Hopefully not, because many writers have their own agenda which is why they write from a particular point of view with which you may not agree.
It is always wise to adopt a critical and questioning approach to what you read, and not accept everything at face value.
This is the basis of a popular approach to literacy instruction and general English language teaching in some countries. It is known as critical literacy.
According to the website ‘ReadWriteThink,’ “Critical literacy involves reading critically – thinking about the identity and intent of the writer, and the social and historical context in which the text was written.”
The Holy Quran
The Holy Quran is a book, in the limited sense that it has printed pages between covers. However, we need to ask whether it is a coherent work in terms of content.
The Quran refers to itself in several places as a Book: “These are the verses of the Clear Book” (Surah Yusuf, 12:1-2). So the Quran calls itself a book. It also calls itself the Quran: “And recite the Quran in slow, measured rhythmic tones” (Surat Al-Muzzammil, 73:4).
The Quran is in Arabic. Any translation of the Quran into another language is simply that – a translation. In several places in the Quran, Allah makes this point clear. “These are the verses of the Clear Book. Indeed, We have sent it down as an Arabic Quran in order that you may understand” (Surah Yusuf, 12:1-2).
The Quran also points out the simple logic that Arabic is the language of the Quran because Prophet Mohammed was an Arab and spoke Arabic. “If We had sent this as a Quran in a language other than Arabic, they would have said:
“Why are not its verses explained in detail [in our language]? What! A book not in Arabic and the Messenger is an Arab?” (Surah Fussilat, 41:44).
Many commentators have rightly argued that you cannot translate the Quran into English or any other language without losing some of its meaning and imagery.
For this reason, many translations of the Quran are not entitled The Quran, but as The Meaning of the Quran or some such phrase.
Almighty Author
Muslims believe that the Quran is verbatim, the Words of God (Allah).
The Quran confirms this, by claiming to be from God: “The revelation of the Book is from God, the exalted in Power, full of Wisdom” (Surat Al-Jathiyah, 45:2).
If the Quran was written by God, and if God created the Universe and was therefore present when the world began, this would be proved by including the evidence in the form of a description of how the world began.
We have precisely this: “Have the disbelievers not seen that the heavens and the earth were one piece and we parted them? And we made every living thing from water. Will they then not believe?” (Surah Al-Anbiya, 21:30).
The Big Bang
The Big Bang theory was proposed in the early 20th century by various western scientists. The microscope was invented by the Dutch scientist Antonie van Leeuwenhoek in the 17th century, leading to the discovery that living cells are composed of about 80% water.
Edwin Hubble measured the redshift in colour of near and far galaxies in the early 20th century and that Universe is expanding. This is mentioned in the Quran: “We have built the heavens firmly and we are expanding it” (Surah Al-Zariyat, 51:47).
Editor’s Note: The above is part of an article published in ‘Rocket Science,’ the monthly Newsletter of the Mt Albert Islamic Trust in Auckland. The remaining part will appear in an ensuing issue.
