Who REALLY Wrote the Quran? | Gabriel Said Reynolds

Who wrote the Quran? Did it flow directly from God? Did Muhammad compose it? Did several authors compose it over several centuries? Does it have the characteristics of a dictated text, or a written text? How simple or complicated is the story of the Quran's origins? In this episode, Jack and Milo are joined by Islamic studies scholar Gabriel Said Reynolds to explore one of the most controversial questions in Islamic Studies. The conversation examines the traditional Islamic account of the Quran alongside modern academic perspectives. Reynolds argues that the evidence may point toward a more complex process of composition than is commonly assumed, challenging the long-standing Western, secular scholarly consensus that Muhammad himself was the sole human author. Topics include: • Who wrote the Quran? • Did Muhammad write the Quran? • The traditional Islamic narrative of revelation • Academic theories of Quranic authorship • How the Quran was compiled and transmitted • Why the Quran is arranged by surah length rather than chronology • The relationship between the Quran, the Torah, and the Gospel • The emergence of Classical Arabic • The literary qualities and inimitability (i'jaz) of the Quran • Early Islamic history • Historical-critical approaches to the Quran • Western scholarship on the origins of Islam If you enjoy long-form conversations on religion, philosophy, history, and literature, consider subscribing for more discussions with scholars.