In this post I will highlight some of the many discrepancies and errors of the Quran. I will be focusing on statements where Allah is said to be performing a specific function, or where he is described as the only one possessing certain qualities, and then show how the Islamic scripture then attributes these very roles and functions to others.

This in turn establishes that either the Muslim “holy” book is contradicting itself, or Allah is committing the unforgiveable sin of shirk (“association/partnership”), by taking creatures to be his partners in carrying out the very tasks or by conferring upon them some of his unique properties and names.

Here’s what the Quran says about shirk:

who assigned to you the earth for a couch, and heaven for an edifice, and sent down out of heaven water, wherewith He brought forth fruits for your provision; so set not up compeers to God wittingly. S. 2:22

God forgives not that aught should be with Him associated; less than that He forgives to whomsoever He will. Whoso associates with God anything, has indeed forged a mighty sin. S. 4:48    

God forgives not that aught should be with Him associated; less than that He forgives to whomsoever He will. Whoso associates with God anything, has gone astray into far error. S. 4:116

It has been revealed to thee, and to those before thee, ‘If thou associatest other gods with God, thy work shall surely fail and thou wilt be among the losers.’ S. 39:65  

WHO SENT/BROUGHT DOWN THE QURAN?

ALLAH

And We have brought to them a Book that We have well distinguished, resting on knowledge, a guidance and a mercy unto a people that believe. S. 7:52

Alif Lam Ra. Those are the signs of the Manifest Book. We have sent it down as an Arabic Koran; haply you will understand. We will relate to thee the fairest of stories in that We have revealed to thee this Koran, though before it thou wast one of the heedless. S. 12:1-3

GABRIEL

Say: ‘Whosoever is an enemy to Gabriel — he it was that brought it down upon thy heart by the leave of God, confirming what was before it, and for a guidance and good tidings to the believers. S. 2:97

THE HOLY SPIRT

Say: ‘The Holy Spirit sent it down from thy Lord in truth, and to confirm those who believe, and to be a guidance and good tidings to those who surrender.’ S. 16:102

THE FAITHFUL SPIRIT

Truly it is the revelation of the Lord of all Being, brought down by the Faithful Spirit upon thy heart, that thou mayest be one of the warners, in a clear, Arabic tongue. S. 26:192-195

WHO RECITES AND TEACHES THE QURAN?

ALLAH

These are the signs of God We recite to thee in truth, and assuredly thou art of the number of the Envoys. And those Messengers, some We have preferred above others; some there are to whom God spoke, and some He raised in rank. And We gave Jesus son of Mary the clear signs, and confirmed him with the Holy Spirit. And had God willed, those who came after him would not have fought one against the other after the clear signs had come to them; but they fell into variance, and some of them believed, and some disbelieved; and had God willed they would not have fought one against the other; but God does whatsoever He desires. S. 2:252-253

O believers, when you contract a debt one upon another for a stated term, write it down, and let a writer write it down between you justly, and let not any writer refuse to write it down, as God has taught him; so let him write, and let the debtor dictate, and let him fear God his Lord and not diminish aught of it. And if the debtor be a fool, or weak, or unable to dictate himself, then let his guardian dictate justly. And call in to witness two witnesses, men; or if the two be not men, then one man and two women, such witnesses as you approve of, that if one of the two women errs the other will remind her; and let the witnesses not refuse, whenever they are summoned. And be not loth to write it down, whether it be small or great, with its term; that is more equitable in God’s sight, more upright for testimony, and likelier that you will not be in doubt. Unless it be merchandise present that you give and take between you; then it shall be no fault in you if you do not write it down. And take witnesses when you are trafficking one with another. And let not either writer or witness be pressed; or if you do, that is ungodliness in you. And fear God; God teaches you, and God has knowledge of everything. S. 2:282

Alif Lam Ra. Those are the signs of the Manifest Book. We have sent it down as an Arabic Koran; haply you will understand. We will relate to thee the fairest of stories in that We have revealed to thee this Koran, though before it thou wast one of the heedless. S. 12:1-3

Your God is only the One God; there is no god, but He alone who in His knowledge embraces everything.’ So We relate to thee stories of what has gone before, and We have given thee a remembrance from Us. S. 20:98-99

Those are the signs of the Manifest Book. We will recite to thee something of the tiding of Moses and Pharaoh truthfully, for a people who believe. S. 28:2-3

Those are the signs of God that We recite to thee in truth; in what manner of discourse then, after God and His signs, will they believe? S. 45:6

Move not thy tongue with it to hasten it; Ours it is to gather it, and to recite it. So, when We recite it, follow thou its recitation. Then Ours it is to explain it. S. 75:16-19

MUHAMMAD

as also We have sent among you, of yourselves, a Messenger, to recite Our signs to you and to purify you, and to teach you the Book and the Wisdom, and to teach you that you knew not. S. 2:151

Truly God was gracious to the believers when He raised up among them a Messenger from themselves, to recite to them His signs and to purify them, and to teach them the Book and the Wisdom, though before they were in manifest error. S. 3:164

It is He who has raised up from among the common people a Messenger from among them, to recite His signs to them and to purify them, and to teach them the Book and the Wisdom, though before that they were in manifest error, S. 62:2

a Messenger reciting to you the signs of God, clear signs, that He may bring forth those who believe and do righteous deeds from the shadows into the light. Whosoever believes in God, and does righteousness, He will admit him to gardens underneath which rivers flow; therein they shall dwell for ever and ever. God has made for him a goodly provision. S. 65:11

WHO IS IT THAT PURIFIES/FORGIVES?

ALLAH

Permitted to you, upon the night of the Fast, is to go in to your wives; — they are a vestment for you, and you are a vestment for them. God knows that you have been betraying yourselves, and has turned to you and pardoned you. So now lie with them, and seek what God has prescribed for you. And eat and drink, until the white thread shows clearly to you from the black thread at the dawn; then complete the Fast unto the night, and do not lie with them while you cleave to the mosques. Those are God’s bounds; keep well within them. So God makes clear His signs to men; haply they will be godfearing. S. 2:187

God charges no soul save to its capacity; standing to its account is what it has earned, and against its account what it has merited. Our Lord, take us not to task if we forget, or make mistake. Our Lord; charge us not with a load such as Thou didst lay upon those before us. Our Lord, do Thou not burden us beyond what we have the strength to bear. And pardon us, and forgive us, and have mercy on us; Thou art our Protector. And help us against the people of the unbelievers. S. 2:286

Hast thou not regarded those who purify themselves? Nay; ONLY God purifies whom He will; and they shall not be wronged a single date-thread. S. 4:49

haply them God will yet pardon, for God is All-pardoning, All-forgiving. Whoso emigrates in the way of God will find in the earth many refuges and plenty; whoso goes forth from his house an emigrant to God and His Messenger, and then death overtakes him, his wage shall have fallen on God; surely God is All-forgiving, All-compassionate. S. 4:99-100

O believers, follow not the steps of Satan; for whosoever follows the steps of Satan, assuredly he bids to indecency and dishonour. But for God’s bounty to you and His mercy not one of you would have been pure ever; but GOD purifies whom He will; and God is All-hearing, All-knowing. S. 24:21

MUHAMMAD

Many of the People of the Book wish they might restore you as unbelievers, after you have believed, in the jealousy of their souls, after the truth has become clear to them; yet do you pardon and be forgiving, till God brings His command; truly God is powerful over everything. S. 2:109

as also We have sent among you, of yourselves, a Messenger, to recite Our signs to you and to purify you, and to teach you the Book and the Wisdom, and to teach you that you knew not. S. 2:151

Truly God was gracious to the believers when He raised up among them a Messenger from themselves, to recite to them His signs and to purify them, and to teach them the Book and the Wisdom, though before they were in manifest error. S. 3:164

Be forgiving, judge with positive and useful things, and turn away from the ignorant! S. 7:199 (Ahmed Hulusi, Decoding the Quran (In Chronological Order Of Revelation) https://www.islamawakened.com/quran/7/st63.htm)

Take of their wealth a freewill offering, to purify them and to cleanse them thereby, and pray for them; thy prayers are a comfort for them; God is All-hearing, All-knowing. S. 9:103

It is He who has raised up from among the common people a Messenger from among them, to recite His signs to them and to purify them, and to teach them the Book and the Wisdom, though before that they were in manifest error, S. 62:2

WHO IS HE THAT INTERCEDES?

NONE BESIDES ALLAH

Children of Israel, remember My blessing wherewith I blessed you, and that I have preferred you above all beings; and beware of a day when NO SOUL for another shall give satisfaction, and no intercession shall be accepted from it, nor any counterpoise be taken, neither shall they be helped. S. 2:47-48

Children of Israel, remember My blessing wherewith I blessed you, and that I have preferred you above all beings; and beware a day when NO SOUL for another shall give satisfaction, and no counterpoise shall be accepted from it, nor any intercession shall be profitable to it, neither shall they be helped. S. 2:122-123

God takes the souls at the time of their death, and that which has not died, in its sleep; He withholds that against which He has decreed death, but looses the other till a stated term. Surely in that are signs for a people who reflect. Or have they taken intercessors apart from God? Say: ‘What, even though they have no power whatever and no understanding?’ Say: ‘To God belongs intercession altogether. His is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth; then unto Him you will be returned.’ S. 39:42-44

Again, what shall teach thee what is the Day of Doom? A day when NO SOUL shall possess aught to succour another soul; that day the Command shall belong unto God. S. 82:18-19

THOSE WHOM ALLAH APPOINTS

God there is no god but He, the Living, the Everlasting. Slumber seizes Him not, neither sleep; to Him belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. Who is there that shall intercede with Him save by His leave? He knows what lies before them and what is after them, and they comprehend not anything of His knowledge save such as He wills. His Throne comprises the heavens and earth; the preserving of them oppresses Him not; He is the All-high, the All-glorious. S. 2:255

Surely your Lord is God, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then sat Himself upon the Throne, directing the affair. Intercessor there is none, save after His leave that then is God, your Lord; so serve Him. Will you not remember? S. 10:3

Upon that day the intercession will not profit, save for him to whom the All-merciful gives leave, and whose speech He approves. S. 20:19

And We sent never a Messenger before thee except that We revealed to him, saying, ‘There is no god but I; so serve Me.’ They say: ‘The All-merciful has taken to Him a son.’ Glory be to Him! Nay, but they are honoured servants that outstrip Him not in speech, and perform as He commands. He knows what is before them and behind them, and they intercede not save for him with whom He is well-pleased, and they tremble in awe of Him. If any of them says, ‘I am a god apart from Him’, such a one We recompense with Gehenna; even so We recompense the evildoers. S. 21:25-29

Intercession will not avail with Him save for him to whom He gives leave; till, when terror is lifted from their hearts, they will say, “What said your Lord?’ They will say, ‘The truth; and He is the All-high; the All-great.’ S. 34:23

Those who bear the Throne, and those round about it proclaim the praise of their Lord, and believe in Him, and they ask forgiveness for those who believe: ‘Our Lord, Thou embracest every thing in mercy and knowledge; therefore forgive those who have repented, and follow Thy way, and guard them against the chastisement of Hell. Our Lord, and admit them to the Gardens of Eden that Thou hast promised them and those who were righteous of their fathers, and their wives, and their seed; surely Thou art the All-mighty, the All-wise. And guard them against evil deeds; whomsoever Thou guardest against evil deeds on that day, on him Thou hast had mercy; and that is indeed the mighty triumph. S. 40:7-9

Those they call upon, apart from Him, have no power of intercession, save such as have testified to the truth, and that knowingly. S. 43:86

How many an angel there is in the heavens whose intercession avails not anything, save after that God gives leave to whomsoever He wills and is well-pleased. S. 53:26

WHO IS THE FRIEND/GUIDE/PROTECTOR?

ONLY ALLAH

Knowest thou not that to God belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and that you have none, apart from God, neither protector nor helper? S. 2:107

It is not your fancies, nor the fancies of the People of the Book. Whosoever does evil shall be recompensed for it, and will not find for him, apart from God, a friend or helper. S. 4:123

And warn therewith those who fear they shall be mustered to their Lord; they have, apart from God, no protector and no intercessor; haply they will be godfearing. S. 6:51

Leave alone those who take their religion for a sport and a diversion, and whom the present life has deluded. Remind hereby, lest a soul should be given up to destruction for what it has earned; apart from God, it has no protector and no intercessor; though it offer any equivalent, it shall not be taken from it. Those are they who are given up to destruction for what they have earned; for them awaits a draught of boiling water and a painful chastisement, for that they were unbelievers. S. 6:70

Say: ‘Naught shall visit us but what God has prescribed for us; He is our Protector; in God let the believers put all their trust.’ S. 9:51

God is He that created the heavens and the earth, and what between them is, in six days, then seated Himself upon the Throne. Apart from Him, you have no protector neither mediator; will you not remember? S. 32:4

Surely We have sent down upon thee the Book for mankind with the truth. Whosoever is guided, is only guided to his own gain, and whosoever goes astray, it is only to his own loss; thou art not a guardian over them. S. 39:41

MUHAMMAD AND OTHERS

Your friend is only God, AND His Messenger, AND the believers who perform the prayer and pay the alms, and bow them down. S. 5:55

Even so We have revealed to thee a Spirit of Our bidding. Thou knewest not what the Book was, nor belief; but We made it a light, whereby We guide whom We will of Our servants. And thou, surely thou shalt guide unto a straight path — S. 42:51

WHO IS HE WHO IS GENTLE AND COMPASSIONATE?

ALLAH

God has turned towards the Prophet and the Emigrants and the Helpers who followed him in the hour of difficulty, after the hearts of a part of them well-nigh swerved aside; then He turned towards them; surely He is Gentle to them, and All-compassionate (raoofun raheemun). S. 9:117

But for God’s bounty to you and His mercy and that God is All-gentle, All-compassionate (raoofun raheemun) – S. 24:20

And as for those who came after them, they say, ‘Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers, who preceded us in belief, and put Thou not into our hearts any rancour towards those who believe. Our Lord, surely Thou art the All-gentle, the All-compassionate (raoofun raheemun).’ S. 59:10

MUHAMMAD

Now there has come to you a Messenger from among yourselves; grievous to him is your suffering; anxious is he over you, gentle to the believers, compassionate (raoofun raheemun). S. 9:128

WHO CREATED JESUS’ HUMANITY?

ALLAH

Truly, the likeness of Jesus, in God’s sight, is as Adam’s likeness; He created him of dust, then said He unto him, ‘Be,’ and he was. S. 3:59

THE SPIRIT

‘Peace be upon him, the day he was born, and the day he dies, and the day he is raised up alive!’ And mention in the Book Mary when she withdrew from her people to an eastern place, and she took a veil apart from them; then We sent unto her Our Spirit that presented himself to her a man without fault. She said, ‘I take refuge in the All-merciful from thee! If thou fearest God … He said, ‘I am but a messenger come from thy Lord, to give thee a boy most pure.’ S. 19:17-21

WHO CAUSES DEATH?

ALLAH

God takes the souls at the time of their death, and that which has not died, in its sleep; He withholds that against which He has decreed death, but looses the other till a stated term. Surely in that are signs for a people who reflect. Or have they taken intercessors apart from God? S. 39:42

THE ANGEL OF DEATH

Say: ‘Death’s angel, who has been charged with you, shall gather you, then to your Lord you shall be returned.’ S. 32:11

ANGELS

And those the angels take, while still they are wronging themselves — the angels will say, ‘In what circumstances were you?’ They will say, ‘We were abased in the earth.’ The angels will say, ‘But was not God’s earth wide, so that you might have emigrated in it?’ Such men, their refuge shall be Gehenna — an evil homecoming! – S. 4:97

whom the angels take while still they are wronging themselves.’ Then they will offer surrender: ‘We were doing nothing evil. ‘Nay; but surety God has knowledge of the things you did… whom the angels take while they are goodly, saying, ‘Peace be on you! Enter Paradise for that you were doing.’ S. 16:28, 32

WHO SPLIT THE SEA?

ALLAH

And when We divided for you the sea and delivered you, and drowned Pharaoh’s folk while you were beholding. S. 2:50

MOSES

Also We revealed unto Moses, ‘Go with My servants by night; strike for them a dry path in the sea, fearing not overtaking, neither afraid.’ S. 20:77

Then We revealed to Moses, ‘Strike with thy staff the sea’; and it clave, and each part was as a mighty mount. S. 26:63

Unless indicated otherwise, citations taken from the Arthur J. Arberry’s English version of the Quran.

FURTHER READING

Logical Consistency (no contradictions within the Qur’an).

To Intercede or Not To Intercede? – That is the Question! 

How the Islamic Doctrine of Intercession undermines Allah’s Omniscience

ANOTHER QURANIC CONTRADICTION: WHO GAVE MUHAMMAD THE QURAN?

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