Does the Qur'an contain any prophecies about the future? Have any of these proved true?

Yes, the Qur'an contains many prophecies about the future. Many of these have already proved true, and we confidently expect that the others will also come to pass in due time. In addition, no statement in the Qur'an has ever proved to be false.

Let us see some examples of Qur'anic prophecies that has already been fulfilled. One example is a prophecy that occurs in Surah 30 of the Qur'an. In the first six verses Allah promised that the Romans who had just been defeated in the year 615 C.E. would turn around and win a decisive victory within nine years. At the time this statement was made, no human could envision how it could come to pass. The Romans had been so soundly defeated that no hope was left that they could make a comeback within such a short period of time. The disbelievers mocked at the Muslims over this passage in the Qur'an because they thought the prophecy would surely fail. One man, Ummayah bin Khalaf by name, even placed a bet of a hundred camels that the prophecy would fail. Abu Bakr, the closest follower of the prophet, on whom be peace, took up that challenge because he was sure that the word of God could never fail. True enough, within the specified period, in the year 624 CE, the Romans confronted the Persians in battle at a place called Issus. The Romans won their decisive victory exactly as prophecised in the Qur'an, and Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, won the bet of one hundred camels. In the meantime, however, revelation from Allah had prohibited gambling, so the prophet directed Abu Bakr to give away the camels to the poor and needy.

So the prophecy was fulfilled. But there is more to this. The same verses contain yet another prophecy. It says that while the Romans are winning their victory, the believers in the Qur'an will rejoice in the victory granted by Allah. We know from history that in that very year the Muslims were threatened with total annihilation, but Allah rescued them. The Muslims had been driven out of Mecca, their hometown. Now they found safe haven in Medina. But the unbelievers could not rest knowing that the Muslims were free to practice their faith somewhere else. So they marched against the Muslims with an army of one thousand men fully equipped for battle. The Muslims mustered the best defense they could, a mere 313 men lacking suitable equipment for battle. From a human point of view, the greater force would win, but the help of Allah was with the small group of believers. Miraculously, the believers won, and the Qur'anic prophecy was fulfilled despite all odds. The unfolding of this double prophecy proves beyond doubt that the Qur'an could not have been authored by any human being.

Another prophecy occurs in Surah 111 of the Qur'an. That Surah states that a certain man and his wife will perish as unbelievers. This was uttered at a time when no one but God could say who will or will not become believers later on. Many of the most severe opponents in the early days became devoted followers in later days. But not this couple. They tried everything to oppose, ridicule, and disprove the Qur'an. One would expect that they would also pretend to become believers just to throw doubt on the accuracy of the Qur'an. But they did not apply this obvious strategy. What prevented them, if not the power of God and the truth of His word?

In this way many prophecies were fulfilled, and not one has ever failed. This gives us every reason to place our full confidence in the book of God.

Muslims say that the Qur'an is a Miracle. What is so miraculous about a book?

Previous prophets performed miracles to prove that their message was not their own but God's message. In the case of the Qur'an, the message itself is the miracle.

The prophet Muhammad, on whom be peace, did not know how to read or write. Yet the Qur'an which was being revealed to him was (and still is) the highest pinnacle of literary beauty and excellence in the Arabic Language. It was beyond the ability of the prophet to produce this book. And God declares that it is beyond the ability of all of humankind and spirit-kind to produce a book like the Qur'an.

The Qur'an was revealed piece by piece over a period of twenty-three years. During this time, God challenged humankind four times to produce a book like the Qur'an, and they couldn't do it. When the prophet and his followers were being persecuted in Mecca, God showed the persecutors a simple way by which they can wipe out the message of the Qur'an. God stated that this book cannot be produced by men or spirit creatures. Obviously, if they pooled together their abilities and composed a book like the Qur'an they would have proved the Qur'an to be false in its claim. But they couldn't. And here is what the Qur'an claims:
Say: If the whole of mankind and Jinns were to gather together to produce the like of this Qur'an they could not produce the like thereof, even if they backed up each other with help and support (Qur'an 17:88).

Although people ardently wished to block the message of the Qur'an and they tried every thing they could to stifle it, yet they did not try this obvious strategy. Why? Because it cannot be done. So God reduced the challenge for them: never mind the whole book; produce just ten chapters if you can. This challenge is mentioned in Surah 11:13 in the Qur'an. Again they couldn't do it. And they were the literary giants of their day. They held fairs to promote their own literary masterpieces. They hung their prized compositions on the door of the house of pilgrimage for all to see. But they could not match the stunning verses of the Qur'an.

God reduced the challenge further still (see Qur'an 10:38). If they cannot produce ten chapters then how about one chapter? Just one! And they couldn't do it, so they eventually pulled down their proud exhibits from where they were hung. The Qur'an had proved its point: this is no man-made book.

Yet they tried everything to banish the Qur'an from the face of the earth. They even made an attempt on the life of the prophet. He fled to Madinah, another city. And there the Qur'an kept coming to him piece by piece. The challenge was repeated yet again. This time God reduced the emphasis as if to say, okay you couldn't produce a chapter like it; now produce a chapter even remotely like
it. This challenge is mentioned in the Qur'an in chapter 2, verse 23. They failed again. And the world has failed since. The challenge is still there in the Qur'an, and everyone who disbelieves the Qur'an can still pool together their abilities and resources to try and produce one like it. But they cannot. Isn't this an awesome miracle?

Jesus said that he is the way and that no one can come to God except through him. What do Muslims say about that?

Muslims believe that Jesus, on whom be peace, was indeed the way. This means that he showed the way by which people should approach God. He expected that people should follow him and imitate him. His early followers were called followers of the way because, obviously, they followed Jesus, and Jesus was the way (see Acts 9:2; 18:25; 19:9; 19:23; 22:4; 24:14; 24:22). They were also called Christians, which means 'imitators of Christ' (see Acts 11 :26). This shows that the early followers of Jesus copied and imitated him.

Muhammad is dead. But Jesus is alive. Doesn't that mean that Jesus Is superior to Muhammad?

Muslims believe that Jesus and Muhammad were both prophets and messengers of Allah. Peace be upon both of them. Muslims will not belittle any of God's prophets or reject their message. The Qur'an tells us to declare our faith in all of the prophets including Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, and that we should make no distinction among them (see Qur'an 2:136; 3:84; 2:285). This means that since each of them preached the true message of God, it would be wrong to say we believe in some but not in others.

The prophets themselves were humble servants of God. They did not try to prove themselves superior to others. It would be wrong for their followers to argue over who is superior. Once a Muslim and a Jew were arguing. The Muslim said that Muhammad is superior over all the people. The Jew said that Moses is superior over all the people. When this was related to the prophet Muhammad, on whom be peace, he said:
Do not give me superiority over Moses (This is recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari, vol.4, p.410, Arabic- English edition).
He also said "None should say that I am better than Jonah, son of Matta" (ibid, p.413).
He also instructed,"Do not give superiority to any prophet among Allah's prophets" (ibid, p.414).

Muslims believe that Jesus did not die on the cross. Does that mean he died of natural causes? Will he come again? Why is he the only prophet to return?

Muslims believe that God's messenger Jesus, son of Mary, on whom be peace, did not die yet. God tells us in His own words that Jesus was raised up by God and that he was neither killed nor crucified (see Qur'an 4:157-158). Furthermore, God tells us that in order to foil the plans of the unbelievers, God recalled Jesus and raised him up (see Qur'an 3:55). Muslims understand from these Qur'anic passages that Jesus did not die.

Muslims believe that Jesus will be coming again. A common explanation of verse 159 of Surah 4 in the Qur'an is that when Jesus returns, the people of the book will each believe in Jesus as he really is. Another verse in the Qur'an calls Jesus, on whom be peace, a sign of the day of Judgement (see Qur'an 43:61). This was further explained by the prophet Muhammad, on whom be peace, when he said that Jesus's return will be a sign that the day of Judgement is near.

God alone knows the full wisdom behind what He does. We can only try to understand some of the reasons. With God's help we can point to several reasons why Jesus will be coming again. One reason is that when the angel Gabriel announced to Mary about the birth of Jesus, he prophesied that Jesus will speak to mankind while he is a baby and again when he is mature (see Qur'an 3:46). The Arabic word Kahlan here translated 'maturity' actually refers to a maturity at 40 years old. When Jesus comes back he will live to this age and the prophecy will be fulfilled. Jesus also foretold his death (see Qur'an 19:33). This too will be fulfilled when he returns, and Jesus will be buried in Medina near his brother in faith, the last prophet, on whom be peace.

Why do Muslim women cover their heads? Isn't this a sign of subjection of women?

Muslim women cover their heads because God so directed in His final book, the Glorious Qur'an. The head cover is specifically mentioned in 24:31. This instruction from God is only one aspect of a wider context of purity of thought and action for men and women.

Islam has very strict rules against adultery and fornication, and introduces many cautious measures to ensure the prevention and avoidance of such sins. One measure is the prescription that men and women should avoid intermingling as far as possible (see Qur'an 33:53). This is why men and women pray in separate areas or separate rows in the mosque. Another measure is that men and women should cover the specified areas of their bodies the sight of which arouse sexual desire in others (see Qur'an 7:26; 33:59). Yet another measure is that men and women should lower or turn their gaze away from looking at a person of the opposite sex (see Qur'an 24:31).

The idea that the head covering is a sign of subjection of women is found not in the Qur'an but in another religious book with which the Qur'an does not always agree. That other book teaches that women should have a sign of authority over their heads because man was not created from woman, but woman from man. The same book says that a man should not cover his head because he is the image and glory of God; and a woman should cover her head because she is the glory of man. The Qur'an does not identify with any of these ideas. The Qur'anic prescription of head cover does not in any way imply the subjection of women.

People often confuse the Islamic prescriptions with ideas they are already familiar with. Therefore when they see Muslim women covering their heads they hastily conclude that it is for the same reasons mentioned in some other religious book. But to gain a better understanding of Islamic prescriptions, they have to be viewed within the framework of Islamic thought.

Another mistake made by many is as follows. When they hear that the Qur'an includes the story of Adam and Eve they conclude that the Qur'an also upholds the idea that Eve was responsible for the fall of man, and that the subjection of women is a necessary result of God's curse on them. On the contrary, the Qur'an is free of such ideas. In the Qur'an, Adam and Eve were both approached by the Devil. The Devil did not approach Adam through Eve. Adam is therefore specifically blamed in the Qur'an 20:121. In other verses they are both blamed; but in no verse is Eve alone singled out to be blamed for the fall of man. Although men are charged with the responsibility of leadership in Islam too, this is in view of the practical dynamics of human interaction as prescribed by God. It is not because of a curse on women.

It would be a mistake to take the prescriptions of Islam and associate them with ideas held outside of Islam. Within Islam, women are capable of as much good as men, and they stand before God equally honored.

What does Islam say about Domestic violence?

Islam condemns domestic violence. Once a number of women came to the prophet, on whom be peace, to complain that their husbands had beaten them. The prophet announced that men who beat their wives are not good men. The prophet also said: Do not beat the female servants of Allah.

Allah knows that life is not always a bowl of cherries. And so He stipulates that a man must be kind to his wife even if he happens to dislike her (Qur'an 4:19). Allah offers a good reason as to why men should not dislike their wives. Allah says that He has placed much good in women (Qur'an 4:19). In this regard the prophet Muhammad, on whom be peace, said that no believing man should hold a grudge against a believing woman. So what is a husband to do if he dislikes some things about his wife? This is bound to occur, since no human being is perfect. The prophet instructed that men should look for the agreeable traits in their wives rather than focus on their faults. (See Saheeh Muslim, chapter on advice relating to women).

What are some of the rights given to women in Islam?

The Qur'an places men and women on a similar relationship before God, and promises both the final goal of paradise for those who believe and do right (see Qur'an 3:195; 4:124; 16:19; 40:40). The Qur'an also speaks of similarity in terms of creation. God tells us that He created a single soul and from it its mate, then He made countless men and women from those two (see Qur'an 4:1) The Qur'an does not contain the belief that the man alone is created in the image of God. Because of this fundamental similarity between men and women, the Qur'an declares that women have rights similar to the rights against them according to what is equitable (see Qur'an 2:228).

In a time when women were devalued and female infants were buried alive, the Qur'an raised the value of women and prohibited female infanticide. Due to the Qur'an, this practice was abolished, but in recent times advances in the science of genetic selection has encouraged some unbelievers to practice a modern form of female infanticide.

Why does the Qur'an allow Muslim men to have four wives?

There are some situations in which it is advantageous to society to have men marry multiple wives, and for this reason polygyny is practiced by many religions and cultures. As we have already seen in answer to question 2, polygyny is permitted in the Bible too. Here we will see that the Qur'an permits only a restricted and limited form of that practice. Only 2% of Muslim marriages are of this nature.

Why did the prophet Muhammad marry many wives?

The reasons for the marriages will become clear once we survey the historical circumstances. When Muhammad was twenty-five years old he married for the first time. His wife, Khadijah, was fifteen years older than him. She remained the only wife of the prophet for the next twenty-five years, until she died (may Allah be pleased with her). Only after her death did the prophet marry other women. Now, it is obvious that if the prophet was after physical pleasure he did not have to wait until he was more than fifty years old to start marrying more wives. He lived in a society in which it was quite acceptable to have many wives. But the prophet remained devoted to his only wife for twenty-five years. When she died she was sixty-five years old.

What does Islam say about homosexuality?

Islam teaches that homosexual acts are sinful and punishable by God. This teaching comes not from human beings, but from the Creator of all humans. God tells us in His own words how He punished the people of Lot for their homosexual behavior. The story of the prophet Lot, on whom be peace, finds mention in several Qur'anic passages (see especially Qur'an 26:160-175). From these passages we learn that God saved Lot and the righteous ones of his family, and rained on the rest a shower of brimstones, so they were utterly destroyed. This is mentioned in the Qur'an not only for the sake of information, but mainly to serve as a warning to anyone who dares to repeat such acts.

What does Jihad mean?

The word Jihad represents a concept which is much misunderstood in the West. The concept is explained nicely by the Christian scholar Ira 6. Zepp, Jr. in his book entitled A Muslim Primer on pages 133-135. We adapt from his answer the following:

The essential meaning of Jihad is the spiritual, psychological, and physical effort we exert to be close to God and thus achieve a just and harmonious society. Jihad literally means "striving" or "struggle" and is shorthand for Jihad fi Sabeel Allah (struggle for God's cause). In a sense, every Muslim is a Mujahid, one who strives for God and justice.

Al-Ghazali captured the essence of Jihad when he said: "The real Jihad is the warfare against (one's own) passions. Dr. Ibrahim Abu-Rabi calls Jihad "the execution of effort against evil in the self and every manifestation of evil in society." In a way, Jihad is the Muslim's purest sacrifice: a struggle to live a perfect life and completely submit to God.

Another form of Jihad is the striving to translate the Word of God into action. If one has experienced God and received guidance from the Qur'an, one struggles to apply that guidance in daily life. So the larger, more prevalent meaning of Jihad is the spiritual struggle of the soul. In this case, Jihad is always present for the believer whether there is an external enemy or not. We should never reduce Jihad to violence.

A third level of Jihad is popularly known as "holy war." The classic passage is found in the Qur'an:
Fight in the way of Allah those who fight against you, but transgress not the limits. Truly Allah likes not the transgressors (Qur'an 2:190).

It is crucial to note here that what is condoned is defensive warfare; Islam cannot justify aggressive war. Muhammad and the Tradition are also against killing non-combatants, torturing of prisoners, the destruction of crops, animals and homes. Adapted from Ira 6. Zepp, Jr., A Muslim Primer (1992, Wakefield Editions, US) pp.133-135.

Robert Ellwood of the University of Southern California has the following to say about the Muslim concept of Jihad:
Out of the community ideal of Islam comes the concept of jihad, or holy war, which is designed to defend Islam and allow its social practice, though not to force individual conversions, which is forbidden. Since Islam in principle is a community as well as a religion, presumably only an absolute pacifist would be able to reject the theory of jihad out of hand, since other communities also fight to defend or expand their ways of life. (Many Peoples, Many Faiths by Robert S. Ellwood, 4th edition, Simon & Schuster, US, 1982, p.346).