The Koran (also spelled “Qur’ân”) has a credibility problem. In other words, it says things that are simply difficult, if not impossible, to believe. To illustrate why I say this, here is an excerpt from Chapter 8 of my book, Beyond Blind Faith, entitled “Islam’s Credibility Problem”:

The Qur’ân immodestly calls itself a perfect book, a revelation of God’s truth, “without any crookedness”; [1] thus, “no falsehood could enter it.” [2] The great proof that Islam is true, according to Muslims and the Qur’ân itself, is that its founder, Muhammad, a man who was said to be illiterate, could produce a book of such poetry, eloquence, quality, and substance. [3] But for me, the Qur’ân itself proves that Islam cannot be from God. For the Qur’ân has a credibility problem.

The Qur’ân and the Old Testament

The Qur’ân explicitly acknowledges that parts of the Bible are from God, and declares that the Qur’ân corroborates these previous Scriptures:

He has revealed to thee the Book with truth, verifying that which is before it, and He revealed the Torah and the Gospel aforetime, a guidance for the people. . . . [4]

The Qur’ân contains many references to people in the Old Testament, including Noah, Moses, Abraham, Ishmael, and Joseph. The author has a superficial familiarity with stories from Genesis and Exodus, for he retells many of them. But he makes mistakes in the retelling—some minor, some not. What the Muslim holy book says is often inconsistent with—and sometimes flatly contradicts—the Old Testament. Did the Qur’ân’s author misremember these stories, or were they already garbled when he heard them? Either way, the Qur’ân—this “perfect” book—often gets it wrong. To see what I mean, let’s quickly review what Genesis says about Joseph.

The Story of Joseph in Genesis. When Joseph was about seventeen he dreamed that his brothers would bow down to him, [5] a dream that would later come true in Egypt. [6] They were already jealous of him because he was their father’s favorite, so the recounting of the dream only inflamed their anger. [7] Jacob, their father, later sent Joseph to check on them and the flocks they were shepherding, [8] and the brothers saw their chance. They sold him to some Midianite traders, who took him to Egypt. [9] The brothers then fooled their father by smearing animal blood on Joseph’s coat. [10] Jacob believed his favorite son had been killed by a wild beast. [11] Meanwhile, the Midianites sold the boy to Potiphar, Pharaoh’s captain of the guard. [12]

Joseph prospered in his new position until Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him. [13] When the young man refused her advances, she accused him of trying to rape her, and her husband immediately cast him into prison. [14]

Sometime later, Pharaoh became angry with his baker and cupbearer and put both into prison—the same prison where Joseph was confined. [15] The baker and the cupbearer each had a dream, which Joseph interpreted for them, informing them that in three days the cupbearer would be restored to his position, but the baker would be executed. [16] Three days later Pharaoh reconciled with his cupbearer, but the unfortunate baker suffered the predicted tragic end. [17]

The cupbearer kept silent about poor Joseph until two years later when Pharaoh had a dream that needed interpreting. [18] The cupbearer belatedly told Pharaoh about Joseph’s talent for interpreting dreams, so Pharaoh summoned the young man. [19] Again, with God’s help, Joseph had the answer: Egypt was about to enjoy seven years of tremendous abundance, followed by seven years of severe famine. [20] Joseph suggested that twenty percent of the harvests during the first seven years be set aside to feed the people during the seven years of famine, and that Pharaoh appoint a wise person to supervise the operation. Pharaoh appointed Joseph. [21]

The famine extended beyond Egypt, affecting Jacob and his family. [22] Desperate for food, the old patriarch twice sent his sons to Egypt to buy grain, [23] and since they did not recognize Joseph, [24] he was able to exact a measure of revenge by playing a trick on them. On their second journey, Joseph framed Benjamin, the youngest brother, on a charge of theft and had him arrested. [25] Joseph’s deception of his brothers collapsed when he became emotional and confessed his true identity. [26] The family subsequently reunited and prospered in Egypt for many years. [27]

The Story of Joseph in the Qur’ân. The differences in the Qur’ân’s retelling of Joseph’s story begin with Jacob, [28] who now seems almost prophetically gifted. Twice he foresees his sons’ future plot against Joseph, yet does nothing to prevent it.

The first time occurs when Joseph tells his dream to Jacob—rather than to his brothers—and his father warns him not to repeat it to them “or they will scheme against you.” [29] The second time happens when the sons ask to take Joseph with them—rather than Jacob sending him to them—and their father is reluctant: “It saddens me that you should take him, and I fear that the wolf would eat him if you would be absent of him.” [30] Nor does Jacob’s insight end there. When his sons return with Joseph’s bloody coat, he is not so easily fooled as in Genesis, but instead remarks: “You have invented this tale yourselves.” [31]

As significant as these discrepancies are, the most glaring is found in the story of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife, for the Qur’ân says that her accusation is investigated and actually discovered to be false:

 . . . and a witness from her family gave testimony: “If his shirt was torn from the front, then she is truthful, and he is the liar. And if his shirt is torn from behind, then she is lying, and he is truthful.” So when he saw that his shirt was torn from behind, he said: “This is from your female scheming, your female scheming is indeed great! Joseph, turn away from this. And you woman, seek forgiveness for your sin; you were of the wrongdoers.” [32]

Thus, in Muhammad’s retelling of the story Joseph is exonerated. Yet the rest of the story requires that Joseph be imprisoned, so the Qur’ân simply adds: “But it appealed to them, even after they had seen the signs, to imprison him until a time.” [33] Thus, according to Islam’s holy book, Joseph’s Egyptian master—who thought highly of Joseph, by the way [34]—cleared him of all guilt and then had him thrown into prison anyway, for no apparent reason. This exemplifies the Qur’ân’s credibility problem, since confining Joseph under these circumstances borders on the nonsensical.

Once Joseph is imprisoned, the Qur’ân’s retelling of the story closely parallels that of Genesis, with only a few minor differences. Instead of Joseph being brought to Pharaoh to interpret his dream, the cupbearer goes to Joseph in prison to obtain the interpretation. [35] And Joseph does not merely accept the position as second-in-command in Egypt, as in Genesis, but affirmatively requests it: “He [Joseph] said: ‘Make me keeper over the granaries of the land, for I know how to keep records and I am knowledgeable.’ ” [36] Finally, the trick Joseph plays on his brothers by having Benjamin framed and arrested seems quite improbable of success in the Qur’ân, which says Joseph disclosed his identity to Benjamin at their initial meeting, prior to the arrest. [37]

For a description of my book, Beyond Blind Faith, click here. For a list of chapters—including a sample chapter you can read, and excerpts from other chapters—click here.

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[1] For example, Qur’ân, 39:27-28 says:

               And We have cited for the people in this Quran from every example, that they may take heed. A Quran in Arabic, without any crookedness, that they may be righteous.

See also Qur’ân, 2:176, 4:82, 6:66, 17:105, 18:1, 41:41-42, 69:40-43, 98:1-3.

        Except as otherwise indicated, all quotes from the Qur’ân are from “Quran,” an English translation by the Progressive Muslims Organization.

        For those who would prefer an easier read, I recommend The Koran, translated with notes by N. J. Dawood (Penguin Books 1999). For example, Dawood translates 39:28, in relevant part, as: “a Koran in the Arabic tongue, free from any flaw. . . .”)

[2] Qur’ân 41:42

[3] Qur’ân, 10:38, 11:12-14, 16:103, 28:48-49, 52:33-34

[4] Qur’ân, 3:3 (quoted from “The Holy Qur’ân,” translated by Maulana Muhammad Ali); see also, 2:89, 2:91, 2:101, 5:46, 5:48, 5:68, 10:37, 46:12, 46:29-30.

[5] Genesis 37:2-11

[6] Genesis 42:6, 43:26, 43:28, 44:14

[7] Genesis 37:3-4, 8

[8] Genesis 37:12-17

[9] Genesis 37:25-28

[10] Genesis 37:31-32

[11] Genesis 37:32-35

[12] Genesis 37:36 and 39:1

[13] Genesis 39:2-7

[14] Genesis 39:8-20

[15] Genesis 40:1-4

[16] Genesis 40:5-19

[17] Genesis 40:20-22

[18] Genesis 40:23-41:13

[19] Genesis 41:14

[20] Genesis 41:15-32

[21] Genesis 41:33-44

[22] Genesis 41:53-57

[23] Genesis 42:1-7 and 43:1-15

[24] Genesis 42:7-8

[25] Genesis 44:1-17

[26] Genesis 44:18-45:4

[27] Genesis 45:16-50:26; see also Exodus 1:8-10

[28] The Qur’ân refers to Jacob as “Israel,” a name by which he is also known in Genesis. See Genesis 32:28.

[29] Qur’ân, 12:4-5

[30] See the Qur’ân, 12:11-13. The Qur’ân does not explain why Israel (Jacob) let Joseph go despite these concerns. (The Qur’ân may be conflating the stories of Joseph and Benjamin. Jacob was reluctant to send Benjamin to Egypt with his brothers, saying, “ ‘I am afraid that harm may befall him.’ ” (Genesis 42:4) However, this occurred long after Joseph’s brothers had sold him into slavery in Egypt.)

[31] Qur’ân, 12:18

[32] Qur’ân, 12:26-29. Indeed, the wife eventually confesses that she lied. Qur’ân, 12:50-53.

[33] Qur’ân, 12:35

[34] See Genesis 39:1-6.

[35] Qur’ân, 12:43-50

[36] Qur’ân, 12:55

[37] Compare Genesis 43:16-44:3 with the Qur’ân, 12:68-70, and especially 12:69.