Re: Interesting
It is from Abdullah Yusuf Ali.
Excellent, that is on the net so I can look up any translation disagreements if you ask any questions. Please be aware that translations do vary, as arabic has many meanings for a single word.
From what I understand the Quran was written over a period of 21 years. Karen says that "he would often sweat profusely, even on a cool day, experience a great heaviness. . ."
Yes the Quran was wriiten during the years of the Prophethood, which began when Mohammad was 40. Some verses were revealed at certain relevant times. So take something like drinking alcohol, it was not immediately forbidden. At first it was just that you could not come to prayer drunk. Later it changed to not getting drunk and later still it became prohibited to drink, as anything that can lead to sin in small quantity can lead you into larger sins.
The Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) was given a very difficult task, it was not just to pass the message but to unite a people that had spent centuries fighting and following all sorts of strange and unacceptable customs. The Prophet didn't just turn up one day and say 'ok here are the new rules'. He established them over many years, giving people the opportunity to come around to the new ideas.
He, through G-d, forbade the killing of baby girls, which was a common practise. He allowed women to have a say in who they would marry and reject a husband they didn't want, women were allowed to speak out about the way the Muslims lived. He limited the number of wives a man could have. He forbade Muslims to kill other Muslims, to steal, to lie, to commit adultery ... the list goes on.
The Prophet also did not write the Quran. This was compiled after the death of the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh), from verses that had been written on banana leaves, bones and simply recited until remembered. That is why the Quran does not follow an historical order. It was compiled according to length of chapter, with verses put into the chapter they appeared to refer to. Hence chapters about war, chapter about women, chapter about the day of judgement, etc.
About 100 years after the death of the Prophet, the hadiths (narrated sayings and actions of the Prophet) were also compiled. Is it known that some of these are weak (ie not true) and here I have a problem. Many of the 'issues' of Islam come purely from the hadiths. Take issues such as stoning to death for adultery, which is not in the Quran or death for apostacy, also not in the Quran. These come from the hadiths. However, the Quran states that there is no better hadith than the Quran itself, it is the Word of G-d so nothing can abrogate it.
Most Muslims take their faith from the Quran and the hadiths, following the interpretations of scholars (who followed the interpretations of scholars before them). Personally I take every issue back to the Quran, if it doesn't say in the Quran kill people for apostacy then that is my belief and no amount of interpreting narrated sayings is going to change my mind. So please be aware that in our discussions my personal beliefs do not always follow the mainstream accepted version but I shall try to point out where I deviate.
Also, the Christians and Jews would mock the Arabs who were left out of the divine plan.
Yes the Jews and Christians used to taunt the arabs because they had each received Divine revelation but the arabs had not. I imagine it went along the lines of 'you ignorant peasants, you don't even know there is only one G-d. Clearly you are so lowly G-d won't even talk to you'. I think that would get up my nose a little. This issue is often used to say that Mohammad simply got sick of this so 'invented' Islam in order to say 'see G-d gave us a book too' but when you read the Quran it is hard to imagine how anyone could make all of that up (particularly in arabic).
It seems to me that they worship the same God, especially considering that Muhammad never intended to establish a new religion.
The arabs of the time were pagan. They worshipped many gods but one was called al'lah ('al' meaning 'the', therefore 'the god'). He was believed to be the father/leader of the other gods and godesses. So yes in effect the arabs at the time also worshipped the G-d of the Jews and Christians. Their error was to worship the gods that were not real, together with the G-d.
Mohammad had spent many years dealing with trading caravans and business, founding a faith was no doubt the last thing on his mind. I think it came as more of a shock to him, at the age of 40, than anyone else.
It is sad that Christians consider him a false prophet.
I couldn't agree more. I do understand why this has come about but it is very sad. Misinformation, stories of warlords, spread by the sword and some (to them) jumped up little arab suddenly appearing saying you are on the wrong path, stop worshipping a Prophet and return to worshipping only G-d probably didn't go down very well.
If more Christians could get past these images and learn about the real man, the real teachings of the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh), they would see that he brought a message of peace. Of course the behaviour of many Muslims does not help this issue, all the 'we are right and you are wrong and going to hell' stuff.
Even though Muhammad did not have the right theology, he knew that something was not right with his people.
Well obviously I believe he had the right theology, the return to worshipping G-d alone, to submitting our lives to the will of G-d. But his message was greater than that, as a man, with the help and wisdom of G-d he dealt with many of the wrongs of his society, he gave rights to women 1400 years ago, that is 1300 years before such rights came to women in other parts of the world. It is true that desire and greed for power has distorted that message and in many Muslim countries the message of the Prophet was distorted to oppress women.
This is what I ask people to do, look past the distortions and sins of Muslim people and look for the true message of Islam - it is beautiful and provides a way for a society to live in peace and harmony.
Salaam
