Recently, someone published a video identifying a verse from the Quran that he claims is illogical. The verse is 43:45, and the individual claims there are two problems with this verse.
[43:45] Check the messengers we sent before you: “Have we ever appointed any other gods—beside the Most Gracious—to be worshiped?”
وَسْـَٔلْ مَنْ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رُّسُلِنَآ أَجَعَلْنَا مِن دُونِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ءَالِهَةً يُعْبَدُونَ
| 1 | wasal | وَسْـَٔلْ | And inquire / check |
| 2 | man | مَنْ | (those) whom |
| 3 | arsalnā | أَرْسَلْنَا | we sent |
| 4 | min | مِن | from |
| 5 | qablika | قَبْلِكَ | before you |
| 6 | min | مِن | any (of) |
| 7 | rusulinā | رُّسُلِنَآ | our messengers. |
| 8 | ajaʿalnā | أَجَعَلْنَا | “Did we make |
| 9 | min | مِن | from |
| 10 | dūni | دُونِ | besides |
| 11 | l-raḥmāni | ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ | (the) Most Gracious |
| 12 | ālihatan | ءَالِهَةً | gods |
| 13 | yuʿ’badūna | يُعْبَدُونَ | they be worshiped?” |
The first problem he states is that this verse is illogical because it doesn’t make sense for Muhammad to have to ask others if there are other gods to be worshiped besides the Most Gracious. He claims that since the Quran is clear that only God should be worshiped, he was perplexed as to why would such a question be posed to the messenger. Then he brings up the following verse to confirm his point.
[2:255] GOD: there is no other god besides Him, the Living, the Eternal. Never a moment of unawareness or slumber overtakes Him. To Him belongs everything in the heavens and everything on earth. Who could intercede with Him, except in accordance with His will? He knows their past, and their future. No one attains any knowledge, except as He wills. His dominion encompasses the heavens and the earth, and ruling them never burdens Him. He is the Most High, the Great.
ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُ لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفْظُهُمَا وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُ
This style of questioning is called a rhetorical question, a question that is asked to make a point rather than elicit an answer. Rhetorical questions are used frequently in the Quran. And because the Quran repeatedly clearly articulates that only God should be worshiped, the question in 43:45 is meant to be rhetorical and used only to emphasize the consistency in God’s message to all His messengers throughout history.
[2:138] Such is GOD’s system, and whose system is better than GOD’s? “Him alone we worship.”
صِبْغَةَ ٱللَّهِ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ صِبْغَةً وَنَحْنُ لَهُۥ عَـٰبِدُونَ
The second problem he points out with this verse is how Muhammad could ask other messengers since no other messengers were alive when he received his revelations from God. This verse can easily be understood that Muhammad was to inquire regarding the messengers that came before him rather than actually asking the messengers directly himself. This is because the word “ask” (sal / سْـَٔلْ ) can also be understood to check or inquire about something.
For example, if I ask someone to inquire about people who lived before them, then they can do this by researching what is known about those people rather than expecting that they would have to communicate with the dead. This also corresponds with the following verses, where the prophet is told to ask those who read the previous scripture if he had any doubt regarding what was revealed to him.
[10:94] If you have any doubt regarding what is revealed to you from your Lord, then ask those who read the previous scripture. Indeed, the truth has come to you from your Lord. Do not be with the doubters.
فَإِن كُنتَ فِى شَكٍّ مِّمَّآ أَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكَ فَسْـَٔلِ ٱلَّذِينَ يَقْرَءُونَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ مِن قَبْلِكَ لَقَدْ جَآءَكَ ٱلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْمُمْتَرِينَ
[16:43] We did not send before you except men whom we inspired. Ask those who know the scripture, if you do not know.
وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ إِلَّا رِجَالًا نُّوحِىٓ إِلَيْهِمْ فَسْـَٔلُوٓا۟ أَهْلَ ٱلذِّكْرِ إِن كُنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
[21:7] We did not send before you except men whom we inspired. Ask those who know the scripture, if you do not know.
وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا قَبْلَكَ إِلَّا رِجَالًا نُّوحِىٓ إِلَيْهِمْ فَسْـَٔلُوٓا۟ أَهْلَ ٱلذِّكْرِ إِن كُنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
This shows that the entire verse as a whole is meant to be taken rhetorically, encouraging reflection upon the consistent message delivered by all of God’s messengers throughout history. The instruction to “ask” serves as a means to highlight the uniformity of the monotheistic message preached by all prophets against the backdrop of their respective communities’ practices of idolatry or associating partners with God. It underscores the continuity of the message of monotheism and the worship of the One God, without partners. This method of conveying messages through rhetorical questions or instructions is common in the Quran, aimed at engaging the reader’s or listener’s contemplation and understanding.
[21:25] We did not send any messenger before you except with the inspiration: “There is no god except Me; you shall worship Me alone.”
(٢٥) وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا نُوحِىٓ إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۠ فَٱعْبُدُونِ
Another word of caution from videos like this is that the person immediately asks for money and financial compensation for his content.
[9:34] O you who believe, many religious leaders and preachers take the people’s money illicitly, and repel from the path of GOD. Those who hoard the gold and silver, and do not spend them in the cause of GOD, promise them a painful retribution.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ ٱلْأَحْبَارِ وَٱلرُّهْبَانِ لَيَأْكُلُونَ أَمْوَٰلَ ٱلنَّاسِ بِٱلْبَـٰطِلِ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ ٱلذَّهَبَ وَٱلْفِضَّةَ وَلَا يُنفِقُونَهَا فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَبَشِّرْهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ
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