I start this series with a quote from the Quran itself.
أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَۚ وَلَوۡ كَانَ مِنۡ عِندِ غَيۡرِ ٱللَّهِ لَوَجَدُواْ فِيهِ ٱخۡتِلَٰفٗا كَثِيرٗاWhy don’t they contemplate upon the Quran? Had it been originated from anyone besides Allah then it would have been beset with inconsistencies and contradictions.
Quran 4:82
This verse presents a simple challenge to the thinking man. Find an error in the Quran, and the whole thing becomes unspooled. If you claim the Quran (or the Bible, etc) is uniquely authored by divine hand, then that infallible, omniscient hand is thus beyond mistake. After all, the Quran is supposed to be the source of all truth in creation, dictated by Allah’s “Last Prophet” from the Arch Angel Gabriel (Jibril) himself.
Therefore, any basic, glaring error or contradiction should immediately raise a very obvious red flag – If Allah is the Supreme God, omnipotent, ineffable and all-knowing, and Muhammad is the “perfect man” (that is to say, a reference to the tightly held Islamic consideration that Muhammad is innately without flaw), then, how could such a mistake transpire? A single blemish, noticeable to any mind capable of even the most rudimentary thought once pointed out, should be enough to undo the entire claim that the Quran is divine and the word of God in a mere instant. Because if Allah can make an error, it means he is not omniscient, and therefore, the very foundation of Islam collapses.
The intent of this series is to focus on various errors within the Quran, though primarily internal errors (that is, contradictions within the text itself). Some scientific and historical errors will be focused on, though, one must understand to cover all of those would require several books, as the Quran can scarcely flip a page without attempting to upend natural law.
It’s also worth noting that there are a multitude of errors between the Quran and the earlier Torah and the Bible. I won’t cover this in too much depth, as the Torah and the Bible are their own sets of fictional lies, so contradicting these isn’t exactly meaningful, aside from me pointing out the fact that, the Quran contextualizes itself by attempting to be a sequel to these books, which doesn’t work if you contradict the (imaginary) events of them.
For the sake of consistency, here’s an example from the fictional life of the Jew known as Moses. I’ll bold the relevant parts.
“…he took pity on him and said, ‘This is one of the Hebrews’ children.’ Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, ‘Shall I go and call you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?’ And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Go.’ So the girl went and called the child’s mother. And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.’ So the woman took the child and nursed him. When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, ‘Because,’ she said, ‘I drew him out of the water.’”
Exodus 2:1-10
“And after he had been set outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him away and nurtured him as her own son.”
Acts 7:21
This is one verse from the Torah/Old Testament and one from the Christian New Testament. Now, let’s check the Quran.
وَأَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَىٰٓ أُمِّ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنۡ أَرۡضِعِيهِۖ فَإِذَا خِفۡتِ عَلَيۡهِ فَأَلۡقِيهِ فِي ٱلۡيَمِّ وَلَا تَخَافِي وَلَا تَحۡزَنِيٓۖ إِنَّا رَآدُّوهُ إِلَيۡكِ وَجَاعِلُوهُ مِنَ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَفَٱلۡتَقَطَهُۥٓ ءَالُ فِرۡعَوۡنَ لِيَكُونَ لَهُمۡ عَدُوّٗا وَحَزَنًاۗ إِنَّ فِرۡعَوۡنَ وَهَٰمَٰنَ وَجُنُودَهُمَا كَانُواْ خَٰطِـِٔينَوَقَالَتِ ٱمۡرَأَتُ فِرۡعَوۡنَ قُرَّتُ عَيۡنٖ لِّي وَلَكَۖ لَا تَقۡتُلُوهُ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَنفَعَنَآ أَوۡ نَتَّخِذَهُۥ وَلَدٗا وَهُمۡ لَا يَشۡعُرُونَAnd We inspired the mother of Moses, saying: Suckle him and, when thou fearest for him, then cast him into the river and fear not nor grieve. Lo! We shall bring him back unto thee and shall make him (one) of Our messengers. And the family of Pharaoh took him up, that he might become for them an enemy and a sorrow, Lo! Pharaoh and Haman and their hosts were ever sinning. And the wife of Pharaoh said: (He will be) a consolation for me and for thee. Kill him not. Peradventure he may be of use to us, or we may choose him for a son. And they perceived not.
Qu’ran 28:7-9
In Quranic belief, it was the Pharaoh’s wife who adopted Moses, contrast with the Torah in which it was his daughter. So much for continuity, and so much for the Quran being a sequel. In fictional writing today, we call this a “retcon.”
Again, I must stress this only matters with regards to the fact that the Quran hedges its validity on itself being a sequel, and thus, contradictions there debunk its narrative. There’s plenty of contradictions between and within the “Old” and “New” Testament which one could write an entire series on in and of themselves. The focus here is on the Quran. And there are plenty more oddities like the above, though they mostly relate to meaningless details (like the Quran getting names of people and places from the Torah mixed up), or just plain idiocy like the writer forgetting the Golden Calf in the Moses story wasn’t a real cow and having it moo. To repeat, this will mostly focus on the Quran contradicting itself, less so other texts (except where relevant).
With that all said, we will begin. This list won’t be near exhaustive like the Hatred of Women in the Quran series, as the Quran is so riddled with errors we would all be here for two lifetimes. I will simply provide enough examples so that there can be no doubt that the Quran is worth less than the paper it’s printed on, and to help the minds of those who have been plagued by Islam become free of it and reassured Muhammad and his Allah are nothing but fiction.
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What did Allah make man out of?
A Blood Clot
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِٱقۡرَأۡ بِٱسۡمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَخَلَقَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مِنۡ عَلَقٍProclaim! In the name of thy Lord and Cherisher, who created – created man, out of a mere clot of congealed blood.
Quran 96:1-3
Water
وَٱللَّهُ خَلَقَ كُلَّ دَآبَّةٖ مِّن مَّآءٖۖ فَمِنۡهُم مَّن يَمۡشِي عَلَىٰ بَطۡنِهِۦ وَمِنۡهُم مَّن يَمۡشِي عَلَىٰ رِجۡلَيۡنِ وَمِنۡهُم مَّن يَمۡشِي عَلَىٰٓ أَرۡبَعٖۚ يَخۡلُقُ ٱللَّهُ مَا يَشَآءُۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ قَدِيرٞAnd God has created every living creature from water.
Quran 24:45
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ مِنَ ٱلۡمَآءِ بَشَرٗا فَجَعَلَهُۥ نَسَبٗا وَصِهۡرٗاۗ وَكَانَ رَبُّكَ قَدِيرٗاIt is he who has created man from water.
Quran 25:54
Clay
وَلَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مِن صَلۡصَٰلٖ مِّنۡ حَمَإٖ مَّسۡنُونٖWe created man from sounding clay, from mud moulded into shape.
Quran 15:26
Dust
وَمِنۡ ءَايَٰتِهِۦٓ أَنۡ خَلَقَكُم مِّن تُرَابٖ ثُمَّ إِذَآ أَنتُم بَشَرٞ تَنتَشِرُونَAmongst his signs is this, that he created you from dust.
Quran 30:20
Mud
قَالَ مَا مَنَعَكَ أَلَّا تَسۡجُدَ إِذۡ أَمَرۡتُكَۖ قَالَ أَنَا۠ خَيۡرٞ مِّنۡهُ خَلَقۡتَنِي مِن نَّارٖ وَخَلَقۡتَهُۥ مِن طِينٖ(Iblis) said: I am better than him. Thou createdst me of fire while him Thou didst create of mud.
Quran 7:12
Nothing
قَالَتۡ رَبِّ أَنَّىٰ یَكُونُ لِی وَلَدࣱ وَلَمۡ یَمۡسَسۡنِی بَشَرࣱۖ قَالَ كَذَ ٰلِكِ ٱللَّهُ یَخۡلُقُ مَا یَشَاۤءُۚ إِذَا قَضَىٰۤ أَمۡرࣰا فَإِنَّمَا یَقُولُ لَهُۥ كُن فَیَكُونُ ٤٧
God createth what He willeth: When he hath decreed a plan, he but saith to it, “Be,” and it is!
Quran 3:47
أَوَلَا يَذۡكُرُ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ أَنَّا خَلَقۡنَٰهُ مِن قَبۡلُ وَلَمۡ يَكُ شَيۡـٔٗاBut does not man call to mind that We created him before out of nothing?
Quran 19:67
A gushing fluid?
فَلۡيَنظُرِ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ مِمَّ خُلِقَخُلِقَ مِن مَّآءٖ دَافِقٖيَخۡرُجُ مِنۢ بَيۡنِ ٱلصُّلۡبِ وَٱلتَّرَآئِبSo let man consider from what he is created. He is created from a gushing fluid that issued from between the loins and ribs.
Quran 86:5-7
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There’s even more of these but you probably get the point.
If Allah’s supposedly divine word in the form of the Quran is unable to get its own facts straight about how Allah is supposed to be the creator of man, it should be obvious what the answer is to anybody – he isn’t. Satan and the Gods are the creators of humanity.
But let’s go further into the contradictions. Surah 7:12. The entire “rebellion” of Iblis in the Quran is based around Iblis’ belief he is superior to man because man is made of mud. This entire rebellion narrative falls flat if man was made from, say, nothing. Allah can’t “save you” from someone who had no cause for rebellion and hellfire in the first place.
The entire narrative of Allah the Creator and Iblis/Satan the rebel falls apart if this one fact cannot be established, and thus the Quran itself is void. That said, the slander against Iblis/Satan gets even more confused and backward, and reveals several important things about the true occult nature of Islam.
Is Iblis in the Quran an Angel or a Djinn?
Angel
إِذۡ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلۡمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ إِنِّي خَٰلِقُۢ بَشَرٗا مِّن طِينٖ
فَإِذَا سَوَّيۡتُهُۥ وَنَفَخۡتُ فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِي فَقَعُواْ لَهُۥ سَٰجِدِينَفَسَجَدَ ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ كُلُّهُمۡ أَجۡمَعُونَإِلَّآ إِبۡلِيسَ ٱسۡتَكۡبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَWhen thy Lord said unto the angels: Lo! I am about to create a mortal out of mire, And when I have fashioned him and breathed into him of My Spirit, then fall down before him prostrate, The angels fell down prostrate, every one, Saving Iblis; he was scornful and became one of the disbelievers.
Quran 38:71-74
(Other verses which are basically copy/pasted include 2:34, 7:11, 15:28, 17:61, 20:116)
Djinn
وَإِذۡ قُلۡنَا لِلۡمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ ٱسۡجُدُواْ لِأٓدَمَ فَسَجَدُوٓاْ إِلَّآ إِبۡلِيسَ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡجِنِّ فَفَسَقَ عَنۡ أَمۡرِ رَبِّهِۦٓۗ أَفَتَتَّخِذُونَهُۥ وَذُرِّيَّتَهُۥٓ أَوۡلِيَآءَ مِن دُونِي وَهُمۡ لَكُمۡ عَدُوُّۢۚ بِئۡسَ لِلظَّـٰلِمِينَ بَدَلٗاAnd (remember) when We said unto the angels: Fall prostrate before Adam, and they fell prostrate, all save Iblis. He was of the jinn, so he rebelled against his Lord’s command.
Quran 18:50
(Other supporting verses include 7:12 and 38:76 – Surah 15:27 states that Djinn are made of fire).
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Here is where the Quran truly begins to unravel as a religious text. The fact that the Quran can’t even get its slander consistent is proof that these attacks are founded in nothing but lies.
As most readers would know, the Torah and Bible try to portray Satan as a “Fallen Angel”. The Quran however, is even more confused on this matter, and some verses try to say he’s a Djinn.
What is a Djinn? Most people would know of this term through its anglicized name “Genie”, and this is where revelations about the true nature of Islam take place. A Djinn/Genie is, effectively, a supernatural being most common with the Ancient Greek Daemon or the Japanese Kami. In Spiritual Satanism, it is commonplace to refer to the Gods as Daemons or Demons, as the term can literally be taken to mean “inspiring force” in the traditional Greek language. Yes, for anyone reading this who is not versed in the truth of things, the actual word origin for Demon is actually a positive word, not a negative one.
Daemon, in turn, is roughly equivalent to the Roman Latin word “Genius”. English speakers will obviously know of this word already, but it runs deeper than this, as, like Daemon, it refers to a type of tutelary spirit, as well as a force/entity of spiritual brilliance. Some Daemons/Genius were considered ancestral spirits and protectors of specific households. Socrates stated he lived his life by the dictates of his personal Daemon, and Octavius Caesar deemed that libations be offered to the Genius of his Imperial House of Augustus. In some senses, Genius/Genii for this reason could refer to the spiritual elite of Rome, given their “supernatural” enlightenment and power.
One can also notice a root connection here to the word “Gentile”, that is, the collective non-Jewish races or the “Goyim.” In turn, you can see the word “Goy” again utilized for the Ars Goetia, a slanderous book that’s meant to represent the pre-Abrahamic Gentile Gods. This may seem off-topic, but I assure you, it’s not.
Djinn, as a word and a class of being, existed in pre-Islamic Arabia. In Palmyra’s Baalbek and such, the word “Djinn” was used to refer to both tutelary spirits as well as Gods, same as the word Daemon in Greece. This is an admittance on behalf of the Quran’s writers that the Djinn are the Gods of the Gentiles, and that Allah is nothing but the Jewish thoughtform Yahweh, and thus, alien to Gentile mind and soul.
Once you realize that the Quran is not the product of “God” and seemingly not even the product of a single man but multiple writers over the course of years and decades (precisely the same as the Bible), the image becomes clear. Since the Quran is reliant on the Torah/Bible for continuity, earlier writers tried to maintain this link by writing Iblis/Satan as a fallen Angel. However, as Islam grew and had to absorb more of its native Arabic audience, it had to explain away other long held local beliefs, and thus, the contradictions began.
After all, it’s widely held (with exceptions) that Angels have no free will in Islam and are basically totally obedient computer programs (which, if you’re aware of the occult nature of the Torah and Jewish Kabbalah ((does this word remind you of the Islamic Kaaba, perhaps)) is a more revealing thing than what people may realize).
Again, Islam, even more blatantly than its Abrahamic brethren, outright admits Satan is the God of the Gentiles, and that “Allah” is YHVH, the God of the Israelite (Jewish) prophets and Ibrahim/Abraham, from which Muhammad claims his tribal lineage (thus, by the way, making him Jewish by blood).
Now, we will look at some moral and ethical contradictions.
Can Muslims drink alcohol?
YES
وَمِن ثَمَرَٰتِ ٱلنَّخِيلِ وَٱلۡأَعۡنَٰبِ تَتَّخِذُونَ مِنۡهُ سَكَرٗا وَرِزۡقًا حَسَنًاۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَةٗ لِّقَوۡمٖ يَعۡقِلُونَAnd of the fruits of the date-palm, and grapes, whence ye derive strong drink and (also) good nourishment. Lo! therein is indeed a portent for people who have sense.
Quran 16:67
مَّثَلُ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ ٱلَّتِي وُعِدَ ٱلۡمُتَّقُونَۖ فِيهَآ أَنۡهَٰرٞ مِّن مَّآءٍ غَيۡرِ ءَاسِنٖ وَأَنۡهَٰرٞ مِّن لَّبَنٖ لَّمۡ يَتَغَيَّرۡ طَعۡمُهُۥ وَأَنۡهَٰرٞ مِّنۡ خَمۡرٖ لَّذَّةٖ لِّلشَّـٰرِبِينَ وَأَنۡهَٰرٞ مِّنۡ عَسَلٖ مُّصَفّٗىۖ وَلَهُمۡ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ وَمَغۡفِرَةٞ مِّن رَّبِّهِمۡۖ كَمَنۡ هُوَ خَٰلِدٞ فِي ٱلنَّارِ وَسُقُواْ مَآءً حَمِيمٗا فَقَطَّعَ أَمۡعَآءَهُمۡA similitude of the Garden which those who keep their duty (to Allah) are promised: Therein are rivers of water unpolluted, and rivers of milk whereof the flavour changeth not, and rivers of wine delicious to the drinkers, and rivers of clear- run honey; therein for them is every kind of fruit, with pardon from their Lord. (Are those who enjoy all this) like those who are immortal in the Fire and are given boiling water to drink so that it teareth their bowels?
Quran 47:15 (YES… IN PARADISE?)
NO
۞يَسۡـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلۡخَمۡرِ وَٱلۡمَيۡسِرِۖ قُلۡ فِيهِمَآ إِثۡمٞ كَبِيرٞ وَمَنَٰفِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَإِثۡمُهُمَآ أَكۡبَرُ مِن نَّفۡعِهِمَاۗ وَيَسۡـَٔلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنفِقُونَۖ قُلِ ٱلۡعَفۡوَۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمُ ٱلۡأٓيَٰتِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَتَفَكَّرُونَThey question thee about strong drink and games of chance. Say: In both is great sin, and (some) utility for men; but the sin of them is greater than their usefulness. And they ask thee what they ought to spend. Say: that which is superfluous. Thus Allah maketh plain to you (His) revelations, that haply ye may reflect.
Quran 2:219
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِنَّمَا ٱلۡخَمۡرُ وَٱلۡمَيۡسِرُ وَٱلۡأَنصَابُ وَٱلۡأَزۡلَٰمُ رِجۡسٞ مِّنۡ عَمَلِ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِ فَٱجۡتَنِبُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُونَO you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants (khamr), gambling, [sacrificing on] stone altars [to other than God], and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful.
Quran 5:90
For additional information, here’s an excerpt from the Hadith cited by two separate Islamic scholars, both considered highly reliable by other Islamists.
“Truly [God] has cursed [alcohol] and has cursed the one who produces it, the one for whom it is produced, the one who drinks it, the one who serves it, the one who carries it, the one for whom it is carried, the one who sells it, the one who earns from the sale of it, the one who buys it, and the one for whom it is bought.”
Muhammad/Allah’s word on alcohol is so stupidly unclear this is a debate that rages on all the way to this very day. Many of the fatwas (that is, rulings made by members of recognized Muslim authority) that are passed in online spaces have to do with alcohol. Some verses state it’s okay and reference the consumption of it, others dissuade and forbid it. Some Hadith content, like the above, are so severe on it not only can you not drink it, but you must utterly remove yourself from its existence by several degrees. It gets even stupider than this, however. Here’s a quote.
“…a consensus (ijmāʿ) on how to deal with alcohol has eluded Muslim jurists for more than a millennium”. The “Maliki, Hanbali, and Hanafi schools” of Islamic jurisprudence consider 80 lashes to be lawful punishment, the Shafi’i school calls for 40 lashes. “The Hadith does not cover the matter in sufficient detail… Is it 40 or 80 lashes? Can one substitute palm branches with a cane or leather whips? What constitutes as proof for consumption?” – Murtaza Haider of Dawn.com in Pakistan.
Nothing but contradictions. Indeed, a minority of Muslim countries have cultural drinking of non-grape alcohols. In others, you’ll be violently flogged.
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Does Allah ask for a fee?
YES
وَأَنفِقُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا تُلۡقُواْ بِأَيۡدِيكُمۡ إِلَى ٱلتَّهۡلُكَةِ وَأَحۡسِنُوٓاْۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَSpend your wealth for the cause of Allah, and be not cast by your own hands to ruin; and do good. Lo! Allah loveth the beneficent.
Quran 2:195
۞وَٱعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّمَا غَنِمۡتُم مِّن شَيۡءٖ فَأَنَّ لِلَّهِ خُمُسَهُۥ وَلِلرَّسُولِ وَلِذِي ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ وَٱلۡيَتَٰمَىٰ وَٱلۡمَسَٰكِينِ وَٱبۡنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ إِن كُنتُمۡ ءَامَنتُم بِٱللَّهِ وَمَآ أَنزَلۡنَا عَلَىٰ عَبۡدِنَا يَوۡمَ ٱلۡفُرۡقَانِ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡتَقَى ٱلۡجَمۡعَانِۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ قَدِيرٌAnd know that whatever ye take as spoils of war, lo! a fifth thereof is for Allah, and for the messenger and for the kinsman (who hath need) and orphans and the needy and the wayfarer, if ye believe in Allah and that which We revealed unto Our slave on the Day of Discrimination, the day when the two armies met. And Allah is Able to do all things.
Quran 8:41
خُذۡ مِنۡ أَمۡوَٰلِهِمۡ صَدَقَةٗ تُطَهِّرُهُمۡ وَتُزَكِّيهِم بِهَا وَصَلِّ عَلَيۡهِمۡۖ إِنَّ صَلَوٰتَكَ سَكَنٞ لَّهُمۡۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ,Take alms of their wealth, wherewith thou mayst purify them and mayst make them grow, and pray for them. Lo! thy prayer is an assuagement for them. Allah is Hearer, Knower.
Quran 9:103
۞إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱشۡتَرَىٰ مِنَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ أَنفُسَهُمۡ وَأَمۡوَٰلَهُم بِأَنَّ لَهُمُ ٱلۡجَنَّةَۚ يُقَٰتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَيَقۡتُلُونَ وَيُقۡتَلُونَۖ وَعۡدًا عَلَيۡهِ حَقّٗا فِي ٱلتَّوۡرَىٰةِ وَٱلۡإِنجِيلِ وَٱلۡقُرۡءَانِۚ وَمَنۡ أَوۡفَىٰ بِعَهۡدِهِۦ مِنَ ٱللَّهِۚ فَٱسۡتَبۡشِرُواْ بِبَيۡعِكُمُ ٱلَّذِي بَايَعۡتُم بِهِۦۚ وَذَٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلۡفَوۡزُ ٱلۡعَظِيمُ,Lo! Allah hath bought from the believers their lives and their wealth because the Garden will be theirs: they shall fight in the way of Allah and shall slay and be slain. It is a promise which is binding on Him in the Torah and the Gospel and the Qur’an. Who fulfilleth His covenant better than Allah? Rejoice then in your bargain that ye have made, for that is the supreme triumph.
Quran 9:111
(Other supporting verses include, Surah 47:38, Surah 49:15, and Surah 57:10).
NO
وَمَا تَسۡـَٔلُهُمۡ عَلَيۡهِ مِنۡ أَجۡرٍۚ إِنۡ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكۡرٞ لِّلۡعَٰلَمِينَThou askest them no fee for it. It is naught else than a reminder unto the peoples.Quran 12:104
ذَٰلِكَ ٱلَّذِي يُبَشِّرُ ٱللَّهُ عِبَادَهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَٰتِۗ قُل لَّآ أَسۡـَٔلُكُمۡ عَلَيۡهِ أَجۡرًا إِلَّا ٱلۡمَوَدَّةَ فِي ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰۗ وَمَن يَقۡتَرِفۡ حَسَنَةٗ نَّزِدۡ لَهُۥ فِيهَا حُسۡنًاۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٞ شَكُورٌThis it is which Allah announceth unto His bondmen who believe and do good works. Say (O Muhammad, unto mankind): I ask of you no fee therefor, save lovingkindness among kinsfolk. And whoso scoreth a good deed We add unto its good for him. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Responsive.
Quran 42:23
أَمۡ تَسۡـَٔلُهُمۡ أَجۡرٗا فَهُم مِّن مَّغۡرَمٖ مُّثۡقَلُونَOr askest thou (Muhammad) a fee from them so that they are plunged in debt?
Quran 52:40 and 68:46
Most (especially Sunni) Muslims believe in the concept of the Five Pillars of Islam, those being obligatory acts Muslims are obliged to take part in. One of these, specifically the Third, is Zakat, or almsigiving. In the historical context, this was done as a donation to the local mosque. In some Muslim majority countries it’s mandatory and run by the state itself. In others, it’s voluntary.
And that’s entirely because the Quranic justification for it contradicts itself. The contradiction is in fact, so bad, that the existence of Zakat lead to the Arabian “Ridda Wars” of the mid 600ADs, where some tribes simply refused to believe they owed anything and triggered massive infighting. Muhammad’s recorded death was 632AD. These wars over Zakat started literally the next day. Islam was barely an existent religion and already it was falling to shreds from its own bad writing.
Given that following the “Pillars of Islam” is considered your only way into Paradise for most Sunni Muslims, one would think that Allah’s word on it would hold any consistency. But if you’re consulting the Quran alone and ignoring Hadith material, good luck figuring what you need to do or not do.
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How to divide inheritance
يُوصِيكُمُ ٱللَّهُ فِيٓ أَوۡلَٰدِكُمۡۖ لِلذَّكَرِ مِثۡلُ حَظِّ ٱلۡأُنثَيَيۡنِۚ فَإِن كُنَّ نِسَآءٗ فَوۡقَ ٱثۡنَتَيۡنِ فَلَهُنَّ ثُلُثَا مَا تَرَكَۖ وَإِن كَانَتۡ وَٰحِدَةٗ فَلَهَا ٱلنِّصۡفُۚ وَلِأَبَوَيۡهِ لِكُلِّ وَٰحِدٖ مِّنۡهُمَا ٱلسُّدُسُ مِمَّا تَرَكَ إِن كَانَ لَهُۥ وَلَدٞۚ فَإِن لَّمۡ يَكُن لَّهُۥ وَلَدٞ وَوَرِثَهُۥٓ أَبَوَاهُ فَلِأُمِّهِ ٱلثُّلُثُۚ فَإِن كَانَ لَهُۥٓ إِخۡوَةٞ فَلِأُمِّهِ ٱلسُّدُسُۚ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ وَصِيَّةٖ يُو
صِي بِهَآ أَوۡ دَيۡنٍۗ ءَابَآؤُكُمۡ وَأَبۡنَآؤُكُمۡ لَا تَدۡرُونَ أَيُّهُمۡ أَقۡرَبُ لَكُمۡ نَفۡعٗاۚ فَرِيضَةٗ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمٗا
۞وَلَكُمۡ نِصۡفُ مَا تَرَكَ أَزۡوَٰجُكُمۡ إِن لَّمۡ يَكُن لَّهُنَّ وَلَدٞۚ فَإِن كَانَ لَهُنَّ وَلَدٞ فَلَكُمُ ٱلرُّبُعُ مِمَّا تَرَكۡنَۚ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ وَصِيَّةٖ يُوصِينَ بِهَآ أَوۡ دَيۡنٖۚ وَلَهُنَّ ٱلرُّبُعُ مِمَّا تَرَكۡتُمۡ إِن لَّمۡ يَكُن لَّكُمۡ وَلَدٞۚ فَإِن كَانَ لَكُمۡ وَلَدٞ فَلَهُنَّ ٱلثُّمُنُ مِمَّا تَرَكۡتُمۚ مِّنۢ بَعۡدِ وَصِيَّةٖ تُوصُونَ بِهَآ أَوۡ دَيۡنٖۗ وَإِن كَانَ رَجُلٞ يُورَثُ كَلَٰلَةً أَوِ
ٱمۡرَأَةٞ وَلَهُۥٓ أَخٌ أَوۡ أُخۡتٞ فَلِكُلِّ وَٰحِدٖ مِّنۡهُمَا ٱلسُّدُسُۚ فَإِن كَانُوٓاْ أَكۡثَرَ مِن ذَٰلِكَ فَهُمۡ شُرَكَآءُ فِي ٱلثُّلُثِۚ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ وَصِيَّةٖ يُوصَىٰ بِهَآ أَوۡ دَيۡنٍ غَيۡرَ مُضَآرّٖۚ وَصِيَّةٗ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَلِيمٞ
Allah instructs you concerning your children: for the male, what is equal to the share of two females. But if there are (only) daughters, two or more, for them is two thirds of one’s estate. And if there is only one, for her is half. And for one’s parents, to each one of them is a sixth of his estate if he left children. But if he had no children and the parents (alone) inherit from him, then for his mother is one third. And if he had brothers (or sisters), for his mother is a sixth, after any bequest he (may have) made or debt. Your parents or your children – you know not which of them are nearest to you in benefit. (These shares are) an obligation (imposed) by Allah. Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Wise.And for you is half of what your wives leave if they have no child. But if they have a child, for you is one fourth of what they leave, after any bequest they (may have) made or debt. And for the wives is one fourth if you leave no child. But if you leave a child, then for them is an eighth of what you leave, after any bequest you (may have) made or debt. And if a man or woman leaves neither ascendants nor descendants but has a brother or a sister, then for each one of them is a sixth. But if they are more than two, they share a third, after any bequest which was made or debt, as long as there is no detriment (caused). (This is) an ordinance from Allah, and Allah is Knowing and Forbearing… They request from you a (legal) ruling. Say, ” Allah gives you a ruling concerning one having neither descendants nor ascendants (as heirs).” If a man dies, leaving no child but (only) a sister, she will have half of what he left. And he inherits from her if she (dies and) has no child. But if there are two sisters (or more), they will have two-thirds of what he left. If there are both brothers and sisters, the male will have the share of two females. Allah makes clear to you (His law), lest you go astray. And Allah is Knowing of all things.
Quran 4:11-4:12
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Clear as mud. If your brain hurts after trying to digest this (and you’re hardly alone), do not fret, for it will be broken in such a way that only a perfunctory look is required.
66.7% = 2/3 for daughters 16.7% = 1/6 for mother
33.3% = 2 x (1/6) for parents 25.0% = 1/4 for wives
12.5% = 1/8 for wives 66.7% = 2/3 for sisters
112.5% = total for Situation 1 108.4% = total for Situation 2
How ironic the passage ends with a statement that Allah makes it clear to you when the matter at hand is obfuscated as much as possible. Spare a thought for the Muslims with dead relatives trying to figure out how to square up the deceased’s estate 112%. Will Allah, in his power, create it from thin air?
To make matters even stupider, before his Prophet days, it’s widely known that Muhammad was a (supposedly) successful businessman and merchant. If one believes the Quran was penned by his hand or eked out from his mouth, you would think a successful businessman like himself would have no trouble with a bit of basic arithmetic.
Of course, this hardly matters when, a few passages back at Quran 4:7 most of what’s described here is contradicted anyway.
“To the men a share of what parents and kinsmen leave andto the women a share of what parents and kinsmen leave, whether it (the property) be little or much, a share apportioned.“
Again, I quote: “Allah instructs you concerning your children: for the male, what is equal to the share of two females.”
Evidently, Allah is unable to make up his mind on the matter. One distinctly stated that men and women share equal portion. The other, a man receives the portions of two females.
Despite how people praise the “Islamic Golden Age’s” supposed advancements in science and culture, it certainly didn’t occur to anyone that the Quran had some very basic mathematical errors. Apparently, even the human hands who authored it were of pitifully low intelligence. Would you follow a Divine truth laid down by people without even the barest ability to solve math problems and not contradict themselves mere pages apart?
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