Quran Error and Contradiction
The Quran makes the following claim:
Thou wilt not find any people who believe in God and the Last Day, loving those who resist God and His Apostle, even though they were their fathers or their sons, or their brothers, or their kindred. For such He has written Faith in their hearts, and strengthened them with a spirit from Himself. And He will admit them to Gardens beneath which Rivers flow, to dwell therein (for ever). God will be well pleased with them, and they with Him. They are the Party of God. Truly it is the Party of God that will achieve Felicity. Sura 58:22 Yusuf Ali
You will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day, making friendship with those who oppose Allah and His Messenger even though they were their fathers, or their sons, or their brothers, or their kindred (people). … Al-Hilali & Khan
Note that this first sentence in this verse is not a command but it is formulated as a statement of fact. A command is not invalidated by the existence of some or even many people who disobey it. But a general claim stating something as a certain fact can easily be proven wrong by providing counterexamples.
The first statement in the above quoted verse is wrong for several reasons.
I find it hard to imagine that there do not exist converts to Islam (whether former Christians, agnostics, atheists, pagans, or else), i.e. people who now sincerely believe in Allah and the Last Day but who still love their fathers or sons and brothers despite their disbelief in Islam and rejection of Muhammad as a messenger from God. Taken as a statement of fact about all Muslims this claim in Sura 58:22 was certainly as wrong in Muhammad’s time as it is wrong today. As fierce and harsh as some Muslims can be, most Muslims are quite normal people, and the above statement cannot possibly be true of all Muslims in the way it is stated.
As much as I consider the above objection to be common sense, many Muslims may dismiss it as subjective and irrelevant. So be it. The rest of this article will present reasons why this claim is still obviously and objectively wrong.
Anyone who knows the Christian faith knows that Christians believe in God and in the Last Day.
Moreover, there are plenty of Christians (i.e. people who believe in God and the Last Day) who love other Christians who also resist and oppose Islam. To be specific: My father is a devout Christian who loves me, the author of this article, and I obviously resist and oppose Muhammad and his message. And there are plenty of other Christians around me, who love me and have made friendship with me. Thus, Sura 58:22 is objectively wrong.
This is the factual error in this verse.
However, this statement is not only factually wrong, it also creates a logical contradiction in the Quran because the Quran itself states explicitly that Christians are among those who believe in God and in the Last Day:
Those who believe (in the Qur'an), and those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Christians and the Sabians,- any who believe in God and the Last Day, and work righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. S. 2:62
Those who believe (in the Qur'an), those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Sabians and the Christians,- any who believe in God and the Last Day, and work righteousness,- on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. S. 5:69
And the Quran is adamant in its claim that Christians and Muslims believe in the same one God:
And argue not with the People of the Scripture unless it be in (a way) that is better, save with such of them as do wrong; and say: We believe in that which hath been revealed unto us and revealed unto you; our God and your God is One, and unto Him we surrender. S. 29:46
Without question, according to the Quran, Christians belong to the "people who believe in God and the Last Day", thus they are part of the people referred to in Sura 58:22, with all the detrimental consequences outlined above.
Christians are commanded to love each other (John 13:34-35) and even their enemies (Matthew 5:44). Though too many may fail to fully obey this command, there are plenty of Christians who strive to live according to these commands.
Therefore, Christians love other Christians, and those Christians who know the Bible and see how Islam contradicts the Bible will also resist and reject Muhammad as being a man who falsely claimed to be a messenger from God. Thus, there are plenty of believers in God and the Last Day who love others who resist Islam.
In fact, even the Quran itself states that Christians love/are friends with other Christians or Jews (who both reject Muhammad):
O ye who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians for friends. They are friends one to another. He among you who taketh them for friends is (one) of them. Lo! Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk. S. 5:51 Pickthall
To summarize, Sura 58:22, contains not only an objective error, but is also in contradiction to other statements in the Quran:
Yet, the Quran claims also:
The contradiction is blatantly obvious.
Sura 58:22 features also in another set of contradictory passages in the Quran, see the article Should Muslims Show Kindness to Parents?
Qur'an Contradictions
Articles by Sam Shamoun
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