The historical Debate on "The Qur'an and the bible

discoverislam635
Jun 15, 2024
5 min read

The debate between Dr. Zakir Naik and Dr. William Campbell on the Bible and the Quran would likely be a spirited and insightful discussion, with both sides presenting their perspectives and arguments.

Before discussing the debate, looking at the Bible, being a religious text has been subject to various interpretations and critiques over the centuries. Some of the errors and inconsistencies pointed out by scholars and critics include:

1. Historical inaccuracies: - The Bible's account of the conquest of Canaan contradicts archaeological findings.

- The existence of the Hittite empire was doubted until its discovery in the 19th century.

2. Scientific errors: - The Bible describes a flat Earth (Isaiah 11:12, Revelation 7:1) and a geocentric universe (Joshua 10:12-14).

- It mentions the sun standing still (Joshua 10:12-14), contradicting our understanding of astronomy.

3. Contradictions and inconsistencies: - The genealogies of Jesus in Matthew 1:1-17 and Luke 3:23-38 differ.

- The accounts of the resurrection in the Gospels have discrepancies.

4. Ethical concerns: - The Bible contains stories of violence, genocide, and slavery, which raise ethical questions. - The treatment of women and marginalized groups has been criticized.

5. Textual errors and contradictions: - The Bible has undergone many translations and revisions, leading to textual variations. - Some passages contradict each other (e.g., Proverbs 26:4-5).

6. Factual errors: - The Bible mentions the city of Sodom and Gomorrah, which some scholars question existed. - The story of the Exodus has been challenged due to a lack of archaeological evidence.

7. Theological contradictions: - The nature of God and Jesus is debated among Christian denominations.

- The concept of the Trinity is seen as contradictory by some.

Please note that these errors and inconsistencies are subject to interpretation and debate among scholars, theologians, and believers.

Dr. William Campbell:

- Defended the Bible as the inspired word of God, citing its impact on Western civilization and its continued relevance in modern times

- Argued that the Bible's accounts of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection are historically reliable and supported by archaeological evidence

While Dr. Zakir Naik:

- Argued that the Quran is the word of God as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)

- Emphasized the Quran's scientific and historical accuracy, citing examples such as the description of the embryo's development and the mention of the expansion of the universe

- Criticized the Bible for its contradictions, errors, and inconsistencies, such as the conflicting accounts of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus

- Asserted that the Quran is a more reliable and trustworthy text than the Bible

Dr. William Campbell challenged Muslims that there are errors in the Qur'an. In this debate, Dr.Zakir Naik refuted all the allegations against the Qur'an and hadith based on Science and logic and pointed out 22 scientific errors in the bible out of a thousand errors !! And Dr. William Campbell and other researchers have not answered any one of them !!!

Dr. Zakir Naik Says(In the Debate) "To make it easier for Dr. William Campbell, to answer to the points I have raised, I will just mention it in brief -The points that I mentioned".

Point No .1.The first point was that -‘The creation of the Earth and the Heaven - the universe was in six, 24-hour days.

point No.2.Light was then before the source of light -

Point No. 3. Three: - Day came into existence before the creation of Earth.

Point No. 4 - Earth came into existence before the Sun.

Point No. 5 - Vegetation came into existence, before sunlight

Point No. 6 - The light of the Moon is its light.

Point No. 7 - The earth - Will it perish or will it abide forever?

Point No. 8 - The earth has got pillars.

Point No. 9 - The heavens have got pillars.

Point No. 10 - God said… ‘You can have all plants and all vegetation, including the poisonous plants?’

Point No. 11 - The scientific test the falsification test, of Mark, Ch. No. 16, Verse No. 17 and 18.

Point No. 12 - A woman remains unclean for double the period, if she gives birth to a daughter, as compared to a son.

Point No. 13 - Using blood to disinfect the house, against plague of leprosy.

Point No. 14 – How do you find out the bitter water test for adultery?

Point No. 15 - Eighteen different contradictions in less than 60 Verses of Ezra, Ch. 2, and Nehemiah, Ch. 7. I did not count them as 18 different - I counted them only as one.

Point No. 16 - The total is different is both the chapters.

Point No. 17 - Are there 200 singing men and women, or are there 245 singing men and women?

Point No. 18 - Was Jehoiachin 18 years old, or was he 8 years old when he began to reign?

Point No. 19 - Did he reign for 3 months, or 3 months 10 days.

Point No. 20 - Did Solomon had 3000 baths, or 2000 baths?

Point No. 21 - Is that Basha, how could he invade Judah, 10 years after his death?

Point No. 22 is - Almighty God - He said, I put up a rainbow in the sky, as a promise to the human kind, never to submerge the world again by water.

I have listed only 22, out of the hundreds available unscientific points in the Bible… scientific errors - And I request Dr. William Campbell to answer them. And irrespective whether he uses the ‘concordance approach’ or the ‘conflict approach’… as long as he is logical, he will never be able to prove scientifically, all these 22 aspects I have told him. We agree in Jesus Christ peace be upon him - to him was revealed the Injeel.

This(bible) is not the Injeel - It may contain part of God - But the other unscientific portion is not the word of God. I would like to end my talk by giving the quotation of the Glorious Qur’an, from Surah Baqarah, Ch. No. 2, Verse 79 …. (Arabic)…. ‘Woe to those who write the book with their own hands, and then say this is from Allah, to traffic with it for a miserable price. Woe to those for what they write, woe to those for what they earn.’

It's important to note that debates like this often involve complex theological and historical discussions, and Dr. Naik side may have valid points than counterpoints. Ultimately, the debate would likely conclude with Dr. Naik and other scholars and researchers respectfully disagreeing with a deeper understanding and proves that the bible is not an original book of God.

So many Philosophers / Writers/ Professors /scientists&Engineers they left Atheism & Christianity and they choose Islam as a way of life ....Subhan Allah

Note 8

The historical Debate on "The Qur'an and the bible

Discover Islam Put together by; Mustapha Cisse

Presented by; The Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN)Authorized by; Ustaz A. A.Etudaye