Muhammad Explains the Universe (Islam and Science, Part One)

Many Muslim speakers and apologists assert that the Qur'an contains scientific miracles, and that Muhammad made claims about science that were not verified until centuries after his death. However, when we actually examine the Muslim sources (the Qur'an, the Hadith, the Sira, and the Tafsir), we find that Muhammad was wrong about almost everything he said concerning science. The only scientific statements Muhammad got right would have been known by virtually anyone in seventh-century Arabia. Hence, the "argument from scientific accuracy" fails rather miserably.

Muhammad's Deadly Teachings about Personal Hygiene

Muhammad's followers often went to him for advice on various topics. His advice, however, wasn't always sound. According to Muhammad, it's perfectly safe to use water that has human waste or dead animals floating in it. Muhammad promoted dunking flies in one's food, in order to get the cure for the diseases that flies carry. Needless to say, these teachings are quite dangerous. Fortunately, most modern Muslims don't take them seriously.

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Here are the sources I quoted in this video:

Sunan Abu Dawud 67—I heard that the people asked the Prophet of Allah: Water is brought for you from the well of Buda’ah. It is a well in which dead dogs, menstrual cloths and excrement of people are thrown. The Messenger of Allah replied: Verily water is pure and is not defiled by anything.

Sunan Ibn Majah 520—It was narrated that Jabir bin Abdullah said: “We came to a pond in which there was the carcass of a donkey, so we refrained from using the water until the Messenger of Allah came to us and said: ‘Water is not made impure by anything.’ Then we drank from it and gave it to our animals to drink, and we carried some with us.”

Sahih al-Bukhari 5782—Allah’s Messenger said, “If a fly falls in the vessel of any of you, let him dip all of it (into the vessel) and then throw it [i.e. the fly] away, for in one of its wings there is a disease and in the other there is healing (antidote for it) i.e. the treatment for that disease.”

Musnad Ahmad 16245—[Mua’wiya said]: I saw the prophet sucking on the tongue or the lips of Al-Hassan son of Ali, may the prayers of Allah be upon him. For no tongue or lips that the prophet sucked on will be tormented (by hell fire).

On a side note, since Muslims want to argue that there's something miraculous about Islam, perhaps they can make an argument based on Muhammad's teachings about personal hygiene. A Muslim could always argue that it's a miracle that Muhammad and his followers survived his teachings about personal hygiene, and that Allah must have been miraculously preserving Muhammad and the early Muslim community!

"Miracles of the Qur'an" Part 1: An Introduction

In Christianity, there is one miracle upon which we hinge the truth of our faith: the Resurrection. If it did not happen, then Christianity is false. If it happened, and if Jesus truly is the Risen Lord, then Christianity is true.

In Islam, there is not one concrete miracle or event which determines the truth of the faith. If there is something that comes close, though, it's the Qur'an. Though not as objectively testable, a basic principle applies: if the Qur'an is from God, then Islam is true. If the Qur'an is not from God, then Islam is false. Thus, an examination of the Qur'an is certainly merited. What better place to start than to examine the Muslims' positive case?

The Positive Case for the Qur'an

The mainstay of the Muslim positive case is the stipulated "miraculous nature" of the Qur'an. Muslims argue that the miracles of the Qur'an prove it's divine origin. Here are the five miracles I have heard them use the most (in no particular order):

1 - The Numerical Miracle

2 - The Literary Miracle

3 - The Preservation Miracle

4 - The Prophetic Miracles

5 - The Scientific Miracles

Interspersed in our blogs throughout the next few weeks, we will examine these claims to varying degrees. The hope is to systematically address the positive case for the Qur'an. The deeper our investigation, the better, but depth will most likely be a function of the dialogue within the comments.

I pray that we will glorify God in this endeavour, keeping his glory at the center of our purpose.