Is it possible for the Qu'ran to have mistakes in it?
The question of whether the Qur'an can contain mistakes is addressed within Islamic theology, which asserts that the Qur'an is the literal word of God and is free from any errors. This belief is supported by various verses within the Qur'an itself that emphasize its inimitability and divine origin. For instance, in Surah Al-Qamar, it states: And in truth We have made the Qur'an easy to remember; but is there any that remembereth?
54:22. This verse implies that the Qur'an is designed to be understood and preserved perfectly.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir explains that the disbelievers often accused the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ of fabricating the Qur'an and receiving assistance from others. However, the Qur'an refutes these claims, asserting that it is revealed by the One who knows all secrets and realities (Tafsir Ibn Kathir). This reinforces the notion that the Qur'an is divinely protected from falsehood and error.
Furthermore, the hadith literature reinforces this belief in the Qur'an's integrity. For example, it is narrated: Actions are only by intentions, and every person will have only what they intended. So whoever's migration was for worldly gain or to marry a woman, then his migration is to whatever he migrated for.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1:1. This hadith emphasizes the importance of intention in actions, paralleling the belief in the divine nature of the Qur'an, which is free from human flaws.
In summary, the Qur'an is viewed within Islamic belief as the flawless word of God, designed to guide humanity without any mistakes or contradictions.
Sources
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54:22 · Al-Qamar
54:22 · Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall
وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا ٱلْقُرْءَانَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍۢ
And in truth We have made the Qur'an easy to remember; but is there any that remembereth?
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Tafsir Ibn Kathir on 54:22
Tafsir Ibn Kathir · 54:22
Allah Almighty informs us about the people of 'Ad, the tribe of Hud: they too denied their messenger, similar to the way the people of Noah rejected theirs. So Allah sent upon them a powerful, cold, piercing wind, described in the verse as “a furious wind”—a cold and severe blast of wind—that struck them on an ill-fated day. The phrase “on an ill-fated day” is understood to mean the day when divine punishment was brought upon them. This interpretation is supported by narrations from scholars such as Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah, and As-Suddi, who explained that the continuous calamity and destruction persisted upon them throughout that day, marking the convergence of their worldly chastisement with their eternal doom. Regarding the expression “He whirled the people, as if they were hollow palm trunks,” this metaphor illustrates the fierce force of the wind that would seize an individual, lift him high until he vanished from sight, then hurl him down onto his head, causing him to fall to the ground. The wind would then smash his head, leaving his body as a lifeless trunk without a head. This vivid imagery gives the phrase its meaning: they were tossed about like empty, dry palm stalks swept up and scattered by the storm. Following this, the verse continues to admonish: "So how [terrible] was My punishment and My warnings?" It affirms that the Qur’an has been made easy as a reminder and calls for those who heed to reflect and take heed.
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Sahih al-Bukhari 1:1
Sahih al-Bukhari · Book 1, Hadith 1 · Narrated by Umar ibn al-Khattab
I heard Umar ibn Al-Khattab, may God be pleased with him, say on the pulpit that he heard the Messenger of God, peace be upon him, say: "Actions are only by intentions, and every person will have only what they intended. So whoever's migration was for worldly gain or to marry a woman, then his migration is to whatever he migrated for."
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