Qur'anic contradictions

Will they not then ponder on the Qur'an? If it had been from other than Allah they would have found therein much incongruity.These are revelations of the Scripture that maketh plain.

Qur'an contradictions occur when two or more verses, approached from a literalist perspective, state two or more things that cannot simultaneously be true. Qur'an contradictions are internal errors (errors in relating the Qur'an to itself), not external errors.

Who wrote the Qur'an?
Muslims believe that Allah wrote the Qur'an, verbatim, and that Muhammad merely transcribed it.

However, the is a prayer to Allah.

Numerous other verses have similar issues.


 * states: "Shall I seek other than Allah for judge, when He it is Who hath revealed unto you (this) Scripture, fully explained? Those unto whom We gave the Scripture (aforetime) know that it is revealed from thy Lord in truth. So be not thou (O Muhammad) of the waverers." The first two sentences refer to Allah in the 3rd person as "Allah" and "thy Lord", while in third sentence Allah talks to "thou (O Muhammad)".
 * states: "There is not one of us but hath his known position." Does Allah have a known position in space?
 * states: "If we had but a reminder from the men of old we would be single-minded slaves of Allah." Does Allah require a reminder from humanity in order to be a single-minded slave of himself?
 * states: "Glorified be thy Lord, the Lord of Majesty, from that which they attribute (unto Him) and peace be unto those sent (to warn)." Is Allah referring to himself in the third person again?
 * states: "And praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds!" Is Allah praising himself again?
 * states: "Therefor flee unto Allah; lo! I am a plain warner unto you from him. And set not any other god along with Allah; lo! I am a plain warner unto you from Him." Muhammad is the "plain warner", not Allah; so why is Allah referring to himself as a "plain warner"?
 * states: "Lo! Allah! He it is that giveth livelihood, the Lord of unbreakable might." Is Allah referring to himself in the 3rd person again?
 * states: "Nay, but lo! his Lord is ever looking on him!" Is Allah referring to himself in the 3rd person again?
 * states: "Oh, I swear by the afterglow of sunset, and by the night and all that it enshroudeth, and by the moon when she is at the full, that ye shall journey on from plane to plane." Is Allah swearing by these objects? Why would he need to, when he's Allah and his Word is TruthTM?

is the worst offender, with 5 switches of narrative person in 11 verses: "[1st person] Now have ye come unto Us solitary as We did create you at the first, and ye have left behind you all that We bestowed upon you, and We behold not with you those your intercessors, of whom ye claimed that they possessed a share in you. Now is the bond between you severed, and that which ye presumed hath failed you. [3rd person] Lo! Allah (it is) Who splitteth the grain of corn and the date-stone (for sprouting). He bringeth forth the living from the dead, and is the bringer-forth of the dead from the living. Such is Allah. How then are ye perverted? He is the Cleaver of the Daybreak, and He hath appointed the night for stillness, and the sun and the moon for reckoning. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Wise. And He it is Who hath set for you the stars that ye may guide your course by them amid the darkness of the land and the sea. We have detailed Our revelations for a people who have knowledge. And He it is Who hath produced you from a single being, and (hath given you) a habitation and a repository. We have detailed Our revelations for a people who have understanding. He it is Who sendeth down water from the sky, and therewith [1st person, mid-sentence] We bring forth buds of every kind; We bring forth the green blade from which We bring forth the thick-clustered grain; and from the date-palm, from the pollen thereof, spring pendant bunches; and (We bring forth) gardens of grapes, and the olive and the pomegranate, alike and unlike. Look upon the fruit thereof, when they bear fruit, and upon its ripening. Lo! herein verily are portents for a people who believe. [3rd person] Yet they ascribe as partners unto Him the jinn, although He did create them, and impute falsely, without knowledge, sons and daughters unto Him. Glorified be He and High Exalted above (all) that they ascribe (unto Him). The Originator of the heavens and the earth! How can He have a child, when there is for Him no consort, when He created all things and is Aware of all things? Such is Allah, your Lord. There is no Allah save Him, the Creator of all things, so worship Him. And He taketh care of all things. Vision comprehendeth Him not, but He comprehendeth (all) vision. He is the Subtile, the Aware. Proofs have come unto you from your Lord, so whoso seeth, it is for his own good, and whoso is blind is blind to his own hurt. [1st person] And I am not a keeper over you. Thus do We display Our revelations that they may say (unto thee, Muhammad): "Thou hast studied," and that We may make (it) clear for people who have knowledge."

Has the Qur'an been abrogated in any way?
The Qur'an has doctrine in which later Qur'an verses take precedent, or "abrogate" previous verses. This doctrine is based on several Qur'an verses; however, the Qur'an says that the Qur'an can never be changed or abrogated.

Is Allah merciful?
Frequently, the Qur'an tells us that Allah is merciful, or on the contrary that He sends people to eternal, terrible doom.

So which is it?

Who leads people astray?
Allah leads disbelievers astray: Allah doesn't lead people astray after he guides them: Iblis leads everyone astray: Iblis leads disbelievers, but not Muslims, astray: Devils lead disbelievers astray:
 * "As for the Disbelievers, Whether thou warn them or thou warn them not it is all one for them; they believe not. Allah hath sealed their hearing and their hearts, and on their eyes there is a covering,".
 * "We have placed upon their hearts veils, lest they should understand, and in their ears a deafness,".
 * "As for him whom He sendeth astray, for them thou wilt find no protecting friends beside Him, and We shall assemble them on the Day of Resurrection on their faces, blind, dumb and deaf; their habitation will be hell; whenever it abateth, We increase the flame for them. That is their reward because they disbelieved Our revelations,".
 * "Lo! on their hearts We have placed coverings so that they understand not, and in their ears a deafness. And though thou call them to the guidance, in that case they can never be led aright,".
 * "It was never Allah's (part) that He should send a folk astray after He had guided them until He had made clear unto them what they should avoid. Lo! Allah is Aware of all things,".
 * "And naught hindereth mankind from believing when the guidance cometh unto them, and from asking forgiveness of their Lord unless (it be that they wish) that the judgment of the men of old should come upon them or (that) they should be confronted with the Doom,".
 * "He [Iblis] said: Now, because Thou hast sent me astray, verily I shall lurk in ambush for them on Thy Right Path,".
 * "He [Iblis] said: My Lord! Because Thou hast sent me astray, I verily shall adorn the path of error for them in the earth, and shall mislead them every one, Save such of them as are Thy perfectly devoted slaves [Muslims],".
 * "He said: Then, by Thy might, I surely will beguile them every one, Save Thy single-minded slaves [Muslims] among them,".
 * "Seest thou not that We have set the devils on the disbelievers to confound them with confusion?".

What were humans created from?
Water: A clot: Clay/mud: Dust: Fluid (often interpreted as semen): Nothing:
 * "Allah hath created every animal of water. Of them is (a kind) that goeth upon its belly and (a kind) that goeth upon two legs and (a kind) that goeth upon four. Allah createth what He will. Lo! Allah is Able to do all things,".
 * "And He it is Who hath created man from water, and hath appointed for him kindred by blood and kindred by marriage; for thy Lord is ever Powerful,".
 * "So let man see from what he is created! He is created from a water gushing forth. Proceeding from between the back-bone and the ribs,".
 * "Read: In the name of thy Lord Who createth, Createth man from a clot,".
 * "He it is Who hath created you from clay, and hath decreed a term for you. A term is fixed with Him. Yet still ye doubt!".
 * "Verily We created man of potter's clay of black mud altered,".
 * "And (remember) when thy Lord said unto the angels: Lo! I am creating a mortal out of potter's clay of black mud altered,".
 * "He [Iblis] said: I am not one to prostrate myself unto a mortal whom Thou hast created out of potter's clay of black mud altered!,".
 * "Who made all things good which He created, and He began the creation of man from clay;".
 * "When thy Lord said unto the angels: Lo! I am about to create a mortal out of mire, And when I have fashioned him and breathed into him of My Spirit, then fall down before him prostrate,".
 * "He created man of clay like the potter's,".
 * "Lo! the likeness of Jesus with Allah is as the likeness of Adam. He created him of dust, then He said unto him: Be! and he is. (This is) the truth from thy Lord (O Muhammad), so be not thou of those who waver,".
 * "And of His signs is this: He created you of dust, and behold you human beings, ranging widely!".
 * "Allah created you from dust, then from a little fluid, then He made you pairs (the male and female). No female beareth or bringeth forth save with His knowledge. And no-one groweth old who groweth old, nor is aught lessened of his life, but it is recorded in a Book, Lo! that is easy for Allah,".
 * "He hath created man from a drop of fluid, yet behold! he is an open opponent,".
 * "Who made all things good which He created, and He began the creation of man from clay; Then He made his seed from a draught of despised fluid;".
 * "Allah created you from dust, then from a little fluid, then He made you pairs (the male and female). No female beareth or bringeth forth save with His knowledge. And no-one groweth old who groweth old, nor is aught lessened of his life, but it is recorded in a Book, Lo! that is easy for Allah,".
 * "Doth not man remember that We created him before, when he was naught ?".

Not contradictions
The following have been raised as contradictions, but don't appear to actually be contradictory.

Can Allah have a son?
Qur'an 39:4 states that Allah can make any entity that he created have the status of being his son. This doesn't conflict with Qur'an 6:100-101, which just states that Allah doesn't have any "biologically"-produced offspring.

Was the Egyptian Pharaoh drowned or saved?
However, Qur'an 10:90-92 isn't saying that Allah will keep the Pharaoh alive -- Allah's saying that he'll use the Pharaoh's body as evidence (a "portent") of how lethally vengeful he is! (Out of his infinite mercy, of course.) It's hard to use a living person as proof of your intent to kill.

Did Allah drown one of Noah's sons in the Flood?
Unfortunately for Noah's son, Allah was only saving Noah's household. The son was not one of Noah's household, because Allah said so:

"And Noah cried unto his Lord and said: My Lord! Lo! my son is of my household! Surely Thy promise is the truth and Thou are the Most Just of Judges. He said: O Noah! Lo! he is not of thy household; lo! he is of evil conduct, so ask not of Me that whereof thou hast no knowledge. I admonish thee lest thou be among the ignorant,".

Praise be to Allah, the merciful! That son (and the other trillion living things on Earth) definitely deserved brutal, watery death.

Can a man treat his wives fairly?
Qur'an 4:3 states that it's acceptable to marry up to four females, if you can act equitably between them. Qur'an 4:129 states that said equality is impossible, meaning that Qur'an 4:3 never comes into play. While having both is counterintuitive and stupid, it's not a contradiction.

How long is a day for Allah?
The latter "Day" is the day of judgement, which is presumably special.