Islam - The Summit of Religious Evolution — Page 34
34 by mankind from time to time. In the case of no other scriptures has the integrity of its text, its language and its guidance been maintained. That Divine Challenge put forth almost 1400 years ago is still valid today. The very fact that no other versions of the Quran exist is overwhelming evidence of its Divine protection. M. Becaulli in his book "The Bible, The Quran and Science" testifies to the above facts (emphasis added): If we now examine the teachings of Muslim exegetes, we shall see that they present the Qur'an in quite a different manner. About fourteen centuries ago at a meditation retreat near Mecca, Muhammad received a first message through the Archangel Gabriel. After a long period of silence, the first message was followed by successive revelations spanning a period of some twenty years. They were not only transcribed while the Prophet was still alive, but also recited by heart by his early followers and later by the many believers who had gathered around him. After his death (in 632 A. D. ), the various elements were brought together in a book, henceforth known as The Qur'an. It contains the Word of God to the exclusion of any human addition. The manuscripts we possess from the first century of Islam authenticate today's text. 41 Islam has its equivalent of the Gospels in the Hadiths. These are the collected sayings of Muhammad and the story of his deeds. The Gospels are nothing other than this for Jesus. The first collections of Hadiths were written decades after the death of Muhammad, just as the Gospels were written decades after Jesus. In both cases they bear human witness to events in the past. 42 There are no scientific errors in the Quran. 43 In conclusion then, the Pentateuch (Torah), as we know it today, is not exactly the same as it was revealed to Moses. Subsequent books of the Old Testament have also undergone many revisions and modifications to the extent that many words and phrases found in the older versions have been changed in the subsequent revisions. It may be coincidental that many of the changed words or sections are those, which the Muslims have used to support their viewpoint. In spite of the inconsistencies among the various versions, the Old Testament still foretells the promulgation of a new law from God to guide future generations. The absolute accuracy of the Bible can best be described by this quote from the preface of the RSV as “ the most probable reconstruction of events based on the best judgement of competent scholars”. 44 The Quran on the other hand, stands alone in its absolute authenticity. Its accuracy is beyond the slightest shadow of doubt. This fact has been corroborated by many independent researchers and can also be verified today as the first written copies of the Quran still exist.