Interesting quotes from the Qur'an

by Matt Slick

The Qur'an is the sacred book of Islam. It is supposed to be a perfect book, inspired, and flawless. Would you expect the following quotes from an inspired and flawless book?

All quotes from the Qur'an, unless otherwise specified, are from Yusuf Ali and can be found at the Qur'an online.

It is not good to enter a house from the back
1. "They ask thee concerning the New Moons. Say: They are but signs to mark fixed periods of time in (the affairs of) men, and for Pilgrimage. It is no virtue if ye enter your houses from the back: It is virtue if ye fear Allah. Enter houses through the proper doors: And fear Allah: That ye may prosper," (2:189).
Cities (Sodom and Gomorrah) are turned upside down - literally!
1. "(The Messengers) said: "O Lut! We are Messengers from thy Lord! By no means shall they reach thee! now travel with thy family while yet a part of the night remains, and let not any of you look back: but thy wife (will remain behind): To her will happen what happens to the people. Morning is their time appointed: Is not the morning nigh?...When Our Decree issued, We turned (the cities) upside down, and rained down on them brimstones hard as baked clay, spread, layer on layer," (11:81-82)
2. "And We turned (the cities) upside down, and rained down on them brimstones hard as baked clay," (15:74).
A boy and his dog sleep for 309 years in a cave.
1. "Such (being their state), we raised them up (from sleep), that they might question each other. Said one of them, "How long have ye stayed (here)?" They said, "We have stayed (perhaps) a day, or part of a day." (At length) they (all) said, "Allah (alone) knows best how long ye have stayed here...So they stayed in their Cave three hundred years, and (some) add nine (more)," (18:19,25).
The sun set in a pool of murky water
1. "Until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it set in a spring of murky water: Near it he found a People: We said: "O Zul-qarnain! (thou hast authority,) either to punish them, or to treat them with kindness." (18:86, Yusuf Ali, translation).
Jesus spoke while in the cradle
1. " But she pointed to the babe. They said: "How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?" ³⁰He said: "I am indeed a servant of Allah: He hath given me revelation and made me a prophet," (19:29-30).
King Solomon learned the speech of birds
1. "And Solomon was David's heir. He said: "O ye people! We have been taught the speech of birds, and on us has been bestowed (a little) of all things: this is indeed Grace manifest (from Allah.)" (27:16).
2. "And Solomon was David's heir. And he said: O mankind! Lo! we have been taught the language of birds, and have been given (abundance) of all things. This surely is evident favour," (27:16, Pickthall, trans.).
Ants can speak
1. "At length, when they came to a (lowly) valley of ants, one of the ants said: "O ye ants, get into your habitations, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under foot) without knowing it," (27:18).
2. "Till, when they reached the Valley of the Ants, an ant exclaimed: O ants! Enter your dwellings lest Solomon and his armies crush you, unperceiving," (27:18, Pickthal, trans.).
Allah made seven heavens and seven earths
1. "Allah is He Who created seven Firmaments and of the earth a similar number. Through the midst of them (all) descends His Command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends, all things in (His) Knowledge," (65:12)
Shooting stars are for driving away evil spirits
1. And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire, (67:5).
The soul exits through the collar-bone when leaving the body.
1. "Yea, when (the soul) reaches to the collar-bone (in its exit), ²⁷And there will be a cry, "Who is a magician (to restore him)?" ²⁸And he will conclude that it was (the Time) of Parting,: (75:26-28).