Compilation of the Quran Versus Compilation of the Gospels

Recently I’ve been studying Christianity through an audio course offered by The Teaching Company called “Jesus and the Gospels.” ( Normally I would address him as Prophet Isa, or Jesus, alaihis salaam, [peace be upon him] but I wanted to quote the title as is.)

I just finished a lecture on the Synoptic Problem and it really makes me wonder if Christians really understand the magnitude of this problem and its bearing on the reliability of the Gospels. (Gospel in this sense means one of the four canonical accounts of the life of the Prophet Jesus.) It also, frankly, makes me happy to be a Muslim, because the Quran does not suffer from anything like the Synoptic Problem.

Before I get to the Synoptic Problem, I want to explain how the Quran was compiled. It’s quite simple and even beautiful in its simplicity. During the course of the two decades over which the Quran was revealed, several of the companions of Prophet Muhammad, salla allahu alaihi wa sallam, peace be upon him, memorized the revelations. Two of the companions who were huffaz (people who have memorized the entire Quran) were Zayd bin Thabit and Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with them. At the same time, many of the companions wrote down verses of the Quran. To compile the Quran, Zayd and Umar collected written texts of the Quran, verified it with their own memory and checked to see if there were at least two witnesses who could confirm that the texts had been written in the presence of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.

Here’s a more thorough account of the process I’ve sketched out above:

“The compilation of the Qur’an started, with Sayyidna Zayd bin Thabit, Radi-Allahu anhu, in charge. Lots of companions, including himself had memorized the whole Qur’an and so the Qur’an could have easily been written down from memory. There were also complete collections of the verses of the Holy Qur’an available with many companions. But Sayyidna Zayd bin Thabit, Radi-Allahu anhu, knew he had to be careful. He used both methods by collecting verses that were written during the time of Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam and also using memory. He followed four steps.

1.      First he verified the verse with his own memory.

2.      Sayyidna Umar, Radi-Allahu anhu, who was a Hafiz, was also in charge of the project and he verified it, too.

3.      Then, before the verse could be accepted, the two reliable witnesses had to testify that it was written in the presence of Prophet Muhammad Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam.

4.      After that, written verses were collated with the collections of different Companions.

The purpose of this method was so that the utmost care be taken in the transcription of the Qur’an, and rather then rely on memory, it should be transcribed from verses that were written in the presence of the Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam.”

Source: http://www.albalagh.net/kids/history/quran_compilation.shtml

Contrast this with the two-source hypothesis of the compilation of the Gospels. This is a widely accepted solution to the Synoptic Problem. It is common knowledge that there are four Gospels, each named for their supposed authors – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Of these four, all except the Gospel of John are considered to be “synoptic,” a word from Greek roots meaning “seen together.” The synoptic gospels have many similarities in content, word choice, and sequence. This suggests that one of the gospels was written before the others and the rest were revisions of the original. However, no one knows for certain which gospel came first, second, third, or fourth. The two-source hypothesis basically says that Mark came first, a mysterious gospel of unknown origin called “Q” came at roughly the same time, then Matthew and Luke combined parts of Mark with parts of Q.

Here’s Wikipedia’s take on the two-source hypothesis:

“The two-source hypothesis states that Matthew and Luke independently copied Mark for its narrative framework and independently added discourse material from a non-extant sayings collection called Q. Much work has gone into the extent and wording of Q, particularly since the discovery of the Gospel of Thomas which attests to the sayings gospel genre. Holtzmann’s 1863 theory posited an Ur-Marcus in the place of our Mark, with our Mark being a later revision. Some scholars occasionally propose an unattested revision of Mark, a deutero-Mark, being the base of what Matthew and Luke used. In 1924 Burnett Hillman Streeter further refined the Two-Source Hypothesis into a Four-Source Hypothesis, with an M and an L being a unique source to Matthew and Luke respectively, with Q and L combined into a Proto-Luke before Luke added Mark. While unique sources, such as M, L, or Semitic first editions, are interesting for form-critical purposes, they are quite peripheral to the Synoptic Problem as to how the canonical gospels are interrelated.”

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synoptic_problem

Confused? Here’s some more food for thought. If one gospel says event A took place before event B, wouldn’t it be logical to assume that the other gospels would agree that the same event A took place before event B? Logic apparently has no place in the world of the New Testament.

Some conflicts in the New Testament

1:  In Matthew 4:5-8 the Devil took Jesus to the pinnacle and then to the mountain, while in Luke 4:5-9 he took him to the mountain and then the pinnacle.

2:  In Matt. 21:12-19 Jesus cleansed the temple and later cursed the fig tree, while in Mark 11:13-15 he cursed the fig tree and later cleansed the temple.

3:  In Matt. 8:28-32 Jesus caused devils to enter swine and later called Levi (Matt. 9:9), while in Luke 5:27-28 Jesus called Levi and later caused devils to enter swine (Luke 8:26-33).

4:  In Mark 1:12-13 Jesus was tempted in the wilderness and later John was arrested (Mark 6:17-18), while in Luke 3:19-20 John was arrested and later Jesus was tempted in the wilderness (Luke 4:1-13).

5:  In Mark 2:13-17 Matthew was called by Jesus and later the tempest was calmed (Mark 4:35-40), while in Matt. 8:18, 23-27 the tempest was calmed and later Matthew was called (Matt. 9:9-17).

Source: http://answering-christianity.com/sami_zaatri/rebuttal_to_anis_shorrosh_1.htm

You can verify all of these claims of conflicts by using an online version of the New Testament which you can find at http://www.ibsstl.org/niv/index.php.

Notice that these conflicts all occur among the three synoptic gospels. Christians seem to be at a total loss at what to do with the Gospel of John. There are many ways in which the Gospel of John differs from the others but to keep things simple, let’s just look at the beginning and the end of John. The beginning of John is quite famous, it goes, “  ¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning..” http://www.ibsstl.org/bible/verse/?tniv=yes&q=John%201. Since the Gospel starts with the beginning of time, one might logically conclude that it would end with the end of time. But remember, logic has no place in the Gospels. Near the end of the Gospel of John, it talks about the supposed resurrection of Prophet Jesus. But the very end is sort of like an appendix, with a short story involving Peter, and a very odd ending, in my view, that goes like this, “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.”

Unlike John, Mark begins with the story of the baptism of Prophet Jesus.

Unlike John, Matthew begins with a genealogy of Prophet Jesus, which seems pretty sensible as it is in keeping with the Old Testament where genealogies of key people are common. What strikes me as rather funny is that the genealogy that is given is that of Joseph, the adopted father of Prophet Jesus and not the genealogy of Mary, his true mother, peace be upon her. Matthew follows with the story of the miraculous birth.

Unlike John, Luke begins with the story of the birth of John the Baptist. Also, try not to get confused. There are several distinct individuals in the story of early Christianity who were named John. There were at least four Johns – John the Baptist, John the Apostle, John the Evangelist, and John of Patmos.

I can barely imagine what Islam would be like if we had four conflicting Qurans. As it is, we seem incapable of agreeing on the most basic of questions cf. the classic two-Eid problem. How do Christians manage it?

An Ode to Computers

The screen is pure black

It emerges from sleep in a lightning instant,

is shiny and flat as a sheet.

It must be turned on, ignited

and the fingers keep typing, typing

alternation of depression and release,

and that is how we get things done.

Every night the world is made anew.

Solder the priest that binds wires,

pluses and minuses

pour in from around the globe

and in the shadow, little fireflies

sentinels that guard our dreams

—————————————–

I’m just ten posts away from my 100th post.

Con Ella (With Her)

Con Ella Pablo Neruda Como es duro este tiempo, espérame: vamos a vivirlo con ganas Dame tu pequeña mano: vamos a subir y sufrir vamos a sentir y saltar. Somos de nuevo la pareja que vivió en lugares hirsutos en nidos ásperos de roca Como es largo este tiempo, esperame con una cesta, con tu pala, con tus zapatos y tu ropa. Ahora nos necesitamos no sólo para los claveles, no sólo para buscar miel: necesitamos nuestras manos para lavar y hacer el fuego, y que se atreva el tiempo duro a desafiar el infinito de cuatro manos y cuatro ojos.

With Her Pablo Neruda This time is difficult. Wait for me. We will live it out vividly. Give me your small hand: we will rise and suffer we will feel, we will fly. We are once more the pair who lived in barbed places, in harsh nests in the rock. This time is difficult. Wait for me with a basket, with your clothes, with your shoes and a shovel. Now we need each other, not only for the carnations’ sake, not only to harvest honey - we need our hands to wash with, to make fire. So in this difficult time let us face up to infinity with four hands and four eyes.

Body in Flight

Cutting through the air

Like Phelps in the water

No plane, no helicopter, no magic carpet

A lone body in flight

Ala Superman

Plunging through misty dense clouds

Like London fog

Glancing down at swarms of ants

That are really people

Scurrying to and fro

Flying without an engine

An unique experience

Seldom had even in fiction

Still birds make for poor company

The desolation of sky

Song Analysis “Mr. Jones”

Artist: Counting Crows Album: Across A Wire-live In New York Title: Mr. Jones   Mr. Jones I was down at the New Amsterdam staring at this Yellow-haired girl Mr. Jones strikes up a conversation with this black- Haired flamenco dancer [The New Amsterdam is a Broadway theatre in New York located on 42nd Street in Times Square. Flamenco is a traditional Spanish dance.] She dances while his father plays guitar She’s suddenly beautiful We all want something beautiful I wish I was beautiful [This is a little unclear. I don't know who the "he" is when the line says, "She dances while his father plays guitar." I guess it has to be Mr. Jones. But my impression is that Mr. Jones is an older guy, though I suppose there's no reason why he couldn't have a father who plays guitar. I like this image of a woman being "suddenly beautiful." I think he's saying that as she dances and moves, he realizes all at once how pretty she is. I think the statement that "We all want something beautiful" rings true. Whether it's a sporty car, a luxurious house, or a nice pair of shoes - everyone wants something beautiful.] So come dance this silence down through the morning Cut up, Maria! Show me some of them Spanish dances Pass me a bottle, Mr. Jones [What does it mean to "dance this silence?" It's a rather poetic image. It could mean that dancing is a way of communicating without words. It's not perfectly silent as one's feet do make noise, but it is relatively silent as compared to music.] Believe in me Help me believe in anything cause I want to be someone who believes [This part reminds me of an ayah of the Quran about belief. ""And believe in that which I reveal, confirming that which ye possess already (of the Scripture), and be not first to disbelieve therein, and part not with My revelations for a trifling price, and keep your duty unto Me." (Quran 2:41)   The speaker is missing something in his life and feels he needs more faith. People of faith have an inner strength that is unique and powerful.] Mr. Jones and me tell each other fairy tales and we Stare at the beautiful women “She’s looking at you. ah, no, no, she’s looking at me.” Smiling in the bright lights Coming through in stereo [Here Mr. Jones and the speaker are telling each other stories. The stories are probably exaggerated anecdotes about their exploits with women.] When everybody loves you, you can never be lonely I will paint my picture Paint myself in blue and red and black and gray All of the beautiful colors are very very meaningful [The first line is a great example of what is called a social myth. Society tells you that you should seek love because when people love you, you can't be lonely. But in fact, there are many lonely people who are loved by many. Think of the sad case of Heath Ledger, loved by millions of fans, but still very lonely. He talks about painting. Maybe he's saying that he wants to tell his own story.] Gray is my favorite color I felt so symbolic yesterday If I knew Picasso I would buy myself a gray guitar and play [Pablo Picasso painted many famous pictures of guitars. The speaker talks about loving the color gray and how gray is symbolic. Gray is symbolic of age and of ambiguity. People speak of seeing the world in black and white or seeing it in shades of gray.] Mr. Jones and me look into the future Stare at the beautiful women “She’s looking at you. , I don’t think so. she’s looking at me.” Standing in the spotlight I bought myself a gray guitar When everybody loves me, i will never be lonely I want to be a lion Everybody wants to pass as cats We all want to be big big stars, but we got different Reasons for that [This part is especially significant to me because my name means "lion" in Arabic. I've always wanted to live up to that image of lion, with its connotations of courage and strength. I think a lot of us want to be famous and we do have different reasons for that. Some people want money, some want admiration, and some want love that they can't get anywhere else.] Believe in me because I don’t believe in anything And I want to be someone to believe Mr. Jones and me stumbling through the barrio Yeah we stare at the beautiful women “She’s perfect for you, man, there’s got to be Somebody for me.” I want to be Bob Dylan Mr. Jones wishes he was someone just a little more Funky When everybody loves you, son, that’s just about as Funky as you can be [Because of his prolific and long career, Bob Dylan is a role model for many musicians. It's not hard to see why the speaker wants to be Bob Dylan. What does it mean to be funky? I think that's up to everyone to determine for themselves.] Mr. Jones and me staring at the video When I look at the television, I want to see me staring Right back at me We all want to be big stars, but we don’t know why And we don’t know how But when everybody loves me, I’m going to be just About as happy as I can be Mr. Jones and me, we’re gonna be big stars…   [Here the speaker addresses fame. He says he wants to see himself on TV. He understands how most people think about fame. They know they want fame but don't know why they want it or how to get it. The end is like a hope or a prayer which definitely has come true for Adam Duritz, the lead singer of Counting Crows. As for the mysterious Mr. Jones, who knows?]

Crisis in Gaza

Crisis in Gaza

• First day of the Gaza crisis was the bloodiest in 40 years (BBC)
• Over 310 killed and 1,400 injured in first two days alone
• Hospitals not able to cope with the injuries; desperate for supplies
• Severe shortage of food, fuel and other staple needs; majority of families rely on candles for lighting due to power blackout
• Aid groups say current humanitarian situation in Gaza the worst in 30 years (CNN)

Islamic Relief’s Response

• $126,000 worth of medical supplies provided to hospitals in Gaza within 48 hours of the crisis
• Another $250,000 worth of aid to be provided in the following few days
• A multi-million dollar emergency appeal has been launched
• Already present office and staff in Gaza able to respond quickly

Islamic Relief in Palestine

• In January of 2008, Islamic Relief launched a close to $10 million emergency appeal to help provide food, healthcare, and shelter in the worst affected areas. Vital aid was provided to relieve the suffering of over 500,000 people in Palestine including children, hospital patients, farmers, needy families and those affected by conflict.
• Islamic Relief has been helping the Palestinian people since 1994, providing food aid, medical relief, small business loans, and orphan sponsorships, among other services.

THINK:

• 80% of Palestinian workers are unemployed
• 79% of Palestinian households in the Gaza Strip are living in poverty
• At least 1.3 million Palestinians are estimated to be food insecure

CARE:

• “The children are terrified. Adults are unable to provide them with security or warmth. Hospitals are stretched out of the limits. We need blood and medicine and surgical equipment.” – Dr. Eyad El-Sarray, Head of Gaza’s Mental Health Program (CNN, Dec. 28, 2008)

ACT:

Donate Generously

http://www.irw.org – Donate Online – Secure and Tax-Deductible

1-888-479-4968 – Donate by Phone