The Mathematician Who Challenged Quran
Professor Gary Miller's Journey to Islam

In 1977, professor Gary Miller, the active Canadian preacher and mathematics and logic lecturer at Toronto university, decided to provide a great service to Christianity through exposing scientific and historical errors in the noble Quran in such a way that would be beneficial to him and his fellow preachers in calling Muslims to Christianity.

9 Astonishing Facts in the Quran that will Surprise You

However, the result was completely to the contrary. Miller’s writings were fair and his study and comments were positive, even better than many Muslims would write about the noble Quran.

He considered the noble Quran, as it should be and reached the conclusion that it cannot be a work of a human being.

The first surprising issue for professor Miller was the challenging tone in many verses such as: {Will they not then contemplate the Quran? and if it had been from (anywhere) other than the providence of Allah, indeed they would have found in it many difference (s).} (Quran 4:82)

{…and in case you are suspicious (literally: in suspicion) about what we have been sending down upon our bondman, (i.e., the prophet. a bondman or slave is the highest title conferred by Allah upon his chosen men) then come up with a surah of like (manner), and invoke your witnesses, apart from Allah, in case you are sincere.} (Quran 2:23)

Although professor Miller was challenging at the beginning he ended astonished at what he found.

The Amazing Quran
The following are some of the points he mentioned in Miller’s lecture the amazing Quran:

“There is no such author who writes a book and then challenges others that this book is errorless. As for the noble Quran, it is the other way round. It tells the reader that there are no errors in it and then challenges all people to find any, if any.

The noble Quran does not mention the hard events in Prophet Muhammad’s personal life, such as the death of his dear wife lady Khadijah, death of his daughters and sons. Strangely enough, the verses that were revealed as a comment on some of the setbacks proclaimed victory while those revealed at time of victory warned against arrogance and called for more sacrifices and efforts.

Scientific Facts In The Quran Made Me Accept Islam
Scientific Facts In The Quran Made Me Accept Islam
If one writes his own autobiography, he would magnify the victories and justify the defeats.

The noble Quran did the opposite and this is consistent and logical: it was not a history of a specific period but rather a text that sets general rules for the relationship between Allah (the almighty) and worshippers.”
Miller thought about a particular verse:

Say, “I only advise you of one [thing] – that you stand for Allah , [seeking truth] in pairs and individually, and then give thought.” There is not in your companion any madness. He is only a warner to you before a severe punishment. (34:46)

He indicated the experiments one researcher had carried out at Toronto University on “effectiveness of collective discussion”. The researcher had gathered different numbers of interlocutors in discussions and compared results. He discovered that the maximum efficiency of the discussion was achieved when the interlocutors were two while the more the number the less the efficiency.

There is a chapter in the noble Quran called Maryam (Mary) in which lady Maryam is eulogized in a way not even found in the bible. At the same time, there is no chapter in the name of lady Aisha or lady Fatimah. The name of prophet Isa (Jesus) is mentioned 25 times in the noble Quran while the name of prophet Muhammad is mentioned only five times.

Some attackers say that devils used to dictate to prophet Muhammad what to write in the noble Quran. But the question is how could this be while it contains verses that can be translated as {and in no way have ash-shayatin (the ever-vicious (ones), i.e., the devils) been coming down with it; and in no way does it behoove them, and in no way are they able to do (that).} (26:210-211)

So when you read the Quran, then seek refuge in Allah from the outcast shaytan (the all-vicious, i.e., the devil). (16:98)

The Mathematician Who Challenged Quran - About Islam
The Quran Completes What Was Missing in My Faith
If you were in the situation of the prophet Muhammad while he and Abu-Bakr were inside the cave of hira’ surrounded by the unbelievers who could have seen them if they had looked down. The human reaction would be to search for a back exit or some other way out or to shush in order not to be heard. However, the prophet told Abu-Bakr {grieve not; surely Allah is with us.} (9:40).

This is not the mentality of a deceiver; it is the mentality of a prophet who has the confidence that Allah (the almighty) would surely take care of him.

Surah Al-Masad (Palm Fibres) was revealed ten years before the death of Abu-Lahab, the prophet’s uncle. He had ten complete years to prove that the noble Quran was wrong. However, he did not believe or even pretend to believe. How could the prophet be that confident unless he was sure that the noble Quran was Allah’s (the almighty) revelation?

Commenting on the verse: {…that is of the tidings of the unseen that we reveal to you; in no way did you (yourself) know it, neither your people, even before this. so (endure) patiently; surely the (fair) end is for the pious.} (11:49) Miller writes that none of the scriptures uses this kind of style; that is, giving the reader the piece of information and then tells him it is new information. It is really a unique challenge. What if the people of Makkah, even by pretense, had said they knew that before? What if one scholar discovered later that this information was already known before? However, this did not happen.

Professor Miller mentioned what contemporary Catholic Encyclopedia includes under the entry ‘Quran’. It mentions that despite the plethora of studies, theories, and attempts to attack the veracity of Quranic revelation under many pretexts none of them can be logically adopted. The Church itself did not dare to adopt any of such theories but at the same time it did not admit the truthfulness of the Muslims’ theory that the noble Quran is, without doubt, the last heavenly revelation.

In fact, professor Miller was fair enough and was honest enough to change his position and choose the right way. Blessed be he and those who search for truth and do not allow their prejudices to prevent them from reaching it.