1. January '19
Recall in January my thread on Qur'an support for Geocentric or Flat earth model of the universe. My sole intention was not necessarily to cite the Qur'an as wrong, it was to draw attention to what I find the Qur'an actually states Vs what people say the Qur'an states. My finding on the Qur'an left me doubting the heliocentric model, and for once I decided to consider the flat fixed earth argument.
What this post is about is not necessarily on the Qur'an, but on Muslims' approach to Qur'an, how this approach breed so much negativity that I've given up on the community, whether the Qur'an alone or traditional.
2. How do Muslims approach the Qur'an?
They view the Qur'an as;
The literal, infallible and perfectly preserved word of God.
This approach to Islam is WRONG as I will show, but it is also very toxic because all forms of Muslim fanaticism and terrorism is predicated on this view of the Qur'an.
3. Let's see a few verses of Qur'an.
Qur'an 96.02 - Createth man from alaq.
Qur'an 23: 12-14 - Verily We created man from a product of wet earth. Then placed him as a drop (of seed) in a safe lodging; Then fashioned We the drop a alaqa, then fashioned We the alaqa little lump, then fashioned We the little lump bones, then clothed the bones with flesh, and then produced it as another creation. So blessed be Allah, the Best of creators!
3. Alaqa meaning in Arabic
One of the stages of embryo or fetus is an 'alaqa' or 'alaq', according to Qur'an. Here are the meanings of 'alaqa' in Arabic; 'something that clings', 'blood clot', 'leeches'.
4. Meaning of Alaqa in Qur'an in Muslim history
All through Muslim history, 'blood clot' have been generally agreed as the meaning of 'alaqa' in relation to embryology in Qur'an. This is so because, blood or clot was generally taught in the 7th century as an early stage of embryo during gestation. All the earliest tafsir agree. You can see why majority of Qur'an translation translate the term as clot.
As we all know, the implication of this is that the Qur'an verse is wrong. Never is the embryo a clot. But, the Qur'an cannot be wrong, because it is the literal, infallible and preserved word of God.
5. Meaning of Alaqa in Qur'an at 21st century
So, in the 20th century, when it was proven that the embryo is never blood, some Qur'an translators and Muslim scholars began to reconsider alternative meaning for the word 'alaqa'. "Leeches, leech like clot, clinging substance, embryo" are all words that scholars and translators have now referred to alaqa.
6. What does Alaqa really mean in Qur'an?
Whether we believe Qur'an meant 'alaqa' as blood clot or not is beside the point. Recall, we have always agreed the Qur'an is clear, that it delivers its message with pin point precision in choice of word. The point here is that Qur'an uses a word that also mean 'blood clot' to describe an embryonic stage. This negates the infallibility of the text, and thus the text's divinity or preservation.
NB: Also, see Qur'an 86:5-7, where it seemingly states that sex fluids or gametes comes out from 'between the backbone and the ribs.' This is incorrect.
7. What is wrong in the Muslim community
My problem with the Muslim community is just how much these concerns with the Qur'an are either overlooked or concealed from the public, in fear of raising doubts, in order to preserve the view of Qur'an infallibility.
8. Consequence of proclaiming the Qur'an is infallible
What happens when we approach the Qur'an as the infallible and perfect? We're inadvertently supporting the fanatics and terrorists. We may not agree with their interpretation of the Qur'an, but we agree with them that the Qur'an is infallible. This is enough green light for them to apply what ever they understand as Qur'anic; amputating thieves, slavery, offensive jihad, jizya, persecuting Qur'an critics or blasphemers, gender inequality in testimonies and inheritance etc.
Peace.