Basic differences between Quran and the previous heavenly books:
As it was said, the Quran researchers that believe that Quran is influenced by the culture of darkness era are not aware of differences between Quran and the previous heavenly books. These differences include:
1. Quran is the remark of God that has been descended to the prophet neither less nor more and the prophet annunciated it to the people and tens writers wrote it in the era of the prophet and a lot of persons memorized it. It has been narrated over and over again that Quran was not distorted by the prophet, its narrators and the persons that had memorized it.
In contrast, according to the confession of Jewish and Christian scientists, Bible and Turat books that were written after Hazrat Musa and Hazrat Isa were influenced by the culture of darkness era especially the culture of Greece.
2. Quran has disagreed with Turat, Bible and the culture of contemporary Arab in different cases such as polytheism, worshipping idol and the matters related to the story of Lut and other prophets, the matter of trinity and the crossing of Hazrat Isa in verses and the trains of beliefs, morals and rules. Hence, it cannot be said that Quran was influenced by the Arabic, Christian and Jewish culture.
3.In contrast with Turat and Bible, Quran is not only against science, but it is also in line with the new findings of science and in some cases, it includes some scientific miracles and in some cases, Quran is in contrast with science which can be explained and answered in the matter of doubts and its answers.

Point of views:

Interpreters have presented different point of views and opinions about relationship between Quran and the culture of Arab before the Islam and we can divide them in three groups:
The first point of view: lack of relationship between Quran and the culture of Arab:
Some interpreters believe that Quran was not influenced by the culture of Arab before the Islam and Quran has no relationship with the culture of Arab.
Emphasizing that the Arabic Language of Quran is limited to place and time, Dr. Majid Taleb Tash writes
''Quran not only has talked about the Arabic effect of Quran, but also it has said about the weak points of the culture of Arab in that era and has regularly criticized the culture of Arab and has tried to improve their culture''.
Then he writes with considering difference between the language of Arab and the culture of Arab
''In our opinion, the style and the tone of the verses are in the way that we can give negative answers to these questions clearly. In other words, there is no need that a reader gets familiar with the culture of Arab in order to understand the meaning of each and every verse, but it is enough for a reader to move along the path of Arabic Language and to apply his or her thought so that he or she can benefit from the light of these''.
Presenting a norm, he writes about this area
''To discover relationship between Quran and the culture of Arab, we should analyze the verses of Quran. If the verses convey their meanings and purposes regardless of the culture of Arab so that a reader of Quran can understand it, we can consider the content without relationship with the culture of Arab. In other words, if the understanding of the content is gained without awareness of the Arabic culture, it turns out that the content does not have any relationship with the culture of Arab, but the verses that cannot be understood without the awareness of the culture of Arab are influenced by the culture of Arab''.
Then he expresses different examples of the verses of Quran that have no relationship with the culture of Arab such as Ale Umran Surah/ verses 2, 19, Najm Surah/ verse 4. Then he divides verses into two groups: the verses that include the culture of Arab more and the verses that include the culture of Arab not much and writes
''Most of the verses of influential Quran have such a condition and this shows that we should not discover the effect of Arabic culture on Quran along with the language of Arab and we should consider the verses of Quran as the guest of Al-Arab Island''.
However, there are few verses that we can observe the existence of Arabic Culture. These kinds of verses are divided into two groups: the first group includes most of Arabic culture and the verses are in the way that addresses can understand meaning hidden in words without considering the culture of Arab. For example, according to the following verse, every one that is well familiar with culture of Arab knows that the people of Al-Arab Island used camels in order to transport. But is this familiarity necessary to understand the verse?
أَفَلاَ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَى‏ الْإِبِلِ كَيْفَ خُلِقَتْ
The answer of this question is negative because even if a person that is not familiar with such culture faces to such a verse understands that God has summoned human to look at the quality of the creation of animals that are a species of the creatures of the world and an exact look at the life of this animal turns out that this animal does not belong only to the era of the prophet and the boundary of his hometown, but also in each era, it is possible to search about the way of living and the quality of the creation of camel and reveal the secrets of the creation of camel. Such a thing is true about date, grapes, pomegranate, fig, lunar calendar, black-eyed angels and…
However, there are few verses in Quran that we need to know the culture of Arab so that we can understand them exactly, but their content is not dependent on the culture of Arab. In comparing to other verses, these kinds of verses are very few. For example, it is said in Quran
لاِيلاَفِ قُرَيشٍ * إِيلاَفِهِمْ رِحْلَةَ الشِّتَاءِ وَالصَّيْفِ * فَلْيَعْبُدُوا رَبَّ هذَا الْبَيْتِ * الَّذِي أَطْعَمَهُم مِن جُوعٍ وَآمَنَهُم مِنْ خَوْفٍ
Although familiarity with the culture of Ghoreish and the migrations of the winter can help us to understand the verse, the expression of the verse is that the soul of the verse and the main message of the verse are hidden in the framework of the time and it can be understood without familiarity with this culture of migration.
For example, thinking about the meaning of the verse, a Persian person can understand that the message of the verses that is '' Ghoreish Tribe should worship God because he has made them familiar with the migration of the winter and the summer so that they can meet their needs and be safe in their country.
The history of the discussion among the Muslims:
The doubt of the effect getting of Quran from the environment of the prophet is rooted in the thought of some Arabic people around the beginning of the Islam. They believed that the prophet collected Quran according to the previous fictions common among people; in other words, it was influenced by the fictions of the time.
Hence, we can say that the matter of relationship between Quran and the culture of darkness era is rooted in the interpretations of Quran from the beginning of the Islam until now because most of interpreters of Quran have discussed and analyzed some aspects of this matter in interpreting some verses of Quran although they have not used the term '' Quran and the culture of darkness era''. For example, interpreters have usually expressed matters in relation to the culture of darkness era along with the verses related to darkness era.
ظَنَّ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ، حُكْمَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ، حَمِيَّةَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ، تَبَرُّجَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ
They have referred to the social features and the morals and the beliefs of Arab in the matters of the rank of descending.
يَسْألونَكَ عَنِ الْأَهِلَّةِ قُلْ هِيَ مَوَاقِيتُ لِلنَّاسِ وَالحَجِّ وَلَيْسَ الْبِرُّ بِأَن تَأْتُوا الْبُيُوتَ مِنْ ظُهُورِهَا وَلَكِنَّ الْبِرِّ مَنِ اتَّقَى‏ وَأْتُوا الْبُيُوتَ مِن أَبْوَابِهِا( Baghare Surah/ verse 189)
For example, according to this verse, it is said in the books of the rank of descending that according to the beliefs of Arab of darkness era, everyone that went to Hajj did not go there the door of the house, but they went there through the hole behind the door. The above verse has referred and rejected this habit of Arab of darkness era. In addition, some interpreters have accepted the reflection of the culture of darkness era in Quran and have been criticized by some interpreters.
الَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ الرِّبَا لاَ يَقُومُونَ إِلاَّ كَمَا يَقُومُ الَّذِي يَتَخَبَّطُهُ الشَّيْطَانُ مِنَ الْمَسِّ( Baghareh Surah/ verse 275)
For example, Zomekhsheri (538 Gh) has written about the above verse '' the touch of Satan is from the imagination of Arabic people and Quran has been descended according to their belief.
In contrast, poets have stood against this point of view
In temporary era, books, articles and theses as the topic of Quran and the culture of darkness era have been written and some of them have been published.
The recognition of the meaning

a. The word '' culture'':

Since the basic pivot of the matter is the effect of the culture of darkness era, this word should be analyzed.
Different definitions have been presented about '' culture'' from the aspect of terminology and their number is over two hundred fifty.
In conclusion, according to the meanings of word and terminology, it can be said
Culture includes knowledge, point of views and the values of each nation that is reflected as sciences, art, beliefs, morals and customs on persons and the society''.
Of course, in this writing, purpose from culture is the culture of Arab of the descending of Quran that is remembered as '' the culture of darkness era of Arab''. Of course, the culture of Arab of the era of descending includes Jewish and Christian cultures residing in Al-Arab Island apart from the matters of darkness era such as polytheism and worshipping idol.

b. The word '' world''

This word means world and in this part, it can have two meanings:
1. The era of the descending of Quran: it means how Quran in relation to the culture of Arab of the era of descending has acted.
2. The current era: it means how Quran in relation to the culture of current time has acted.
In this writing, the former is intended. Wherever the culture of the world is used, the purpose is the culture of the era of the descending of Quran, the culture of the people of Al-Arab Island.
The culture of the world does not have time and place limitations, but it includes the culture of Al-Arab Island that was formed according to polytheism and worshipping idol. Moreover, it partly includes the culture of Jewish and Christian people residing in Al-Arab Island, especially Medina.

C. The word '' relationship'':

Different terms have been used about relationship between Quran and the culture of darkness era such as '' relationship'', '' reflection'', cooperation'', cause and effect'', '' getting effect'' and '' leaving effect''. ''.
However, general purpose is how extent the verses of Quran have dealt with the reporting of knowledge, point of views and the tendencies of Arabic people in darkness era and how extent it has accepted, rejected or completed them.
Of course, it seems that the term '' relationship'' is more appropriate than other terms because there is no bias about it.

D. the word '' the language of the tribe''

The equivalence of this word has been mentioned in the fourth verse of Ibrahim Surah.
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا بِلِسَانِ قَوْمِهِ
The word '' lesan ghom'' is translated as '' the language of the tribe''; there are different interpretations about it.
First: the language of tribe in the meaning of the word of the tribe
The word '' lesan'' basically means '' tongue'' as an organ of the mouth for speaking and it also means '' word''. It has been interpreted as the word that each prophet speaks with his people.
Second: the word '' the language of the tribe'' also means words along with meaningful and cultural associations that provide the means of communicating with others.
The language of the tribe in the meaning of the word of the tribe refers to the way of thinking of the tribe. In the language of the tribe, swears, comparisons, and … are used. In other words, the language of the tribe reflects the culture and the literature of darkness era. The matters of Quran are not in contrast with reality and it does not use false and unscientific matters.
Third: the language of the tribe in the meaning of wideness of the trains of Quran:
''Some emphasize not only Islam but also its culture is in Arabic Language''.
Different examples from Quran (such as camel, date, pomegranate, lunar calendar, the winter and the summer migration of Ghoreish Tribe, Arabic languages and …) can be concluded that the color, odor, manners, grimness, custom and environment of Arabic persons have circled the central core of Islamic thought.
Analysis: According to the above matters, since the word '' the language of the tribe'' has been interpreted in different ways, it is not appropriate to be used in scientific matters.
Of course, it seems that the first point of view is appropriate about the meaning of the language of the tribe and the second point of view is appropriate, but the third point of view is not appropriate. In relation to the second point of view (relationship between Quran and the culture of darkness era), we analyses and criticizes the second meaning in relation to the language of the tribe and in relation to the third point of view (passive relationship between Quran and the culture of darkness era), we explain the second meaning and analyze and criticize the third meaning.

E. The word '' ignorance''

The root of this word is from '' jahl'' that means stupidity. Some believe that this word was used in Quran for the first time.
This word has been used in four verses and refers to four features of this era.
First: the era that there were deviations in the way of thinking, point of view toward the world and God knowing.
يَظُنُّونَ بِاللّهِ غَيْرَ الْحَقِّ ظَنَّ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ(Ale Umran/ verse 154)
Second: The era that there were deviations in enacting rules.
أَفَحُكْمَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ يَبْغُونَ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ اللّهِ حُكْماً لِقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ( Maaede Surah/ verse 50)
Third: The era that there were moral deviations.
إِذْ جَعَلَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فِي قُلوبِهِمُ الْحَمِيَّةَ حَمِيَّةَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ(Fath Surah/ verse 29)
Four: the era that there were deviations in behaviors and customs
قَرْنَ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ وَلاَ تَبَرَّجْنَ تَبَرُّجَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ الْأُولَى Ahzab Surah/ verse 33)
The first darkness era: in the mentioned verse, there is the interpretation '' the first darkness era''. Some interpreters have used the first interpretation to predict that the second darkness era will happen. Such matter has been emphasized in some Hadiths.
But interpreters have different point of views about the time of the first darkness era; some consider the era before the Islam as darkness era; others consider the era between Hazrat Adam and Nuh; still others consider the era between Hazrat Nuh and Hazrat Ibrahim; others consider the era between Hazrat Musa and Hazrat Isa and others consider the era between Hazrat Isa and the Bethat of the prophet of the Islam.
However, it seems that the interpretation '' first darkness era'' is more like the era before the Islam. Purpose from darkness era is an era that honesty was not found in beliefs, law and behaviors. In fact, the era that wisdom and science did not exist and this matter may be present in persons or in the society.
We will consider some features of darkness era from the point of view of Quran so that you get more familiar with it:
The features of the culture of darkness era:
The culture of Arabic people in darkness era such as the cultures of other tribes includes common and special elements. Purpose from common elements is cultural elements that are found in all cultures. Purpose from special elements is cultural features that include the culture of Arabic people in darkness era or the dominant aspect of that culture. Or the cultural elements were the prominent feature of the culture of Arab although there were in the cultures of non-Arabic tribes in other eras.
First: the common features of the culture of Arabic people in darkness era:
The language of the tribe: the language of the tribe was Arabic language and the Arabic people of darkness era talked with the Arabic language. Therefore, Quran is descended with such a language.
إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ قُرْآناً عَرَبِيّاً لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ( Yusef Srah/ verse 2)
2. The hand writing of the tribe: when Quran descended, the Arabic people wrote everything with Arabic language.
3. Proverbs: Quran has used proverbs and comparisons for sensible affairs that the Arabic people in darkness era used in their poems, proses and daily conversations. Quran also uses these examples to compare sensible affairs and proverbs.
4.Words representing geographical and historical conditions and the region of the Al-Arab Island were used in the language of the tribe of Arabic people in darkness era and Quran has used some words such as Ahghaf, Madin, A'ad and Thamud Tribes and….
5. The transition words exist in Arabic Language from other languages such as Saryani, Hebrew, Persian and…
6. Using the emphatic language such as swear and the conjunctions of emphasis are found in both Arabic Language and Quran. Quran has also used these words such as ferdos (Persian Word), Zanjabil (an Indian word), Ibrahim (Hebrew Word) and…
It should be reminded that the existence of such cultural elements that are found in all cultures is a common affair and it is not considered as a fault about the culture of that nation. Moreover, Quran has used these cultural elements as well and if someone wants to talk in the language of that tribe, he or she has to use them. Basically, these cultural elements are out of the area of the matter of Quran and the culture of darkness era because if using such elements is considered as the effect getting of the culture of darkness era, all religions, books, poets, scientists and …should be influenced by the culture of their time; therefore, discussing about it will not have scientific result and there is not struggle over it.
Second: the special features of the culture of Arabic people in darkness era:
The best and the most valid document for the recognition of the culture in darkness time and in different cases, it narrates the events of darkness era whereas historical writers have narrated such matters differently. Hence, we will follow the basic features of culture in darkness time in Quran.
1.Blasphemy (the denial of resurrection):
وَقَالُوا مَا هِيَ إِلَّا حَيَاتُنَا الدُّنْيَا نَمُوتُ وَنَحْيَا وَمَا يُهْلِكُنَا الاَّ الدَّهْرُ وَمَا لَهُم بِذلِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ إِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا يَظُنُّونَ
Jasie Surah/ verse 24
2. Polytheism
Most of Arabic people in darkness era worshipped idol, but it was common to worship angels, Jinn and heavenly bodies. When the prophet of the Islam surrounded Mecca, he along with Imam Ali overthrew 360 idols and the places of idols. The most famous idols of Arab included Manat, Lat, Ezzi, Bal, Habal, Asaf, Naele, Vedd, Asvae, Yaghuth, Yaghugh Nasr and…
وَيَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لاَ يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلاَ يَنفَعُهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ هؤُلاَءِ شُفَعَاؤُنَا عِندَ اللَّهِ( Yunes Surah/ verse 18)
3. Ale Umran and Baghare Surahs and …have referred to the beliefs of followers of other religion such as Jewish and Christian Religions in Al-Arab Island.
4: Considering children for God
Some Arabic people of darkness era were not Christian and Jewish.
اتَّخَذُوا أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَانَهُمْ أَرْبَاباً مِن دُونِ اللّهِ وَالْمَسِيحَ ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا إِلهاً وَاحِداً لاَإِلهَ إِلَّا هُوَ سُبْحَانَهُ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ( Tobe Surah/ verse 31)
5. Considering daughters as angels
Some Arabic people of darkness era considered angels as their daughters.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ لَيُسَمُّونَ الْمَلاَئِكَةَ تَسْمِيَةَ الْأُنثَى( Najm Surah/ verse 27)
6. Devotions in the rituals of Hajj and devotions:
وَمَا كَانَ صَلاَتُهُمْ عِندَ الْبَيْتِ إِلَّا مُكَاءً وَتَصْدِيَةً فَذُوقُوا الْعَذَابَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْفُرُونَ( Infaal Surah/ verse 35)
They also circled the house of God with a naked body. In the time of Ehram, they did not enter there through the door of house, but they entered there from the hole behind the door of house.
وَلَيْسَ الْبِرُّ بِأَن تَأْتُوا الْبُيُوتَ مِنْ ظُهُورِهَا وَلَكِنَّ الْبِرِّ مَنِ اتَّقَى‏ وَأْتُوا الْبُيُوتَ مِن أَبْوَابِهِا وَاتَّقُوا اللّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ( Baghare Surah/ verse 189)
7. Vulgar attributes:
الَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ الرَّسُولَ النَّبِيَّ الْأُمِّيَّ الَّذِي يَجِدُونَهُ مَكْتُوباً عِندَهُمْ فِي التَّورَاةِ وَالْإِنْجِيلِ يَأْمُرُهُم بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَاهُمْ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْخَبَائِثَ وَيَضَعُ عَنْهُمْ إِصْرَهُمْ وَالْأَغْلاَلَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ(Araaf Surah/ verse 157)
8. Considering a step child as his own child:
وَمَا جَعَلَ أَزْوَاجَكُمُ اللّآئِي تُظَاهِرُونَ مِنْهُنَّ أُمَّهَاتِكُمْ وَمَا جَعَلَ أَدْعِيَاءَكُمْ أَبْنَاءَكُمْ ذلِكُمْ قَوْلُكُم بِأَفْوَاهِكُمْ( Ahzab
Surah/ verse 4)
9. Inappropriate marriages such as substitute marriage, meght and Kheden:
لَا يَحِلُّ لَكَ النِّسَاءُ مِن بَعْدُ وَلا أَن تَبَدَّلَ بِهِنَّ مِنْ أَزْوَاجٍ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَكَ حُسْنُهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا مَلَكَتْ يَمِينُكَ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلَى‏ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ رَقِيباً( Ahzab Surah/ verse52)
10. Inappropriate divorces such as Ilae and Zihar:
الَّذِينَ يُظَاهِرُونَ مِنكُم مِن نِسَائِهِم مَا هُنَّ أُمَّهَاتِهِمْ إِنْ أُمَّهَاتُهُمْ إِلَّا اللّائِي وَلَدْنَهُمْ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَيَقُولُونَ مُنكَراً مِنَ الْقَوْلِ وَزُوراً وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَعَفُوٌّ غَفُورٌ( Mojadele Surah/ verse 2)
لِلَّذِينَ يُؤْلُونَ مِن نِسَائِهِمْ تَرَبُّصُ أَرْبَعَةِ أَشْهُرٍ فَإِن فَاءُو فَإِنَّ اللّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ(Baghare Surah/ verse 226
11. Sexual Deviations:
الزَّانِيَةُ وَالزَّانِي فَاجْلِدُوا كُلَّ وَاحِدٍ مِّنْهُمَا مِائَةَ جَلْدَةٍ وَلاَ تَأْخُذْكُم بِهِمَا رَأْفَةٌ فِي دِينِ اللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ
وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَلْيَشْهَدْ عَذَابَهُمَا طَائِفَةٌ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ( Nur Surah/ verse 2)
12. Violating the rights of woman and killing girls:
وَإِذَا الْمَوْءُودَةُ سُئِلَتْ * بِأَيِّ ذَنبٍ قُتِلَتْ( Takvir Surah/ verse 8)
13. Usury:
الَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ الرِّبَا لاَ يَقُومُونَ إِلاَّ كَمَا يَقُومُ الَّذِي يَتَخَبَّطُهُ الشَّيْطَانُ مِنَ الْمَسِّ ذلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا إِنَّمَا الْبَيْعُ مِثْلُ الرِّبَا وَأَحَلَّ اللّهُ الْبَيْعَ وَحَرَّمَ الرِّبَا فَمَن جَاءَهُ مَوْعِظَةٌ مِن رَبِّهِ فَانْتَهَى‏ فَلَهُ مَا سَلَفَ وَأَمْرُهُ إِلَى اللّهِ وَمَنْ عَادَ فَأُولئِكَ ( Baghare Surah/ verse 275)أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ14. Ignorance and separation from science:
One of reasons that darkness era is called with this name is that the people of that era were ignorant and illiterate. In that era, people followed their fathers blindly.
. بَلْ قَالُوا إِنَّا وَجَدْنَا آبَاءَنَا عَلَى‏ أُمَّةٍ وَإِنَّا عَلَى‏ آثَارِهِم مُهْتَدُونَ * وَكَذلِكَ مَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ فِي قَرْيَةٍ مِن نَذِيرٍ إِلَّا قَالَ مُتْرَفُوهَا إِنَّا وَجَدْنَا آبَاءَنَا عَلَى‏ أُمَّةٍ وَإِنَّا عَلَى‏ آثَارِهِم مُقْتَدُونَ ( Zokhrof Surah/ verses 22-23)
The background of the matter among orientalists:
The west of the earth is interested in the idea of the effect getting of the holy books from the culture of darkness era. Studying the distorted texts of the current Bible and analyzing their history, the western scientists have concluded that the Bibles were written by some persons (such as Merghes, Lugha, Meti,Yuhena, …) and they wrote these texts years after the era of Hazrat Isa inspiring from the culture of their era. Ayan Barbur claims that some parts of Turat Book were written eight hundred years after Hazrat Musa. Even the event of the decease of Hazrat Musa and his funeral ceremony has been mentioned in Turat Book. The holy book is against science in different cases and is combined with superstitions and inner conflicts.
Some writers write about this case
'' According to the reality that the holy books of the current time and the ancient time are the understanding, the interpretation and the interests of hundreds persons, according to Ghamus, the holy book was written during a thousand and five hundred years, with different motivations; hence, it is natural that these writings include a lot of conflicts.
Although some try to prove the validity and the reliability of different books, they know that this attempt is futile and express that matters expressed in this book are not acceptable at all.
The idea of effect getting from the culture of darkness era about the holy book could be somewhat true. Later it was transferred to Quran through orientalists and the complete effect getting of Quran from Christian and Jewish cultures was presented in Al-Arab Island in the time of the advent of the Islam.
For the first time, Abrahim Giger introduced the sources of Quran in monotheism, Sharia and the way of expressing Jewish matters in the book'' Muhammad has taken something from Jewish Texts'' in 1863. Giger became the head of the ideas related to Quran.
A lot of attempts were done to introduce that Quran was Christian.
The idea of the effect getting of Quran from the culture of darkness era (whether Jewish and Christian cultures especially in the aspect of the elements of the culture of Arab of darkness era) led to the analysis of writings of contemporary writers of the Islam and it faced to agreeable persons and opponents that will be mentioned.
Reasons and documents:
1. Disapproving the darkness era in Quran:
Quran has remembered and criticized the darkness era of Arab in different verses. Since the darkness era includes unimportant guesses toward God (Ale Umran/ 154), enacting rules in darkness era was not in right path ( Maede/ 50), the behaviors of darkness era were appropriate( Fath/ 26), Quran has remembered the era before the Islam with the title '' Al-Jahelie Al-Avali'' as ignorance and frivolity era( Ahzab/ 33). These prove that Quran was not influenced by the culture of darkness era, but it has stood against it.
Of course, Quran has stood against the special elements of the culture of Arab of darkness era in different cases and we will report them in the rest of the matter.
2. Trains of Quran against the cultural elements of darkness era:
There were the elements of beliefs, moral and behavior and Quran stood against them, removed them from Al-Arab Island and presented new and appropriate elements against them such as:
Blasphemy/ belief (in different Surahs and verses ;) 1.
Polytheism/ monotheism (Tohid Surah) ;) 2.
4. Considering children for God/ denying children for God (Tohid Surah);
5. Considering angels as their daughters (Najm/27);
6. Deviations in rituals and worshipping- fighting deviations ( Infaal/ 36 and Baghare/ 189);)
7. Bad attributes- eradicating such bad attributes (Nahl/ 22 , Loghman/ 6 and Yunes/ 7);
8. Sexual deviations- eradicating sexual deviations (Nur/ 6)…
9.Violating the rights of women – defending the rights of women (Takvir/ 8 and 9);
Inappropriate divorces- eradicating Zihar and…( Mojadele/ 2, 3);.10
These cases and tens similar cases that will be presented in next matters show that Quran not only was influenced by the culture of darkness era, but also the trains of Quran were against the elements of the culture of Arab of darkness era.
3. The rightness of Quran:
The effect getting of Quran from the culture of darkness era in contrast with the reality of Quran:
Quran introduces itself a true book;
إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ 176, Ale Umran/ 108 and …)/ ( Nisa/ 105, Baghare
In another part, it reminds that there is no falsity in Quran
وَإِنَّهُ لَكِتَابٌ عَزِيزٌ * لاَ يَأْتِيهِ الْبَاطِلُ مِن بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَلاَ مِنْ خَلْفِهِ تَنزِيلٌ مِنْ حَكِيمٍ حَمِيدٍ( Foslet/ verses 41-42)
Rightness means a true and permanent thing.
Falsity means a transient and untrue thing.
Falsity has no place and time in Quran and Quran is a permanent book whose matters are true and real because it is based on wisdom and science.
In contrast, the culture of Arab of darkness era was based on ignorance, superstitions and deviations. Ignorant matters and superstitions are not based reality and have no permanence, but they are combined with false remarks.
Hence, Quran that is a true book and is descended by God cannot be influenced by the culture of false darkness era.
Basically, one of names and attributes of Quran is Forghan (Forghan/ 1, Baghare/ 185). It means the separator of reality from falsity. Quran is out of deviations and false matters. (Kahaf/ 1, Zomor/ 28).
The culture creation of Quran:
Quran not only was influenced by the culture of Arab of darkness era, but it reacted against it actively and created changes and developments and brought new elements into the culture of Arab. In fact, it can be said that Quran created a new culture. In other words, a new culture was created under the effect of the trains of Quran and it was different from the culture of Arab of darkness era from different aspects and was called '' the Islamic Culture''. Then this culture extended in other non-Arab nations and has existed with a lot of ups and downs so far. Because the greatness of the culture creation of Quran and the difference between the Islamic culture and the culture of Arab of darkness era can be recognized, it is necessary to compare them with each other.
First: the features of the culture of Arab of darkness era:
In the section of meaning recognition, the general and special features of the culture of Arab before the Islam were mentioned and now we refer to them with new grouping:
1. The belief features: blasphemy and polytheism (Jasie/ 24, Yunes/ 18 and Anaam/ 100) and …of course, other religions such as Jewish and Christianity were rarely found in some regions of Al-Arab Islands such as Medina. Baghare and Ale Umran Surahs have referred to these groups and their beliefs.
2. Political features: there were different tribes in the Arabic society of darkness era and political power was in their hand. There were struggle and war among them such as struggle between Ous and Khazraj in Medina. Hence, there was not a central government in Al-Arab Island. Consequently, the political power of the people of Al-Arab Island was weak against the powerful governments such as Iran and Rome.
3. Social features: The Arabic society before the Islam was in the trouble of tyranny, oppression, war, insecurity and superstitions.
4. Moral Features: the people of Arab of darkness had drowned in the ugly attributes such as vanity, sexual deviations (such as adultery), worldliness, following desires and violated the virtues of human and even they buried their daughters as they were alive.
5. Scientific features: the Arabic Society was ignorant and illiterate as the historians have written that twenty one persons were educated in Al-Arab Island. This is considered as one of reasons that this era is named the first darkness era.
The era before the Islam was the era of the backwardness of Arab without science, civilization and wisdom and blind imitation from fathers.
6. Economy: in the darkness era of Arab, the basis of economy was usury. Moreover, there was not social fairness and the rights of the people were violated.
7. Family: In the darkness era of Arab, the family system was not based on a correct basis and inappropriate marriages such as substitute marriage, meght Marriage and khoden marriage and inappropriate divorces such as Zihar and Ilae happened.
Proposing marriage was done by the heads of the tribes and there was no choice for girls. The marriage tuition did not belong to women but to the fathers of girls or the heads of the tribes. Marriages rarely happened and even some persons married in order to seize the properties of orphans.
Second: the features of the culture of Quran (desirable culture):
Quran rejected the negative elements of the culture of Arab, accepted positive elements rooted in the religions of God, wisdom and the nature of human, improved and completed them and created a new culture named '' the Islamic culture''.
The desirable culture of Quran includes features that are against the negative features of the culture of Arab of darkness era.
The most important features of the culture of Quran include:
1. Belief feature (pivotal monotheism):
Above of all, Quran emphasizes on monotheism and belief in single God and stands against the culture of Arabic people in darkness time insisting on polytheism and blasphemy and constantly denies blasphemy and monotheism and introduces the hell as their final destination.
2. Political features: Quran invites all of people to obey God, the prophet and the leaders of God and summons human to unity.
Hence, it concentrates on the political power of the society and considers all honors for God, the prophet and the believers. In this way, a powerful government was set up in Medina and defeated the powerful governments of the era, Iran and Rome. This is the opposite point of the political way of Arabic people in darkness era that faced to discord among tribes, war and humility among the powers of the contemporary era.
3. Social features (freedom, safety, fairness and the removal of superstitions)
One of purposes of the prophet of the Islam is the freedom of action from unpleasant habits and superstitions. One of purposes of the mission of the Islam and the descending of Quran is to establish fairness.
After the emergence of the Islam in Al-Arab Island, safety relatively established and the tribes lived together comfortably and the hundred year wars of the tribes of Arab ended. This was the opposite point of the culture of Arabic people in darkness era.
4. Moral features (the greatness of human and moral ugliness):
Quran laid crown on the head of Bani Adam and introduced him as the caliph and the successor of God. It also stood against violating the rights of woman and burying living girls.
Quran summons human to moral principles, introduces soul purification as one of the purposes of the prophet, rebukes the ugly attributes, desires and worldliness and stands against sexual pollutions. This was against the morals of Arabic people of darkness era.
Quran also introduces the basis of a family kindness and affection;
وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ أَنْ خَلَقَ لَكُم مِنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَاجاً لِّتَسْكُنُوا إِلَيْهَا وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَكُم مَوَدَّةً وَرَحْمَةً إِنَّ فِي ذلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ؛
Quran emphasizes on marriage and considers its rules fair with marriage portion for woman as their rights and has clarified the rules of divorce wisely and fairly. Quran has also stood against unfair marriages and divorces of darkness era. Moreover, Islam considers the choice right of woman as the condition of the validity of marriage and marriage portion as the right of women and without the satisfaction of woman, it is not allowed to violate their marriage portion. It is fair that men marry only four women.
5. Scientific features (science increase, eradicating ignorance and thinking:
Quran encourages people to think and to increase knowledge and disapproves following the way of their fathers. Such away can be seen in the way of the prophet and Ahle Beit. Hence, the society of Arab left behind darkness era (only twenty one persons were educated) and entered the world full of the light of science and wisdom as the Islamic society became the pioneer of sciences throughout the world in less than two centuries and presented a lot of scientists such as Bu Ali Sina, Zakaria Razi and … in different courses to the world of human.
Hence, it can be concluded that the dependency of non-human text of Quran to the culture of Arab leads to God whose nature is holy and out any kinds of passivity. Especially this text has a universal message and its addresses are the people of all eras and generations.
Consequently, the Arabic Language is like a cover over the trains of Quran and to understand it, we should remove this cover. Hence, such a matter is true about any kinds of texts and exalted God has talked about the Arabic Language of Quran.
However, he has not considered a cover of Arabic culture for the verses of Quran and has not presented phrases and sentences within the Arabic culture of the era of the prophet of the Islam because Quran has been sent for all of persons in all of eras. Hence, it should not be descended in the way that its understanding depends on familiarity with the culture of the people of an era because the culture and the custom of the people of that era may be forgotten. As a consequence, the understanding of the text will face to a serious problem.
The language of Quran is clear Arabic Language. In other words, this language is clear enough to transfer messages and to influence the soul of human. We believe that the text of Quran is not only dependent on the culture of Al-Arab Island, but it also teaches a unique new culture to human. This new culture of Quran influenced the culture of Arab and the culture of other societies; therefore, they achieved a new path of the life.
Analysis:
Several matters should be analyzed separately about this point of view.
The principle that Quran was not influenced by the culture of darkness era absolutely is not true and its reasons will be mentioned along with the second point of view.
2. Appropriate relationship between Quran and the culture of Arab that leads to a new culture creation is true. This matter will be explained along with the second point of view as well.
. It is true and appropriate that the verses of Quran are beyond time and place.3
4. Relationship between Quran and Arabic Language and its aspects such as using Arabic words, proverbs, comparisons and syntactical conjugational forms is true. In other words, Quran has used the common features of the culture of Arab.
Of course, this matter does not mean that Quran was influenced by the culture of Arab, but it is the necessity of talking to Arabic addressees and it is a common affair that happens in any books. This matter will be explained more along with the second point of view.
5.Lack of relationship of Quran with the culture of Arab mentioned in the above text does not seem appropriate because most of the verses of Quran include the rank of descending or refer to the historical events of Arab and non-Arab and the geographical situations of Al-Arab Island which helps us to understand and to interpret these verses better according to the geographical and historical documents.
Of course, this matter does not mean the effect getting of Quran from the culture of Arab before the Islam. In principle, there should be difference between cultural aspects in understanding and interpreting and the effect of culture in providing the content of verses.
These two matters have been combined in the mentioned point of view and article.
6. According to the mentioned matters, it turns out that if the view of lack of effect of Quran from the culture of the era of descending means lack of relationship of Quran with the culture of Arab, as it can be understood from the above point of view, it will not be correct. If the purpose of the writer is in this way that Quran does not reflect the culture of Arab and superstitions and false remarks are not found in Quran, but Quran changes the culture of Arab, this matter that is the second point of view (relationship Quran and the culture of era that is the acceptance of positive elements and the rejection of negative elements and culture distribution) will be correct.