Questions for non-Muslims

[Taahir]

Just some questions out of curiosity. Not meaning to start a huge debate out of this, or offend anyone.

Do you accept/recognize that

1. The Qur'an has never been changed?

2. There are scientific miracles in the Qur'an that could not possibly have been known in the time it was revealed?

3. The style and structure of the Qur'an is extremely unique, and no one has been able to match the challenge of producing something like it?

Thank you to anyone who answers.

 

[Philomath]

Just some questions out of curiosity. Not meaning to start a huge debate out of this, or offend anyone.

Do you accept/recognize that

1. The Qur'an has never been changed?

2. There are scientific miracles in the Qur'an that could not possibly have been known in the time it was revealed?

3. The style and structure of the Qur'an is extremely unique, and no one has been able to match the challenge of producing something like it?

Thank you to anyone who answers.

1. Yes

2. No

3. No

 

[dgirl1986]

Just some questions out of curiosity. Not meaning to start a huge debate out of this, or offend anyone.

Do you accept/recognize that

1. The Qur'an has never been changed?

I have never considered that the Qur'an may or may not've been changed. I did not really consider it my business to analyse it

2. There are scientific miracles in the Qur'an that could not possibly have been known in the time it was revealed?

I imagine there would be miracles just as with other holy texts.

3. The style and structure of the Qur'an is extremely unique, and no one has been able to match the challenge of producing something like it?

Thank you to anyone who answers.

I would also consider that this would not be anything amazing as all holy texts are different.

 

[Riverwolf]

Just some questions out of curiosity. Not meaning to start a huge debate out of this, or offend anyone.

Do you accept/recognize that

1. The Qur'an has never been changed?

Far as I can tell, that seems to be the case.

Then again, neither have the Vedas once they were standardized.

2. There are scientific miracles in the Qur'an that could not possibly have been known in the time it was revealed?

No, I don't accept that. The people of that time period knew a LOT, more than we realize. But a HUGE chunk of that knowledge was lost when the Library of Alexandria burned.

3. The style and structure of the Qur'an is extremely unique, and no one has been able to match the challenge of producing something like it?

Define "like it."

Yusuf Ali's translation is powerful, to be sure (none of the other translations I've read are powerful at all), but I've read plenty of poetry that, at least as far as English is concerned, surpass it. In terms of storytelling, well, it's not really a storybook, and I prefer stories; in that sense, the lays of the Poetic Edda surpass it.

As far as pure structure and being concise is concerned, by FAR the best holy book in my opinion is the Tirukkural.

 

[Poeticus]

No, I don't accept that. The people of that time period knew a LOT, more than we realize. But a HUGE chunk of that knowledge was lost when the Library of Alexandria burned.

Namaste,

Riverwolf-ji, you forgot Ctesiphon, Persepolis, Taxila, and Nalanda. :sad4:

M.V.

 

[Riverwolf]

Namaste,

Riverwolf-ji, you forgot Ctesiphon, Persepolis, Taxila, and Nalanda. :sad4:

M.V.

Wasn't aware of those libraries, actually. ^_^ But I was fully aware that there were other libraries in the world.

But I recently learned that at least someone from the time that the Library of Alexandria still stood knew that the Earth circled the Sun. But all that remained was that he knew this fact.

Point is, the people from that time period knew a LOT.

 

[Poeticus]

Point is, the people from that time period knew a LOT.

Namaste,

Oh yes! Definitely! Sometimes, I feel as if they knew more than us.

M.V.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

1. No, unless you can prove otherwise.

2. No.

3. No.

 

[Riverwolf]

Namaste,

Oh yes! Definitely! Sometimes, I feel as if they knew more than us.

M.V.

I wouldn't put it past them.

One thing people forget about computers is that, in terms of calculations, they simply make easier, faster, and more precise things that people are very capable of doing themselves given enough time and manpower.

And these ancient uber-geeks were DEDICATED. :yes:

 

[Revoltingest]

Just some questions out of curiosity. Not meaning to start a huge debate out of this, or offend anyone.

Do you accept/recognize that

1. The Qur'an has never been changed?

2. There are scientific miracles in the Qur'an that could not possibly have been known in the time it was revealed?

3. The style and structure of the Qur'an is extremely unique, and no one has been able to match the challenge of producing something like it?

Thank you to anyone who answers.

1) I don't know if the Koran ever changed. But Islam did, because much of it is based upon interpretations, many of which are wildly different from each other. And some of them are at odds with the Koran.
2) No. Prognostications are so vague as to mean whatever the reader wants.
3) Yes. But every religion is unique. In this sense, the Koran is just like every other.

 

[Poeticus]

And these ancient uber-geeks were DEDICATED. :yes:

Namaste,

I agree. I saw a documentary recently about temple building in Ancient India. The documentary shed light on who made them and discredited the popular belief that slaves did. The host went on to say that only skilled artists/sculptors were allowed to even touch the project and be on the land of the spot where the temples were being built. One small statue from one of the temples took a sculptor the documentary hired about four hours to construct.

I also saw similar documentaries about Ancient Egypt. Phew! The architecture of the ancient world is breathtaking and mind boggling! The Cathedrals of Medieval Europe are to die for!

M.V.

 

[Riverwolf]

Namaste,

I agree. I saw a documentary recently about temple building in Ancient India. The documentary shed light on who made them and discredited the popular belief that slaves did. The host went on to say that only skilled artists/sculptors were allowed to even touch the project and be on the land of the spot where the temples were being built. One small statue from one of the temples took a sculptor the documentary hired about four hours to construct.

I also saw similar documentaries about Ancient Egypt. Phew! The architecture of the ancient world is breathtaking and mind boggling! The Cathedrals of Europe are to die for!

M.V.

Indeed.

And even without all these amazing feats of architecture, there's also Stonehenge.

Stone-age farmers who didn't have wheels, only basic pulleys if they had any, absolutely no metal tools (or metal anything), and who probably couldn't expect to live much longer than their 20s. And yet they build THAT. And other tribes built other, equally impressive stone structures, like Newgrange in Ireland, the Easter Island statues, etc.

 

[Poeticus]

Indeed.

And even without all these amazing feats of architecture, there's also Stonehenge.

Stone-age farmers who didn't have wheels, only basic pulleys if they had any, absolutely no metal tools (or metal anything), and who probably couldn't expect to live much longer than their 20s. And yet they build THAT. And other tribes built other, equally impressive stone structures, like Newgrange in Ireland, the Easter Island statues, etc.

Namaste,

Don't take my word for it, but I think the peeps that built Stonehenge were communicating with extraterrestrials. I think the Egyptians, Indians, and Sumerians were as well...

Now, I am going to :run:

But, in all seriousness, those rocks were incredibly heavy and for them to organize the structure in the manner that they did is fascinating. Same goes for the Ancient South American civilizations and their stone work. I wish I was born in 1500 BCE...

M.V.

ps - Please forgive me OP for derailing this thread. I cease my commenting about the Ancient World hehe.

 

[Riverwolf]

Namaste,

Don't take my word for it, but I think the peeps that built Stonehenge were communicating with extraterrestrials. I think the Egyptians, Indians, and Sumerians were as well...

Now, I am going to :run:

But, in all seriousness, those rocks were incredibly heavy and for them to organize the structure in the manner that they did is fascinating. Same goes for the Ancient South American civilizations and their stone work. I wish I was born in 1500 BCE...

M.V.

ps - Please forgive me OP for derailing this thread. I cease my commenting about the Ancient World hehe.

As do I. ^_^

(Though for the record, I don't give much credibility to the ancient alien thing.)

 

[Monk Of Reason]

Just some questions out of curiosity. Not meaning to start a huge debate out of this, or offend anyone.

Do you accept/recognize that

1. The Qur'an has never been changed?

Doesn't seem to be. No real reason to believe the text has been altered. But I agree with some other posters that Islam has changed.

2. There are scientific miracles in the Qur'an that could not possibly have been known in the time it was revealed?

no. They knew a lot back then. The other stuff was probably luck or over rationalization. And some of the scientific information is simply wrong. Like the bit about salt and fresh water not mixing.

3. The style and structure of the Qur'an is extremely unique, and no one has been able to match the challenge of producing something like it?

No one can match Motzart or Bach or Davinchi. The koran has beautiful text. I agree on that. But as far as it being a book that had to be divine? No.

Thank you to anyone who answers.

Your welcome.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Namaste,

Don't take my word for it, but I think the peeps that built Stonehenge were communicating with extraterrestrials. I think the Egyptians, Indians, and Sumerians were as well...

Agreed.

 

[Monotheist 101]

Namaste,

Don't take my word for it, but I think the peeps that built Stonehenge were communicating with extraterrestrials. I think the Egyptians, Indians, and Sumerians were as well...

I agree but I think the extraterrestrials are among us..and share our planet..

 

[YmirGF]

Just some questions out of curiosity. Not meaning to start a huge debate out of this, or offend anyone.

LOL.

Do you accept/recognize that

Hmmm. I sense something smelly ahead...

1. The Qur'an has never been changed?

Oh, other than the addition of diacritical marks and since the time of Uthman? Does it really matter?

2. There are scientific miracles in the Qur'an that could not possibly have been known in the time it was revealed?

Um, no. That is solely in the imagination of so-called "scholars" since the time of Maurice Bucaille. The uninformed seemed easily impressed however.

3. The style and structure of the Qur'an is extremely unique, and no one has been able to match the challenge of producing something like it?

More importantly, why would anyone bother? It's not that eloquent or remarkable, though I know you can cite legions of fans who would say otherwise.

Thank you to anyone who answers.

Not a problem.

 

[Sha'irullah]

Just some questions out of curiosity. Not meaning to start a huge debate out of this, or offend anyone.

Do you accept/recognize that

1. The Qur'an has never been changed?

Heard of Uthman?

2. There are scientific miracles in the Qur'an that could not possibly have been known in the time it was revealed?

Like how it got embryology wrong and could not determine what word to use to describe a "round" earth.

3. The style and structure of the Qur'an is extremely unique, and no one has been able to match the challenge of producing something like it?

Nobody hear fully understands classical Arabic which is a DEAD LANGUAGE.


Good luck with this

 

[Taahir]

Thanks to everyone who's participated. I usually only get the opinions about this from Muslims, so it's interesting to see an outside perspective.