I recommend www.StudyQuran.org
How likely do you think it is that God, The Almighty, The Wise, The Knowledgeable would send us a book that only a tiny tiny minority could understand? This concept is nowhere to be heard of in The Quran itself.
Good point.
As far as the questions raised in the opening post
I would freelance, meaning I would see what people here say and then see what the sects(Sunni/Shia) believe and see which is the one most closest to the Quranic teachings and which is the one that makes sense. But one thing you do get here that you don't elsewhere is personal freedom in interpretation and practice. I am tired of Sunnism and their intolerance. They never debate you just attack and slander and try to marginalize your views and make it hidden from the public. This ain't cool. Prophets preached in public and the Quran encouraged and indeed ordered the prophet to debate and preach in public and private.
I believe in freedom like the Quran says.
As far as Hamza Yusuf, he is a maliki scholar who follows what the Sunni orthodoxy says. He has Sufi influence which means he knows how to dodge and duck controversial issues in Sunnism and sticks with the religious and spiritual aspects of Sunnism rather than the legalistic and political aspect. Hamza Yusuf also like many converts sees Sunnism as the "original" Islam practiced by the Muslim world. But is this Sunni Islam consistent with the Quran?
