How many people wrote the Qur'an?

[Augustus]

I have many reasons to believe the Qur'an is written by a single author

Which of it do you find most persuasive?

Any articles you find particularly good?

There are no evidences to prove it was written by more than one unless it's a polemical argument but it's not evidenced.

There is no reason to start with the assumption that it was written by a single author though.

Given the purported story of its codification and the significant stylistic differences within, we wouldn’t assume a single author is more probable than multiple. We’d keep an open mind.

Seeing as most Muslims and non-muslims lack the specialised skills to judge it either way, over 99% of people are just going with an assumption either way.

IF it was written by several authors, it's logically possible, although it should be miraculous for several authors to have such coherence enough to dupe philologists and what we would call ilme maani.

Scholars have argued for a single author, against it and that it is currently inconclusive either way.

Whatever the answer is, many people have been “fooled”.

What makes you confident you are not one of them when more qualified scholars than you have made arguments for different origins?

I used to read a lot of scholarship on early Islam but became less interested when I kept reading different scholars both making plausible but contradictory arguments and had little way of deciding between them.

 

[Augustus]

I would need to explore that possibility with other authors to reach a tentative conclusion on its likelihood, and if you read the post of @Augustus it looks like a daunting task with no easy answers.

It’s akin to choosing between gene centric evolution or multi level selection without a background in biology or related sciences.

You can choose which sounds intuitively more plausible but can’t really say which argument is scientifically more rigorous.

I’d say you can probably assume the Quran is, at best, an incomplete collection of teachings and sayings from a single author compiled according to best collective memory with a sincere attempt to remove any adaptations or innovations.

I find it very hard to believe it is a single, complete text that exists verbatim in the exact form intended by this author.

The degree of redaction, editing and addition or incorporation of pre-existing material beyond this I don’t really know and would just be an intuitive guess.

 

[firedragon]

Your taking this post out of context in my view, as I explained in following posts it was a tentatively held belief based on the hypothesis Dr Shoemaker uses to explain the early evidence.

I then reviewed Dr Joshua Little's work were he seems to push the canonisation back to Uthman and noted that there is a possibility (not that I believe it with zeal) that this may mean the Quran had an evolutionary history involving more than one author as it may not have been a fixed text until that time.

I would need to explore that possibility with other authors to reach a tentative conclusion on its likelihood, and if you read the post of @Augustus it looks like a daunting task with no easy answers.

I believe if Uthman hadn't burned the evidence there would be more for scholars to work with to determine whether the traditional version of the story was true or not but I guess that's a digression.

You did not answer my question anyway and you threw in a red herring and that too twisted.

So you believe Uthman "burnt the evidence"? 100% belief in that? What evidence? Why do you believe it so vehemently?

 

[firedragon]

Which of it do you find most persuasive?

Any articles you find particularly good?

I don't know of any articles. Although your question is answered in the same post.

There is no reason to start with the assumption that it was written by a single author though.

Very true. But no one did that. You are making an assumption based on conjecture.

What makes you confident you are not one of them when more qualified scholars than you have made arguments for different origins?

You don't know what my qualifications are. That too, is an assumption based on conjecture. I don't claim to be qualified in anything. This is an Internet forum. Everyone is anonymous.

Rather than making ambiguous assumptions and random statements, why not be specific? Point to specific scholarship.

 

[firedragon]

I’d say you can probably assume the Quran is, at best, an incomplete collection of teachings and sayings from a single author compiled according to best collective memory with a sincere attempt to remove any adaptations or innovations.

Assumption based on conjecture. All the time.

 

[paarsurrey]

How many people wrote the Qur'an?

G-d authored it, right, please?

Regards

 

[firedragon]

How many people wrote the Qur'an?

G-d authored it, right, please?

Regards

This is not a faith based question brother. It's a methodological question. Just consider God doesn't exist and respond to the question based on what ever analysis you have found.

 

[Augustus]

Although your question is answered in the same post.

Only as an empty assertion of your opinion One that goes against the fact that better qualified people reject your assumption and conjecture.

Why should anyone assume you are not the one fooled?

You don't know what my qualifications are

You don’t know what mine are but can assume pretty confidently I’m not an internationally respected scholar of this.

Ditto through our interactions I’m pretty confident the same is true about you.

Rather than making ambiguous assumptions and random statements, why not be specific? Point to specific scholarship.

Again, I explained why I’m agnostic on the question.

You asserted it would be miraculous if your unsupported opinion was wrong.

I’d say you have the higher burden of proof here.

Why don’t you point to specific scholarship?

Assumption based on conjecture. All the time.

It’s no more of an assumption than your personal opinion on the topic is.

Without special pleading or assuming divine intervention it’s the most probable though.

Why should anyone assume it most likely is a complete document, verbatim in the exact form the author intended from the start?

 

[paarsurrey]

How many people wrote the Qur'an?

G-d authored it, right, please?:

2:177
That is because Allah has sent down the Book with the truth; and surely, they who disagree concerning the Book are gone far in enmity. Holy Quran: Read, Listen and Search

Right?
___________________
Original Arabic narration/text from Muhammad's time, is below:-

2:177
ذٰلِکَ بِاَنَّ اللّٰہَ نَزَّلَ الۡکِتٰبَ بِالۡحَقِّ ؕ وَاِنَّ الَّذِیۡنَ اخۡتَلَفُوۡا فِی الۡکِتٰبِ لَفِیۡ شِقَاقٍۭ بَعِیۡدٍ ﴿۱۷۷

 

[paarsurrey]

How many people wrote the Qur'an?

I think it was all revealed through Mohammed who was not literate. So, it was written down by scribes but there is only one author, Mohammed.

1. G-d has claimed that Quran has been authored and revealed it on the heart of Muhammad and Muhammad committed it to his memory so oral revelation was the primary source of Quran, as a secondary measure, however, Muhammad also appointed (several) scribes to write to down, and any of them who was conveniently available was called and he immediately wrote it down.
2. Muhammad never claimed that he had authored the Quran:

6:8
And if We had sent down to thee a writing upon parchment and they had felt it with their hands, even then the disbelievers would have surely said, ‘This is nothing but manifest sorcery.’ Holy Quran: Read, Listen and Search
Right?

Regards
_______________
Original Arabic narration/text from Muhammad's time is below:-
6:8
وَلَوۡ نَزَّلۡنَا عَلَیۡکَ کِتٰبًا فِیۡ قِرۡطَاسٍ فَلَمَسُوۡہُ بِاَیۡدِیۡہِمۡ لَقَالَ الَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوۡۤا اِنۡ ہٰذَاۤ اِلَّا سِحۡرٌ مُّبِیۡنٌ ﴿۸

 

[danieldemol]

How many people wrote the Qur'an?

G-d authored it, right, please?:

2:177
That is because Allah has sent down the Book with the truth; and surely, they who disagree concerning the Book are gone far in enmity. Holy Quran: Read, Listen and Search

Right?
___________________
Original Arabic narration/text from Muhammad's time, is below:-

2:177
ذٰلِکَ بِاَنَّ اللّٰہَ نَزَّلَ الۡکِتٰبَ بِالۡحَقِّ ؕ وَاِنَّ الَّذِیۡنَ اخۡتَلَفُوۡا فِی الۡکِتٰبِ لَفِیۡ شِقَاقٍۭ بَعِیۡدٍ ﴿۱۷۷

It is simply repetition of slander to say those who disagree are gone far in enmity and shows grievous dishonesty on the part of the author of that verse in my opinion

 

[danieldemol]

You did not answer my question anyway

of course not, im not required to answer questions that are based on faulty comprehension of what they are querying in my view.

and you threw in a red herring and that too twisted.

So you believe Uthman "burnt the evidence"? 100% belief in that? What evidence? Why do you believe it so vehemently?

How can you know I believe it vehemently before the question has even been answered?

I believe it tentatively until I find a reason to doubt it and you haven't provided me with that in my view.

 

[firedragon]

Only as an empty assertion of your opinion One that goes against the fact that better qualified people reject your assumption and conjecture.

Why should anyone assume you are not the one fooled?

I even gave you the science. That's not an empty assertion.

You don’t know what mine are but can assume pretty confidently I’m not an internationally respected scholar of this.

Ditto through our interactions I’m pretty confident the same is true about you.

Assumption based on conjecture.

Ciao.

 

[firedragon]

How can you know I believe it vehemently before the question has even been answered?

If you don't believe it why quote it?

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

As a non-muslim or a Muslim what ever you are, since I have been hearing a claim I ask this question. How many people do you think wrote the Qur'an and what's your reasoning or evidence behind it? How have you established it with what kind of scholarship?

Thanks.

I think it's close to impossible to find out for sure.
But it also doesn't matter to me one way or the other.

I get that it matters to muslims as the origins of the book are intertwined with their religious beliefs.

I'm fine with one author.
I'm fine with many authors.

 

[George-ananda]

How many people wrote the Qur'an?

1. G-d has claimed that Quran has been authored and revealed it on the heart of Muhammad and Muhammad committed it to his memory so oral revelation was the primary source of Quran, as a secondary measure, however, Muhammad also appointed (several) scribes to write to down, and any of them who was conveniently available was called and he immediately wrote it down.
2. Muhammad never claimed that he had authored the Quran:

6:8
And if We had sent down to thee a writing upon parchment and they had felt it with their hands, even then the disbelievers would have surely said, ‘This is nothing but manifest sorcery.’ Holy Quran: Read, Listen and Search
Right?

Regards
_______________
Original Arabic narration/text from Muhammad's time is below:-
6:8
وَلَوۡ نَزَّلۡنَا عَلَیۡکَ کِتٰبًا فِیۡ قِرۡطَاسٍ فَلَمَسُوۡہُ بِاَیۡدِیۡہِمۡ لَقَالَ الَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوۡۤا اِنۡ ہٰذَاۤ اِلَّا سِحۡرٌ مُّبِیۡنٌ ﴿۸

In case there's misunderstanding, I hag meant that Muhammed was the only human author, but the ultimate author was Allah through the Angel Gabriel to Muhammed.

 

[Kathryn]

Sorry, not going to read all this. Just answer the question - How many people wrote the Quran?

 

[Augustus]

I even gave you the science. That's not an empty assertion.

It’s cute that you genuinely think an empty assertion that you are correct constitutes an argument.

Just asserting it must have 1 author because some philologists think so (even though others think differently) and because of certain grammatical and rhetorical features is just a statement of your non-expert opinion.

When others simply state their opinion you whine endlessly and demand scholarship an evidence.

Assumption based on conjecture

Forgot how boring you are.

Ciao

 

[Augustus]

Sorry, not going to read all this. Just answer the question - How many people wrote the Quran?

One or more people.

The question is open to debate.

There is no scholarly consensus on the question.

We are unlikely to ever know for sure.

 

[Kathryn]

One or more people.

The question is open to debate.

There is no scholarly consensus on the question.

We are unlikely to ever know for sure.

Thank you. I gathered as much.