نولدكه ودعوى الأصل الكتابي للقرآن الكريم، قراءة نقدية

NÖLDEKE’S CLAIM OF THE BIBLICAL ORIGINS OF QUR’AN: A CRITICAL STUDY

Abstract

This article aims to investigate Theodor NÖldeke’s claim in his book entitled History of the Qur’an that the Qur’an has a biblical origin. This study used the thematic approach in examining the data collected from texts, ideas, and other qualitative data. Hence, NÖldeke’s sayings that are directly related to the topic were collected, and the analytical and critical approaches were used on the texts. The researcher applied the internal criticism method to NÖldeke’s contradictory sayings in his book. This article has two major findings: (1) NÖldeke deems Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as the author of the Qur’an and (2) consequently, Nöldeke believes that the Prophet (PBUH) derived the Qur’anic text from the views of the people of the book who inhabited the Arab peninsula. Thus, NÖldeke associates the origin of any aspects of the Qur’an or revelations to the Aramics and the Hebrews, among others. NÖldeke uses this assocation as a basis to claim that the Qur’an is of the biblical origin, and hence, Islam is a derivative form of Christianity. He interprets the originality of all commonalities among the religions to the Jews, neglecting that all these commonalities originate from the same source. NÖldeke makes numerous attempts to prove that the Qur’an has a biblical heritage while simultaneously contradicting himself. He negates his statements by indicting that the Prophet (PBUH) never came into contact with the holy books of the Jews and the Christians. Finally, the article shows that even though NÖldeke’s book is acclaimed, it is in fact full of contradictions.