robert spencer-did muhammad exist__ an inquiry into islams obscure origins-intercollegiate studies institute (2012) (1)

On another occasion, Muhammad is made to elaborate on this odd explanation for the variants: Gabriel,
he explained, “recited the Qur'an to me in one way. Then I requested him (to read it in another way), and
continued asking him to recite it in other ways, and he recited it in several ways till he ultimately recited
it in seven different ways.” 16
“Recited in seven different ways.” Yet if the canonical Islamic stories of his life are accurate,
Muhammad recited the Qur'an in only one way. What's more, it is unlikely that Ubayy and Umar would
have been depicted as becoming so enraged over these variants if the only difference was a matter of
dialect—that is, a shift in the pronunciation of the words.
How could variants have arisen if Muhammad received revelations from Allah in a perfect fashion,
which would apparently involve his total recall of what Gabriel delivered to him? Did the perfect book
exist in variant readings? And if not, then how did the perfect earthly copy of that book, the Qur'an, come
to have such variants?
Haphazard Collection
Even Islamic tradition implies that the Qur'an was altered after it first appeared among the believers.
According to the Hadith, during Muhammad's lifetime, his companions would memorize various portions
of the Qur'an. Some had some portions committed to memory, others had others. Some of it, but not all of
it, was written down. But not long after Muhammad died, the traditions say, some of those who had
memorized portions of the Qur'an died in the Battle of Yamama. Parts of the Qur'an died with them,
according to a hadith: “Many (of the passages) of the Qur'an that were sent down were known by those
who died on the day of Yamama…but they were not known (by those who) survived them, nor were they
written down, nor had [the first three caliphs] Abu Bakr, Umar or Uthman (by that time) collected the
Qur'an, nor were they found with even one (person) after them.” 17
No contemporary historical evidence establishes that there ever was a Battle of Yamama or that anyone
who had memorized portions of the Qur'an died there. As we have seen, no mention of the Qur'an is made
until nearly a century after this battle is supposed to have taken place. So the traditions regarding the
Battle of Yamama, and the collection of the Qur'an that followed from it, probably emerged in a context in
which the holy book was undergoing editing and alteration, such that variant formulations and differences
in content had to be explained.
Early Islamic sources repeatedly attest to the loss of sections of the Qur'an. One hadith has an elderly
Muslim recalling a passage from sura 98 that said: “The religion with Allah is al-hanifiyya (the Upright
Way) rather than that of the Jews or the Christians, and those who do good will not go unrewarded.” But it
was gone. 18
Likewise vanished, according to another hadith, was the section that mandated the stoning of adulterers.
Umar declared:
I am afraid that after a long time has passed, people may say, “We do not find the Verses of the Rajam (stoning to death) in the
Holy Book.” And consequently they may go astray by leaving an obligation that Allah has revealed. Lo! I confirm that the penalty of