An Objection of the Jews on the Qur'an Question: What does the following verse imply: وَ لَوۡ جَعَلۡنٰہُ قُرۡاٰنًا اَعۡجَمِیًّا لَّقَالُوۡا لَوۡ لَا فُصِّلَتۡ اٰیٰتُہٗ ءَؔاَعۡجَمِیٌّ وَّ عَرَبِیٌّ ؕ قُلۡ ہُوَ لِلَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا ہُدًی وَّ شِفَآءٌ ؕ وَ الَّذِیۡنَ لَا یُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ فِیۡۤ اٰذَانِہِمۡ وَقۡرٌ وَّ ہُوَ عَلَیۡہِمۡ عَمًی ﴿۴۴﴾ Had We sent down this Qur'an in a language other than Arabic, they would have objected: "Why are not these verses explained in detail? [A Book in] a non-Arabic [tongue] and [the addressees] Arabs. Tell them: "It is a guidance and healing for those who believe. And for those who believe not, there is a deafness in their ears and a blindness in their eyes." (41:44) Answer: In order to comprehend this verse, its contextual background needs to be understood: The Jews tried to implant certain objections in the minds of the Idolaters against the Muslims. One among them pertained to the language of the Qur'an: they objected that since until then the language of Divine scriptures had never been Arabic, what was the reason for revealing the Qur'an in Arabic? The answer given to them is that since the addressees are Arabs so it is revealed in Arabic. Had it been revealed in a language other than Arabic, they would have raised the objection as to why a Book in a non-Arabic tongue was revealed to the Arabs. The Qur'an goes on to assert that it is guidance and healing for those who have made themselves worthy of it by accepting faith. People who do not profess faith in it are a victim of their own evil nature. It is not that the Book has some deficiency that they refuse to believe in it. It is their own addiction to evil that has made them blind and deaf to its message. The Enmity between Abel and Cain Question: Adam and Eve had two sons. Abel and Cain, and one of them killed the other so that he could marry the girl the other wanted to. I want to know from where the girl came? Was she the basis of this murder? Answer: The reason for which Cain killed Abel is mentioned in the Qur'an in the following words: وَ اتۡلُ عَلَیۡہِمۡ نَبَاَ ابۡنَیۡ اٰدَمَ بِالۡحَقِّ ۘ اِذۡ قَرَّبَا قُرۡبَانًا فَتُقُبِّلَ مِنۡ اَحَدِہِمَا وَ لَمۡ یُتَقَبَّلۡ مِنَ الۡاٰخَرِ ؕ قَالَ لَاَقۡتُلَنَّکَ ؕ قَالَ اِنَّمَا یَتَقَبَّلُ اللّٰہُ مِنَ الۡمُتَّقِیۡنَ ﴿۲۷﴾ Recite to them the anecdote of the two sons of Adam when they offered an offering and it was accepted from one of them and was not accepted from the other. That one said: "I will surely kill you." [The other] replied: "The Almighty only accepts the offering of His pious people." (5:27) In other words, Cain got infuriated when his offering was not accepted by God while that of his brother was accepted by Him. His jealousy ultimately induced him to murder his innocent brother, as is mentioned later in 5:30. It is evident from the words of Abel that the reason that Cain's offering was not accepted by the Almighty was that it was offered by an impious person. This is all what the Qur'an says. The Old Testament also mentions this incident. Though it does not explicitly state the reason for the murder yet the context strongly reinforces what the Qur'an says: Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favour on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favour. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. Then the Lord said to Cain: 'Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires you have you; but you must master it.' Now Cain said to his brother Abel: 'Let's go out to the field.' And while they were in the field Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him (Genesis, 4:3-8) Certain historical reports mention another account of the episode. The Jewish Encyclopedia has summarized the contents of Rabbinical literature on this issue in the following words: Woman was at the bottom of the strife between the first brothers. Each of the sons of Adam had a twin sister whom he was to marry. As Abel's twin sister was the more beautiful, Cain wished to have her for his wife and sought to get rid of Abel.[1] It is evident that the above quoted account is in direct contradiction with the Qur'an and with the Old Testament as well. According to this account, the reason Cain murdered Abel was dispute between the two as regards marriage. On the other hand, both Divine books state Cain got incensed when he saw that his offering had not been accepted by God while that of his brother had been. Consequently, this report cannot be accepted. Are the Words of the Qur'an Spoken by God? Question: Here is a question asked by a Hindu friend. Hope you can answer it for me. According to the Muslims, the Qur'an contains the words of God. It is to be read as if God Himself had spoken the words stated in it. (It is important to emphasize this point because if the Qur'an is the word of God, then it should not contain any errors and it should hold true for all times.) However, such is not the case. One of these errors is that some of the verses in the Qur'an themselves show clearly that they were obviously spoken by Mohammed and not by God. For example: I take refuge with the Lord of the Dawn. (113:1) For me, I have been commanded to serve the Lord of this city, Him Who has sanctified it and to whom [Belong] all things; and I am commanded to be of those who bow in Islam to God's Will. (27:91) Should I seek other judge than God, when it is He who has sent down to you, the distinguishing book [the Qur'an]? (6:114) Someone need not be a rocket-scientist to comprehend that these words are clearly addressed to God, Any sane person can see that these words are not spoken by Him but by Mohammed (sws) himself. So how can the whole of the Qur'an be considered the word of God? Answer: I am afraid that your Hindu friend has not stated the stance of the Muslims correctly. When Muslims say that the Qur'an is the word of God, it means that whatever has been mentioned in it is divinely revealed by God. It does not mean that at all its verses are spoken by God alone. Your friend has pointed out just one of the sources of these verses – the Prophet Muhammad (sws). If he can go through the Qur'an a bit more, he will find that it contains statements from Satan, from the pagans, from the hypocrites, from the Christians, Jews etc. Similarly, it contains passages from God directly, from Gabriel and from the previous Prophets. However, the words of all these passages are revealed by God. It is because of being revealed by God that the Qur'an is called the Word of God; it is not that each word is spoken by God: neither the Qur'an nor the Muslims have ever claimed this. ـــــــــــــــــــــــــ Sign up now! [1]. The Jewish Encyclopaedia, 1st ed., vol. 1 (New York: KTAV Publishing House, 1901), 48.