1.       Shirk (Associating partners with Allah, polytheism, idolatry).

Shirk (polytheism) is defined as holding false gods as equals with Allah (glorious and exalted is He) in His Attributes (Characteristics), and/or devoting or awarding any act of worship to others than Allah (glorious and exalted is He).

Falling into shirk (polytheism) can be practiced in many ways. Abdullah Bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated, the Messenger of Allah (peace & blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

“Shirk (polytheism) is of seventy-some types”[2]

This hadith means that falling into shirk (polytheism) could happen in many ways and not only by practicing one violation of Tawheed (monotheism), as many people mistakenly believe. Shirk could be practiced by associating others with Allah (Glorious & Exalted is He) in His Ulooheeyah (the duties of the creation to the Creator), Ruboobeeyah (the duties of the Creator to the creation) or in His Names and Attributes.

Associating others with Allah (glorious and exalted is He) in His Ulooheeyah is by praying to others, supplicating to them, prostrating before them, slaughtering in their name, seeking their help in things which only Allah (glorious and exalted is He) can do, calling on them in their absence or devoting any type of worship to others than Allah (glorious and exalted is He).

Associating others with Allah (glorious and exalted is He) in His Ruboobeeyah is by ascribing to any of the creation management or control of the universe to others. For example: believing that someone or something can create or resurrect as only can Allah (glorious and exalted is He), or believing that someone or something can bring down the rain.

Associating others with Allah (glorious and exalted is He) in His Names is by calling someone by any of the Names of Allah (glorious and exalted is He), such as naming someone Allah, Ar-Rahman or Al-Khaliq (The Creator).

Associating others with Allah (glorious and exalted is He) in His Attributes is to equate the creation with The Creator in His Attributes, such as believing that a certain person knows the future.

If a person meets his Lord whilst possessing these forms of Shirk (Associating partners with Allah, polytheism, idolatry), he has committed the gravest sin. Therefore, Allah will not forgive him and will admit him into Hell-Fire.

Allah, the Most High says:

“Verily, Allah does not forgive that partners be associated with Him in worship (i.e. Shirk), but He forgives what is less than that to whom He wills.” [3]

And He (the glorious and exalted) says:
“Verily, the one who mixes partners in worship with Allah (Shirk), then Paradise has been made forbidden for him and his final abode will be the Hellfire. And the wrongdoers will not have any helpers (in Hell).” [4]

 2.       Whoever sets up intermediaries (al -Wasaa’it) between oneself and Allah (glorious and exalted is He), making supplication (ad-Du’aa) to them, asking them for Intercession (Shafaa’ah), and Relying upon them (Tawakkul) – In that case he/she has committed disbelief according to the Consensus (Ijmaa’) of the Muslim communities past and present.

There are many verses in the Qur’aan proving that one must direct his request to Allah (glorious and exalted is He) and worship Him sincerely without associating any partners with Him.

Allah, the Most High says:

“Surely the religion (worship and obedience) is for Allah (Alone). And those who take Auliyaa’ (protectors, helpers, lords, gods) besides Him (say): ‘We only worship them that they may bring us nearer to Allah.’ Indeed, Allah will judge between them concerning that wherein they differ. Verily, Allah does not guide one who is a Kaadhib (liar) Kaffaar (disbeliever).”[5]

And He (the Most Glorious and Exalted) says:

“And invoke not besides Allah any such that will neither profit you nor hurt you, but if [in case] you did so, you shall certainly be one of the Thalimeen [polytheists and wrong-doers]. And if Allah touches you with hurt, there is none whom can remove it but He, and if He intends any good for you, there is none who can repel His Favor which He causes it to reach whomsoever of His slaves He wills. And He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful”.[6]

It is an obligation to seek help from Allah alone (glorious and exalted is He) at times of hardship (as well as ease) and to put complete trust in Him (the Most Glorious and Exalted) alone, for all aspects of life.

Narrated Abdullah Bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him):

“One day I was riding behind the Prophet (peace & blessings of Allah be upon him) when he said: ‘Lad, be mindful of Allah and He will protect you. Be mindful of Allah and you will find Him before you. When you ask [for anything], ask it from Allah, and if you seek help, seek help from Allah’.”[7]

Narrated Umar Bin Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him):

“I heard Allah’s Messenger (peace & blessings of Allah be upon him) say: ‘If you all relied on Allah with due reliance, He would certainly give you provision as He gives it to birds who issue forth hungry in the morning and return with full belly at dusk’.”[8]

3.       Anyone who does not consider those who commit Shirk to be disbelievers, or who has doubts concerning their disbelief, or considers their way and doctrines to be correct, has himself fallen into disbelief by consensus.

This is because Allah, the Majestic and Most High, has declared them to be (kuffaar: disbelievers) in so many verses of His Book:

“Verily, those who disbelieve [in the religion of Islam, the Qur’aan and Prophet Muhammad (peace & blessings of Allah be upon him)] from among the people of the Scripture [Jews and Christians] and Al-Mushrikeen, will abide in the Fire of Hell”.[9]

Allah, the Most High, says:
“Surely, they have disbelieved who say: ‘Allah is the Messiah, son of Maryam…”[10]

And He, the Most High, also says:
“Surely, they have disbelieved who say: ‘Allah is the third of the three (i.e. trinity)…”[11]

When we say the kuffar (infidels, disbelievers) here, we mean those for whom there is no doubt they are disbelievers (i.e. Jews, Christians, Hindus, etc.) and those who claim to be Muslims, but who are proven by the majority of the Muslim scholars to be disbelievers (i.e. Qadianies, An-Nusayriah, Al-Baha’aih, Ad-Drowze, Al Batiniah, etc.)

 4.       Whoever believes that some guidance other than that of the Prophet’s (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) is more complete than his guidance and that someone else’s judgement is better than his judgement, such as the one who prefers the judgement of the Tawaagheet (pl. of Taaghoot; false deities/religions) over his judgement, then he is a disbeliever.

There is no doubt that the guidance of Prophet Muhammad (peace & blessings of Allah be upon him) is more perfect than any other since it is a revelation.

Allah (Glorious and Exalted is He) says in the Qur’aan:

“Nor does he speak of (his own) desire. It is only a revelation revealed”.[13]

Allah, the Most High, also says:

“But no, by your Lord! They can have no Faith until they make you [O Muhammad (peace & blessings of Allah be upon him)] the judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission”. [14]

The Prophet Muhammad (peace & blessings of Allah be upon him) used to say on his Friday Sermons:

“The best of speech is embodied in the Book of Allah (Glorious & Exalted is He), and the best of guidance is the guidance given by Muhammad (peace & blessings of Allah be upon him). And the most evil affairs are their innovations; and every innovation is error”.[15]

In the Qur’aan, Allah (Glorious and Exalted is He) describes those judging by laws other than His as disbelievers. He calls them “Al-Kaafiroon”, “Al-Fasiqeen” and “Al-Thalimeen”.

He, The Most High says:

“And whosoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, such are the kaafiroon (disbelievers)”[16]

5.       Anyone who hates and detests anything of what the Messenger of Allah (peace & blessings of Allah be upon him) has brought has left the fold of Islam, even if he practices it.

Allah (Glorious and Exalted is He) says:

“But those who disbelieve (in the Oneness of Allah – Islamic Monotheism), for them is destruction, and (Allah) will make their deeds in vain. That is because they hate that which Allah has sent down (this Qur’aan, Islamic laws, etc.), so He has made their deeds fruitless”.[17]

There are two conditions of this nullifier:

• The person must know that the action they reject or dislike is an affirmed Islamic rule in the Qur’aan and Sunnah (i.e. As-Salaat).
• There must be ijma’ (consensus of the Muslim scholars) on this ruling. If one dislikes a ruling that has Ikhtilaaf (disputation) among the scholars, then this is not kufr (infidelity).

6.       Anyone who ridicules or mocks any aspect of the religion brought by the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wa sallam) or of any of its rewards or punishments becomes a disbeliever.

Allah, the Most High, says:

“…Say: Was it Allah, and His Ayaat (proofs, signs, and revelations) and His Messenger (peace & blessings of Allah be upon him) that you were mocking? Make no excuse; you have disbelieved after you had believed…”[18]

This ayah (verse) was revealed with regard to a group of people that had mocked and ridiculed the Prophet Muhammad (peace & blessings of Allah be upon him) during the battle expedition of Tabuk. They said: “We have not seen anyone more eager to fill their stomachs nor more lying with their tongues nor more cowardly in the battlefield than the likes of these companions of ours.”[19] They meant by this the Messenger (peace & blessings of Allah be upon him) and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). So Allah (Glorious & Exalted is He) announced those hypocrites as kuffar (infidels) for mocking the Messenger (peace & blessings of Allah be upon him) and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) after being believers. Therefore, mocking Allah (Glorious & Exalted is He), His Messenger (peace & blessings of Allah be upon him) or the religion of Islam is considered kufr (infidelity) and hypocrisy.

7.       Sorcery or Magic, which includes as-Sarf (causing alienation) and al-‘Ataf (causing affection or attachment). He who practices it or is pleased with it is a disbeliever.

The evidence of this is the in the Qur’aan when Allah, the Most High says:

“…but neither of these two (angels Haaroot and Maaroot) taught anyone (such things) till they had said, ‘we are only a fitnah (trial, test) so do not disbelieve (by learning this magic from us)’…”[20]

Also, asking a magician and believing him is kufr (infidelity). Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger (peace & blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

“Whoever goes to fortuneteller or a soothsayer and believes in his words has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad (peace & blessings of Allah be upon him)’.”[21]

8.       Backing or supporting the polytheists and aiding them against the Muslims.

The meaning of helping the kuffar (infidels) against the Muslims is to be their aid against the Muslim by joining them and defending them by every mean (words, writing articles, physical protection, etc). Helping the kuffar (infidels) against the Muslims can be done by protecting them, defending them, loving their ‘Aqeedah (false faith), imitating them (in their religion, customs, etc.). Also helping them against the Muslims even though the person dislikes their faith is considered as kufr (infidelity). The outcome of helping the kuffar (infidels) against the Muslims is, weakening the Religion of Islam, the rising of the kufr (infidelity) and leading the false faith of the kuffar (infidels) to overpower the Islamic ‘Aqeedah (creed).[22]

And the evidence of this is the Saying of Allah, the Most High:

“O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians as Auliyaa’ (friends, protectors, helpers, etc.), they are but Auliyaa’ to one another. And if any amongst you takes them as Auliyaa’, then surely he is one of them. Verily, Allah guides not those people who are the Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrong-doers and unjust)”.[23]

9.       Whoever believes that it is permitted for some people to be free of (implementing) the Shari’ah (revealed laws) of Muhammad (peace & blessings of Allah be upon him) – i.e. Islaam, just as it was permitted for Al-Khidr to be free from the Shari’ah of Musaa, then he is a disbeliever.

The belief that it is permissible for one to be free from practicing the Shari’ah of Muhammad and that he can worship Allah with something other than the Shari’ah that the Messenger came with. And he believes that he will reach Allaah and be from the inhabitants of Paradise even if he doesn’t abide by the Shari’ah of Muhammad, as some of the philosophers have stated. So he worships Allah through the path of philosophy or the path of Sabianism or the path of Sufism, thinking that he can reach Allah through the path of Muhammad or through some other path, and he says: “They are all the same.” This person is a disbeliever because there is no path by which one can proceed towards Allah except through the path of the Messenger (peace & blessings of Allah be upon him).

The evidence for this is when Allah, the Most High says:

“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will not be accepted from him and in the hereafter he will be from among the losers.” [24]

Therefore, it is not permissible for anyone to be free of implementing the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace & blessings of Allah be upon him) Shari’ah (law system – i.e. Islaam) because it is all encompassing for both the Jinn and mankind, and it is the last of all Sharaa’i (pl. of Shari’ah; laws).

As for Al-Khidr being free from the Shari’ah of Musaa, then there is no proof in this because the Shari’ah of Musaa was not all encompassing like that of Muhammad’s (peace & blessings of Allah be upon him) – i.e it was only sent for the Tribe of Israel. Al-Khidr was also a prophet himself whom revelation was sent to.

Allah, the Most High tells us:

“Then they found one of Our slaves, on whom We had bestowed mercy from Us, and whom We had taught knowledge from Us. Moses said to him (Al-Khidhr): May I follow you so that you teach me something of that knowledge (guidance and true path) which you have been taught (by Allah)?”.[25]

10.   Avoiding and turning completely away from the religion of Allah by abstaining from learning its precepts or not acting upon it.

Allah (glorious & exalted is He) says:

“And who does more wrong than he who is reminded of the Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, signs, revelations, etc.) of his Lord, then he turns away there from? Verily, We shall extract retribution from the Mujrimoon (disbelievers, polytheists, sinners, etc).”[26]

Every Muslim must study his/her Religion in order to worship Allah (glorious & exalted is He) the correct way and practice what has been ordained on them from Allah (glorious & exalted is He). So, avoiding learning the major actions of Islam such as At-Tawheed, As-Salat (daily five prayers), Az-Zakat (annual charity), etc. is Kufr (infidelity). But avoiding learning only the minor actions of Islam, this is not included in this nullifier because abandoning those actions is not considered Kufr (infidelity).

In conclusion, there is no difference, with regard to committing any of these nullifiers, between the one who jokes, the one who is serious or the one who does so out of fear. However, the one who commits them due to being coerced is excused.

Allah, the Most High states:

“Whoever disbelieved in Allah after having believed, except he who is forced thereto and whose heart is at rest with Faith, but as for those who open their breasts to disbelief, upon them is the Wrath of Allah and theirs will be a grave torment.”[27]

All of these (ten) matters are from the gravest in danger and from those that most often occur. So the Muslim must beware of them and fear from these acts befalling him. We seek refuge in Allah from those things that bring about His Anger and painful Punishment. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon the best of His creatures, Muhammad, his Family and his Companions

We can scarcely imagine their fear.  It is the fear of a helpless person in the face of a strong and merciless abuser.  These bandits knew only the law of the jungle.  Like lions, they recognized no code of ethics besides their own hunger and lust.  Anyone they could subdue was fair game.

Though the community lived in the desert, before the arrival of the gang, they enjoyed peace and security and managed to prosper.  Now they were being stripped of their lives, their liberty, and their honor.  In desperation, they appealed to the authorities to come save them.

The head of state decided to take it upon himself to lead his forces into the area and punish the ones who were spreading terror and violating the lives and security of his people.  News of this mobilization spread quickly and soon the bandits knew that the authorities were coming after them in force.  They were compelled to flee the area and seek refuge in the surrounding mountains.  They hid among the highest peaks they could find, hoping to save themselves.  They knew that they could very well meet their fate in the very place they were fleeing to, but they hoped to at least be able to scope out the forces that were being sent against them.

The forces arrived under the command of the head of state to find that the bandits had abandoned the area and taken up positions on a nearby mountain to survey the situation from a safe vantage point.

As soon as the forces arrived, a thunderstorm struck, flooding the valleys near the mountain.  The head of state was soaked through.  After the storm passed, he went off to find a place to remove his clothes and allow them to air out.  He found a tree, took off his outer garments, and hung them on a branch to dry.  He sat beneath the tree to rest from the tiring journey.  Fatigue defeated him and he soon drifted off to sleep.

One of the bandits was watching this with interest, and said to himself: “This is an excellent opportunity to subdue the leader while he is sleeping.  Then no one will stand in our way.”

Exercising the utmost stealth, he climbed down from the mountain and snuck across to where the leader was sleeping.

As he approached the tree, he noticed the leader’s sword beside him.  He looked left and right to make sure that no one else was around.  Then, with his skill as a thief, he quickly snatched up the sword and then pointed it in the leaders face.

The bandit sneered and exclaimed: “Who will save you from me now?”

The leader woke up at these words to see the bandit standing, threateningly above his head, sword in hand.  He realized immediately that the glowering bandit had disarmed him and was threatening to kill him.  Imagine what you would do in such a situation.

The leader kept his composure, straightened himself up where he was sitting, and regarded his assailant calmly.  After listening patiently to the bandit’s threats, he answered his assailant’s question, and said: “God will save me.”

The bandit felt a shudder go through his body and down his arm.  He dropped the sword.  As swiftly as it fell, the leader snatched it up and came upon the bandit with it, repeating the same question that the bandit had asked him moments before: “Who will save you from me now?”

Imagine that you found yourself in this leader’s position.  What would you do with the bandit? Would your state of mind give you any chance to think before acting? Would anyone blame you if you struck the thief down in self defense?

However, this leader had a strong, magnanimous heart, a heart that knew neither rancor nor vengefulness.  He regarded vindictiveness to be a sign of weakness.  Imagine that the leader not only pardoned the bandit, but offered him the opportunity to join with his forces in their campaign.  Moreover, he promised him that if he took the offer, he would receive all of the entitlements and rewards that the other soldiers would get.

We would suspect the bandit to eagerly take up this offer, at least as an act of deception.  However, the bandit did the unthinkable.  He refused, and the ruffian did so with all the coarseness and impertinence that he could muster.

The leader said to him: “Then go.  You know the way.”

The bandit began to hasten away, but then stopped and said: “I will not fight against you, nor will I ever join with any group who fights you.”  This, in and of itself, was an acceptable enough outcome.

When the bandit returned to the rest of his gang, they could see that he was elated to have survived the encounter.  He said to them: “I have come to you from a leader like no other.”  He then related to them everything that had happened and how fortunate he was to still be alive.”

It remains for us to reveal the identity of this leader.  He was the same person who is often maligned and depicted in a most ignoble light.

Yes, he was none other than Muhammad, the Prophet of God.

A very popular question among atheists is, ‘Granted that the existence of temporal things necessitates the existence of an eternal cause, why should that cause be the God of religion? Why can’t matter be eternal and be therefore in no need of an eternal creator?’ I shall argue, on an Islamic basis but at the same time also on a rational basis, that the attribute of eternity entails other attributes, which matter does not and cannot have, and cannot, in view of this, play the role of the original and ultimate cause of temporal things. Muslim theologians say that eternity of existence logically implies everlastingness. This is true because, if something is eternal then it does not depend for its existence on anything outside itself. If this is so then it can never pass away, because only those things pass away that lose some of the external conditions on which they depend for their existence. If the ultimate cause of temporal things is eternal and everlasting, it must of necessity be self-sufficient, [in Arabic] qayyoom and ghanee.

Can there be more than one such creator? The Quran tells us that this is impossible:

“God never had a child, nor have there been any gods beside him. [Had there been any], each of them would have appropriated to himself what he created, and some would have overcome others…” (Quran 23:91)

This Quranic argument was paraphrased by some Muslims theologians in a way somewhat like the following:
The assumption that there are gods beside the one true God leads to false consequences and must therefore be false. If there is more than one god, then:

1. if every detail of everything in the world was the result of the action of one of the gods, it cannot at the same time be the result of the action of another god. But if,
2. some things in the world were created by some gods, and others by other gods, then each god would rule independently over what he created, which means that nothing in his world can even in principle, be influenced by anything outside it. But this contradicts the observed unity and interdependence of the world. And if that is impossible, then
3. some gods will overcome others, but if that happens then the ones who are vanquished cannot be true gods. There can, therefore, be no more than one creator.

How does this creator create? Since He is self-sufficient, He cannot be said to depend on anything outside Himself in any actions, and cannot therefore be said to produce His effects the way natural causes do. But if He is not a natural cause, He must be a volitional agent. And since intention implies knowledge, and knowledge and intention imply life, he must be a living being. Since He is an eternal and everlasting being, all His attributes must reflect this quality; thus He must be not only knowing, but all-knowing, not only powerful, but all-powerful, etc.
Since no matter in any form can answer to these attributes, and since all these attributes are implied by the two attributes of eternity and everlastingness, no form of matter can be either eternal or everlasting, and thus no matter of any form can play the role of that ultimate cause. This much of the attributes that an eternal and everlasting creator must have is enough, I suppose, to show that it cannot be matter.
But this conclusion can be further confirmed by what modern science tells us about the nature of matter.

Some might say, ‘Granted that this god is a personal and living God, and that He has the attributes which you mentioned, why should He be the God of Islam and not, say the Christian or Jewish God?’ The God of Islam is the God of all true prophets of God from Adam down to Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. But it is a basic claim of the religion with which Muhammad came that previous religions (including Christianity and Judaism) have not been kept in their pristine form which those prophets advocated, but have been tampered with and distorted. The only religion whose book has taken upon itself to be preserved from any such distortions is the religion of the last of God’s prophets, namely Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him. This is not to say that everything in those religions is false or bad. No! There is much in them that is good and true; it is only those elements in them that contradict Islam which must be false or bad. But even if they were to be purged of everything that is not in consonance with Islam, they would still be less perfect than Islam is, especially in their conceptions of God, therefore unsuitable for being universal religions.
Having said this, let me give one example of a non-Islamic religious belief which the Quran considers to be a stupendous blasphemy against God, namely that He has children. At the time of the Prophet, some Arabs believed that the angels were the daughters of God, while some Christians believed that Jesus was the son of God, and some Jews believed that Ezra was the son of God. Just as the Quran gave arguments for the impossibility of there being any gods besides the one true God, it also gave elaborate arguments to show the impossibility of Him having a child, whether male or female. If the Creator is one and self-sufficient, then He is also unique, ahad:

“…Nothing is like Him…” (Quran 42:11)

But if so then:

“He neither begets nor is He begotten.” (Quran 112:3)
“…How can He have a child if He has no wife, and if He created everything?…” (Quran 6:101)

The Quran is here saying that the claim that God has children contradicts the facts (acknowledged by those who make this claim) that He is the Creator of everything, that He is self-sufficient, and that He has no spouse. Now if He is the creator of everything, this necessarily includes the one who is claimed to be His child. But if this is created by Him, it cannot be His child; it has to be one of His creations. One does not create one’s child; one begets it. If it is insisted that the child is actually begotten and not created by God, this will entail the following false consequences:

The begotten child must be of the same nature as its father, in which case God will not be unique or one.
God will not be the creator of everything.
God will have to have a spouse, who must of course be of the same nature as He is, otherwise they cannot beget anything.

But in that case the number of beings who are of the same nature as God will be raised to three.
If the child is begotten then it cannot be eternal, i.e. it cannot be of the same nature as the father.
It must therefore be temporal; but in that case it has to have a creator. But if the God who is its father cannot at the same time be its creator, then there must be its creator, then there must be another creator besides that God the father; but in that case, this other creator will be the one true creator because it was through his power that the first one was able to beget its son. This will raise the number of gods to four.

No wonder than that the Quran said about those who claimed that God has a child:

“You have indeed come with something most monstrous, of which the skies almost burst, the earth split asunder, and the mountains fall down in utter ruin. All this because of their attributing a child to God.” (Quran 19:89-91)

“As people have certainly been influenced by me, I want to try and correct the enormous damage I may have done.” (Anthony Flew)

The newspapers these days are echoing with these regret-filled words by Antony Flew, in his time a well-known atheist philosopher.  The 81-year-old British professor of philosophy Flew chose to become an atheist at the age of 15, and first made a name for himself in the academic field with a paper published in 1950.  In the 54 years that followed, he defended atheism as a teacher at the universities of Oxford, Aberdeen, Keele and Reading, at many American and Canadian universities he visited, in debates, books, lecture halls and articles.  In recent days, however, Flew has
announced that he has abandoned this error and accepts that the universe was created.

The decisive factor in this radical change of view is the clear and definitive evidence revealed by science on the subject of
creation.  Flew realized, in the face of the information-based complexity of life, that the true origin of life is intelligent design and that the atheism he had espoused for 66 years was a discredited philosophy.

Flew announced the scientific reasons underlying this change in belief in these terms:

“Biologists’ investigation of DNA has shown, by the almost unbelievable complexity of the arrangements which are needed to produce [life], that intelligence must have been involved.”[1]

“It has become inordinately difficult even to begin to think about constructing a naturalistic theory of the evolution of that first reproducing organism.”[2]

“I have been persuaded that it is simply out of the question that the first living matter evolved out of dead matter and then developed into an extraordinarily complicated creature.”[3]

The DNA research which Flew cites as a fundamental reason for his change of opinion has indeed revealed striking facts about creation.  The helix shape of the DNA molecule, its possession of the genetic code, the nucleotide strings that refute blind chance, the storage of encyclopedic quantities of information and many other striking findings have revealed that the structure and functions of this molecule were arranged for life with a special design.  Comments by scientistsconcerned with DNA research bear witness to this fact.

Francis Crick, for instance, one of the scientists who revealed the helix shape of DNA admitted in the face of the findings regarding DNA that the origin of life indicated a miracle:

An honest man, armed with all the knowledge available to us now, could only state that in some sense, the origin of life appears at the moment to be almost a miracle, so many are the conditions which would have had to have been satisfied to get it going.[4]

Based on his calculations, Led Adleman of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles has stated that one gram of DNA can store as much information as a trillion compact discs.[5]  Gene Myers, a scientist employed on the Human Genome Project, has said the following in the face of the miraculous arrangements he witnessed:

“What really astounds me is the architecture of life… The system is extremely complex.  It’s like it was designed… There’s a huge intelligence there.”[6]

The most striking fact about DNA is that the existence of the coded genetic information can definitely not be explained in terms of matter and energy or natural laws.  Dr. Werner Gitt, a professor at the German Federal Institute of Physics and Technology, has said this on the subject:

A code system is always the result of a mental process… It should be emphasized that matter as such is unable to generate any code.  All experiences indicate that a thinking being voluntarily exercising his own free will, cognition, and creativity, is required… There is no known natural law through which matter can give rise to information, neither is any physical process or material phenomenon known that can do this.[7]

Creationist scientists and philosophers played a major role in Flew’s acceptance of intelligent design, backed up by all these findings.  In recent times Flew participated in debates with scientists and philosophers who were proponents of creation, and exchanged ideas with them.  The final turning point in that process was a discussion organized by the Institute for Metascientific Research in Texas in May, 2003.  Professor Flew participated in the discussion together with the author, Roy Abraham Varghese, a physicist, and the molecular biologist, Gerald Schroeder.  Flew was impressed by the weight of the scientific evidence in favor of creation and by the convincing nature of his opponents’ arguments and abandoned atheism as an idea in the period following that discussion.  In a letter he wrote for the August-September, 2003, edition of the British magazine Philosophy Now, he recommended Schroeder’s book “The Hidden Face of God: Science Reveals the Ultimate Truth” and Varghese’s book “The Wonderful World.”[8]  During an interview with the professor of philosophy and theology Gary R. Habermas, who also played a major role in his change of mind,[9]
and also on the video “Has Science Discovered God?”  he openly stated that he believed in intelligent design.

The “Intelligence Pervading the Universe” and the Collapse of Atheism

In the face of all the scientific developments outlined above, the acceptance of intelligent design by Anthony Flew, famous for defending atheism for many years, reflects a final scene in the process of collapse which atheism is being subjected to Modern science has revealed the existence of an “intelligence pervading the universe,” thus leaving atheism out of the equation.

In his book “The Hidden Face of God,” Gerald Schroeder, one of the creationist scientists who influenced Flew, writes:

A single consciousness, a universal wisdom, pervades the universe.  The discoveries of science, those that search the quantum nature of subatomic matter, have moved us to the brink of a startling realization: all existence is the expression of this wisdom.  In the laboratories we experience it as information that first physically articulated as energy and then condensed into the form of matter.  Every particle, every being, from atom to human, appears to represent a level of  information, of wisdom.[10]

Scientific research into both the functioning of the cell and the subatomic particles of matter has revealed this fact in an
indisputable manner: Life and the universe were brought into being from nothing by the will of an entity possessed of a superior knowledge and wisdom.  There is no doubt that the possessor of that knowledge and wisdom that designed the universe at all levels is Almighty God.  God reveals these truths in many verses of the Quran.

Explanation of this definition:

The statements of the Prophet include everything the Prophet said for various reasons on different occasions. For example, he said:

 ”Verily deeds are but by intentions, and every person will have only what he intended.”

The actions of the Prophet include everything that the Prophet did that was related to us by his Companions. This includes how he made ablutions, how he performed his prayers, and how he made the Hajj pilgrimage.

The tacit approvals of the Prophet includes everything that his Companions said or did that he either showed his favor towards or at least did not object to. Anything that had the tacit approval of the Prophet is as valid as anything that he said or did himself.

An example of this is the approval that was given to the Companions when they used their discretion in deciding when to pray during the Battle of Bani Quraydhah. God’s Messenger had said to them:

 ”None of you should perform your afternoon prayers until you arrive at Bani Quraydhah.”

The Companions did not arrive at Bani Quraydhah until after sunset. Some of them took the Prophet’s words literally and postponed the afternoon prayer, saying: “We will not pray until we get there.” Others understood that the Prophet was only indicating to them that they should hurry on their journey, so they stopped and prayed the afternoon prayer on time.

The Prophet learned about what the two groups had decided, but did not criticize either of them.

As for the Prophet’s personality, this would include the following statement of Aishah (may God be pleased with her):

 ”God’s Messenger was never indecent or vulgar, nor was he loud at the marketplace. He would never respond to the abuse of others with abuses of his own. Instead, he would be tolerant and forgiving.”

The physical description of the Prophet is found in statements like the one related by Anas (may God be pleased with him):

“God’s Messenger was neither overly tall nor was he short. He was neither exceedingly white nor black. His hair was neither excessively curly nor lank.”

The Relationship between the Sunnah and Revelation

The Sunnah is revelation from God to His Prophet (may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him). God says in the Quran:

 “…We have sent down to him the Book and the Wisdom…” (Quran 2:231)

The Wisdom refers to the Sunnah.It is clear from the preceding verses that God revealed to His Prophet both the Quran and the Sunnah, and that He commanded him to convey both to the people.The Prophetic statements also attest to the fact that the Sunnah is revelation. It is related from Mak’hool that God’s Messenger said:

 ”God gave me the Quran and what is like it from the Wisdom.”

An opinion from the Prophet was not merely his own thoughts or deliberations on a matter; it was what God revealed to him. In this way, the Prophet was different from other people. He was supported by revelation. When he exercised his own reasoning and was correct, God would confirm it, and if he ever made a mistake in his thinking, God would correct it and guide him to the truth.

For this reason, it is related that the Caliph Umar said from the pulpit:

“O people! The opinions of God’s Messenger were correct only because God would reveal them to him. As for our opinions, they are nothing but thoughts and conjecture.”

The revelation that the Prophet received was of two types:

A. Informative revelation: God would inform him of something by means of revelation in one form or another as mentioned in the following Quranic verse:

“It is not for a human being that God should speak to him except as revelation or from behind a barrier, or by sending a Messenger who reveals by His leave whatever He wishes. Verily, He is Exalted, All-Wise.” (Quran 42:51)

Aishah the prophets wife, asked the Prophet how revelation came to him, and the Prophet answered:

 ”Sometimes, the angel comes to me like the clanging of a bell, and this is the most difficult for me. It weighs upon me and I commit to memory what he says. And sometimes the angel comes to me in the form of a man and speaks to me and I commit to memory what he says.”

Aishah said:

“I had seen him when the revelation came to him on an extremely cold day. When it was over, his brow was full of perspiration.”

Sometimes, he would be asked about something, but he would remain silent until revelation came to him. For example, the Meccan pagans asked him about the soul, but the Prophet remained silent until God revealed:

 They ask you concerning the soul. Say: ‘The soul is from the affairs of my Lord, and of knowledge you have but little’. (Quran 17:85)

He had also been asked about how inheritance was to be divided, but he did not answer until God revealed:

 “God commands you regarding your children…” (Quran 4:11)

B. Affirmative revelation: This is where the Prophet exercised his own judgment in a matter. If his opinion was correct, revelation would come to him affirming it, and if it was incorrect, revelation would come to correct him, making it just like any other informative revelation. The only difference here is that the revelation came as a result of an action that the Prophet first did on his own.

In such instances, the Prophet was left to use his own discretion in a matter. If he chose what was right, then God would confirm his choice through revelation. If he chose wrong, God would correct him to protect the integrity of the faith. God would never allow His Messenger to convey an error to other people, because this would cause his followers to fall into error as well. This would contravene the wisdom behind sending Messengers, which was that the people henceforth would have no argument against God. In this way, the Messenger was protected from falling into error, for if he ever erred, revelation would come to correct him.

The Prophet’s Companions knew that the tacit approval of the Prophet was actually the approval of God, because if they ever did something contrary to Islam during the Prophet’s lifetime, revelation would come down condemning what they did.

The Difference between the Sunnah and the Quran 

The Quran is the foundation of Islamic Law. It is the miraculous speech of God that was revealed to the Messenger, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, by way of the angel Gabriel. It has been transmitted to us with so many chains of authority that its historical authenticity is unquestionable. It is written down in its own volume, and its recitation is a form of worship.

As for the Sunnah, it is everything besides the Quran that came from God’s Messenger. It explains and provides details for the laws found in the Quran. It also provides examples of the practical application of these laws.It is also either direct revelation from God, or decisions of the Messenger that were then confirmed by revelation. Therefore, the source of all the Sunnah is revelation.

The Quran is the revelation that is formally recited as an act of worship, and the Sunnah is revelation that is not formally recited. The Sunnah, though, is just like the Quran in that it is revelation that must be followed and adhered to.

The Quran takes precedence over the Sunnah in two ways. For one thing, the Quran consists of the exact words of God, miraculous in nature, down to the last verse. The Sunnah, however, is not necessarily the exact words of God, but rather their meanings as explained by the Prophet.

The Position of the Sunnah in Islamic Law 

During the Messenger’s lifetime the Quran and Sunnah were the only sources of Islamic Law.

The Quran provides the general injunctions that formed the basis of the Law, without going into all the details and secondary legislation, with the exception of a few injunctions that are established along with the general principles. These injunctions are not subject to change over time or with the changing circumstances of the people. The Quran, likewise, comes with the tenets of belief, sets down acts of worship, mentions the stories of the nations of old, and provides moral guidelines.

The Sunnah comes in agreement with the Quran. It explains the meanings of what is unclear in the text, provides details for what is depicted in general terms, specifies what is general, and explains its injunctions and objectives. The Sunnah also comes with injunctions that are not provided by the Quran, but these are always in harmony with its principles, and they always advance the objectives that are outlined in the Quran.

The Sunnah is a practical expression of what is in the Quran. This expression takes many forms. Sometimes, it comes as an action performed by the Messenger. At other times, it is a statement that he made in response to something. Sometimes, it takes the form of a statement or action of one of the Companions that he neither prevented nor objected to. On the contrary, he remained silent about it or expressed his approval for it.

The Sunnah explains and clarifies the Quran in many ways. It explains how to perform the acts of worship and carry out the laws that are mentioned in the Quran. God commands the believers to pray without mentioning the times that the prayers had to be performed or the manner of performing them. The Messenger clarified this through his own prayers and by teaching the Muslims how to pray. He said: “Pray as you have seen me praying.”

God makes the Hajj pilgrimage obligatory without explaining its rites. God’s Messenger explains this by saying:

“Take the rites of Hajj from me.” 

God makes the Zakah tax obligatory without mentioning what types of wealth and produce it is to be levied against. God also does not mention the minimum amount of wealth that makes the tax obligatory. The Sunnah, though, makes all this clear.

The Sunnah specifies general statements found in the Quran. God says:

“God commands you regarding your children: to the male, a portion equal to that of two females…” (Quran 4:11)

This wording is general, applying to every family and making every child an inheritor of his or her parents. The Sunnah makes this ruling more specific by excluding the children of Prophets. God’s Messenger said:

“We Prophets leave behind no inheritance. Whatever we leave behind is charity.”

The Sunnah qualifies unqualified statements in the Quran. God says:

“…and you find no water, then perform tayammum (dry ablution) with clean earth and rub therewith your faces and hands… (Quran 5:6) 

The verse does not mention the extent of the hand, leaving the question of whether one should rub the hands up to the wrist or the forearm. The Sunnah makes this clear by showing that it is to the wrist, because this is what God’s Messenger did when he performed dry ablution.

The Sunnah also comes emphasizing what is in the Quran or providing secondary legislation for a law stated therein. This includes all the hadeeth that indicate that Prayer, the Zakah tax, fasting, and the Hajj pilgrimage are obligatory.

An example of where the Sunnah provides subsidiary legislation for an injunction found in the Quran is the ruling found in the Sunnah that it is forbidden to sell fruit before it begins to ripen. The basis for this law is the statement of the Quran:

Do not consume your property amongst you unjustly, except it be a trade among you by mutual consent.

The Sunnah contains rulings that are not mentioned in the Quran and that do not come as clarifications for something mentioned in the Quran. An example of this is the prohibition of eating donkey flesh and the flesh of predatory beasts. Another example of this is the prohibition of marrying a woman and her aunt at the same time. These and other rulings provided by the Sunnah must be adhered to.

The Obligation of Adhering to the Sunnah 

A requirement of believing in prophethood is to accept as true everything that God’s Messenger said. God chose His Messengers from among His worshippers to convey His Law to humanity. God says:

“…God knows best with whom to place His Message…” (Quran 6:124)

God also says:

“…Are the Messengers charged with anything but to convey the clear Message?” (Quran 16:35) 

The Messenger is protected from error in all of his actions. God has protected his tongue from uttering anything but the truth. God has protected his limbs from doing anything but what is right.

God has safeguarded him from showing approval for anything contrary to Islamic Law. He is the most beautifully complete of God’s Creations. This is clear from how God describes him in the Quran:

“By the star when it sets. Your companion has neither gone astray nor has he erred. Nor does he speak of his own desire. It is only revelation that has been revealed.” (Quran 53:1-4)

We see in the hadeeth that no circumstances, no matter how trying, could prevent the Prophet from speaking the truth. Being angry never affected his speech. He never spoke falsehood even when he was jesting. His own interests never swayed him from speaking the truth. The only goal that he sought was the pleasure of God Almighty.

Abdullah b. Amr b. al-Aas related that he used to write down everything that God’s Messenger said. Then the tribe of Quraish forbade him from doing so, saying: “Do you write down everything that God’s Messenger says, and he is but a man who speaks in contentment and in anger?”

Abdullah b. Amr stopped writing and mentioned this to God’s Messenger who told him:

“Write, for by Him in Whose hand is my soul, only truth comes forth from this.” …and pointed to his mouth.

The Quran, the Sunnah, and the consensus of the jurists all point to the fact that obeying God’s Messenger is obligatory. God says in the Quran:

“O you who believe, obey God and obey His Messenger and those in authority among you. If you fall into dispute about a matter, refer it back to God and His Messenger if you believe in God and the Last Day…” (Quran 4:59)

Footnotes:

1. Coitus Interruptus: Withdrawal of the penis before emission of sperm during sex. - IslamReligion.com

Download (PDF, 4.85MB)

Islam was not born in the 7th century A.D. Rather, it is the same religion that God revealed through His messengers (peace be upon them) to every people. Islam sometimes seems strange to non-Muslims because it is a religion, which impacts every part of life, from eating and sleeping to working and playing. It is not only a personal religion, but also a social one.

Muslims seek to live in accordance with God’s laws. By doing so, they strive to obtain nearness to God and victory over temporary trials and temptations in this world. All aspects of their practice including prayer, fasting, charity, and pilgrimage are intended to help meet this goal. Although strict by secular standards, Islam is not an ascetic religion. Islam requires its followers to be active participants in their communities.

Muslims believe that God is One, indivisible, and they believe in all the prophets of the Christians and Jews including Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Elias, Jonah, John the Baptist, and Jesus (peace be upon them). Allah is the proper name for Almighty God, and is often translated merely as “God.” Allah has other names that are used to describe His characteristics: the Creator, the Sustainer, the Merciful, the Compassionate, the Judge, the Governor, the Eternal, etc. Allah is without beginning, without end, and He alone sees and knows all things. Allah is transcendent, yet close to mankind.

…He knows what enters within the earth and what comes forth out of it, what comes down from heaven and what mounts up to it. And He is with you wheresoever you may be. And Allah sees well all that you do.” (Qur’an 57:4)

Since Allah alone is the Creator, it is He alone that deserves our devout love and worship. Anything other than Him is simply His creation.

That is Allah, your Lord! There is no god but He, the Creator of all things; then worship Him, and He has power to dispose of all affairs. No vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all vision; He is the Sublime, Well-Aware.(Qur’an 6:102-103)

Islam holds to a strict monotheism – Allah has no partners and is not divided into a trinity.

“Say: He is Allah, the One; Allah, the Eternal, Absolute. He begets not, nor is He begotten, and there is none like unto Him” (Qur’an 112:1-4).

Any worship and prayers directed at saints, prophets, other human beings or nature is considered idolatry.

Muslims also recognize another prophet named Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family), who is a direct descendant of Abraham through his first born son, Ishmael. His prophethood may be prophecied in the Bible in several places, including Deut 18:18 and John 14:16.

The Qur’an is the holy book of Muslims. It contains many stories that are familiar to Christians and Jews. It was not created by man but was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) through the Angel Gabriel at the command of God. It contains no scientific fallacies or internal contradictions. In fact, it contains much scientific knowledge discovered by scientists only in this century. The Qur’an is an unparalleled Arabic literary masterpiece. Furthermore, it survives in its original revealed form, unlike the Torah and the Gospel.

Islam is the only religion in the world that says that its precepts are natural. The Holy Quran says:

..It is Allah’s Nature on which Allah has created humans. There is no change in Allah’s creation. This is the established religion (deen al-qayyim) but many of the humans know not. (Surat al-Ruum, Verse 30)

In Islam, the beliefs have primary position; they are the roots, and the practices are branches that are dependent for their existence on the roots. The primary belief is that of the Unity and Supreme Sovereignty of Allah, the Almighty, the Ever-present, the Everlasting, and the All-knowing. Allah is just. He sent prophets to convey His message. He selected Imams to safeguard His message. He ordained a Day of Judgement when the deeds of His creatures will be measured and rewarded or punished accordingly.

Belief in Allah, therefore, entails belief in all of the above.

Islam is the last divine religion and Prophet Muhammad (s) is the last Messenger of Allah. In Islam, Allah has encompassed all His commandments and decrees – decrees that will suffice for humankind till the end of the world. The commandments are there not only to guide His creatures to proper belief, but also to show them the proper way to live their lives. Islam says that its practices are for benefit of the followers, benefit in this world and in the hereafter.

The Five Pillars of Islam

In Islam, faith and good works go hand-in-hand. A mere verbal declaration of faith does not make one a Muslim, for belief in Allah makes obedience to Him a duty. Only when your practice is consistent with your profession will you be a true Muslim. Faith in Allah will be your strength, and the Qur’an your guide.

The Muslim concept of worship is very broad. Muslims consider everything they do in this life according to Allah’s will, an act of worship. Speaking the truth, refraining from gossip, dealing honestly in commercial affairs, treating one’s parents with respect and honour, helping the poor and needy, dealing lovingly and fairly with family members – whatever is done for the sake of Allah is called worship.

Worship of Allah is foremost in a Muslim’s mind all the time. There are also five formal acts of worship, which help strengthen a Muslim’s faith and obedience. They are often called the “Five Pillars of Islam.”

Testimony of Faith (Kalima)

This is simply the declaration, “I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.” As mentioned previously, all of Islam is based on faith in the Unity of God. When one declares this statement, one testifies to the Unity of Allah, and to the message of the Prophethood. When one bears witness that Muhammad is His messenger, one is confirming that all of the prophets before him were also His messengers – Allah is One and His message is one. A person becomes a Muslim when he or she declares this statement with purity of heart, conviction of faith, and in public in front of witnesses.

Prayer (Salaat)

Formal prayer is the most important act of worship; it is mankind’s connection to Allah, through which one gathers strength, guidance and peace of mind. Islam prescribes five formal prayers daily, through which Muslims repeat and refresh their beliefs, taking time out of their busy day to remember Allah and renew the effort to follow His guidance. Five times each day (before dawn, noon, afternoon, after sunset, and evening) Muslims rise, cleanse with water, and present themselves directly before Allah for prayer.

Far from being a ritualistic and mindless activity, prayer constantly reminds us of the purpose of life itself, refreshes our faith, and keeps our belief in Allah alive and ever presents. We go back to our worldly affairs conscious of our duties and strengthened against sin. Prayers said in congregation bond Muslims together in love and brotherhood. Prayer also symbolizes the equality of believers; there is no hierarchy, and all stand side-by-side in rows and bow only to Allah.

Aside from the five formal prayers each day, Muslims begin and complete every activity with Allah ever present in their minds. The words “Bismillah” (In the name of Allah) precede every action, and “Alhamdilillah” (Thanks be to Allah) completes it. Muslims also make private supplications, and words in praise of Allah fall constantly off one’s lips.

Fasting (Sawm)

O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may learn self-restraint. Fast for a fixed number of days…. Ramadan is the month in which was sent down the Qur’an, as a guide to mankind, and clear signs for guidance and judgment between right and wrong. So every one of you who is present at home during that month should spend it in fasting…. Allah intends every facility for you; He does not want to put you to difficulties. He wants you to complete the prescribed period, and to glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance you shall be grateful.(Qur’an 2:183-185)

What the prayers seek to do five times a day, fasting in the month of Ramadan (9th month of the lunar year) does once a year. During this month, from dawn to dusk, Muslims do not eat anything nor drink even a drop of water. Each and every moment during the fast, we suppress our desires and remember Allah alone. This places in us a consciousness of duty and a spirit of patience that helps strengthen faith in Allah. Discipline and hardship during this month bring us face to face with the realities of life and the suffering of so many throughout the year. The whole month is filled with increased devotion, piety, and purity of mind, soul and body.

Almsgiving (Zakat)

Every Muslim whose financial conditions are above a certain specified minimum, must pay annually at least 2.5% of his savings to a deserving needy person, a new convert to Islam, a traveler, or one overwhelmed by debts. This fosters in a Muslim the quality of sacrifice and rids one of selfishness, greed and vanity. As all wealth is a gift from Allah, one has the duty to help his needy brethren when he is able.

Pilgrimage (Hajj)

Once in a lifetime, a Muslim who is financially and physically able must go on the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, during the month of Hajj (12th month of the lunar year). Mecca is the spiritual center of the Muslim world. It was here that Abraham built the first house of worship (the Kaaba), towards which all Muslims stand in unity in their daily prayers.

The first House of worship appointed for men was that at Bakka (Mecca), full of blessing and of guidance for all the worlds. It are Signs manifest – the Station of Abraham – whoever enters it attains security.

Pilgrimage thereto is a duty men owe to Allah, for those who can afford the journey…”(Qur’an 3:96-97)

When this house was desecrated into a center of pagan worship, it was the prophet Muhammad that cleansed it of its 300+ idols and rededicated it to the worship of Allah alone.

All pilgrims dress in pure white cloth, and are required to suppress passion, refrain from any bloodshed, and be pure in word and deed.

For Hajj are the months well-known. If any one undertakes the journey therein, let there be no obscenity, nor wickedness, nor wrangling in the Hajj. And whatever good you do be sure Allah knows it.

And take a provision with you for the journey, but the best of provisions is right conduct…(Qur’an 2:197)

The pilgrimage is a great international conference, wherein all people, kings or peasants, black or white, stand before Allah as equals. During the ten days of the annual pilgrimage, several million Muslims from all over the world, of all nations, languages, and colors come together in the largest spiritual gathering of the world.

1) Dr. T. V. N. Persaud is Professor of Anatomy, Professor of Pediatrics and Child Health, and Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences at the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. There, he was the Chairman of the Department of Anatomy for 16 years. He is well-known in his field. He is the author or editor of 22 textbooks and has published over 181 scientific papers. In 1991, he received the most distinguished award presented in the field of anatomy in Canada, the J.C.B. Grant Award from the Canadian Association of Anatomists. When he was asked about the scientific miracles in the Quran which he has researched, he stated the following:

“The way it was explained to me is that Muhammad was a very ordinary man. He could not read, didn’t know [how] to write. In fact, he was an illiterate. And we’re talking about twelve [actually about fourteen] hundred years ago. You have someone illiterate making profound pronouncements and statements and that are amazingly accurate about scientific nature. And I personally can’t see how this could be a mere chance. There are too many accuracies and, like Dr. Moore, I have no difficulty in my mind that this is a divine inspiration or revelation which led him to these statements.”

Professor Persaud has included some Quranic verses and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad  in some of his books. He has also presented these verses and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad at several conferences.

2) Dr. Joe Leigh Simpson is the Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Professor of Molecular and Human Genetics at the Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA. Formerly, he was Professor of Ob-Gyn and the Chairman of the Department of Ob-Gyn at the University of Tennessee, Memphis, Tennessee, USA. He was also the President of the American Fertility Society. He has received many awards, including the Association of Professors of Obstetrics and Gynecology Public Recognition Award in 1992. Professor Simpson studied the following two sayings of the Prophet Muhammad  :

In every one of you, all components of your creation are collected together in your mother’s womb by forty days…[2]

If forty-two nights have passed over the embryo, God sends an angel to it, who shapes it and creates its hearing, vision, skin, flesh, and bones….[3]

He studied these two sayings of the Prophet Muhammad’s  extensively, noting that the first forty days constitute a clearly distinguishable stage of embryo-genesis. He was particularly impressed by the absolute precision and accuracy of those sayings of the Prophet Muhammad  . Then, during one conference, he gave the following opinion:

“So that the two hadeeths (the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad ) that have been noted provide us with a specific time table for the main embryological development before forty days. Again, the point has been made, I think, repeatedly by other speakers this morning: these hadeeths could not have been obtained on the basis of the scientific knowledge that was available [at] the time of their writing . . . . It follows, I think, that not only there is no conflict between genetics and religion but, in fact, religion can guide science by adding revelation to some of the traditional scientific approaches, that there exist statements in the Quran shown centuries later to be valid, which support knowledge in the Quran having been derived from God.”

3) Dr. E. Marshall Johnson is Professor Emeritus of Anatomy and Developmental Biology at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. There, for 22 years he was Professor of Anatomy, the Chairman of the Department of Anatomy, and the Director of the Daniel Baugh Institute. He was also the President of the Teratology Society. He has authored more than 200 publications. In 1981, during the Seventh Medical Conference in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, Professor Johnson said in the presentation of his research paper:

“Summary: The Quran describes not only the development of external form, but emphasizes also the internal stages, the stages inside the embryo, of its creation and development, emphasizing major events recognized by contemporary science.”

Also he said: “As a scientist, I can only deal with things which I can specifically see. I can understand embryology and developmental biology. I can understand the words that are translated to me from the Quran. As I gave the example before, if I were to transpose myself into that era, knowing what I knew today and describing things, I could not describe the things which were described. I see no evidence for the fact to refute the concept that this individual, Muhammad, had to be developing this information from some place. So I see nothing here in conflict with the concept that divine intervention was involved in what he was able to write.”[4]

4) Dr. William W. Hay is a well-known marine scientist. He is Professor of Geological Sciences at the University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA. He was formerly the Dean of the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science at the University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA. After a discussion with Professor Hay about the Quran’s mention of recently discovered facts on seas, he said:

“I find it very interesting that this sort of information is in the ancient scriptures of the Holy Quran, and I have no way of knowing where they would come from, but I think it is extremely interesting that they are there and that this work is going on to discover it, the meaning of some of the passages.” And when he was asked about the source of the Quran, he replied: “Well, I would think it must be the divine being.”

5) Dr. Gerald C. Goeringer is Course Director and Associate Professor of Medical Embryology at the Department of Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA. During the Eighth Saudi Medical Conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Professor Goeringer stated the following in the presentation of his research paper:

“In a relatively few aayahs (Quranic verses) is contained a rather comprehensive description of human development from the time of commingling of the gametes through organogenesis. No such distinct and complete record of human development, such as classification, terminology, and description, existed previously. In most, if not all, instances, this description antedates by many centuries the recording of the various stages of human embryonic and fetal development recorded in the traditional scientific literature.”

6) Dr. Yoshihide Kozai is Professor Emeritus at Tokyo University, Hongo, Tokyo, Japan, and was the Director of the National Astronomical Observatory, Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan. He said:

“I am very much impressed by finding true astronomical facts in [the] Quran, and for us the modern astronomers have been studying very small pieces of the universe. We’ve concentrated our efforts for understanding of [a] very small part. Because by using telescopes, we can see only very few parts [of] the sky without thinking [about the] whole universe. So, by reading [the] Quran and by answering to the questions, I think I can find my future way for investigation of the universe.”

7) Professor Tejatat Tejasen is the Chairman of the Department of Anatomy at Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand. Previously, he was the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the same university. During the Eighth Saudi Medical Conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Professor Tejasen stood up and said:

“During the last three years, I became interested in the Quran . . . . From my study and what I have learned from this conference, I believe that everything that has been recorded in the Quran fourteen hundred years ago must be the truth, that can be proved by the scientific means. Since the Prophet Muhammad could neither read nor write, Muhammad must be a messenger who relayed this truth, which was revealed to him as an enlightenment by the one who is eligible [as the] creator. This creator must be God. Therefore, I think this is the time to say La ilaha illa Allah, there is no god to worship except Allah (God), Muhammadur rasoolu Allah, Muhammad is Messenger (Prophet) of Allah (God). Lastly, I must congratulate for the excellent and highly successful arrangement for this conference . . . . I have gained not only from the scientific point of view and religious point of view but also the great chance of meeting many well-known scientists and making many new friends among the participants. The most precious thing of all that I have gained by coming to this place is La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammadur rasoolu Allah, and to have become a Muslim.”

After all these examples we have seen about the scientific miracles in the Holy Quran and all these scientists’ comments on this, let us ask ourselves these questions:

Could it be a coincidence that all this recently discovered scientific information from different fields was mentioned in the Quran, which was revealed fourteen centuries ago?

Could this Quran have been authored by Muhammad   or by any other human being?

The only possible answer is that this Quran must be the literal word of God, revealed by Him.

Footnotes:

1. Note: The occupations of all the scientists mentioned in this web site were last updated in 1997.
2. Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2643, and Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #3208. Note: This guide is a translation of what the Prophet Muhammad   said. Also note that this symbol # used in the footnotes, indicates the number of the hadeeth. A hadeeth is a reliably transmitted report by the Prophet Muhammad’s companions of what he said, did, or approved of.
3. Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2645.
4. The Prophet Muhammad  was illiterate. He could not read nor write, but he dictated the Quran to his Companions and commanded some of them to write it down.

Is it not true that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) has copied the Qur’an from the Bible?

Answer:

Many critics allege that Prophet Muhummad (pbuh) himself was not the author of the Qur’an but he learnt it and/or plagiarised (copied or adapted) it from other human sources or from previous scriptures or revelations.

1. MUHUMMAD LEARNT THE QUR’AN FROM A ROMAN BLACKSMITH WHO WAS A CHRISTIAN

Some Pagans accused the Prophet of learning the Qur’an from a Roman Blacksmith, who was a Christian staying at the outskirts of Makkah. The Prophet very often used to go and watch him do his work. A revelation of the Qur’an was sufficient to dismiss this charge – the Qur’an says in

Surah An-Nahl chapter 16 verse 103:

“We know indeed that they say, ‘It is a man that teaches him,’ The tongue of him they wickedly point to is notably foreign, while this is Arabic, pure and clear.” [Al-Qur'an 16:103]

How could a person whose mother tongue was foreign and could hardly speak little but of poor broken Arabic be the source of the Qur’an which is pure, eloquent, fine Arabic? To believe that the blacksmith taught the Prophet the Qur’an is some what similar to believing that a Chinese immigrant to England, who did not know proper English, taught Shakespeare.

2. MUHUMMAD (PBUH) LEARNT FROM WARAQA – THE RELATIVE OF KHADIJAH (RA)

Muhummad’s (peace be upon him) contacts with the Jewish and Christian Scholars were very limited. The most prominent Christian known to him was an old blind man called Waraqa ibn-Naufal who was a relative of the Prophet’s first wife Khadijah (May Allah be pleased him). Although of Arab descent, he was a convert to Christianity and was very well versed with the New Testament. The Prophet only met him twice, first when Waraqa was worshipping at the Kaaba (before the Prophetic Mission) and he kissed the Prophet’s forehead affectionately; the second occasion was when the Prophet went to meet Waraqa after receiving the first revelation. Waraqa died three years later and the revelation continued for about 23 years. It is ridiculous to assume that Waraqa was the source of the contents of the Qur’an.

3. PROPHET’S RELIGIOUS DISCUSSIONS WITH THE JEWS AND CHRISTIANS

It is true that the Prophet did have religious discussions with the Jews and Christians but they took place in Madinah more than 13 years after the revelation of the Qur’an had started. The allegation that these Jews and Christians were the source is perverse, since in these discussions Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was performing the roles of a teacher and of a preacher while inviting them to embrace Islam and pointing out that they had deviated from their true teachings of Monotheism. Several of these Jews and Christians later embraced Islam.

4. THE PROPHET LEARNT THE QUR’AN FROM THOSE JEWS AND CHRISTIANS THAT HE MET OUTSIDE ARABIA

All historical records available show that Muhummad (pbuh) had made only three trips outside Makkah before his Prophethood:

(i) At the age of six he accompanied his mother to Madinah.

(ii) Between the age of 9 and 12, he accompanied his uncle Abu-Talib on a business trip to Syria.

(iii) At the age of 25 he led Khadija’s Caravan to Syria.

It is highly imaginary to assume that the Qur’an resulted from the occasional chats and meetings with the Christians or Jews from any of the above three trips.

5. LOGICAL GROUNDS TO PROVE THAT THE PROPHET DID NOT LEARN THE QUR’AN FROM JEWS OR CHRISTIANS

(i) The day-to-day life of the Prophet was an open book for all to see. In fact a revelation came asking people to give the Prophet (pbuh) privacy in his own home. If the Prophet had been meeting people who told him what to say as a revelation from God, this would not have been hidden for very long.

(ii) The extremely prominent Quraish nobles who followed the Prophet and accepted Islam were wise and intelligent men who would have easily noticed anything suspicious about the way in which the Prophet brought the revelations to them – more so since the Prophetic mission lasted 23 years.

(iii) The enemies of the Prophet kept a close watch on him in order to find proof for their claim that he was a liar – they could not point out even a single instance when the Prophet may have had a secret rendezvous with particular Jews and Christians.

(iv) It is inconceivable that any human author of the Qur’an would have accepted a situation in which he received no credit whatsoever for originating the Qur’an.

Thus, historically and logically it cannot be established that there was a human source for the Qur’an.

6. MUHUMMAD (Peace be upon him) WAS AN ILLITERATE

The theory that Muhummad (peace be upon him) authored the Qur’an or copied from other sources can be disproved by the single historical fact that he was illiterate.

Allah testifies Himself in the Qur’anIn Surah Al-Ankabut chapter no.29 verse 48

“And thou was not (able) to recite a Book before this (Book came), nor art thou (able) to transcribe it with thy right hand: in that case, indeed, would the talkers of vanities have doubted.”[Al-Qur'an 29:48]

Allah  knew that many would doubt the authenticity of the Qur’an and would ascribe it to Prophet Muhummad (peace be upon him). Therefore Allah in His Divine Wisdom chose the last and final Messenger to be an ‘Ummi’, i.e. unlettered, so that the talkers of vanity would not then have the slightest justification to doubt the Prophet. The accusation of his enemies that he had copied the Qur’an from other sources and rehashed it all in a beautiful language might have carried some weight, but even this flimsy pretence has been deprived to the unbeliever and the cynic.

Allah reconfirms in the Qur’an in Surah Al A’raf chapter 7 verse 157:

“Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find mentioned in their own (Scriptures) in the Law and the Gospel”

The prophecy of coming of the unlettered Prophet (pbuh) is also mentioned in the Bible in the book of Isaiah chapter 29 verse 12.

“And the book is delivered to him that is not learned.”[Isaiah 29:12]

The Qur’an testifies in no less than four different places that the Prophet (pbuh) was illiterate. It is also mentioned in Surah A’raf chapter 7 verse 158 and in Surah Al-Jumu’a chapter 62 verse 2.

7. ARABIC VERSION OF THE BIBLE WAS NOT PRESENT

The Arabic version of the Bible was not present at the time of Prophet Muhummad (pbuh). The earliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that of R. Saadias Gaon of 900 C.E. – more than 250 years after the death of our beloved Prophet. The oldest Arabic version of the new Testament was published by Erpenius in 1616 C.E. – about a thousand years after the demise of our Prophet.

8. SIMILARITIES IN THE QUR’AN AND THE BIBLE DUE TO COMMON SOURCE

Similarities between the Qur’an and the Bible does not necessarily mean that the former has been copied from the latter. In fact it gives evidence that both of them are based on a common third source; all divine revelations came from the same source – the one universal God. No matter what human changes were introduced into some of these Judeo-Christian and other older religious scriptures that had distorted their originality, there are some areas that have remained free from distortion and thus are common to many religions.

It is true that there are some similar parallels between the Qur’an and the Bible but this is not sufficient to accuse Muhummad (pbuh) of compiling or copying from the Bible. The same logic would then also be applicable to teachings of Christianity and Judaism and thus one could wrongly claim that Jesus (pbuh) was not a genuine Prophet (God forbid) and that he simply copied from the Old Testament.

The similarities between the two signify a common source that is one true God and the continuation of the basic message of monotheism and not that the later prophets have plagiarised from the previous prophets.

If someone copies during an examination he will surely not write in the answer sheet that he has copied from his neighbour or Mr. XYZ. Prophet Muhummad (pbuh) gave due respect and credit to all the previous prophets (pbut). The Qur’an also mentions the various revelations given by Almighty God to different prophets.

9. MUSLIMS BELIEVE IN THE TAURAH, ZABOOR, INJEEL AND QUR’AN

Four revelations of Allah (swt) are mentioned by name in the Qur’an: the Taurah, the Zaboor, the Injeel and the Qur’an.

Taurah, the revelation i.e. the Wahi given to Moosa (a. s.) i.e. Moses (pbuh).Zaboor, the revelation i.e. the Wahi given to Dawood (a.s.) i.e. David (pbuh).Injeel, the revelation i.e. the Wahi given to Isa (A.S.) ie. Jesus (pbuh).’Al-Qur’an’, the last and final Wahi i.e. revelation given to the last and final Messenger Muhammad (pbuh).

It is an article of faith for every Muslim to believe in all the Prophets of God and all revelations of God. However, the present day Bible has the first five books of the Old Testament attributed to Moses and the Psalms attributed to David. Moreover the New Testament or the four Gospels of the New Testament are not the Taurah, the Zaboor or the Injeel, which the Qur’an refers to. These books of the present day Bible may partly contain the word of God but these books are certainly not the exact, accurate and complete revelations given to the prophets.

The Qur’an presents all the different prophets of Allah as belonging to one single brotherhood; all had a similar prophetic mission and the same basic message. Because of this, the fundamental teachings of the major faiths cannot be contradictory, even if there has been a considerable passage of time between the different prophetic missions, because the source of these missions was one: Almighty God, Allah. This is why the Qur’an says that the differences which exist between various religions are not the responsibility of the prophets, but of the followers of these prophets who forgot part of what they had been taught, and furthermore, misinterpreted and changed the scriptures. The Qur’an cannot therefore be seen as a scripture which competes with the teachings of Moses, Jesus and the other prophets. On the contrary, it confirms, completes and perfects the messages that they brought to their people.

Another name for the Qur’an is the ‘The Furqan’ which means the criteria to judge the right from the wrong, and it is on the basis of the Qur’an that we can decipher which part of the previous scriptures can be considered to be the word of God.

10. SCIENTIFIC COMPARISON BETWEEN QUR’AN AND BIBLE

If you glance through the Bible and the Qur’an you may find several points which appear to be exactly the same in both of them, but when you analyse them closely, you realise that there is a difference of ‘chalk and cheese’ between them. Only based on historical details it is difficult for someone who is neither conversant with Christianity or Islam to come to a firm decision as to which of the scriptures is true; however if you verify the relevant passages of both the scriptures against scientific knowledge, you will yourself realize the truth.

(a) Creation of the Universe in Six Days

As per the Bible, in the first book of Genesis in Chapter One, the universe was created in six days and each day is defined as a twenty-four hours period. Even though the Qur’an mentions that the universe was created in six ‘Ayyaams’, ‘Ayyaam’ is the plural of years; this word has two meanings: firstly, it means a standard twenty-four hours period i.e. a day, and secondly, it also means stage, period or epoch which is a very long period of time.

When the Qur’an mentions that the universe was created in six ‘Ayyaams’, it refers to the creation of the heavens and the earth in six long periods or epochs; scientists have no objection to this statement. The creation of the universe has taken billions of years, which proves false or contradicts the concept of the Bible which states that the creation of the Universe took six days of twenty-four hour durations each.

(b) Sun Created After the Day

The Bible says in chapter 1, verses 3-5, of Genesis that the phenomenon of day and night was created on the first day of creation of the Universe by God. The light circulating in the universe is the result of a complex reaction in the stars; these stars were created according to the Bible (Genesis chapter 1 verse 14 to 19) on the fourth day. It is illogical to mention the result that is the light (the phenomenon of day and night) was created on the first day of Creation when the cause or source of the light was created three days later. Moreover the existence of evening and morning as elements of a single day is only conceivable after the creation of the earth and its rotation around the sun. In contrast with the contents of the Bible on this issue, the Qur’an does not give any unscientific sequence of Creation. Hence it is absolutely absurd to say that Prophet Muhummad (pbuh) copied the passages pertaining to the creation of the universe from the Bible but missed out this illogical and fantastic sequence of the Bible.

(c) Creation of the Sun, The Earth and the Moon

According to the Bible, Book of Genesis, chapter 1, verses 9 to 13, the earth was created on the third day, and as per verses 14 to 19, the sun and the moon were created on the fourth day. The earth and the moon emanated, as we know, from their original star, the Sun. Hence to place the creation of the sun and the moon after the creation of the earth is contrary to the established idea about the formation of the solar system.

(d) Vegetation Created on the third day and Sun on the fourth day

According to the Bible, Book of Genesis, chapter 1, verses 11-13, vegetation was created on the third day along with seed-bearing grasses, plants and trees; and further on as per verses 14-19, the sun was created on the fourth day. How is it scientifically possible for the vegetation to have appeared without the presence of the sun, as has been stated in the Bible?

If Prophet Muhummad (pbuh) was indeed the author of the Qur’an and had copied its contents from the Bible, how did he manage to avoid the factual errors that the Bible contains? The Qur’an does not contain any statements which are incompatible with scientific facts.

(e) The Sun and the Moon both Emit light

According to the Bible both the sun and the moon emit their own light. In the Book of Genesis, chapter 1, verse 16 says, “And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night”.

Science tells us today that the moon does not have its own light. This confirms the Qur’anic concept that the light of the moon is a reflected light. To think that 1400 years ago, Prophet Muhummad (pbuh) corrected these scientific errors in the Bible and then copied such corrected passages in the Qur’an is to think of something impossible.

11. ADAM (PBUH), THE FIRST MAN ON EARTH, LIVED 5,800 YEARS AGO

As per the genealogy of Jesus Christ given in the Bible, from Jesus through Abraham (pbuh) to the first man on earth i.e. Adam (pbuh), Adam appeared on the earth approximately 5800 years ago:

(i) 1948 years between Adam (pbuh) and Abraham (pbuh)

(ii) Approximately 1800 years between Abraham (pbuh) and Jesus (pbuh)

(iii) 2000 years from Jesus (pbuh) till today

These figures are further confused by the fact that the Jewish calendar is currently on or about 5800 years old.

There is sufficient evidence from archaeological and anthropological sources to suggest that the first human being on earth was present tens of thousands of years ago and not merely 5,800 years ago as is suggested by the Bible.The Qur’an too speaks about Adam (pbuh) as the first man on earth but it does not suggest any date or period of his life on earth, unlike the Bible – what the Bible says in this regard is totally incompatible with science.

12. NOAH (PBUH) AND THE FLOOD

The Biblical description of the flood in Genesis chapter 6, 7 and 8 indicates that the deluge was universal and it destroyed every living thing on earth, except those present with Noah (pbuh) in the ark. The description suggests that the event took place 1656 years after the creation of Adam (pbuh) or 292 years before the birth of Abraham, at a time when Noah (pbuh) was 600 years old. Thus the flood may have occurred in the 21st or 22nd Century B.C.

This story of the flood, as given in the Bible, contradicts scientific evidence from archaelogical sources which indicate that the eleventh dynasty in Egypt and the third dynasty in Babylonia were in existence without any break in civilisation and in a manner totally unaffected by any major calamity which may have occurred in the 21st century B.C. This contradicts the Biblical story that the whole world had been immersed in the flood water. In contrast to this, the Qur’anic presentation of the story of Noah and the flood does not conflict with scientific evidence or archaeological data; firstly, the Qur’an does not indicate any specific date or year of the occurance of that event, and secondly, according to the Qur’an the flood was not a universal phenomenon which destroyed complete life on earth. In fact the Qur’an specifically mentions that the flood was a localised event only involving the people of Noah.

It is illogical to assume that Prophet Muhummad (pbuh) had borrowed the story of the flood from the Bible and corrected the mistakes before mentioning it in the Qur’an.

13. MOSES (PBUH) AND PHARAOH OF THE EXODUS

The story of Moses (pbuh) and the Pharaoh of the Exodus are very much identical in the Qur’an and the Bible. Both scriptures agree that the Pharaoh drowned when he tried to pursue Moses (pbuh) and led the Israelites across a stretch of water that they crossed. The Qur’an gives an additional piece of information in Surah Yunus chapter 10 verse 92:

“This day shall We save thee in thy body, that thou mayest be a sign to those who come after thee! But verily, many among mankind are heedless of Our Signs!”[Al-Qur'an 10:92]

Dr. Maurice Bucaille, after a thorough research proved that although Rameses II was known to have persecuted the Israelites as per the Bible, he actually died while Moses (pbuh) was taking refuge in Median. Rameses II’s son Merneptah who succeeded him as Pharaoh drowned during the exodus. In 1898, the mummified body of Merneptah was found in the valley of Kings in Egypt. In 1975, Dr. Maurice Bucaille with other doctors received permission to examine the Mummy of Merneptah, the findings of which proved that Merneptah probably died from drowning or a violent shock which immediately preceeded the moment of drowning. Thus the Qur’anic verse that we shall save his body as a sign, has been fulfilled by the Pharaohs’ body being kept at the Royal Mummies room in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

This verse of the Qur’an compelled Dr. Maurice Bucaille, who was a Christian then, to study the Qur’an. He later wrote a book ‘The Bible, the Qur’an and Science’, and confessed that the author of the Qur’an can be no one else besides God Himself. Thus he embraced Islam.

14. QUR’AN IS A BOOK FROM ALLAH

These evidences are sufficient to conclude that the Qur’an was not copied from the Bible, but that the Qur’an is the Furqaan – ‘the Criteria’ to judge right from wrong and it should be used to decipher which portion of the Bible may be considered as the Word of God.

The Qur’an itself testifies in Surah Sajda chapter 32 verse 1 to 3

Alif Laam Meem.

(This is) the revelation of the Book in which there is no doubt – from the Lord of the Worlds.

Or do they say, ‘He has forged it’? Nay, it is the Truth from thy Lord, that thou mayest admonish a people to whom no warner has come before thee: in order that they may receive guidance.”[Al-Qur'an 32:1-3]

Does Islam believe in several gods because the Qur’an uses the word ‘We’ when God speaks in the Qur’an?
Answer:

Islam is a strictly monotheistic religion. It believes in and adheres to uncompromising monotheism. It believes that God is one, and unique in His attributes. In the Qur’an, God often refers to Himself using the word ‘We’. But this does not mean that Islam believes in the existence of more than one God.

Two types of plural
In several languages, there are two types of plurals, one is a plural of numbers to refer to something that occurs in a quantity of more than one. The other plural is a plural of respect.

a. In the English language, the Queen of England refers to herself as ‘We’ instead of ‘I’. This is known as the ‘royal plural’.
b. Rajiv Gandhi, the ex-Prime Minister of India used to say in Hindi “Hum dekhna chahte hain”. “We want to see.” ‘Hum’ means ‘We’ which is again a royal plural in Hindi.
c. Similarly in Arabic, when Allah refers to Himself in the Qur’an, He often uses Arabic word ‘Nahnu’ meaning ‘We’. It does not indicate plural of number but plural of respect.
Tawheed or monotheism is one of the pillars of Islam. The existence and uniqueness of one and only one God is mentioned several times in the Qur’an. For instance in Surah Ikhlas, it says :
“Say He is Allah the One and Only.” [Al-Qur'an 112: 1]