What
follows is a list of fallacies and their examples taken directly from
the Quran (Sahih Translation). This shows why Quran as a source of
knowledge is extremely flawed. I went with the approach of going fallacy
by fallacy instead of verse by verse because otherwise this post would
be me quoting every other verse and saying appeal to emotion fallacy.
Genetic
Fallacy - At many places in the Quran such as the following, it makes
arguments that one should remain the way they were born. Now this
commits many more fallacies then one but the one that I have noted is
the most interesting one.
when
your Lord took from the children of Adam - from their loins - their
descendants and made them testify of themselves, [saying to them], "Am I
not your Lord?" They said, "Yes, we have testified." [This] - lest you
should say on the Day of Resurrection, "Indeed, we were of this
unaware." (Quran 7:172)
Special
Pleading - Well Allah in Quran on many occasions says that things just
couldn’t have been different without providing a sufficient, or any
explanation at all. One such case is the verse that follows.
Had
there been within the heavens and earth gods besides Allah, they both
would have been ruined. So exalted is Allah, Lord of the Throne, above
what they describe. (Quran 21:22)
Post
hoc ergo propter - Quran in the following verse asserts that when
people pray to him on a boat and return home safely, they were saved
because of their prayer. Now this commits more than just one fallacy but
the most prominent one that this commits is the “Post hoc ergo propter”
fallacy since, it asserts that two things happen after each other
therefore the former was the cause of the latter.
And
when they board a ship, they supplicate Allah, sincere to Him in
religion. But when He delivers them to the land, at once they associate
others with Him(Quran 29:65)
Cherrypicking
- We don’t exclusively see cherrypicking from Muslims since the Quran
itself commits the fallacy of suppressing evidence. It shows us a case
of men crying for his help and getting it but later turning away from
him which in and of itself is a fine example but the verse’s implicit
conclusion is that men turn to him in hard times. That doesn’t follow
because the argument ignores the times when men asked Allah and he
decided not to intervene, or when men didn’t ask Allah but their bad
times were dealt with anyways. Indeed Allah is the greatest of the
cherrypickers.
And
when adversity touches man, he calls upon his Lord, turning to Him
[alone]; then when He bestows on him a favor from Himself, he forgets
Him whom he called upon before, and he attributes to Allah equals to
mislead [people] from His way. Say, "Enjoy your disbelief for a little;
indeed, you are of the companions of the Fire." (Quran 39:8)
Is-Ought
fallacy - Quran argues in the following verse, that if something is
natural among humans then it should be kept the way it is. Now this
commits multiple fallacies but the most outrageous one being that its
breakage of Hume’s law.
So
direct your face toward the religion, inclining to truth. [Adhere to]
the fitrah of Allah upon which He has created [all] people. No change
should there be in the creation of Allah. That is the correct religion,
but most people do not know. (Quran 30:8)
Omnipotence doesn’t matter, you can’t beat David Hume.
Non-sequitur:
In
the following verse, the Quran states that even if all plants watered
with the same water, some would produce tastier food then others and
somehow concludes that it’s, therefore, a sign from God. The conclusion
just doesn’t follow...
And
within the land are neighboring plots and gardens of grapevines and
crops and palm trees, [growing] several from a root or otherwise,
watered with one water; but We make some of them exceed others in
[quality of] fruit. Indeed in that are signs for a people who reason.
(Quran 13:4)
Here
the Quran concludes that Jesus couldn't have been the son of God from
just one premise that is, he eats, it's a blatant non-sequitur, but it
also commits a false dichotomy fallacy that one can either eat or be the
son of God, and also commits an Ad Hominem fallacy at the end by
attacking the critic.
The
Messiah, son of Mary, was not but a messenger; [other] messengers have
passed on before him. And his mother was a supporter of truth. They both
used to eat food. Look how We make clear to them the signs; then look
how they are deluded. (Quran 5:75)
unfalsifiable
fallacy - In the verse that follows, Quran responds to a question
asking for evidence by simply saying that the one asking the question is
arrogant. It’s not only an unfalsifiable fallacy but also an egregious
Ad Hominem fallacy.
And
those who do not expect the meeting with Us say, "Why were not angels
sent down to us, or [why] do we [not] see our Lord?" They have certainly
become arrogant within themselves and [become] insolent with great
insolence. (Quran 25:21)
Appeal
to popularity fallacy - Here the Quran Argues that people should
believe just because most people around them believe in Allah.
And
when it is said to them, "Believe as the people have believed," they
say, "Should we believe as the foolish have believed?" Unquestionably,
it is they who are foolish, but they know [it] not. (Quran 2:13)
Begging
the Question - Quran in many verses such as the one that follows
asserts that Allah is the creator of everything and you should believe
this because you were created by him.
How
can you disbelieve in Allah when you were lifeless and He brought you
to life; then He will cause you to die, then He will bring you [back] to
life, and then to Him, you will be returned. (Quran 2:28)
Appeal
to force - Quran at many occasions such as the one that follows
threatens those who disbelieve to essentially make them accept the
conclusion out of sheer fear for their lives.
Have
they not seen how many generations We destroyed before them which We
had established upon the earth as We have not established you? And We
sent [rain from] the sky upon them in showers and made rivers flow
beneath them; then We destroyed them for their sins and brought forth
after them a generation of others. (Quran 6:6)
Straw-man
- Quran regularly straw-mans it’s opposing position to assert that they
are liars and one such instance is the verse that follows
And
those who disbelieve say to those who believe, "Follow our way, and we
will carry your sins." But they will not carry anything of their sins.
Indeed, they are liars. (Quran 2912)
The
Divine Fallacy - On certain occasions like the one that follows the
Quran just says it’s obvious that he is the creator if you look at the
wonders of creation. In other words, it says that the world is so, good
that it must have a creator.
Say,
[O Muhammad], "Travel through the land and observe how He began
creation. Then Allah will produce the final creation. Indeed Allah, over
all things, is competent."(Quran 29:20)
This is basically God’s version of “look at the trees” argument.
Hasty
Generalization - Well, now most ex-Muslims are somehow criminals. Is
this argumentation not worse than the arguments that nonintellectual
Muslins present.
Make
no excuse; you have disbelieved after your belief. If We pardon one
faction of you - We will punish another faction because they were
criminals. (Quran 9:66)
Loaded
Question - In the following verse Quran says that if you ask Muslims
they would say that it is Allah who created them but if that’s the case
then they should be worshipping him. This is in a question form and it
assumes that if someone created you then you should worship them.
And if you asked them who created them, they would surely say, " Allah ." So how are they deluded? (Quran 43:87)
False
Cause - In the following two verses of the Quran it asserts a cause and
effect relationship between mankind being in pain and turning to his
very specific religion.
Indeed,
We will remove the torment for a little. Indeed, you [disbelievers]
will return [to disbelief]. The Day We will strike with the greatest
assault, indeed, We will take retribution. (Quran 44:15-16)
Appeal
to adverse consequences Fallacy - The verse quoted below commits
multiple fallacies but the most apparent one being its appeal to adverse
and undesirable consequences of disbelieving in order to prove itself
correct.
And when he knows anything of Our verses, he takes them in ridicule. Those will have a humiliating punishment. (45:9)
Ad
Hominem - The verse below most apparently says that disbelievers who
have read or listened to the Quran are sinful liars which is rather than
attacking their arguments is attacking them.
Woe
to every sinful liar. Who hears the verses of Allah recited to him,
then persists arrogantly as if he had not heard them. So give him
tidings of a painful punishment. (Quran 45:7-8)
The
Argument of repetition fallacy - In the entire Surah, Rehman Quran
keeps presenting the same point that he is the one true God because he
has done favors for you. While the point itself is extremely fallacious
but the approach is way more fallacious than the point. What I have
presented below is a taste of what surah Rehman’s repetition is like.
And grain having husks and scented plants. So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? (Quran 55:12-13).
[He
is] Lord of the two sunrises and Lord of the two sunsets. So which of
the favors of your Lord would you deny? (Quran 55:17-18).
From both of them emerge pearl and coral. So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? (Quran 55:22-23)
So on and so forth…
The
appeal to consequences fallacy - The following verse insists that you
should believe the Quran is speaking the truth because if you do that
then you would be rewarded.
Believe
in Allah and His Messenger and spend out of that in which He has made
you successors. For those who have believed among you and spent, there
will be a great reward.
Wishful
thinking fallacy - In many of its verses such as the one that follows
the Quran, makes its gullible readers dwell in wishful thinking,
granting it some legitimacy in their minds.
And your Lord is going to give you, and you will be satisfied. (Quran 93:5)
Proof
by assertion Fallacy - This verse like the representative of a quarter
of the Quran where it just tries to prove itself by just making
assertions.
And
of His signs is that you see the earth stilled, but when We send down
upon it rain, it quivers and grows. Indeed, He who has given it life is
the Giver of Life to the dead. Indeed, He is over all things competent.
(Quran 41:39)
Other quarters are the argument from authority, appeal to emotion, and ad hominems.
Ipse Dixit - Here like in many others of its verses Quran effectively asks is it not self-evident that this religion is true.
We
will show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves until it
becomes clear to them that it is the truth. But is it not sufficient
concerning your Lord that He is, over all things, a Witness? (Quran
41:53)
Slippery
Slope - Here Quran asserts that one event would inevitably lead to
another, multiple times which it does without sufficient data, or reason
if any at all.
O
you who have believed, do not take as intimates those other than
yourselves, for they will not spare you [any] ruin. They wish you would
have hardship. Hatred has already appeared from their mouths, and what
their breasts conceal is greater. We have certainly made clear to you
the signs if you will use reason. (Quran 3:118)
Kafka
Trapping Fallacy - Quran in many of its verses emotionally manipulates
its readers and tries to ignite the feeling of guilt to convince them
that his book is true.
The
example of those who were entrusted with the Torah and then did not
take it on is like that of a donkey who carries volumes [of books].
Wretched is the example of the people who deny the signs of Allah. And
Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people. (Quran 62:5)
Gambler’s
fallacy - Here Quran asserts that if a nonbeliever is asked whether
they want to die or not, they will say they don’t. Now, that somehow
means that they know that Allah’s real. Lord indeed is the greatest of
the gamblers.
Say,
"O you who are Jews, if you claim that you are allies of Allah,
excluding the [other] people, then wish for death, if you should be
truthful." But they will not wish for it, ever, because of what their
hands have put forth. And Allah is Knowing of the wrongdoers. (Quran
62:8-7)
Talk about causation.
No
True Scotsman Fallacy - The verse that follows proposes a method to
verify belief which cannot be used because of its unfalsifiability. It,
therefore, commits a no true Scotsman fallacy.
The
believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, their hearts
become fearful, and when His verses are recited to them, it increases
them in faith; and upon their Lord, they rely - (Quran 8:2)
Shifting
the burden of proof - Quran rather than proving it's authenticity
challenges non-believers to prove it wrong, evidenced by verses like
Say,
"If mankind and the jinn gathered in order to produce the like of this
Qur'an, they could not produce the like of it, even if they were to each
other assistants." (Quran 17:88)
The
argument from Ignorance - Quran appeals to ignorance and the fear of
ignorance found in the humankind of the time to legitimize itself,
evidenced by verses such as
Do
they not see the birds controlled in the atmosphere of the sky? None
holds them up except Allah. Indeed in that are signs for a people who
believe. (Quran 16:79)
Turns out, birds can fly from entirely natural processes and they do not need a holder to hold them in the air.
The
argument from authority - Rather than proving itself as an authority
Quran just asserts itself as an authority and comes to the implicit
conclusion that therefore, all that is written in it is the ultimate
truth and one such example is,
He
is Allah, other than whom there is no deity, the Sovereign, the Pure,
the Perfection, the Bestower of Faith, the Overseer, the Exalted in
Might, the Compeller, the Superior. Exalted is Allah above whatever they
associate with Him. (Quran 59:23)
False
Dichotomy - Quran regularly presents blatantly false dichotomies such
as that which follows, to try to convince nonbelievers that it knows
better than we ever could.
Or were they created by nothing, or were they the creators [of themselves]? (Quran 52:35)
Circular
reasoning - Here the argument presented is, a rhetorical question
basically saying you can’t argue with me about God because he has guided
me while proving that he has guided him.
And
his people argued with him. He said, "Do you argue with me concerning
Allah while He has guided me? And I fear not what you associate with Him
[and will not be harmed] unless my Lord should will something. My Lord
encompasses all things in knowledge; then will you not remember?
Affirming
the Consequent - Here in the verse quoted below, Quran sets up a
conditional saying that a book directly from God shouldn't have
contradiction; Quran doesn't, therefore it's from God. While it's also a
non sequitur it's most glaringly is the propositional fallacy known as
"Affirming the Consequent".
Then
do they not reflect upon the Qur'an? If it had been from [any] other
than Allah, they would have found within it much contradiction. (Quran
4:82)
