Exposing Islam

The Paradox of the Eternal Qur’an: A Violation of Tawheed?

Introduction

One of the foundational doctrines in Islam is tawheed—the absolute oneness and indivisibility of God. Every facet of Islamic theology is built upon this premise: God has no partners, no equals, no division.

Yet Islamic theology also asserts something that directly undermines tawheed: that the Qur’an is eternal and uncreated. This belief—central to orthodox Sunni Islam—presents a staggering contradiction:

If only Allah is eternal and uncreated, how can the Qur’an also be eternal and uncreated without violating the oneness of God?

Let’s examine the origins of this doctrine, its logical implications, and why it collapses the theological foundation of Islam.

1. What Does Islam Say About the Qur’an?

The Qur’an claims to be the literal speech (kalam) of Allah:

“And if any of the polytheists seeks your protection, then grant him protection so that he may hear the word of Allah.” — Qur’an 9:6

It also refers to itself as a "clear book" (kitāb mubīn) that was revealed in time, in stages (Qur’an 17:106). But traditional Islamic theology—especially Ash’arite theology—goes further: it asserts that the Qur’an is uncreated, eternally existent, and co-existent with Allah.

This idea was dogmatized in opposition to the Mu’tazilites, an early rationalist group who logically concluded that the Qur’an must be created because:

It came into history.
It consists of words, grammar, and Arabic structure.
Anything that is not God must be part of creation.

But their view was ultimately rejected by the Sunni majority in favor of what is now orthodox doctrine: the Qur’an is uncreated.

2. The Theological Dilemma

Here’s the core problem:

If the Qur’an is eternal, and only Allah is eternal, then the Qur’an is either part of Allah (which violates divine simplicity), or it is a second eternal being, which violates tawheed.

This is not a minor philosophical issue. It leads to a logical contradiction in the heart of Islamic monotheism.

Islam claims:

Allah is absolutely one (Qur’an 112:1–4).
There is nothing like Him (Qur’an 42:11).
Allah does not share His attributes with creation.

But if His speech—expressed as the Qur’an—is a distinct, eternal reality, then you’ve now divided the divine essence into:

Allah Himself, and
His Speech, as a separate co-eternal entity.

This is functionally a binitarian theology, even if unacknowledged. It mirrors the very thing Islam accuses Christianity of doing—compromising monotheism.

3. Attempts to Resolve It: All of Them Fail

Islamic scholars have tried to explain away this contradiction, but each solution creates new problems:

🔹 The “Two Qur’ans” Theory

Some distinguish between:

The eternal Qur’an (unspoken, divine attribute).
The revealed Qur’an (Arabic words sent to Muhammad).

But this is a semantic dodge. If the “eternal” Qur’an is real, then it exists as an entity alongside God, with its own eternal status. That’s a theological division—exactly what tawheed denies.

🔹 The “Attribute” Argument

They argue: “Speech is just an attribute of God, like His knowledge or power.”

But this fails because:

God’s knowledge doesn’t exist as a separate book.
The Qur’an does—it is treated as a concrete, recitable, physical object, even venerated in mosques.

If speech becomes a separate object of reverence, it's no longer just an abstract attribute—it’s a quasi-personified co-eternal entity.

4. Internal Inconsistency in Islamic Sources

Even Islamic sources struggle to stay consistent:

Qur’an 43:3 says: “Indeed, We have made it an Arabic Qur’an that you might understand.” This implies creation.
Qur’an 85:21–22 calls it a preserved tablet—“a Glorious Qur’an on a Preserved Tablet”—which suggests an object distinct from Allah.

So which is it?

Created Arabic text?
Uncreated divine speech?
Written tablet?

You cannot have a singular, indivisible deity while also positing a co-eternal book with ontological status.

5. The Irony: Islam Accuses Christians of Shirk

Muslim apologists routinely attack the Christian doctrine of the Trinity as “shirk” (associating partners with God), saying it violates pure monotheism.

But Christianity defines the Logos (Word) as a person within the unified Godhead—not a separate being or object. The doctrine is internally consistent.

By contrast, Islam assigns eternality to a book, which is not Allah, not a person, and yet is eternal, recitable, and worshipfully venerated.

That is not pure monotheism. That is contradictory binitarianism in denial.

6. Historical Context: Where Did This Doctrine Come From?

The idea of an eternal, uncreated Qur’an emerged during the Abbasid era—a time of intense theological dispute. It was never a clear Qur’anic doctrine but a reactionary dogma:

Imposed by the traditionalists (Ahmad ibn Hanbal and later Ash’aris).
Used to suppress rationalist dissent (Mu’tazilite persecution).

It was theology driven by political necessity and control, not logical consistency.

Conclusion: Tawheed Implodes Under Its Own Weight

The concept of an eternal, uncreated Qur’an is logically incompatible with pure tawheed. You cannot claim:

God is one, without partners, and
The Qur’an is eternal, unless
You accept division within God or multiple eternal entities.

This theological contradiction is rarely acknowledged in Islamic discourse, but it is there—lurking behind centuries of metaphysical double-speak.

The truth is clear: the doctrine of the eternal Qur’an violates the very oneness Islam claims to protect. And if your most sacred book contradicts your most sacred doctrine, then the foundation cracks.

It’s not revelation. It’s rational collapse.