Did Muhammad Add Non-Revelations to the Qur’an?
Muslims claim the Qur’an is not the product of human thought, but a verbatim transmission from God (Allah) to Muhammad via the angel Jibril (Gabriel). It is allegedly perfect, inimitable, eternal, and divinely guarded from corruption. Yet, historical records — many from Islamic sources themselves — suggest something far more human: edits, additions, influence from companions, external borrowings, and even admissions of satanic intrusion. If the Qur’an was “downloaded” from heaven, then why does it show signs of manual patchwork?
This post investigates the internal contradictions, scribal alterations, and documented human interventions that expose a critical question: did Muhammad insert non-revelations into the Qur’an?
Qur’an’s Bold Claim: Divine Infallibility
To understand the gravity of the issue, we must first grasp the Qur’an’s own claims about its authorship:
“And if the Messenger were to invent any sayings in Our name, We should certainly seize him by his right hand, and We should certainly then cut off the artery of his heart.”
(Qur’an 69:44–46)
This verse is essentially a divine death threat against Muhammad — if he had dared to fabricate any verse, God would have executed him immediately. It’s a lofty insurance policy: either the Qur’an is 100% divine, or Muhammad dies on the spot.
Additionally, the Qur’an boasts divine preservation:
“Indeed, it is We who sent down the Qur’an and indeed, We will be its guardian.”
(Qur’an 15:9)
So, if this protection fails even once — if a single human addition slipped in — the whole divine preservation claim collapses.
Revelation Revisions: When Muhammad Changed His Mind
The Blind Man Clause
In Qur’an 4:95, Muhammad initially revealed a verse praising those who fight for Allah’s cause over those who “sit at home.” But a blind companion, Ibn Umm Maktum, complained. He couldn’t fight due to his disability. So Muhammad revised the verse — adding the clause "except those who are disabled."
This isn’t just tweaking grammar. It’s theological editing based on social feedback. A blind man challenged the verse, and Muhammad patched it. A divine revelation retrofitted after critique? That’s not how unchangeable divine scripture behaves.
Umar the Companion — or Co-Author?
In Sahih Bukhari 1.8.395, Umar ibn al-Khattab brags that Allah “agreed” with him multiple times — including on key revelations like hijab (veil for women), and which place in Mecca should be a prayer station.
He proposes something. Later, a Qur’anic verse gets revealed mirroring his idea.
Is Allah just rubber-stamping Umar’s policy suggestions?
One example is from Qur’an 66:5 — which matches Umar’s warning to Muhammad’s wives, almost verbatim. Another is the Qur’an 2:125, aligning with Umar’s idea to take the Station of Abraham as a prayer spot.
If companions can lobby God for verse changes or additions, is the Qur’an a divine text — or a committee draft?
Abdallah the Scribe: When the Pen Outpaced the Prophet
Abdallah ibn Sa’d ibn Abi Sarh was one of Muhammad’s scribes. He didn’t just transcribe — he suggested edits.
The story is damning. After hearing Muhammad recite the phrase "And God is Mighty and Wise," Abdallah suggested "And God is Knowing and Wise" instead. Muhammad accepted the substitution. Abdallah realized something unsettling: if Muhammad didn’t notice or correct the switch, was he really transmitting divine words?
Abdallah left Islam and publicly declared, “I used to direct Muhammad wherever I willed; he dictated to me ‘Mighty and Wise’ and I suggested ‘Knowing and Wise’ and he agreed.”
Muhammad later declared him an apostate and ordered his execution. Conveniently, he was later pardoned — and became governor of Egypt. But the theological damage was already done.
The Satanic Verses Incident
This infamous event is confirmed by early Islamic commentators such as al-Tabari, al-Wahidi, and Ibn Ishaq. During the recitation of Qur’an 53:19–20, Muhammad allegedly spoke the following:
“These are the exalted cranes (gharāniq) whose intercession is to be hoped for.”
He was referring to the pagan goddesses Allāt, al-‘Uzzā, and Manāt — the daughters of Allah. The Quraysh, hearing their idols honored, rejoiced.
Later, Muhammad retracted this, claiming Satan had deceived him into inserting false verses. These “Satanic Verses” were removed.
This incident shatters the supposed divine firewall around the Qur’an. If Satan could slip in one verse, what stops him from doing it again?
The Qur’an Borrows from the Bible
In Qur’an 10:94, Muhammad is told:
“If you are in doubt about what We have revealed to you, ask those who have been reading the Book before you…”
This directly acknowledges the authority of the previous Scriptures — the Bible. Moreover, Muhammad encouraged Muslims to learn from Jews and Christians:
“Do not believe the People of the Book nor disbelieve them, but say: ‘We believe in Allah and what has been revealed to us.’”
(Sahih Bukhari 6.60.12)
That’s not mere borrowing — that’s scriptural outsourcing.
And many Qur’anic narratives echo Jewish and Christian legends — often non-canonical or apocryphal ones.
The Abrogation Problem
The Qur’an repeatedly admits that some verses are replaced, forgotten, or erased:
“Whatever verse We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, We bring a better one.” (Qur’an 2:106)
“We may replace them with something better or similar.” (Qur’an 16:101)
“We shall make you recite so you will not forget — except what Allah wills.” (Qur’an 87:6–7)
This divine editing feature is called abrogation (naskh). Scholars like Louay Fatoohi document over 500 verses potentially affected by abrogation.
But this implies earlier verses were not perfect, or at least not eternally relevant. Which raises the uncomfortable question: how can a supposedly timeless, preserved message contain obsolete or overridden parts?
A “Step-by-Step” Revelation — or a Patchwork?
All the evidence suggests that the Qur’an wasn’t “sent down” as a flawless monolith. It evolved, adapted, and reacted. We see:
Blind men lobbying for verse rewrites
Companions like Umar suggesting content
Scribes contributing lines
Borrowings from earlier Scriptures and legends
Satan sneaking verses in (and out)
Abrogation and verse replacement
These aren’t signs of an untainted revelation. They’re symptoms of a work in progress — one shaped by Muhammad’s shifting politics, community pressure, and borrowed material.
Conclusion: The Divine Authorship Collapses
If God guards His word, how did human edits sneak in?
If Muhammad couldn’t fabricate a single line, why did he rewrite verses on request?
If Satan can whisper Qur’an verses, how can any of it be trusted?
And if the Qur’an is supposedly eternal, why does it abrogate itself?
The cracks are too many. The Qur’an is not a perfect dictation from a celestial hard drive. It is a composite product, with human fingerprints, political motivations, and theological improvisations etched into its text.
This isn’t revelation. This is revision.
And that should make any critical reader pause.
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