.
Change Over Time essay
What is the difference between the Medinan and Meccan Surahs in the Koran? Of the 114 “suras” in the Koran, do the “Medinan” verses follow and nullify several of the “Meccan” former verses as Mohammed taught over the course of fleeing (Hejira) from Mecca to Medina? Describe the causes and effects of the hejira in 622 AD.
The Surahs divide the Qur’an (Koran), the Islamic Holy scripture, into “chapters”. The Surahs are collections of the different sayings spoken by Mohammed. Mohammed uttered these sayings over a period of 22 years from the time of his first revelation in a cave on Mt. Hira in 610 A.D. until his death (632 A.D.). Mohammed himself did not write them down, being illiterate,1 but those that heard him wrote down the sayings on anything available or memorized the sayings. Later, under the Caliphs Abu and Ali, copies of the documents were compiled and written down together. Estimates suggest that two-thirds of the Surahs in the Qur’an Mohammed spoke or repeated while living in Mecca and the other one third while living in Medina (after the flight from Mecca)2. During these 22 years, Mohammed faced some major changes and these were reflected in the Surahs. Other than a general change of length, the Medinan Surahs being more prolonged and extensive than the Meccan ones, the character of the Surahs also changed. To understand this difference it is vital to understand the situation in his life both in Mecca and then in Medina.
Mohammed, member of the wealthy ruling Quarish tribe, grew up in and around Mecca. During this time, Mecca was a center of pagan worship, with the activity revolving around the Kaaba, the main pagan temple, which the Quarish tribe protected. Mohammed started receiving visions and though at first he told nobody outside his immediate family, after his family urged him, he started telling everyone the “Word of the Lord”. The first Meccan Surahs Mohammed "received" told him to tell others of Allah’s message. In these Surahs, he viewed himself as one who should warn the people with a goal similar to that of the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah3. He warned the Meccan citizens to leave their idols and wickedness behind and to follow the one God. During this time in Arabia, there proved a great deal of Jewish and Nestorian Christian influence and though Mohammed never read the Bible, he heard much about the prophets, Jesus and the history of the Jews. He showed respect to “the people of the Book” and to the Bible in the Meccan Surahs. It is interesting to observe that the most dramatic change between the Meccan and Medinan Surahs is concerning the Muslim relationship to Jews and Christians.
During the years when Mohammed preached in Mecca, he wanted to attract the Jews and Christians of the area to the message he was preaching. He did this by showing the similarities of the other prophets and himself, and praising and showing that the God of Abraham was the God of the Jews, Christians and Muslims. This helped him because, compared to negative reaction of most of the pagan citizens of Mecca when they were told to destroy their sacred idols, the Jews and Christians welcomed the Muslims and some of the so-called “Christians” even converted to Islam and became Mohammed’s closest companions and followers. However, by the time of his flight to Medina, his approach differed and the Medinan Surahs show a different face concerning the Jews and Christians. Predominantly, the Jews and Christians quietly yet firmly rejected his claim of being a prophet4. Additionally the change might have been influenced by a tribe of Jews that refused to help Mohammed when an army from Mecca besieged Medina in an attempt to kill “The Prophet”.
The Medinan Surahs show that though, Mohammed still believed they served the same God, he started pointing out the fundamental differences of the Christian and Jewish beliefs to the God of Allah. For example, read and compare the following three verses:
Surah 29:46 (Meccan) And dispute ye not with the People of the Book… but say, "We believe in the Revelation which has come down to us and in that which came down to you; our God and your God is One; and it is to Him we bow."
Surah 9.30 (Medinan) The Christians say that the Messiah is the Son of God. That is but a saying with their mouth. They only imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. God's curse be upon them! How they are deluded away from the truth!"
Surah 5:73 (Medinan) They are unbelievers who say, "God is the Third of Three...No god is there but One God."
Most of the Medinan Surahs, when speaking of the Jews, speak negatively about them and how they abandoned “The Book” and the ways of the Lord. Numerous passages warn Muslims to avoid them or not associate with them. Though it claims that Allah had chosen Israel5, the Qur’an says that God left them because of their disobedience and now blesses and cares for the Muslims. Even though that was the opinion of Mohammed towards the Jews and Christians, he sanctioned special better treatment towards them than towards other pagan people.
Other than the attitude change towards the “People of the Book”, Mohammed’s visions also altered concerning himself. He starts receiving visions more similar to one like in Surah 33:56 “Allah and His Angels send blessings on the Prophet: O ye who believe! Send ye blessings on him, And salute him With all respect.” Mohammed seems to take on a role of more than just a humble prophet announcing the revelations of Allah to the people. This probably had its origin in his change of position in Medina compared to Mecca. While in Mecca, though part of the ruling tribe, Mohammed was one of the poorest of the tribe and so not considered very special. The Meccan Surahs spoken over that time period reflect him as merely a speaker, prophet and servant of Allah and his Word. When he fled to Medina, he was welcomed by new Muslims living there and many of his followers also came from Mecca. Because it was not a major center of paganism like Mecca, Islamic teaching found a better reception and soon Medina became somewhat Muslim. This elevated Mohammed and he became a prince and ruler in Medina as well as a spokesman for God. Around this time the Surahs contain many more references to him as a more important person, “The Prophet of God”. Also, the number of Muslims started to grow and so most of the Medinan Surahs begin or contain the phrase similar to one of these: Hear ye all true followers of Allah! or Oh ye who believe!
Another very interesting change is that the only title given to Jesus (every prophet was given special titles) in the Koran is Messiah. No reason is given to this title but it only appears in the Medinan Surahs. “The most plausible explanation is that Muhammad was unaware of the title until he moved to Medina and, as his contacts with Christians and Jews increased, so he came to learn of the unique appellation given to Jesus and, being unaware of its meaning but seeing no reason to reject it, simply adopted it himself and included it in the quran QurŸan [Quran] without any further ado.”6 “It was very well known that the Christians worshipped al masih al-Masæø[Messiah]. This name is attested in Arabia before Mohammed's time…”7
Because he now is the leader of the Muslim people instead of just the prophet of Allah, his Surahs become much more detailed in how to conduct oneself and laws to control what the Muslims can and cannot do instead of merely asking them to return to righteousness. As already mentioned, he now considers himself the ruler and leader of Islam. By revelation, Allah now gives permission to Mohammed to take as many wives as he wants and special rules apply to associating with him or his possessions.
Though these differences within Koran cause much debate and Muslims use these different sides to support their own views, for example about Christian-Muslim relations, Mohammed made it very clear that contradictions can occur because God sends down newer revelations which improve or replace the older revelations. Surah 2:106 says: “We do not abrogate a verse or let it be forgotten without bringing a better or similar one. Do you not know that Allah has power over all things?” This is very vital to understand, that even though you can clearly find the differences in the Muslim Holy Book, Mohammed predicted and talked of such possibilities and in the opinion of many Muslims this does not change the sanctity or meaning of the Koran.
Another very vital point to consider is that this essay shows the GENERAL change over time of the Surahs but not all the Surahs follow this pattern. It is noticed that among some of the long Surahs (Medinan), a topic may be mentioned from a Meccan viewpoint and visa versa. For example, one of the Meccan verse speaks of Allah not begetting (a son) (112:3) and a Medinan verse, (Surah 2:62) speaks well of Jews and Christians.
However, though this essay compares the Qur'an and its changes, the Bible very clearly shows that it is the Word of God to man for all generations. Neither God nor His plan for man changes with time. The Holy Book of Islam specifically contridict each other reguarding the nature of Jesus Christ. In the Qur’an, Surah 7:75, it proclaims “Christ, the son of Mary, was no more than a Messenger…”. Conversely, in John 10:30 Jesus says, “I and my Father [God] are One.” And though the Qur’an agrees with the Injil (New Testament) about Jesus being the Word of God7, it doesn’t tell that Jesus is the only way to heaven.8 John 6:47 says “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.” That is a guarantee spoken by the Almighty God.
Quick Quiz:
1. When were the Medinan Surahs compiled?
• Before the flight to Medina
• After the flight to Medina
•+ Under the Caliphs Abu and Ali
• Under the Mongol Khans
2. Most of the Medinan Surahs speak ________ about the Jews.
•+ negatively, talking mostly how they abandoned "The Book"
• positively, welcoming them with special tax exemptions called "dhimmi"
• only
• nothing
3. According to Gilchrist, the reason that Mohammed gives Jesus the title Messiah is because:
• He understood that Jesus was the Son of God, the Jewish awaited Messiah
• He misunderstood its meaning as the Arabic word for "a humble prophet of God"
•+ He heard it associated to Jesus' name and not knowing its meaning, used it
• He didn't use it for Jesus but for Noah
4. In a discussion between a Modern Muslim and Christian, the Christian addresses the issue of changes in the Qur'an. According to this essay, which is most likely to be his defense?
• "Well, due to the changes in it, we cannot follow any of the Surahs literally and must mix what we read with reason"
•+ "Allah is above all and has the right to change and does change the revelations to fit the situations, though he himself never changes"
• "It doesn't make sense in other languages but in Arabic there are NO contradictions"
• "Though Allah gave us the Qur'an, its revelations faded and the new "Word of God" is The Origins of Species
ENDNOTES:
1 This is referred to directly in the book Frontiers in Muslim-Christian Encounter, Chapter 13 Sixth Paragraph and Pickthalls commentary on the Surah 7:158 and is backed up by the 29th Surah 48th verse
2 The Qur’an and the Bible in the light of History and Science, Chapter III Part A First Stages of the Qur’an, 1st paragraph
3 'And we have not sent you except as an evangelist and as a Prophet to all men, but most men do not know this'. Surah 4:79
4 Surah 2.101And when A messenger from Allah [Mohammed] …came to A Party of the Book [Christians or Jews] they threw the Book of Allah Behind their backs
5 Surah 2: 122 O Children of Israel! call to mind the special favour which I bestowed upon you, and that I preferred you to all others (for My Message).
6 Gilchrist-The Christian Witness to the Muslim part 1. Al-Masih: The Messiah in the QurŸan
7 The Jewish Foundation of Islam, Third Lecture Allah and Islam, pg. 76
8 Sura 3:45 When the angel said, "O Mary verily God gives you good tidings of the Word from Himself; His name is Jesus Son of Mary exalted both in this world and world to come and one of those near the throne." The Bible, in John 1:1 says about Jesus “…the Word was God”.
9 John 14:6 …"I am the [only] way, the truth, and the life. No man gets to the Father except through me
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Note: Sorted by usefulness for this paper; not alphabetized
Primary Sources
God, "Bible", The Thompson-Chain New King James Version, Holy Spirit, 777 Goldstreet, New Jerusalem, Heaven
Ali, A. Yusuf, "The Meaning of the Holy Qur’an", 10th ed., Amana Publications, Beltsville, MD, USA (1999)
Survey of Islam, Institute for the Study of Islam and Christianity, CD: "The World of Islam: Resources for Understanding" from "The World Of Islam CD", Colorado Springs: Global Mapping International, (2000)
Gilchrist, John, "The Christian Witness to the Muslim", Digitalized format downloaded form http://answering-islam.org/Gilchrist/index.html, Benoni, RSA, (1988)
-----------, "The Qur'an: The Scripture of Islam", Digitalized format downloaded form http://answering-islam.org/Gilchrist/index.html, Benoni, RSA (unknown)
Nazir-Ali, Michael, "Frontiers in Muslim-Christian Encounter", Regnum Books, Oxford , UK (November, 1987)
Secondary Sources
Torrey, Charles Cutler, The Jewish Foundation of Islam. New York: Jewish Institute of Religion Press, Bloch Publishing Company (1933)
Campbell, William, "The Qur’an and the Bible in the Light of History and Science", Middle East Resources, (2002)
Abdul-Haqq, Abdiyah Akbar. "Sharing Your Faith with a Muslim". Bethany Fellowhsip, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn. (1980)
Nehls, Gerhard. "Christians Answer Muslims". Evangelical Mission Press, Bellville [South Africa], (1980)
-------, "Christians Ask Muslims", Evangelical Mission Press, Bellville [South Africa], (1987)
Shorroch, Anis, "Islam Revealed: A Christian Arab’s View of Islam" Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, TN., (1988)
.
