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17. Understanding Islam
SECTION FIVE: UNDERSTANDING MUSLIM OBJECTIONS TO THE GOSPEL
CHAPTER THIRTEEN: MUSLIM OBJECTIONS TO CHRISTIANITY
13.1. Belief in the preservation of the Qur’an and the corruption of the original Bible
13.1.1. Did Mohammed memorise the Qur’an at the point of revelation?
According to Islamic sources themselves, Mohammed didn’t have the perfect memory that Muslims claim. He said:
“I am a human being like you and liable to forget like you. If I forget remind me.” (Sahih Bukhari).
In fact, Mohammed sometimes forgot the Qur’an until someone reminded him:
“Narrated by A’ishah: Allah’s Messenger heard a man reciting the Qur’an at night, and said, ‘May Allah bestow His Mercy on him, as he has reminded me of such and such Verses of such and such Surah, which I was caused to forget’.” (Sahih Bukhari)
Mohammed also said the Qur’an is forgotten
“How wretched is one of them who says: ‘I have forgotten such-and-such a verse.’ Rather he has been caused to forget. Try to remember the Qur’ân, for it is more inclined to escape from the hearts of men than camels from their ropes’.” (Sahih Muslim).
So the idea of Mohammed’s perfect memory isn’t supported by Islamic sources, however common it is among Muslims.