashidun period, coins featured Christian symbols, with Mahmed holding a cross, indicating a Christian reference.
  • Abdul Malik introduces Muhammad the Shah on coins, possibly the first Islamic coin, but Islam had not yet appeared, evident in inscriptions.
  • Abdul Malik loses a battle to Justinian II, then wins and adds his image and the Shahar, possibly to claim messiahship.
  • Arab script from 696 to 705 includes the Shahada, attacking Jesus' divinity, John 3:16, and Islam's superiority, but not yet calling themselves Muslims.
  • Abdul Malik introduces anti-trinitarianism in 696, suggesting it was not from Muhammad but possibly from him, akin to Arianism from the 4th Century.
  • Rock inscriptions in the 7th Century, mainly in Jordan and Yemen, show early Islamic evolution, with no Islamic references before 690.
  • Muhammad is introduced on coins, the Dome of the Rock, and protocols in 691, later becoming a prophet of the Ishmaelites from 710 to 720.
  • Muslim rites like pilgrimage, prayer, and fasting start appearing from 710 to 720, with the names Muslim and Islam introduced in 730.
  • Prior to the 730s, devotion to Muhammad as a prophet was not popular, indicating Islam's late emergence as a distinct religion.
  • References to Muhammad in the Quran are minimal, with only four mentions, suggesting his importance was not as significant as other figures like Moses and Jesus.

27:07

Debunking Islamic Origins: The Heresy of Ishmaelites

  • The book "The Heresy of the Ishmaelites" was written in 730 AD, not referring to Muslims or Islam but to Ishmaelites.
  • The author criticizes Muhammad for writing books like "The Book of the Cow" (Surah 2) and "The Book of the Camel" (Surah 5), which do not align with the Quran's 114 suras.
  • References to Muhammad in the 7th century place him too far north, possibly indicating a different Muhammad known as the "praised one."
  • Central Arabia lacked coins, with Arabic coins further north being Christian or Zoroastrian until Abdul Malik introduced possibly pre-Islamic coins in 691 AD.
  • Rock inscriptions pre-690 AD show no Islamic references, with mentions of Muhammad, Muslim rites, pilgrimage, prayer, and fasting appearing from 690 to 720 AD.
  • The Quran and the Dome of the Rock do not align with the Muhammad of Islam in the 7th century, suggesting a clash between Christian sects.
  • Muslims claim the Quran is uncreated, sent down to Muhammad between 610-632 AD, completed by Uthman in 652, and unchanged for 14400 years.
  • Scholars like Fatah Gulen, Abdullah Yusuf Ali, and Dr. Shabir Ally assert the Quran's preservation, with manuscripts from the late 8th century matching today's text.
  • Al-Bukhari's accounts from 870 AD detail the Quran's compilation after Muhammad's death in 632, involving writing from memory on various materials.
  • The first written Quran was given to Abu Bakr's daughter, Hafsa, who kept it under her bed for 20 years, raising questions about why copies were not made immediately.

40:39

"Evolution of Quran Versions Through Centuries"

  • Usman is the third caliph and sends UDA to fight the Azanis in the north, leading to a victorious battle.
  • Following the win, they join forces with Iraqis and Syrians to pray in a mosque, causing a conflict between Medina residents over Quran recitations.
  • Uthman decides to standardize the Quran due to differing recitations, leading to Zabid rewriting it in the Kesi dialect.
  • Al-Buhari redacts the Quran back to the 7th century, despite the absence of vowels then, causing dialectical issues.
  • Uthman sends copies of the standardized Quran to Mecca, Medina, Basra, Kufa, and Damascus to prevent further discrepancies.
  • Later traditions reveal new Qurans in Damascus and Baghdad with varying suras, leading to 15,000 differences among four versions.
  • Despite Muslim cities' stability, no original Quran from Mecca, Medina, Basra, Kufa, or Damascus exists today, raising questions.
  • In the 8th century, the introduction of dots and vowels in Arabic script led to multiple interpretations, resulting in diverse Quran versions.
  • Different individuals from various regions created their Quran versions, leading to 700 variations by the 10th century.
  • The selection of popular Quran versions like Huffs and Shuba in later centuries was based on popularity rather than textual accuracy, resulting in 30 different Quran versions by the 15th century, with significant differences between them.

54:04

Diverse Quran Versions Spark Controversy and Debate

  • In 2012, a woman from Turkey went to Africa to teach, despite not knowing much Arabic.
  • She sought an Arabic Quran for the missionaries she was teaching and discovered various versions in a bookstore.
  • Different Arabic Quran versions like Huffs, W, I, and C were available, leading to confusion.
  • She bought multiple versions to show to others in London, realizing the existence of diverse Quran texts.
  • By 2016, she had collected 26 different Quran versions memorized by various individuals.
  • Variations in Quran texts were shown, such as different words and meanings in verses.
  • Theological and doctrinal differences arose due to textual variations, impacting practices and beliefs.
  • A woman named Hatun Tash displayed the diverse Quran versions at Speaker's Corner in 2016, causing controversy.
  • Muhammad Hijab, a popular figure, tried to prevent people from seeing the different Quran versions.
  • In 2020, Muhammad Hijab sought clarification from Dr. Yasar Kadi on the preservation of the Quran, highlighting scholarly debates and complexities in understanding the Quran's preservation.

01:08:37

Quran's Textual Variations: Unresolved Controversy Revealed

  • Scholars have not resolved the issue of the Quran's textual variations for a thousand years.
  • The speaker, Muhammad Hijab, admitted that determining which Quranic text to write on a blank slate is a challenging topic.
  • He emphasized that this complex issue is typically reserved for advanced students, not beginners or converts.
  • Western academics have made significant progress in analyzing the Quran's textual variations, contrasting with traditional Islamic narratives.
  • The speaker highlighted the existence of 93,000 differences among Quranic manuscripts, challenging the notion of a singular, unchanged Quran.
  • Due to a controversial interview discussing Quranic preservation, many Muslims expressed doubts and left Islam, leading to the removal of comments on related videos.
  • The speaker questioned the preservation of the Quran, contrasting it with the extensive manuscript evidence supporting the Bible's early texts.
  • Various early Quranic manuscripts, such as the Topkapi, Sana, and Hosi manuscripts, exhibit significant textual variants and incompleteness.
  • The Sana manuscript, discovered in Yemen, revealed an underlying text with 70 variants compared to the visible text, dating back to the 7th century.
  • The analysis of the Sana manuscript's under text and upper text demonstrated 70 variants, including missing verbs and nouns, highlighting textual discrepancies within early Quranic manuscripts.

01:21:53

Early Quranic Manuscripts: Discrepancies and Discoveries

  • Conjunctions missing prepositions and isolated letters occur 29 times in the text.
  • Discrepancies in expressions and entire sentences happen 16 times.
  • Asma Hilali dismisses the text as mere student scribbles, not a scholarly work.
  • The lower text was washed off, and the real text was written above to save parchment.
  • Dr. Elizabeth Quin identifies the text as a Quran with corrections from 705 AD.
  • Carbon dating of fragments from the SAA manuscript shows discrepancies among European labs.
  • Dates from the labs range from 393 to 550 AD, predating Islam by 80 to 220 years.
  • The Birmingham folios, discovered in 2015, contain only 10% of selected Quranic verses.
  • Content from Surahs 18, 19, and 20 includes pagan, Christian, and Jewish stories.
  • Dr. Daniel Brewbaker's research reveals numerous insertions, erasures, and standardizations in early Quranic manuscripts.

01:36:55

Evolution of Quran: From Fragments to Standardization

  • 63 fragments were examined, with 20 tentatively dated before 719, but scholars disagree on their dating.
  • 9 of the 20 dated fragments, including the most crucial one, are dated to 790, the late 8th century.
  • The remaining 34 fragments have not been studied, making their dating uncertain.
  • Ottomans standardized the Quran in the 1300s, leading to the selection of a specific version for standardized tests in Cairo in 1924.
  • The chosen Quran was from the Huffs, favored for its proximity and ease of memorization.
  • 30 different Quran versions were discarded in the Nile in 1924, but later found and analyzed, revealing significant differences.
  • The Faruk Edition of the Quran was made official in Egypt in 1936, followed by the Huff an AUM version in Saudi Arabia in 1985.
  • Dr. Gun Luling discovered that a third of the Quran's poetry resembled Christian hymns from the 4th to 6th centuries.
  • Dr. Christofh Luberg found that a quarter of the Quran's passages were Christian lectionaries, homilies, and hymns about Jesus.
  • The Quran's evolution involved Arab tribes adopting Aramaic texts, leading to the creation of multiple Quranic canons, eventually whittled down to one.

01:50:34

Evolution of Quran manuscripts and variants

  • The stages of the HUD were borrowed from Jerusalem, indicating a connection to Muhammad.
  • Coins suggest the area under Islam was Christian or Zeran until 692.
  • Rock inscriptions indicate Islam as known today did not emerge until the 8th century.
  • Six early Quran manuscripts show the creation of different Qurans between the 7th and 9th centuries.
  • Birmingham folios suggest Muslim stories predate the Quran.
  • 30 Kats from the 8th to 10th centuries show Quran evolution.
  • 26 Kots at Speaker's Corner in 2016 sparked debate among Muslim scholars.
  • Interview between Muhammad Hijab and Yasak Kadi in June 2020 provided a platform for the Kat narrative.
  • 29 Gat variants dumped into the Nile in 1924 reveal Muslim actions when facing Quran issues.
  • 4,000 conal variants show Muslim text alterations before standardization in the last century.

02:04:51

Global Mission: Prayer for Success and Guidance

  • Prayer for the Lord's guidance and blessing in spreading the message to the Muslim world
  • Acknowledgment of Christians' duty to make disciples globally
  • Gratitude for the time provided and a request for God's glory in their endeavors
  • Prayer for success in the mission field in Jesus' name
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