From: www.aljazzera.net
Chomsky says the US can learn something from Bolivia's democracy [GALLO/GETTY]
Noam Chomsky, the renowned US academic, author and political activist, speaks to Avi Lewis on Al Jazeera's Inside USA.
They discuss whether the US election this year will bring real change, the ongoing conflict in Iraq and why Americans should look to their Southern American counterparts for political inspiration.
Avi Lewis: I'd like to start by talking about the US presidential campaign. In writing about the last election in 2004, you called America's system a "fake democracy" in which the public is hardly more than an irrelevant onlooker, and you've been arguing in your work in the last year or so that the candidates this time around are considerably to the right of public opinion on all major issues.
So, the question is, do Americans have any legitimate hope of change this time around? And what is the difference in dynamic between America's presidential "cup" in 2008 compared to 2004 and 2000?
Noam Chomsky: There's some differences, and the differences are quite enlightening. I should say, however, that I'm expressing a very conventional thought – 80 per cent of the population thinks, if you read the words of the polls, that the government is run by a few big interests looking out for themselves not for the population [and] 95 per cent of the public thinks that the government ought to pay attention to public opinion but it doesn't.
As far as the elections are concerned, I forget the exact figure but by about three to one people wish that the elections were about issues, not about marginal character qualities and so on. So I'm right in the mainstream.
There's some interesting differences between 2004 and 2008 and they're very revealing, it's kind of striking that the commentators don't pick that up because it's so transparent.
The main domestic issue for years … is the health system - which is understandable as it's a total disaster.
The last election debate in 2004 was on domestic issues ... and the New York Times the next day had an accurate description of it. It said that [former Democratic presidential candidate John] Kerry did not bring up any hint of government involvement in healthcare because it has so little political support, just [the support of] the large majority of the population.
In focus
In-depth coverage of the US presidential electionBut what he meant was it was not supported by the pharmaceutical industry and wasn't supported by the financial institutions and so on.
In this election the Democratic candidates all have [health] programmes that are not what the public are asking for but are approaching it and could even turn into it, so what happened between 2004 and 2008?
It's not a shift in public opinion - that's the same as before, what happened is a big segment of US corporate power is being so harmed by the healthcare system that they want it changed, namely the manufacturing industry.
So, for example, [car manufacturer] General Motors says that it costs them maybe $1,500 more to produce a car in Detroit then across the border in Windsor, Canada, just because they have a more sensible healthcare system there.
Well, when a big segment of corporate America shifts its position, then it becomes politically possible and has political support. So, therefore, you can begin to talk about it.
But those aren't changes coming from pressure from below?
No, the public is the same, it's been saying the same for decades, but the public is irrelevant, is understood to be irrelevant. What matters is a few big interests looking after themselves and that's exactly what the public sees.
And yet, you can see people agitating against the official story, even within the electoral process. There is definitely a new mood in the US, a restlessness among populations who are going to political rallies in unprecedented numbers.
What do you make of this well branded phenomenon of hope - which is obviously part marketing - but is it not also part something else?
Well that's Barack Obama. He has his way, he presents himself - or the way his handlers present him - as basically a kind of blank slate on which you can write whatever you like and there are a few slogans: Hope, unity …
Change?
Change. And it does arouse enthusiasm and you can understand why. Again 80 per cent of the population thinks the county is going the wrong way.
Chomsky: Understandable that Obama is generating "enthusiasm" [Reuters]For most people in the US the past 30 years have been pretty grim. Now, it's a rich country, so it's not like living in southern Africa, but for the majority of the population real wages have stagnated or declined for the past 30 years, there's been growth but it's going to the wealthy and into very few pockets, benefits which were never really great have declined, work hours have greatly increased and there isn't really much to show for it other than staying afloat.And there is tremendous dissatisfaction with institutions, there's a lot of talk about Bush's very low poll ratings, which is correct, but people sometimes overlook the fact that congress's poll ratings are even lower.
In fact all institutions are just not trusted but disliked, there's a sense that everything is going wrong.
So when somebody says "hope, change and unity" and kind of talks eloquently and is a nice looking guy and so on then, fine.
If the elite strategy for managing the electorate is to ignore the will of the people as you interpret it through polling data essentially, what is an actual progressive vision of changing the US electoral system? Is it election finance, is it third party activism?
We have models right in front of us. Like pick, say, Bolivia, the poorest county in South America. They had a democratic election a couple of years ago that you can't even dream about in the US. It's kind of interesting it's not discussed; it's a real democratic election.
A large majority of the population became organised and active for the first time in history and elected someone from their own ranks on crucial issues that everyone knew about – control of resource, cultural rights, issues of justice, you know, really serious issues.
And, furthermore, they didn't just do it on election day by pushing a button, they've been struggling about these things for years.
A couple of years before this they managed to drive Bechtel and the World Bank out of the country when they were trying to privatise the war. It was a pretty harsh struggle and a lot of people were killed.
Well, they reached a point where they finally could manifest this through the electoral system - they didn't have to change the electoral laws, they had to change the way the public acts. And that's the poorest country in South America.
Actually if we look at the poorest country in the hemisphere – Haiti - the same thing happened in 1990. You know, if peasants in Bolivia and Haiti can do this, it's ridiculous to say we can't.
The Democrats in this election campaign have been talking a lot, maybe less so more recently, about withdrawing from Iraq.
What are the chances that a new president will significantly change course on the occupation and might there be any change for the people of Iraq as a result of the electoral moment in the US?
Well, one of the few journalists who really covers Iraq intimately from inside is Nir Rosen, who speaks Arabic and passes for Arab, gets through society, has been there for five or six years and has done wonderful reporting. His conclusion, recently published, as he puts it, is there are no solutions.
This has been worse than the Mongol invasions of the 13th century - you can only look for the least bad solution but the country is destroyed.
The war on Iraq has been a catastrophe, Chomsky says [AFP]And it has in fact been catastrophic. The Democrats are now silenced because of the supposed success of the surge which itself is interesting, it reflects the fact that there's no principled criticism of the war – so if it turns out that your gaining your goals, well, then it was OK.
We didn't act that way when the Russians invaded Chechnya and, as it happens, they're doing much better than the US in Iraq.
In fact what's actually happening in Iraq is kind of ironic. The Iraqi government, the al-Maliki government, is the sector of Iraqi society most supported by Iran, the so-called army - just another militia - is largely based on the Badr brigade which is trained in Iran, fought on the Iranian side during the Iran-Iraq war, was part of the hated Revolutionary Guard, it didn't intervene when Saddam was massacring Shiites with US approval after the first Gulf war, that's the core of the army.
The figure who is most disliked by the Iranians is of course Muqtada al-Sadr, for the same reason he's disliked by the Americans – he's independent.
If you read the American press, you'd think his first name was renegade or something, it's always the "renegade cleric" or the "radical cleric" or something - that's the phrase that means he's independent, he has popular support and he doesn't favour occupation.
Well, the Iranian government doesn't like him for the same reason. So, they [Iran] are perfectly happy to see the US institute a government that's receptive to their influence and for the Iraqi people it's a disaster.
And it'll become a worse disaster once the effects of the warlordism and tribalism and sectarianism sink in more deeply.
Watch part one of this episode of Inside USAWatch part two of this episode of Inside USA
Thursday, June 26, 2008
How Priests And Preachers Are Coming To Islam.
From: http://www.4newmuslims.org/
By: Yusuf Estes
Since my own entrance into Islam and becoming a chaplain to the Muslims throughout the country and around the world, I have encountered many more individuals who were leaders, teachers and scholars in other religions who learned about Islam and entered into it. They came from Hindus, Jews, Catholics, Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Greek and Russian Orthodox, Coptic Christians from Egypt, non-denominational churches and even scientists who had been atheists.
Why? Good question.
May I suggest to the seeker of truth do the following NINE STEPS to purification of the mind:
1.) Clean their mind, their heart and their soul real good.
2.) Clear away all the prejudices and biases
3.) Read a good translation of the meaning of the Holy Quran in a language that they can understand best. ( I recommend http://www.islamicity.com/ )
4.) Take some time.
5.) Read and reflect.
6.) Think and pray.
7.) And keep on asking the One who created you in the first place, to guide you to the truth.
8.) Keep this up for a few months. And be regular in it.
9.) Above all, do not let others who are poisoned in their thinking influence you while your are in this state of "rebirth of the soul."
The rest is between you and the Almighty Lord of the Universe. If you truly love Him, then He already Knows it and He will deal with each of us according to our hearts.
May Allah guide you on your journey to all truth. Ameen. And May He open your heart and your mind to the reality of this world and the purpose of this life, ameen.
Peace to you and Guidance from Allah the One Almighty God, Creator and Sustainer of all that exists.
Your friend,
Yusuf Estes
Chaplain Yusuf Estes
Yusuf Estes site http://www.islamtomorrow.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36Glj_FAGcw&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhzSxf9iugE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYGlVkzODpg&feature=related
http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/204/
By: Yusuf Estes
Since my own entrance into Islam and becoming a chaplain to the Muslims throughout the country and around the world, I have encountered many more individuals who were leaders, teachers and scholars in other religions who learned about Islam and entered into it. They came from Hindus, Jews, Catholics, Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Greek and Russian Orthodox, Coptic Christians from Egypt, non-denominational churches and even scientists who had been atheists.
Why? Good question.
May I suggest to the seeker of truth do the following NINE STEPS to purification of the mind:
1.) Clean their mind, their heart and their soul real good.
2.) Clear away all the prejudices and biases
3.) Read a good translation of the meaning of the Holy Quran in a language that they can understand best. ( I recommend http://www.islamicity.com/ )
4.) Take some time.
5.) Read and reflect.
6.) Think and pray.
7.) And keep on asking the One who created you in the first place, to guide you to the truth.
8.) Keep this up for a few months. And be regular in it.
9.) Above all, do not let others who are poisoned in their thinking influence you while your are in this state of "rebirth of the soul."
The rest is between you and the Almighty Lord of the Universe. If you truly love Him, then He already Knows it and He will deal with each of us according to our hearts.
May Allah guide you on your journey to all truth. Ameen. And May He open your heart and your mind to the reality of this world and the purpose of this life, ameen.
Peace to you and Guidance from Allah the One Almighty God, Creator and Sustainer of all that exists.
Your friend,
Yusuf Estes
Chaplain Yusuf Estes
Yusuf Estes site http://www.islamtomorrow.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36Glj_FAGcw&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhzSxf9iugE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYGlVkzODpg&feature=related
http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/204/
Inimitability of the Qurán and some evidences of it being from Allah (swt)
From: http://www.islamherald.com/
Excerpted from an article written by scholars from al-Azhar
..Follow us we'll show you a straight path and show you some matters which will prove that the Qur'an is God's word:
FIRST - Because it is the pinnacle of linguistic perfection. The Arabs [of Jahiliyyah] were not accustomed to its form. Their linguistic abilities were hindered by the fact that its expression was worded in the shortest of forms without loss of clear meaning [bayan].
SECOND - Its wonderful structure was unique when it comes to the beginning of verses, their termination, and the places where one stops [when rehearsing it]. This is added to a refined way of presenting truth and the true knowledge of God [`irfan]. Its beautiful word and kind insinuation, easiness of construct and correctness of ordering made the minds of the purest of desert dwellers [al-Arba'] amazed and the understanding of the masters of the tongue struck. The wisdom behind this intended differentiation in which the Qur'an was revealed was to leave no doubt for those with wit [fiTna] or give them reason to steal [by producing something like it].
THIRD - Because the Qur'an has a record of things to come. They came to pass in accordance with the way God has intended. Allah said, "you shall most certainly enter the Sacred Mosque [Mecca], if Allah pleases, in security, (some) having their heads shaved and (others) having their hair cut, you shall not fear." (Surah "The Victory", 48.27)
FOURTH - What it told about previous generations and the people of yore and it was known [to the people of Quraish] that [Mohammed] was but an illiterate who neither read nor wrote. He did not sit with teachers in schools, nor mixed with the learned. He was raised within a people who knew no book. They were naked [`arin] when it came to scientific inquiry [al-ulum al-`aqliyyah]. Allah said, "Surely this Qur'an declares to the children of Israel most of what they differ in." (Surah "The Ant", 27.76).
FIFTH - What it revealed of the secrets of those who opposed it and what they used to plot. Their deceit was revealed to the messenger of God.
SIXTH - That it included knowledge from the smallest of particles to cosmic facts the Arabs did not know in general and neither did Mohammed (peace be upon him); most important, what it included about the science of Shari`ah and how to deduce laws, the ways to logical argumentation [al-hujaj al-`aqliyyah], the wisdom one derives from the stories of yore, the matters of the hereafter and the best of manners and behavior.
SEVENTH - It is free of contradiction despite the fact that it isa large book which includes many facts and various arts. "If it were from any other than Allah, they would have found in it many a discrepancy." (Surah "The Women", 4.82)
EIGHTH - It is a living miracle for it is read everywhere inuniformity, and God has promised to protect it. It is an established argument that, in contrast to other prophets whose miracles disappeared with them, the Qur'an is Mohammed's eternal miracle.
NINTH - Those who read it are not tired of it. Those who hear it are not bothered by it. And those who rehearse it fall in love with it.
TENTH - It includes both proof and proven. Those who understand the meaning know how to derive proof and how to find religious dictum at the same time when they consider both the way it is read and the way it is understood. It is conciseness of words [balaghah] which proves its miraculous character. It is with meaning that one finds God's order and His warning. Learning it by heart [hifdh] has been made easy. The fear that comes to the heart when hearing it and the humbleness that surrounds those reading it are beyond description.
Excerpted from an article written by scholars from al-Azhar
..Follow us we'll show you a straight path and show you some matters which will prove that the Qur'an is God's word:
FIRST - Because it is the pinnacle of linguistic perfection. The Arabs [of Jahiliyyah] were not accustomed to its form. Their linguistic abilities were hindered by the fact that its expression was worded in the shortest of forms without loss of clear meaning [bayan].
SECOND - Its wonderful structure was unique when it comes to the beginning of verses, their termination, and the places where one stops [when rehearsing it]. This is added to a refined way of presenting truth and the true knowledge of God [`irfan]. Its beautiful word and kind insinuation, easiness of construct and correctness of ordering made the minds of the purest of desert dwellers [al-Arba'] amazed and the understanding of the masters of the tongue struck. The wisdom behind this intended differentiation in which the Qur'an was revealed was to leave no doubt for those with wit [fiTna] or give them reason to steal [by producing something like it].
THIRD - Because the Qur'an has a record of things to come. They came to pass in accordance with the way God has intended. Allah said, "you shall most certainly enter the Sacred Mosque [Mecca], if Allah pleases, in security, (some) having their heads shaved and (others) having their hair cut, you shall not fear." (Surah "The Victory", 48.27)
FOURTH - What it told about previous generations and the people of yore and it was known [to the people of Quraish] that [Mohammed] was but an illiterate who neither read nor wrote. He did not sit with teachers in schools, nor mixed with the learned. He was raised within a people who knew no book. They were naked [`arin] when it came to scientific inquiry [al-ulum al-`aqliyyah]. Allah said, "Surely this Qur'an declares to the children of Israel most of what they differ in." (Surah "The Ant", 27.76).
FIFTH - What it revealed of the secrets of those who opposed it and what they used to plot. Their deceit was revealed to the messenger of God.
SIXTH - That it included knowledge from the smallest of particles to cosmic facts the Arabs did not know in general and neither did Mohammed (peace be upon him); most important, what it included about the science of Shari`ah and how to deduce laws, the ways to logical argumentation [al-hujaj al-`aqliyyah], the wisdom one derives from the stories of yore, the matters of the hereafter and the best of manners and behavior.
SEVENTH - It is free of contradiction despite the fact that it isa large book which includes many facts and various arts. "If it were from any other than Allah, they would have found in it many a discrepancy." (Surah "The Women", 4.82)
EIGHTH - It is a living miracle for it is read everywhere inuniformity, and God has promised to protect it. It is an established argument that, in contrast to other prophets whose miracles disappeared with them, the Qur'an is Mohammed's eternal miracle.
NINTH - Those who read it are not tired of it. Those who hear it are not bothered by it. And those who rehearse it fall in love with it.
TENTH - It includes both proof and proven. Those who understand the meaning know how to derive proof and how to find religious dictum at the same time when they consider both the way it is read and the way it is understood. It is conciseness of words [balaghah] which proves its miraculous character. It is with meaning that one finds God's order and His warning. Learning it by heart [hifdh] has been made easy. The fear that comes to the heart when hearing it and the humbleness that surrounds those reading it are beyond description.
Tim Russert's son: Sometimes he'd interview me
From: www.cns.com
Luke Russert says he learned of his father's death while he was in Italy
He thanks family, friends for helping him get through trying times
Politics "was just something that I always grew up around," he says
He says it "felt great" to vote for the first time, urges young people to get involved
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Luke Russert, son of journalist Tim Russert, was part of a panel Wednesday that discussed youth voting on CNN's "Larry King Live."
Luke Russert says dinner table political discussions were part of his upbringing.
Besides the youth vote, Russert discussed his father's death, his upbringing and his own future in journalism and political commentary.
Tim Russert, 58, was the host of NBC's "Meet the Press" and one of America's leading political journalists. He died of a heart attack after collapsing at the network's Washington bureau on June 13.
The following is an edited version of the show's transcript. Watch video of the discussion »
Larry King: How did you learn of your dad's passing?
Luke Russert: I was in Florence, and I was at an Italian sports bar watching the Italy versus Romania game, and I got a call from my dad's secretary that said he had fainted, and could I get in touch with my mother.
Luckily, I was right across the street from the hotel where my mom was. I ran up to her room and said, "Dad has fainted." And we kind of learned in increments of what exactly happened.
So it was basically about a half-hour after first hearing that he fainted that we actually knew he collapsed and had a heart attack. And at first, I was upset that I was so far away and removed. And I really wanted to be there.
But in reality, it was really a blessing to be an ocean away, because it allowed my mother and me to have some real private time to collect our thoughts, to grieve in private, and not be inundated with all the media coverage and all the phone calls.
So, you know, it was something that -- it was difficult, but to have that little cocoon, I think my mother and I really used it to our benefit.
King: Must have been a long flight back.
Russert: It was. It was a long nine-hour flight. But my mother has been so strong through this. And my family has been there for me every step of the way. My girlfriend has been wonderful. So I can't thank everybody enough. And obviously this happened, but it has made it a lot easier to have such good friends at NBC and all through Washington and my family personally.
King: Were you brought up talking politics?
Russert: I was. It was always something that was always talked around the dinner table with my father and my mother from a very young age. One of my earliest memories is being a young toddler and remembering Ronald Reagan's face on television. My dad was watching a press conference, most likely at that time on CNN.
And it was just something that I always grew up around. And we also talked a lot of sports. We talked a lot of culture. But politics was something that I guess has been engrained in me at a very, very young age.
King: Did he pick the brains of you and your friends?
Russert: He did. We would actually have some fun discussions where I would assume the role of who his guest would be on Sunday and try to answer the questions that he threw at me. And sometimes, if I could answer a question pretty well, he'd say, "That question's too easy, I've got to get rid of it."
So sometimes, I was a guinea pig for politicians. But it was a lot of fun. I enjoyed doing it. And he would also pick the brains of some of my friends. Some did pretty well, and some didn't. But he was always kind to all of us.
King: When did you first vote?
Russert: I first voted when I was 18, which would have been 2004. And I registered at the same time I registered for the Selective Service, which I think they do here in the District of Columbia. So I've been a registered voter since 2004, and that's the first time I cast an official ballot.
King: How did it feel to vote?
Russert: It felt great. It kind of felt like you became a man or at least an adult in some capacity. That your decision -- your decision -- became part of the country and its leadership. And I'll never forget the way I voted was I was in college my freshman year, 2004, so I had to go by absentee ballot. And I was going to meet my father in South Bend, Indiana, for the Notre Dame/Boston College game.
And I said, "Dad, I'd rather you bring the ballot personally so it doesn't have to go through the mail, send it up to me in Boston." So he brought the ballot, and I filled out my absentee ballot in a South Bend, Indiana, hotel room, and he brought it back and put it right in the FedEx for me.
King: We have an e-mail question for you from David in Cary, North Carolina. "Luke, my condolences," it said. "You've shown great strength and character in recent days. Any chance we'll see you reporting or doing commentary about the 2008 election?"
Russert: Oh yes, you just might. It's something that I'm definitely interested in. I think that I will probably be part of the peacock network. But you never know. I still have the sports show on XM Radio and Carville, and I kind of go into politics. But I wouldn't mind.
King: What if CNN made a bid for you?
Russert: I'd be your assistant, Larry?
King: You got it. You could come to work for us. I think I can speak for management. In fact, they'll probably talk to you tomorrow based on just how well you're handling yourself tonight.
Russert: Well, I appreciate it. Everyone has been so kind. I'd love to have the opportunity to come out here and talk about something that is important to me. And it was important to my father, which was young people getting involved. That really is the important issue tonight. Not me. That's important.
Blogger comment:
1- Tim Russert was loved by every one. I can barely add anything that can be new. I enjoyed listening to his political team of friends from MSNBC and other media avenues in remembering him. A great guy in his life and death.
2- One thing you learn from the American system that you can go up all the way if you are a talented, hard worker and sincere person as Tim did.
3- He was leading us in the new movement of change. His great enthusiasm is inspirational.
4- It is amazing how good people born to different mothers and from very different background identify well with each other.
5- No doubt I will miss him. Nothing more enjoyable in a Sunday morning than Tim Russart Meet the Press and a cup of Duncan Donut coffee, may be except for the Sunday Church Prayer for our Christan friends.
6- My condolence to his son Luke Russert and the family and to the MSNBC network from the home based politician Maged Taman.
Luke Russert says he learned of his father's death while he was in Italy
He thanks family, friends for helping him get through trying times
Politics "was just something that I always grew up around," he says
He says it "felt great" to vote for the first time, urges young people to get involved
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Luke Russert, son of journalist Tim Russert, was part of a panel Wednesday that discussed youth voting on CNN's "Larry King Live."
Luke Russert says dinner table political discussions were part of his upbringing.
Besides the youth vote, Russert discussed his father's death, his upbringing and his own future in journalism and political commentary.
Tim Russert, 58, was the host of NBC's "Meet the Press" and one of America's leading political journalists. He died of a heart attack after collapsing at the network's Washington bureau on June 13.
The following is an edited version of the show's transcript. Watch video of the discussion »
Larry King: How did you learn of your dad's passing?
Luke Russert: I was in Florence, and I was at an Italian sports bar watching the Italy versus Romania game, and I got a call from my dad's secretary that said he had fainted, and could I get in touch with my mother.
Luckily, I was right across the street from the hotel where my mom was. I ran up to her room and said, "Dad has fainted." And we kind of learned in increments of what exactly happened.
So it was basically about a half-hour after first hearing that he fainted that we actually knew he collapsed and had a heart attack. And at first, I was upset that I was so far away and removed. And I really wanted to be there.
But in reality, it was really a blessing to be an ocean away, because it allowed my mother and me to have some real private time to collect our thoughts, to grieve in private, and not be inundated with all the media coverage and all the phone calls.
So, you know, it was something that -- it was difficult, but to have that little cocoon, I think my mother and I really used it to our benefit.
King: Must have been a long flight back.
Russert: It was. It was a long nine-hour flight. But my mother has been so strong through this. And my family has been there for me every step of the way. My girlfriend has been wonderful. So I can't thank everybody enough. And obviously this happened, but it has made it a lot easier to have such good friends at NBC and all through Washington and my family personally.
King: Were you brought up talking politics?
Russert: I was. It was always something that was always talked around the dinner table with my father and my mother from a very young age. One of my earliest memories is being a young toddler and remembering Ronald Reagan's face on television. My dad was watching a press conference, most likely at that time on CNN.
And it was just something that I always grew up around. And we also talked a lot of sports. We talked a lot of culture. But politics was something that I guess has been engrained in me at a very, very young age.
King: Did he pick the brains of you and your friends?
Russert: He did. We would actually have some fun discussions where I would assume the role of who his guest would be on Sunday and try to answer the questions that he threw at me. And sometimes, if I could answer a question pretty well, he'd say, "That question's too easy, I've got to get rid of it."
So sometimes, I was a guinea pig for politicians. But it was a lot of fun. I enjoyed doing it. And he would also pick the brains of some of my friends. Some did pretty well, and some didn't. But he was always kind to all of us.
King: When did you first vote?
Russert: I first voted when I was 18, which would have been 2004. And I registered at the same time I registered for the Selective Service, which I think they do here in the District of Columbia. So I've been a registered voter since 2004, and that's the first time I cast an official ballot.
King: How did it feel to vote?
Russert: It felt great. It kind of felt like you became a man or at least an adult in some capacity. That your decision -- your decision -- became part of the country and its leadership. And I'll never forget the way I voted was I was in college my freshman year, 2004, so I had to go by absentee ballot. And I was going to meet my father in South Bend, Indiana, for the Notre Dame/Boston College game.
And I said, "Dad, I'd rather you bring the ballot personally so it doesn't have to go through the mail, send it up to me in Boston." So he brought the ballot, and I filled out my absentee ballot in a South Bend, Indiana, hotel room, and he brought it back and put it right in the FedEx for me.
King: We have an e-mail question for you from David in Cary, North Carolina. "Luke, my condolences," it said. "You've shown great strength and character in recent days. Any chance we'll see you reporting or doing commentary about the 2008 election?"
Russert: Oh yes, you just might. It's something that I'm definitely interested in. I think that I will probably be part of the peacock network. But you never know. I still have the sports show on XM Radio and Carville, and I kind of go into politics. But I wouldn't mind.
King: What if CNN made a bid for you?
Russert: I'd be your assistant, Larry?
King: You got it. You could come to work for us. I think I can speak for management. In fact, they'll probably talk to you tomorrow based on just how well you're handling yourself tonight.
Russert: Well, I appreciate it. Everyone has been so kind. I'd love to have the opportunity to come out here and talk about something that is important to me. And it was important to my father, which was young people getting involved. That really is the important issue tonight. Not me. That's important.
Blogger comment:
1- Tim Russert was loved by every one. I can barely add anything that can be new. I enjoyed listening to his political team of friends from MSNBC and other media avenues in remembering him. A great guy in his life and death.
2- One thing you learn from the American system that you can go up all the way if you are a talented, hard worker and sincere person as Tim did.
3- He was leading us in the new movement of change. His great enthusiasm is inspirational.
4- It is amazing how good people born to different mothers and from very different background identify well with each other.
5- No doubt I will miss him. Nothing more enjoyable in a Sunday morning than Tim Russart Meet the Press and a cup of Duncan Donut coffee, may be except for the Sunday Church Prayer for our Christan friends.
6- My condolence to his son Luke Russert and the family and to the MSNBC network from the home based politician Maged Taman.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Contradictions In The Quran: Virgin Mary Was A Sister Of Aaron?
By: Maged Taman
Question:
Mary addressed as Sister of Aaron(P) is a contradiction. Below is the verse:At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said: "O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought! "O sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!" [Qur'an 19:27-28]
Answer:
It turns out that Christians in Najran during the time of the Prophet(P) raised a similar objection and it was answered by the Prophet(P). In Sahih Muslim, the hadith related by Mughirah ibn Shu`bah [5326] says:When I came to Najran, they (the Christians of Najran) asked me: You read "O sister of Harun" (i.e. Maryam) in the Qur'an, whereas Moses was born much before Jesus. When I came back to Allah's Messenger(P) I asked him about that, whereupon he said: The (people of the old age) used to give names (to their persons) after the names of Apostle and pious persons who had gone before them.In the Bible, Elizabeth was called daughters of Aaron(P). Was she literally a daughter of Aaron?In the days of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest named Zechari'ah, of the division of Abi'jah; and he had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. [Luke 1:5, RSV]Or Jesus(P) was addressed as Son of David in the Bible. Was he literally Son of David(P)?And the crowds that went before him and that followed him shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" [Matthew 21:9 RSV]But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant; [Matthew 21:15 RSV]If we take that literally then it is also a contradiction in the Bible.Modified From Islamic Awarness.
Question:
Mary addressed as Sister of Aaron(P) is a contradiction. Below is the verse:At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said: "O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought! "O sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!" [Qur'an 19:27-28]
Answer:
It turns out that Christians in Najran during the time of the Prophet(P) raised a similar objection and it was answered by the Prophet(P). In Sahih Muslim, the hadith related by Mughirah ibn Shu`bah [5326] says:When I came to Najran, they (the Christians of Najran) asked me: You read "O sister of Harun" (i.e. Maryam) in the Qur'an, whereas Moses was born much before Jesus. When I came back to Allah's Messenger(P) I asked him about that, whereupon he said: The (people of the old age) used to give names (to their persons) after the names of Apostle and pious persons who had gone before them.In the Bible, Elizabeth was called daughters of Aaron(P). Was she literally a daughter of Aaron?In the days of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest named Zechari'ah, of the division of Abi'jah; and he had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. [Luke 1:5, RSV]Or Jesus(P) was addressed as Son of David in the Bible. Was he literally Son of David(P)?And the crowds that went before him and that followed him shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" [Matthew 21:9 RSV]But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant; [Matthew 21:15 RSV]If we take that literally then it is also a contradiction in the Bible.Modified From Islamic Awarness.
Contradictions In The Quran: Prophets And Kings In Israel Before The Time Of Moses?
By: Maged Taman
Question:
Prophets and Kings in Israel before the time of Moses?The Qur'an states:Remember Moses said to his people: "O my people! Call in remembrance the favour of Allah unto you, when He produced prophets among you, made you kings, and gave you what He had not given to any other among the peoples." [Sura 5:20]There are two options how to understand this verse. Both lead to serious historical errors.Either, Muhammad was looking back at the whole history of Israel with all their prophets and kings when putting these words into the mouth of Moses.Moses himself could never have said it this way, because Israel only became a distinctive "people" during their time in Egypt (and most of this time, they were slaves to the Egyptians). They became a separate nation in their own right in the time of Moses by God's act of liberating them, leading them out of Egypt, and giving them a "constitution" through his covenant with them at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19-23).Moses was the first prophet from among Israel; and Israel's first king, Saul, would begin his reign about 400 years after Moses.Therefore, at the time Moses was standing before the people of Israel there had not yet been any prophets or kings from among them that he could call their remembrance to.This is, therefore, another historical compression in the Qur'an and a clear contradiction to history as documented in the Bible.Muhammad had heard of many kings and prophets in Israel, but was not clear about their historical succession, so that his ignorance lead to this historical error in the Qur'an.Another option would be that Muhammad reformulated whatever he had heard about Exodus 19 where it is stated:Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, "This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Althought the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites." [Ex. 19:3-6]Several observations: First, the people of Israel were never offered to all become kings (as the verse in the Qur'an seems to say). No, they should become priests, a kingdom of priests, but it is God's kingdom, where the Lord only is their king. Second, there is no mention of prophets in that passage. Third, and most important, the Israelites became disobedient very fast, and therefore not all of Israel became priests, only one family, the descendents of Aaron, received the priesthood, while the tribe of Levi (one of twelve tribes) would be servants for other religious and temple duties. This offer and promise of "all Israel a kingdom of priests" did not become reality.I am not aware of any passage in the Torah or the other parts of the Jewish scriptures where all Israelites are called kings. In the contrary, at the end of Moses' life, in Deuteronomy 17:14-20 God PREDICTS that in the FUTURE Israel will ask for a king then and tells Moses in advance what the people are to do in that case. Not one of them was a king at the time of Moses.If Muhammad refered to this passage, instead of thinking about the whole of Israelite history, then he also messed it up considerably, both in content and regarding the time frame, because in the Torah, it is an offer for the future (which did not become reality), while in the Qur'an it is a call to rememberance of what Allah has supposedly already given them (however he never did, because of their disobedience).In any case, whatever its exact meaning, the verse in the Qur'an is historically wrong. Can we really maintain the claim that the author of this quranic confusion is the one true God?
Answer:
Very Simple Israelites name is coming from Jacob (Israel) son of Isacc who is the son of Abraham. They were a nation under oppression after Joseph brought them to Egypt. GOD Almighty said in Exodus 19:3-6: "Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, "This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites." Thus it was a promise from God in the exodus 19:3-6 that is told again in the Quran in verse 5:20. It is actually followed by verse 5:21 which is very well linked to their kingdom which in the the promised land.
5:20 Remember Moses said to his people: "O my people! Call in remembrance the favour of Allah unto you, when He produced prophets among you, made you kings, and gave you what He had not given to any other among the peoples.وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَى لِقَوْمِهِ يَا قَوْمِ اذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَةَ اللّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ جَعَلَ فِيكُمْ أَنبِيَاء وَجَعَلَكُم مُّلُوكًا وَآتَاكُم مَّا لَمْ يُؤْتِ أَحَدًا مِّن الْعَالَمِينَ
5:21 "O my people! Enter the holy land which Allah hath assigned unto you, and turn not back ignominiously, for then will ye be overthrown, to your own ruin."يَا قَوْمِ ادْخُلُوا الأَرْضَ المُقَدَّسَةَ الَّتِي كَتَبَ اللّهُ لَكُمْ وَلاَ تَرْتَدُّوا عَلَى أَدْبَارِكُمْ فَتَنقَلِبُوا خَاسِرِينَ
If you notice in the Quran God promise is in the past tense (if God say it it is done). As in the Quran "kon fi koun" (means to be and it is done) God can say "it will be done or it is done". All the future for us is a past for him. That is what prophecies all about. When Jesus (Messiah Ben David) reign from Jerusalem he will be their last king. Muslims and Jews should work to have peace awaiting his second coming.
Question:
Prophets and Kings in Israel before the time of Moses?The Qur'an states:Remember Moses said to his people: "O my people! Call in remembrance the favour of Allah unto you, when He produced prophets among you, made you kings, and gave you what He had not given to any other among the peoples." [Sura 5:20]There are two options how to understand this verse. Both lead to serious historical errors.Either, Muhammad was looking back at the whole history of Israel with all their prophets and kings when putting these words into the mouth of Moses.Moses himself could never have said it this way, because Israel only became a distinctive "people" during their time in Egypt (and most of this time, they were slaves to the Egyptians). They became a separate nation in their own right in the time of Moses by God's act of liberating them, leading them out of Egypt, and giving them a "constitution" through his covenant with them at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19-23).Moses was the first prophet from among Israel; and Israel's first king, Saul, would begin his reign about 400 years after Moses.Therefore, at the time Moses was standing before the people of Israel there had not yet been any prophets or kings from among them that he could call their remembrance to.This is, therefore, another historical compression in the Qur'an and a clear contradiction to history as documented in the Bible.Muhammad had heard of many kings and prophets in Israel, but was not clear about their historical succession, so that his ignorance lead to this historical error in the Qur'an.Another option would be that Muhammad reformulated whatever he had heard about Exodus 19 where it is stated:Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, "This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Althought the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites." [Ex. 19:3-6]Several observations: First, the people of Israel were never offered to all become kings (as the verse in the Qur'an seems to say). No, they should become priests, a kingdom of priests, but it is God's kingdom, where the Lord only is their king. Second, there is no mention of prophets in that passage. Third, and most important, the Israelites became disobedient very fast, and therefore not all of Israel became priests, only one family, the descendents of Aaron, received the priesthood, while the tribe of Levi (one of twelve tribes) would be servants for other religious and temple duties. This offer and promise of "all Israel a kingdom of priests" did not become reality.I am not aware of any passage in the Torah or the other parts of the Jewish scriptures where all Israelites are called kings. In the contrary, at the end of Moses' life, in Deuteronomy 17:14-20 God PREDICTS that in the FUTURE Israel will ask for a king then and tells Moses in advance what the people are to do in that case. Not one of them was a king at the time of Moses.If Muhammad refered to this passage, instead of thinking about the whole of Israelite history, then he also messed it up considerably, both in content and regarding the time frame, because in the Torah, it is an offer for the future (which did not become reality), while in the Qur'an it is a call to rememberance of what Allah has supposedly already given them (however he never did, because of their disobedience).In any case, whatever its exact meaning, the verse in the Qur'an is historically wrong. Can we really maintain the claim that the author of this quranic confusion is the one true God?
Answer:
Very Simple Israelites name is coming from Jacob (Israel) son of Isacc who is the son of Abraham. They were a nation under oppression after Joseph brought them to Egypt. GOD Almighty said in Exodus 19:3-6: "Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, "This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites." Thus it was a promise from God in the exodus 19:3-6 that is told again in the Quran in verse 5:20. It is actually followed by verse 5:21 which is very well linked to their kingdom which in the the promised land.
5:20 Remember Moses said to his people: "O my people! Call in remembrance the favour of Allah unto you, when He produced prophets among you, made you kings, and gave you what He had not given to any other among the peoples.وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَى لِقَوْمِهِ يَا قَوْمِ اذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَةَ اللّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ جَعَلَ فِيكُمْ أَنبِيَاء وَجَعَلَكُم مُّلُوكًا وَآتَاكُم مَّا لَمْ يُؤْتِ أَحَدًا مِّن الْعَالَمِينَ
5:21 "O my people! Enter the holy land which Allah hath assigned unto you, and turn not back ignominiously, for then will ye be overthrown, to your own ruin."يَا قَوْمِ ادْخُلُوا الأَرْضَ المُقَدَّسَةَ الَّتِي كَتَبَ اللّهُ لَكُمْ وَلاَ تَرْتَدُّوا عَلَى أَدْبَارِكُمْ فَتَنقَلِبُوا خَاسِرِينَ
If you notice in the Quran God promise is in the past tense (if God say it it is done). As in the Quran "kon fi koun" (means to be and it is done) God can say "it will be done or it is done". All the future for us is a past for him. That is what prophecies all about. When Jesus (Messiah Ben David) reign from Jerusalem he will be their last king. Muslims and Jews should work to have peace awaiting his second coming.
Contradictions In The Quran: Many Messengers In Noah Time?
By: Maged Taman
Question:
Many messengers in Noah's time?Who were the messengers that Noah's people rejected (25:37, 26:105)?According to the Bible there were no other righteous people around at the time of Noah and his family was the only one that was saved from the Flood. And the Qur'an agrees that only Noah's family was saved.But it speaks of several Messengers in the above verses, none of which is then mentioned but Noah himself. And it seems that these messengers are then drowned too, just as everybody else. Or are we to assume that these messengers were his family?
Answer:
All prophets having the same message of worshiping one God and have the people to follow the righteous way of God and avoid the evil. If Noah says to his people to follow the prophets it could be those before him or all of them over human history. The last is the most likely since all prophets came with same message of submission to Islam. Similarly when I say today to people to follow Moses, Jesus and Muhammad same message of worshiping God, justice, ten commandments... does it mean that they are alive today. In fact verse 26: 105 is followed by verse 26:106 that it indicates he is one messenger Noah. Thus disbelieving him is the same like they disbelieved all prophets.
25:37 And [think of] the people of Noah: when they gave the lie to [one of] the apostles, We caused them to drown, and made them a symbol for all mankind: for, grievous suffering have We readied for all who [knowingly] do wrong!
وَقَوْمَ نُوحٍ لَّمَّا كَذَّبُوا الرُّسُلَ أَغْرَقْنَاهُمْ وَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ لِلنَّاسِ آيَةً وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا
26:105 The people of Noah [too] gave the lie to [one of God’s] message-bearers
كَذَّبَتْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ الْمُرْسَلِينَ
Question:
Many messengers in Noah's time?Who were the messengers that Noah's people rejected (25:37, 26:105)?According to the Bible there were no other righteous people around at the time of Noah and his family was the only one that was saved from the Flood. And the Qur'an agrees that only Noah's family was saved.But it speaks of several Messengers in the above verses, none of which is then mentioned but Noah himself. And it seems that these messengers are then drowned too, just as everybody else. Or are we to assume that these messengers were his family?
Answer:
All prophets having the same message of worshiping one God and have the people to follow the righteous way of God and avoid the evil. If Noah says to his people to follow the prophets it could be those before him or all of them over human history. The last is the most likely since all prophets came with same message of submission to Islam. Similarly when I say today to people to follow Moses, Jesus and Muhammad same message of worshiping God, justice, ten commandments... does it mean that they are alive today. In fact verse 26: 105 is followed by verse 26:106 that it indicates he is one messenger Noah. Thus disbelieving him is the same like they disbelieved all prophets.
25:37 And [think of] the people of Noah: when they gave the lie to [one of] the apostles, We caused them to drown, and made them a symbol for all mankind: for, grievous suffering have We readied for all who [knowingly] do wrong!
وَقَوْمَ نُوحٍ لَّمَّا كَذَّبُوا الرُّسُلَ أَغْرَقْنَاهُمْ وَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ لِلنَّاسِ آيَةً وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا
26:105 The people of Noah [too] gave the lie to [one of God’s] message-bearers
كَذَّبَتْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ الْمُرْسَلِينَ
26:106 when their brother Noah said unto them: “Will you not be conscious of God?
إِذْ قَالَ لَهُمْ أَخُوهُمْ نُوحٌ أَلَا تَتَّقُونَ (26:106)
26:107 Behold, I am an apostle [sent by Him] to you, [and therefore] worthy of your trust:
إِنِّي لَكُمْ رَسُولٌ أَمِينٌ (26:107)
26:108 be, then, conscious of God, and pay heed unto me!
فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ (26:108)
26:109 “And no reward whatever do I ask of you for it: my reward rests with none but the Sustainer of all the worlds.
وَمَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ إِنْ أَجْرِيَ إِلَّا عَلَى رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ (26:109)
Contradictions In Quran: Israel's Response To The Covenant?
By: Maged Taman
Question:
The Quran erroneously states that when God made a covenant with Israel through Moses, the people responded by saying that they disobey:
There came to you Moses with clear (Signs); yet ye worshipped the calf (Even) after that, and ye did behave wrongfully. And remember We took your covenant and We raised above you (the towering height) of Mount (Sinai): (Saying): "Hold firmly to what We have given you, and hearken (to the Law)": They said: "We hear, and WE DISOBEY:" And they had to drink into their hearts (of the taint) of the calf because of their Faithlessness. Say: "Vile indeed are the behests of your Faith if ye have any faith!" S. 2:92-93 Y. Ali
God’s true Word, the Holy Bible, teaches otherwise:"When Moses went and told the people all the LORD's words and laws, they responded with one voice, ‘Everything the LORD has said we will do.’ Moses then wrote down everything the LORD had said. He got up early the next morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel. Then he sent young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as fellowship offerings to the LORD. Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he sprinkled on the altar. Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, ‘We will do everything the LORD has said; WE WILL OBEY.’ Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, ‘This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.’" Exodus 24:3-8
This is reiterated here:"‘Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.’ Then the people answered, ‘Far be it from us to forsake the LORD to serve other gods! It was the LORD our God himself who brought us and our fathers up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. And the LORD drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the LORD, because he is our God.’ Joshua said to the people, ‘You are not able to serve the LORD. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you.’ But the people said to Joshua, ‘No! We will serve the LORD.’ Then Joshua said, ‘You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the LORD.’ ‘Yes, we are witnesses,’ they replied. ‘Now then,’ said Joshua, ‘throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel.’ And the people said to Joshua, ‘We will serve the LORD our God AND OBEY HIM.’ On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and there at Shechem he drew up for them decrees and laws. And Joshua recorded these things in the Book of the Law of God. Then he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak near the holy place of the LORD. ‘See!’ he said to all the people. ‘This stone will be a witness against us. It has heard all the words the LORD has said to us. It will be a witness against you if you are untrue to your God.’" Joshua 24:14-27
Regardless whether one holds to or rejects the inspiration of the Holy Bible, there is one fact which even liberal critical scholarship wouldn’t contest or disagree with; the Pentateuch and the book of Joshua were written much closer in time to the events of the Exodus and the conquest of Canaan. These documents are therefore more reliable than the Quran, which comes roughly two thousand and one hundred (2100) years after the time of Israel’s Exodus.The Pentateuch and Joshua are also the official historical documents that the Jews have always turned to in regards to their origin and sacred history, not the Quran. And who would be better qualified to know the history of Israel than the Israelites themselves? Even the Quran itself exhorts Muslims to turn to the Jews when seeking information regarding Israel’s sacred history:And verily We gave unto Moses nine tokens, clear proofs (of Allah's Sovereignty). Do but ask the Children of Israel how he came unto them, then Pharaoh said unto him: Lo! I deem thee one bewitched, O Moses. S. 17:101 PickthallThus, when the Quran disagrees with the Pentateuch in regards to Israel’s history, the Quran is in error, a point which cannot be debated on historical or logical grounds.There is an additional error within the Quran relating to this subject. It seems that Muhammad was receiving information from the Jews who were actually twisting and distorting their sacred history without him realizing it until it was too late. Note again the wording of surah 2:93:And when We made a covenant with you and raised the mountain over you: Take hold of what We have given you with firmness and be obedient. They said: We hear and disobey (samiAAna waAAasayna). And they were made to imbibe (the love of) the calf into their hearts on account of their unbelief Say: Evil is that which your belief bids you if you are believers. ShakirAnd now compare this with the following verse:Of the Jews there are those who displace words from their (right) places, and say: "We hear and we disobey (samiAAna waAAasayna)"; and "Hear what is not Heard"; and "Ra'ina"; with a twist of their tongues and a slander to Faith. If only they had said: "What hear and we obey"; and "Do hear"; and "Do look at us"; it would have been better for them, and more proper; but God hath cursed them for their Unbelief; and but few of them will believe. S. 4:46 Pickthall
The statement in the latter passage, i.e. who displace words from their (right) places, and say ..., implies that Muhammad became aware that the Jews had lied to him regarding what was actually written in the Bible regarding Israel’s acceptance of the covenant. Yet, it was too late for Muhammad to do anything about it since he had already uttered the words of surah 2:93 to the Jews, claiming that these were revelation from Allah. He could not, therefore, recant his position without causing further embarrassment. As noted Christian Apologist John Gilchrist writes:Whereas the Meccans had simply ridiculed his message and generally resorted to sheer abuse of their kinsman, the Jews were able to trace many of these teachings to their own folklore and produce more damaging evidence against him. As Muhammad could not read their scriptures they were able to constantly provoke him with their knowledge and often frustrated him with subtle twists of phrases which he could not immediately detect but which entertained the Jewish bystanders. For example, Exodus 24.7 states that the Jews at Sinai answered Moses "All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient", but in the Qur'an we discover that the Jews, when commanded to hearken to God's Law on the Mount, allegedly answered "We hear and we disobey" (Surah 2.93). Muhammad later discovered that his informants had subtly misled him on this point and the Qur'an duly censures them for this particular deception:Of the Jews there are those who displace words from their (right) place and say: "We hear and we disobey". Surah 4.46It was too late, however, to rectify the unfortunate error that they had succeeded in introducing into the text of the Qur'an. As Muir continues, "Mahomet evidently smarted at this period under the attacks of the Jews" (The Life of Mahomet, p. 179). Other authors comment in a similar vein:It was not that the Jews refused to recognise Muhammad as a prophet, nor even that they engaged in political intrigue against him, serious as such attitudes and actions were. Much more serious was the Jewish attack on the ideational basis of Muhammad's preaching. It had been claimed that the Qur'an was a message from God and thus inerrant; and it had also been claimed that there was a large measure of identity between the Qur'anic message and what was to be found in the previous scriptures. If the Jews, then, maintained that there were errors and false statements in the Qur'an (because it disagreed with their Bible) and that therefore it could not be a message from God, they were threatening to destroy the foundations of Muhammad's whole religious movement. (Watt, What is Islam?, p. 102).(Source: www.answering-islam.org/Gilchrist/Vol1/1c.html)If a Muslim rejects the connection between surahs 2:93 and 4:46, he is still left with this problem: the Quran is wrong about the response of the Israelites to God regarding obeying the covenant. That they failed to live up to the covenant stipulations is a given, but this is different from claiming that they vocally disavowed to obey the covenant of God.
Answer:
Very simple, if my father told me before going away I do not want you to drive my car. I could told him yes and in my heart I could said I will drive it when you are out of town. In verse 2:92 Moses got signs to prove to the Israelites the God of Israel and they worshipped the calf after that. In verse 2:93 The same happened with the law they heared it and many in their hearts disobeyed like they did with the calf.
I can guess it is their hearts were disobeying at that time they vowed to follow the laws, since God mention after that of their drinking into their hearts the calf they worshiped after they saw all the signs that were shown to them and the Egyptians. for the records, Those are different from a lot of Jews I met in America.
Another thing for the records would you really think Muhammad (PBUH) believed in this very powerful God of Israel and in the same time would invent the verses of the Quran and say it is from the God of Israel (give me a break).
Many Christians scholars do not consider the Quran a historic document which is true if it is not from God.
2:92 There came to you Moses with clear (Signs); yet ye worshipped the calf (Even) after that, and ye did behave wrongfully. وَلَقَدْ جَاءكُم مُّوسَى بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ ثُمَّ اتَّخَذْتُمُ الْعِجْلَ مِن بَعْدِهِ وَأَنتُمْ ظَالِمُونَ
2:93 And remember We took your covenant and We raised above you (the towering height) of Mount (Sinai): (Saying): "Hold firmly to what We have given you, and hearken (to the Law)": They said:" We hear, and we disobey:" And they had to drink into their hearts (of the taint) of the calf because of their Faithlessness. Say: "Vile indeed are the behests of your Faith if ye have any faith!"وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَاقَكُمْ وَرَفَعْنَا فَوْقَكُمُ الطُّورَ خُذُواْ مَا آتَيْنَاكُم بِقُوَّةٍ وَاسْمَعُواْ قَالُواْ سَمِعْنَا وَعَصَيْنَا وَأُشْرِبُواْ فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ الْعِجْلَ بِكُفْرِهِمْ قُلْ بِئْسَمَا يَأْمُرُكُمْ بِهِ إِيمَانُكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ مُّؤْمِنِينَ
Question:
The Quran erroneously states that when God made a covenant with Israel through Moses, the people responded by saying that they disobey:
There came to you Moses with clear (Signs); yet ye worshipped the calf (Even) after that, and ye did behave wrongfully. And remember We took your covenant and We raised above you (the towering height) of Mount (Sinai): (Saying): "Hold firmly to what We have given you, and hearken (to the Law)": They said: "We hear, and WE DISOBEY:" And they had to drink into their hearts (of the taint) of the calf because of their Faithlessness. Say: "Vile indeed are the behests of your Faith if ye have any faith!" S. 2:92-93 Y. Ali
God’s true Word, the Holy Bible, teaches otherwise:"When Moses went and told the people all the LORD's words and laws, they responded with one voice, ‘Everything the LORD has said we will do.’ Moses then wrote down everything the LORD had said. He got up early the next morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel. Then he sent young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as fellowship offerings to the LORD. Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he sprinkled on the altar. Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, ‘We will do everything the LORD has said; WE WILL OBEY.’ Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, ‘This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.’" Exodus 24:3-8
This is reiterated here:"‘Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.’ Then the people answered, ‘Far be it from us to forsake the LORD to serve other gods! It was the LORD our God himself who brought us and our fathers up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. And the LORD drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the LORD, because he is our God.’ Joshua said to the people, ‘You are not able to serve the LORD. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you.’ But the people said to Joshua, ‘No! We will serve the LORD.’ Then Joshua said, ‘You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the LORD.’ ‘Yes, we are witnesses,’ they replied. ‘Now then,’ said Joshua, ‘throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel.’ And the people said to Joshua, ‘We will serve the LORD our God AND OBEY HIM.’ On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and there at Shechem he drew up for them decrees and laws. And Joshua recorded these things in the Book of the Law of God. Then he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak near the holy place of the LORD. ‘See!’ he said to all the people. ‘This stone will be a witness against us. It has heard all the words the LORD has said to us. It will be a witness against you if you are untrue to your God.’" Joshua 24:14-27
Regardless whether one holds to or rejects the inspiration of the Holy Bible, there is one fact which even liberal critical scholarship wouldn’t contest or disagree with; the Pentateuch and the book of Joshua were written much closer in time to the events of the Exodus and the conquest of Canaan. These documents are therefore more reliable than the Quran, which comes roughly two thousand and one hundred (2100) years after the time of Israel’s Exodus.The Pentateuch and Joshua are also the official historical documents that the Jews have always turned to in regards to their origin and sacred history, not the Quran. And who would be better qualified to know the history of Israel than the Israelites themselves? Even the Quran itself exhorts Muslims to turn to the Jews when seeking information regarding Israel’s sacred history:And verily We gave unto Moses nine tokens, clear proofs (of Allah's Sovereignty). Do but ask the Children of Israel how he came unto them, then Pharaoh said unto him: Lo! I deem thee one bewitched, O Moses. S. 17:101 PickthallThus, when the Quran disagrees with the Pentateuch in regards to Israel’s history, the Quran is in error, a point which cannot be debated on historical or logical grounds.There is an additional error within the Quran relating to this subject. It seems that Muhammad was receiving information from the Jews who were actually twisting and distorting their sacred history without him realizing it until it was too late. Note again the wording of surah 2:93:And when We made a covenant with you and raised the mountain over you: Take hold of what We have given you with firmness and be obedient. They said: We hear and disobey (samiAAna waAAasayna). And they were made to imbibe (the love of) the calf into their hearts on account of their unbelief Say: Evil is that which your belief bids you if you are believers. ShakirAnd now compare this with the following verse:Of the Jews there are those who displace words from their (right) places, and say: "We hear and we disobey (samiAAna waAAasayna)"; and "Hear what is not Heard"; and "Ra'ina"; with a twist of their tongues and a slander to Faith. If only they had said: "What hear and we obey"; and "Do hear"; and "Do look at us"; it would have been better for them, and more proper; but God hath cursed them for their Unbelief; and but few of them will believe. S. 4:46 Pickthall
The statement in the latter passage, i.e. who displace words from their (right) places, and say ..., implies that Muhammad became aware that the Jews had lied to him regarding what was actually written in the Bible regarding Israel’s acceptance of the covenant. Yet, it was too late for Muhammad to do anything about it since he had already uttered the words of surah 2:93 to the Jews, claiming that these were revelation from Allah. He could not, therefore, recant his position without causing further embarrassment. As noted Christian Apologist John Gilchrist writes:Whereas the Meccans had simply ridiculed his message and generally resorted to sheer abuse of their kinsman, the Jews were able to trace many of these teachings to their own folklore and produce more damaging evidence against him. As Muhammad could not read their scriptures they were able to constantly provoke him with their knowledge and often frustrated him with subtle twists of phrases which he could not immediately detect but which entertained the Jewish bystanders. For example, Exodus 24.7 states that the Jews at Sinai answered Moses "All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient", but in the Qur'an we discover that the Jews, when commanded to hearken to God's Law on the Mount, allegedly answered "We hear and we disobey" (Surah 2.93). Muhammad later discovered that his informants had subtly misled him on this point and the Qur'an duly censures them for this particular deception:Of the Jews there are those who displace words from their (right) place and say: "We hear and we disobey". Surah 4.46It was too late, however, to rectify the unfortunate error that they had succeeded in introducing into the text of the Qur'an. As Muir continues, "Mahomet evidently smarted at this period under the attacks of the Jews" (The Life of Mahomet, p. 179). Other authors comment in a similar vein:It was not that the Jews refused to recognise Muhammad as a prophet, nor even that they engaged in political intrigue against him, serious as such attitudes and actions were. Much more serious was the Jewish attack on the ideational basis of Muhammad's preaching. It had been claimed that the Qur'an was a message from God and thus inerrant; and it had also been claimed that there was a large measure of identity between the Qur'anic message and what was to be found in the previous scriptures. If the Jews, then, maintained that there were errors and false statements in the Qur'an (because it disagreed with their Bible) and that therefore it could not be a message from God, they were threatening to destroy the foundations of Muhammad's whole religious movement. (Watt, What is Islam?, p. 102).(Source: www.answering-islam.org/Gilchrist/Vol1/1c.html)If a Muslim rejects the connection between surahs 2:93 and 4:46, he is still left with this problem: the Quran is wrong about the response of the Israelites to God regarding obeying the covenant. That they failed to live up to the covenant stipulations is a given, but this is different from claiming that they vocally disavowed to obey the covenant of God.
Answer:
Very simple, if my father told me before going away I do not want you to drive my car. I could told him yes and in my heart I could said I will drive it when you are out of town. In verse 2:92 Moses got signs to prove to the Israelites the God of Israel and they worshipped the calf after that. In verse 2:93 The same happened with the law they heared it and many in their hearts disobeyed like they did with the calf.
I can guess it is their hearts were disobeying at that time they vowed to follow the laws, since God mention after that of their drinking into their hearts the calf they worshiped after they saw all the signs that were shown to them and the Egyptians. for the records, Those are different from a lot of Jews I met in America.
Another thing for the records would you really think Muhammad (PBUH) believed in this very powerful God of Israel and in the same time would invent the verses of the Quran and say it is from the God of Israel (give me a break).
Many Christians scholars do not consider the Quran a historic document which is true if it is not from God.
2:92 There came to you Moses with clear (Signs); yet ye worshipped the calf (Even) after that, and ye did behave wrongfully. وَلَقَدْ جَاءكُم مُّوسَى بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ ثُمَّ اتَّخَذْتُمُ الْعِجْلَ مِن بَعْدِهِ وَأَنتُمْ ظَالِمُونَ
2:93 And remember We took your covenant and We raised above you (the towering height) of Mount (Sinai): (Saying): "Hold firmly to what We have given you, and hearken (to the Law)": They said:" We hear, and we disobey:" And they had to drink into their hearts (of the taint) of the calf because of their Faithlessness. Say: "Vile indeed are the behests of your Faith if ye have any faith!"وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَاقَكُمْ وَرَفَعْنَا فَوْقَكُمُ الطُّورَ خُذُواْ مَا آتَيْنَاكُم بِقُوَّةٍ وَاسْمَعُواْ قَالُواْ سَمِعْنَا وَعَصَيْنَا وَأُشْرِبُواْ فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ الْعِجْلَ بِكُفْرِهِمْ قُلْ بِئْسَمَا يَأْمُرُكُمْ بِهِ إِيمَانُكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ مُّؤْمِنِينَ
Contradictions In The Quran: Two Young Men?
By: Maged Taman
Question:
Two young men?In the story about Joseph, we read about his imprisonment as punishment for the incident with the wife of Aziz:And there entered with him two young men in the prison. One of them said: "Verily, I saw myself (in a dream) pressing wine." The other said: "Verily, I saw myself (in a dream) carrying bread on my head and birds were eating thereof." (They said): "Inform us of the interpretation of this. Verily, we think you are one of the Muhsinûn (doers of good)." [Hilali/Khan Translation] -- Surah 12:36In Genesis 40 the story is told in detail and there we learn that those two men were the chief cupbearer and chief baker of the Pharaoh.There are two difficulties in the above ayah. First, it contradicts the Torah which in Genesis 39:19-40:3 makes clear that Joseph had been in this prison already for some considerable time before these two men were arrested and put into the same prison. The Qur'an claims they entered prison together with Joseph.Second, even though their age is not mentioned in the Bible, it is highly unlikely that these senior staff of the court of Pharaoh (chief cupbearer and chief baker) were both "youths" as the Qur'an states them to be.
Answer:
The translation is clear that Joseph and the two young men entered all the same prison. It did not state who enter first or they all entered in the same time. If the Quran mentioned they were young and the Torah did not mention their ages I do not see a point of further speculation.
My challenge is for anyone to get the best Arabic language scholars and try to make a chapter ( sura) similar to that of Joseph sura. If they would not and could not they ought to believe in Quran if they are really sincere to find out if Quran from God.
12:36 Now with him there came into the prison two young men. Said one of them: "I see myself (in a dream) pressing wine." said the other: "I see myself (in a dream) carrying bread on my head, and birds are eating, thereof." "Tell us" (they said) "The truth and meaning thereof: for we see thou art one that doth good (to all)." وَدَخَلَ مَعَهُ السِّجْنَ فَتَيَانَ قَالَ أَحَدُهُمَآ إِنِّي أَرَانِي أَعْصِرُ خَمْرًا وَقَالَ الآخَرُ إِنِّي أَرَانِي أَحْمِلُ فَوْقَ رَأْسِي خُبْزًا تَأْكُلُ الطَّيْرُ مِنْهُ نَبِّئْنَا بِتَأْوِيلِهِ إِنَّا نَرَاكَ مِنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ
Question:
Two young men?In the story about Joseph, we read about his imprisonment as punishment for the incident with the wife of Aziz:And there entered with him two young men in the prison. One of them said: "Verily, I saw myself (in a dream) pressing wine." The other said: "Verily, I saw myself (in a dream) carrying bread on my head and birds were eating thereof." (They said): "Inform us of the interpretation of this. Verily, we think you are one of the Muhsinûn (doers of good)." [Hilali/Khan Translation] -- Surah 12:36In Genesis 40 the story is told in detail and there we learn that those two men were the chief cupbearer and chief baker of the Pharaoh.There are two difficulties in the above ayah. First, it contradicts the Torah which in Genesis 39:19-40:3 makes clear that Joseph had been in this prison already for some considerable time before these two men were arrested and put into the same prison. The Qur'an claims they entered prison together with Joseph.Second, even though their age is not mentioned in the Bible, it is highly unlikely that these senior staff of the court of Pharaoh (chief cupbearer and chief baker) were both "youths" as the Qur'an states them to be.
Answer:
The translation is clear that Joseph and the two young men entered all the same prison. It did not state who enter first or they all entered in the same time. If the Quran mentioned they were young and the Torah did not mention their ages I do not see a point of further speculation.
My challenge is for anyone to get the best Arabic language scholars and try to make a chapter ( sura) similar to that of Joseph sura. If they would not and could not they ought to believe in Quran if they are really sincere to find out if Quran from God.
12:36 Now with him there came into the prison two young men. Said one of them: "I see myself (in a dream) pressing wine." said the other: "I see myself (in a dream) carrying bread on my head, and birds are eating, thereof." "Tell us" (they said) "The truth and meaning thereof: for we see thou art one that doth good (to all)." وَدَخَلَ مَعَهُ السِّجْنَ فَتَيَانَ قَالَ أَحَدُهُمَآ إِنِّي أَرَانِي أَعْصِرُ خَمْرًا وَقَالَ الآخَرُ إِنِّي أَرَانِي أَحْمِلُ فَوْقَ رَأْسِي خُبْزًا تَأْكُلُ الطَّيْرُ مِنْهُ نَبِّئْنَا بِتَأْوِيلِهِ إِنَّا نَرَاكَ مِنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ
Contradictions in the Quran: Abraham's Progeny?
By: Maged Taman
Question:
The below arrangement might look strange at first, but it is written that way to make the structure of the text clearer. Surah 6:83-89 states:83 That was the reasoning about Us,which We gave to Abraham (to use) against his people:We raise whom We will, degree after degree:for thy Lord is full of wisdom and knowledge.84 We gave him Isaac and Jacob: all (three) guided:and before him, We guided Noah,and among his progeny,David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses, and Aaron:thus do We reward those who do good:85 And Zakariya and John, and Jesus and Elias:all in the ranks of the righteous:86 And Isma'il and Elisha, and Jonas, and Lot:and to all We gave favour above the nations:87 (To them) and to their fathers, and progeny and brethren:We chose them, and we guided them to a straight way.88 This is the guidance of Allah:He giveth that guidance to whom He pleaseth, of His worshippers.If they were to join other gods with Him,all that they did would be vain for them.89 These were the men to whom We gave the Book,and authority, and prophethood:if these (their descendants) reject them,Behold! We shall entrust their charge to a new peoplewho reject them not.What is the reason to give this list of names so completely jumbled up? Arranged in the correct time line the sequence of the mentioned names of Abraham's progeny should be Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Aaron, Moses, David, Solomon, Elias, Elisha, Jonas, Zakariya, John, Jesus. However, confusion in itself is not error.Several points need to be raised about this passage.First, Lot and Job are NOT of the progeny of Abraham. Lot was a nephew of Abraham who came with him to Israel when Abraham was still without any descendants (Genesis 11:27-30, 12:4-5). Although not much is known about Job, he was from a different nation, and not part of the descendants of Abraham either. From the structure of the passage it is clearly speaking about Abraham, and all names are stated in relationship to him. Noah as one who came before him and all other names are listed as being his descendants.Furthermore, the Qur'an states in ayah 89, "these were the men to whom We gave ‘the Book’." What book is in view? Should it not rather say that each of them was given "a book" (part of God's revelation)? How can all of them be given the same book? Which book? In other passages it is said that Moses was given the Torah, David was given the Zabur, and Jesus was given the Injil. Is that each time the same "the book"?Muhammad is also given "the book". Is the Torah = Zabur = Injil = Qur'an? (Some Muslims go to the extreme of claiming that this is indeed the case.) Why is such a claim not known elsewhere and the Torah and the Psalms and the Gospel are clearly different scriptures in the possession of the People of the Book?What book was given to Zakariya, the father of John, or for that matter, to John himself? What book was given to Isma'il? All these statements contradict what is known from God's revelation in the Bible. And they even contradict the rest of the Qur'an and Muslim belief since these are not among those who have received a book (a section of the eternal tablet).A last point would be that in ayah 89 "their descendants"is not in the Arabic and not found in other translations.How come that the author of the Qur'an raises doubt whetherthose long dead people might reject? They acceptance orrejection is long established. To insert "their descendants"gets rid of a problem, but it does indeed seem strange.Since this was unclear, let me rephrase it this way:89 These were the men to whom We gave the Book,and authority, and prophethood:if these (their descendants) reject them,Behold! We shall entrust their charge to a new peoplewho reject them not.Well, the part in (...) is not in the Arabic.Who is in view as "rejecting them"? Who is "these"?Wouldn't it be natural to think that "these" in the firstand in the third line refers to the same people?That is what I was wondering about. Furthermore, even ifthe second "these" are not the same but their descendantsor the people around them, all those were dead already forhundreds or thousands of years, why does the Qur'an say"if" as if it were uncertain, or a real possibility?Either they did or they didn't, but what is uncertainabout the events of the past?Or do I completely misunderstand what the verse istrying to say? Did they or did they not reject?It would make sense to say "because they rejected them,therefore we shall entrust the message to a new people".What is the "question/uncertainty" about in this verse?Response:Ah yes, ok. Well, there "these" refers to the Jews. I thinkthat's what is means by "their descendants". As you know,the Quran says that because the Jews rejected the messageof Mohammad they rejected the message of their fathers andthe Torah.As for the "if", it's rhetorical.I find no problem in this verse, the meaning is clear (if youtake it in Arabic). Thus I suggest you remove this part (oredit it) from the article.A similar statement is found in Surah 29:27 proclaiming:And We bestowed on him Isaac and Jacob,and We established the prophethood and the Scripture among his seed,and We gave him his reward in the world,and lo! in the Hereafter he verily is among the righteous.Some debate whether "his seed" refers to Jacob as the last person mentioned or to Abraham to whom Isaac and Jacob were given. In either case prophethood is like in the above linked to Abraham's descendents. And this even though Lot is mentioned in the verses directly preceding (29:26) and following (29:28) this verse. Lot is not of Abraham's or Jacob's seed. Nor is Job or Noah.Furthermore, the above ayah also contradicts Surah 16:36.Another issue: In the above it is said that Ismai'l is among those given the Book (al-Kitab). But 6:156-157 seems to indicate that it was sent before to TWO people only, and the Arabs were not one of them. How does that fit together? Is that then a proof that the Quraish are not descendants of Ismail, not part of this people (descendants) of Isma'il who received it?
Answer:
In verses 6:84-89 God mentioned some of the prophets or the most prominent of them. God was talking in 6:79-6:83 about Abraham. He mentioned Isaac and Jacob as from his seeds. Before him Noah has been guided then mentioned from Noah seeds are and named the prophets. There is no indication that God is putting them in order. Actually the word from his seeds make it clear to us there is no order.
It is clear also from the verse 6:89 that God did not mention there is a book for each of these prophets but as a whole they received the book, authority and prophethood.
6:79 "For me, I have set my face, firmly and truly, towards Him Who created the heavens and the earth, and never shall I give partners to Allah."إِنِّي وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِي فَطَرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا أَنَاْ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ
6:80 His people disputed with him. He said: "(Come) ye to dispute with me, about Allah, when He (Himself) hath guided me? I fear not (the beings) ye associate with Allah. Unless my Lord willeth, (nothing can happen). My Lord comprehendeth in His knowledge all things. Will ye not (yourselves) be admonished?وَحَآجَّهُ قَوْمُهُ قَالَ أَتُحَاجُّونِّي فِي اللّهِ وَقَدْ هَدَانِ وَلاَ أَخَافُ مَا تُشْرِكُونَ بِهِ إِلاَّ أَن يَشَاء رَبِّي شَيْئًا وَسِعَ رَبِّي كُلَّ شَيْءٍ عِلْمًا أَفَلاَ تَتَذَكَّرُونَ
6:81 "How should I fear (the beings) ye associate with Allah, when ye fear not to give partners to Allah without any warrant having been given to you? Which of (us) two parties hath more right to security? (tell me) if ye know. وَكَيْفَ أَخَافُ مَا أَشْرَكْتُمْ وَلاَ تَخَافُونَ أَنَّكُمْ أَشْرَكْتُم بِاللّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ عَلَيْكُمْ سُلْطَانًا فَأَيُّ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ أَحَقُّ بِالأَمْنِ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
6:82 "It is those who believe and confuse not their beliefs with wrong - that are (truly) in security, for they are on (right) guidance." الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُواْ إِيمَانَهُم بِظُلْمٍ أُوْلَـئِكَ لَهُمُ الأَمْنُ وَهُم مُّهْتَدُونَ
6:83 That was the reasoning about Us, which We gave to Abraham (to use) against his people: We raise whom We will, degree after degree: for thy Lord is full of wisdom and knowledge.وَتِلْكَ حُجَّتُنَا آتَيْنَاهَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَلَى قَوْمِهِ نَرْفَعُ دَرَجَاتٍ مَّن نَّشَاء إِنَّ رَبَّكَ حَكِيمٌ عَلِيمٌ
6:84 We gave him Isaac and Jacob: all (three) guided: and before him, We guided Noah, and among his progeny, David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses, and Aaron: thus do We reward those who do good: وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ إِسْحَقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ كُلاًّ هَدَيْنَا وَنُوحًا هَدَيْنَا مِن قَبْلُ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِهِ دَاوُودَ وَسُلَيْمَانَ وَأَيُّوبَ وَيُوسُفَ وَمُوسَى وَهَارُونَ وَكَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ
6:85 And Zakariya and John, and Jesus and Elias: all in the ranks of the righteous:وَزَكَرِيَّا وَيَحْيَى وَعِيسَى وَإِلْيَاسَ كُلٌّ مِّنَ الصَّالِحِينَ
6:86 And Isma'il and Elisha, and Jonas, and Lot: and to all We gave favour above the nations:وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَالْيَسَعَ وَيُونُسَ وَلُوطًا وَكُلاًّ فضَّلْنَا عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ
6:87 (To them) and to their fathers, and progeny and brethren: We chose them, and we guided them to a straight way. وَمِنْ آبَائِهِمْ وَذُرِّيَّاتِهِمْ وَإِخْوَانِهِمْ وَاجْتَبَيْنَاهُمْ وَهَدَيْنَاهُمْ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ
6:88 This is the guidance of Allah. He giveth that guidance to whom He pleaseth, of His worshippers. If they were to join other gods with Him, all that they did would be vain for them.ذَلِكَ هُدَى اللّهِ يَهْدِي بِهِ مَن يَشَاء مِنْ عِبَادِهِ وَلَوْ أَشْرَكُواْ لَحَبِطَ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ
6:89 These were the men to whom We gave the Book, and authority, and prophethood: if these (their descendants) reject them, Behold! We shall entrust their charge to a new people who reject them not.أُوْلَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحُكْمَ وَالنُّبُوَّةَ فَإِن يَكْفُرْ بِهَا هَـؤُلاء فَقَدْ وَكَّلْنَا بِهَا قَوْمًا لَّيْسُواْ بِهَا بِكَافِرِينَ
Question:
The below arrangement might look strange at first, but it is written that way to make the structure of the text clearer. Surah 6:83-89 states:83 That was the reasoning about Us,which We gave to Abraham (to use) against his people:We raise whom We will, degree after degree:for thy Lord is full of wisdom and knowledge.84 We gave him Isaac and Jacob: all (three) guided:and before him, We guided Noah,and among his progeny,David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses, and Aaron:thus do We reward those who do good:85 And Zakariya and John, and Jesus and Elias:all in the ranks of the righteous:86 And Isma'il and Elisha, and Jonas, and Lot:and to all We gave favour above the nations:87 (To them) and to their fathers, and progeny and brethren:We chose them, and we guided them to a straight way.88 This is the guidance of Allah:He giveth that guidance to whom He pleaseth, of His worshippers.If they were to join other gods with Him,all that they did would be vain for them.89 These were the men to whom We gave the Book,and authority, and prophethood:if these (their descendants) reject them,Behold! We shall entrust their charge to a new peoplewho reject them not.What is the reason to give this list of names so completely jumbled up? Arranged in the correct time line the sequence of the mentioned names of Abraham's progeny should be Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Aaron, Moses, David, Solomon, Elias, Elisha, Jonas, Zakariya, John, Jesus. However, confusion in itself is not error.Several points need to be raised about this passage.First, Lot and Job are NOT of the progeny of Abraham. Lot was a nephew of Abraham who came with him to Israel when Abraham was still without any descendants (Genesis 11:27-30, 12:4-5). Although not much is known about Job, he was from a different nation, and not part of the descendants of Abraham either. From the structure of the passage it is clearly speaking about Abraham, and all names are stated in relationship to him. Noah as one who came before him and all other names are listed as being his descendants.Furthermore, the Qur'an states in ayah 89, "these were the men to whom We gave ‘the Book’." What book is in view? Should it not rather say that each of them was given "a book" (part of God's revelation)? How can all of them be given the same book? Which book? In other passages it is said that Moses was given the Torah, David was given the Zabur, and Jesus was given the Injil. Is that each time the same "the book"?Muhammad is also given "the book". Is the Torah = Zabur = Injil = Qur'an? (Some Muslims go to the extreme of claiming that this is indeed the case.) Why is such a claim not known elsewhere and the Torah and the Psalms and the Gospel are clearly different scriptures in the possession of the People of the Book?What book was given to Zakariya, the father of John, or for that matter, to John himself? What book was given to Isma'il? All these statements contradict what is known from God's revelation in the Bible. And they even contradict the rest of the Qur'an and Muslim belief since these are not among those who have received a book (a section of the eternal tablet).A last point would be that in ayah 89 "their descendants"is not in the Arabic and not found in other translations.How come that the author of the Qur'an raises doubt whetherthose long dead people might reject? They acceptance orrejection is long established. To insert "their descendants"gets rid of a problem, but it does indeed seem strange.Since this was unclear, let me rephrase it this way:89 These were the men to whom We gave the Book,and authority, and prophethood:if these (their descendants) reject them,Behold! We shall entrust their charge to a new peoplewho reject them not.Well, the part in (...) is not in the Arabic.Who is in view as "rejecting them"? Who is "these"?Wouldn't it be natural to think that "these" in the firstand in the third line refers to the same people?That is what I was wondering about. Furthermore, even ifthe second "these" are not the same but their descendantsor the people around them, all those were dead already forhundreds or thousands of years, why does the Qur'an say"if" as if it were uncertain, or a real possibility?Either they did or they didn't, but what is uncertainabout the events of the past?Or do I completely misunderstand what the verse istrying to say? Did they or did they not reject?It would make sense to say "because they rejected them,therefore we shall entrust the message to a new people".What is the "question/uncertainty" about in this verse?Response:Ah yes, ok. Well, there "these" refers to the Jews. I thinkthat's what is means by "their descendants". As you know,the Quran says that because the Jews rejected the messageof Mohammad they rejected the message of their fathers andthe Torah.As for the "if", it's rhetorical.I find no problem in this verse, the meaning is clear (if youtake it in Arabic). Thus I suggest you remove this part (oredit it) from the article.A similar statement is found in Surah 29:27 proclaiming:And We bestowed on him Isaac and Jacob,and We established the prophethood and the Scripture among his seed,and We gave him his reward in the world,and lo! in the Hereafter he verily is among the righteous.Some debate whether "his seed" refers to Jacob as the last person mentioned or to Abraham to whom Isaac and Jacob were given. In either case prophethood is like in the above linked to Abraham's descendents. And this even though Lot is mentioned in the verses directly preceding (29:26) and following (29:28) this verse. Lot is not of Abraham's or Jacob's seed. Nor is Job or Noah.Furthermore, the above ayah also contradicts Surah 16:36.Another issue: In the above it is said that Ismai'l is among those given the Book (al-Kitab). But 6:156-157 seems to indicate that it was sent before to TWO people only, and the Arabs were not one of them. How does that fit together? Is that then a proof that the Quraish are not descendants of Ismail, not part of this people (descendants) of Isma'il who received it?
Answer:
In verses 6:84-89 God mentioned some of the prophets or the most prominent of them. God was talking in 6:79-6:83 about Abraham. He mentioned Isaac and Jacob as from his seeds. Before him Noah has been guided then mentioned from Noah seeds are and named the prophets. There is no indication that God is putting them in order. Actually the word from his seeds make it clear to us there is no order.
It is clear also from the verse 6:89 that God did not mention there is a book for each of these prophets but as a whole they received the book, authority and prophethood.
6:79 "For me, I have set my face, firmly and truly, towards Him Who created the heavens and the earth, and never shall I give partners to Allah."إِنِّي وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِي فَطَرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا أَنَاْ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ
6:80 His people disputed with him. He said: "(Come) ye to dispute with me, about Allah, when He (Himself) hath guided me? I fear not (the beings) ye associate with Allah. Unless my Lord willeth, (nothing can happen). My Lord comprehendeth in His knowledge all things. Will ye not (yourselves) be admonished?وَحَآجَّهُ قَوْمُهُ قَالَ أَتُحَاجُّونِّي فِي اللّهِ وَقَدْ هَدَانِ وَلاَ أَخَافُ مَا تُشْرِكُونَ بِهِ إِلاَّ أَن يَشَاء رَبِّي شَيْئًا وَسِعَ رَبِّي كُلَّ شَيْءٍ عِلْمًا أَفَلاَ تَتَذَكَّرُونَ
6:81 "How should I fear (the beings) ye associate with Allah, when ye fear not to give partners to Allah without any warrant having been given to you? Which of (us) two parties hath more right to security? (tell me) if ye know. وَكَيْفَ أَخَافُ مَا أَشْرَكْتُمْ وَلاَ تَخَافُونَ أَنَّكُمْ أَشْرَكْتُم بِاللّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ عَلَيْكُمْ سُلْطَانًا فَأَيُّ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ أَحَقُّ بِالأَمْنِ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
6:82 "It is those who believe and confuse not their beliefs with wrong - that are (truly) in security, for they are on (right) guidance." الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُواْ إِيمَانَهُم بِظُلْمٍ أُوْلَـئِكَ لَهُمُ الأَمْنُ وَهُم مُّهْتَدُونَ
6:83 That was the reasoning about Us, which We gave to Abraham (to use) against his people: We raise whom We will, degree after degree: for thy Lord is full of wisdom and knowledge.وَتِلْكَ حُجَّتُنَا آتَيْنَاهَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَلَى قَوْمِهِ نَرْفَعُ دَرَجَاتٍ مَّن نَّشَاء إِنَّ رَبَّكَ حَكِيمٌ عَلِيمٌ
6:84 We gave him Isaac and Jacob: all (three) guided: and before him, We guided Noah, and among his progeny, David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses, and Aaron: thus do We reward those who do good: وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ إِسْحَقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ كُلاًّ هَدَيْنَا وَنُوحًا هَدَيْنَا مِن قَبْلُ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِهِ دَاوُودَ وَسُلَيْمَانَ وَأَيُّوبَ وَيُوسُفَ وَمُوسَى وَهَارُونَ وَكَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ
6:85 And Zakariya and John, and Jesus and Elias: all in the ranks of the righteous:وَزَكَرِيَّا وَيَحْيَى وَعِيسَى وَإِلْيَاسَ كُلٌّ مِّنَ الصَّالِحِينَ
6:86 And Isma'il and Elisha, and Jonas, and Lot: and to all We gave favour above the nations:وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَالْيَسَعَ وَيُونُسَ وَلُوطًا وَكُلاًّ فضَّلْنَا عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ
6:87 (To them) and to their fathers, and progeny and brethren: We chose them, and we guided them to a straight way. وَمِنْ آبَائِهِمْ وَذُرِّيَّاتِهِمْ وَإِخْوَانِهِمْ وَاجْتَبَيْنَاهُمْ وَهَدَيْنَاهُمْ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ
6:88 This is the guidance of Allah. He giveth that guidance to whom He pleaseth, of His worshippers. If they were to join other gods with Him, all that they did would be vain for them.ذَلِكَ هُدَى اللّهِ يَهْدِي بِهِ مَن يَشَاء مِنْ عِبَادِهِ وَلَوْ أَشْرَكُواْ لَحَبِطَ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ
6:89 These were the men to whom We gave the Book, and authority, and prophethood: if these (their descendants) reject them, Behold! We shall entrust their charge to a new people who reject them not.أُوْلَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحُكْمَ وَالنُّبُوَّةَ فَإِن يَكْفُرْ بِهَا هَـؤُلاء فَقَدْ وَكَّلْنَا بِهَا قَوْمًا لَّيْسُواْ بِهَا بِكَافِرِينَ
Contradictions In The Quran: God Needs Man Or Man Needs God?
By: Maged Taman
Question:
God needs man or man needs God? A very clear contradiction exists between verses 51:56 and 35:15. While the former verse says that God created Jinns and mankind for His own reasons (read also 67:2), the latter one says it is man who is in need of God! Read also 51:57.
(51:56) "I have only created Jinns and men, that they may serve me" *
(67:2) "He who created Death and Life, that He may try which of you is the best in deed"
35:15 "O mankind! It is you that have need of God: but God is the One Free of all wants, worthy of all praise.
51:57 [But withal,] no sustenance do I ever demand of them, nor do I demand that they feed Me
مَا أُرِيدُ مِنْهُم مِّن رِّزْقٍ وَمَا أُرِيدُ أَن يُطْعِمُونِ (51:57)
Answer:
We need God and God wants us. Our need for God is spiritual, materialistic and we need him for guidance. He wants us to be his worshipers and to meet his expectations. He has no material need from us. We are the most to gain from the relationship: our happiness in life and afterlife. Actually 35:15 God described us as poor and he as rich in Arabic words
35:15 O ye men! It is ye that have need of Allah. but Allah is the One Free of all wants, worthy of all praise.
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ أَنتُمُ الْفُقَرَاء إِلَى اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ هُوَ الْغَنِيُّ الْحَمِيدُ
There is no contraindications God is created us for a purpose (51:56 and 67:2) and he has no material need from us (51:57 and 35:15). Go through all the verses above and will look clear to you.
Question:
God needs man or man needs God? A very clear contradiction exists between verses 51:56 and 35:15. While the former verse says that God created Jinns and mankind for His own reasons (read also 67:2), the latter one says it is man who is in need of God! Read also 51:57.
(51:56) "I have only created Jinns and men, that they may serve me" *
(67:2) "He who created Death and Life, that He may try which of you is the best in deed"
35:15 "O mankind! It is you that have need of God: but God is the One Free of all wants, worthy of all praise.
51:57 [But withal,] no sustenance do I ever demand of them, nor do I demand that they feed Me
مَا أُرِيدُ مِنْهُم مِّن رِّزْقٍ وَمَا أُرِيدُ أَن يُطْعِمُونِ (51:57)
Answer:
We need God and God wants us. Our need for God is spiritual, materialistic and we need him for guidance. He wants us to be his worshipers and to meet his expectations. He has no material need from us. We are the most to gain from the relationship: our happiness in life and afterlife. Actually 35:15 God described us as poor and he as rich in Arabic words
35:15 O ye men! It is ye that have need of Allah. but Allah is the One Free of all wants, worthy of all praise.
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ أَنتُمُ الْفُقَرَاء إِلَى اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ هُوَ الْغَنِيُّ الْحَمِيدُ
There is no contraindications God is created us for a purpose (51:56 and 67:2) and he has no material need from us (51:57 and 35:15). Go through all the verses above and will look clear to you.
Guidance is from God.
By: Maged Taman
2:34 And behold, We said to the angels: "Bow down to Adam" and they bowed down. Not so Iblis: he refused and was haughty: He was of those who reject Faith. وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلاَئِكَةِ اسْجُدُواْ لآدَمَ فَسَجَدُواْ إِلاَّ إِبْلِيسَ أَبَى وَاسْتَكْبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ الْكَافِرِين
2:35 We said: "O Adam! dwell thou and thy wife in the Garden; and eat of the bountiful things therein as (where and when) ye will; but approach not this tree, or ye run into harm and transgression." وَقُلْنَا يَا آدَمُ اسْكُنْ أَنتَ وَزَوْجُكَ الْجَنَّةَ وَكُلاَ مِنْهَا رَغَداً حَيْثُ شِئْتُمَا وَلاَ تَقْرَبَا هَـذِهِ الشَّجَرَةَ فَتَكُونَا مِنَ الْظَّالِمِينَ
2:36 Then did Satan make them slip from the (garden), and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: "Get ye down, all (ye people), with enmity between yourselves. On earth will be your dwelling-place and your means of livelihood - for a time." فَأَزَلَّهُمَا الشَّيْطَانُ عَنْهَا
فَأَخْرَجَهُمَا مِمَّا كَانَا فِيهِ وَقُلْنَا اهْبِطُواْ بَعْضُكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ وَلَكُمْ فِي الأَرْضِ مُسْتَقَرٌّ وَمَتَاعٌ إِلَى حِينٍ
2:37 Then learnt Adam from his Lord words of inspiration, and his Lord Turned towards him; for He is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful. فَتَلَقَّى آدَمُ مِن رَّبِّهِ كَلِمَاتٍ فَتَابَ عَلَيْهِ إِنَّهُ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ
2:38 We said: "Get ye down all from here; and if, as is sure, there comes to you Guidance from me, whosoever follows My guidance, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. قُلْنَا اهْبِطُواْ مِنْهَا جَمِيعاً فَإِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُم مِّنِّي هُدًى فَمَن تَبِعَ هُدَايَ فَلاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
2:39 "But those who reject Faith and belie Our Signs, they shall be companions of the Fire; they shall abide therein." وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرواْ وَكَذَّبُواْ بِآيَاتِنَا أُولَـئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ
The question is do you believe the Adam-Eve story of the Bible and Quran or not. If you red the Quran and the Bible and believe they are true or too difficult to disprove and nothing else stand as the truth you have to take the matter seriously.
God has the right as the creator to decide when and what guidance he has for us. If he says the ten commandments and write them with his hand the matter is over. No one identifies God better than himself. In the Quran the verse stated clear "God warns you of himself". He is the one who makes the rules and we are the one who have to obey him.
He can be very compassionate or glorious with wrath. After you obey God and live for him your obedience grow from fear to respect and your praise from a material purpose to love. The more you give to earn his love is the closer he becomes to you. Abraham was not mentioned as his closed friend except for his sincere devotion and obedience. Even the parent who loves his good children the one closet to his heart is the one who try to please him the most. We did not creat God, he is the one who created us. To know God best is to read his scriptures the Bible and Quran.
The Intelligent Design.
The Wisdom Of Heraclius: Who Is Muhammad?
Prophet Muhammad Name In The Bible.
Myths About Islam.
Women And Islam: By Tyseer Aboulnasr, Ph.D.
Contradictions In The Quran: Which Enters The Para...
Contradictions In The Quran: God Needs Man Or Man ...
Prophethood: Full Time Job.
The Abrahamic Faith On The Defense.
Love In Quran.
2:34 And behold, We said to the angels: "Bow down to Adam" and they bowed down. Not so Iblis: he refused and was haughty: He was of those who reject Faith. وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلاَئِكَةِ اسْجُدُواْ لآدَمَ فَسَجَدُواْ إِلاَّ إِبْلِيسَ أَبَى وَاسْتَكْبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ الْكَافِرِين
2:35 We said: "O Adam! dwell thou and thy wife in the Garden; and eat of the bountiful things therein as (where and when) ye will; but approach not this tree, or ye run into harm and transgression." وَقُلْنَا يَا آدَمُ اسْكُنْ أَنتَ وَزَوْجُكَ الْجَنَّةَ وَكُلاَ مِنْهَا رَغَداً حَيْثُ شِئْتُمَا وَلاَ تَقْرَبَا هَـذِهِ الشَّجَرَةَ فَتَكُونَا مِنَ الْظَّالِمِينَ
2:36 Then did Satan make them slip from the (garden), and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: "Get ye down, all (ye people), with enmity between yourselves. On earth will be your dwelling-place and your means of livelihood - for a time." فَأَزَلَّهُمَا الشَّيْطَانُ عَنْهَا
فَأَخْرَجَهُمَا مِمَّا كَانَا فِيهِ وَقُلْنَا اهْبِطُواْ بَعْضُكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ وَلَكُمْ فِي الأَرْضِ مُسْتَقَرٌّ وَمَتَاعٌ إِلَى حِينٍ
2:37 Then learnt Adam from his Lord words of inspiration, and his Lord Turned towards him; for He is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful. فَتَلَقَّى آدَمُ مِن رَّبِّهِ كَلِمَاتٍ فَتَابَ عَلَيْهِ إِنَّهُ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ
2:38 We said: "Get ye down all from here; and if, as is sure, there comes to you Guidance from me, whosoever follows My guidance, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. قُلْنَا اهْبِطُواْ مِنْهَا جَمِيعاً فَإِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُم مِّنِّي هُدًى فَمَن تَبِعَ هُدَايَ فَلاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
2:39 "But those who reject Faith and belie Our Signs, they shall be companions of the Fire; they shall abide therein." وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرواْ وَكَذَّبُواْ بِآيَاتِنَا أُولَـئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ
The question is do you believe the Adam-Eve story of the Bible and Quran or not. If you red the Quran and the Bible and believe they are true or too difficult to disprove and nothing else stand as the truth you have to take the matter seriously.
God has the right as the creator to decide when and what guidance he has for us. If he says the ten commandments and write them with his hand the matter is over. No one identifies God better than himself. In the Quran the verse stated clear "God warns you of himself". He is the one who makes the rules and we are the one who have to obey him.
He can be very compassionate or glorious with wrath. After you obey God and live for him your obedience grow from fear to respect and your praise from a material purpose to love. The more you give to earn his love is the closer he becomes to you. Abraham was not mentioned as his closed friend except for his sincere devotion and obedience. Even the parent who loves his good children the one closet to his heart is the one who try to please him the most. We did not creat God, he is the one who created us. To know God best is to read his scriptures the Bible and Quran.
The Intelligent Design.
The Wisdom Of Heraclius: Who Is Muhammad?
Prophet Muhammad Name In The Bible.
Myths About Islam.
Women And Islam: By Tyseer Aboulnasr, Ph.D.
Contradictions In The Quran: Which Enters The Para...
Contradictions In The Quran: God Needs Man Or Man ...
Prophethood: Full Time Job.
The Abrahamic Faith On The Defense.
Love In Quran.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Myths About Islam.
By: Maged Taman
There are a lot of myths about Islam:
1- God of the moon: There is only one God of the Quran and Bible the God of our father Abraham who revealed himself to the prophets including Jesus. He is the God of the universe.
2- Stoning women for adultery: It is applied to both married cheating men or women. The way to prove adultery in Islam by having four men to witness inter genital intercourse which is close to impossible. The fear of sexual sin becomes more out of fear and respect to God. The law protected women. In the Arab culture suspicion of a woman conduct could be enough for a man to kill her. Islam protected her life.
3- Cutting the hand of a stealing person: Many Muslims argue to only make small cut in the skin as a mark. The conditions to make you apply this religious law are quite difficult. Anyway Islam concentrates more in expanding the cycle of money through zakate which has great benefits socially and economically in any country.
4- Oppressing women rights: to vote, work, learn in school... Islam protected all the rights of women. Before Islam she would be killed as a shame when was infant, sold as a slave, killed if suspected of adultery, does not have her own money or inheritance and compelled to marry without her permit. Islam corrected all of that. Some people are copying the life of the Prophet at that time. The problem is they rides the best cars and not camels. In early Islam there were no good jobs for women to work. The same reason there were no christian in the government or Jews since it was a closed community trying to spread its religion and protect itself. After the spread of Islam there is no fear to mix with other religions and get the best to all people belong to the same country regardless of their religion, race or sex. Hijab is an order by God but not by force but by persuasion and understanding. Woman has to be looked upon by man with respect and as a beautiful and not sexy being.
5- Violence: Jihad in Islam has specific reasons. Islam believe more to be strong so you do not need to fight.
6- Polygamy: The basic in Islam is one wife and a single family. In rare cases of wars and number of women exceeds that of men polygamy allows the care of single women with poor orphans.
7- Islam threatens other civilizations: the western civilization choose to oppress Islam. A dialogue between moderates, clergy and politicians could allow to have a plan for coexistence. The extreme poverty of Muslims, Christians in Africa, Asia and South America calls for new plan to solve a lot of problems in the world.
8- Islam discriminates against other religions. Very wrong, Islam is the religion of humanity that allow freedom of speech, worship and human rights.
9- Muslims fight each other a lot: same happened with Christians. It just assert to you that the deceive of Satan and our lack of wisdom that caused humans to fight each other all over the history.
10- Islam is incompatible with civilization: The fact is Islam is a great civilization. It makes all Muslims from all different ethnic and national back ground to love one another and become like brothers. Hiring a good Muslim is the best for any corporation. A good Muslim is the one who is honest, hard worker and does his work with great skill. Besides, you would expect him to be one of the nicest of your employee. No drug, alcohol or addictive substances that may affect his work performance.
11- Jews are hated by Islam: wrong and governments in Arab world had to give the people some enemy to get busy with. For us they are our cousins and we have a lot in common. When God blame some Jews in the Quran it was to advise Muslims not to disobey him and many Muslims did much evil in the world.
12- Islam is spread by war: In Islam there is no compulsion in religion. Islam is a very defensive religion. But politics and dialogue should replace wars whenever possible.
13- Muslims don't believe in Jesus: God revealed to Muslims the truth about Jesus. He is a great prophet and Muslims are pro-Christ.
14-Muslims didn't contribute to civilization: about 1000 year of Muslims contribution to civilization are intentionally not learned in western schools. Muslims do not value their history as victories in wars like some of their crazy leaders and pseudo-heroes but contribution to civilization and the success of Islam in bringing a peaceful loving societies.
15- Most Muslims are Arabs: wrong 15% only of the Muslims are Arabs.Muslims make up 1/5 of the world's population (1.3 Billions), with large numbers found in Asia (69%), Africa (27%), Europe (3%) and other parts of the world.
16- Islam kills non-believers or Muslims who convert to other religions: Wrong It happened with the people who killed and tortured Muslims. Some Muslims interpret wrong to kill Muslims who leave Islam. Many Imams argue against that. If we would do that we will loose 100 person who may convert to Islam for every Muslim that leave Islam. We can reclaim them by good arguments. Many Muslims re-examined quietly their religions and confirmed its truth. Islam prefer if we to review our faith quietly. Actually Quranic verses talk to you all time to reaffirm your faith. Muslims are better off if Jews and Christians are religious since they will share us the common good of all the three religions. The Quran also commands Muslims to protect from harm monasteries, synagogues, and churches.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6Jc4_V-Elc&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vklQ-C_Xi4g
http://www.windowtoislam.com/WTI2/program.asp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMQEsLTxcWs
There are a lot of myths about Islam:
1- God of the moon: There is only one God of the Quran and Bible the God of our father Abraham who revealed himself to the prophets including Jesus. He is the God of the universe.
2- Stoning women for adultery: It is applied to both married cheating men or women. The way to prove adultery in Islam by having four men to witness inter genital intercourse which is close to impossible. The fear of sexual sin becomes more out of fear and respect to God. The law protected women. In the Arab culture suspicion of a woman conduct could be enough for a man to kill her. Islam protected her life.
3- Cutting the hand of a stealing person: Many Muslims argue to only make small cut in the skin as a mark. The conditions to make you apply this religious law are quite difficult. Anyway Islam concentrates more in expanding the cycle of money through zakate which has great benefits socially and economically in any country.
4- Oppressing women rights: to vote, work, learn in school... Islam protected all the rights of women. Before Islam she would be killed as a shame when was infant, sold as a slave, killed if suspected of adultery, does not have her own money or inheritance and compelled to marry without her permit. Islam corrected all of that. Some people are copying the life of the Prophet at that time. The problem is they rides the best cars and not camels. In early Islam there were no good jobs for women to work. The same reason there were no christian in the government or Jews since it was a closed community trying to spread its religion and protect itself. After the spread of Islam there is no fear to mix with other religions and get the best to all people belong to the same country regardless of their religion, race or sex. Hijab is an order by God but not by force but by persuasion and understanding. Woman has to be looked upon by man with respect and as a beautiful and not sexy being.
5- Violence: Jihad in Islam has specific reasons. Islam believe more to be strong so you do not need to fight.
6- Polygamy: The basic in Islam is one wife and a single family. In rare cases of wars and number of women exceeds that of men polygamy allows the care of single women with poor orphans.
7- Islam threatens other civilizations: the western civilization choose to oppress Islam. A dialogue between moderates, clergy and politicians could allow to have a plan for coexistence. The extreme poverty of Muslims, Christians in Africa, Asia and South America calls for new plan to solve a lot of problems in the world.
8- Islam discriminates against other religions. Very wrong, Islam is the religion of humanity that allow freedom of speech, worship and human rights.
9- Muslims fight each other a lot: same happened with Christians. It just assert to you that the deceive of Satan and our lack of wisdom that caused humans to fight each other all over the history.
10- Islam is incompatible with civilization: The fact is Islam is a great civilization. It makes all Muslims from all different ethnic and national back ground to love one another and become like brothers. Hiring a good Muslim is the best for any corporation. A good Muslim is the one who is honest, hard worker and does his work with great skill. Besides, you would expect him to be one of the nicest of your employee. No drug, alcohol or addictive substances that may affect his work performance.
11- Jews are hated by Islam: wrong and governments in Arab world had to give the people some enemy to get busy with. For us they are our cousins and we have a lot in common. When God blame some Jews in the Quran it was to advise Muslims not to disobey him and many Muslims did much evil in the world.
12- Islam is spread by war: In Islam there is no compulsion in religion. Islam is a very defensive religion. But politics and dialogue should replace wars whenever possible.
13- Muslims don't believe in Jesus: God revealed to Muslims the truth about Jesus. He is a great prophet and Muslims are pro-Christ.
14-Muslims didn't contribute to civilization: about 1000 year of Muslims contribution to civilization are intentionally not learned in western schools. Muslims do not value their history as victories in wars like some of their crazy leaders and pseudo-heroes but contribution to civilization and the success of Islam in bringing a peaceful loving societies.
15- Most Muslims are Arabs: wrong 15% only of the Muslims are Arabs.Muslims make up 1/5 of the world's population (1.3 Billions), with large numbers found in Asia (69%), Africa (27%), Europe (3%) and other parts of the world.
16- Islam kills non-believers or Muslims who convert to other religions: Wrong It happened with the people who killed and tortured Muslims. Some Muslims interpret wrong to kill Muslims who leave Islam. Many Imams argue against that. If we would do that we will loose 100 person who may convert to Islam for every Muslim that leave Islam. We can reclaim them by good arguments. Many Muslims re-examined quietly their religions and confirmed its truth. Islam prefer if we to review our faith quietly. Actually Quranic verses talk to you all time to reaffirm your faith. Muslims are better off if Jews and Christians are religious since they will share us the common good of all the three religions. The Quran also commands Muslims to protect from harm monasteries, synagogues, and churches.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6Jc4_V-Elc&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vklQ-C_Xi4g
http://www.windowtoislam.com/WTI2/program.asp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMQEsLTxcWs
Monday, June 23, 2008
A Brief Introduction to Islam
From: http://www.islamreligion.com/
By Daniel Masters, AbdurRahman Squires, and I. Kaka
Islam and Muslims
The word “Islam” is an Arabic word which means “submission to the will of God”. This word comes from the same root as the Arabic word “salam”, which means “peace”. As such, the religion of Islam teaches that in order to achieve true peace of mind and surety of heart, one must submit to God and live according to His Divinely revealed Law. The most important truth that God revealed to mankind is that there is nothing divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Almighty God, thus all human beings should submit to Him.
The word “Muslim” means one who submits to the will of God, regardless of their race, nationality or ethnic background. Being a Muslim entails wilful submission and active obedience to God, and living in accordance with His message. Some people mistakenly believe that Islam is just a religion for Arabs, but nothing could be further from the truth. Not only are there converts to Islam in every corner of the world, especially in England and America, but by taking a look at the Muslim World from Bosnia to Nigeria, and from Indonesia to Morocco, one can clearly see that Muslims come from many various races, ethnic groups and nationalities. It is also interesting to note that in actuality, more than 80% of all Muslims are not Arabs - there are more Muslims in Indonesia than in the whole Arab World! So, though even though it is true that most Arabs are Muslims, the large majority of Muslims are not Arabs. However, anyone who submits completely to God and worships Him alone is a Muslim.
Continuity of the Message
Islam is not a new religion because “submission to the will of God”, i.e. Islam, has always been the only acceptable religion in the sight of God. For this reason, Islam is the true “natural religion”, and it is the same eternal message revealed through the ages to all of God’s prophets and messengers. Muslims believe that all of God’s prophets, which include Abraham, Noah, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, brought the same message of Pure Monotheism. For this reason, the Prophet Muhammad was not the founder of a new religion, as many people mistakenly think, but he was the final Prophet of Islam. By revealing His final message to Muhammad, which is an eternal and universal message for all of mankind, God finally fulfilled the covenant that He made with Abraham, who was one of the earliest and greatest prophets.
Sufficient is it to say that the way of Islam is the same as the way of the prophet Abraham, because both the Bible and the Quran portray Abraham as a towering example of someone who submitted himself completely to God and worshipped Him without intermediaries. Once this is realized, it should be clear that Islam has the most continuous and universal message of any religion, because all prophets and messengers were “Muslims”, i.e. those who submitted to God’s will, and they preached “Islam”, i.e. submission to the will of Almighty God.
The Oneness of God
The foundation of the Islamic faith is belief in the Oneness of Almighty God - the God of Abraham, Noah, Moses and Jesus. Islam teaches that a pure belief in One God is intuitive in human beings and thus fulfils the natural inclination of the soul. As such, Islam’s concept of God is straightforward, unambiguous and easy to understand. Islam teaches that the hearts, minds and souls of human beings are fitting receptacles for clear divine revelation, and that God’s revelations to man are not clouded by self-contradictory mysteries or irrational ideas. As such, Islam teaches that even though God cannot be fully comprehended and grasped by our finite human minds, He also does not expect us to accept absurd or demonstrably false beliefs about Him.
According to the teachings of Islam, Almighty God is absolutely One and His Oneness should never be compromised by associating partners with Him - neither in worship nor in belief. Due to this, Muslims are required to maintain a direct relationship with God, and therefore all intermediaries are absolutely forbidden. From the Islamic standpoint, believing in the Oneness of God means to realize that all prayer and worship should be exclusively for God, and that He alone deserves such titles as “Lord” and “Saviour”. Some religions, even though they believe in “One God”, do not make all of their worship and prayers for Him alone. Also, they also give the title of “Lord” to beings that are not All-Knowing, All-Powerful and Un-Changing - even according to their own scriptures. Suffice it to say that according to Islam, it is not enough that people believe that “God is One”, but they must actualize this belief by proper conduct.
In short, in the Islamic concept of God, which is completely based on Divine Revelation, there is no ambiguity in divinity - God is God and man is man. Since God is the only Creator and continual Sustainer of the Universe, He is transcendent above His creation - the Creator and the creature never mix. Islam teaches that God has a unique nature and that He is free from gender, human weaknesses and beyond anything which human beings can imagine. The Quran teaches that the signs and proofs of God’s wisdom, power and existence are evident in the world around us. As such, God calls on man to ponder over the creation in order to build a better understanding of his Creator. Muslims believe that God is Loving, Compassionate and Merciful, and that He is concerned with the daily affairs of human beings. In this, Islam strikes a unique balance between false religious and philosophical extremes. Some religions and philosophies portray God as just an impersonal “Higher Power” who is uninterested, or unaware, of the life of each individual human. Other religions tend to give God human qualities and teach that He is present in His creation, by being incarnate in someone, something - or even everything. In Islam, however, Almighty God has clarified the truth by letting mankind know that He is “Compassionate”, “Merciful”, “Loving” and the “Answerer of Prayers”. But He as also emphasized strongly that “there is nothing like unto Him”, and that He is high above time, space and His creation. Finally, it should be mentioned that the God that Muslims worship is the same God that Jews and Christians worship - because there is only one God. It is unfortunate that some people mistakenly believe that Muslims worship a different God than Jews and Christians, and that “Allah” is just the “god of the Arabs”. This myth, which has been propagated by the enemies of Islam, is completely false since the word “Allah” is simply the Arabic name for Almighty God. It is the same word for God which is used by Arabic-speaking Jews and Christians. However, it should be clarified that even though Muslims worship the same God as Jews and Christian, their concept of Him differs somewhat from the beliefs of other religions - mainly because it is based completely on Divine Revelation from God. For example, Muslims reject the Christian belief that God is a Trinity, not only because the Quran rejects it, but also because if this was God’s true nature, He would have clearly revealed it to Abraham, Noah, Jesus and all of the other prophets.
The Quran
The Arabic world “Al-Quran” literally means “the recitation”. When used in regards to Islam, the word Quran means God’s final message to mankind, which was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. The Quran, sometimes spelled Koran, is the literal the word of God - as it clearly says time and time again. Unlike other sacred scriptures, the Quran has been perfectly preserved in both its words and meaning in a living language. The Quran is a living miracle in the Arabic language; and is know to be inimitable in its style, form and spiritual impact. God’s final revelation to mankind, the Quran, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad over a period of 23 years.
The Quran, in contrast to many other religious books, was always thought to be the Word of God by those who believed in it, i.e. it wasn’t something decreed by a religious council many years after being written. Also, the Quran was recited publicly in front of both the Muslim and non-Muslim communities during the life of the Prophet Muhammad. The entire Quran was also completely written down in lifetime of the Prophet, and numerous companions of the Prophet memorized the entire Quran word-for-word as it was revealed. So, unlike other scriptures, the Quran was always in the hands of the common believers; it was always thought to be God’s word and, due to wide-spread memorization, it was perfectly preserved.
In regards to the teachings of the Quran - it is a universal scripture addressed to all of mankind, and not addressed only to a particular tribe or “chosen people”. The message that it brings is nothing new, but the same message of all of the prophets - submit to Almighty God and worship Him alone. As such, God’s revelation in the Quran focuses on teaching human beings the importance of believing in the Oneness of God and framing their lives around the guidance which He has sent. Additionally, the Quran contains the stories of the previous prophets, such as Abraham, Noah, Moses and Jesus; as well as many commands and prohibitions from God. In modern times where so many people are caught up in doubt, spiritual despair and “political correctness”, the Quranic teachings offer solutions to the emptiness of our lives and the turmoil that is gripping the world today. In short, the Quran is the book of guidance par excellence.
The Prophet Muhammad
Unlike the founders of many religious, the final prophet of Islam is a real documented and historical figure. He lived in the full light of history, and the most minute details of his life are known. Not only do Muslims have the complete text of God’s words that were revealed to Muhammad, but they have also preserved his sayings and teachings in what is called “hadeeth” literature. This having been said, it should be understood that Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammad was only a man chosen by God, and that he is not divine in any way. In order to avoid the misguided wish to deify him, the Prophet Muhammad taught Muslims to refer to him as “God’s Messenger and His Slave”. The mission of the last and final prophet of God was to simply teach that “there is nothing divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Almighty God”, as well as being a living example of God’s revelation. In simple terms, God sent the revelation to Muhammad, who in turn taught it, preached it, lived it and put it into practice.
In this way, Muhammad was more than just a “prophet” in the sense of many of the Biblical prophets, since he was also a statesman and ruler. He was a man who lived a humble life in the service of God, and established an all-encompassing religion and way of life by showing what it means to be an ideal friend, husband, teacher, ruler, warrior and judge. For this reason, Muslims follow him not for his own sake, but in obedience to God, because Muhammad not only showed us how to deal with our fellow human beings, but more importantly, showed us how to relate to and worship God; worship Him in the only way pleasing to Him.
Like other prophets, Muhammad faced a great deal of opposition and persecution during his mission. However, he was always patient and just, and he treated his enemies well. The results of his mission were very successful, and even though his mission started in one of the most backward and remotes places on earth, within a hundred years of the death of Muhammad, Islam had spread from Spain to China. The Prophet Muhammad was the greatest of all of God’s prophets, not because he had new doctrines or greater miracles, but because it was him who was chosen to bear the last revelation which would come to humanity from God, one suitable for all places, times, and people, everlasting and unchanging until the Last Day.
The Islamic Way of Life
In the Holy Quran, God teaches human beings that they were created in order to worship Him, and that the basis of all true worship is God-consciousness. Since the teachings of Islamic encompass all aspects of life and ethics, God-consciousness is encouraged in all human affairs. Islam makes it clear that all human acts are acts of worship if they are done for God alone and in accordance to His Divine Law. As such, worship in Islam is not limited to religious rituals.
The teachings of Islam act as a mercy and a healing for the human soul, and such qualities as humility, sincerity, patience and charity are strongly encouraged. Additionally, Islam condemns pride and self-righteousness, since Almighty God is the only judge of human righteousness.
The Islamic view of the nature of man is also realistic and well-balanced. Human beings are not believed to be inherently sinful, but are seen as equally capable of both good and evil.
Islam also teaches that faith and action go hand-in-hand. God has given people free-will, and the measure of one’s faith is one’s deeds and actions. However, human beings have also been created weak and regularly fall into sin. This is the nature of the human being as created by God in His Wisdom, and it is not inherently “corrupt” or in need of repair. This is because the avenue of repentance is always open to all human beings, and Almighty God loves the repentant sinner more than one who does not sin at all.
The true balance of an Islamic life is established by having a healthy fear of God as well as a sincere belief in His infinite Mercy. A life without fear of God leads to sin and disobedience, while believing that we have sinned so much that God will not possibly forgive us only leads to despair. In light of this, Islam teaches that only the misguided despair of the Mercy of their Lord.
Additionally, the Holy Quran, which was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, contains a great deal of teachings about the life hereafter and the Day of Judgment. Due to this, Muslims believe that all human beings will ultimately be judged by God for their beliefs and actions in their earthly lives. In judging human beings, Almighty God will be both Merciful and Just, and people will only be judged for what they were capable of.
Sufficient is it to say that Islam teaches that life is a test, and that all human beings will be accountable before God. A sincere belief in the life of the hereafter is the key to leading a well-balanced and moral life. Otherwise, life is viewed as an end in itself, which causes human beings to become more selfish, materialistic and immoral.
Islam for a Better Life
Islam teaches that true happiness can only being obtained by living a life full of God-consciousness and being satisfied with what God has given us. Additionally, true “freedom” is freedom from being controlled by our base human desires and being ruled by man-made ideologies. This stands in stark contrast to the view of many people in the modern world, who consider “freedom” to be the ability to satisfy all of their desires without inhibition. The clear and comprehensive guidance of Islam gives human-beings a well-defined purpose and direction in life. In addition to being members of the human-brotherhood of Islam, its well-balanced and practical teachings are a source of spiritual comfort, guidance and morality. A direct and clear relationship with Almighty God, as well as the sense of purpose and belonging that ones feels as a Muslim, frees a person from the many worries of everyday life.
In short, the Islamic way of life is pure and wholesome. It builds self-discipline and self-control through regular prayer and fasting, and frees human-beings from superstition and all sorts of racial, ethnic and national prejudices. By accepting to live a God-conscious life, and realizing that the only thing that distinguishes people in the sight of God is their consciousness of Him, a person’s true human dignity is realized.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpAOr3mIjt8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvgMYIP_Sq8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nq3genpeZek&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOK99eL_fHs&feature=related
http://www.windowtoislam.com/WTI2/program.asp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRXcMxnPEis&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1TO1iPihCs&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8awweUmJIRs&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fghg4cS48OM&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25F08YOthOk&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vUGKl79Qt8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keNFZ-wpqM4&feature=related
By Daniel Masters, AbdurRahman Squires, and I. Kaka
Islam and Muslims
The word “Islam” is an Arabic word which means “submission to the will of God”. This word comes from the same root as the Arabic word “salam”, which means “peace”. As such, the religion of Islam teaches that in order to achieve true peace of mind and surety of heart, one must submit to God and live according to His Divinely revealed Law. The most important truth that God revealed to mankind is that there is nothing divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Almighty God, thus all human beings should submit to Him.
The word “Muslim” means one who submits to the will of God, regardless of their race, nationality or ethnic background. Being a Muslim entails wilful submission and active obedience to God, and living in accordance with His message. Some people mistakenly believe that Islam is just a religion for Arabs, but nothing could be further from the truth. Not only are there converts to Islam in every corner of the world, especially in England and America, but by taking a look at the Muslim World from Bosnia to Nigeria, and from Indonesia to Morocco, one can clearly see that Muslims come from many various races, ethnic groups and nationalities. It is also interesting to note that in actuality, more than 80% of all Muslims are not Arabs - there are more Muslims in Indonesia than in the whole Arab World! So, though even though it is true that most Arabs are Muslims, the large majority of Muslims are not Arabs. However, anyone who submits completely to God and worships Him alone is a Muslim.
Continuity of the Message
Islam is not a new religion because “submission to the will of God”, i.e. Islam, has always been the only acceptable religion in the sight of God. For this reason, Islam is the true “natural religion”, and it is the same eternal message revealed through the ages to all of God’s prophets and messengers. Muslims believe that all of God’s prophets, which include Abraham, Noah, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, brought the same message of Pure Monotheism. For this reason, the Prophet Muhammad was not the founder of a new religion, as many people mistakenly think, but he was the final Prophet of Islam. By revealing His final message to Muhammad, which is an eternal and universal message for all of mankind, God finally fulfilled the covenant that He made with Abraham, who was one of the earliest and greatest prophets.
Sufficient is it to say that the way of Islam is the same as the way of the prophet Abraham, because both the Bible and the Quran portray Abraham as a towering example of someone who submitted himself completely to God and worshipped Him without intermediaries. Once this is realized, it should be clear that Islam has the most continuous and universal message of any religion, because all prophets and messengers were “Muslims”, i.e. those who submitted to God’s will, and they preached “Islam”, i.e. submission to the will of Almighty God.
The Oneness of God
The foundation of the Islamic faith is belief in the Oneness of Almighty God - the God of Abraham, Noah, Moses and Jesus. Islam teaches that a pure belief in One God is intuitive in human beings and thus fulfils the natural inclination of the soul. As such, Islam’s concept of God is straightforward, unambiguous and easy to understand. Islam teaches that the hearts, minds and souls of human beings are fitting receptacles for clear divine revelation, and that God’s revelations to man are not clouded by self-contradictory mysteries or irrational ideas. As such, Islam teaches that even though God cannot be fully comprehended and grasped by our finite human minds, He also does not expect us to accept absurd or demonstrably false beliefs about Him.
According to the teachings of Islam, Almighty God is absolutely One and His Oneness should never be compromised by associating partners with Him - neither in worship nor in belief. Due to this, Muslims are required to maintain a direct relationship with God, and therefore all intermediaries are absolutely forbidden. From the Islamic standpoint, believing in the Oneness of God means to realize that all prayer and worship should be exclusively for God, and that He alone deserves such titles as “Lord” and “Saviour”. Some religions, even though they believe in “One God”, do not make all of their worship and prayers for Him alone. Also, they also give the title of “Lord” to beings that are not All-Knowing, All-Powerful and Un-Changing - even according to their own scriptures. Suffice it to say that according to Islam, it is not enough that people believe that “God is One”, but they must actualize this belief by proper conduct.
In short, in the Islamic concept of God, which is completely based on Divine Revelation, there is no ambiguity in divinity - God is God and man is man. Since God is the only Creator and continual Sustainer of the Universe, He is transcendent above His creation - the Creator and the creature never mix. Islam teaches that God has a unique nature and that He is free from gender, human weaknesses and beyond anything which human beings can imagine. The Quran teaches that the signs and proofs of God’s wisdom, power and existence are evident in the world around us. As such, God calls on man to ponder over the creation in order to build a better understanding of his Creator. Muslims believe that God is Loving, Compassionate and Merciful, and that He is concerned with the daily affairs of human beings. In this, Islam strikes a unique balance between false religious and philosophical extremes. Some religions and philosophies portray God as just an impersonal “Higher Power” who is uninterested, or unaware, of the life of each individual human. Other religions tend to give God human qualities and teach that He is present in His creation, by being incarnate in someone, something - or even everything. In Islam, however, Almighty God has clarified the truth by letting mankind know that He is “Compassionate”, “Merciful”, “Loving” and the “Answerer of Prayers”. But He as also emphasized strongly that “there is nothing like unto Him”, and that He is high above time, space and His creation. Finally, it should be mentioned that the God that Muslims worship is the same God that Jews and Christians worship - because there is only one God. It is unfortunate that some people mistakenly believe that Muslims worship a different God than Jews and Christians, and that “Allah” is just the “god of the Arabs”. This myth, which has been propagated by the enemies of Islam, is completely false since the word “Allah” is simply the Arabic name for Almighty God. It is the same word for God which is used by Arabic-speaking Jews and Christians. However, it should be clarified that even though Muslims worship the same God as Jews and Christian, their concept of Him differs somewhat from the beliefs of other religions - mainly because it is based completely on Divine Revelation from God. For example, Muslims reject the Christian belief that God is a Trinity, not only because the Quran rejects it, but also because if this was God’s true nature, He would have clearly revealed it to Abraham, Noah, Jesus and all of the other prophets.
The Quran
The Arabic world “Al-Quran” literally means “the recitation”. When used in regards to Islam, the word Quran means God’s final message to mankind, which was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. The Quran, sometimes spelled Koran, is the literal the word of God - as it clearly says time and time again. Unlike other sacred scriptures, the Quran has been perfectly preserved in both its words and meaning in a living language. The Quran is a living miracle in the Arabic language; and is know to be inimitable in its style, form and spiritual impact. God’s final revelation to mankind, the Quran, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad over a period of 23 years.
The Quran, in contrast to many other religious books, was always thought to be the Word of God by those who believed in it, i.e. it wasn’t something decreed by a religious council many years after being written. Also, the Quran was recited publicly in front of both the Muslim and non-Muslim communities during the life of the Prophet Muhammad. The entire Quran was also completely written down in lifetime of the Prophet, and numerous companions of the Prophet memorized the entire Quran word-for-word as it was revealed. So, unlike other scriptures, the Quran was always in the hands of the common believers; it was always thought to be God’s word and, due to wide-spread memorization, it was perfectly preserved.
In regards to the teachings of the Quran - it is a universal scripture addressed to all of mankind, and not addressed only to a particular tribe or “chosen people”. The message that it brings is nothing new, but the same message of all of the prophets - submit to Almighty God and worship Him alone. As such, God’s revelation in the Quran focuses on teaching human beings the importance of believing in the Oneness of God and framing their lives around the guidance which He has sent. Additionally, the Quran contains the stories of the previous prophets, such as Abraham, Noah, Moses and Jesus; as well as many commands and prohibitions from God. In modern times where so many people are caught up in doubt, spiritual despair and “political correctness”, the Quranic teachings offer solutions to the emptiness of our lives and the turmoil that is gripping the world today. In short, the Quran is the book of guidance par excellence.
The Prophet Muhammad
Unlike the founders of many religious, the final prophet of Islam is a real documented and historical figure. He lived in the full light of history, and the most minute details of his life are known. Not only do Muslims have the complete text of God’s words that were revealed to Muhammad, but they have also preserved his sayings and teachings in what is called “hadeeth” literature. This having been said, it should be understood that Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammad was only a man chosen by God, and that he is not divine in any way. In order to avoid the misguided wish to deify him, the Prophet Muhammad taught Muslims to refer to him as “God’s Messenger and His Slave”. The mission of the last and final prophet of God was to simply teach that “there is nothing divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Almighty God”, as well as being a living example of God’s revelation. In simple terms, God sent the revelation to Muhammad, who in turn taught it, preached it, lived it and put it into practice.
In this way, Muhammad was more than just a “prophet” in the sense of many of the Biblical prophets, since he was also a statesman and ruler. He was a man who lived a humble life in the service of God, and established an all-encompassing religion and way of life by showing what it means to be an ideal friend, husband, teacher, ruler, warrior and judge. For this reason, Muslims follow him not for his own sake, but in obedience to God, because Muhammad not only showed us how to deal with our fellow human beings, but more importantly, showed us how to relate to and worship God; worship Him in the only way pleasing to Him.
Like other prophets, Muhammad faced a great deal of opposition and persecution during his mission. However, he was always patient and just, and he treated his enemies well. The results of his mission were very successful, and even though his mission started in one of the most backward and remotes places on earth, within a hundred years of the death of Muhammad, Islam had spread from Spain to China. The Prophet Muhammad was the greatest of all of God’s prophets, not because he had new doctrines or greater miracles, but because it was him who was chosen to bear the last revelation which would come to humanity from God, one suitable for all places, times, and people, everlasting and unchanging until the Last Day.
The Islamic Way of Life
In the Holy Quran, God teaches human beings that they were created in order to worship Him, and that the basis of all true worship is God-consciousness. Since the teachings of Islamic encompass all aspects of life and ethics, God-consciousness is encouraged in all human affairs. Islam makes it clear that all human acts are acts of worship if they are done for God alone and in accordance to His Divine Law. As such, worship in Islam is not limited to religious rituals.
The teachings of Islam act as a mercy and a healing for the human soul, and such qualities as humility, sincerity, patience and charity are strongly encouraged. Additionally, Islam condemns pride and self-righteousness, since Almighty God is the only judge of human righteousness.
The Islamic view of the nature of man is also realistic and well-balanced. Human beings are not believed to be inherently sinful, but are seen as equally capable of both good and evil.
Islam also teaches that faith and action go hand-in-hand. God has given people free-will, and the measure of one’s faith is one’s deeds and actions. However, human beings have also been created weak and regularly fall into sin. This is the nature of the human being as created by God in His Wisdom, and it is not inherently “corrupt” or in need of repair. This is because the avenue of repentance is always open to all human beings, and Almighty God loves the repentant sinner more than one who does not sin at all.
The true balance of an Islamic life is established by having a healthy fear of God as well as a sincere belief in His infinite Mercy. A life without fear of God leads to sin and disobedience, while believing that we have sinned so much that God will not possibly forgive us only leads to despair. In light of this, Islam teaches that only the misguided despair of the Mercy of their Lord.
Additionally, the Holy Quran, which was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, contains a great deal of teachings about the life hereafter and the Day of Judgment. Due to this, Muslims believe that all human beings will ultimately be judged by God for their beliefs and actions in their earthly lives. In judging human beings, Almighty God will be both Merciful and Just, and people will only be judged for what they were capable of.
Sufficient is it to say that Islam teaches that life is a test, and that all human beings will be accountable before God. A sincere belief in the life of the hereafter is the key to leading a well-balanced and moral life. Otherwise, life is viewed as an end in itself, which causes human beings to become more selfish, materialistic and immoral.
Islam for a Better Life
Islam teaches that true happiness can only being obtained by living a life full of God-consciousness and being satisfied with what God has given us. Additionally, true “freedom” is freedom from being controlled by our base human desires and being ruled by man-made ideologies. This stands in stark contrast to the view of many people in the modern world, who consider “freedom” to be the ability to satisfy all of their desires without inhibition. The clear and comprehensive guidance of Islam gives human-beings a well-defined purpose and direction in life. In addition to being members of the human-brotherhood of Islam, its well-balanced and practical teachings are a source of spiritual comfort, guidance and morality. A direct and clear relationship with Almighty God, as well as the sense of purpose and belonging that ones feels as a Muslim, frees a person from the many worries of everyday life.
In short, the Islamic way of life is pure and wholesome. It builds self-discipline and self-control through regular prayer and fasting, and frees human-beings from superstition and all sorts of racial, ethnic and national prejudices. By accepting to live a God-conscious life, and realizing that the only thing that distinguishes people in the sight of God is their consciousness of Him, a person’s true human dignity is realized.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpAOr3mIjt8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvgMYIP_Sq8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nq3genpeZek&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOK99eL_fHs&feature=related
http://www.windowtoislam.com/WTI2/program.asp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRXcMxnPEis&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1TO1iPihCs&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8awweUmJIRs&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fghg4cS48OM&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25F08YOthOk&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vUGKl79Qt8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keNFZ-wpqM4&feature=related
Thursday, June 19, 2008
How We All To Think Religion?
By: Maged Taman
We all should think religion in a scientific way:
1- Is there a God?: see under my blog the case for God is very compelling.
2- Every thing is equally right or wrong. So what ever your religion is go to the zero line where every thing could be right or wrong.
3- At zero line start by Islam (Quran) for a simple reason it you are studying in branch in science you will be doing the same going to the most recent book. Besides no single letter has changed.
4- Study Islam: in a scientific way: any possibility the messenger of Islam was a liar, it was a deceive from Satan or inspired from God read for yourself the Quran to answer this question.
5- Study the contradictions in Quran in my blog to be sure that we made the case clear that there is no contradictions. So you feel strongly that Quran is from God.
6- Be your own judge run the verses in your mind and think why a human would write that and why thousands of people pray behind him and follow him everywhere and 1.3 billion Muslim will continue to believe him 1400 years later.
7- Learn about the God of Quran and see if you feel he is the powerful God who created all the universe and will be able to recreate us again and decide for us our eternity according to our faith and deeds.
8- Learn the miracles of the Quran in my blog and find out how a human 1426 ago has all of these recent scientific facts.
9- Read the stories of the prophets almost the same as the bible and find the power of a God and how he revenge for his prophets and he always win in this life or the hereafter.
10- Try to find any weakness, hesitations, politics or regrets that make you feel that a human and not a God who created the Quran.
11- Feel the power of this God in the Quran over his universe, creations. prophets and all people.
12- Christians will still have their belief that Jesus is a son of God. They have it in their heart since their childhood. We Muslims love Jesus and his Mother Mary and the Quran put them in a very high place.
However, if Quran is from God he is the one who corrects to us the reality of Jesus. One has to start at point zero where everything is possible like I did with Quran myself rethinking my faith. Side branching from Jesus as son of God to son of man and a great prophet is very possible, you will continue to love him and await his second coming.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-L-GOHa5-YQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcgCdn8I8kU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovylbsLYcwc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdUzJvdvwjY&feature=related
We all should think religion in a scientific way:
1- Is there a God?: see under my blog the case for God is very compelling.
2- Every thing is equally right or wrong. So what ever your religion is go to the zero line where every thing could be right or wrong.
3- At zero line start by Islam (Quran) for a simple reason it you are studying in branch in science you will be doing the same going to the most recent book. Besides no single letter has changed.
4- Study Islam: in a scientific way: any possibility the messenger of Islam was a liar, it was a deceive from Satan or inspired from God read for yourself the Quran to answer this question.
5- Study the contradictions in Quran in my blog to be sure that we made the case clear that there is no contradictions. So you feel strongly that Quran is from God.
6- Be your own judge run the verses in your mind and think why a human would write that and why thousands of people pray behind him and follow him everywhere and 1.3 billion Muslim will continue to believe him 1400 years later.
7- Learn about the God of Quran and see if you feel he is the powerful God who created all the universe and will be able to recreate us again and decide for us our eternity according to our faith and deeds.
8- Learn the miracles of the Quran in my blog and find out how a human 1426 ago has all of these recent scientific facts.
9- Read the stories of the prophets almost the same as the bible and find the power of a God and how he revenge for his prophets and he always win in this life or the hereafter.
10- Try to find any weakness, hesitations, politics or regrets that make you feel that a human and not a God who created the Quran.
11- Feel the power of this God in the Quran over his universe, creations. prophets and all people.
12- Christians will still have their belief that Jesus is a son of God. They have it in their heart since their childhood. We Muslims love Jesus and his Mother Mary and the Quran put them in a very high place.
However, if Quran is from God he is the one who corrects to us the reality of Jesus. One has to start at point zero where everything is possible like I did with Quran myself rethinking my faith. Side branching from Jesus as son of God to son of man and a great prophet is very possible, you will continue to love him and await his second coming.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-L-GOHa5-YQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcgCdn8I8kU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovylbsLYcwc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdUzJvdvwjY&feature=related
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Why did Islam Spread Fast and Stayed Long?
By Maged Taman
The straight answer to this question is: because it is real. The more sophisticated one will encompass multiple reasons. We always learn that life and even religion is not that simple:
1- The reality of Islam: It is very reasonable attitude for humans to be suspicious and critical. Islam to a lot of Arabs and even non-Arabs is like a trade. Do you really want to pay to buy certain goods. Do you really want to spend a lot of time, effort and endurance for a true or false deal. Thus most people even who inherited the religion runs it well in their mind: Is it real or not?
2- Fulfillment: the fulfillment in Islam is related to the spirituality of the religion and the materialistic fulfillment. You can easily have it both ways.
3- The integration of life: Islam not only cause Muslims to live as better individuals and more holly but integrate them as a loving community.
4- Living along non-Muslims: Like a good Jew when he will be in any community he will be looked at as the champ of equality, justice and human rights. Good Muslims are fare people who would require equality and justice for all.
5- Honesty and transparency: unlike the Arab leaders now who plays politics in the dark. They promise their people justice and democracy and does every thing in the dark to get more control and greed over their people rights and wealth.
6- Clean and pure life: people whatever their background if they would to live a pure and clean life they would feel rested, calm and happy. You give up a little materialism for a lot of spiritual gain and peaceful life.
7- Islam believes in social classes: Though the best of us for God is the best in fear to God, Islam accepted the reality that we can not be all equal. For example in marriage Islam prefer you to marry from your same socio-economic level as an individual. But as a group Islam help us to tighten the gap between the rich and poor and teach us that best of us who has the best manners particularly with people who are weaker or less fortunate than him. For non-Muslims Islam did not break the rich or more affluent of the people. Even when they turn into Islam. The religion acknowledges the presence of classes. But it makes people look more beyond the classes. There is no class war in Islam.
8- God forgiveness for the sinners: as in other major religions sins can drag man to hell and meanwhile no one can be so desperate that God would never forgive his sins whatever great they are. Thus religion particularly Islam has always an open door to sinners. Meanwhile it is against organized sinning. This is a community that all indulge into sins. Organized sin or overwhelming sin equates to God organized wrath and overwhelming wrath.
9- Religion comes before personalities: For Muhammad (PBUH) the worst of hypocrites and unbelievers who were against him he never had a personal revenge against any of them. A lot of them became very good Muslims. They simply found it is something very different and it is not about the victory of Islam but about getting God word to all people and liberate all people from all kinds of tyranny. If you find tyrants or evil leaders in Islamic history it does mean that humanity has its evil even from any religion.
10- The leaders of Muslims as models: in early Islam were more pious and devotee to their religion. People looked at them as new breed of people. Most people looked seriously and studied seriously their religion. It is like the Gospel or good news of Jesus. There is God he connected again with another human (Muhammad) through his angel Gabriel. He is not a liar and not crazy. It is an astonishing story but more believable than an elephant that was an ant or the thousands of species that came from one atom or single cell.
11- Removing all forms of oppression: there is no compulsion in religion. Simply God wants to go to him with your complete mental and spiritual will, There is no middle man in Islam you respect Imams but all your relation with God is one in one. There is no oppression of women, workers, minorities, foreigners.... Islam means that you submit to God but in the same time you liberate your brain and soul. You do not become under the oppression of sins, people, governments, religious institutions,... It means you live with freedom and dignity more a life of worshiping, awareness and wisdom.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsgqML25Jzg&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXzziqUWUws
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PN2vboyJTpc&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddqANuvIf2A&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylMjH7Sx4kQ&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkixYI9J5no&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycOr6xh4QAo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keNFZ-wpqM4&feature=related
The straight answer to this question is: because it is real. The more sophisticated one will encompass multiple reasons. We always learn that life and even religion is not that simple:
1- The reality of Islam: It is very reasonable attitude for humans to be suspicious and critical. Islam to a lot of Arabs and even non-Arabs is like a trade. Do you really want to pay to buy certain goods. Do you really want to spend a lot of time, effort and endurance for a true or false deal. Thus most people even who inherited the religion runs it well in their mind: Is it real or not?
2- Fulfillment: the fulfillment in Islam is related to the spirituality of the religion and the materialistic fulfillment. You can easily have it both ways.
3- The integration of life: Islam not only cause Muslims to live as better individuals and more holly but integrate them as a loving community.
4- Living along non-Muslims: Like a good Jew when he will be in any community he will be looked at as the champ of equality, justice and human rights. Good Muslims are fare people who would require equality and justice for all.
5- Honesty and transparency: unlike the Arab leaders now who plays politics in the dark. They promise their people justice and democracy and does every thing in the dark to get more control and greed over their people rights and wealth.
6- Clean and pure life: people whatever their background if they would to live a pure and clean life they would feel rested, calm and happy. You give up a little materialism for a lot of spiritual gain and peaceful life.
7- Islam believes in social classes: Though the best of us for God is the best in fear to God, Islam accepted the reality that we can not be all equal. For example in marriage Islam prefer you to marry from your same socio-economic level as an individual. But as a group Islam help us to tighten the gap between the rich and poor and teach us that best of us who has the best manners particularly with people who are weaker or less fortunate than him. For non-Muslims Islam did not break the rich or more affluent of the people. Even when they turn into Islam. The religion acknowledges the presence of classes. But it makes people look more beyond the classes. There is no class war in Islam.
8- God forgiveness for the sinners: as in other major religions sins can drag man to hell and meanwhile no one can be so desperate that God would never forgive his sins whatever great they are. Thus religion particularly Islam has always an open door to sinners. Meanwhile it is against organized sinning. This is a community that all indulge into sins. Organized sin or overwhelming sin equates to God organized wrath and overwhelming wrath.
9- Religion comes before personalities: For Muhammad (PBUH) the worst of hypocrites and unbelievers who were against him he never had a personal revenge against any of them. A lot of them became very good Muslims. They simply found it is something very different and it is not about the victory of Islam but about getting God word to all people and liberate all people from all kinds of tyranny. If you find tyrants or evil leaders in Islamic history it does mean that humanity has its evil even from any religion.
10- The leaders of Muslims as models: in early Islam were more pious and devotee to their religion. People looked at them as new breed of people. Most people looked seriously and studied seriously their religion. It is like the Gospel or good news of Jesus. There is God he connected again with another human (Muhammad) through his angel Gabriel. He is not a liar and not crazy. It is an astonishing story but more believable than an elephant that was an ant or the thousands of species that came from one atom or single cell.
11- Removing all forms of oppression: there is no compulsion in religion. Simply God wants to go to him with your complete mental and spiritual will, There is no middle man in Islam you respect Imams but all your relation with God is one in one. There is no oppression of women, workers, minorities, foreigners.... Islam means that you submit to God but in the same time you liberate your brain and soul. You do not become under the oppression of sins, people, governments, religious institutions,... It means you live with freedom and dignity more a life of worshiping, awareness and wisdom.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsgqML25Jzg&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXzziqUWUws
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PN2vboyJTpc&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddqANuvIf2A&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylMjH7Sx4kQ&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkixYI9J5no&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycOr6xh4QAo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keNFZ-wpqM4&feature=related
Monday, June 16, 2008
The Quran on the Expanding Universe and the Big Bang Theory
From: www.islamreligion.com
By Sherif Alkassimi
Hubble’s Law
For thousands of years, astronomers wrestled with basic questions concerning the universe. Until the early 1920’s, it was believed that the universe had always been in existence; also, that the size of the universe was fixed and not changing. However, in 1912, the American astronomer, Vesto Slipher, made a discovery that would soon change astronomers’ beliefs about the universe. Slipher, noticed that the galaxies were moving away from earth at huge velocities. These observations provided the first evidence supporting the expanding-universe theory.[1]
Before the invention of the telescope in 1608, man could do little more than wonder about the origin of the universe. Courtesy: NASA
In 1916, Albert Einstein formulated his General Theory of Relativity that indicated that the universe must be either expanding or contracting. Confirmation of the expanding-universe theory finally came in 1929 in the hands of the well known American astronomer Edwin Hubble.
By observing redshifts[2] in the light wavelengths emitted by galaxies, Hubble found that galaxies were not fixed in their position; instead, they were actually moving away from us with speeds proportional to their distance from earth (Hubble's Law). The only explanation for this observation was that the universe had to be expanding. Hubble’s discovery is regarded as one of the greatest in the history of astronomy. In 1929, he published the velocity-time relation which is the basis of modern cosmology. In the years to come, with further observations, the expanding-universe theory was accepted by scientists and astronomers alike.
Yet, astonishingly well before telescopes were even invented and well before Hubble published his Law, Prophet Muhammad used to recite a verse of the Quran to his companions that ultimately stated that the universe is expanding.
“And the heaven We created with might, and indeed We are (its) expander.” (Quran 51:47)
At the time of the revelation of the Quran, the word “space” was not known, and people used the word “heaven” to refer to what lies above the Earth. In the above verse, the word “heaven” is referring to space and the known universe. The verse points out that space, and thus the universe, happens to be expanding, just as Hubble’s Law states.
That the Quran mentioned such a fact centuries before the invention of the first telescope, at a time when there was primitive knowledge in science, is considered remarkable. This is more so considering that, like many people in his time, Prophet Muhammad happened to be illiterate and simply could not have been aware of such facts by himself. Could it be that he had truly received divine revelation from the Creator and Originator of the universe?
The Big Bang Theory
Soon after Hubble published his theory, he went on to discover that not only were galaxies moving away from the Earth, but were also moving away from one another. This meant that the universe happened to be expanding in every direction, in the same way a balloon expands when filled with air. Hubble’s new findings placed the foundations for the Big Bang theory.
The Big Bang theory states that around 12-15 billion years ago the universe came into existence from one single extremely hot and dense point, and that something triggered the explosion of this point that brought about the beginning of the universe. The universe, since then, has been expanding from this single point.
It is mentioned in the Quran:
“He (God) is the Originator of the heavens and the earth…” (Quran 6:101)
“Is not He who created the heavens and the earth Able to create the likes of them? Yes; and He is the Knowing Creator. His command is only when He intends a thing that He says to it, ‘Be,’ and it is.” (Quran 36:81-82)
The above verses prove that the universe had a beginning, that God was behind its creation, and all that God needs to do inorder to create is to say “Be,” and it is. Could this be an explanation as to what triggered off the explosion that brought about the beginning of the universe?
The Quran also mentions:
“Have those who disbelieved not considered that the heavens and the earth were a joined entity, then We separated them, and made from water every living thing? Then will they not believe?” (Quran 21:30)
Muslim scholars who have explained the previous verse mention that the heavens and earth were once one, and then God caused them to separate and form into the seven heavens and Earth. Yet, due to the limitations of science and technology at the time of the revelation of the Quran (and for centuries to follow), no scholar was able to give much detail about how exactly the heavens and earth were created. What the scholars could explain was the precise meaning of each word in Arabic in the verse, as well as the overall meaning of the verse.
In the previous verse, the Arabic words ratq and fataq. The word ratq can be translated into “entity” “sewn to” “joined together” or “closed up”. The meaning of these translations all circulate around something that is mixed and that has a separate and distinct existence. The verb fataq is translated into “We unstitched” “We clove them asunder” “We separated” or “We have opened them”. These meanings imply that something comes into being by an action of splitting or tearing apart. The sprouting of a seed from the soil is a good example of a similar illustration of the meaning of the verb fataq.
With the introduction of the Big Bang theory, it soon became clear to Muslim scholars that the details mentioned with regards to the theory go identically hand in hand with the description of the creation of the universe in verse 30 of chapter 21 of the Quran. The theory states that all the matter in the universe came into existence from one single extremely hot and dense point; that exploded and brought about the beginning of the universe, matches what is mentioned in the verse that the heaven and Earth (thus the universe) where once joined together, and then split apart. Once again, the only possible explanation is that Prophet Muhammad had truly received divine revelation from God, The Creator and Originator of the universe.
Footnotes:
[1] The First Three Minutes, a Modern View of the Origin of the Universe, Weinberg.
[2] When the light an object emits is displaced toward the red end of the spectrum. (http://bjp.org.cn/apod/glossary.htm)
By Sherif Alkassimi
Hubble’s Law
For thousands of years, astronomers wrestled with basic questions concerning the universe. Until the early 1920’s, it was believed that the universe had always been in existence; also, that the size of the universe was fixed and not changing. However, in 1912, the American astronomer, Vesto Slipher, made a discovery that would soon change astronomers’ beliefs about the universe. Slipher, noticed that the galaxies were moving away from earth at huge velocities. These observations provided the first evidence supporting the expanding-universe theory.[1]
Before the invention of the telescope in 1608, man could do little more than wonder about the origin of the universe. Courtesy: NASA
In 1916, Albert Einstein formulated his General Theory of Relativity that indicated that the universe must be either expanding or contracting. Confirmation of the expanding-universe theory finally came in 1929 in the hands of the well known American astronomer Edwin Hubble.
By observing redshifts[2] in the light wavelengths emitted by galaxies, Hubble found that galaxies were not fixed in their position; instead, they were actually moving away from us with speeds proportional to their distance from earth (Hubble's Law). The only explanation for this observation was that the universe had to be expanding. Hubble’s discovery is regarded as one of the greatest in the history of astronomy. In 1929, he published the velocity-time relation which is the basis of modern cosmology. In the years to come, with further observations, the expanding-universe theory was accepted by scientists and astronomers alike.
Yet, astonishingly well before telescopes were even invented and well before Hubble published his Law, Prophet Muhammad used to recite a verse of the Quran to his companions that ultimately stated that the universe is expanding.
“And the heaven We created with might, and indeed We are (its) expander.” (Quran 51:47)
At the time of the revelation of the Quran, the word “space” was not known, and people used the word “heaven” to refer to what lies above the Earth. In the above verse, the word “heaven” is referring to space and the known universe. The verse points out that space, and thus the universe, happens to be expanding, just as Hubble’s Law states.
That the Quran mentioned such a fact centuries before the invention of the first telescope, at a time when there was primitive knowledge in science, is considered remarkable. This is more so considering that, like many people in his time, Prophet Muhammad happened to be illiterate and simply could not have been aware of such facts by himself. Could it be that he had truly received divine revelation from the Creator and Originator of the universe?
The Big Bang Theory
Soon after Hubble published his theory, he went on to discover that not only were galaxies moving away from the Earth, but were also moving away from one another. This meant that the universe happened to be expanding in every direction, in the same way a balloon expands when filled with air. Hubble’s new findings placed the foundations for the Big Bang theory.
The Big Bang theory states that around 12-15 billion years ago the universe came into existence from one single extremely hot and dense point, and that something triggered the explosion of this point that brought about the beginning of the universe. The universe, since then, has been expanding from this single point.
It is mentioned in the Quran:
“He (God) is the Originator of the heavens and the earth…” (Quran 6:101)
“Is not He who created the heavens and the earth Able to create the likes of them? Yes; and He is the Knowing Creator. His command is only when He intends a thing that He says to it, ‘Be,’ and it is.” (Quran 36:81-82)
The above verses prove that the universe had a beginning, that God was behind its creation, and all that God needs to do inorder to create is to say “Be,” and it is. Could this be an explanation as to what triggered off the explosion that brought about the beginning of the universe?
The Quran also mentions:
“Have those who disbelieved not considered that the heavens and the earth were a joined entity, then We separated them, and made from water every living thing? Then will they not believe?” (Quran 21:30)
Muslim scholars who have explained the previous verse mention that the heavens and earth were once one, and then God caused them to separate and form into the seven heavens and Earth. Yet, due to the limitations of science and technology at the time of the revelation of the Quran (and for centuries to follow), no scholar was able to give much detail about how exactly the heavens and earth were created. What the scholars could explain was the precise meaning of each word in Arabic in the verse, as well as the overall meaning of the verse.
In the previous verse, the Arabic words ratq and fataq. The word ratq can be translated into “entity” “sewn to” “joined together” or “closed up”. The meaning of these translations all circulate around something that is mixed and that has a separate and distinct existence. The verb fataq is translated into “We unstitched” “We clove them asunder” “We separated” or “We have opened them”. These meanings imply that something comes into being by an action of splitting or tearing apart. The sprouting of a seed from the soil is a good example of a similar illustration of the meaning of the verb fataq.
With the introduction of the Big Bang theory, it soon became clear to Muslim scholars that the details mentioned with regards to the theory go identically hand in hand with the description of the creation of the universe in verse 30 of chapter 21 of the Quran. The theory states that all the matter in the universe came into existence from one single extremely hot and dense point; that exploded and brought about the beginning of the universe, matches what is mentioned in the verse that the heaven and Earth (thus the universe) where once joined together, and then split apart. Once again, the only possible explanation is that Prophet Muhammad had truly received divine revelation from God, The Creator and Originator of the universe.
Footnotes:
[1] The First Three Minutes, a Modern View of the Origin of the Universe, Weinberg.
[2] When the light an object emits is displaced toward the red end of the spectrum. (http://bjp.org.cn/apod/glossary.htm)
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