IN SEARCH OF GOD

Fragmented defense of the Koran as the fulfillment of Jewish and Christian scripture, and as a prophetic authority on matters of science and nature.

Utilizing numerous and often lengthy passages from the Koran, the Hebrew Bible, and the New Testament, as well as quotations from many modern authorities, Gad purports to help the reader search for God. Gad begins with a brief critique of Darwin’s theories and seems to refute evolution in favor of creationism. However, he then immediately launches into an exploration of Abraham’s descendents, drawing the conclusion that Ishmael, not Isaac, is the legitimate first son of Abraham. By contrasting the Koran with Hebrew and Christian scriptures, he also concludes that Muhammad, not Jesus, is the proper subject of various prophecies. Gad critiques Christian theology and declares that the Christian view of the Triune God is either incorrect or heretical. In a sudden shift halfway through the book, the author begins to extract scientific truths from Koranic scripture. Following selections from the Koran with expositions of various modern scientific findings, Gad intimates that the Koran foretold a number of natural truths which no one could have understood fully in Muhammad’s time. For instance, the Koran states that the earth was made like an egg, and Gad explains that this describes both the shape and layers of the earth. Overall, Gad’s approach is difficult to follow. He moves at a quick pace from one topic to another, rarely ties ideas together and seldom explains his own conclusions. His quotations from various scriptures are sometimes strung along for pages, leaving the reader with little clue as to where he is heading. Finally, God is only tangential to the text-scripture is primary, and even if one considers an exposition on the Koran as a search for God, it is quite an impersonal search in this context.

An attempt to uphold the superiority of the Koran, but the reader may not find God in the process.