It’s Friday morning, just after 11am as I type. I’m sat outside a cafe in South London, composing this on my phone. It’s a really warm and sunny day, thanks be to God.
Today is celebrated as Good Friday in Christianity. It is the day that is supposed to recall the crucifixion of Jesus. However, according to the Qur’an — an “unassailable Scripture which falsehood cannot touch from any angle” (Surah 41:41-42) — Jesus did not die, nor was he crucified, though it was made to appear that way.
The composition of the Bible differs from that of the Qur’an. The New Testament is a collection of writings, many from unknown authors, selected for inclusion by church councils (though different denominations differ concerning which writings are deemed ‘canonical’). No one knows for sure when many, if not all, of the New Testament books were written.
The Qur’an, on the other hand, is believed by Muslims to be a perfect revelation from God, and this is a claim made emphatically within the Scripture. The Qur’an is written on a preserved tablet (Surah 85:22), according to its writings. The revelation was given in Arabic.
How is one to know whether the Qur’an is truly a perfect revelation from God? Well, it would be wise to read it and see what you think. I recommend the Oxford World’s Classics translation by Abdel Haleem as a very lucid translation.
As the Qur’an repeatedly emphasises, God guides whoever He wills to guide and leaves to stray whoever He wills to stray. I think it’s wise to ask yourself: What are your motivations for not reading the Qur’an? Are you rejecting it without true knowledge of its content? Have you prayed to God in humility, asking Him to reveal whether the Qur’an is a revelation from Him?
God will judge us all. As the Qur’an repeatedly emphasises, God is most forgiving and most merciful. The direction contained within the Qur’an asks us to worship God alone, to be charitable, to do good deeds, to be mindful of God, and to pray regularly. The Qur’an asks, will any take heed?