Questions for Quran upholders
-
- How do you know how much Zakah to pay using the Quran alone?
And they ask you what they should give. Say, "All that is surplus."
2219 They ask you (O Messenger), concerning alcohol, intoxicants, games of chance, and gambling and money earned without labor. Say, There is great detriment in these things as well as some benefits for mankind. But the detriment of them is much greater than the benefit of them. They drag down the individual and collective social potential. And they ask you what they should give. Say, "All that is surplus." Thus Allah makes His Messages plain for you, that you may reflect -
See also
http//ourbeacon.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=628
http//www.tolueislam.com/Bazm/Mansoor/MA_zakah_i.htm
http//www.astudyofquran.org/web/index.php?id=66,0,0,1,0,0
- The Quran says that men could beat up their wives. But we know according to hadith that this is meant to be a light beating that inflicts a spiritual punishment and not a harmful physical one. What is to stop a man from misinterpreting the Quran and beating his wife severely?
What a NONSENSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dharaba means more then a 100 things, it depends on the object and the possibilities of the object, for example, you can HIT a rock, but also MOVE the rock.
You can HIT a Woman, but also MOVE away from her, you also admonish her with examples which is also a meaning of Dharaba.
Also, the verse talks about RIJAL and NISAA, which is not used for husband and wife, but for MEN and WOMEN in society. It refers to a State Law, not a personal marriage law.
Their blind following of the Hadith has made them blind for the Quranic meanings.
434 Men are the protectors and maintainers of women. They shall take full care of women with what they spend of their wealth. God has made men to excel in some areas and women to excel in some areas. Men must see to it that women are provided for, and that they are able to stand on their feet in the society. So, righteous women are obedient to Gods Ordinances and guard their moral values even in privacy, the Values that God Commands to be guarded. If you (the society) experience(s) rebellion from women against the Permanent Values, and they stand up against you, apprise them of possible consequences.
Next, (you, the husbands will) leave them in their
resting places apart from you. And keep admonishing them with examples that they stop rebelling, else they may receive chastisement through a court of law (just as rebellious men would) If they pay heed to you, seek not a way against them. God is Most High, Great.- It says in the Quran to shorten the prayer when you travel. How long do you have to travel in order to be eligible to have this privilege? How short to cut the prayer?
4100 Anyone who emigrates in the Cause of God, will find that God has
placed refuge and abundance on earth. Whoever forsakes his home, as 'An
immigrant to God and His Messenger', and death overtakes him, his reward is then incumbent upon God. God is ever Forgiving, Merciful.
4101 When you go forth in the land, there is no blame on you if you shorten the congregations of prayers, if you fear that the unbelievers may attack you. Surely, the rejecters are an open enemy to you.There can be NO limits given, as it depends clearly on the situation. Hadith about this, are again clearly nonsense.
- The Qur'an says to cut the hand of the thief. Does the word 'cut' in the verse mean to cut off or to cut in sense of making a little mark, or could it be metaphorical and mean cutting off the resources of the thief?
The context of the verses is clear
538 (Theft is a crime that steals away the sense of security from a society) A habitual thief, male or female, must have their ability (to steal) cut off. This is the reward for their doings, and a deterrent from God. God is Almighty, Wise.
Punishment for stealing
The last few years have seen the introduction of 'Islamic Law' (Shariah or Shariat) in some countries which call themselves Islamic States. One law in particular, quite often labelled by the West as barbaric, is the severing of a hand for theft. The so-called Islamic States which carry out these punishments do so for various political reasons, primarily to create fear and to hold on to power. Unfortunately, they go unquestioned, simply due to the fact that most people in the countries in question have no solid grounding in the Qur'anic injunctions regarding these issues.
According to the Qur'an, any punishment should fit the crime. The Qur'an says
(545) And We prescribed for them therein The life for the life, and the eye for the eye, and the nose for the nose, and the ear for the ear, and the tooth for the tooth, and for wounds of retaliation. But whoso forgoeth it (in the way of charity) it shall be expiation (atonement for past sins) for him. Whoso judgeth not by that which Allah hath revealed; such are wrong-doers.
If we are to follow the Qur'anic guidance that the punishment should fit the crime, then we cannot cut off the hand of a person who has stolen wealth as such a punishment would be utterly inconsistent with the nature of the original offence. Rather, we have to look very carefully at the verses which deal with this issue. The Law regarding this punishment is given in verses 538,39. In verse 38 the word yad is translated in its literal sense as 'hand'. However, besides 'hand' the word yad also means 'strength of hands', 'power', 'property', 'wealth', 'blessings', 'obligation', and 'support'. Many Arabic words contain such multiple meanings and it is important to note that the appropriate meaning will always depend on the context in which it is used. Here the context is stealing (i.e. of wealth) and therefore for the punishment to fit the crime wealth should be recompensed for wealth and not 'hand' for 'wealth'. The thief should be given a punishment where he is made to give up his wealth to make good the loss of the person he has robbed. Hence the following translation of the verse, as given by the late Ahmed Ali Khan Jullundri in his translation and commentary of the Qur'an, is accurate1
(53 As for the thieves, male or female, cut off their means of support and favours, take away their wealth and what they have hoarded, and make their hands and strength work (for the person whom they have robbed till the price of the stolen goods and some fine is recovered), an exemplary punishment from Allah for their serious crime and Allah is Mighty, Over-powering and the Possessor of great knowledge and He is the best disposer.2
The above translation also makes clear sense of the verse that follows it.
(539) But if the thief has repented and returned all the stolen goods and has mended himself, then truly Allah turns to him in forgiveness; surely Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.
On the other hand if verse 538 is translated literally to mean cutting off the physical hand, then verse 539 cannot be sustained logically. It would be ridiculous to suggest that Allah turns to a repentant thief who is now minus a hand! How is forgiveness appropriate after such a heavy penalty! However, we are told that if the thief returns the stolen goods and repents and reforms then he should be forgiven. This facility is directly at odds with any thought of cutting off a limb as a means of retribution, since such an action is irreversible.
In fact, in a truly Islamic State the question of cutting off a hand would not arise at all. There would be social justice and the State would act as trustee for the entire population. Hunger, injustice and poverty would be eliminated, as the wealth would be used for the benefit of the people. Further, the Qur'an states quite clearly that any such crime must be forgiven if there are mitigating circumstances i.e. poverty, hunger etc., as stated in the following verse
(53) whoso is forced by hunger, not by will, to sin (for him) lo! Allah is forgiving, Merciful.
So how can these verses ever be construed to advocate the cutting off of a hand? In tracking down the cause, for the mistranslation of verse 538 we need look no further than the prolific Hadith compilers who 'report' this un-Qur'anic retribution for theft (Bukhari 5.597, Muslim 4190, Abu Daud 4367, 4396)
- Prophesies of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) came true from hadith. Thus proving that there are divine revelations sent down to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) except the Quran. How do you explain this?
Show us 1 prophecy that came "true" and I will show you 100 Christian prophecies that came "true".
But Mohammed could not have prophecied ANYTHING, WHY? Because the Quran says so
7187 (They even venture into predicting the end of the world) They ask you (O Messenger), about the Hour, when the end of the world will come to pass.
Say, "That knowledge is only with my Lord. He alone will manifest it at the
appropriate time. Heavy it is in the heavens and the earth. It will come upon
you suddenly." They ask you as if you could gain insight into this mystery with persistent inquiry. Say, The knowledge thereof is with God only. But most people do not know that even Messengers were not given this knowledge.
7188 Say, "I do not even have the power to benefit myself or to avert harm
from myself, contrary to the Laws of God. If I had the knowledge of the
Unseen, I would have amassed abundant fortune, and no adversity would
have touched me. I am but a Warner and a bearer of good news for those who have Faith."Qur'an says that we obey Allah and the Messenger (Surah 331-32,132; Surah 413-14,59,61,64,69,80; Surah 2456). There are two separate commands here. One is to obey Allah and the other is to obey the Prophet. In order to obey someone, he would need to issue a command. So if we want to obey Allah we have to do so by reading the commands of Allah in the Quran and adhering to them. If we want to obey the Prophet then we have to do so read the commands of the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the authentic hadith and adhere to them. Or is there another way?
See my article
http//ourbeacon.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=546
- It says in the Qu'ran (Surah 3321) that we have the Messenger as a good example to follow. How would we know his example without the traditions to turn to?
There is a BIG difference between learning the wisdom of the history of the Prophet, and following historical accounts blindly and use them to understand the Quran. ALso the Quran explains the behaviour of the Prophet in many details.
- We have different forms of reciting the Qur'an, which means that certain letters are taken away from the word or pronounced differently. Through authentic hadith, we know that these were accepted forms of reading approved by the Prophet (peace be upon him). But without hadith, how would we know this? Using the Qur'an alone, if I see that there are different forms of recitation then I would think that there is more than one Qur'an won't know which one is correct.
There are detail differences, and these were not accepted or created by the Prophet, they were created in the Middle Ages. How can you say the Prophet one letter and one there? What a nonsense. Now you are creating doubt about the Quran, not we.
-
- In Surah 2221, God forbids us to marry polytheist women. Yet in Surah 55, God says that we can marry the believing women and the chaste from the People of the Book. A clear differentiation between believing women and people of the book. You can't have a believing person today from the people of the book who is not a Muslim. So if God were talking about the believing women from the people of the book He wouldn't have differentiated the "believing women" phrase from them. Plus the believing people from the people of the book were the ones who truly followed the teachings of Jesus and Moses, which are lost today. So by using the Quran alone, how do I know which verse came first. Did Surah 2221 come first and then God sent down Surah 55 making an exception or did God send down Surah 55 first and then sent Surah 2221 completely prohibiting that we marry the women from the people of the book?
Order has nothing to do with this. The Quran differs between 2 different Christians and 2 different Jews.
You have what we now call Uniterians, Christians who never accepted the Trinity, and are thus no Mushrikeen.
And Qaraim Jews, who only accept the Thora, and not the Rabbi explanations and their superstitions, and are thus also no Mushrikeen.
Is very simple when you study Christian and Jewish Theology and groups and how the Quran differs in explaining these groups.
- Surah 24, verse 31 says "And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof" What exactly is this part that "appears thereof"?
HIJAB - ONCE AND FOR ALL
IS HIJAB OK? THREE RULES FOR WOMEN'S DRESS CODE
"Veiling is the biggest impediment in the way of conveying Islam in the West." (Murad Hoffman)
- The BEST garment is the criterion of righteousness. 02) Whenever you dress, cover your chest (bosoms). 03) Lengthen your garment.
COVER YOUR BOSOMS
2431 Here God orders the women to cover their bosoms whenever they dress up. But before quoting 2431, let us review some crucial words that are always mentioned with this topic, namely "Hijab" and "Khimaar".
THE WORD HIJAB IN THE QUR'AN
Hijab is the term used by many Muslim women to describe their head cover that may or may not include covering their face except their eyes, and sometimes also covering one eye. The Arabic word Hijab can be translated
into veil or yashmak. Other meanings for the word Hijab include screen, cover(ing), mantle, curtain, drapes, partition, division, divider etc.Can we find the word "Hijab" in the Qur'an? The word "Hijab" appears in the Qur'an seven times, five of them as "Hijab" and twice as "Hijaban". See 746, 3353, 3832, 415, 4251, 1745 & 1917. None of these "Hijab" words are used in the Qur'an in reference to what the traditional Muslims call today as the dress code for the Muslim woman. Hijab in the Qur'an has nothing to do with the Muslim Women dress code.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
While many Muslims call "Hijab", an Islamic dress code, they completely ignore the fact that, Hijab as a dress code has nothing to do with Islam and nothing to do with the Qur'an.
In reality, "Hijab" is an old Jewish tradition that infiltrated into the Hadith books like many innovations that contaminated Islam through alleged Hadith and Sunnah. Any student of the Jewish traditions or religious books will see that head cover for the Jewish woman is encouraged by the Rabbis and religious leaders. Religious Jewish women still cover their heads most of the time and especially in the synagogues, weddings, and religious festivities. This Jewish tradition is a cultural, not a religious one. Hijab was observed by the women of the civilizations that preceded the Jews and was passed down to the Jewish culture.Christian women cover their heads on many religious occasions while the nuns cover their heads all the time. This religious practice of covering the head was established from traditions thousands of years before the Muslim scholars claimed the Hijab as part of the Muslim dress code. The traditional Arabs of all religions, Jews, Christians and Muslims used to wear "Hijab," not because of Islam, but because of tradition. In Saudi Arabia, up to this minute most of the men cover their head, not because of Islam but because of tradition. Thank God this tradition for men has not been counted as Islamic dress code yet!
North Africa is known for its Tribe (Tuareg) that have the Muslim men wearing "Hijab" instead of women. Here the tradition has the Hijab in reverse. If wearing Hijab is the exclusive sign of a pious and righteous Muslim woman, Mother Teresa must be the first woman to be counted. In brief, Hijab is a traditional dress and has nothing to do with Islam or religion. In certain areas of the world, men are the ones who wear the Hijab while in others the women do.
Mixing religion with tradition is a form of idol-worship, because not knowing (or not trying to find out) what God asked you to do in His Book, the Qur'an, is a sign of disregarding God and His Message. When tradition
supersedes God's Commandment, the true religion (Deen) takes a second place. God never accepts to be second, God has to be always the First and to Him there is no second.THE WORD KHIMAAR IN THE QUR'AN
"Khimaar" is an Arabic word that can be found in the Qur'an 2431. Dress Code For Women can be found in 2431. Some Muslims quote verse 31 of Surah 24 as containing the Hijab, or head cover by pointing to the word, khomoorehenna, (from Khimaar), forgetting that God already used the word Hijab, several times in the Qur'an. Those blessed by God can see that the use of the word "Khimaar" in this verse is not for "Hijab" or for head cover. Those who quote this verse usually add (Head cover or veil) after the word Khomoorehenna, and usually between ( ), because it is their addition to the verse, not God's. Here is 2431,
"And tell the believing women to subdue their eyes, and maintain their chastity. They shall not reveal any parts of their bodies, except that which is necessary. They shall cover their chests, with their Khimaar and shall not relax this code in the presence of other than their husbands, their fathers, the fathers of their husbands, their sons, the sons of their husbands, their brothers, the sons of their brothers, the sons of their sisters, other women, the male servants or employees whose sexual drive has been nullified, or the children who have not reached puberty. They shall not strike their feet when they walk in order to shake and reveal certain details of their bodies. All of you shall repent to God, O you believers, so that you may succeed."
Most of the translators, obviously influenced by Hadith (fabrications) translate the word as VEIL and thus mislead people to believe that this verse is advocating the covering of the head.
In 2431, God is asking the women to use their cover (khimaar, being a dress, a coat, a shawl, a shirt, a blouse, a tie, a scarf . . . etc.) to cover their bosoms, not their heads or their hair. If God willed to order the women to cover their heads or their hair, He would have simply said, "Cover your hair." God is neither vague nor forgetful! God does not run out of words. He does not wait for a scholar to put the correct words for Him!
The Arabic word for Chest (Jayb) is in the verse 2431, but the Arabic words for Head (Ras) or Hair (Sha'r) are NOT in the verse. The Commandment in the verse is clear - Cover your chest or bosoms, but also the fabrication of the scholars and most of the translators is clear by claiming-cover your head or hair.
The last part of the verse 2431 translates as, "They shall not strike their feet when they walk in order to shake and reveal certain details of their bodies.The details of the body can be revealed or not revealed by the dress you wear, not by your head cover. The word Zeenatahunna in this verse refers to the woman's body parts (beauty) and not to ornaments and decorations as some people interpret it or translate it. At the end of the verse, God tells the women not to strike with their feet to show their Zeenat. You do not need to strike your feet to show your ornaments but the way you strike your feet while walking can expose or shake certain parts of the body that do not need to be emphasized.
Accepting orders from anybody but God means idol-worship. That is how serious the matter of Hijab/Khimaar is. Women who wear Hijab because they think God ordered it are committing idol-worship, as God did not order it, the scholars did. These women have found for them another god than the One who revealed the Qur'an, complete, perfect and fully detailed. Idol-worship is the only unforgivable sin, if maintained till death. (44
LENGTHEN YOUR GARMENTS
The first regulation of the Dress Code for Muslim women is in 726, the second in 2431 and the third is in 3359.
3359 O Prophet! Tell your wives, your daughters, and the wives of the believers that they shall lengthen their garments. Thus, they will be recognized and avoid being insulted. God is Forgiver, Most Merciful."
Here God sets the other regulation for the dress code for women during the Prophet's life. This verse does not only address the wives of the Prophet, but also wives of the believers, and therefore, to all believing women.If you reflect on this verse, you would understand the great wisdom of the Most Wise, the Most Merciful. In this verse, God never said how long is long. God could have said to lengthen their garments to their ankles or to their mid-calf or to their knees, but He did not. He did not, out of His Mercy, not because He forgot. God knows that we will be living in different communities, times and cultures, so the minor details of the dress code are left for the people of every community to decide for themselves. Modesty for a woman who lives in New York may not be accepted by a woman who lives in Cairo. Modesty of a woman who lives in Cairo may not be accepted by a woman who lives in Saudi Arabia. Modesty of a woman who lives in Jeddah may not be accepted by a woman who lives in a desert oasis in the same country. This difference in the way we perceive modesty is well-known to God. He created us, and He put NO hardship on us in this great religion. He left it to us to decide what modesty would be.
HARDSHIP IN RELIGION
God decided that those who will reject His complete Book and go look for other sources for guidance will suffer in this life and in the Hereafter by their choice. God never put any hardship on the believers but the scholars did. They invented their own laws in defiance of God, to regulate everything from the side of bed you sleep on, to which foot should step in the house, to what to do with a fly in your soup, to what to say when having intercourse with your spouse.
Those who believe God and believe that His book is complete, perfect and fully detailed, will have everything easy for them as God promised, See 1062-64, 1697, while those who could not believe God and have been seeking other sources than the Qur'an will have all the hardship in this life and the life to come. In the Hereafter they will complain to God, "We were not idol-worshipers," but God knows best, He knows they were. See 622-24
"On the day when We summon them all, we will ask the idol worshipers, "Where are the idols you set up?" Their disastrous response will be, "By God, our Lord, we never were idol worshipers." Note how they lied to themselves, and how the idols they had invented have abandoned them."
CONCLUSION
God, the Most Merciful, gave us three basic rules for the Dress Code for Women in Islam.
01). The best garment is the criterion of righteousness.
02). Whenever you dress, cover your chest (bosoms).
03). Lengthen your garment.While these three basic rules may not sound enough for those who do not trust God, the true believers know that God is ENOUGH. God could have given us more details to the point of having graphs, designs and color rules, but He, the Most Merciful, wants to give us exactly these very basic rules and leave the rest for us. After these three basic rules every woman is more aware of her circumstances and can adjust her dress for her situation. Any addition to these basic Qur'anic rules is an attempt to correct God or improve on His Merciful design. What is better than to quote God's Words in description of this trait of the human race
1854 We have cited in this Qur'an every kind of example, but the human being is the most argumentative creature.
We have no obligation to follow but God's Rules, just as His Messenger did all the time. Innovations and fabrications that add countless rules to the women dress code are nothing but idol-worship and should be refused. Stay with God; that is where the winners go.
WHAT BODY PARTS CAN WOMEN SHOW IN PUBLIC?
Face, hands and forearms, heads, feet and ankles.
56 O You who have chosen to be graced with belief! When you congregate for Salat, wash your faces and your forearms, hands to the elbows. Lightly rub your heads and your feet to the ankles."
Ibn Umar said that during the times of Rasulullah (S) men and women used to do Wudhu together." (Bukhari published by Madina Publishing Company, Karachi, 1982, Printer Hamid & Co, vol 1, pg 169 Kitabil Wudhu. The translator is Maulana Abdul Hakim Khan Shahjahan Puri)
Source
http//www.ourbeacon.com/truehistory.pdf
-
- If the Quran is so easy to understand on our own, then why did Allah have some Muslims staying behind in Madinah in order to become very well versed in religion, while the others go out to the battlefield so that they can then come back to be taught (Surah 9122)?
So because it is adviced not to march out with the whole population, which by the way is normal strategy, the System is immediately difficult to understand? This interpretation goes directly against the Quranic Message
5417 And We made the Quran easy to learn. Do any of you wish to learn?
5422 We made the Quran easy to learn. Do any of you wish to learn?
5432 We made the Quran easy to learn. Does any of you wish to learn?
There were constant new believers coming in to Medina, these had to be taught the Islamic Deen. They believed in the Deen, but you can only be a full Mumin after gaining knowledge about it too. So you were only valuable after being taught the Deen, as you were completely convinced of the Islamic Deen being true. The Quran cannot be taught in a day or two, of course not, it took years to be conveyed to the people. But this does not mean the Quranic System is difficult or needs outside sources to be explained.
This argument even destroys the need for Hadith, as only a few people can have the time to go through the 1.5 million Hadith and thousands of Tafseer and Fiqh books. While everyone, EVERYONE, can be taught Arabic and study the Quran.
- Allah says in the Qur'an (Surah 7519) that the Qur'an will be recited. But then in the verse right after (verse 20) it is also said that then the Qur'an will be explained. If the Qur'an is self-explanatory then the only thing that needs to be done is reciting it out. However, in verse 19 the function of reciting is done and then in the verse right after, the function of explaining is done. Clearly these are two different tasks, which means that just reading the Qur'an alone does not give you the full explanation required. It has to be explained through some other source. What is that other source?
The Quran is explained through the Classic Arabic meanings and the REPITITION of words and subjects, this is why the recital of the Quran EXPLAINS the Quran. See also
http//members.tripod.com/lebou/authorityof.htm
Explanation of the Qur'an by the Qur'an
As discussed in the previous chapter there are many verses in the Qur'an which are easy to understand and which should form the basis for our lives (for examples see sections 6.1 and 6.2). When looking to understand the Qur'an further we should bear in mind that Allah says in many verses that He will explain the Qur'an. A few of these verses are quoted below
(7519) And that behold, it will be for Us to explain it. (by-ya-nahu)
(413) A Book, the signs which have been explained in detail as a Qur'an in Arabic for people of knowledge to be a herald of glad tidings as well as a warning.
There are a number of points here it is a Book which has been explained in detail and Allah is explaining it. Another important point is that it is for people of knowledge. Therefore, we must have the desire to understand the Qur'an by studying it, and thereby acquire knowledge with Allah's help.
(1741) We have explained (things) in various (ways) in the Qur'an, in order that they may receive admonition, but it only increases their flight from the truth.
(1789) And We have explained to mankind, in this Qur'an, every kind of similitude, yet the greater part of mankind refuse (to receive it) except with ingratitude
(3927) And verily We have coined for mankind in this Qur'an all kinds of similitudes, that perhaps they might reflect
(1854) We have explained in detail in this Qur'an, for the benefit of mankind, every kind of similitude, but man is in most things contentious.
(305 Verily, We have propounded for mankind in this Qur'an, every kind of parable
(6 65) Behold how many facets We give to these signs, so that they might understand the truth
(752) For indeed We did convey unto them a Book which We expounded with knowledge (ilm) -- a guidance (huda) and a grace (rahmat) for people who believe.
(6114) Shall I seek other than Allah for judge when it is He who has revealed unto you (this) Book, fully explained
(2219) Thus Allah makes plain to you (His) revelations, that perhaps you may reflect.
(3103) Thus Allah makes clear His revelations unto you that perhaps you may be guided.
(697) clearly, indeed, have We spelled out these signs unto people of knowledge.
(69 clearly, indeed, have We spelled out these signs unto people who can grasp the truth.
(699) Verily in all this are signs (ayats) for people who will be convinced.
Since the Qur'an itself states that it has propounded all and every kind of similitude, has displayed its signs in various forms, has explained its signs in detail, and that it is based on knowledge and is for people of knowledge who reflect and think, the only conclusion we can reasonably come to is that the Qur'an explains itself, i.e. the Qur'an is self-explanatory. We, on our part, must receive it as Allah's word, and do our best to study and understand it. Mohammed Asad, a translator of the Qur'an, has stated that the Qur'an is self-explanatory, it needs nothing else. This point has been echoed by other famous scholars, such as Mohammed Abduh of Egypt, Dr. Abdul Wadud, Inayat Ullah Khan El- Mashriqi and Allama G. A. Parwez. The Book should be interpreted as it says, that is, through itself. This is the correct method, the method which the Qur'an specifies.
To summarise (1) The Qur'an is the only source of true and comprehensive guidance. (2) The Qur'an is in Arabic. (3) To study it, we must have an open mind, no pre-conceived notions, and a desire for knowledge. (4) The Qur'an indicates very clearly that it does its own tafsir (explanation).
References
-
Tafsir Al-Qur'an Bil Qur'an (Explanation of the Qur'an by the Qur'an) Lecture by Syed Mustafa Ali. Section based on the handout supplied.
-
Translations of the quoted Qur'anic verses are based on M.Pickthall and Yusuf Ali.
http//www.astudyofquran.org/web/index.php?id=12,0,0,1,0,0
-
As you can clearly see, their so-called questions are all answered easily through the Quran and logic. Those who have splitted up Islam into sects and make Islam a religion instead of a Divine System, will never attain the Glory Allah has promised in the Quran.
As the blind following of the Hadith and Tafseers, writings which were made by the people who tried to destroy the Quranic System, will block them from the Glory the first generations of Muslims attained.
Those who make sects in the Deen, we have nothing to do with them
6159 (There is only one Straight Path) O Messenger! Those who break the unity of their DEEN and become sects, you have nothing to do with them whatsoever. Indeed, their case will go to God and He will then tell them what they had been doing.
227
Those who break this ratified Bond of God and cut asunder the
unity of mankind that God has commanded them to uphold - into
races, colors, sects and regions, and thus lay the foundation of
chaos on earth, those will be the losers in the long run. (933-34,
9111, 1019, 1320-24, 3128, 836, 1141)933 He it is Who has sent His Messenger with Guidance and the True
Religion (DEEN = The System of Life), that He may cause it to prevail over all religions and systems of life, even though the idolaters may detest it. (931-33, 1331, 1448, 1848, 4153, 4828, 5120-21, 619)934 O You who have chosen to be graced with belief! A great many religious leaders, rabbis, priests, monks, Mullas, yogis, and mystics devour the wealth of mankind in falsehood, and debar them from the Path of God. All those who hoard up gold and silver and spend it not in the Cause of God, to them give tidings (O Prophet) of a painful doom. (Ahbaar = Clergy of any religion. Ruhbaan = Sufis & Monks)
2176 This is so, because God has revealed the Book in absolute
Truth, therein is no contradiction. Obviously, those who set their
own views against the Book, split deeply into sects and fall into
mutual disputes.3103 You must hold fast, all of you together, to the Bond of God
and be not divided into sects. (The Bond or Rope of God is the
Quran which is an Unbreakable Support 2256) Always, remember
Gods Favor upon you when you were enemies and, almost
overnight, He brought mutual affection in your hearts. Thus, you
became brothers and sisters by His Grace. And recall that you
were on the brink of the pit of fire, and He saved you from it.
(Various tribes used to attack one another, and personal enmity
plagued them) This is how effectively God has made His
Messages clear for you to journey on the lighted road. (6165,
3031-32, 'Huda' = Guidance = Walk the right path = Travel on a
lighted road)3104 Let yours be the community (in the world) that rises up and
invites unto all that is collectively good. Advocate virtue by
example, and close the doors to vice by example. For, such are
they, they who are truly successful and eternally prosper.What Allah says about the Quran in the Quran
-There is no doubt in this Book (22).
-Allah has taken the responsibility to explain it (7519).
-Allah says He has revealed the Quran and He will protect it (159).
-Allahs revelation to the Prophet (PBUH) is written in the Quran (619). There is no verse in the Quran which says that Allahs revelation to the Prophet (PBUH) is outside the Quran.
-Momineen are asked to obey the revelation from Allah (73).
-The Prophet (PBUH) was asked to obey the revelation sent down on him (10109).
-He was asked to follow the Quran (751.
-Allah required the Prophet (PBUH) to follow the blessed Book sent down on him (6155).
-The Prophet (PBUH) used to judge matters according to the revelation sent down on him (54.
-Those who do not judge matters according to what Allah has revealed are Kaafirs (544).
-In the Quran, Allah has completed His message and no one can change anything in it (634, 6115).
-The Quran encompasses the message of earlier revelations (54. So, the truth of earlier revelations is now contained in the Quran.
-In it there are no contradictions (482).
-Allah has called the Quran "Tibyaanan li Kulli Shaiyin (1689)". This means it explains everything.
-Allah gives many verses on a particular topic over and over again (6105, 1741). This means that we have to collect all the verses on a topic in order to understand it fully. This is the Divine method of understanding the Quran.
-The Prophet (PBUH) was required to solve all human differences through the Quran (1664).
-The Prophet (PBUH) was required to admonish and remind people through the Quran (5045).
-The Quran itself is light (515). So, it is not dependent on another source of light.
-This light (i.e., the Quran) has been given so that human beings, using this light, can travel safely on the path of life (6122).
-Allah undertook the responsibility to collect the Quran (7517).
-Whatever difference human beings have, the decision is with Allah (4210).What do we know about the Quran, and what do we know about Hadith and Sunnah
-The Quran is the final word of God.
-It has been preserved exactly as it was revealed to the Prophet (PBUH).
-The Prophet (PBUH) left only the Quran in written form since he forbade writing of hadith during his life time (Sahih Al-Muslim).
-The Quran was written by very honorable scribes (8016).
-There were many companions who had memorized the entire Quran word by word.
-Unlike the authenticity of hadith, there is no dispute among scholars (Sunni or Shiia) about the authenticity of the Quranic verses.
-There are six Sunni books of hadith which are normally referred to as "sahha sitta" (six true books). Shiias have their own four important books of -hadith. These were compiled and written based on (a chain of) oral narration mostly in the third century Hijrah or later.
-Scholars agree that the chain of narrators transmitted the meaning of hadith and not the exact words of the Prophet (PBUH).
-It is generally agreed that the chain of narrators, no matter how reliable, were humans and subject to human errors. Consequently, their narrations -are subject to errors. The Quran is the only Book beyond error.
-As a consequence, ahadith are classified into several categories starting from "correct" on one side to "coined" on the other. (Verses of the Quran do not have such classification.)
-Shiia scholars do not accept Sunni books of hadith. Even among the Sunnis, there are some ahadith which are accepted as correct by one group of scholars (Ahlul-Hadith, for example) but not by other groups (like Ahlul Fiqh and others).
-The authenticity of hadith is not equal to the authenticity of the verses of the Quran.
-"The sayings of the Prophet (PBUH) and the sayings we find in the books of ahadith are not necessarily one and the same." (Maulana Maududi, Rasayel-o-Massayel, Volume I, 1951 edition, page 270).-Sahih Bukhari This was compiled by Imam Muhammad Ismail Bukhari. He was born in Bukhara and died near Samarqand in 256 A.H. (or in 260 A.H.). It is said that he collected about 600,000 ahaadith. From these he selected about 7,300 for his book, having discarded the rest.
-Sahih Muslim This was compiled by Imam Muslim Bin Hujjaj. He was born in 204 A.H. in the famous Iranian city of Nishapur and died in 261 A.H. He collected about 300,000 ahaadith and selected 4,348 for his book.
-Tirmidhi This was compiled by Imam Abu Isa Muhammad Tirmidhi. He was born in the Iranian city of Tirmidh in 209 A.H. and died in 279 A.H.. He collected 300,000 ahaadith and selected 3,115.
-Abu Daawood He was born in 202 A.H. in the Iranian city of Sistaan and died in 275 A.H. He collected 500,000 ahaadith and kept only 4,800 in his book.
-Ibn Maaja This was compiled by Imam Abu Abdullah Muhammad Bin Zayd Ibn Maaja. He was from the Iranian city of Qazwin. He was born in 209 A.H. and died in 273 A.H. He collected 400,000 ahaadith and selected only 4,000 for his book.
-Nisayee This was compiled by Imam Abdul Rahman Nisayee. He was born in the village of Nisa in the province of Khurasaan in Iran. He died in 303 A.H. He collected 200,000 and selected 4,321 for his book.The Quran is Islam, all else is human interpretation and recording of History and understanding and thus can NEVER have authoriy over the Quran, the Quran has the authority over ALL else.
251 Most Blessed is He Who has revealed to His servant, the Criterion of the right and the wrong so that it might be a warning to the entire world.
-
Peace, Arnold..
Nice article. I found the part about the ritual prayer especially interesting. It reminds me of a post I made last year which shows how ridiculous is the method of ritual prayer that the sectarians claim they have learned from their alleged "Sunna"pf Muhamad.
I will copy paste it here
The Sunnis , in their prayers , tend to address God from the 3rd person point of view ( as though God is not present ) ,while addressing the prophet from the 1st person point of view, as if he is still with us, and listening to our prayer!
Furthermore, they recite Quranic verses like parrots, when these verses should logically not be spoken during a prayer.
I'll elaborate more
Prayer should be a form of calling upon GOD, and establishing a link with Him. This means that the words/phrases recited during a prayer should be in the form of conversing with God directly ( in the present tense and first person point of view ). This is the true form of a "dua" ( prayer ).
Yet the sunni, during his prayer will say nonsense things that have no place in a dua to God. For example
1111 Condemned is the hand of Abu-Lahab; condemned indeed.
1112 His money will not avail him, nor what he has earned.
1113 He will be sent to a flaming Fire.
1114 And his wife who carries the logs.
1115 On her neck will be a rope of thorns.Now I will say to the sunni
"What is the occasion of these verses"??
He will reply
"God is telling us that Abu Lahab and his wife are going to Hell"
So I will say
"Why are you saying it in your prayer?? What place does it have in a dua that should be made to God?"
He will shrug his shoulders and say
"It's from the Quran. My sheikh sez you can recite anything from the Quran during prayer".Another example
After reciting the Fatiha, he will recite sura 110.
1101 When God's victory and conquest comes.
1102 And you see mankind entering into God's system in flocks.
1103 You shall glorify your Lord's grace, and seek His forgiveness. He is the Redeemer.Again the same problem.
God is addressing his prophet in these verses, and telling him about a prophecy that will come to pass.. Why does the sunni repeat these words during a prayer to God?
In my opinion this is absurd.
Another example
1141 Say "I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind,"
1142 "The King of mankind,"
1143 "The god of mankind,"
1144 "From the evil of the sneaking whisperer,"
1145 "Who whispers into the chests of mankind,"
1146 "From among the Jinn and mankind."Is it proper to recite this verse during a prayer (dua) to God??
This is a command from God to his prophet which begins with the command word "Say"
Do you recite it in your prayer? Do you repeat the word like a parrot?To whom are you issuing the command to "Say" ?
to God??So as you can see, the absurdity of the method of their ritual prayer proves that they could not have learned it from the prophet.
Other points I would like to elaborate are
1- the matter of "shortening" the prayer during travel
2- the matter of breaking your fast when traveling.The sectarians will say "How do you know what the distance is? Is it mentioned in the Quran? "
THe idea that they can't seem to get through their thick skulls is that the Quran is for ALL times. And God, who revealed it, knows that a time will come when means of travel will be more advanced.
The sectarians will say that the distance which allows you to break your fast is around 40 km. They claim that the prophet revealed it during hadith.
Is traveling 40 km on camel back, under the scorching desert sun, the same as driving the distance in your air-conditioned Lexus on a highway, with cruise control activated and listening to music?? Nowadays, a distance of 40 km is trversable in less than half an hour.
Do I still have to break my fast?? Is the distance of 40 km revealed by God? Or was it dictated by a scholar of the 9th century ( in which the sectarians are still living?)
Imagine, 50 years from now, we have spectacular advancements in science, allowing us to "warp" from one place to another. You enter a pod, press a button, and PRESTO!! you're in Japan!!
Do I still have to break my fast if I travel 40 km???
Now you see what happens when you use HADITHS to "complete" the Quran..
2- Regarding the "shortening" of prayer from 4 units to 2 when traveling, this also has no basis in the Quran.
I will explain more (Again, I will copy/paste from an older thread)
I think it would be better to quote the verses in question , starting from .
4101
4102
4103Now I would like your opinion on 4101.
The sectarians interpret this verse as follows If you are traveling a certain distance "X" , then it is OK ( some actually say it is "WAJIB" ) to shorten your prayers ( from 4 "raka3at" to 2 "raka3at" ) They will then seek fatwas from their gods ( mullahs ) , concerning what this distance is. ( The distance is fixed and cannot be changed until the end of time , because their Mullah said so ).But the truth is that 4101 is not talking about just any kind of travel..It is being more specific. It's talking about a certain travel that can bring hardship to the faithful, because they will be passing through enemy territory
Proof The verse immediately following it, ( 4102 - the one you have quoted ), talks about performing the physical aspect of "salat" in SHIFTS, at times of danger, and assumes that the Prophet is among the faithful. One group would prostrate themselves, while another would guard them, then they would switch roles. The verse also talks about hardships due to extreme weather conditions ( Note here how God ALWAYS uses the word "" in a negative way - this was subject of a debate on an older thread which I cannot seem to find).
Is this really applicable today? Can you think of an instance now, in the 21 Century, when we can travel vast distances in air-conditionned / heated cars, of such hardships in travel?? According to the Mullah, if I travel a distance of X Kilometers then I MUST "shorten" my prayers ?? How ridiculous is this ? Is driving X Kilometers in an air-conditioned car, on an asphalt road, with your cruise control on, and listening to music, the same as riding on a camel's back with the hot desert winds blowing in your face continuously??
The only instance I can think of is a case of a civil-religious war, where a person would be travelling in his car in enemy territory, and decides to stop her / his car, get out, and perform a physical prayer in the open.
Furthermore, does the verse really say "SHORTEN" your prayer??
If this is true, then the verse is not making sense, since there is no other verse in the Reading ( that I'm aware of ) which states exactly how long the prayer should be - wether in terms of unit "raka3ats" or time in minutes.The sectarians claim that the verse is giving them a license to shorten their prayers from 4 unit "raka3as" to 2.
This is absurd for 2 reasons1- Why does travelling X kilometers or more give you this license? What's the point?
2- If there is a danger of enemies seeing you, then "shortening" from 4 to 2 will not get you anywhere, because as soon as you are prostrating and not paying attention to your surroundings, you will be killed. So, wether you do 4 "raka3a" or 2, the result is the same DEATH.The sectarians don't seem to understand the second point, because they are interpreting the verse as mentioning travel for the sake of travel. The truth is, that it's not ANY kind of travel which gives you this license, but only when there is DANGER ( enemies ) or extreme weather conditions.
So I have come to the conclusion that the verse is not saying "SHORTEN" your prayers, but rather it is saying "DO NOT PERFORM PHYSICAL "SALAT" AT ALL ". ( or, more precisley " do not perform the full physical form of salat - the one that calls for prostarting yourself" ).
The word being used is "" . This word can have 2 meanings
- If we stress the letter "" It will mean "shorten"
- If we do not stress it, it will mean something else entirely...
Do you see what I'm trying to get at?
My understanding is therefore as follows
1- The verse is talking about changing / simplifying the FORM of the physical "salat" in such a way that it will not include physical prostration, and NOt shortening the unit "raka3as" as the sectarians claim.
2- This license is to be done only when there is a danger to one's life ( enemies around ) or extreme weather conditions.
Your feedback is welcome..
-
Someone should send Arnold a boatload of flowers!
A bit more than that.
Too bad all that text falls on blind eyes...
-
Salaam Aleikum all,
Many of my answers I gathered from many great scholars, so please read the sources to give the due credit to the correct people. And Pazuzu, as I told you before, you have a very good and original way of addressing the traditionalists. Keep it coming.
I was reading the questioners own "Sunnah" answers to the questions he has given. I will address them also one by one when I have time.
But here is already one that collapses on its own argument
- Prophesies of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) came true from hadith. Thus proving that there are divine revelations sent down to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) except the Quran. How do you explain this?
His answer
Some argue that the Prophet did not know the unseen; therefore we cannot appeal to these hadith that prophesize the future. They argue by quoting verses from the Qur'an such as Surah 7188 and Surah 469. However, no one argued that the Prophet knew these things BY HIMSELF. The verses quoted prove that the Prophet could not know on the unseen his own, but that does not mean that God can inform him.Is this all he can give? Oh, this doesn't rule out that the Prophet was told outside of the Quran....?????????? Would a courtroom or a scientist accept this explanation? No, it is based on an interpretation that has no evidence at all, AND goes against the Quranic verses that all the Revelation can only be found IN the QUran, plus, it would create a contradiction.
If the Prophet received prophecies through outside Revelation, then why did God left these out of the Quran, but for example left these in?
302 The Romans have been defeated.
303 In the lands close-by; yet it is they, who despite this defeat of theirs, shall
be victorious.304 Within ten years! For with God is the Command in the Past and in the
Future. And on that day the believers too will have cause to rejoice.Can he give us ONE convincing reason why this prophecy was in the Quran, and the others were not?
Why were these "important" prophecies left to be mixed up in very confusing history books?241 Do not trade my revelations of great value for something which is cheap.
So bits and pieces of 'Revelations' that are found in history books are equal to the Quran, the above verse reminds me immediately...
-
Thank you brother Arnold for answering these question. I remember visiting this website and their questions. Its just shame they have no ideas of real Quranic message, and they love to repeat these questions instead of looking for the answers in the quran with the same questions.
-
It is very populair under the Truth seeking elite of educated people. But for the mass, it is on a to high level. So the mullahs just say they are kafirs, and the mass will believe it.
But TolueIslam has left its marks for sure, and are still making it. Only the organisation I personally believe is not done properly. They could have introduced many new writers, but only allowed a few to write.
We want to give this all a new kickstart at the upcoming new Ourbeacon site.
-
Wow, really good clarifying posts, brother Arnold!!! bravo
I'm very happy to see all these questions and answers in the same place - making clarity and further encouraging confidence in studying from God's scripture, seeking & asking from Him for His guidance.
May God Bless you for such great sincere logic & efforts to compile such complete answers to the many questions that many face so often in their minds and in their lives.
May God Guide and Bless.
-
Arnold's article should indeed be archived. However, before doing so I think it is important to provide accurate references for the hadiths mentioned (the books and numbers) because some people want to verify things by themselves while they are not very familiar with hadith books. I think brother Rasulhamza 'The Hadith Hunter' would be of great help in this task.
-
Another article well done!
I totally agree when it comes to the verses recited during prayer. They must fit the purpose of prayer verses that implores god, glorifying Him. But all around, I hear the Sunnis reciting whatever verses from the Quran that they know of without knowing the actual meaning.
For example, should a person utter these verses during prayer to Allah?
"I am God, there is no god but Me, so serve Me and hold the connection for My remembrance." (2014).
The above verse if recited during prayer is absurd and ridiculous! How can the person claim to be God, and asks God to perform solat to remember him?? &
Another example
"And they ask you about menstruation? Say "It is harmful, so retire yourselves sexually from the women during the menstruation, and do not approach them until they are cleansed. When they are cleansed, then you may approach them as God has commanded you." God loves the repenters and He loves the cleansed." (2222)
Why on earth would you talk about menstruation in front of God in solat/prayer?? It's ridiculous. I found it funny when people recite those kinds of verses. It makes me laugh to my knees. rotfl
Verses with "Say..." in them
I do recite verses with "Say" infront of them. But I REMOVE the word say, and just recite the words after it. For example
1141 Say "I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind,"
1142 "The King of mankind,"
1143 "The god of mankind,"
1144 "From the evil of the sneaking whisperer,"
1145 "Who whispers into the chests of mankind,"
1146 "From among the Jinn and mankind."The surah starts from "Qul a'uzubirab binnas...". But I remove the "Qul" in front and just recite the words after it "A'uzubirab binnas..." ("I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind". ! Those who use their brains and understand Arabic will remove the "Qul" from their recitation. Those who are stupid and just recite things like a parrot will include the "Qul" therefore asking God to say the verse instead. Astagfirullah!
-
I do recite verses with "Say" infront of them. But I REMOVE the word say, and just recite the words after it. For example
1141 Say "I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind,"
1142 "The King of mankind,"
1143 "The god of mankind,"
1144 "From the evil of the sneaking whisperer,"
1145 "Who whispers into the chests of mankind,"
1146 "From among the Jinn and mankind."The surah starts from "Qul a'uzubirab binnas...". But I remove the "Qul" in front and just recite the words after it "A'uzubirab binnas..." ("I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind". ! Those who use their brains and understand Arabic will remove the "Qul" from their recitation. Those who are stupid and just recite things like a parrot will include the "Qul" therefore asking God to say the verse instead. Astagfirullah!
Salaam Ahmed,
I understand that Muslims take certain verses and surahs from the Quran to recite back to their Lord senselessly. But saying "I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind" is equally senseless.