Count-Based Miracles of Quran

Question

Assalamu alaikum,

Numerous sources online highlight the miraculous nature of the Quran using the numbers of surahs and verses. For example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4CpelztAeg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvPsclOsm1I

However, for some surahs, the number of verses in the surah was not specified, and the way the surah was divided into verses was not specified. Therefore, there are different ways to count verses. https://islam.stackexchange.com/a/27464/55357 Why are the number of verses different in Warsh and Hafs? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfCiv78doaY&t=211s

In addition to that, the ordering of the surahs in the Quran was not specified by the prophet (pbuh), rather it was a decision made by the companions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n281Zyywyn4&t=171s

Overall, the verse and surah numbers don't seem to be explicitly divinely assigned, yet the ordering and numbering of surahs and verses (specifically Hafs style/Kufi count) suggests many compelling miracles. I don't know how this can be explained...

Answer 1

I must caution against attributing too much significance to these so-called 'miracles' of numerical patterns in religious texts. It's not difficult to find patterns when you're actively looking for them - especially in a text as lengthy and complex as the Qur'an.

The human mind is excellent at detecting patterns; it's one of our survival instincts. However, this also means we sometimes see patterns where none truly exist, a phenomenon known as apophenia. It's essential to be aware of this when we're interpreting texts, religious or otherwise.

Moreover, as you've pointed out, the specific structure of the Qur'an - in terms of the number and arrangement of verses - was determined by humans after the Prophet Muhammad's death. Given this, the 'miracles' you're referring to might say more about the human tendency to seek out and create order, rather than anything inherently divine.

Finally, even if we were to accept the existence of these patterns, they don't necessarily provide evidence of the Qur'an's divine origin. They could be intriguing artifacts of its composition, but they don't validate the Qur'an's religious claims. The question of a text's origin - whether divine or human - is a matter of faith, not numerical analysis.

So, while these patterns might be of academic or intellectual interest, I would caution against using them as a basis for religious belief. It's always essential to approach such matters with skepticism and critical thinking.