The Myth of the Unaltered Qur’an and Muhammad as an Exemplary Figure

The Myth of the Unaltered Qur’an and Muhammad as an Exemplary Figure

Two romanticized notions are frequently used to bolster the credibility of Islam. The first portrays the Prophet Muhammad as the ultimate role model for humanity, while the second claims that the Qur’an has remained the perfect, unchanged word of God throughout its history. Unlike Christian and Jewish texts, which historical evidence shows have been revised and reinterpreted, the Qur’an is presented as flawlessly preserved, so divinely eloquent that its perfection cannot be replicated. This belief is instilled in children from a young age, accepted unquestioningly as fact, yet it falters under scrutiny.

Muhammad, Revelation, and Hadith

It is said that Muhammad received divine revelations sporadically, recorded by scribes or memorized by followers. However, no contemporary evidence supports this, only oral traditions and unverified claims, like questionable parchments. The Qur’an’s preservation relies entirely on trust, as there is no proof it matches what Muhammad received. Muslims often cite the Prophet’s words, but without falsifiable evidence, these could be later inventions.

Muhammad and many of his followers were illiterate, using an incomplete script that raises doubts about accurate transmission. Relying on memory to preserve divine revelation seems poorly planned for a universal message, especially when other contemporary civilizations had complete writing systems. The Hadith even admits that some memorized verses were forgotten, with entire surahs lost, undermining the reliability of those entrusted with preservation. The Qur’an itself (2:106) claims forgotten or abrogated verses are replaced with better or similar ones, a tactic mirrored by Joseph Smith in Mormonism, who similarly replaced lost revelations, conveniently avoiding exact replication.

Muhammad’s illiteracy further complicates the claim of divine transmission. Choosing an illiterate messenger for a religion meant to spread globally, while knowing memorizers could die in war, seems illogical. Revelations are only divine to the recipient; to others, they are hearsay, lacking evidence. No surviving Qur’anic texts exist from Muhammad’s time, with the earliest appearing nearly a century after his death, leaving room for distortion or invention by later scribes.

Muhammad’s revelations often conveniently aligned with his desires. For instance, he initially prayed toward Jerusalem but wished to face Mecca, and a revelation (Qur’an 2:144) soon permitted this. Similarly, when his companion Umar desired women to be veiled, a revelation (Qur’an 24:31) mandated it. Another verse (Qur’an 33:50) granted Muhammad unique sexual privileges, allowing him to marry or take as concubines various women, a privilege exclusive to him. These instances suggest revelations were tailored to personal or political needs, including power and sexual access, casting doubt on their divine origin.

Muhammad’s Character and Violence

Muhammad’s life in Medina contrasts sharply with his earlier years in Mecca, where he became violent, authoritarian, and obsessed with power and sex. His massacre of 600–900 Bani Qurayza men, whom he personally helped behead, and the enslavement of their women, as recorded in Ibn Ishaq’s The Life of Muhammad, reflect a brutal warlord, not a peaceful spiritual leader. His intolerance for dissent is evident in the murders of critics like Ka’b ibn al-Ashraf and Ibn an-Nawwahah, killed for mocking or rivaling him. Uqba bin Abu Mu’ayt was executed despite pleading for his children, with Muhammad coldly responding, “Hell.” This pattern of violence against critics, rooted in Muhammad’s actions, underscores Islam’s intolerance for free expression, a trait seen in modern extremism.

The Qur’an’s Changes

The Qur’an’s claim of being unchanged is challenged by historical evidence. The Sana’a manuscript, discovered in 1972 and dated to around 650 CE, reveals variations from the modern Qur’an, with erased lower texts suggesting deliberate alterations to align with a standardized version. Uthman’s effort to standardize the Qur’an in the 7th century addressed regional variations in recitation and content, implying no single, uniform text existed during Muhammad’s life. Even the Uthmanic Qur’an, written in Kufic script, likely dates to the 8th century, not Uthman’s time. Later, Al-Hajjaj Ibn Yusuf Al-Thakafi altered words in the Qur’an, further contradicting claims of immutability.

The Hadith also report lost verses, such as one about Bi’r-Ma’una, later canceled. Abdullah ibn Umar warned against claiming to possess the entire Qur’an, as much had disappeared. Even the supposed final revelation (Sura 5:3) appears early in the text, disrupting the narrative flow and contradicting claims of perfect compilation.

Conclusion

The Qur’an’s history is marked by ambiguity, with evidence of changes, omissions, and convenient revelations tailored to Muhammad’s desires. The lack of contemporary records, reliance on oral tradition, and variations in early manuscripts like Sana’a undermine the claim of an unaltered text. Muhammad’s violent actions and self-serving revelations further weaken his image as a moral exemplar. Belief in the Qur’an’s divine perfection requires suspending reason, relying on sentiment and trust in questionable traditions. Even if unchanged, this would not prove divinity, as preservation does not equal truth. The notion of a perfectly preserved Qur’an, delivered through a flawless prophet, is incoherent and unsupported by evidence, revealing a faith built on shaky foundations.