Orientalist Objections on the Difficulties of the Qur'an in the Context of Allegedly Contradictory Verses

Abstract

The Qur’an is the final revelation of Allah Almighty, revealed to the Seal of the Prophets, Muhammad Mustafa ﷺ. It has been declared a perpetual source of guidance for humanity until the Day of Judgment and serves as the foundational text of Islamic belief, law, and moral order. This Divine Book, owing to its eloquent and powerful style, exalted moral principles, and universal directives, is not only the central source of spiritual and social guidance for Muslims but has also remained a subject of reflection and investigation for scholars around the world.Throughout Islamic history, scholars of exegesis (mufassirūn), hadith (muḥaddithūn), and theology (‘ulamā’ al-kalām) have explored various dimensions of the Qur’an  particularly its miraculous nature (i‘jāz), coherence (naẓm), contextual unity (siyaq wa sabaq), principles of abrogation (nāsikh wa mansūkh), and legal and ethical injunctions in deep scholarly discussions.However, Orientalists have raised objections against the text and interpretation of the Qur’an from various angles. A significant aspect of their critique is based on the claim that certain verses of the Qur’an appear to contradict one another. They argue that this apparent conflict indicates a lack of conceptual and thematic harmony within the Qur’an, and that it comprises inconsistent rulings and divergent statements. From their perspective, such contradictions suggest that the Qur’an is not a coherent and systematically organized discourse, but rather a collection of disjointed statements and unconnected themes.These objections are commonly raised in the context of “allegedly contradictory verses” (āyāt muta‘āriḍah), in which verses relating to doctrines, legal rulings, or historical narratives are taken out of their context and presented as mutually conflicting. A critical academic review of these objections reveals that Orientalist interpretations are often rooted in a lack of familiarity with the Islamic hermeneutical tradition including the science of Qur’anic exegesis (tafsīr), the principles of abrogation, and the contextual and linguistic framework within which the Qur’an is interpreted.

Keywords: Orientalist, Objections, Contradictory, Judgment, Investigation, Linguistic, Hermeneutical