They say, “Be Jews or Christians [so] you will be guided.” Say, “Rather, the (millata)religion of Ibrahim, inclining toward truth, and he was not of the (l-mush’rikina) polytheists.” (Qur’an 2:135)
“Knower of the unseen, disclosing none of it to anyone, except messengers of His choice. Then He appoints angel-guards before and behind them.” (Qur’an 72:26-27)
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It was recently brought to our attention that when discussing the reliablity and transmission of the hadith that Profressor Fred Donner made the following comment:
@1:45
“But even in those collections of sound hadiths, there are many that we know MUST be fabricated, wherein the Prophet is seen as predicting things that happened two hundred years after his death.”
Ah yes, Fred. Prophets could never predict the future!
At least, here he has revealed himself. This is the problem and it shows his bias and his presupposition.
Donner’s argument is epistemologically circular: he assumes prophecy is impossible, and then uses that assumption to dismiss any hadith that contains a prophecy. To a believing Muslim, this is not historical criticism; it is secular dogmatism masquerading as neutrality. Far from academic.
Donner’s methodological reductionism rests on an epistemologically circular assumption that disqualifies it from serious historical consideration.
If Profressor Fred Donner is interested in engaging with Islamic scholarship on the following:
Epistemology: How do we know what we know? Or if we would like to debate Islamic scholarship on Metaphysics.
Then insh’Allah Islamic scholarship would welcome such an inquiry.
Profressor Donner’s book: ‘Muhammed and the Believers: At the Origins of Islam’ is a brilliant book of fiction. It iss perfectly digestible for his liberal and left leaning audience.
One wonders how he would have written to an audience in India or Japan.
Reminder that a comprehsive and holistic reading of the Qur’an leads one to conclude that…
May Allah Guide the Ummah.
May Allah Forgive the Ummah.
Prima Quran 