[pinkpanther]

The Quran is the word of God, verbatim. When the Quran states the universe is expanding, 1,400+ years ago, we only know today that the universe is indeed expanding. Was it critical for Muslims 1,400+ years ago to know that for a fact? The answer is no, it wasn't necessary. 

Is it critical for us to know what really happened to the son of Mary on that day? No, we don't need to know.

Can we Muslims trust the Quran? 100% yes. We believe it is 100% the word of Allah and Allah has assured us that it will remain as our guidance till the end of time.

Several Orientalist scholars proposed that the Quran was a product of Prophet Muhammad's own ideas, rather than divine revelation. These scholars, including Richard Bell, Theodor Nöldeke, and W. Montgomery Watt, applied historical and critical analysis to the text, suggesting that Muhammad drew inspiration from existing Jewish and Christian traditions and synthesized them with his own experiences and social context. 
Here's a more detailed look at their arguments:

Richard Bell:
He applied a critical methodology, analyzing the Quran's literary and historical context, and suggested that the text reflected Muhammad's personal experiences and evolving understanding. 

Theodor Nöldeke:
He focused on proving that the Quran was not a direct divine revelation but rather a product of Muhammad's adoption of Christian and Jewish teachings. 

W. Montgomery Watt:
He argued that the early Meccan revelations reflected Muhammad's personal struggles and a growing sense of divine support, rather than direct divine commands.