Papers by Nazeef Muhammad
Quran and hadith insights, 2025
Written in conjunction with AI. Note this is simply an article incorporating traditions, which ma... more Written in conjunction with AI. Note this is simply an article incorporating traditions, which may or may not be accurate. It was done just to show Traditionalist how earliest hadith may be more accurate, although I personally do not give hadith any weight.
Quranic confirmation of the rakaat minimum? Interesting analysis.
Quran tafsir, 2025
From a strictly Qur'anic standpoint, knowledge of the unseen (ghayb), the future, and individual ... more From a strictly Qur'anic standpoint, knowledge of the unseen (ghayb), the future, and individual destinies is explicitly reserved for God. While traditional scholarship may reconcile these Hadith as knowledge revealed to the Prophet by God, the Qur'an itself provides **no independent confirmation**, leaving open the possibility that these details could be inaccurate, mistaken, or fabricated.
Quran and AI: new approaches, 2025
Imagine if an AI could perfectly remember every conversation it ever had with every single perso... more Imagine if an AI could perfectly remember every conversation it ever had with every single person. Not just store it, but organize it into a seamless whole, a master archive of human dialogue and thought. In that scenario, every time you opened a chat, the AI wouldn’t be inventing something new; it would simply “send down” the right piece of knowledge from its vast store, tailored for your moment in time.
Quranic Studies 2025, 2025
This brief thematic analysis explores the possibility that in Qur'an 11:87, Shu'ayb's "salat" is ... more This brief thematic analysis explores the possibility that in Qur'an 11:87, Shu'ayb's "salat" is not merely a personal devotional practice but also a representation of his prophetic mission and moral preaching. By comparing the rhetorical structure and reactions in 11:84-87 (Shu'ayb) and 11:61-62 (Saleh), and cross-referencing 29:45 where salat is said to "forbid" immorality, this study supports the view that salat in its Qur'anic usage includes public moral guidance and social reform.
quran insights 2025, 2025
This paper explores the tension between the Qur'anic presentation of the change of *qiblah* in 2:... more This paper explores the tension between the Qur'anic presentation of the change of *qiblah* in 2:142-150 as a severe test of faith and the dispensability of directional prayer in times of fear (2:239). It proposes that the term *qiblah* in this passage may refer not primarily to physical orientation but to a deeper spiritual or ideological realignment, resolving the apparent inconsistency and offering a richer theological reading.
Revolutionary Quranic studies, 2025
Traditional interpretations of Qur'an 2:142-150 assert that the "great test" mentioned in verse 2... more Traditional interpretations of Qur'an 2:142-150 assert that the "great test" mentioned in verse 2:143 refers to the difficulty of the **change of qiblah** from Jerusalem to the al masjid al haram. However, a close linguistic and contextual reading of these verses suggests the opposite: the test was **facing the first qiblah (Jerusalem)** itself, not the change. This article offers a Qur'an-only analysis, demonstrating that the "great test" was the imposition of an externally-influenced qiblah rather than the ease-giving realignment toward the Ka'bah. Verse 2:145 further supports this by explicitly distinguishing the Prophet's qiblah from that of the People of the Book, showing that Jerusalem was never fully 'his' true focal point. This reading preserves internal Qur'anic coherence without requiring non-textual insertions or assumptions.
Quranic research 2025, 2025
According to traditions Surah Al-Baqarah 2:142–150 describes a pivotal moment: the shift of the *... more According to traditions Surah Al-Baqarah 2:142–150 describes a pivotal moment: the shift of the **qiblah** from Jerusalem to the **Masjid al-Haram**. Traditionally, qiblah is taken to mean **direction of physical prayer**, but a closer Quranic reading suggests a **deeper meaning**: the qiblah as a **spiritual focal point**, a **goal**, or **unifying purpose**.
This reading aligns better with the **language** of the verses, the **broader Quranic use of key terms**, and the **logic of divine intent**. Below is a Quran-only argument in support of this alternative understanding.
Quranic Studies 2025, 2025
This article examines the common critique that believing in the Qur’an’s preservation based on it... more This article examines the common critique that believing in the Qur’an’s preservation based on its own claims constitutes circular reasoning. It clarifies the concept of circular reasoning and explores how Muslim belief in the Qur’an's integrity is not solely grounded in its internal assertions. Instead, the article presents a broader evidentiary framework that includes historical manuscript consistency, the oral tradition of mass memorization (tawātur), and acknowledgments from non-Muslim scholars. Additionally, it analyzes the Qur’an’s internal challenges—such as its literary inimitability, internal consistency, and alignment with empirical reality—as falsifiable propositions rather than self-justifying claims. By framing the Qur’an as a testable hypothesis, the article argues that belief in its divine origin and preservation can be both rational and evidence-based, thereby avoiding logical circularity.
Quranic studies 2025, 2025
This article explores the semantic and conceptual distinction between "al-Qur'an" and "al-Kitab" ... more This article explores the semantic and conceptual distinction between "al-Qur'an" and "al-Kitab" as presented within the Qur'anic text itself. Through a close linguistic and thematic analysis of relevant verses, it becomes evident that the Qur'an is best understood as a subset or specific manifestation of the more encompassing al-Kitab, which functions as a transcendent source of divine instruction. The article challenges common exegetical assumptions and argues for a re-evaluation of classical interpretations based on intra-Qur'anic evidence.
islamic studies, 2025
This paper argues that the Qur'anic term salat is best understood through the lens of "liturgy," ... more This paper argues that the Qur'anic term salat is best understood through the lens of "liturgy," rather than the commonly translated "prayer." Drawing upon a wide range of Qur'anic verses, the paper demonstrates that salat in the Qur'an entails a structured, time-bound, communal and individual act of devotion grounded in scripture. This liturgical framing better captures the textual, ritualistic, and ethical dimensions embedded in the Qur'anic conception of salat, offering a more precise cross-linguistic and interfaith conceptual mapping.
Keywords: salat, Qur’an, liturgy, ritual, dhikr, Islamic worship, communal prayer, scripture, covenant
Islam and Quran Talk, 2025
This essay challenges the common assertion that the Quran and Hadith were transmitted through the... more This essay challenges the common assertion that the Quran and Hadith were transmitted through the same individuals and methods. It outlines key differences in their compilation, transmission, and epistemological status. Unlike Hadith, the Quran was transmitted verbatim, widely memorized, publicly recited, and compiled under the Prophet Muhammad’s supervision with minimal risk of fabrication. The Quran is universally recognized as the direct word of God, protected by divine promise and consistent across all Islamic sects. In contrast, Hadith were paraphrased, often disputed, and subject to fabrication, with authentication systems emerging only after the rise of forgery concerns. While early Islamic leaders prioritized Quranic preservation, they showed caution—if not resistance—toward Hadith transmission. Furthermore, the earliest manuscript evidence for the Quran predates that of Hadith by centuries. These distinctions underscore that the Quran and Hadith cannot be placed on equal epistemic or historical footing, and that claims of identical transmission processes are fundamentally flawed.
Theology, 2002
The following discussion concentrates on one of the most asked questions in the world, no, not "W... more The following discussion concentrates on one of the most asked questions in the world, no, not "Where did I leave my keys?" but-"Does God exist?" But unlike most discussions debating this topic, it is not based on opinion, views, thoughts etc. It concentrates on facts, logic and reasoning based on easily accessible information, and hopefully, I have managed to explain it in a simple manner, which was one of my original aims. The discussion will revolve around the religion of Islam, and its holy book-The Quran. Being a Muslim (follower of Islam), I have often been asked "what evidence do you have to suggest your religion is the correct one?" I hope to answer this in the following discussion. First of all, I would like to point out that no-one can prove or disprove that God exists, 100% beyond doubt, because this is impossible to do either way. However, one can provide an educated answer to which is the most likely answer. In my case, I have chosen to concentrate my discussion on producing a probability value that directly answers the question of whether God exists.
Free Minds, 2019
Eid al-Adha (festival (of) the sacrifice) is an Islamic holiday celebrated by many Muslims to com... more Eid al-Adha (festival (of) the sacrifice) is an Islamic holiday celebrated by many Muslims to commemorate the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God (due to a dream he had). Whilst this is by far the most common understanding of the incident (even among those who follow a Quran based islam) there is some variance in terms of how it is explained away. Some claim the vision was not from God (but from the "devil"), some claim Abraham mistakenly took the vision literally instead of as a metaphor (i.e. sacrifice his preoccupation with his son), and some claim it was a test/trial but God never intended for it to be actually carried out and stopped it before it happened. The primary reason for trying to explain it away is that it is seen as a problem that God ordered an innocent/righteous child to be killed. As such, translations frequently include interpolations and misrepresent the Arabic to aid such an interpretation. This study aims to clarify this topic.
CreateSpace , 2011
This work is entirely dedicated to a comprehensive review and study of chapter 4, verse 34 of The... more This work is entirely dedicated to a comprehensive review and study of chapter 4, verse 34 of The Quran. This particular verse is often considered to be one of the most controversial within The Quran as it has been traditionally interpreted to permit wife beating by the husband. This study aims to review all relevant word occurrences, accurately translate and analyse verse 4:34, then review the evidence both FOR and AGAINST this verse allowing a husband to beat/strike his wife, with a summary and conclusion at the end.
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Papers by Nazeef Muhammad
Quranic confirmation of the rakaat minimum? Interesting analysis.
This reading aligns better with the **language** of the verses, the **broader Quranic use of key terms**, and the **logic of divine intent**. Below is a Quran-only argument in support of this alternative understanding.
Keywords: salat, Qur’an, liturgy, ritual, dhikr, Islamic worship, communal prayer, scripture, covenant