Inside Islam: A Guide for Catholics

(Jacob Rumans) #1

The result was the general acceptance of six collections of
Hadith that are called Sahih Sittah, or Authentic
Compilations. The most important of these is the Sahih
Bukhari— Sahih means ‘‘authentic,’’ and Bukhari is the
name of the man who compiled this collection. Though he
lived in the ninth century, nearly two hundred years after
Muhammad, Bukhari was the most eminent pioneer in
collecting and classifying the Hadith. (Bukhari is referenced
throughout this book.)


One of the chief functions of the Hadith and the
schools of jurisprudence is to make sense of the Koran’s
contradictory teachings on various matters.


47. Are there contradictions in the


Koran? If so, then how can Muslims


believe that it is inspired?


In fact, there are so many contradictions that it became
necessary over the centuries for Muslim scholars to develop
a system for their adherents to maintain their faith in the face
of logical and compelling apologetics by non-Muslims.
Some of the difficulties in the Koran are dealt with by the
‘‘nullification theory,’’ a convenient method of altering
teachings that appear illogical or confusing. Muslim
theologians have devoted years to sorting out which parts of
the Koran are actually the Word of Allah to be recited and
followed, and which verses have been abrogated (that is,
denied at a later date) by Allah Himself.

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