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Erpenius ; the Suspicion that the Qura'n is just a Ludicrous Imitation to the Bible
erpenius( 992-1033 h = 1584-1624 a.b)
thomas van erpenius is a dutch orientalist , he is considered to be the founder and organizer of the orientalism renaissance in his country. he was born at gorkum in netherlands , had his education at liden then had a long tour at england , france , germany , and italy . it is said that he had studied the arabic language by an egyptian called abi-thakn. he had established – in his house- an arab printing establishment which became later the base of the arab press which is known now in liden with (brill). he also was appointed as a professor for eastern languages in liden university at 1612 a.b and he has passed away in liden. he has a book at "arabic grammar" and published another books such as "selective enthusiasm poetry for abi-tammam" and" muslims' history" which is a part from ibnel-ameeds' history in addition to translating it into latin language.
the suspicion of "the qura'n is just a ludicrous imitation to the bible"!!
erpenius deducted that what were mentioned in the qura'n were nothing more than a ludicrous imitation to the bible!! erpenius – just like many others- have an aversion for prophet muhammad (peace be upon him) and his teachings.
response
the punctilious researcher can never find any judaism features in the holy qura'n , as it doesn't include preferring one nation to another , the way that jews said that they are "the selected nation that allah preferred to all other nations" while islam emphasized that all nations are equal ,as allah said "o mankind! we created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise each other). verily the most honored of you in the sight of allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. and allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things" .(al-hujrat: 13).
the qura'n also doesn't include what refers to muhammad (pbuh) as a god, or describes him with a characteristics that are far from human beings, as some christians groups did regarding jesus" the christ " so if christianity had affected islam, it would have embraced the most important principle in it which is considering muhammad (pbuh) as a god, just like jesus was considered a god by christians.1
here, we will discuss the following points:
1- unity of the divine source could be the reason for some resemblance between quranic and old testament stories.
2- the comparison between quranic and other books' stories clarifies to us how far the old books have been perverted; they accuse the qura'n with imitating them, in order to turn the attention away of the perversion.
the stories which have been mentioned in the old books are mainly materialistic and the humane thought, which cares very much with small details that can't be seen at the qura'nic stories, is so clear at every single part of them. in addition to the filthy images which are improper to be found inside the sacred books, in the contrary of the miracle qura'nic stories.
you can compare between yusuf's (may allah bless him) (joseph) story at torah and qura'n to see and feel the great difference .
3- the prophet (pbuh) was illiterate – can't neither read nor write- beside he had no relation with jews or christians at makkah before his delegation so he couldn't have taken anything from them . the holy qur'an itself replied to these claims when quraishes' unbelievers claimed that the prophet was being taught by a christian boy as allah said " we know indeed that they say, "it is a man that teaches him." the tongue of him they wickedly point to is notably foreign, while this is arabic, pure and clear ". (an-nahl: 103)
so how can a foreign, persian, jew or christian person be able to teach an arab man such that arab, miracle qura'n which all arabs fail to say even a few words like it !!!
such fabricated claims are so strange and can never be said by a person that respects his mind, knowledge and researches .however, hostility turns the person into deaf and blind man.
1- reference, ahmad shalaby, orientalizm, history and targets, alnahda almasria library,page 35