Are There Inconsistencies In The Quran? Options

[curious-non-Musl...]

I'm a non-Muslim. I see many discussions online that say there are inconsistencies in the Quran, which wouldn't be there if it was the revealed word of God. I'd be grateful if anyone could explain why these apparent inconsistencies are there, and how they are explained to avoid inconsistency.

Thank you

Here are some examples:
(Koran 96:2)
Created man, out of a mere clot of congealed blood.
Or was man created from water as Mohammed has stated in the verses below?
(Koran 21:30)
...WE made EVERY (including man) living thing
from water...
(Koran 25:54)
It is He who has created man from water...
Or was man created from "sounding" clay?
(Koran 15:26)
He created man from sounding clay, from mud
moulded into shape...
Or was man created from dust?
(Koran 3:59)
...He created him from dust, then said to him
Be and he was.

[mureed]

First there is something that needs to be clarified, when in the Holy Quran it says "we" that is not Prophet Muhammad , that is god speaking.

Now in short, mud, clay, dust, refer to the creation of man ie..Adam(AS). The clot of congealed blood if referring to the birthing cycle sperm, egg etc . there both talking about the processes of the creation of man,not at all inconsistent.

[curious-non-Musl...]

Thank you for your response, but there still seem to be things I can't explain. Take this for example:

[86.5] So let man consider of what he is created:
[86.6] He is created of water pouring forth,
[86.7] Coming from between the back and the ribs.

86.7 seems to conflict with the modern scientific understanding - the sperm from the testicles and the oven from the ovaries.

[mureed]

I don't think you have looked deep enough in your science books. there are several scientist who have this century confirmed allot of the verses you've brought up. you can skip to 4:50, that is where they begin talking about the birthing cycle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUUPYs0gElU...feature=related

[curious-non-Musl...]

Thank you again mureed, but that clip just contains claims; it doesn't actually clarify what those claims mean. On embryology the basics were known from Aristotle's time. Animal husbandry would have been well understood by anyone managing livestock.

I'v seen it claimed that 39:6 explains conception and development, but it only does so in very basic terms that would have been known to any farmer with cattle or sheep, and would have easily understood the same process in humans.

I'm not disputing the significance of the scientific contribution of the Islamic world, at a time when Europe had lost touch with Greek philosophy. Islamic scholars made great strides in astronomy and maths that were later used by Europeans.

But it does seem easy to read more into the Quran than is actually there.

[mureed]

It's funny that there was someone here who said there was no reason to respond to your question because you are an atheist, and you have to first have the belief that man was created. So until that happens there really is no use. here is one consistency throughout Holy Quran; God guides who he wills when he wills and there are some who he will not guide. here are a few verses

Surely for those who have disbelieved, it is all the same whether you warn them or you warn them not: they would not believe[6]
Allah has set a seal on their hearts and on their hearing, and on their eyes there is a covering; and for them there lies a mighty punishment[7]
Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 6 - 7

Say, "0 disbelievers, [I]
I do not worship that which youworship, [2]
nor do you worship the One whom I worship. [3]
And neither I am going to worship that which you have worshiped, [4]
nor will you worship the One whom I worship. [5]
For you is your faith, and for me, my faith." [6]
Kafiroon 109:1-6

PS May he guide you to a way that is right

[curious-non-Musl...]

Another apparent contradiction is that several places say God created the world in six days, but 4:9 to 4:12 appear to add up to 8 days. Could you explain that please.

[mureed]

the verses you have deal with law not creation. it really looks like your grabbing at straws, the only problem is there are no staws

[curious-non-Musl...]

Thank you for your help mureed.

Is there then a good textbook that you can recommend that explains more about Islam, and particularly the understanding of the Quran?

[mureed]

I dont' know of any textbooks, but there are books called Tafsir which explain the meaning of Holy Quran in depth. Tafsir Usmani is a good one

[avatarmage]

Hi curious non-muslim ,

I don't know much myself but many of these questions are answered in Mis-Goded and Goded by Dr. Laurence Brown and Even Angels Ask by Jefferey Lang. Both of these guys are American converts who wanted to know the right way, shows how much the rest of us Muslim bummers do. But they look at it from an American and non-muslim perspective because after all thats what they are and were.

Good luck and ask me if you have any more questions.