Diversity in Islam

Does Qur'an condemn forming Sects in Islam

URL - http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2012/08/diversity-in-islam.html

Diversity in nature is given, indeed, Islam acknowledges diversity of humanity. Had God willed, all of us would have been produced with exact same specifications in a mass production factory, but God willed for us to be unique beings, accountable for our in individual actions in keeping his creation in balance and harmony or messing it up.

Every religion including Islam is about guiding us to keep God's creation in harmony and intact. We are all different pieces of the universe that fit together to keep the world in equilibrium. God willed us to be different, and we have learn to live with each other. That is the core mission of every prophet, messenger or a peace maker.

For nearly 1400 years there was only one way, the way Quraan was translated or interpreted by the people in the past. No one questioned it.  Not any more. 

Today, we have more than 25 English translations of Quraan, and thanks to some of the translators for correcting the misguided translations that have lasted for centuries to the point a few Muslims believe that the translation is also the word of God. To put it bluntly, we have been given the translations that were not entirely true to the word of God. Indeed, it is obligatory on our part to continue to find the truth in the light of all the dominant qualities we ascribe to God; Kind, merciful, and beneficent as listed on top of 113 of the 114 Chapters in Quraan. 

We have found that there were many wrongful translations of Qur’anic verses by the Christian Kings  in the 11th Century and Muslims themselves in the 20th century to serve their political interests or misogynic attitudes.

A member of the forum at WorldMuslimCongress@yahoogroups.com   posted verses (below) from Sura Anam and Rome with the note that Quraan condemns forming sects in Deen.  I have found that it is the arrogance that is condemned; if you found other wise, please share your findings, so we can learn the truth together.

It is not only Quraan, but every social, business; political or civic group resists the division. Getting it down to family level, no family wants division either. Likewise, no religious group wants division. But it happens, when people disagree for lack of trust or legitimate difference in understanding the situation. God has endowed us all with free will and we must appreciate that without reserve. 

I am glad to quote Muhammad Asad in his explanation of the verse 6:159, “expresses a condemnation of all sectarianism arising out of people's intolerant, mutually-exclusive claims to being "the only true exponents" of the Qur'anic teachings.”

Indeed, what is condemned in the Quraan is the arrogance of self-righteousness, in this instance to believe that Shia and other traditions are wrong and only Sunni is right or Sunni and other traditions are wrong and only Shia is right.  Shame on all of us to stoop so low to denigrate the other denominations as if Allah has signed a deal with us behind other’s back, Allah does not do that, he is just and has given us the freewill to be righteous in our own ways.

 Let’s hope and pray that Ulema have the humility to come together and agree that  declaring any tradition within the fold of Islam to be less amounts to Shirk, only Allah knows what is in one’s heart. We can always condemn acts that are destructive to the humanity (all of God's creation). but we cannot condemn one's faith in God. Only God knows what is in one's heart. Jesus said, condemn the sin and not the sinner. We keep forgetting that God alone is the decider, and none can be partners or assistant or mangers of God in judging other’s faith.  

Prophet Muhammad knew the division is caused by human fitra (nature) and prophesized that his followers will form into many groups - and he advised them all to compete in doing good instead of being arrogant.  Sura Hujurat lays out that about division - it’s all God’s design, and adds that we have to learn about each other and know each other, so that we may accept our differences and live in harmony.

49:13 (Asad) O men! Behold, We have created you all out of a male and a female, and have made you into nations and tribes, so that you might come to know one another.  Verily, the noblest of you in the sight of God is the one who is most deeply conscious of Him. Behold, God is all-knowing, all-aware.

Here are a few verses on arrogance:

2:34 (Asad) And when We told the angels, "Prostrate yourselves before Adam!" ^[25] -they all prostrated themselves, save Iblis, who refused and gloried in his arrogance:  and thus he became one of those who deny the truth. ^[26] 

4:172 (Asad) Never did the Christ feel too proud to be God's servant, nor do the angels who are near unto Him. And those who feel too proud to serve Him and glory in their arrogance [should know that on Judgment Day] He will gather them all unto Himself: 

4:173 (Asad) whereupon unto those who attained to faith and did good deeds He will grant their just rewards, and give them yet more out of His bounty; whereas those who felt too proud and gloried in their arrogance.  He will chastise with grievous suffering: and they shall find none to protect them from God, and none to bring them succour. 

Qur'an condemns forming Sects in Deen.

The following verse was posted  at the World Muslim Congress forum,

 “Surah Anam 6:159. As for those who divide their Religion and break up into sects, Thou hast no part In them In the least: their affair is with Allah. He will In the end Tell them the truth of all that They did.”

Here is Asad’s translation in response to the above.

6:159 (Asad) VERILY, as for those who have broken the unity of their faith and have become sects - thou hast nothing to do with them. ^[161]Behold, their case rests with God: and in time He will make them understand what they were doing

A reference primarily, to the Jews and the Christians, who have departed from the fundamental religious principles which they had originally shared in their entirety, and have gone different ways in respect of doctrine and ethics (cf. 3:105). Beyond }this "primary" reference, however, the above verse connects logically with verse 153 above, "this is the way leading straight unto Me: follow if, then, and follow not other ways, lest they cause you to deviate from His way" -and thus relates prophetically to the followers of the Qur’an as well: in other words, it expresses a condemnation of all sectarianism arising out of people's intolerant, mutually-exclusive claims to being "the only true exponents" of the Qur'anic teachings. Thus, when asked about the implications of this verse, the Prophet's Companion Abu Hurayrah is reported to have answered, "It has been revealed with reference to this [our] community" (Tabari).(Quran Ref: 6:159 )

A few more verses were posted on the topic

“Surah Room 30:31-33 31. turn ye back In repentance to him, and fear him: establish regular prayers, and be not ye among those who join gods with Allah,32. those who split up their religion, and formed Sects,- Each party rejoicing In that which is with itself! 33. when trouble touches men, They cry to their Lord, turning back to Him In repentance: but when He gives them a taste of Mercy As from Himself, Behold, some of them pay part-worship to other god's besides their Lord,”

And as a habit, I usually check Muhammad Asad’s translation, if not satisfied, I check a few more, and here it is:

30:31 (Asad) [Turn, then, away from all that is false,] turn­ing unto Him [alone]; and remain conscious of Him, and be constant in prayer, and be not among those who ascribe divinity to aught beside Him, 

30:32 (Asad) [or] among those who have broken the unity of their faith and have become sects, each group delighting in but what they themselves hold [by way of tenets]. ^[29]

30:33 (Asad) NOW [thus it is:] when affliction befalls men, they cry out unto their Sustainer, turning unto Him [for help]; but as soon as He lets them taste of His grace, lo! some of them [begin to] ascribe to other powers a share in their Sustainer’s divinity, ^[30] 

May Allah guide us to know each other, and learn about each other instead of denigrating the other, which leads to conflicts and counter conflicts. Islam is about peace and living in harmony.  As Muslims we have to prove that to ourselves first.

To be a Muslim is to be a peacemaker, one who mitigates conflicts and nurtures goodwill, that was the underlying theme of the Prophet in just about everything he did,  a beautiful practice that needs to be highlighted in our daily discourse.

Mike Ghouse is committed to building cohesive societies, where no human has to live in apprehension, discomfort or fear of the other. Please check outwww.WorldMuslimCongress.org and related sites listed at the blog.  

Blasphemy Laws go against Islam

Appended below are verses from Quraan. 

http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2012/04/blasphemy-laws-go-against-islam.html

Secure men believe in God and the Day of Judgment and have full faith that God alone decides what is in one’s heart. Insecure men's way to find solutions is to eliminate the other with power, screams, deaths and threats. 

Unless a few of us start speaking against Blasphemy, the evil vigilantist anti-Islamic practice of insecure men will continue.

Except the first four caliphs, who were chosen to govern rather than forcefully taking over,  we have a bad history of oppression.  Have we ever been ruled by sane men? It is not just us, until 100 years ago with the exception of the United States; the whole world was run by dictators and kings. Most nations are moving towards civil societies run by the consensus of the people and sadly our freedom is not proportional.

Look at our history, we have been prevented from independent inquiry, we were imposed by the damned dictators and kings. Thank God we have Turkey, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Indonesia, and Pakistan (occasionally), where the civil society rules. Islam will do well in democracies and freedom.

Unfortunately Muslims do not have the breathing room to be themselves, they are continuously bonded by one tyrant or the other… We certainly can pray asking God to help Muslims to be free to govern themselves and not throw them in the mouths of Mullahs from the dictators. One bad Mubarak goes and the brotherhood is out there to force their laws on the unwilling people…  

We the Muslims have been reduced to Pavlovian Muslims - we are too damned conditioned with the laws of men like Zia, Wahhab, Maududi, Banna and others,   rather than guidance of God. We need to be free, and do our Iqra.

Prophet Muhammad said, I am leaving this book to you - he did not say, well, I have assigned the interpretation of the book to the Imams, Kings and the dictators... you don't need to read the Quran any more, just follow the rules made by the dominant partners of God, you will get a free pass on the Day of Judgement. They will take care of you.

Time to start from Zero and listen to the Prophet and not the Great Imams of the past, following them has made us cowards and insecure with Blasphemy and Apostasy laws that go against God's will.  

Here are the verses from Quraan, compiled by Irtaza.

 [5:57] O you who believe, do not befriend those among the recipients of previous scripture who mock and ridicule your religion, nor shall you befriend the disbelievers. You shall reverence GOD, if you are really believers.

[6:68] If you see those who mock our revelations, you shall avoid them until they delve into another subject. If the devil causes you to forget, then, as soon as you remember, do not sit with such evil people.

[18:106] Their just requital is Hell, in return for their disbelief, and for mocking My revelations and My messengers.

[39:48] The sinful works they had earned will be shown to them, and the very things they used to mock will come back to haunt them.

[45:33] The evils of their works will become evident to them, and the very things they mocked will come back and haunt them.

Why the Muslim masses ignore the Messenger Muhammad?  Who they want to please?

The punishment is delivered by God, not by you or me.

The killing is justified only if  people wage  war against you. You may kill them, in that case:

[5:33] The just retribution for those who fight GOD and His messenger, and commit horrendous crimes, is to be killed, or crucified, or to have their hands and feet cut off on alternate sides, or to be banished from the land. This is to humiliate them in this life, then they suffer a far worse retribution in the Hereafter.

The killing is not justified if people evict you. You may only evict them:

[2:191] You may kill those who wage war against you, and you may evict them whence they evicted you. Oppression is worse than murder. Do not fight them at the Sacred Masjid, unless they attack you therein. If they attack you, you may kill them. This is the just retribution for those disbelievers.

The killing is not justified if people insult the Prophet. God will take care of it.

[18:106] Their just requital is Hell, in return for their disbelief, and for mocking My revelations and My messengers

And, these are some of the Quranic wisdoms:

[42:37] They avoid gross sins and vice, and when angered they forgive

[42:40] Although the just requital for an injustice is an equivalent retribution, those who pardon and maintain righteousness are rewarded by GOD. He does not love the unjust.

The Muslim masses need to learn a lot from the Quran.  They are shackled by their Ulams and Allamas!

# # #

Mike Ghouse

 Irfan sahib,

It is illogical that in a Muslim state Prophet will be insulted and the offender will not be punished. Dr  Hashim Kamali has concluded in chapter on Blasphemy in his book  the Freedom Of Expression in Islam that blasphemy is punishable under Taziir and the punishment will depend on the level of offence. I feel he is right.

Shah Abdul Hannan

_____ 

 Dear Mr. Hannan,

Please do not insult the Qur'anic teachings.  The Qur'an does not require us to punish blasphemy in THIS world.  It's solely Allah's territory and He will deal with the blasphemers as He sees fit.  Why do you want to kill the blasphemer when Allah has declared ALL murders unlawful (except when the  are legally justified-and blasphemy is NOT one of them)?  Do you blood on your hands?

 Even the prophets were badly insulted during their lifetimes and Allah threatened the blasphemers to punish them Himself---Here and in the Hereafter.  Only He has this prerogative, no one else.  This is because the blasphemer must be allowed to have their natural life to repent  at any time, and this opportunity must not be taken away from them.  I hope you understand the difference between insulting and spreading widespread corruption on the Earth. 

Irfan

Do Jews, Christians and Muslims better understand each other since 9/11?

TEXAS FAITH: Do Jews, Christians and Muslims better understand each other since 9/11?

Abstract: Jews need sincerity and not duplicity. Native Americans need an apology and there is a good amount of phobia embedded in Hindus about conversions. We believe in Jesus as a Prophet and not as a son of God. Unless we deal with tough issues about our differences, we will continue to fake being nice to each other and brood with ill-will within. There is indeed improved understanding among faiths since 9/11. But there also is deepening suspicion among them. One is spiritually motivated and the other is political. Please note, most of my writings are inclusive of all theist and atheists traditions, we all inhabit the earth and we need to figure how best to co-exist cohesively.

# # #

Since September 11, 2001, many conversations have taken place among Muslims, Jews and Christians. There are official interfaith conversations occurring all over the globe, where participants dig into each other's texts. And numerous personal dialogues have been established over the last decade. Many of us have learned more about the three Abrahamic faiths since September 11, 2001 than perhaps we knew before that day.

But here's this week's question, which is simple in its wording but not necessarily simple to answer: Do followers of the three Abrahamic faiths really understand each other better since 9/11?

Eight Texas Faith Panelists including Mike Ghouse weighs in at: http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/09/texas-faith-do-jews-christians.html

MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas

There is indeed improved understanding among faiths since 9/11. But there also is deepening suspicion among them. One is spiritually motivated and the other is political.

We were better off when we knew very little about each other. But as we faced the hostage crisis in 1979, the evangelical foray into politics, the Baptist convention on harvesting poor souls and finally 9/11, religion moved on to center stage. It will get better when we know more about each other.

On September 11, 2001, I was on the radio in Dallas attempting to make sense out of the chaos of the day and pave the way for relevant actions. Interfaith-faith prayers, blood donation and fundraising for the men and women in uniform were all in place by evening. The fog was clearing up. Osama bin Laden was the bad guy and Muslim-Americans had nothing to do with his actions, nor did they authorize him to terrorize any one. Indeed, he placed a wedge between Americans that still needs to be undone.

Atheists, Baha'i, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Muslims, Jains, Jews, Native Americans, Pagans, Sikhs, Wicca and Zoroastrians along with area city mayors, FBI, police and fire chiefs and community leaders graced the first interfaith event in Frisco. Out of which a new tradition evolved called Unity Day. It continues year after year.

But while we are trying to know more about each other, more needs to be done. Here are a few examples;

* Mosques in Dallas/ Fort Worth area opened their doors right after the 9/11 incident. As Christians walked in, they were naively welcomed by yet-to-be trained volunteers who said, "We believe in Jesus as a Prophet and not as a son of God." However, the volunteers were trained to welcome without conflict the very next week.

Of course, back in the 8th Century, a Syrian bishop had declared that Islam was a false religion. That declaration has remained in the psyche of a few Christians forever.

Pastor Robert Jeffress of the First Baptist Church of Dallas reiterated the statement and added, "Quran is a false book written by a false prophet." He was asked to prove it but failed.

There are several verses in Quraan that are mistranslated for political gains. Steve Blow in Dallas Morning News quoted me, "In the Middle Ages, European leaders commissioned a hostile Quran translation to foster warfare against Muslim invaders. Later, Muslim leaders produced another translation to inflame Muslims against Christians and Jews."

One such difficult passage is "Kill the infidels wherever you find them." Ten such propaganda verses were read to separate the myths from reality. They were not read by Muslim clergy, but by Baptist, Mormon, Protestant, Catholic, Unitarian, Methodist, New Age, Unificationists, Sikhs, Hindu and others at the Quraan Conference

*Shamelessly, anti-Semitism continues to operate under the radar. The anti-circumcision bills in San Francisco and Santa Monica were irksome to some, but frightening to others. Indeed, there are still a few Christians out there who cannot shake off what Fred Phelps was demonstrating with reckless posters such as "Christ Killers."

The Judeo-Christian phrase was thrown around in the 40's to build relationships between Jews and Christians. A whole industry of opportunists was born from it. The support for Jews by Billy Graham, Richard Nixon, Pat Robertson, John Hagee, Glenn Beck and other chest thumpers have ulterior motives. They want to cash in on the name of Israel and perhaps convert them. Jews need sincerity and not duplicity to feel genuinely secure.

*Native Americans need an apology for the destruction of their religion and there is a good amount of phobia embedded in Hindus about conversions. Some of them feel that Governors Nikki Haley and Bobby Jindal made it in politics because they converted to Christianity.

*The spiritual balance in the community needs to be restored through observing and following the Golden Rule, which is treat others as you would like others to treat you. Although we have failed in the past, such as when the city of Plano rejected a permit to build a Hindu temple in the early 80's and Richardson did not permit a Muslim school to open there in the mid-1990s, we still have come a long way. Thank God, those are now history and the public in the metroplex welcomes diversity.

* Interfaith meetings are still social gatherings. Leaders from smaller groups are invited as tokens rather than to genuinely get to know each other. Unless we deal with tough issues about differences, we will continue to fake being nice to each other and brood with ill-will within. There is plenty of room for honesty to grow and mature.

If we can learn to respect the otherness of other people and accept the God-given uniqueness of each one of us, then conflicts fade and solutions emerge. One of these days we will get there. Meanwhile, I am pleased to invite you to the 7th Annual 9/11 Memorial, the Unity Day USA on Sunday September 11 at 5:00 PM at the Unity Church of Dallas on Forest Lane. Details are at www.UnitydayUSA.com

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References:
Steve Blow – Dallas Morning News: http://www.dallasnews.com/news/columnists/steve-blow/20100919-In-defense-of-Islam-pursuing-9397.ece

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List of difficult passages: http://quraan-today.blogspot.com/2010/12/difficult-passages-in-quraan.html

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Quraan Conference program sequence: http://quraanconference.blogspot.com/2010/12/quraan-conference-program-sequence.html

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Mike Ghouse is committed to building a cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day to the media and the public. He is a speaker thinker and a writer on the topics of pluralism, cohesive societies, Politics, Islam, interfaith, India and Peace. Over a thousand articles have been published on the topics and two of his books are poised to be released on Pluralism and Islam. Mike's work is reflected in 4 website's and 27 Blogs indexed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/ and you can find all of his current articles at www.TheGhousediary.com

Did the King James Version of the Bible change the world?

Did the King James Version of the Bible change the world?  Bill McKenzie of Dallas Morning News asks this question, here is my take:

Even if Jesus, Muhammad, Krishna, Buddha, Confucius, Moses and the others had the opportunity to print the holy books when they began their missions, the Bible and the Qur'aan would have remained the most influential books in changing the world.

Both the books inspire the followers to believe that the word of God must be spread to all corners of the world. Even though Buddhism was taken up by Asoka, one of the greatest kings of his time who sent emissaries around the world to preach the word of enlightenment, it did not add adherents as fast as the other two perhaps because it addressed the enlightenment within an individual whereas community building was the focus of Christianity and Islam. Since Hinduism does not have the conversion component, it still remains in the top slot mainly because it is one of the oldest religions.

As a pluralist who believes in the divinity of all religions as the pathways to becoming part of the larger energy called God, I believe Qur'aan seems to be the book that leads the pack in changing the world, while the Bible runs toe to toe for many reasons; the biggest of all the reasons was reliance on the book.

Prophet Muhammad was crystal clear in his last sermon, to paraphrase him, "O People, I am leaving this book and my practices to you, that is all you need to know to lead a moral life, and you cannot go wrong with it if you follow them." The responsibility to be a good human being was placed directly on shoulders of the individuals and hence reliance on the book.

Neither Jesus nor Muhammad encouraged the establishment of clergy; it was between the individual and the creator. Indeed, many Christians and Muslims refer to the book more frequently than the followers of other religions. The profession of clergy was bound to happen with a need for getting the word of God out.

The Muslim prayers require one to recite at least a few chapters during the prayers and without an exception every one of the 1.6 billion Muslims can recite at least five chapters, and about 5% of the Muslims have memorized the whole Qur'aan; word for word.

The phrase "People of the book" was indeed coined by Prophet Muhammad, meaning those who follow a book to live a moral life. The emphasis was on the book. The King James Version of the Bible certainly became available to the masses bolstered by the printing press and it will continue to be number one book in hands of the people.

A majority of Muslims, if not all, start every activity of their day by invoking the blessing of God and place themselves under the trust of God. As a result I place Qur'aan as the book that has changed most people.

Mike Ghouse

www.MikeGhouse.net

12 Opinions including mine are included in this piece at Dallas Morning News;

http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/03/texas-faith-did-the-king-james.html  

 

What a Rabbi Learns from Muhammad

There is an actual verse in Quraan, where God tells to treat no prophet above the other, it was to prevent arrgance among people, feeling and treating people on an equal footing is a strong Islamic value

Mike Ghouse

Interfaith Religious Education - Article Ref: IC1103-4558
IslamiCity* -

I first studied Islam when I was a student at UCLA almost 50 years ago, Then again while I was in Rabbinical school. Over the years I continued to read the Qur'an and other Islamic books. I read these books as the Prophet taught his followers in a Hadith "not as a believer, and not as a disbeliever". What does that mean? The Qur'an, of course, is sacred scripture for Muslims. A disciple of Muhammad named Abu Huraira relates, "The people of the Book used to read the Torah in Hebrew and then explain it in Arabic to the Muslims. Allah's Apostle said (to the Muslims). "Do not believe the people of the Book, nor disbelieve them, but say, 'We believe in Allah, and whatever is revealed to us, and whatever is revealed to you.' " Following Muhammad's teaching I too neither believe nor disbelieve in the Qur'an. If I believed in the Qur'an I would be a member of the Muslim Ummah (community). But I cannot disbelieve in the Qur'an because I believe that Muhammad is a prophet and I respect the Qur'an as a kindred revelation, to a kindred people, in a kindred language. In fact, the people, the language and the theology are closer to my own people, language and theology than that of any other on earth.

I would like to begin by sharing my understanding of several Ahadith that have taught me about my own religion. My understanding is reflected in my application (gloss) of each insight from my perspective as a Liberal/Reform Rabbi. They are all from Bukhari: Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "Religion is very easy and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way. So you should not be extremists, but try to be near to perfection and receive the good tidings that you will be rewarded. (Volume 1, Book 2, Number 38)

Gloss: The statement against becoming extremists needs to be taught in every house of prayer in the world. This applies of course, to political extremists as well as religious extremists who always prefer the stricter path to the more lenient way. For example, both Islam and Judaism teach the importance of sacred slaughter of meat, and the avoidance of certain animals for food. In Islam the rules are simpler and fewer than in Orthodox Judaism. Most Liberal/Reform Rabbis regard the increasingly restrictive developments in kashrut (Jewish dietary laws), especially for Passover, as a counterproductive, overburdening of the people. The expansion of restrictions on Shabbat activities over many centuries is also seen by most Liberal/Reform Rabbis as a counterproductive, overburdening of the joy of Shabbat. Muhammad wisely differentiates between extremism and striving to be near perfect (no one is perfect) which involves a rejection of extremism. Just trying hard to do well will be rewarded.

Narrated 'Aisha and Ibn' Abbas: On his deathbed Allah's Apostle put a sheet over his-face and when he felt hot, he would remove it from his face. When in that state (of putting and removing the sheet) he said, "May Allah's Curse be on Jews and Christians for they build places of worship at the graves of their prophets." He intended to warn (Muslims) from what they (i.e. Jews and Christians) had done. (Volume 4, Book 56, Number 660)

Gloss: Allah's apostle strongly opposed any diversion of reverence or worship to anyone other than God. Christians, and even Jews, had started worshiping at the graves of holy men, saints and prophets. Although they claimed to be only worshiping God, their feeling that prayer was better or more effective at such sites was cursed by Muhammad. In later centuries, Muslims also began worshiping at the tombs of holy men and building places of worship near their graves. Liberal/Reform Rabbis would agree that such activity at grave sites should be condemned and could be seen as a curse. Allah's apostle must also have realized that even the Muslim community would also produce people whose piety would lead to such errors for a Hadith on the same page says,

Narrated Abu Said: The Prophet said: "You will follow the wrong ways of your predecessors so completely and literally that if they should go into the hole of an animal, you too will go there." We said, "O Allah's Apostle! Do you mean the Jews and the Christians?" He replied, "Who else?" (Volume 4, Book 56, # 662)

Gloss: Muhammad criticized the failings of many in the Jewish and Christian communities (as did the prophets of Israel) but he realized that people are human, and most do not seem to learn from the failings of others. He hoped that Muslims would retain their original purity, but he foresaw that with time and power; corruption, decay and falsification were inevitable. Allah's apostle would certainly attack the false tradition of female genital mutilation in Africa today as sharply as he attacked female infanticide in Arabia in his day. It is a shame that many Muslim leaders in Africa today do not aggressively condemn it. But then, most Jewish leaders in the west do not aggressively condemn the Orthodox for not allowing Jewish woman to divorce their husbands. We all have to do a better job.

Abu Huraira related: Two men, a Muslim and a Jew, abused each other. The Muslim said , "By Him Who gave superiority to Muhammad over all the people." At that, the Jew said, "By Him Who gave superiority to Moses over all the people." The Muslim became furious at that and slapped the Jew in the face. The Jew went to Allah's Apostle and informed him of what had happened between him and the Muslim. Allah's Apostle said, "Don't give me superiority over Moses, for people will fall unconscious on the Day of Resurrection and I will be the first to gain consciousness, and behold! Moses will be there holding the side of Allah's Throne. I will not know whether Moses was among those people who became unconscious and then has regained consciousness before me, or was among those exempted by Allah from falling unconscious." (Volume 8, Book 76, #524)

Gloss: Allah's messenger is so well known for his sense of justice that a Jew can appeal to him even in a conflict with a Muslim who has attacked a Jew. It is only natural for Jews to think that Moses is the best, and for Muslims to think that Muhammad is the best. Muhammad rebukes the Muslim, telling him not to claim that Muhammad is superior to Moses because even on the day of Resurrection, Muhammad himself will not know their relative merit, for although Muhammad will be the first to be revived, Moses will already be standing there holding the side of God's throne. Muhammad teaches us that comparisons of religious superiority are wrong, for no one in this world, and perhaps even in the world to come, will know who is the best. 

Most Americans that I have spoken are amazed to hear such liberal and flexible statements coming from a religion that they think is ridged and fanatical. But the politicized Islam that has captured so much attention in the Muslim world today is the outgrowth of two recent factors. One is an anti-western reaction and scapegoating due to the great upheavals occurring in all modernizing societies in the 20th and 21th centuries. This reaction is inflamed as the result of several previous centuries of socio-economic decline that took place in the Middle East. Also Judaism and Christianity have already had reforming movements that took generations to bare fruit.. Islam is just starting the process of revival and reform. The Prophet had predicted that over the centuries Muslims would also become more rigid and orthodox, just as the Jews and Christian had. Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported Allah's Messenger as saying: You will tread the same path as was trodden by those before you, inch by inch and step by step, so much so that if they had entered into the hole of a lizard, you would follow them in this also. We said: Do you mean Jews and Christians? He said: Who else?" Muhammad was wise enough to realize that even his own ummah was subject to the circumstances of history.

Nevertheless as a Reform Rabbi, I realize that in many ways Muhammad showed seventh century Jews in Arabia how to reform Orthodox Judaism to bring it back to the simpler rules of the Torah..

Unlike Orthodox Rabbis, Liberal/Reform Rabbis accept the doctrine of nullification - which teaches that one verse in scripture can nullify another, and that rulings can be changed due to changed circumstances. Muhammad provides an excellent example of this principle in the following account. The Prophet originally told women not to visit graveyards, but toward the end of his life, he said to them: "I had told you not to visit graves; now I am telling you to visit them." The reason was that Arabian women used to wail at graves. The Prophet wanted this practice to be stopped. Therefore, he banned women from visiting graves to start with. After sometime, when Muslim women were better aware of how Islam wants them to behave in different situations, he allowed them such visits. In fact, the Prophet encourages visiting graveyards because such a visit reminds the visitor of his or her own death and the fact that they would have to stand in front of God when their actions are reckoned to determine their reward or punishment. Scholars like Ibn Qudamah, of the Hanbali school of law, make it clear that since this is the purpose of visiting graveyards, both men and women need such visits.

Another important teaching of the Qur'an is that God chose not to create human beings as one nation or with only one religion so that each religion could compete with the others in order to see which religion produces the highest percentage of moral and loving people. As it is written in the Koran [5.48] "For every one of you did We appoint a law and a way. If Allah had pleased He would have made you one people, but (He didn't) that He might test you in what He gave you. Therefore compete with one another to hasten to virtuous deeds; for all return to Allah, so He will let you know (after Judgement Day) that in which you differed." This is a wonderful further development of the teaching of the Biblical prophet Micah (4:5) that in the end of days-the Messianic Age "All people will walk, each in the name of their own God, and we shall walk in the name of the Lord our God forever."

There is no conflict, nor can there be any conflict, between Judaism and Islam. The conflict between Israelis and Palestinians is a territorial dispute. There are people who would like to make this territorial dispute into a religious one in order to rally support for their side. We must resist this. I believe that the Koran itself predicts the return of the Jewish people to the Land God gave to the descendants of Abraham and his two sons. I believe the reference in the Koran to the land of Israel in Sura V, where God says to Moses and to the Jewish people: "O my people, enter the Holy Land which God has decreed for you", Koran [5:21].  More important for us today is the statement "WE SAID TO THE ISRAELITES AFTER HIM "DWELL SECURELY IN THE LAND OF PROMISE (THE PROMISED LAND) BUT WHEN THE SECOND OF THE WARNINGS COME TO PASS WE GATHER YOU TOGETHER IN A MINGLED CROWD BANI ISRAIL, Koran [17:104]. This refers to the return of Jews to the Land of Israel that is part of the great upheavals that proceed the age of the final judgment. The age we live in. The mingled crowd refers to both the Palestinians and the Israelis who will share the Promised Land together.

Neither side can claim it has the only right to the land or that its view is the only true one for as we have learned from the Hadith narrated Abu Huraira:The Prophet himself taught that even in the world to come it will not be clear if Moses or Muhammad is the supreme Prophet. Each is supreme for his own faithful community. A Muslim is one who submits to the will of Allah and believes that Allah has sent many different prophets to the many peoples of the world. As a Liberal/ Reform Rabbi I believe that Muhammad was the Prophet sent to the Arab people. I believe that the Qur'an is as true for Muslims as the Torah is true for Jews. Indeed, I love the Hadith Narrated by Abu Huraira that says, "The people of the Book used to read the Torah in Hebrew and then explain it in Arabic to the Muslims. Allah's Apostle said (to the Muslims). "Do not believe the people of the Book, nor disbelieve them, but say, 'We believe in Allah, and whatever is revealed to us, and whatever is revealed to you.' " Following Muhammad's teaching I repeat that I too neither believe nor disbelieve in the Koran. I do respect the Koran very much as a kindred revelation to a kindred people in a kindred language. In fact, the people, language and theology are closer to my own people, language and theology than that of any other on earth. The strong support that the Qur'an gives to religious pluralism is a lesson that is sorely needed by the religious fundamentalists of all religions in the world today. As a well known Hadith says, "Prophets are brothers, sons of one father by co-wives. Their mothers are different but their religion is one." (Bukhari and Muslim).

*****

Rabbi Allen S. Maller is a former Liberal/Reform Rabbi. He retired a few years ago after 39 years as Rabbi of Temple Akiba in Culver City, Ca.

Define Islam, did it start from Adam or Muhammad?

2 of 8 - http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2010/11/define-islam-did-it-start-from-adam-or.html

How do you define Islam? Did it start from Adam and Eve or did it start from our Prophet?
A Series of 8 questions - Do Muslims resist the following questions?

A few among us pander to the donors and funders and are afraid of answering what they believe.  By the way that is the case with people of pulpits in all religions, however the majority of Muslims, like any other majority believe and practice live and let live. I have received a few affirmations from different faith leaders about the commonality of the issue.

The questions were presented to me and I have responded to them and inviting others to express their opinion. You are welcome to refute, reject, differ or add to it, but know that there are different takes to the issue and different expression. Quraan 49:13 says he has created us to be unique, so that we can make an effort to know each other.

Mike Ghouse

World Muslim Congress

A few responses:

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Mike Ghouse

The need for peace was born with the very first humanoids, when competition for available resources was pitching them against each other causing them to live in fear of the other, thus co-existence was a natural outcome. The idea of accountability and responsibility for one’s action became necessary for peaceful co-existence followed by surrenderance of “my ego” and “your ego” to a higher ego that both can subscribe to and abide by.  Islam broadly means peaceful co-existence and submission to a judge and it did start from Adam and Eve.

If Islam means a privately owned club by Muslims and claiming God and his bounties to be exclusively on their side, then it started long after the Prophet. This idea of private club goes against the very essence of ‘rabbul Aalameen (Lord of the universe)’ in the very first sentence of the Quraan and ‘Rahmutul Aalameen (Blessing of the universe)’ describing Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).  The prophet said, he is not bringing a new religion, but simply updating the existing ones.

Your way of life is dear to you as mine is to me was a new paradigm in the milestones of history expressly written in Sura Kafirun heralding a new era in accepting the otherness of others without denigrating the other.

It is human to make Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism or other religions one’s personal property, it is human to own the prophets and chain the holy books to their private club. By claiming ownership rights to a religion, we are stripping the universality of that religion and creating boundaries around it and excluding others. The very boundaries religions formed to remove.

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Iftekhar Hai

 Islam The Quran is very clear in explaining the definition of the word Islam.  What does it mean and what does it stand for.  The uniqueness of this word is - that it is not named after any person (in this case our Prophet).  It means total surrender or submission to Allah (God).  Islam was the religion even before our Prophet Mohammed was born (pbuh) as is evidenced in The Quran in reference to 42:13,

 "The same religion (Islam or submission) has He established for you that which He enjoined on Noah.  That which We have sends as inspiration to you (Mohammed pbuh) and that which We enjoined on Abraham, Moses and Jesus: That you should stay steadfast in religion (submission to our Lord -Islam) and make no divisions therein. (this means work for the unity of humankind)  As for those who worship other than God they are on (hard) wrong way to call from.  God chooses and guides those whom He wills towards Him.

Commentary:  According to this if a Christian, a Jew or any believer in One Supreme Being says “we surrender or submit to God.”  They are falling within the definition of the word Islam.  The art of surrender or submission is called Islam.  This art of submission/surrender was shown to all the Prophets and their people as evidenced in The Quran 10:47, 14:4 & 16:36.  Islam is very inclusive and broad in its definition.  Muslims believe in Allah and take Mohammed (pbuh) as their messenger, just as Christians and Jews believe in the same God and take Jesus and Moses as their respective messengers. However Muslims believe in all the prophets from Jewish and Christian scriptures. One must refrain from judging other believers the depth of surrendering or submission of other believers. God is THE ONLY JUDGE. 

Surah 3:85, “If anyone desires a religion other than Islam, never will it be accepted of him.”   Here the definition of Islam must be taken in its global context of surrendering and submission to One and Only One God.

ISLAM STARTED FROM ADAM AND EVE.  OUR PROPHET MERELY REPEATED THE MESSAGE OF ISLAM FOR THE PAGAN ARABS.  HERE THE MEANING OF THE WORD ISLAM IS SURRENDER, SUBMISSION WHICH IS SHOWN TO ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD.

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Dr. Iffat Khan

 The word Islam is an Arabic word and is a generic word, which means submit to, acknowledge and affirm the will of God. It is not racially or ethnically derived, and is non-sectarian. It is unlike all other religions, which go by the name of their prophet/messenger. It is derived from the root s-l-m meaning Peace. Marshall Hodgson states that it is the inner spirituality of a person of conscience. (Venture into Islam Vol.1) Islam has been the divine religious system of humankind from the beginning of time; the prevalent concept claiming it to be a new religion preached by Prophet Muhammad being a complete fallacy. The Quran states that Islam is the religion of God, and no other religion will be accepted from mankind. i.e. acknowledging and living by the will of the one God.

After the first human beings disobeyed God, and ‘ate of the forbidden tree’ they realized their folly, became aware of their nakedness/sexuality, and repented. God accepted the repentance of both the man and woman 2: 37-38, and they were assigned a temporal life on earth forfeiting the life of bliss in the Garden of Bliss/Eden, with the assurance that ‘there will come to you guidance from Me, and whosoever follows My guidance shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve 2: 38.  God taught the human beings ‘the nature of things’ and made them ‘vicegerents on earth’. ‘God has made subject to you all that is on the earth’ 22: 65, as a sacred trust, – to enjoy and use wisely.

In addition, the Quran states that over the ages, messengers/teachers were sent to every community in the world, and that there are righteous people among those who follow the earlier revelations. 3:199. All messengers, throughout the world, preached the same message which the essence of the Quran.

Do you consider Jews and Christians as believers? 1/8

Define believers. Do you consider Jews and Christians as believers? 1/8
A Series of 8 questions - Do Muslims resist the following questions?

http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2010/11/do-you-consider-jews-and-christians-as.html

1 of 8

A few among us pander to the donors and funders and are afraid of answering what they believe.  By the way that is the case with people of pulpits in all religions, however the majority of Muslims, like any other majority believe and practice live and let live. I have received a few affirmations from different faith leaders about the commonality of the issue.

The questions were presented to me and I have responded to them and inviting others to express their opinion. You are welcome to refute, reject, differ or add to it, but know that there are different takes to the issue and different expression. Quraan 49:13 says he has created us to be unique, so that we can make an effort to know each other.

Mike Ghouse

World Muslim Congress

A few responses:

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Mike Ghouse

The answer is in a larger context; believer is an individual who seeks peace for himself and what surrounds him or her through the principles of justness, fairness, truthfulness and respect for the God given life to every member of the creation. The principles of oneness of creation and God imply one world and one God. God has sent a messenger and a peacemaker to every nation and tribe.

Whether it is the Jews, Christians, Hindus, Wiccans, Mayas or any one who subscribes to the idea of oneness of mankind is a believer as the end result is peace, which comes from submission to the idea of oneness of creation; meaning we are all in it together and we have to make it better for every one of us. We cannot be safe when others around us are not.

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Iftekhar Hai

Believer is anyone who says, "We believe in God or One God."  No human being should play God and judge others.  Judgment is only with Allah...full of Knowledge and Wisdom.

YES: Jews and Christians are also believers according to the above definition.  Anyone who says they are not are stepping into GOD's domain of judgement

Muslim:  A Muslim is a person who says, “There is no God but One God (Allah) and Mohammed (pbuh) is a messenger of God.2How do you define Islam? Did it start from Adam and Eve or did it start from our Prophet

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Dr. Iffat Khan

The word Muslim is a generic Arabic word meaning ANYONE who submits to ONE God, and does not associate any partners in the Divinity.  Abraham, Noah, Moses and other prophets before the time of Prophet Muhammad are described as one’s who bowed to the will of God, i.e. were muslim 3:67. The Quran also states—‘It is God who has named you muslims, both BEFORE and in this revelation’..  Hence, regardless of what people of the existing world religions call themselves, if they submit themselves to the worship and will of ONE God, they are by definition muslims

By definition a Mu’min is anyone who acknowledges the one God, Angels, His messages, all Prophets, the Last Day, and leads a righteous life. One of Pharaoh’s wives during the time of Moses, the mother of Moses and Mary are addressed as mu’min, which means ‘believer’

Does Quran supersede all other previous scriptures?

Does Quran supersede all other previous scriptures? 5/8
A Series of 8 questions - Do Muslims resist the following questions?

http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2010/11/does-quran-supersede-all-other-previous.html

A few among us pander to the donors and funders and are afraid of answering what they believe.  By the way that is the case with people of pulpits in all religions, however the majority of Muslims, like any other majority believe and practice live and let live. I have received a few affirmations from different faith leaders about the commonality of the issue.

The questions were presented to me and I have responded to them and inviting others to express their opinion. You are welcome to refute, reject, differ or add to it, but know that there are different takes to the issue and different expression. Quraan 49:13 says he has created us to be unique, so that we can make an effort to know each other.

Mike Ghouse

World Muslim Congress

A few responses:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-

Mike Ghouse

Quraan as we Muslims believe is the capstone, the final touch to co-existence; it is a book of guidance with a belief in one abstract God as opposed to privately owned multiple Gods in conflicts with each other. It is an inclusive and a comprehensive document for all to be had.

If we own it exclusively, then we take away its universality, and if we denigrate other scriptures we take away its comprehensiveness and completeness. Quraan has everything one needs to know to lead a peaceful life and peaceful societies, just as other books have everything one can understand to live a peaceful life as well.

The issue is ownership – do you own it? If you do, then others don’t as ownership is exclusive. Does God give you the authority to shove it down others throats? There isn’t any compulsion in what one believes (2:256).

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Iftekhar Hai

Ans:   No, the Quran clarifies errors made in different scriptures as it was translated or interpreted.  95% of the message of other scriptures is the same as Quran.

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Muhammad Irtaza

The Quran does not "supercede" the previous scriptures.  It is the "guardian over them" or in Arabic "muhayminan alayhi" -

 [5:48] Then we revealed to you this scripture, truthfully, confirming previous scriptures, and "muhayminan alayhi". You shall rule among them in accordance with GOD's revelations, and do not follow their wishes if they differ from the truth that came to you. For each of you, we have decreed laws and different rites. Had GOD willed, He could have made you one congregation. But He thus puts you to the test through the revelations He has given each of you. You shall compete in righteousness. To GOD is your final destiny - all of you - then He will inform you of everything you had disputed.

The above understanding can be derived from many verses of the Quran.  For example:

[5:66] If only they would uphold the Torah and the Gospel, and what is sent down to them herein from their Lord, they would be showered with blessings from above them and from beneath their feet. Some of them are righteous, but many of them are evildoers.

A true Jew will accept the message of the Quran and  believe in Jesus as the Messiah.

[3:45] The angels said, "O Mary, GOD gives you good news: a Word from Him whose name is `The Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary. He will be prominent in this life and in the Hereafter, and one of those closest to Me.'

A true Christian will accept the message of the Quran and consider Jesus as the Messenger of God.

[2:87] We gave Moses the scripture, and subsequent to him we sent other messengers, and we gave Jesus, son of Mary, profound miracles and supported him with the Holy Spirit. Is it not a fact that every time a messenger went to you with anything you disliked, your ego caused you to be arrogant? Some of them you rejected, and some of them you killed.

A true Muslim will accept the message of the Quran and will not differentiate between Mohammad and any other messengers of God: 

[2:136] Say, "We believe in GOD, and in what was sent down to us, and in what was sent down to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, and the Patriarchs; and in what was given to Moses and Jesus, and all the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction among any of them. To Him alone we are submitters."

Thank you and may God guide me,

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Dr. Iffat Khan

 Yes, The Quran embodies and confirms the essence of the truth found in all the ORIGINAL revelations from God to human beings, throughout their existence, and states ‘Nothing is said to you that was not said to the apostles before you’ 41:43. The teachings in the Quran are generally addressesd to ‘you who believe/have faith’ though particular revelations apply to the Qureish and the tribes in the region. Chapter 3:3 states ‘It is God who sent down to you, in truth, the Book confirming what went before it’.

This quote from the Quran is all encompassing where it states in 10: 37 ‘this Quran is not such as can be produced by other than God; on the contrary it is a confirmation of that which went before it, and a fuller explanation of the Book-wherein there is no doubt- from the Lord of the worlds.

The need for a final revelation in the form of the Quran was, simply put, 36: 46.  ‘Not a sign comes to them from their Lord, but they turn away from it’   Homo ‘arrogans’, stubbornly persisted in wrongdoing and disbelief, derided and slew prophets, scorned their teachings, and corrupted the words of God to suit their purpose, and kept reverting to polytheism. They pitted themselves against their Creator forgetting their creation from a lowly sperm-drop! 36:77,78.

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