How to answer Rushdie fans? Rushdie suggests that Muhammad (PBUH) could not distinguish between what was revealed to him and what the secretary had written. The Persian scribe in Rushdie’s book tells us how he first changed little things in what the Prophet had dictated to see if Muhammad (PBUH) would notice. Little things at first. If Mahound recited a verse in which God was described as all-hearing, all-knowing, I would write, all knowing, all wise. Here’s the point: Mahound did not notice the alterations…. So, the next time I change a bigger thing. He said Christian, I wrote down Jew. He’d notice that, surely: how could he not? But when I read him the chapter he nodded and thanked me politely and I went out of the tent with tears in my eyes…. This alone is quite offensive, since the Prophet was a man with immense and divine knowledge. If someone did change the words around, the Prophet would notice it. In addition, what Rushdie describes here is insulting. It is insulting to the Prophet, the Qur’aan and the Persian scribe, Salman Farsi. Salman Farsi was an individual who was treated by the Prophet with utmost respect. In turn, Farsi was a devoted Muslim who respected the Prophet and participated in all wars until he passed away. Farsi was not the Persian scribe described by Rushdie; rather his character and personality was completely the opposite than that described in the novel. In the end, the scribe carried it too far, and Mahound’s suspicion was aroused. But, Rushdie had already performed his detriment by creating doubts about the authenticity of the Qur’aan even as Muhammad’s own work, let alone as the word of God. Have you thought upon Lat and Uzza, And Manat, the third, the other? The above was Rushdie’s version of the translation of the verse Muhammad (PBUH) recited. In fact, the actual Qur’anic translation is: Have you then considered the Lat, and the Uzza, And Manat, the third, the Last? Rushdie changes the Last to the other. By doing this, he makes the Prophet accept the three goddesses of the idol worshipers, Lat, Uzza, and Manat. This act of changing the words of the Qur’aan is quite offensive and insulting at the same time. The Prophet was a man who was treated with utmost respect even before he started his preaching of Islaam. Muhammad (PBUH) was a man chosen by God to be a Prophet and when Rushdie makes the Prophet look like a fool and compromise with the idol worshippers, he has insulted the religion of Islaam and its followers. It is a disgrace that Rush+2+die commits this act of casting doubts on the authenticity of the Qur’aan. Even the non-orthodox Muslims believe in the authenticity of the Qur’aan. Harry Gaylord Dorman says: It (Qur’aan) is a literal revelation of God, dictated to Muhammad by Gabriel, perfect in every letter. It is an ever-present miracle witnessing to itself and to Muhammad, the Prophet of God. Its miraculous quality resides partly in its style, so perfect and lofty that neither men nor jinn (Genie) could produce a single chapter to compare with its briefest chapter, and partly in its content of teachings, prophecies about the future, and amazingly accurate information such as the illiterate Muhammad could have gathered of his own accord. The above statement is enough proof that the Qur’aan is a book which contains immense information and helps people in their daily lives. A sincere Muslim would never consider replicating Rushdie’s abhorrent acts. It is unbelievable that a man like Rushdie who says …I am Muslim would perform this act of destroying the authenticity of the Qur’aan when many non-Muslims believe and respect the Qur’aan as the word of God. Nobody will be successful in changing the Qur’aan as many have memorized it and cherished the lessons and ample amounts of information which the Qur’aan gives.
Posted on: Wed, 16 Oct 2013 05:47:06 +0000