Numerical discrepancies in the Qur'an

 

By: Shahid Bin Waheed شاهد بن وحيد

 

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الحمدلله رب العالمين والصلوة والسلام على اشرف الانبياء وسيدالمرسلين نبينا محمد صل ا لله عليه وعلى آله واصحابه وازواجه اجمعين - امابعد

All the praises and thanks be to Allaah, Sustainer of the Universe, and blessing and salutation to be the most distinguish of the Messengers and foremost among the Prophets, our Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allaah be on him and on his wives, children and Companions.

 

Homer Simpson/s of website “answering-islam” after inventing ‘windshield wipers’ for submarine, have discovered alleged numerical discrepancies in the Glorious Qur’aan. They know everything about Islaam and Glorious Qur’aan and they are always right {NOT}. Website “answering-islam” writes:

“Numerical discrepancies in the Qur'an: Does Allah's day equal to 1,000 (Sura 22:47, 32:5) or 50,000 years (Sura 70:4)?”

The shcholarship of the Homer Simpson (author) of website “answering-islam” does not go any further beyond this ambiguous and vague statement cited above without completing the thought and offering any fact, forensic and/or empirical evidence. Nevertheless, this is good enough for their intellectually challenged readerships that have their mental faculties in permanent suspended animation.

Let us examine what Allaah (SWT) says in the Glorious Qur’aan by reading/examining the Ayaat in question.

Surah Al-Hajj 47

وَيَسْتَعْجِلُونَكَ بِالْعَذَابِ وَلَنْ يُخْلِفَ اللَّهُ وَعْدَهُ وَإِنَّ يَوْمًا عِنْدَ رَبِّكَ كَأَلْفِ سَنَةٍ مِمَّا تَعُدُّونَ

And they ask you to hasten on the torment! And Allâh fails not His Promise. And verily, a day with your Lord is as a thousand years of what you reckon.

 

Surah As-Sajda 5

يُدَبِّرُ الْأَمْرَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ ثُمَّ يَعْرُجُ إِلَيْهِ فِي يَوْمٍ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ مِمَّا تَعُدُّونَ

He manages and regulates (every) affair from the heavens to the earth; then it (affair) will go up to Him, in one Day, the space whereof is a thousand years of your reckoning (i.e. reckoning of our present world’s time).

 

Surah Al-Ma'arij 4

تَعْرُجُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ إِلَيْهِ فِي يَوْمٍ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ

The angels and the Rűh (Jibrîl (Gabriel)) ascend to Him in a Day the measure whereof is fifty thousand years.

 

According to the scholars of Qur’aan these Ayaah 22:47  (1st above) can be interpreted in two ways. The first meaning this Ayaah refers to the Day of Resurrection and the event which will take place on that day will be so horrifying and of such extreme severity that the day will appear never to end, as if it was equal to one thousand years according to our reckoning. Many commentators have interpreted this Ayaah accordingly. The other meaning of this Ayaah is that the Day of Resurrection will in actual fact be so long that it will stretch up to one thousand years of this world.  Many authentic Ahadeeth also supports this view. But the Homer Simpson/s of website “answering-islam” concealed this fact to obscure and/or obfuscate the truth

 

The Ayaah 70:4 can also be explained by applying either of the two explanations of the other Ayaat in question. We read in Bayan-ul-Qur’an that this difference may be due to different horizons. Just as we see in our world that the length of day and night is different on different horizons, (On zero latitude it is of 24 hours while at the latitude of 90 it is one year). Likewise it is possible that the length of the Day of Resurrection would be different on different horizons; and if its length right below the day line is one thousand years because of miraculously slow rotation of sun or earth), the areas falling 50 times far from it may have a day 50 times more in length. And Allaah knows best.

 

We also find similar references in the Bible:

A day=1000 years

 

Psalm 90:4

 

For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.

 

II Peter 3:8

 

But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

 

 

The Ayaah 70:4 mentions that the angels and Jibrîl عليه السلام ascend to Allaah (SWT) and since they ascend from different horizons, therefore the day is equal to 50,000 (fifty thousand) years of our reckoning.

 

The purpose of this refutation is to educate the readers including the Homer Simpsons of website “answering-islam”, who have hopelessly failed to prove their absurd assertion with supporting facts from Islaamic sources.  Homer Simpsons of website “answering-islam” failed to introduce enough facts to support the conclusions derived from them. The author of this absurd claim is not a qualified source himself for offering opinion.

 

December 11, 2006

 

Home Page