Islam Is A Perfect Religion ?

[Inquisitor]

Please type in wordpad first and spell check, it makes it easier for reader to understand, and I have a feeling that you are still in high school or younger, it would also be a good practice for your college and so on ... .

Innocent: is a civilian who is sitting in his/her house and has nothing to do with our battles.

Nonbeliever doesn't deserve to death and in fact Quran says fight them if they fight you and if they want peace treaty, so be it. Remember Jihad is only defensive in Islam, particularly Shia Islam.

By the way, I asked about the verse/s of quran yet you failed to provide me.

i dono what verse
i dought it eve does
but who is considered innoct and guilty
on mere fact of being a non beliver one deserv death?
and is it write for one definition of huilty or innocent to apply to all people

and now it would be irralavnt wether the qoran says dont kill inoconce
becuse now who is to say who innocence is

by the way before i waist my time and yours i am making all this argumants based on the idea that islam like christianity is a relligion that wants to activly seek and turn people in to muslim convert

if this is not true than i should drop all my argumants and sttop waisitg your time after all it would be pointless if we argue based on fasle notions

[mike435]

Please type in wordpad first and spell check, it makes it easier for reader to understand, and I have a feeling that you are still in high school or younger, it would also be a good practice for your college and so on ... .

Innocent: is a civilian who is sitting in his/her house and has nothing to do with our battles.

Nonbeliever doesn't deserve to death and in fact Quran says fight them if they fight you and if they want peace treaty, so be it. Remember Jihad is only defensive in Islam, particularly Shia Islam.

By the way, I asked about the verse/s of quran yet you failed to provide me.

sir
and so when Persians were conquered by the Islamic movement thene Iran was actively fighting Islam?
please tell me how Persians were in violation of Islam that they deserved to be attacked by theme vis vi Arabs.
or for that matter everyone else
now i know you are going to say well any county people thigh out history used religion as a force to both unite and conquer true but Islam is still doing it

and what about countless jewish and other community's that were constantly coursed into conversion

also are you saying that all the wars and battles the profit had it was all defensive started by the enemy

you know something i am going be honest with as with many other people living in America we don't see or at least i don't see jihad and defensive
defensive is when you are attacked or an act of violation is brought up against you and you fight back
or when you know for sure a violation will occur against you and you take preemptive actions to neutralize it

also i though true jihad means conflict with in the self

oh and for your info no i am not in high school yet
i am actually in the 8th grade next week i will learn algebra oh goodie
maybe you can be my mentor nothing will be better than having a freshman high school student as my mentor

[Inquisitor]

sir
and so when Persians were conquered by the Islamic movement thene Iran was actively fighting Islam?
please tell me how Persians were in violation of Islam that they deserved to be attacked by theme vis vi Arabs.

It was army of Umar, and Shias dislike Umar, In fact Ali (as) opposed him. What is your next example ? Ottomans ? Shias dislike them too.

Should I judge Judaism based on what Zionists do ?
Should I judge Christianity based on what Crusaders did ?
Shold you judge Islam based on What Khaled did ?

also i though true jihad means conflict with in the self

No you are wrong 100 %.

now i know you are going to say well any county people thigh out history used religion as a force to both unite and conquer true but Islam is still doing it

I don't understand it ^^ So you can read my mind too

and what about countless jewish and other community's that were constantly coursed into conversion

also are you saying that all the wars and battles the profit had it was all defensive started by the enemy

you know something i am going be honest with as with many other people living in America we don't see or at least i don't see jihad and defensive
defensive is when you are attacked or an act of violation is brought up against you and you fight back
or when you know for sure a violation will occur against you and you take preemptive actions to neutralize it

lol I asked you to give me any verse from quran that says kill innocent people or any body (moslim or christian or jewish or infidel or ... ) for no reason

and you failed

oh and for your info no i am not in high school yet
i am actually in the 8th grade next week i will learn algebra oh goodie
maybe you can be my mentor nothing will be better than having a freshman high school student as my mentor

^^ Weakness ^^

[mike435]

It was army of Umar, and Shias dislike Umar, In fact Ali (as) opposed him. What is your next example ? Ottomans ? Shias dislike them too.

Should I judge Judaism based on what Zionists do ?
Should I judge Christianity based on what Crusaders did ?
Shold you judge Islam based on What Khaled did ?



No you are wrong 100 %.



I don't understand it ^^ So you can read my mind too




lol I asked you to give me any verse from quran that says kill innocent people or any body (moslim or christian or jewish or infidel or ... ) for no reason

and you failed




^^ Weakness ^^

friend i said from the begening i dont know
i dont read the qouran
it is your job not mine to infor peopel how all these diffrent groups and cults have hijacked islam
if you notice long time ago on this very fourm i posted verses from the qouran that talk about tolarance and etc
and book of the people and things like that

look i as a persian know that 90 percent of muslim persians are not only friendly and tolarant but are "good muslims"
but i don't know about the rest
and as long as the muslim community lets the jackel of there communitys dominate and be the poster chiled you will have this rift

also dont blame western media for this
muslims theme selfs have alot more studios and means of communicating and yet many times you see or get the feeling that the majority is consistant with the posterchilds view
even aljezira

[Inquisitor]

friend i said from the begening i dont know
i dont read the qouran
it is your job not mine to infor peopel how all these diffrent groups and cults have hijacked islam
if you notice long time ago on this very fourm i posted verses from the qouran that talk about tolarance and etc
and book of the people and things like that

look i as a persian know that 90 percent of muslim persians are not only friendly and tolarant but are "good muslims"
but i don't know about the rest
and as long as the muslim community lets the jackel of there communitys dominate and be the poster chiled you will have this rift

also dont blame western media for this
muslims theme selfs have alot more studios and means of communicating and yet many times you see or get the feeling that the majority is consistant with the posterchilds view
even aljezira

You are not persian, If both your parents are hebrew. Assyrians and Chaldeans brought some of the lost tribes of north Israel into babylon as a slave. Most likely, They are your ancestor. Persians are not semetic. You are Iranian Jewish, not Persian Jewish. Persians are one of the Iranic tribe make up 51 % of Iranian population.

All Persians are Iranian but not all the Iranians are persian.

I do not wish to go off topic, Topic is about Islam and I would rather talk about holy quran.

Wasalam

[mike435]

I already said it. We accept them as prophets, but we cannot believe in the gospels that were written hundreds years after prophet Jesus (PBUH). Same applies to Torah.

I gave you an example of Earth is flat , Earth is 10,000 years old !!!

friend i was thinking about some of the stuff you said
regarding torah and how it is changed or has added things
i think the only reason you are saying this is because it says it in the qouran

maybe for you, who you are a true believer that is enough but not for me,
after considering that obviously people could have written in it for example one argumant in favor of what you say could be if moses wrote the torah how was he able to write about his death? for that i will ask some scholars and rabbis

but here are some things to consider about the Torah

every torah is writen word by word and it is hand written
while reading a torah simoultanoisly two other people read the torah
if there is a problem of spelling punctuation or anything else immediately they stop reading from that Torah and put it aside
they also never destroy a Torah it is just barried or another arch is opened solly for storing old and retired scripts
when writing the Torah the author also is fasting

but most amazing thing about the Torah is that every single Torah has the same writing, style, wording as with every other Torah wether it is in iran or anywere else from today or a thousand years ago

more amazing than that is that even the jewish communities like the syrians who were isolated or out of contact, there torah is word for word the same
you see the torah is worshiped it is not viewed as just a holy text but a living thing

i think the care and restrictions that go into writing the torah are extremly tight and leave no room for the survival of a mutation

the system of writing and preserving and reading it autmaticly takes out mutations

i mean if say you are reading the Torah and you come across a wrong word you have to stop and fast

and still my question remains how was moses able to write about his death or events after his death?

also when you wrote 10000 years
well the torah acctually belives 5781 or somthing around there give or take a year or two
there are to views on this
one is when the torah says day1 this, day2 this etcc each day is not really a 24 hour cycle but some extended amount of time

the other view is that look the world was created 5781 years ago but in a comple state
example say a music cd it is hours long but it only takes 2 minutes to burn it
the same with the world it is millions of years old but was give only 5781

by the way these views are not just random or smart intrpitation but are backed up or are lead by diffrent evidances from the torah and kabalah

i think it would be more appropriate if you opend up a new thread regardng the Torah or religious text it hink we are getting off topic

[Inquisitor]

Why are you relating everything to Judaism ? Topic of this thread is " Islam Is A Perfect Religion ? So you question Quran.

the other view is that look the world was created 5781 years ago but in a comple state
example say a music cd it is hours long but it only takes 2 minutes to burn it
the same with the world it is millions of years old but was give only 5781

We are not Catholic priests of 13th century. This is the most absurd thing that I have ever heard.

Age of earth is approximately 4.55 Billion years. Where did you get this year 5781 from ? is it when Adam (as) was born ? is it the number of days that universe was created ?

friend i was thinking about some of the stuff you said
regarding torah and how it is changed or has added things
i think the only reason you are saying this is because it says it in the qouran

maybe for you, who you are a true believer that is enough but not for me,
after considering that obviously people could have written in it for example one argumant in favor of what you say could be if moses wrote the torah how was he able to write about his death? for that i will ask some scholars and rabbis

but here are some things to consider about the Torah

every torah is writen word by word and it is hand written
while reading a torah simoultanoisly two other people read the torah
if there is a problem of spelling punctuation or anything else immediately they stop reading from that Torah and put it aside
they also never destroy a Torah it is just barried or another arch is opened solly for storing old and retired scripts
when writing the Torah the author also is fasting

but most amazing thing about the Torah is that every single Torah has the same writing, style, wording as with every other Torah wether it is in iran or anywere else from today or a thousand years ago

more amazing than that is that even the jewish communities like the syrians who were isolated or out of contact, there torah is word for word the same
you see the torah is worshiped it is not viewed as just a holy text but a living thing

i think the care and restrictions that go into writing the torah are extremly tight and leave no room for the survival of a mutation

the system of writing and preserving and reading it autmaticly takes out mutations

i mean if say you are reading the Torah and you come across a wrong word you have to stop and fast

and still my question remains how was moses able to write about his death or events after his death?

also when you wrote 10000 years
well the torah acctually belives 5781 or somthing around there give or take a year or two
there are to views on this
one is when the torah says day1 this, day2 this etcc each day is not really a 24 hour cycle but some extended amount of time

the other view is that look the world was created 5781 years ago but in a comple state
example say a music cd it is hours long but it only takes 2 minutes to burn it
the same with the world it is millions of years old but was give only 5781

by the way these views are not just random or smart intrpitation but are backed up or are lead by diffrent evidances from the torah and kabalah

i think it would be more appropriate if you opend up a new thread regardng the Torah or religious text it hink we are getting off topic

[mike435]

Why are you relating everything to Judaism ? Topic of this thread is " Islam Is A Perfect Religion ? So you question Quran.

i replied to a comment of yours

We are not Catholic priests of 13th century. This is the most absurd thing that I have ever heard.

Age of earth is approximately 4.55 Billion years. Where did you get this year 5781 from ? is it when Adam (as) was born ? is it the number of days that universe was created ?

you are right

for you is obsured because you have a better explanation or i assume that is why it is obsured
since i know you are not a secular it probably means that you have a religious explanation from the qoran

can you please tell me were the qouran stands on this issiue

[Inquisitor]

you are right

for you is obsured because you have a better explanation or i assume that is why it is obsured

Anything that is a lie

since i know you are not a secular

I am muslim, a Shia muslim Fundamentalist

can you please tell me were the qouran stands on this issiue

When six phases of universe Creation are added together in Earth terms, the figure is 15 billion 750 million years.

[Rasputin]

[Rasputin]

این ضابطه شمشیرکشی و غنیمت گیری را تنها در بخش مدنی قرآن یعنی در قسمتی از این کتاب می توان یافت که به دوران جنگهای داخلی جامعه نوپای مسلمانان مدینه با دشمنان نیرومند و مشرک قریشی انها در مکه و به 65 نبرد بزرگ و کوچکی که در این راستا در عرض نه سال صورت گرفت مربوط می شودف به همین دلیل برخلاف آیات بخش مکی قران که جنبه عام دارند، آیه های معینی از این دوران، از قبیل جنگها و زد و خوردها یا وقایع مختلف سیاسی و قبیله ای یا توافهای و جداییها و یا مسائلی صرفا خصوصی و گذرا مربوط می شوند، به اضافه عموما این ویژگی را دارند که با حضور شخصی محمد در صحنه، چه در زمینه نظامی و چه در زمینه های مختلف اجتماعی و روزمره ارتباط دارند و از این دیدگاه نیز نمی توانند به شرایط زمانی و مکانی بعد زا درگذشت محمد تعمیم داده شوند. وجوه ارتباط این آیه ها با رویدادهای معین در اکثر مورادر در خود ایه ها به روشنی مشخص شده اند. در مواردی هم که جای ابهامی باقی باشد، در تقسیرهای متعدد و معتبر قرآن بخصوص در تفسیر الکبیر سی جلدی تبری که معتبرترین کتاب نوع خود در جهان اسلام است، شان نزول آنها مشخص شده است.



با اینهمه، و علیرغم همه اینها، آنچه در اسلام سفارشی دستگاه خلافت در نخستین سالهای پس از درگذشت محمد انجام گرفت، کاری درست در جهت مقابل همه این واقعیتها بود، بدین ترتیب که مفسران و فقهای این دستگاه خلافت در ماجرای ماموریتی که بر عهده آنان گذاشته شده بود، در بازنگری سراسری قرآن، نخست تمام بخش مکی آن را که در آن اصولا صحبتی از قتال و از غنیمت به میان نیامده بود کنار گذاشتند. یعنی عملا بر همه 4600 آیه خط فراموشی کشیدند برای اینکه تنها به سراغ بخش مدنی 1600 آیه های قرآن روند که در آن به عکس از قتال و غنیمت به حد لازم سخن رفته بود. سپس از میان آیه های همین بخش نیز، همه آن مبتداها و خبرهایی را که از شان نزول خاص هر یک از این آیات و از ارتباط آنها با رویدادهای معین حکایت می کرد، حذف کردند تا تنها بر آن قسمتهایی انگشت گذارند که بتوان آنها را بصورت احکامی عام برای همه شرایط زمانی و مکانی به مومنان عرضه کرد.





یک نمونه

برای اینکه در روشنتری در این باره داشته باشید، بیمورد نیست نمونه ای از این نوع دستکاریها را به صورت کوتاه شده ای از آنچه در کتاب خود من تفصیل بیشتری آورده شده ست، برایتان نقل کنم.



این نمونه مربوط به این واقعه معروف می شود که در اسل ششم هجری محمد همراه با گروه بزرگی از مسلمانان مدینه برای انجام مراسم سنتی حج اعراب به مکه رفت ولی قریشیان که پرده دار کعبه بودند به بهانه حفظ امنیت وردو آنان را به مکه مانع شدند و در نتیجه به دنبال گفتگوهایی که بین آنها صورت گرفت، پیمانی به نام توافقنامه حُدیبیه میان طرفین به امضا رسید که به موجب ان هر دو طرف متعهد می شدند تا مدت معینی از مخاصمه با یکدیگر خودداری کنند. منتها امضای این پیمان برخی از مسلمانان را که به حسن نیت قریش در اجرای آن اطمسنانی نداشتند، ناراضی کرد و در نتیجه آیاتی نازل شد که به مسلمانان اجازه می داد در صورت تخلف مشرکان از اجرای تعهداتشان با آنها مقاتله کنند تا وقتی که فتنه از میان برداشته شود.



این حکم « قاتلو هم حتی لاتکون فتنه » که تنها در دو آیه از 6200 آیه قرآن آمده از نظر مبتدا و خبر خدش بسیار روشن است و ارتباط آن با مخاصمات مسلمانان با قریش در زمان محمد نیز به همین اندازه روشن است. با وجود این می بینیم که 1400 سال بعد از آن، آیت الله العظمی روح الله خمینیف در مقام ولی فقیه جمهوری اسلامی ایران، در مراسم رسمی سلروز تولد پیامبر اسلام موضوع را در جمع حضار بدین صورت مطرح می کند( و به همان ترتیب نیز در روزنامه ها و رادیو و تلویزیونهای دولتی و خطبه های نماز جمعه منعکس می شود) که:

« قرآن می فرماید قاتلوهم حتی لاتکون فتنه، یعنی همه بشر را دعوت می کند به مقاتله .... اینکه امروز ما می گوییم جنگ جنگ تا پیروزی، اینطر نیست که امری خلاف قرآن بگوییم، بلکه فقط یک ذره ای از آنچه را می گوییم که قرآن گفته است. اگر ما امروز در جنگ با صدام پیروز هم بشویم، فقط یک کمی فتنه را کم کرده ایم. اگر در جای دیگری هم بعد از آن پیروز بشویم باز یک کمی پیروزی حاصل شده است. اگر همه دنیا را هم فرض کنیم که جنگ که جنگ کنیم و پیروز بشویم باز فقط در دنیای عصر خودمان پیروزی درست کرده ایم، در صورتی که قرآن این را نمی گوید، می گوید جنگ تا رفع فتنه، یعنی باید رفع فتنه از همه عالم بشود. بنابریان درک غلطی است از قرآن که جنگ برای رفع فتنه به یک جایی می تواند تمام شود. قرآن گفته است جنگ جنگ و بالاتر از این را هم گفته است. اسلام هم گفته است جنگ جنگ و بالاتر از این را هم گفته است. خدای تبارک و تعالی از غایت توسعه رحمت است که مردم را دعوت به مقاتله فرمده است.»



البته آبت الله به ابتکار شخصی خود چنین فتوایی را صادر نمی کرد، زیرا مدتی پیش از آن در«جامع عباسی» شیخ بهایی نیز که منبع اصلی همه توضیح المسائلهای چهار قرن اخیر است، درست به همین صورت آمده بود که « معنی آیه لاتکون فتنه این است که تا وقتی که یک نفر غیر مسلمان در روی زمین وجود دارد، می باید جهاد ادامه یابد.»



جالب است که این دو پهلویی قرآن و امکان بهره برداری از آن را به صورتهای مورد نظر، خود علی بن ابیطالب هم در نهج البلاغه صراحتا متذکر شده است. آنجا که در خطابه هفتاد و هفتم از جلد پنجم آن، به نماینده اعزامی خود برای مذاکره صلح با خوارج تاکید می کند که: با آنها با استناد به قرآن مناظره مکن زیرا قرآن جمع اضداد است. چیزی از آن را تو می گویی و چیزی دیگر را از آن را آنها می گویند. در عوض از راه حدیث با آنان احتجان کن تا دستت باز باشد.





استناد به برخی آیات

بر مبنای همین برداشت بود که مفسران رسمی دستگاه خلافت کوشیدند تا علیرغم آنچه بصراحت در قریب سی آیه قرآن آمده بود، آیاتی بیابند که بالعکس بر جهانی بودن رسالت پیمبر اسلام حکایت داشته باشد. و برای این کار سرانجام بر 8 آیه مختلف از میان ششهزار آیه قرآن انگشت گذاشتند که در ارزیابی واقع بینانه هیچکدام از آنها چنین مفهومی را ندارند. مثلا در آیه 158 از سوره اعراف آمده است:

« به آنها بگو که ای مردم، من رسول خدا به نزد شما شمایم.» ولی مفهوم «آنها» در اینجا مردم عربستان است که محمد می توانسته است با آنان گفتگو کند، و نه فی المثل ایرانیها یا چینها یا هندیهای بیرون عربستان، که اصولا وی با آنان گفتگویی نداشته است. زیرا درست در همین سوره اعراف، در سه آیه دیگر (آیه های 71، 73، 75 تا 77) این اصلی که برای هر قومی پیامبری از خودش فرستاده می شود تا با زبان همان قوم با انان گفتگو کند در مورد اقوام عاد و ثمود و مدین و رسولانی بنام هود و صالح و شعیب تکرار شده است.



در آیه ای دیرگ(سوره توبه، 33) گفته شده است: « اوست خدایی که رسولش را به هدایت فرستاد و دین حق را بر دیگر ادیان برتری داد، ولو آنکه این امر مشرکان را ناخوشایند باشد». مفهوم مسلم این آیه نیز این است که اشاره «ادیان دیگر» به معتقدات بت پرستانه قبایل مختلف عربستان و خدایان مورد پرستش آنان، ارتباط دارد و نه به پیروان ادیان توحیدی خارج از جزیره العرب، زیرا که در غیر این صورت اصولا موجبی پیش نمی آید که مشرکان را از این بایت ناراضی کند. احتمالا با توجه به همین نکته است که شیخ مهدی قمشه ای، استاد دانشگاه تهران، در ترجمه فارسی خود از قرآن این دو آیه را با دو دستکاری آشکاردر آن، اینطر ترجمه کرده است که « اوست خدایی که رسولش را به هدایت فرستاد و دین او را بر همه ادیان عالم برتری داد هر چند هم کافران را خوش نیاید».



در آیه ای دیگر فتح 28گفته شده است که « خداوند روسل خود را فرستاد تا دین حق را بر همه ادیان دیگر برتری دهد». ولی این گفته چنین معنی نمی دهد که چون دینی که برای عرب آورده شده از ادیانی چون یهود و نصاری و مجوس که در همین قرآن همه آنها نیز دینهای حق شناخته شده اند(حج 17) به قوم عرب ماموریت داده شده است که دین خود را از طریق شمشیر بر آنها تحمیل کند.



این نیز لازم به تذکر است که همه این آیه هایی که مفسران اسلام سفارشی خلافت از میان شش هزار آیه قرآن بیرون کشیدند تا از آنها مجوزی برای شمشیرکشیهای عرب بسازند، در سوره هایی آمده اند که در خود آنها یا در سوره های قبلی و بعدی آنها به صراحت بر اینکه برای هر قومی رسولی خاص فرستاده می شود و هیچ رسولی برای همه اقوام فرستاده نمی شود، تاکید نهاده شده است



نتیجه این شد که پیامبری که خودش به کرات منکر معجزه آوری خود شده بود در همان قرن اول هجری صاحب ششصد معجزه شناخته شد. و این رقم در بحارالانوار مجلسی به هزار معجزه و در منتهی الامال شیخ عباس قمی به 4444 معجزه رسید و تازه روح الله خمینی در کشف الاسرار خود به همین رقم هم رضایت نداد و شمار این معجزات را «لاتعدولا تحصی» دانست. به همینطور از پیغمبری که خودش را بارها بشری جایزالخطا دانسته بود، پیغمبری ساخته شد که نه تنها شخصا معصوم بود، بلکه این عصمت ذاتی را به سیزده تن دیگر از خاندانش نیز منتقل کرده بود، و باز از پیامبری بارها اعتراف کرده بود که علم غیب ندارد، پیغمبری ساخته شد که هم خودش بر علوم اولین و آخرین آگاه بود و هم تمامی این علوم را در داخل پوست گاوی برای وارثان خودش به ارث گذاشته بود. »

[Rasputin]

چرا اسلام گرایان با شادی و تفریح مخالفند؟

[Rasputin]

http://www.answering-islam.org.uk/Hoaxes/salamislama.html

[Rasputin]

The Quran, with its many ambiguous statements, is an ideal scripture to find contradictions. At the same time, its ambiguity provides a good opportunity for Muslims to find some explanation or the other to negate a contradiction. Some of the contradictions mentioned below might have already appeared on other Web Sites with slight variations.

Though Muslim scholars emphasize on the need to understand the CONTEXT of every verse to understand its implication better, the job is easily said than done. The innumerable repetitions and frequent appearance of irrelevant verses make the CONTEXT-finding task indeed difficult.

One would expect a scripture to be organized in some logical manner to enable people to understand it better. Unfortunately the Quran, often projected by Muslims as the FINAL TESTAMENT from God, fails in this criterion too.

"Better than a thousand verses devoid of meaning is a single meaningful verse
which can bring tranquility to the one who hears it"
Dhammapada, 101

1. Embryonic

One of the references on human reproduction which Muslims often quote from the Quran is verse 53:45-46. This is interpreted as a reference to the determination of sex at the fertilization stage itself. However, elsewhere, the Quran says that the sex of a developing embryo is determined well after the leech-like clot stage!

(53:45-46)

"That He did create the pairs - male and female from a sperm-drop* (nutfah) when lodged (in its place)" (75:38-39)

"Was he not a drop of sperm emitted (in lowly form)? Then did he become a leech-like clot; then did (Allah) make and fashion (him) in due proportion. And of him He made the sexes, male and female" **
___________

* Note the conspicuous absence of ovum required for fertilization.
** This view is further supported by this Hadith: "When 42 nights have passed over the drop (nutfah), Allah sends an Angel to it, who shapes it and make its ears, eyes, skin, flesh and bones. Then he says, "O Lord, is it male or female?" and your Lord decides what He wishes" (Hadith, Muslim, Book 33, No. 6392)

2. Width of the Garden

There is a clear discrepancy with reference to the width of the Paradise or Garden in the Quran. Verse 3:133 says that it is all the heavens (Samawath: plural) and the earth combined. Verse 57:21 says that the width is the (lower?) heaven (Sama: singular) and the earth combined.
(3:133)

".... a Garden whose width is that (of the whole) of the heavens and the earth, prepared for the righteous," (57:21)

".... a Garden (of Bliss), the width whereof is as the width of the heaven and the earth, prepared for those who believe in Allah .... "


3. Who misleads people?

According to verse 4:119-120, Satan (the rejected one) is the one who creates false desires and misleads people. Refer also 15:42. However, according to verse 16:93, it is God who leaves people astray as He wills! See also 4:78.

(4:119-120)

"I will mislead them, and I will create in them false desires....." (says Satan)
"Satan make them promises and creates in them false hopes...." (vouched by Allah) (16:93)

"If Allah so willed, He could make you all one people. But He leaves straying whom He pleases and He guides whom He pleases ...."


4. Attitude towards unbelieving parents

Al-Quran givens contradicting information as to what a believer should do when unbelieving parents and brothers insist on worshipping their gods. Verse 31:15 asks believers to keep company with unbelieving parents even if they insist (on following their religion?), but verse 9:23 asks believers not to take their fathers and brothers as protectors if they disbelieved!

(31:15)

"But if they strive (Jahada) to make thee join in worship with Me things of which thou hast no knowledge, obey them not; yet bear them company in this life with justice (and consideration)..." (9:23)

"O ye who believe! Take not protectors your fathers and your brothers if they love infidelity above faith: If any of you do so, they do wrong"

These verses of course appear in different contexts. Apologists can argue that verse 9:23 is applicable only in the context of hostilities and not otherwise. Then we have to define what is hostility. We must not forget that many passages in the Quran reflect an hostile environment of fluctuating fortunes between believers and unbelievers.

Since neither the Suras nor all the verses within Suras are arranged chronologically, the contexts of these `revelations' become that much difficult to understand. Interestingly, verse 31:15 also seems to appear in the context of `Striving' from the Unbelievers' side. Note the word `Jahada'!

5. Which enters the Paradise: Soul or Body or Both?

After resurrection, it is the body (after reuniting with the soul?) which enters the Paradise. This has been emphasized throughout the Book. See verses 13:5, 17:98-99, 20:55, 34:7, 75:3-4. However verses 27-30 in Sura 89 state that it is the Soul (Nafs)* which enters the Garden!
(17:99)

"See they not that Allah who created the heavens and the earth has the power to create the like of them (anew)? ...."

(75:3-4)
"Does man think that We cannot assemble his bones? Nay we are able to to put together in perfect order the very tips of his fingers..." (89:27-30)
(To the righteous soul will be said) "O (tho) soul, in (complete) rest and satisfaction! Come back thou to thy Lord - well pleased (thyself), and well-pleasing unto Him! Enter thou, thee among my Devotees! Yea, enter thou My Heaven!"

(31:28
"Your creation and your rising (from the dead) are only as (the creation and the rising of) a single soul..." (Pickthall)

In Islam, the bliss in Paradise is not complete without the corporeal and sense pleasures. Otherwise, how can one drink Zanzabil (76:17), feel the moderate temperature (76:13), enjoy maidens (55:56) and drink honey and milk (47:16-17). These are all joys in state for the faithful.

Yousuf Ali (note 6128 for verse 89:27-30) also says that it is the soul which enters the heaven, and not the gross body which perishes (His comment is contradictory to what verse 75:3-4 says!). Read verse 31:28 also. It says man's creation or resurrection is in no wise but as an individual soul*. Pickthall's translation is more clear.

[Rasputin]

Unlike in Vedic scriptures, the Quran does not clearly recognize the SOUL as a distinct entity from the BODY. The soul is often referred as a source of all inclinations and desires (3:61, 12:53).

The Arabic word `Nafs' has been translated differently by different translators: as SOUL, MIND, SPIRIT and even as HEART! The word `Nafs' at times refers to the individual (12:53), sometimes to the Soul (6:93, 39:42), and sometimes to God Himself (6:12,54)!.

Of particular interest is verse 21:35 which says "Every soul shall have a taste of death.... ".

This verse could mean: (i) that the Soul gets a taste of death after separation from the body, as Yousuf Ali interprets or (ii) that the Individual gets a taste of death as it is generally implied on most occasions (3:61, 51:21). Those who are of the opinion that `Nafs' in 21:35 only mean the real Soul would then have to consider this verse as another contradiction to verses 39:42 and 89:27-30 which imply that the Soul is taken back by Allah, momentarily during sleep and decisively at death. Does it mean that the Soul has no death?

6. 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"

_____________

* Of interest in this regard is the popular (but probably fabricated) Hadith: "I was a secret treasure, and I created the creatures in order that I might be known" .


7. EVIL AND GOOD: Where do they come from?
While one verse says that both Evil and Good issue from Allah, the very next verse says only Good comes from Allah!
(4:78
".... If some good befalls them, they say "This is from Allah". But if evil, they say "This is from thee" (O prophet). Say: "All things are from Allah....."* (4:79)
"Whatever good, (O man!) happens to thee, is from Allah. But whatever evil happens to thee, is from thyself"

________________

* Interestingly, the remainder of this verse goes like this: "But what has come to these people. That they fail to understand a single fact?" Can anyone understand what God says here? The fact that both Good and Evil are from Allah or only Good is from Allah?

8. Who has to be blamed for BELIEF AND DISBELIEF ?
(6:12)

"It is they who have lost their own souls, that they will not believe" (10:100)

"No soul can believe except by the will of Allah"

No explanation required for this contradiction!

9. Who has to be blamed for the wrongs done?
From verses 35:8, 16:93, 74:31, 2:142, we learn that it is Allah who has to be blamed for all the misguidance. While other verses hold man himself responsible for the wrongs done (30:9, 4:79).

(35:8

"Allah leaves stray whom He wills and guides whom He wills" (30:9)
"It was not Allah who wronged them, but they wronged their own souls"

10. UNBELIEVERS: To be persecuted or forgiven?

Verses 23:117 and 98:6 say that unbelievers will not prosper and are the worst of creatures!. Verse 9:29 also asks believers to fight those who do not believe in Allah, the Last Day, His rules and His religion of truth. But verse 45:14 says otherwise. Read also 16:128.

(9:29)

"Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth ....." (45:14)

"Tell those who believe, to forgive those who do not hope for the Days of Allah; It is for Him to recompense (for good or evil) each people according to what they have earned"


Apologists can argue that verse 9:29 was revealed in the context of war and 45:14 perhaps towards the end of hostilities. The fact is that the Quran does not specify what verses are applicable in the context of war and what is to be followed during other occasions. And also what rulings were for the past, what are for the present and what are for the future! God has unfortunately left everything to our discretion. Ironically, Apologists claim that the Quran contains solutions for the problems of the Past, Present and Future. There is little doubt that their claims is more emotional than factual.

11. God's advice to Muhammed on propagating Islam

We have seen apologists quoting verses from the Quran in support of their claim that the Quran does not recommend forceful conversions. The verse they often quote is 2:256 which says "There is no compulsion in religion". There are also many verses in the Quran which suggest otherwise and these have already appeared on web pages. Here we see two contradicting directives from God on conveying Allah's religion to the people:
(3:20)

"So if they dispute thee, say: "I have permitted my whole self to Allah and so have those who follow me"..... "Do you (also) submit yourselves? If they do, they are in right guidance. But if they turn back, thy duty is to convey the message. And in Allah's sight are (all) His servants" (8:38-39)
"Say to the Unbelievers, if (now) they desist (from disbelief), their past would be forgiven; but if they persist, the punishment of those before them is already (a matter of warning to them). And fight them on until there is no more persecution and the religion becomes Allah's in its entirety... "

Is verse 8:38-39 an abrogation of verse 3:20? If that is the case, can we recommend the directives in verse 8:38-39 as the standard method to be followed by all Muslims? Or is the latter verse given during the context of war? To me, these verses reflect the changing moods of the prophet in response to the public reaction he received. We see a content & tolerant messenger in verse 3:20 and a contempt and aggressive messenger in verse 8:38-39!