Questions/Comments on the Quran

Salam all, Just wondering what those who view miracles as strictly metaphorical make of the following verses. I'm not trying to rekindle the conflict, but really would like to see how this can be fit into your viewpoint. (5114-115) 114. Jesus son of Mary, said ?O God, send down to us a feast from heaven, that it becomes a joy to us from the first to the last, and a sign from You, and provide for us, you are the best provider.? 115. God said ?I will send it down to you, but whoever rejects after this from amongst you, I will punish him a punishment like no one else from the worlds will be punished!? Some questions that come to mind when reading these verses are the following Why would God give these people a punishment like no one else for their rejection of his sign? If we all have access to his signs, and all his signs are of equal significance (assuming no miracles exist), then why such a condition (punishment like no one else of the worlds) be placed on rejection of the sign? Please base your answers as much as possible on the words written in the Quran. Though any answers are welcome, I would prefer different word interpretations (i.e. kaba=ankles) in deriving your conclusions than symbolic guesswork. Peace

peace, http//www.islamic-awareness.org/Quran/Contrad/Mirlogical.html A widely held belief about the Qur'?n is that it makes its basic appeal to emotions and not to reason. Among the advocates of this view were the Muslim philosophers of early centuries who used a theory of intellectual classes to support it. According to this theory, people have different levels of understanding some are capable of grasping truth in its theoretical, abstract form (these are the philosophers, the most gifted intellectually), some are capable of rational thought but only within a closed system of belief (theologians make up this category), but most people have a humdrum intelligence that can comprehend truth only in its gross, material from (these are the masses, the great unwashed). Since scripture addresses the vast majority of mankind, the argument runs, it must cater to the needs of the largest of the three groups, that of the commoners, who can understand truth only when it is presented to them in material terms, for example through the use of similes and metaphors which pictorialize truth. It follows that, as a rule, one should not expect scripture to argue logically that is to say, with the aim of convincing the philosophers - but only to appeal to emotion, for that is the only way to persuade and sway the ordinary people. This view, however, reckons without the Qur'?n, for numerous verses of the Book make it explicit that it addresses human reason, that it faculty of reason. That is not all. The Qur'?n, as several modern Muslim scholars have endeavoured to show, offers sound logic and reasoning to support its fundamental teachings. The Egyptian scholar Muhammad Ab? Zakrah in his I'jaz-ul-Qur'?n (Egypt D?r-ul-Fikr al-cArab?, , Part Two, pp. 364-38 discusses several aspect of Qur'?nic jadal (argumentation). The Pakistani scholar Am?n Ahsan Isl?h? in his Urdu commentary of the Qur'?n, Tadabbur-i-Qur'?n (Lahore, 1967-1980) repeatedly draws attention to the Qur'?nic modes of reasoning. In the following paragraphs, we have attempted to isolate another aspect of Qur'?nic logic fallaciousness of reasoning noted by the Qur'?n in the arguments of disbelievers, whether of Islamic or early times. Under headings familiar to students of logic, we shall cite, and briefly explain, a few instances of such fallaciousness. Needless to say, the following account is not exhaustive. The translation of the Qur'?nic verses cited is my own. A few prefatory remarks should be made. First, all the fallacies cited occur in the statements of disbelievers, typically in statements made by the opponents of the Prophets when the latter invite them to reflect on the message they had brought and believe in it because this was the right and rational thing to do. The Qur'?n thus underscores the fact that while the Prophets asked their nations to think, ponder and exercise reason, the nations, unable to respond with sound arguments, argued fallaciously. Second, a number of fallacies can be identified quite easily, but some only after a close study of the verses or passages in question. The Qur'?n since it is not a textbook of logic, is not concerned to preserve the exact form of an argument. While reconstructing the form of a fallacy noted by the Qur'?n, for example, one has to keep in mind, on the one hand, such linguistic features of Classical Arabic as ellipsis, and, on the other, the Qur'?nic methods of presentation, like the method of citing a counter-example. Considerable effort may thus be needed in discovering the structure of a fallacy. Cases in point are the fallacies mentioned under ignoratio elenchi and petitio principii. Finally, although I have not provided any example of it, I believe that sometimes several fallacies are stated together in a single Qur'?nic ayah (4357-58, cited under ignoratio elenchi, would seem to exemplify the fallacy of argumentum ad populum as well). A logician with a keen sense of the Qur'?nic language and method can expect to reap a rich harvest. Argumentum Ad Baculum The Latin word baculum means "stick." An argumentum ad baculum (or argumentum baculinam), therefore is one that appeals to the stick - or force. Force does not have to be used actually; the threat of its use would suffice to generate the fallacy. Several nations mentioned in the Qur'?n responded to their Prophets by issuing threats to them. For example, in S?rah H?d we find the people of Shucaib saying "They said 'Shucaib, we do not understand much of what you say. We see that you are weak. Had it not been for your tribe, we would have stoned you, for you are not too difficult for us to handle'." In S?rah Shucar?, Pharaoh threatens Moses with imprisonment if the latter were to take anyone other than him as a deity. Already (vs. 19) Pharaoh has given a veiled threat to Moses by alluding to the manslaughter Moses committed earlier 'And you committed the act that you did commit'. Abraham is not only threatened, he is actually thrown into a fire 'They said, 'Burn him up, and come to the aid of your deities, if you wish to do something' (216. This happened only after Abraham had routed in debate the people in general (674-83), the king (225, and the custodians of the temple (2151-71; 3785-9. Noah is threatened by his people with stoning (26116), Lot, by his people, with exile (26167). Argumentum Ad Hominem The fallacy consists in an attempt to refute someone by making disparaging remarks about him rather than by responding to his argument. In other words, not the argument but the man (L. homo, "man") behind the argument is attacked. The nobles of the people of Noah rejected him and criticized his followers on the following grounds "We see that you are just a human being like us. We see that only those people have followed you who are quite obviously the lowliest among us. And we see the you are in no way superior to us. In fact, we suspect that you are liars." (1127) In other words Noah'a message must be rejected because his followers happen to be such - and - such people (see also 2611). 2136 says that the Quraysh start making fun of Muhammad the moment they catch sight of him, and pay no attention to his message. For other examples of this fallacy, see 2347 (Pharaoh and courtiers/Moses and Aaron), 2627 (Pharaoh/Moses), 26153-154 (Thamud/Prophet Salih), 26185 (Madyanites/Shucaib), 4352 (Pharaoh/Moses). Argumentum Ad Populum In this fallacy one makes an appeal to the crowd, trying to play on their feelings. In the following verse, Pharaoh, unable to deny the miracles shown by Moses in his court, turns to his courtiers and tries to provoke them by suggesting that Moses intends to occupy their land and banish them from it "He said to the courtiers around him `This one here is a sophisticated magician. He intends to expel you from your land by means of his magic'..." (2634-35) Another example, again involving Pharaoh and his noblemen on the one hand and Moses and Aaron on the other, is found in 2063-64, where the common Egyptians are told that Moses and Aaron are magicians who intend to expel them from Egypt and, at the same time, destroy their superior culture, and that they, the Egyptians must do their best to counter their magic. Argumentum Ad Verecundiam This is an appeal to one's sense of modesty, so that the addressee would find it hard to make a response without being indecorous or indirect. In S?rah Shucar?, Pharaoh, faced with Moses demand to allow the Israelites to leave Egypt, says 'Did we not bring you up when you were a child? And did you not stay with us for many years of your life?' (261. Pharaoh thus tries to force Moses into a situation from which the latter would find it hard to escape without offending against such values as gratitude and reverence. Appeal to distinguished names is also subsumed under the argumentum ad verecundiam. Several nations, when reproached by their Prophets for idolatry, justified their conduct by appealing to prestigious names in their past history. Here, for example is the dialogue between Abraham and his people "When he said to his father and his people `What are these images you are so attached to?' They said, 'We have found our forefathers worshipping them'."(2152-53) Petitio Principii In S?rah Zukhruf, there is an example of the fallacy of "begging the question". Upon the mention of Jesus in the Qur'?n, the leaders of the Quraish tried to mislead their people by saying, first that the Qur'?n speaks of Jesus as a deity, and second, that the Qur'?n holds Jesus-as-deity to be superior to their own deities, the angels. Having made this statement, they asked their people as to who was better - the angels, whom they worshipped or Jesus? Now the conclusion drawn by the Quraish, namely, that the Qur'?n considered Jesus-as-deity superior to angels-as-deities was as baseless as the premise on which this statement was based, namely, that the Qur'?n spoke of Jesus as a deity. Here are the two relevant verses of the S?rah "And no sooner is the son of Mary is cited as an example than your people start raising a hue and cry about him. They say 'Are our deities better or he?' They say this to you only for polemics sake. The fact is that they are a contentious lot." (4357-5 The Qur'?n comments by saying (vss. 59 ff.) that the Quraish leaders know quite well that Jesus is not presented in the Qur'?n as a deity but as a human being who was sent to the Israelites as a Prophet. Ignoratio Elenchi This is the fallacy of irrelevant conclusion. If a person is asked to prove or disprove something and he proves or disproves something that is not at issue, he would be committing this fallacy. The following verse alludes to this fallacy "The case of Jesus in the eyes of God is like that of Adam He created him from earth and then said to him, 'Be!' and he comes into existence." (359) Christians regard Jesus as the son of God because, they argue, he was born without a father. To the Qur'?n, however, the conclusion is not warranted, for otherwise Adam, who was born without any parent at all, would have a greater claim to deity. References In S?rah Y?suf, where Potiphar's wife threatens Joseph with dire punishment if he were to refuse to comply with here wishes. 'And if he does not do what I would have him do, he shall be imprisoned, and he shall suffer humiliation.' (1232) If you wish to do something The Arabic, in kuntum faaeelina, is highly suggestive. It connotes emergency Things are coming to a head, and it may be too late if you miss this opportunity to put a stop to Abraham's activity; so, if you are at all minded to do something, this is the time to act. It also is a plea for concerted action, for there is a hint that Abraham's opponents were divided as to the kind of action to be taken against him Cf. in kuntum faaeelina, with similar connotations, in the story of Joseph (1210). Although grammatically Wa-labithta min `umurika sineena is not a negative sentence, it is negative in respect of the overall structure of Pharaoh's statement, the first part of which is, A-lam nurabbika walidan. Two of the many examples of this construction in the Qur'?n are 936-8 and 941-4. This interpretation of the verses has been borrowed from Am?n Ahsan Isl?h?, Tadabbur-i-Qur'?n (8 vols.; Lahore, 1967-80), 6239-242. and he comes into existence One expects to have "and he came into existence" (i.e., fa-kana instead of fa-yakunu). The change from the madi (past) to the mudari (present and future) indicates that the rule holds good for the present and the future as for past, that the creation of Adam was not the only occasion in the past when the command "Be" resulted in the creation of a human being, but that the creation of any other human being, or of anything for that matter, occurs in the same manner.

Peace Everyone! I have an important question to ask the ladies of this forum (although the men can answer if they want). This is an experiement i want to conduct only on the woman of the forum, not girls. First i want you to read this verse "Oh (your name), God gives good news of a word from Him whose name is (your child name). Honourable in this world and in the Hereafter, and from among those who are made close." (346) Then read this verse She said "My Lord, how can I have a son when no man has touched me?" (347) Now i will like to ask a scenario question only to the females in this forums Let us assume you are a virgin. You are alone in your apartment, room, house, residence. You have been fasting. someone enters you residence and says "Oh (your name), God gives good news of a word from Him whose name is (your child name)." Honestly, what would be your first reaction? What would be your first words and thoughts? Please be honest as possible. Remember You are a virgin. alone in your residence. someone enters your residence when you are alone, after fasting. Tells you "God gives good news of a word from Him whose name is (your child name)." The question is What is you first reaction? (a) Who will be the father? (b) Am I pregnant? (c) When? Please be honest as possible. I will explain the purpose of the experiment when i recieve all answers. Please, please be honest ladies and not bais. Answer the question as realistically and honestly as possible. classification of questions (a) = a "who question" (b) = a "how question" (c) = a "when question"

Peace We have it that the example of Mary is that she 'ahsanat farjaha' or to 'some' sealed her hole. Thus we have; 6612 Also Mary, the daughter of Imran. She maintained her chastity/defended her hole, then we blew into her from Our spirit. She believed in the words of her Lord and His scriptures; she was obedient. So ladies you must take her example and remain virgins for life and maybe God too will give you sons 'miraculously'. Take care. Joe

peace, LOL they mention free-minds and mquran's site in the article too then they go and give examples of how Allah's Book is not fully detailed, here is the introduction, the part of the site where they address this issue can be found here http//answering-islam.org.uk/Quran/Incoherence/index.html The Incompleteness and Incoherence of the Qur'an The Qur'an, in many places, claims for itself complete, exhaustive knowledge. The Qur'an asserts that it basically lacks nothing as far as faith and religious knowledge is concerned. A careful analysis of the following verses demonstrates that the Qur'an's self-assessment is that it is a fully detailed revelation And there is no animal in the earth, nor bird that flies on its two wings, but (they are) communities like yourselves. We have NOT NEGLECTED ANYTHING in the Book. Then to their Lord they will be gathered. S. 638 Maulana Muhammad Ali Shall I seek a judge other than Allah, when He it is Who has sent down to you the Book FULLY EXPLAINED? ... S. 6114 M.M. Ali The likeness of the life of the present is as the rain which We send down from the skies by its mingling arises the produce of the earth- which provides food for men and animals (It grows) till the earth is clad with its golden ornaments and is decked out (in beauty) the people to whom it belongs think they have all powers of disposal over it There reaches it Our command by night or by day, and We make it like a harvest clean-mown, as if it had not flourished only the day before! Thus do We explain the Signs in detail for those who reflect. S. 1024 Yusuf Ali In their histories there is certainly a lesson for men of understanding. It is not a narrative which could be forged, but a verification of what is before it and a distinct explanation of all things and a guide and a mercy to a people who believe. S. 12111 Shakir Ibn Kathir comments on the last of the above quoted verses <and a detailed explanation of everything> Meaning the allowed, the prohibited, the preferred and the disliked matters. The Qur'an deals with the acts of worship, the obligatory and recommended matters, forbids the unlawful and discourages from the disliked. The Qur'an contains major facts regarding the existence and about matters of the future in general terms or in detail. The Qur'an tells us about the Lord, the Exalted and Most Honored, and about His Names and Attributes and teaches us that Allah is glorified from being similar in any way to the creation. Hence, the Qur'an is... <a guide and a mercy for the people who believe.> with which their hearts are directed from misguidance to guidance and from deviation to conformance, and with which they seek the mercy of the Lord of all creation in this life and on the Day of Return. We ask Allah the Most Great to make us among this group in the life of the present world and in the Hereafter, on the Day when those who are successful will have faces that radiate with light, while those whose faces are dark will end up with the losing deal. This is the end of the Tafsir of Surah Yusuf; and all the thanks and praises are due to Allah, and all our trust and reliance are on Him Alone. (Source) Yet another verse of the Qur?an states ... And thee have We brought forth to bear witness regarding those , inasmuch as We have bestowed from on high upon thee, step by step, this divine writ, TO MAKE EVERYTHING CLEAR, and to provide guidance and grace and a glad tiding unto all who have surrendered themselves to God. S. 1689 Asad M.M. Ali has an interesting note here 89b. Brinkman says "If the Qur'an explains everything and is a guidance, what need is there for the Sunnah?" ... (Source) Indeed, a very good question, one which Ali doesn't sufficiently answer. See the rest of his note. One online Shia commentary writes The Holy Prophet, who came with the book (a guide, a mercy and glad tidings to those who submit themselves to Allah) explaining all things, is a witness over all the witnesses. In addition to verses mentioned in the commentary of verse 84 of this surah, please refer to Bani Israil 71 and An Nur 24. (Pooya/M.A. Ali English Commentary; Source) Ibn Kathir states <And We revealed the Book (the Qur'an) to you as an explanation of everything,> Ibn Mas`ud said " made it clear that in this Qur'an there is COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE AND ABOUT EVERYTHING." The Qur'an contains all kinds of beneficial knowledge, such as reports of what happened in the past, information about what is yet to come, what is lawful and unlawful, and what people need to know about their worldly affairs, their religion, their livelihood in this world, and their destiny in the Hereafter. (Source) Two more verses from the Qur'an He does propound to you a similitude from your own (experience) do ye have partners among those whom your right hands possess, to share as equals in the wealth We have bestowed on you? Do ye fear them as ye fear each other? Thus do we explain the Signs in detail to a people that understand. S. 3028 A Scripture whereof the verses are expounded, a Lecture in Arabic for people who have knowledge, S. 413 Pickthall The cumulative effect of all these passages has led many Muslims to the conclusion that all one needs is the Qur'an, which in turn has led to a steady rise of "Qur'an only" Muslims. There are several distinct groups of "Qur'an only" Muslims, but they all have this in common they reject the assertion that the hadiths and sirah literature are necessary and vital for a proper understanding of the Qur'an. Note, for instance, the statements of the following Muslim writer regarding 1689 There cannot be any words clearer than this. When He says "liKULLI Shai?iw" that means EVERYTHING. If the Qur?an itself is supposed to explain everything, what does it mean to explain the Qur?an by other books? In other words, the above verse is saying that there is NOTHING that is not explained by the Qur?an. The Muslim who says that "not everything is in the Qur?an", must sit down and contemplate on these Ayaats and reflect on the logical consequences of his statement. And The Muslim, when confronted with these Ayaat, adopts a more defensive approach and revises his earlier statements by saying "Yes, the Qur?an is complete and has everything and is easy to understand, but it LACKS DETAILS. And to get the details we must resort to the books of Hadith". The Qur'an again refutes this statement... The discussion should end here for if the Qur?an is COMPLETE, and EASY and has DETAILS of everything that we need for Guidance, then there is no need to look at another book for Guidance. I must add here that people should be encouraged to talk with each other and share ideas - the problem occurs when individual's ideas are taken as sources of Guidance in ADDITION to the Qur?an. This is exactly what Allah tells them "Is it not enough for them that We have revealed to you the Book, which is recited to them? Most surely there is a mercy in this and a reminder for a people who believe" (2951) The Muslim, however, refuses this "Mercy" and ties himself up in shackles of Hadith and tradition, and insists that the Book of Allah is not enough for him. With all of the above evidence, he still cannot give up Hadith. In the following chapters we will look at some of the other arguments put forth by the proponents of Hadith. (Source) To read further articles written by like-minded Muslims please consult the following www.submission.org/hadith/ www.the-quran.org/ www.geocities.com/mquran/ www.free-minds.org/ These Muslims are quite similar to Protestant Christians and their belief in the Holy Bible as the sole, infallible, rule of faith which is completely sufficient to fully equip believers. But there is a major difference between the two groups and the claims of the Holy Bible regarding its own sufficiency with the claims of the Qur'an. As we saw from the foregoing citations, the author of the Qur'an makes the bold assertion that the Qur'an is a fully detailed, exhaustive book. And herein is where the Muslims are in a major dilemma. We have demonstrated in a number of articles, that the Qur'an is far from being exhaustive and that it lacks essential details, making it quite unintelligible for the person who has no recourse to Islamic history and/or Muslim commentaries. But the moment one consults sources outside of the Qur'an in order to make sense of it is the moment the Muslim faces an irreconciliable contradiction since this negates the Qur'an's claim of being complete. Note the problem as we break it down for all to see The Qur'an says it is a fully detailed record. Therefore, to consult sources outside of the Qur'an is to falsify its claim of completeness. Yet there are many stories and instructions which the Qur'an does not fully expound upon, making it necessary for a person to consult other sources besides the Qur'an. But the moment a person goes outside of the Qur'an to fill in the details he or she inevitably ends up refuting the assertion made by the Qur'an that it is an exhaustive record. Here is just one example of what we mean. The Qur'an, in 412 and 176, refers to a kalalah The Arabic word kalalah left many Muslims baffled Narrated Ibn 'Umar 'Umar delivered a sermon on the pulpit of Allah's Apostle, saying, "Alcoholic drinks were prohibited by Divine Order, and these drinks used to be prepared from five things, i.e., grapes, dates, wheat, barley and honey. Alcoholic drink is that, that disturbs the mind." 'Umar added, "I wish Allah's Apostle had not left us before he had given us definite verdicts concerning three matters, i.e., how much a grandfather may inherit (of his grandson), the inheritance of Al-Kalala (the deceased person among whose heirs there is no father or son), and various types of Riba (usury)." (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 69, Number 493) Narrated Al-Bara' ibn Azib A man came to the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) and said Apostle of Allah, they ask thee for a legal decision about a kalalah. What is meant by kalalah? He replied The verse revealed in summer is sufficient for you. I asked AbuIshaq Does it mean a person who dies and leaves neither children nor father? He said This is so. The people THINK it is so. (Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 18, Number 2883) And 20 There is disagreement about the meaning of the word Kalalah. According to some, it denotes those who die leaving no lineal heirs, neither issue nor father or grandfather. Others, however, see it as referring to those who die without issue, regardless of whether succeeded by father or grandfather. The relevant verse in the Qur'an is found in Surat al Nisa, 4176. And it was on the basis of this verse that Abu Bakr ruled as he did. Abu Bakr's reasoning was that the verse specifies that the sister of the Kalalah is to receive a half of the inheritance; and if the father had been alive, the sister would not have inherited from the Kalalah at all. Thus, while the Qur'an does not specify the matter; it is fairly clear that the implied meaning is that the Kalalah is one who dies leaving no lineal heirs in either direction. (Ed.) (Source; bold emphasis ours) Therefore, to read the Qur'an alone leaves one confused about many of its instructions and stories. But to consult sources other than the Qur'an falsifies the Qur'an in its claim to be complete. Either way, the Muslim is in a situation which he/she cannot resolve. This does not only apply to the "Qur'an only" camp, but it is a dilemma also for those Muslims who follow both the Qur'an and Islamic traditions, whether Sunnis or Shias. Unlike the Qur'an which claims to be a fully detailed scripture, the Holy Bible does not claim to be an exhaustive book. It claims to be a SUFFICIENT record as far as faith and morals are concerned. The Holy Bible gives us all the things which are necessary to believe in for salvation and to live in a manner completely pleasing to God "Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." John 2030-31 NIV "But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be COMPETENT, EQUIPPED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK." 2 Timothy 314-17 ESV "His divine power has given us EVERYTHING WE NEED for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires... And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." 2 Peter 13-4, 19-21 NIV Hence, it would be a major error for a Muslim to try to turn this argument against the Holy Bible on the basis that it does not exhaustively record all that God has said or done through his prophets/messengers, or for not containing all information. The Holy Bible, unlike the Qur'an, never claims for itself complete, exhaustive knowledge. It claims to be completely sufficient for equipping the man or woman of God. One could easily design many different criteria for evaluating the Qur'an and the Bible, or any other religious scripture for that matter. The demand for logical consistency is certainly a reasonable criterion for any book that claims to be divine revelation, whether or not this book explicitly claims to be without contradictions. To demand that the number of words in each chapter must be a prime number would be an entirely arbitrary and unreasonable criterion. The Bible and the Qur'an are very different books, and besides some foundational criteria that apply generally to each book claiming to be revelation of absolute truth (e.g., logical consistency, historical accuracy when speaking about historical events, etc.) it is important to check whether each book satisfies at least its own, internal criteria, i.e. the claims it makes about itself. Evaluating the Qur'an by the criterion of completeness is fully appropriate since it is taking serious a claim made by the Qur'an about itself. Attacking the Bible for not being completely exhaustive in everything would mean to impose an arbitrary and unjustified demand on it.

peace All, I was hoping someone could give me a literal translation of the following 2173 = wama ohilla bihi lighayri Allahi 53 = wama ohilla lighayri Allahi 6145 = aw fisqan ohilla lighayri Allahi 16115 = wama ohilla lighayri Allahi Wakas

Salaamun to All Does anyone know the definitions of these terms, and, if so, would you please copy and paste your source, thanks. Is there a phoetic Arabic lexiocon/dictionary on line?

peace, I agree with marie... and wakas for the simple fact that just becasue things other than human SBH God doesnt mean we impose our "standard" of verbally SBH to them also....the verse didnt say they SBH but we cant hear them.. If angels cant disobey God (then wasnt shaytan an angel who refused to "bow".) therefore by your statement the angel (Shaytan was SBH God by doing what He ordered which would be to not bow since the only way shaytan could not "bow" is if God ordered him to not bow) i have failed to see any verses which say shaytan was ordered somehting else so if he disobeys God by not "bowing" (obeying) then that would imply He was ordered to "bow" thus meaning that maybe the state of an angel is only those who SBH (obey) and if you dont SBH( obey )then you become "cursed"....so the meaning of SBH as per my understanding which may evolve as God wills is that SBH is a form of obeying...doesnt obeying God glorify Him??? amanda

333 Inna Allaha istafa adama wanoohan waala ibraheema waala AAimrana AAala alAAalameena 333 Allah did choose Adam and Noah, the family of Abraham, and the family of 'Imran above all people. Thanks

Salaams, I am not sure but is it right to say that it can have a common name as some things mentioned in it will become common rather then being applicable to God only or some things will become out of date or predated as we mankind progress with time? 168,3672,4079,4313 - horses , mules and other beasts Allah has provided for riding / for transport e.t.c 4232-33. ships sailling with the wind. 138 Allah knows what the wombs conceal - people nowadays can easily find out with modernity. 4249Allah decides whether you have a son or a daughter , men have the choice nowadays to decide what to have or not to have . Thanks .

Peace all, I understand from the following verse that the safeguarding of the reading (the quran) is on God. In my humble opinion, the quran is preserved by God since its revelation and all time without discontinuity. How do you understand this verse? Thanks FM 159.Indeed it is We who have sent down the Reminder, and indeed it is We who will preserve it. Ahmad Shabir 159 Behold, it is We Ourselves Who have sent down this Reminder, and behold, it is We Who shall truly guard it. (6116). Muhammad Assad (159) Behold, it is We Ourselves who have bestowed from on high, step by step, this reminder? and, behold, it is We who shall truly guard it . 015.009 YUSUFALI We have, without doubt, sent down the Message; and We will assuredly guard it (from corruption). PICKTHAL Lo! We, even We, reveal the Reminder, and lo! We verily are its Guardian. SHAKIR Surely We have revealed the Reminder and We will most surely be its guardian. KHALIFA Absolutely, we have revealed the reminder, and, absolutely, we will preserve it. Inna nahnu nazzalna alththikra wa-inna lahu lahafithoona

peace, Wherever you may be, death will find you, even if you are in fortified towers. If any good befalls them, they Say ?This is from God,? and if any bad befalls them, they Say ?This is from you!? Say ?All is from God;? what is wrong with these people, they barely understand anything said! Any good that befalls you is from God, and any bad that befalls you is from yourself. We have sent you as a messenger to the people and God is enough as a witness. (478-79) in 478 when it says "all is from God" it implies that both good and bad are from God do to the accusations it was answering, yet in the very next line it says only what is good that happens to us is from God and what is bad that happens to us is not, how can all be from God yet anything bad that happens to us (which is part of "all") not be from God but from our own selves? a translation error? or is my understanding incorrect or what? also 731 implies that bad things are from God, a contradiction? When any good comes to them, they Say ?This is ours,? and when any bad afflicts them, they blame it on Moses and those with him. Their blame is with God, but most of them do not know. get back to me peace

Peace, I was reading this verse today and am not sure what exactly it means by the word 'carefree' here "You shall not treat the people with arrogance, nor shall you roam the earth carefree. GOD does not like the arrogant showoffs." 3118 Does it mean don't be idle (don't be without a job or just stay home with nothing to do - no idle hand's in God's kingdom)? Or Does it mean don't NOT care about others in the world? Thanks!

Peace, Say "I seek refuge with the Lord of the dawn," "From the evil of His creation," "And from the evil of darkness as it falls," "And from the evil of the blowing on knots," "And from the evil of the envious when they envy." 1131-5 Who are those who blow on knots? Say "I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind," "The King of mankind," "The god of mankind," "From the evil of the sneaking whisperer," "Who whispers into the chests of mankind," "From among the Jinn and mankind." 1141-6 Who do you guys think is the whisperer? What is God trying to tell us in these surahs? Sara

Peace, A very interesting interpretation from Shabbir Ahmad exposition of the Qur'an 719 ? O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in the Garden and eat from whatever you may wish; but do not approach this one tree, lest you become wrong doers.? (Contrary to the popular beliefs that the Forbidden Tree was the tree of knowledge, fruit of this plant and that plant, or of sexual charms, it refers to humanity dividing itself like the branches of a tree (235-36), (2213), (20120)). 720 Then Satan deceived them in order to reveal their imperfections and fallibility to them. He said, "Your Lord forbade this tree lest you become angels or become immortals.? (The selfish desire of humans prompted them to think about their own children rather than the collective good. That would, in a way, give them power and immortality). 721 And Satan swore to both, man and woman, ?I am a sincere advisor to you.? 722 So by deceit Satan brought about their downfall. They tasted of the tree of discord and started to divide into branches. (Personal interest dominated their minds rather than the collective good of all. Humanity began to fall into mutual contention). Soon their imperfections became obvious and they tried to conceal them in vain with superficial courtesy. Then came a reminder from their Lord, "Did I not forbid you that tree and tell you that Satan is your open enemy?" 723 They said, "Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. Unless You forgive us and have mercy on us, we will certainly be lost.? (Man and woman accepted responsibility acknowledging that they had free will as against Satan who had ascribed his disobedience to the Will of Allah (716)) 724 (Self interests of people had given rise to unjust marking of land and individual hoarding. Suppression of the weak had begun). Allah told them that they had fallen down from the high station of humanity. They had ignored the Law that "Mankind is one community" (1019). From then on, they would live as tribes and nations, enemies to one another, ?There will be for you on land an abode and sustenance for a while.? 725 He said, "You shall live in the earth and die there and be resurrected from there.? (In the meantime they could regain their lost paradise if they followed the Divine Commands (2213)). 726 O Children of Adam! We have provided you with garments to cover your bodies as well as to adorn you. The best garment for you to wear, in addition, is good conduct. Your character decorates you inside out. These are the verses of Allah that they must take to heart. 727 O Children of Adam! Let not your selfish desire deceive you as it deceived your ancestors, caused them to lose their paradise, and exposed their imperfections. A host of selfish and rebellious desires lurk within you. You can't even see them but these Satans see you and befriend those who do not believe. What do others think?

peace, just something to listen to, the beauty of the Arabic is incredible, though of course what God's reading is actually saying is far more important, it's still nice to absorb its literary/audio beauty http//www.bismillah.com/html/in_english.html peace

peace, I was reading this section of Arab Conspiracies Against Islam and I wanted to know what you think of it's validity, it seems like his translation could actually work The benefactor of the Arabic religion changed the word ?Ka?aba that simply means ?ankles? of the leg to become God?s house. The dissolution is done to accommodate their earlier baseless premeditated distortion of the word Hurumun? in verse 2. The word Ka?aba is mentioned at three different places in the Quran and they are all grouped in chapter 5. The title of Chapter 5 is ?Al Maaidah? which means ?the Feast?. Before exploring the true meaning of the word ?ka?aba? I would like to give a summary about Chapter 5. There are 120 verses in this chapter and the subject of food is spread all over including one about drinking. The general essence of the message in this chapter is about the three prophets who received God?s scripture, namely Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad. ? The first five verses give the details of the sanctions on food. In Verse 6 to verse 11 the significance of upholding God?s decree to brace the first five verses. ? Verse 12 to verse 47 is related the history of the Children of Israel who transgressed the laws given to Moses and Jesus. ? Verse 48 to verse 89 is about the message of the book to the last prophet reminding the readers about the violation of the people of the previous scripture. ? Verse 90 to verse 93 the subject of food is again mentioned to admonish habitual soliciting of intoxicants, gambling and dividing the meats by lots without constraint. In Verse 93 it says that those who believe and lead a righteous life commit no sin by eating any food so long as they observe good moral conduct and continue to lead a righteous life. ? Verse 94 to verse 98 the subject is extended to wildlife as the point of convergence, which is again related to food. This is for the conservation of wildlife. ? The subject diverts from Verse 99 to verse 109 about the limited role of the last prophet. However in between the passages the subject of food is again mentioned in verse 103. Some of the names in this verse are beyond comprehension to many people even to the Arabs. There are names like ?Baheerah? ?Saa?ibah? and ?Waseelah?. They are not camels, goats or donkeys which are common to the Arabs. ? To commensurate the title of Chapter 5 the history of Jesus is mentioned in Verse 110 to Verse 120. Here we see the disciples wanted to reassure their hearts by making a preposterous demand from Jesus that he should ask from his Lord to bring a feast from the sky as a sign of celebration. Their request was somehow consummated with the warning that they will be punished severely if they disbelieve after the food was delivered. These are the contextual essence of Chapter 5 of the Quran and they are mainly about food. And this is the only chapter where we find the word ka?aba mentioned three times- This word is first mentioned in verse 6- O you who believe, when you uphold towards your commitments you shall wash your faces, your arms to the elbows, wipe your heads, and wash your legs to the ankles (ka?baini). (Chapter 5 Verse 6) The word Ka?baini is this verse is ankles. The same word is also used in Chapter 5 verse 95 to mean the ankles of animal. Yaaiyuhallazi na-amanu la-taqtalu soida wa-antum hurumun waman qotalahu minkum muqota?amidan fajaza-un misluma qotala-minalna?ami yah-kumu bihi zawa?adli minkum hadyan balighor ka?bati aukafarotun tho?amu masakina au?adlu zaalika siyaman liyazuqo wabala amrihi ?afal-lah ?am-ma salafa waman ?aada fayantaqimul-lah minhu wal-lahu ?azizun zuntiqam. (Chapter 5 Verse 95) O you who believe, do not kill the wildlife which you restrict . If anyone kills on purpose, he shall expiate with an equivalent livestock to be judged by two equitable men from among you as guides to determine their ?ankles? (ka?bati) or expiating by feeding the poor or atone for it by fasting, so that he feels the consequences of his actions. God has pardoned his previous offences. Whoever reverts to his offence, God will avenge from him. God is almighty, avenger. The word before ka?bati in the verse is hadyan baligha which literally mean to be guided to mature. The word hadyan comes from the root hada, which means ?to guide? or ?to lead? or ?to direct. The word ?baligha? comes from the root balagh, which means to mature, or to ?advance/mature? towards an objective. For example in Chapter 4 verse 6, if we take care of the orphans as a child we must test their maturity (balagh) soon they reach the marriageable age before we hand over their rightful properties. The word balagh which means ?mature? in Chapter 4 Verse 6 is exactly the same word used in Chapter 5 Verse 95 referring to the maturity of the ankles of the animal. You shall test the orphans when they reach maturity for marriage (balaghu nikaha). If you see rationality in them, you shall hand over their properties and do not consume their properties excessively before they grow up (aiya?baru). (Chapter 4 Verse 6) In Chapter 4 Verse 6 the word balagh which means mature is further underlined by the word aiya?baru which means, before they grow up. In other words the orphans must be matured before we hand over their properties to them and do not exhaust their properties unlawfully before they grow up. Another example from the Quran says mankind?s advancement or maturity on the straight path is useless for some even after the great wisdom reached them. The same word Balighor-tun is used in Chapter 54 Verse 4-6- They have received enough knowledge to set them straight, great wisdom, but their maturity (baligha-tun) seems to be useless. Therefore, leave them alone. (Chapter 54 Verse 4-6) Wildlife conservation is an integral part of God?s creation. It is a decree that has to be observed by humans. Chapter 5 Verse 95 the ka?bati is related to the violation of the restrictions and the penalty one has to pay if the animals are killed on purpose during the restricted period. Hunting is allowed only when the animals are matured. In Verse 2 of the same chapter the people are advised not to violate God?s decree about hunting the wildlife during the period of restrictions. In Chapter 5 Verse 2 it says, O you who believe, do not violate God?s decrees (sha?iral-lah), and the restricted months (shahrul-harama), and the guidance (hadya), and the indicators (qo-laa-ida) and the harmony of the restrictions in the system (bai-tal-harama) when seeking the grace and pleasure of God. But when they are permitted (halal-tum), you may hunt. Do not be provoked by the enmity of those who prevent you from observing the sanctions of the submission (anil-mas-jidil-haromi) and do not aggress. Cooperate with each other in righteous deeds and piety, and do not cooperate with those committing sins and aggression.(Chapter 5 Verse 2) The message in Verse 2 is to emphasize about the restrictions on hunting of wildlife. Once the ban is lifted, then you may hunt. The message in Chapter 5 Verse 95 is easy to follow. For example, once the restriction (hurumun) on deer hunting is enforced, but someone kills one of the deer, then he must be penalized in equivalent livestock. The offender shall be judged by two equitable men from among themselves to ensure the restriction is observed until the ban is lifted. ?Hadyan baligha al ka?bati? literally ?guides maturity the ankle means they must determine the maturity of the deer ?on its ankles?. Also important is the fact that the fine must be such that the man who violated the indicators of the hunting restrictions (qo-laa-ida) and knowingly killed the animal when he was restricted (hurumun) from hunting, he must be made to feel the consequences of his actions for killing the deer. Therefore it is the duty of the equitable men (modern day game wardens fit the bill perfectly) to determine the maturity of the animal that was killed and levy a suitable fine in equivalent value of matured livestock. If a person kills a deer by mistake during the open season of the wild fowls while being observant to God, then it is his duty to admit his mistake to the wildlife office to allow them to judge him. He must uphold his commitments and keep them pure to preserve the harmony of restrictions in the system. If two equitable men do not judge him then it is his duty to feed the poor voluntarily for an equivalent value in livestock or expiate by fasting so that he personally feels the consequences of his actions. The same word Ka?aba also appears in Chapter 5 verse 97. The message is identical to Verse 2 in the same chapter - God has set the ?ankles? (ka?bata) the sanctioned in the system (baytil-harami) to be upheld for mankind, and the restricted months (shahrul harama), and guidelines (hadya), and the indicators (qo laa ida). This is to let you know that God; He knows everything in the heavens and the earth and what is beneath the earth. And surely God is fully aware of everything. (Chapter 5 Verse 97) Some critics who want to defend the rock idol might find the above verse illogical. They have overlooked the significance of the wildlife conservation as part of God?s decree in Chapter 22 Verse 36. The word ?Al Budna? in this verse means the wild animals or beasts, but translators differ in their understanding and some of them have erroneously said it means the camel. The word ka?aba in Chapter 5 Verse 95 and verse 97 is related to the ankles of the wild animals, which starts from Chapter 5 Verse 94. The word is mentioned again to indicate that mankind is to observe the maturity of these animals through their ankles, the sanctions in the system, the guidelines, and the indicators restricting the hunting during specific months. Experts identify the animal maturity by their strides. The wildlife was set from God?s decree (sha?iril-lah), which is good for you. Remember God?s name over it while aiming and when it falls at the distance. Therefore eat and give away from it voluntarily to the people and to those who ask. That is what We created for you, so that you may be appreciative. (Chapter 22 Verse 36) In Chapter 5 Verse 97 the Quran says, God knows everything in the heavens and the earth and what is beneath the earth. He knows what we kill and what we did not kill. He also knows whether the animals are young or not, the killing is intended or not, the atonement is duly fulfilled or not, or we have killed them during the period when it is supposed to be restricted (hurumun) or not. The crux of the subject is that wildlife must be protected and managed according to their life cycle. People are not supposed to hunt the wildlife during the restricted period particularly for those believe the ?Unseen?. If for instance, they have wrongly violated the decree then they must expiate their wrong doings voluntarily as prescribed in Chapter 5 Verse 95. Game hunting is a test de facto for those who fear the UNSEEN God. O you who believe, God may put you to the test through game hunting within the reach of your hand and your means. God wants to distinguish those among you who fear the UNSEEN. Anyone who transgresses after this has deserved a painful retribution. (Chapter 5 Verse 94) For those who do not restrict themselves from hunting when they are supposed to be restricted they have deserved painful retribution. The wildlife should be protected and they should be allowed to live according to God?s system. Animals must not be killed unless they can survive on their own feet (ankles) characterizing the maturity. That is all. Unfortunately, the Arabs concealed the message in the Quran regarding the wildlife conservation and fooled the people to put on the Togas which they call Ihram. The people were made to believe the ankle of animal is God?s house and call it the ?baytul-lah?. They have made Chapter 5 Verse 95 to read- O you who believe, do not kill any game during pilgrimage. If anyone kills on purpose he shall expiate with equivalent livestock judged by two equitable people among you as offering to reach God?s house I like to mention again that offering of animal sacrifices according to the Quran is EVIL. Attributing such religious rites to God is a great blasphemy, but somehow the enemies of God have successfully diverted mankind to commit this wicked act by manipulating God?s words in the Quran. I have to highlight the verse again to show the seriousness of this pagan?s primitive rite- They even assign for God a share of the crops and livestock He has provided for them, saying, ?This is for God? according to their claims. And they also say, ?This is for our idols?. However, what was assigned to their idols NEVER reach God while that is assigned to God will ultimately end up to their idols. EVIL indeed is their judgement. (Chapter 6 Verse 136) Assigning food to idols like the stone house can NEVER reach God. Manipulating a simple sentence ?hadyan baligha al ka?bati? arbitrarily in Chapter 9 Verse 95 has led many people perform with diligence a detestable act of sacrificing thousands of livestock every year. This is exactly what is condemned in the verse above. God calls sacrificial offerings the deeds of the devil. They are EVIL. Each year about two million people slaughter the livestock during their pilgrimage in Mecca as offering to God. The devotees of the Arabic Religion also do the same slaughtering all over the world on the same day. They call the day of Eidil Adha. Livestock and wildlife are provisions from God. The people should exercise self-sacrifice by donating God?s provisions to other people. Those who have the privilege to eat the meat of wildlife they too must donate part of the bounty to other people. For every nation We have set their own way of self sacrifice to remember God?s name upon the provisions from the animal and the livestock. Your God is the one God, therefore you must submit to Him and deliver the good news to the obedient whose hearts cringe upon remembering God. They remain steadfast in the face of adversity and they uphold their commitments and give to charity from My provisions to them. The wildlife was set from God?s decree, which is good for you. Remember God?s name over it while aiming and when it falls at the distance. Therefore eat and give away from it voluntarily to the people and to those who ask. That is what We created for you, so that you may be appreciative. (Chapter 22 Verse 34-36) The Quran NEVER advocates animal sacrificial offerings. It is the humans who have to exercise self-sacrifice by giving to charity from God?s provisions assigned to them. They should show their appreciation to God by upholding their commitments to donate these provisions even during the time of hardship. The word Bahimahi-an-am in Chapter 22 Verse 34 means ?The livestock animals?. The word Al Badna in Chapter 22 Verse 36 means ?The wildlife?. Before killing the wildlife, the hunter must remember God?s name over it, and then he may eat the meat and he must also give to charity from part of the animal. They are all God?s provisions. The Arabs have cunningly perverted the essence of the meaning of all the verses regarding the charity and food in the Quran. They make the people perform the paganistic rites and worship by animal sacrifice. All these are the deeds of the DEVIL to conspire against the true deen. Although Chapter 6 Verse 136 has put in a simple term that, ?Assigning food from the crops and livestock to God is EVIL?. But the enemies of the prophet say the people must sacrifice the animal as an offering. Today?s Saudi Arabia uses its oil wealth to build hotels, restaurants and shopping complexes to cater to the pilgrims? needs. But fifty years ago or a hundred years ago how could ?pilgrims? embark on their ?pilgrimage? without depending on wild game for food? The Arabs however realized this problem but they provided a simple solution. They say, You may not hunt only in the immediate vicinity of the so-called ?holy mosque? which stands in Mecca. Since the skyscrapers around their ?holy mosque? is extended few kilometers away from the mosque proper, game animals perhaps will not even be found in the middle of the desert 50 kilometers away. Whatever suggestion they state, no inherent pilgrims will make contingencies for a hunting trip when they pay homage to their god or gods. It is the caretakers of the stone idols who just make it up as they go along. let me know your thoughts peace

Hey y'all, I just wanted to bring up a good point. The Reading repeatedly, repeatedly, has a recurring theme of having transactions witnessed. There are also 2 verses dealing specifically with writing our business transactions down. NO MATTER HOW SMALL OR HOW BIG THE TRANSACTION MAY BE. Why, might you ask, would God want us to write things down? Hmmm... to reduce the doubts between the two transacting parties, whomever they may be. Wow. God cares so much about us writing things down we have to have people witness it, AND having a BACKUP plan just in case there are not two men that can witness (a very rare case indeed when you cannot find two men, but hey it is possible so God made room in the Reading to tell us just in case it happens). Can we all deduce that God cares a lot about how we deal with our business transactions? I want you all to think about this for 10 measly seconds. The question I want to pose to anyone who supports the corrupted hadith of Bukhari and Co., is Do you believe that Muhammad followed God's commandment to write down transactions and have witnesses witness these transactions? I'm sure it wasn't so much fun to have to go through writing everything down, big or small, and having a witness come witness what was going on EVERYTIME, seeing as he was a successful merchant according to your traditions. So, I'm sure he was used to having to follow God's commandment to do all this. The point is Why the crap didn't he write down (or get someone to write down since you might believe him to have been illiterate) the religious orders that he gave while he was in command of the Muslim Ummah? Why didn't he write them down, get people to witness them, and preserve them for the salvation of the future billions of Muslims? He most definitely could have. But he didn't. Because the only religious orders that matter to ME MYSELF AND I, are whatever is in the Most Holy Book. Thank you. p.s. I guess its more important to write down that someone owes you 50 shekels for some spices than it is to write down that silk is a bad bad fabric to wear if you happen to have the ability to make sperm. lol lol lol

peace, who is Abu Lahab? I think he was in some of the Sunni's ahadith, but why would God reveal an entire chapter condemning one man to hell? I see the wisdom behind this chapter is that it is giving us an example that no matter what you materially own it will not help you in the next life, but is there another message behind it I am not seeing? what is the literal translation of Abu-Lahab? is it an actual name or a description? Condemned is the hand of Abu-Lahab; condemned indeed. His money will not avail him, nor what he has earned. He will be sent to a flaming Fire. And his wife who carries the logs. On her neck will be a rope of thorns. (1111-5) peace

Peace All 313 There was a sign for you in the two groups that met. One was fighting in the cause of God, and the other was rejecting. They saw them as twice their number with their eyes. And God supports with His victory whom He wills. In this is a lesson for those with vision. We have the believers, a nation surrendering to God (2128, 3104), and the kafireen, those who reject. However the believers will be successful, even though they are outnumbered by their enemies (1973). Numbers do not matter in these instances, God is the supporter of those who surrender to It. This is not to point out that the believers are never the majority in one society contrary to 1098. wink The point being is that numbers do not matter, nor do they make the people right unless they advocate truth. Take care. Joe