VERSES WHERE THE MESSENGER IS THE QURAN -by Zia Mahmood

VERSES WHERE THE MESSENGER IS THE QURAN 

We know that the word Messenger used in Quran for Human Messerngers, angel Messenger.  But seldom we know that Quran itself is addressed as Messenger. Here are some examples -

VERSE 1

[3:81] God took a covenant from the prophets, "For what I have given you of the Scripture and wisdom, then afterwards, a messenger comes to you confirming what is with you; you shall believe in him and support him." He said, "Do you agree to this and accept this obligation from Me?" They said, "We agree." He said, "Therefore bear witness and I am with you among the witnesses."

1. /God took a covenant from the prophets/ - it means all the prophets including Muhammad.  SO, MUHAMMAD IS NOT THAT MESSENGER. Also, by the wording we certainly understand the prophets are Human prophets. We have no evidence of non human prophets for humans.

But it does not mean the 'messenger' has to be human as well.

2. /a messenger comes to you confirming what is with you/ - is it possible for a Messenger even to know what is with ALL the prophets since beginning of human accountability? Let alone 'confirming' them? Answer is No and No.

3. 

A. "You shall believe in him and support him". Prophets are humans and they all have died. They might have lived 63, 90, 100, 1000 years but eventually all died. 

B. We certainly know that all prophets were not assigned at the same time. So, how they all physically supported "A MESSENGER'? 

C. From A and B we can conclude that even though the pledge is made by prophets - Allah is asking us (the Muslims of each prophet's community) to uphold the pledge when that "A Messenger " comes.  And this Messenger certainly came after (or at least at the same time of Muhammad - the last of the prophets)

4. So, we know THIS MESSENGER CAN NOT  BE be 

- a human Messenger. 

- an Angel > they do not need any support from us.

5. So, who is this messenger?

We are left with only one Messenger who fulfills all the Criteria-

i. Him > masculine

Reminder / Warner/ Book / Quran > masculine.

* nothing wrong addressing Quran as 'him'

ii. Only Quran confirms "what is with YOU" > the people of all other books.

iii. No human Messenger or Prophet as any ability what so ever to assert or negate / confirm or disprove anything except Allah. How Allah assert? Through direct Revelations and His Creations. 

iv.  "Comes to you" - confirms that this Messenger is a Revelation and not creation.

v. Quran came after all Prophets came. So, it confirms everything all prophets were given.

vi. In plenty of times Allah confirms Quran is Messenger (I posted 7 articles / examples of such proof)

Please free to enlighten me with your further Questions/ Thoughts.

Notes:

*these verse is used by Rashed Khalifa to proclaim himself as Messenger.  It took me a while to understand the verse. Now you know how ridiculous his claim is (specially based on this  verse).

** I still appreciate Rashed's work in clarification of Quran itself and discounting Mazhabies flat and square.

***The verse is also used by Mazhabies to claim special status for Muhammad among Prophets. 

Now we know both claims are flase.

‐--‐--------‐-------------------------------------------------------------

VERSE 2

[2.143] And thus We made you a community (of the) middle way so that you will be witnesses over the mankind, and will be the Messenger on you a witness. And not We made the direction of prayer which you were used [on it] except that We make evident (he) who follows the MESSENGER from (he) who turns back on his heels. And indeed, it was certainly a great (test) except for those whom guided (by) Allah. And not will Allah let go waste your faith. Indeed, Allah (is) to [the] mankind Full of Kindness, Most Merciful.

Most people made to understand the Messenger in this verse to be  Prophet Muhammad, but Muhammad (or any Messenger) can only be a witness over those whom belived amongst, and not those who lived after the death of the Messenger. 

The confirmation of this matter is found in 5:117. 5.117 - Not I said to them except what You commanded me [with it] that "You worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord." And I was over them a witness as long as I (was) among them, then when You raised me You were [You] the Watcher over them, and You (are) on every thing a Witness.

In the words spoken by Jesus to Allah, he proclaimed that he was witness over those whom he lived amongst only, but not over those who lived after his death. 

Since Allah is speaking in 2:143 to all followers of the Quran, the Messenger can not be a human Messenger because any man will die and can not be witness over those who lived after his death. The messenger in 2:143 can only be the Book of Allah (Quran). 

The followers of the Quran will be witnesses only over the people they lived amongst who rejected the Quran. But the Quran will be witness over all who had access to it. 

‐--‐--------‐-------------------------------------------------------------

VERSE 3

[5:15] O PEOPLE of the Book, OUR MESSENGER has come to you to clarify to you many issues that you were CONCEALING IN THE SCRIPTURE, and TO PARDON many. A Light has come to you from God and a clear Book.

[5:16] WITH IT, God guides to the paths of peace those who seek His consent, and takes them out of the darkness into the light with His permission, and guides them to a straight path.

The words 'to pardon' tell us that the 'Messenger' spoken of in 5:15 is the Quran. It cannot be a human Messenger since NO HUMAN HAS THE AUTHORITY TO PARDON SINS.

‐--‐--------‐-------------------------------------------------------------

VERSE 4

 [11:1] A.L.R. A Book whose verses have been perfected, then detailed from One who is Wise, All-Aware.

[11:2] "Do not worship except God. I AM A WARNER AND BEARER OF NEWS FROM HIM TO YOU.

[11:3] And ask your Lord for forgiveness, then repent to Him. He will then let you enjoy a good provision for a specified term and bestow His favour on every doer of favour. But if you turn away, then I fear for you the punishment of a great Day.

[11:4] To God is your return and He is Capable of all things."

We note that the speaker in 11:2 saying "I am a warner" is speaking in the first person. This could not be Prophet Muhammad. Muhammad does not speak in the first person in the Quran simply because Muhammad is not the author of the Quran.The "warner and bearer of news" in this verse speaking to us can only be the Quran.

‐--‐--------‐-------------------------------------------------------------

VERSE 5

[41:1] Hha. M.

[41:2] A REVELATION from the Almighty, the Merciful.

[41:3] A BOOK whose verses have been detailed, an ARABIC QURAN for people who know;

[41:4] a bearer of news and a WARNER, yet most of them turn away, for they do not hear.

Verse 4 is a continuation of verse 3.

a Warner = an Arabic Quran = A Book = A Revelation. 

Where do you get your Warnings now?

Who warns you today. Who will be there to warn your great grand children most Authentically by Allah's leave?

QURAN = THE WARNER.

‐--‐--------‐-------------------------------------------------------------

VERSE 6

[65:10] God has prepared a severe punishment for them. So reverence God, O you who possess intelligence and have believed. God has brought down to you a Reminder;

[65:11] a messenger reciting to you God's clear revelations that he may take those who believe and do good deeds out of the darkness into the light. Anyone who believes in God and does good deeds, He will admit him into Gardens beneath which rivers flow. Therein they shall forever remain. God has prepared for him a splendid provision.

The last words in verse 10 and the first words of verse 11 read: 

/God has brought down to you a REMINDER;  a MESSENGER  who recites to you God's clear revelations/

1- The words "brought down" always refer to the Book of God, human messengers are not brought down, they are born on earth.

2- The word "Reminder" (zhikr) also refers to the Book of God, human messenger remind and warn, but they are never called (zhikr) in the Quran. 

The words In 15:9 are a good example of the 2 points above.  [15:9] Indeed, it is We who BROUGHT DOWN THE REMINDER and We will surely preserve it.

3- Immediately after the words "brought down" and "Reminder" we find the words "a messenger".

4- 'he may take those who believe' - so who is the "he" in this verse? - none but Quran

5. Two verses are separate but ONE SENTENCE.  Review translations by others. Most translators used "," ":" "nothing" at the end of verse 65.10. Also check how many translators used "a" to begin verse 65.11.

https://www.islamawakened.com/quran/65/10/

The above points conclude that God is telling us in 65:10-11 that the Reminder, which was brought down to us (Quran), is A MESSENGER of Allah. 

Those skeptics who are looking for a verse in Quran to say Quran is a Messenger - do you now have a verse? It is difficult to understand for some or accept because human Messengers have names - Muhammad,  Isa, Musa. Quran does not have such a name.

Please be careful not to misunderstand or misrepresent. Quran being a Messenger has nothing to do with other Messengers. 

Messenger GABRIEL delivered Messenger Quran to Messenger MUHAMMAD to deliver Meseenger QURAN to Mankind for Messenger Quran to deliver MESSEGE to Mankind till end of Time.

Quran = a Messenger = a Warner = a Book = The Criteria = The Message.

‐--‐--------‐-------------------------------------------------------------

VERSE 7

[9:24] Say, "If your parents, your children, your siblings, your spouses, your clan, the wealth   which you have acquired,  a business   you fear may  decline   and  the homes  you cherish are dearer to you than God and His messenger and striving in His cause, then just wait until God brings about His command." God does not guide the wicked people. 

We note that God coupled the love of God and His messenger together in 9:24. God is inviting the believers to love God and His messenger more than their parents, children, siblings, and virtually everything in their life.The question here is how can God instruct us to love His messenger more than the whole world, which is nothing short of idol worship, when doing so would clearly violate the instructions in 2:165 which warn us not to love any human any way that is comparable to the love of God. Among the people are those who set up equals to God, loving them as the love of God, but those who believe love God the most. 2:165 If the messenger in 9:24 is the human messenger, and we love him more than our parents, children, siblings, spouse, all our wealth and property, we would indeed elevate our love for the messenger to the level of idol worship.The 'messenger' in 9:24 can only be the Quran.

‐--‐--------‐-------------------------------------------------------------

VERSE 8

[22:77] O you who believe, bow and prostrate and Ibadah your Lord, and do good, so that you may succeed.

[22:78] And strive in the cause of God with the striving that is due to Him. He has chosen you and has placed no hardship on you in the Deen - the creed of your father Abraham. He has named you Muslims PREVIOUSLY, and in this, SO THAT that THE MESSENGER MAY SERVE AS A WITNESS OVER YOU AND YOU TO SERVE AS WITNESSES OVER THE PEOPLE. So observe the Salat and give the Zakat and hold fast to God. He is your Master, the best Master and the best Supporter.

Verse 77 addresses  all  believers and not just those at the time  of prophet Muhammad. 

The words continue in verse 78 to say that the "MESSENGER" will" serve as a witness over you (all believers)". Any human messenger can be witness only over his people and not over all people (5:117).

[Isa saying]

[5:117] I have not said to them other than what You commanded me to say, that: 'You shall Ibadah God, my Lord and your Lord.' I was witness over them for as long as I was among them. WHEN YOU PUT ME TO DEATH, You were the Watcher over them. You are Witness over all things.

* This article is partly borrowed from Mo. Ali.