Muslims boldly claim that the Qur’an is the inspired Word of God. For this claim to be true, every inspired utterances of Allah in the Qur’an must be absolutely true. In this article, we will bring to light the failings of the Allah in the Qur’an. We will use Islam’s own sources to substantiate these failings of Allah in the Qur’an. There are many errors in the Qur’an. However, in this article we will focus on the vital subject of prophecies in the Qur’an. We encourage Muslims who object or disagree with the facts and arguments presented here to check the cited Islamic references provided in this article. Let us begin by reading the following prophecy of Allah:
Surah 8:65: “O Prophet! Rouse the Believers to the fight. If there are twenty amongst you, patient and persevering, they will vanquish two hundred: if a hundred, they will vanquish a thousand of the Unbelievers.” (Yusuf Ali)
Allah prophesied in no uncertain terms that from now on – from the time this prophecy was revealed – a single Muslim warrior “will vanquish” ten times the number of enemy fighters in battle. This means that each single Muslim warrior “will” now be able to defeat ten enemy fighters in battle – a ratio of 1 to 10. And Allah guarantees this stunning victory at every confrontation between Muslims and their enemies. This is truly an astounding feat. The all-knowing Allah stated very positively and confidently: “If a hundred, they WILL vanquish a thousand of the Unbelievers.” No ambiguity whatsoever in this prophecy of Allah. Can it be expressed any clearer or any more definite than this?
As revealed, it is Allah who guarantees these astounding victories of the Muslims over their enemies ten times more numerous than them. Therefore, the victory is achieved – not by the strength or the fighting skills of the Muslim warriors – but by the divine power of Allah. There is a world of difference between a Commandment and a Prophecy. If Allah had intended to reveal Surah 8:65 as a Commandment, he would have expressed this Qur’anic verse in the following manner:
“If a hundred, they MUST vanquish a thousand of the Unbelievers.”
However, it is different when Allah proclaimed:
“If a hundred, they WILL vanquish a thousand of the Unbelievers.”
This means the victory is an absolute certainty. It is a predetermined conclusion. The victory is assured even before the Muslim warriors venture into battle. Hence, the victory of the Muslims rests completely in the hands of Allah. It is vital for Muslims to understand that the proclamation in Surah 8:65 is not a Commandment but a Prophecy of Allah. Allah had already predetermined the outcome of the battles between Muslims and their enemies.
Before we proceed any further, we would like to establish an essential truth. It is vital to take note of the fact that no power in heaven or on earth can prevent the expressed purpose or will of the true God from being accomplished. All prophecies of the true God are as good as fulfilled. It should be. In accord with this divine truth, Jehovah stated the following in Isaiah 55:11:
“My word that goes forth from my mouth will prove to be. It will not return to me without results, but it will certainly do that in which I have delighted, and it will have certain success in that for which I have sent it.”
Well, what about the prophecy of Allah that guarantees Muslims with victory over their enemies ten times more numerous than them? Divine bombshell for Muslims! Just one verselater, Allah abrogated his prophecy. Allah abolished his own divine prophecy in which he promises heavenly support for his warriors to attain victory over their enemies:
Surah 8:66: “For the present, Allah hath lightened your task, for He knoweth that there is a weak spot in you: But even so, if there are a hundred of you, patient and persevering, they will vanquish two hundred, and if a thousand, they will vanquish two thousand, with the leave of Allah: for Allah is with those who patiently persevere.” (Yusuf Ali)
Even though Allah stated clearly in Surah 8:65 that each Muslim warrior “will” defeat enemies ten times more numerous than them, the Muslim warriors did not trust Allah. When they received this divine message, they complained bitterly at the impossible odds they have to now face when they engage their enemies in battles. As a result, Allah revealed Surah 8:66. It was revealed immediately after the Muslim warriors became fearful and complained bitterly to Muhammad. Consequently, the original prophecy was abrogated by Allah. He changed the ratio from 1:10
Surah 8:65: “If there are twenty amongst you, patient and persevering, they will vanquish two hundred: if a hundred, they will vanquish a thousand of the Unbelievers.”
To a ratio of 1:2
Surah 8:66: “If there are a hundred of you, patient and persevering, they will vanquish two hundred, and if a thousand, they will vanquish two thousand.”
It is important to note that no changes were made in the requirements on the part of the warriors. In both the Surahs they were still required to be “patience and persevering.” So their end of the bargain remains the same. As such, Allah cannot blame or shift the fault on to the warriors for the changes in the ratio. The fault lies in Allah’s miscalculated prophecy.Allah got carried away. He jumped the gun. No wonder he quickly gave in to the demands of the Muslims and invalidated his own prophecy without delay. Let us consider the documented records of authentic Islamic sources to substantiate this fact:
Ishaq: 326:
Abdullah told me that when this verse came down it was a shock to the Muslims who took it hard. They were afraid, as the odds were too great. So Allah relieved them and cancelled the verse with another: “Now has Allah relieved you and He knows that there is a weakness among you, so if there are 100 (rather than 20) they shall vanquish 200.”
Al-Suyuti:
When God imposed on them that each one of them should fight ten, it became a burden and an unbearable task for them. Thus, God removed the burden from them and each one was requested to fight two men. (Asbab al-Nuzul, p. 134)
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 6, Book 60, Number 176:
Narrated Ibn Abbas: When the Verse: – ‘If there are twenty steadfast you (Muslims), they will overcome two-hundred (non-Muslims).’ was revealed, it became hard on the Muslims when it became compulsory that one Muslim ought not to flee (in war) before ten (non-Muslims). So (Allah) lightened the order by revealing:‘But now Allah has lightened your task for He knows that there is weakness in you. So if there are of you one-hundred steadfast, they will overcome two-hundred (non-Muslims).’ (Surah 8:66) So when Allah reduced the number of enemies which Muslims should withstand, their patience and perseverance against the enemy decreased as much as their task was lightened for them.
Not only did Allah abrogate his prophecy but he also deviously gave a lame excuse for doing so.
Surah 8:66: “For the present Allah has made light your burden, and He knows that there is weakness in you.” (Shakir)
Surah 8:66 is indeed damaging to Islam. Why did not Allah “know that there is weakness”in the Muslims just one verse earlier? Why is it that Allah only became aware of the“weakness” of the Muslims only after they complained bitterly? If Allah is truly the all-knowing God, he would have known about their “weakness” before revealing Surah 8:65. Since he did not know, he had to abolish his failed prophecy in Surah 8:65 and substitute it with a contradictory prophecy in Surah 8:66. Had Allah revealed the better verse right from the beginning, he would have spared his warriors much anxiety. But Allah could not as he did not know the “weakness” of his warriors. But wait a minute! What has the “weakness” of the Muslims have anything to do with the failure of the fulfillment of the prophecy in Surah 8:65?Does not the victory of the warriors depend absolutely on the power of Allah? Why was Allah powerless to fortify the warriors with the needed strength and courage to fulfill his prophecyin Surah 8:65?
The truth of the matter is that not only Allah was powerless but he was also learning as he went along. He was learning by trial and error. He had to quickly change the ratio from 1:10 to 1:2 because he was clueless about the makeup of his warriors. Allah was totally ignorant. The fact that the changes are quite significant – from 1:10 to 1:2 – only serves to prove the magnitude of Allah’s gross miscalculations. In the end, Allah had to dishonorably abrogate his own prophecy in the Mother of all Books – the Holy Qur’an. The existence of even one failed prophecy is sufficient to prove the Qur’an false. This episode provides us with so many evidences to thoroughly prove why the Qur’an simply cannot be the Word of God. This single event not only exposes the utter failure of Allah’s prophecy in the Qur’an but it also raises many questions.
QUESTIONS FOR MUSLIMS
(1) Why did Allah’ prophecy in Surah 8:65 fail in its fulfillment? Does not this prove that Allah is incapable of seeing through to the fulfillment of his prophecies? Does not this also prove that Allah simply cannot be the Almighty God as you claim him to be?
(2) Why did Allah abrogate his own prophecy? Why did he replace it with a different prophecy?
(3) Does not the fact that Allah got his prophecy wrong the first time shows that he is also learning by trial and error just as any imperfect human?
(4) Does not the fact that Allah got his prophecy wrong the first time prove that there is afailed prophecy in the Qur’an? Can a divine book contain a failed prophecy in it?
(5) Since the prophecy of Allah was abrogated on account of the warriors’ reluctance to fight against such odds, does not this prove that the fulfillment of Allah’s prophecy is reliant on the decisions of imperfect humans? How can the failings of humans to follow divine directions result in the failure of the fulfillment of Allah’s prophecy? Can the Word of God fail?
(6) Why did not Allah know that his warriors would be incapable to cope with the demand to defeat their enemies ten times their number? Does not this prove that Allah did not know the weakness of the Muslims? Why did not Allah know their weakness just one verse away?
(7) Why did Allah choose to lower the prophesied ratio from 1:10 to 1:2 instead of increasing the strength and courage of his warriors to measure up to task as predicted in his divine prophecy?
(8) How can you trust Allah with your eternal salvation when he is not even aware of the fact that his prophecy would end in failure?
Even if Muslims falsely claim that there are true prophecies in the Qur’an, it does not, in essence, change anything to exonerate Islam. It does not change the fact that the Qur’an is false. The existence of a failed prophecy in the Qur’an is sufficient to prove that it cannot be the inspired Word of God. A book that claims divine inspiration has to be consistently accurate. If the Bible can live up to this claim, then it must truly be the Word of God. This also proves that the author of the Bible must be the true God.
THE CONTRAST BETWEEN JEHOVAH AND ALLAH
Every prophetic utterance that comes from Jehovah is as good as fulfilled. We will now consider a historical event which took place during the time of Moses to prove this truth. This account will reveal the authority of the true God to foretell the outcome of future events with accuracy. An examination of Exodus 3:15-20 will reveal the contrast between Jehovah and Allah. We will now read these verses:
Exodus 3:15-20: Then God said to Moses: “This is what you are to say to the Israelites, ‘Jehovah the God of your forefathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered from generation to generation.Now go, and gather the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘Jehovah the God of your forefathers has appeared to me, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and He said: “I have certainly taken notice of you and of what is being done to you in Egypt. I WILL take you away from affliction at the hands of the Egyptians…to a land flowing with milk and honey.But I myself well know that the king of Egypt will not give you permission to go unless a mighty hand compels him. So I will have to stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all my extraordinary acts that I will do in it, and after that he WILL send you out. ”’ (Emphasis Ours)
Did the prophetic proclamation that Jehovah declared to Moses come true? Were the Israelites delivered from the oppression of Pharaoh just as Jehovah promised?
Yes and Yes. While the prophecy of Allah became ineffective on account of the disobedience of mere men, no humans can prevent the fulfillment of Jehovah’s prophecies. Even mighty Pharaoh could not stop the execution of Jehovah’s prophetic promise to free the Israelites from slavery. Because of Pharaoh’s obstinate refusal to free the Israelites, Jehovah brought on a series of plagues upon the land of Egypt. On account of the mighty hand of Jehovah, Pharaoh was compelled to finally release the Israelites from captivity. Let’s read about this outcome in the following verses:
Exodus 12:30-32: Pharaoh got up that night along with all his servants and all the other Egyptians, and there was a great outcry among the Egyptians, because there was not a house where someone was not dead. At once he called Moses and Aaron by night and said: “Get up, get out from among my people, both you and the other Israelites. Go and serve Jehovah, just as you have said. Take also your flocks and your herds and go, just as you have said.
Unlike Allah, Jehovah did not give any excuses. He does not have to. He is God Almighty. All his prophecies are guaranteed to be fulfilled. He freed the Israelites just as he prophesied. For Muslims who deny the authenticity of this account, we have a surprise for them. Even the Qur’an acknowledges this mighty act of Jehovah in delivering the Israelites. It confirms his ability to fulfill prophecies:
Surah 2:49-50: Children of Israel, recall My favor of saving you from the Pharaoh’s people who afflicted you with the worst kind of cruelty… We parted the sea to save you and drowned Pharaoh’s people before your very eyes. (Sarwar)Surah 10:90: We helped the Children of Israel cross the sea safely. The Pharaoh and his army pursued the children of Israel with wickedness and hate until the Pharaoh was drowned… We settled the children of Israel in a blessed land and provided them with pure sustenance. (Sarwar)
Both the Bible and the Qur’an testifies to the ability of Jehovah to fulfill prophecies. Unlike Allah, Jehovah does not abrogate his prophecies. In fact, Allah could not perform a single miracle. When Allah was challenged by the contemporaries of Muhammad to perform a miracle to authenticate the prophethood of Muhammad, he dodged the challenge and gave the following excuses:
Surah 13:7: The unbelievers say, “Why has God not sent him, (Muhammad), some miracles.” Muhammad, you are only a warner. For every nation there is a guide. (M. Sarwar)
Since Allah could not perform miracles, he deceitfully appealed to the miracles in the Bible. He wanted to deceive the contemporaries of Muhammad into believing that the miracles in the Bible are his own:
Surah 20:133: And they say: “If only he brought us a miracle from his Lord!” Has there not come to them (as a sufficient miracle) a Clear Evidence of the truth in what is to be found in the former Scriptures? (Ali Unal)
The “former Scriptures” are none other than the Torah and the Gospel. This Qur’anic verse is confirming the irrefutable fact that “Clear Evidence of the truth” regarding miracles can only be found in the Holy Bible. For Muslims to know about miracles, they need to go to the Holy Bible. We are not the ones saying this but Allah. For an in-depth discussion on this subject, please click the following links:
There are also other instances in the Qur’an which shows that Allah does not know the outcome of the future with certainty. Consider for example the following Qur’anic verse:
Surah 3:144: Muhammad is no more than a Messenger, and indeed many Messengers have passed away before him. If he dies or is killed, will you then turn back on your heels as disbelievers? And he who turns back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to Allah, and Allah will give reward to those who are grateful (Hilali-Khan)
Muhammad was not only Allah’s greatest prophet but he was also his final and favorite prophet. Yet, Allah was uncertain about the manner of Muhammad’s death. The phrase, “If he dies or is killed” is “Fa-in mata awo kutila” in Arabic. This verse demonstrates that Allah did not know whether Muhammad will die a natural death (Mata) or be killed by someone(Kutila). Thus, Allah was unable to affirm the exact manner of Muhammad’s death. That is why there is not a single prophecy in the Qur’an that details the manner of Muhammad’s death.
The Holy Bible provides a warning about those who prophesy falsely:
Deuteronomy 18:20-22: “However, the prophet who presumes to speak in my name a word that I have not commanded him to speak or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet must die. And in case you should say in your heart: ‘How shall we know the word that the true God has not spoken?’ When the prophet speaks in the name of God and if the word does not occur or come true, then that is the word that the true God has not spoken. With presumptuousness the prophet has spoken it. You must not be afraid of him.”
Since the prophecy of Allah in Surah 8:65 failed to come true as predicted, it cannot be inspired by the true God. As such, the true God cannot the source of the prophecies in the Qur’an. This logically follows that the Qur’an is not the inspired Word of the true God. Either Muhammad was thoroughly deceived by an impersonating spirit or he was faking inspiration. Either option is bad for Muslims. And Jehovah the true God gave the following warning in the Holy Bible:
1 Timothy 4:1: However, the inspired utterance says definitely that in later periods of time some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired utterances and teachings of demons.
Since the prophecies of Allah failed in their fulfillment, they are nothing more than “misleading inspired utterances.”
THE IDENTITY OF THE TRUE GOD
The following segment is important for Muslims. How can a sincere Muslim identify the true God? In order to make it possible for sincere seekers of truth to recognize the true God, Jehovah raised a vital challenge against all false gods. Jehovah challenged the false gods to prove their godship through the inspiration of prophecies. He challenged the false gods to prophesy the outcome of future events:
Isaiah 41:21-24: “Present your case, says the Lord God Jehovah. Bring forth your proofs, says the King of Jacob. Let them bring forth and show us what will happen; Let them show us the former things, what they were, That we may consider them, And know the latter end of them. Or cause us to hear even the things that are coming. Tell the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods. Indeed you are nothing. And your work is nothing. He who chooses to worship you is an abomination.”
Allah is indeed “nothing.” He failed the challenge of Jehovah to prove his godship. He did not know the future. Allah could not “tell the things that are to come hereafter.” Therefore, it is an “abomination” for Muslims to worship Allah. The ability to foretell and fulfillprophecies is a unique attribute of the true God:
Isaiah 46:9-10: “Remember the first things of a long time ago, that I am the Divine One and there is no other God, nor anyone like me. The One declaring the end from the beginning and from long ago the things that have not yet been done. The One saying: ‘My own counsel will stand, and everything that is my delight I shall do.’”
The true God has the ability to foretell history in advance. Such predictive ability displays God’s unique power. Prophecy is one means by which God demonstrates his power and glory. It is also a means by which he distinguishes himself from the false gods. The fulfillment of prophecies exalts God above all others as the only One who knows the end from the beginning.
Prophecies also substantiate the stamp of God’s authority in his inspired Book. The ability to prophesy future events of human history is a distinctive attribute of God’s true Scriptures.This is how important prophecies are to the seeker of truth. It is one of the most essential proofs and evidences of a divine Book. Therefore, a failed prophecy in the Qur’an means that Allah, Muhammad, Islam and the Qur’an should be rejected as false.
Isaiah 55:6: Search for Jehovah while he may be found. Call to him while he is near.
This is not an option if you truly value your salvation. One failed prophecy is one too many for a book claiming to be the perfect Word of God.
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