Daawa al-Tainin fi al-Quran al-Karim = al-Taan fi al-Quran al-Karim wa al-Radd ala al-Tainin
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- Editions
- Dar al-Basha'ir al-Islamiyyah
Daawa al-Tainin fi al-Quran al-Karim (Arabic: دعاوى الطاعنين في القرآن الكريم, lit. 'Claims of the Detractors of the Noble Quran'), originally titled al-Taan fi al-Quran al-Karim wa al-Radd ala al-Tainin fi al-Qarn al-Rabi Ashar al-Hijri, is a specialized study in Quranic polemics and apologetics by the Kuwaiti scholar Abd al-Muhsin al-Mutayri.
Origin and Composition
The work originated as a doctoral dissertation submitted to the Department of Islamic Sharia at the Faculty of Dar al-Ulum, Cairo University, under the academic supervision of Ibrahim Abd al-Rahim. Al-Mutayri, who served at the time as a teaching assistant at Kuwait University's College of Sharia, completed and defended the thesis in 2003 CE, receiving his doctorate with highest honors.
Structure and Contents
The book is arranged into an introduction, two main parts (theoretical and applied), and concluding indices.
- Introductory Chapter (al-Tamhid): Defines the concept of al-taan (defamation/criticism) regarding the Quran, discusses synonymous terms, and provides an overview of prominent detractors in the fourteenth Hijri century (twentieth century CE).
- Part One (Theoretical): Covers the historical background, causes, and methods of confronting polemical attacks on the Quran. Its three chapters address:
- The history of criticisms leveled against the Quran and the literature written on the topic, including the earliest figures to raise questions or author treatises on problematic texts, and scholarly writing trends in this genre.
- The causes and motives behind anti-Quranic polemics, the wisdom of ambiguous verses (al-mutashabih), and the primary classifications of criticisms.
- Frameworks for confronting polemical claims, including the theological doctrine of the Quran's inerrancy, the stance of early Muslim generations (al-Salaf), and methodical guidelines for handling doubts.
- Part Two (Applied): Examines specific claims and provides systematic rebuttals in two chapters.
- Chapter One provides comprehensive arguments (rudud ijmaliyyah), detailing proofs for the truthfulness of the Prophet Muhammad and the Quran, the internal responses offered by the Quran against detractors, and broader rational proofs.
- Chapter Two addresses detailed criticisms (rudud tafsiliyyah), including challenges to the divine origin of the text (such as claims of human authorship or borrowing from earlier scriptures), allegations against its preservation and textual compilation, claims of internal contradiction, and allegations that Quranic verses conflict with legal, historical, or scientific facts.
Methodology and Scope
In his methodology, al-Mutayri focused on cataloging recurring arguments rather than exhaustively tracking every individual critic, observing that many polemicists reiterate existing objections. His research drew from polemical treatises, defensive apologetic works, academic dissertations across multiple universities, book fairs, online discussion forums, and consultations with specialists in Islamic studies.
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