I'll just post the article here: Carbon dating suggests early Quran is older than Muhammad
Slashdot Article with more links: Carbon Dating Shows Koran May Predate Muhammad
So... ya. Islam is different than the other Abrahamic religions in that they claim their Holy Book came from one place and is the direct words of God. Only the most fringe of Christianity say that the Bible is 100% sacred, and even they acknowledge through necessity that there was more than one author (Gospels according to M, M, L, & J + Paul's letters for example). While other Islamic texts are more "fuzzy" as to the degree of divinity (the Hadiths at a minimum), the Koran (or whatever spelling you like best in English) is supposed to be 100% infallible word of God, revealed to the Prophet, by my understanding.
And now some the paper is provably older than the Prophet himself. No word yet on the ink. So how could it be from the Prophet if it is older?
Some have suggested this copy was written on old paper. OK, possible I'll grant, but the timeframes are not favorable. Possible, but very very iffy, especially with something that was supposed to be so important. Other scholars say (in the linked articles) this puts more weight to the idea that Islam's writings have much of their origins in older works, even lifted whole in some cases. This discovery gives that theory greater weight, but is also heresy to Islam.
Slashdot Article with more links: Carbon Dating Shows Koran May Predate Muhammad
So... ya. Islam is different than the other Abrahamic religions in that they claim their Holy Book came from one place and is the direct words of God. Only the most fringe of Christianity say that the Bible is 100% sacred, and even they acknowledge through necessity that there was more than one author (Gospels according to M, M, L, & J + Paul's letters for example). While other Islamic texts are more "fuzzy" as to the degree of divinity (the Hadiths at a minimum), the Koran (or whatever spelling you like best in English) is supposed to be 100% infallible word of God, revealed to the Prophet, by my understanding.
And now some the paper is provably older than the Prophet himself. No word yet on the ink. So how could it be from the Prophet if it is older?
Some have suggested this copy was written on old paper. OK, possible I'll grant, but the timeframes are not favorable. Possible, but very very iffy, especially with something that was supposed to be so important. Other scholars say (in the linked articles) this puts more weight to the idea that Islam's writings have much of their origins in older works, even lifted whole in some cases. This discovery gives that theory greater weight, but is also heresy to Islam.