The Quran - through my eyes.

[17th Angel]

Assalam u alaikum wa rahmatulahi wa baakatuhu,

Not a problem at all brother! I find it very relaxing and soothing to just listen to the words, it comes out in the native tounge like poetry... And it's beautiful, soothing and good for the soul.... And those that are coming to investigate Islam from other lands like me, you might find it hard to begin with to read it, so seriously Francis have another go but with listening... I like to listen to it in the bath lol... As Diao said, this is an extremley good translation and version.

Ma salama.

 

[Muslimwoman]

Could you please help me to identify which/what Christians Quran refer to?

wa aleykum salaam

I have no great knowledge but am happy to share my ideas with you.

First we must remember two things, the Christianity of today is not the Christianity preached by Isa (pbuh) and that he was a Jew. This is very important because people often think of him as a Christian but he was not, he was Jewish and learnt the Jewish scripture (Torah) which he also taught to others. This scripture clearly states that there is Only One G-d and Isa himself said there is only One G-d and we must worship only Him.

Christianity travelled quickly throughout the world and different areas developed different beliefs. There were also a number of splits in the church over the centuries. It was not until the 4th century that the Christian Church developed the doctrine of the trinity (Father, Son and Spirit) and not all sects of Christinity had accepted this doctrine.

There are two issues for us as Muslims, as far as I can see:

1. Who is Allah talking about when He says we should say "We believe in that which hath been revealed unto us and revealed unto you"?

I believe this is talking about the very early Christians, who received the message of Isa (pbuh). This was before the church declared him to be G-d. A number of biblical historians state that people close to Isa (pbuh) never claimed he was G-d and he himself never made this claim.

So to me, Allah is telling us to believe in the message that was given to the Jews and then to the Christians. The message from Allah has never changed, it is only mankind that has changed it in all of our religions.

Look at the ten commandments. All ten are contained in Judaism, Christianity and Islam, with the exception of the 4th which says to hold to the Sabbath (the Jews have the Sabbath, the Christians Sunday and we have Friday, so we all have a day of rememberence and praise of Allah). These, to me, are the essence of the faith, the absoulte message of Allah. It is very simple and everything else is just men arguing about things that are not important. If we all followed those commandments we would have nothing to argue about.

2. Who are the Christians that the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) would have come into regular contact with?

Because of the trading route through Mecca Jewish Christians would probably have travelled through Arabia since the time of Isa (pbuh) but their beliefs would be more in line with Judaism rather than modern Christianity.

In the 5th Century the main sect of Christians in the Arabian peninsula were the Nestorians. They had been rejected by the church because of their beliefs and moved down into Persia, being given protection by the Sassanids. When King Shapur II took power in Persia he persecuted the Nestorians and they moved down into Arabia. We know from the hadith that the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) had contact with the Nestorians.

Nestorians believed that Isa (pbuh) was just a man but that he was also Logos (the divine essence of G-d, it is a Greek word meaning word or wisdom so this would make him the Word of G-d). They did not believe that he was crucified as Logos but only as a man. They rejected the term 'mother of G-d' which the church gave to Maryam (pbuh) as they said she was only the mother of the man, not of Logos.

So we can see from this that the Christianity the Prophet would have learnt about is quite different to the Christianity we hear about today. We also know that the Christianity of the early Christians is rather different to the Christianity of today (of course Christians would not agree with that).

However from talking to Christians about their beliefs I have found that they have very different views about what Isa (pbuh) was. Some believe he was a man and the Word of G-d, some believe he is G-d Himself and others believe he is one of three entities. I most certainly do not understand what it is that most Christians believe and so will not judge them to be worshipping anything but G-d because if they believe the trinity is really a single entity then can that be worshipping anything but G-d? I have no answer and I leave it to Allah (swt) to judge us all, as only He knows what is in our hearts and what we really believe. Of course I shall continue to discuss the issue of the trinity with Christians but I hope in a respectful manner.

One thing we must remember is that Islam has also split into numerous sects over the centuries, all believeing different things and the message of peace the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) brought is now often turned into one of intolerence. This is human nature, we all want to be right and sadly it often seems more important to be right than follow the basic commandments of Allah (swt).

PS. English is not my 1st or 2nd language, please excuse me if I made many mistakes to express my thinking and question...

I think your english is wonderful. If I have said anything you do not understandplease say so and I shall try to explain in a different way.

Salaam

 

[shamsery]

mw. you have opened my eyes . Seriously, I didnt realize that the texts contain information about jesus, mary even adam and eve. I was thoroughly ignorant to this andI thank you. I guess I thought it contained just stuff that basically said we are right and basically everyone else is wrong and kill them if they dont believe. I told you I was ignorant. Keep going. its good reading and I hope others could read it like this. ( in your words) you know, there really isnt a lot of difference (basically) .

“It is He Who has created for you (the faculties of)hearing, sight, feeling and understanding: little thanks it is ye give!”
[Al-Qur’an 23:78]

 

[Muslimwoman]

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water

Next we have Sura 34 called Saba (meaning Sheba) and has 54 verses. It is not known when this Sura was revealed but deals with the accusations against the Prophethood of Mohammad (pbuh).

Little interesting historical detail for you:

Those who disbelieve say: Shall we show you a man who will tell you (that) when ye have become dispersed in dust with most complete dispersal still, even then, ye will be created anew? (34:7)

The Pagans of Arabia, whilst believing in many gods did not believe in an afterlife, they believed that when you died that was it. So when the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) came to them saying they should do good deeds and worship only Allah in order not to be punished in the next life they obviously thought he was a class one nutcase and laughed at him.

I love the following verses:

Say (O Muhammad): Call upon those whom ye set up beside Allah! They possess not an atom's weight either in the heavens or in the earth, nor have they any share in either, nor hath He an auxiliary among them. (34:22)

No intercession availeth with Him save for him whom He permitteth. Yet, when fear is banished from their hearts, they say: What was it that your Lord said? They say: The Truth. And He is the Sublime, the Great. (34:23)

Say: Who giveth you provision from the sky and the earth? Say: Allah, Lo! we or you assuredly are rightly guided or in error manifest. (34:24)

Say: Ye will not be asked of what we committed, nor shall we be asked of what ye do. (34:25)

Say: Our Lord will bring us all together, then He will judge between us with truth. He is the All-knowing Judge. (34:26)


You know all the times you hear that the whole world has to be Muslim or we should kill anyone who isn't Muslim? The Quran says no such thing, throughout the Quran it is accepted that there will always be believers and non believers and we shall all be judged fairly, for only Allah knows the truth of all things including what is in our hearts.

There are two important points in these verses. Firstly there is no intercession unless Allah permits it, so for example I could not ask Allah to forgive your sins and you could not ask Him to forgive mine.

Secondly we shall be judged for our own sins and not those of anyone else. Now, when you hear about Muslims calling Jews names and saying they are all going to burn in hell because of the acts of some Jews centuries ago, ask yourself why Allah would punish anyone for the sins of others after clearly saying He will not do so.

This does not mean that I convince you to kill someone I will not be punished because I did not kill that person, because clearly inciting you to kill is a sin in itself and one for which I would be punished.

Because of these and similar verses Muslims do not believe in original sin, as we cannot be punished for the acts of anyone else, not even Adam & Eve (pbut).


Sura 35 if from the Meccan period and is called Fatir (the Angels), it has 45 verses.

This is a beautiful Sura and deals with the unbelievers of Mecca. Allah explains to the Prophet that he should not trouble himself with outright disbelief or feel bad if he cannot get the message through to these people but he should concentrate his efforts on those that will listen. It reads like a patient teacher earnestly trying to get an important lesson through to a class.

Again it deals with disbelief and trying to explain to people what awaits them, so doesn't fit in with the thread in that it doesn't deal with how Muslims are taught to treat others fairly and kindly.

And the two seas are not alike: this, fresh, sweet, good to drink, this (other) bitter, salt. And from them both ye eat fresh meat and derive the ornament that ye wear. And thou seest the ship cleaving them with its prow that ye may seek of His bounty, and that haply ye may give thanks. (35:12)

I have heard this verse used as proof of the Quran because it distinguishes between fresh and salt water, as though the Arabs at the time had no clue about it. Sorry but to my thinking they were desert Arabs and their very survival would depend on finding fresh drinking water. They also traded in other countries so would have crossed seas and known well that sea water was undrinkable.

And they cry for help there, (saying): Our Lord! Release us; we will do right, not (the wrong) that we used to do. Did not We grant you a life long enough for him who reflected to reflect therein? And the warner came unto you. Now taste (the flavour of your deeds), for evil-doers have no helper. (35:37)

This is such an important verse for everyone. It refers to the souls in hell and warns us that our lifetime on earth is the time we will be judged by, we cannot be sorry later on when we realise the error of our ways.


Sura 36 is called Ya-Sin and has no translation but are two letters of the Arabic alphabet. This is a very important chapter and has 83 verses.

Imam Ahmad, Abu Daud, Nasai, Ibn Majah and Tabarani have related on the authority of Hadrat Ma'qil bin Yasar that the Holy Prophet said:"Surah Ya Sin is the heart of the Qur'an."

The Prophet also reportedly said "Recite Surah Ya Sin to the dying ones among you."

This chapter follows the two previous but is a much sterner warning. It is believed this chapter was revealed nearing the end of the Meccan period when people were torturing and killing Muslims. They tried a few times to kill the Prophet and this chapter is a stern warning to those who do not believe, almost a last ditched attempt to get them to see the truth before the Prophet fled Mecca.

For those that are interested the Sura can be read here:

USC-MSA Compendium of Muslim Texts


Sura 37 is called As-Saaffat (drawn up in ranks), it has 82 verses and is in the same vane as the previous 3 chapters warning about the Day of Judgement.

However there is something I would like to mention, which goes to the heart of much of the misunderstanding about Islam and it's views on women.

037.022
YUSUFALI: "Bring ye up", it shall be said, "The wrong-doers and their wives, and the things they worshipped-
PICKTHAL: (And it is said unto the angels): Assemble those who did wrong, together with their wives and what they used to worship
SHAKIR: Gather together those who were unjust and their associates, and what they used to worship


So how can this be if no person can be judged for the sins of another?

It's all in the translation. The term used in Arabic is azwaj.

In my copy of the Quran the commentary says "That is if their wives were also wrong doers. They are separately mentioned because the Arabic phrase for 'wrong doers' is of the masculine gender. All the associates in wrong doing will be marshalled together. There will be personal responsibility: neither husband nor wife can lay the blame on the other."

According to almost all of the earliest authorities - including Umar ibn al-Khattab, Abd Allah ibn Abbas, Qatadah, Mujahid, As-Suddi, Said ibn Jubayr, Al-Hasan al-Basri, etc., the expression azwaj denotes here "people resembling one another in their dispositions" or "people of the same kind" or "of the same ilk".

The following is from a study undertaken into the use of the term Zawj (plural azwaj) in the Quran:
In this brief exercise I came across two ayahs that wrongly translated “Zawj" to “wives" alone, leading to larger negative implications on women. We entered into a lengthy discussion in class about these two ayahs, and came to the conclusion that given their context and wording they were indeed mistranslated. I am indicating them here for the purposes of notification, as well as keeping in mind the subtle patriarchal tendencies that are still influencing current translations.

The ayahs are listed below, due to the limited scope of the paper I will not discuss them here, but a brief look into them should suffice to indicate to the reader their problematic aspects:

“O ye who believe! Truly, among your wives and your children are (some that are) enemies to yourselves: so beware of them! But if ye forgive and overlook, and cover up (their faults), verily Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful".[Quran 64:14]

“Bring ye up”, it shall be said, “The wrong-doers and their wives, and the things they worshipped"[Quran 37:22]

I find this verse an excellent demonstration of how things can easily be misinterpreted if you simply pick up a copy of the translated Quran and start reading without further study when you come across something that just doesn't sound right.

 

[LetterFromElyse]

Asalam'alakim! I've been lurking for a few weeks and finally joined the forum after reading your thread. (...For the past two hours - needless to say, dinner will be late tonight!)

As a convert to Islam, I think I've learned more here than from much of the other literature I've read. I've been trying to get to the "core roots" of Islam for some time, but keep hitting the road blocks of various cultural traditions as they've become intertwined with the religion. (If that makes sense...)

In short, thank you for your informative, insightful and historically accurate posts. I lookforward to reading more!

 

[Muslimwoman]

Asalam'alakim! I've been lurking for a few weeks and finally joined the forum after reading your thread. (...For the past two hours - needless to say, dinner will be late tonight!)

As a convert to Islam, I think I've learned more here than from much of the other literature I've read. I've been trying to get to the "core roots" of Islam for some time, but keep hitting the road blocks of various cultural traditions as they've become intertwined with the religion. (If that makes sense...)

In short, thank you for your informative, insightful and historically accurate posts. I lookforward to reading more!

wa aleykum salaam wr wb

Welcome to the forum and thank you for your kind words. Alhamdolillah you have found Islam and as a convert myself I know how difficult it can be to find trustworthy information, without cultural slant or bias. You really have to become a researcher and historian, of which I am neither, to get to the roots of some issues but luckily I enjoy studying.

I hope we will have the opportunity to get to know each other better. I am not around here as much as I would like since I started working again but please free to contact me through the forum anytime.

Salaam

 

[Snoopy]

Hello again!

s.

 

[Muslimwoman]

On to Surah 38, called Sad (that is the name of a letter of the Arabic alphabet) and it has 88 verses.

The chapter deals with the disbelief of the Meccan tribes. There is much debate about when this chapter was revealed, some believe it was in the 4th year of Prophethood and others the 10th or 11th year, during the year of Abu Talibs final illness (he was the uncle and powerful protector of the Prophet and obviously as he drew nearer his death the tribal chiefs would see an opportunity to rid themselves of the Prophet once his protector was dead).

The chapter doesn't deal with social issues but I would like to share one verse which is lost on so many people but I believe a very important part of faith.

038.074YUSUFALI: Not so Iblis: he was haughty, and became one of those who reject Faith.
PICKTHAL: Saving Iblis; he was scornful and became one of the disbelievers.
SHAKIR: But not Iblis: he was proud and he was one of the unbelievers.

We know that Iblis (Satan) was cast from heaven because he refused to bow down to G-d's new creation, Adam (pbuh).

This was at the very beginning of mankind and yet Satan is refered to as a rejector of faith or an unbeliever or in another translation a wrong doer (depending on the translation you read).

So think about that for a moment, what was he rejecting, there was no book or rituals to follow. He was rejecting faith, not a structured religion but the Will of Allah Himself.

I just think that is such a big thought and next time you feel like suggesing someone is an unbeliever because they don't dress according to your interpretation of your faith you should maybe think about the origin of the first unbeliever and what the Will of G-d really is.

As I have said before the 10 commandments run through the three religions, because Allah has always sent the same message but I am astounded that people will knowingly break commandments and then point the finger at someone because their hijab is the wrong colour or they wear trousers.

Wouldn't we all be better believers if we took the lesson of Iblis and submitted to the Will of Allah?


Surah 39 is called az-zumar (often translated as the troops but would be better translated as ranks because it does not refer to soldiers but the rank that will enter hell or heaven on the Day of Judgement. There are 75 verses and again this chapter deals with the unbelievers in Mecca.


Surah 40 is called al-ghafir (the forgiver) and has 85 verses. Again it is dealing with the disbelief and worship of idols in Mecca, also the treatment of the Prophet and his companions.

What is unusual and interesting is that these verses (39 and 40) are believed to be in chronilogical order as they were revealed.


I don't want anything thinking at this point that chapters are the same, this thread was to show the social aspects of Islam in this life. Whilst there is some repetition in the chapters I am glossing over because the theme remains the same the chapters are quite different.


Chapter 41 is called Fussilat (meaning explained in detail) and has 54 verses.

This is a really beautiful chapter and whilst not dealing with social issues there are two bits I would like to point out. You will often hear or read on websites that the Quran contains contradictions and one is the number of days Allah took to create the heavens and earth.

Allow me to demonstrate:

Say (O Muhammad, unto the idolaters): Disbelieve ye verily in Him Who created the earth in two Days, and ascribe ye unto Him rivals? He (and none else) is the Lord of the Worlds (41:9)

So you will read on sites that the Quran says it took 2,4 or 6 and this is a clear contradiction and therefore proof the Quran is not from G-d.

owever this is the usual isolation of verses and not reading the Quran as a whole. The very next verse says:

He placed therein firm hills rising above it, and blessed it and measured therein its sustenance in four Days, alike for (all) who ask (41:10)

So as we now see different verses refer to different stages of the creation.

There are a number of records telling the story of the revelation of this chapter and as they differ very slightly and have good records of the narrators the stories are believed to be authentic.

At the time the pagans of Mecca were using a type of passive resistence to the preaching of the Prophet and his followers. Whenever a Muslim would speak they would jeer and taunt them. They would take one verse and interpret it totally out of context (as people still do today), this would then be spread around as the teaching of Islam.

The pagans would say that the Prophet must be a fake because if he was really receiving revelations from Allah then these would be in a language he could not speak, as proof it came from G-d. Of course this is a catch 22 because if it had been revealed in a different language they would reject it as being incomprhensible.

At the same time this was going on the chiefs of Mecca were trying to work out how to make the Prophet shut up and go away. As all rich men do they assumed that money and power was the answer and this was why this madman was making all the fuss.

The chiefs were gathered at their assembly in Mecca and the Prophet sat away from them by himself. Utbah bin Rabi'ah left the chiefs and went to offer the Prophet money and/or to be a king and/or 'medical' assistance at their expense if he was mad. The Prophet patiently listened to all of the proposals and then recited this chapter.

Utbah bin Radi'ah then returned to the chiefs and said that the Prophet was no poet, madman or magician and suggested that the chiefs just let the Prophet be because he believed that the Prophets message would get through to the people and that either the other Arabian tribes would then kill the Prophet (meaning the Quraish tribe didn't have his blood on their hands) or the Prophet would take over Arabia and the Quraish, being the Prophets tribe, would share in his achievements.

The chiefs told Utbah bin Radi'ah that he had been betwiched by the Prophet and he replied "I have given you my opinion, now do as you please". The chiefs continued to plot the murder of the Prophet.

 

[Muslimwoman]

Sorry I am not stopping until I finish this

Sura 42 is called ash-shura (meaning council or consultation), it has 53 verses and is believed to have been revealed at a time when the people of Mecca and the surounding areas were starting to dislike the way the tribal chiefs were treating the Muslims (remember by now it had gone beyond taunting and plotting and they were now pegging Muslims out in the hot sun and torturing them).

This chapter was then revealed and speaks to directly to the persecutors of Muslims and says much toward our interfaith dialogue. I say this because this chapter confirms that the revelations of the Quran are nothing new, they are in fact a continuance of the same message that has been passed to mankind from Allah since the beginning of humankind.

It then goes on to confirm that a Prophet is not appointed as the master of his people but is only a vessel to carry the message and it is not for a Prophet to force people to listen to the message or punish them, that is for Allah and Him alone.

I know this chapter is not about social issues but it goes so deeply to the heart of my personal faith that I would like to share some verses with you.

And thus We have inspired in thee a Lecture in Arabic, that thou mayst warn the mother-town and those around it, and mayst warn of a day of assembling whereof there is no doubt. A host will be in the Garden, and a host of them in the Flame. (42:7)

Had Allah willed, He could have made them one community, but Allah bringeth whom He will into His mercy. And the wrong-doers have no friend nor helper. (42:8)

Verse 7 states very clearly that the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) was sent as a warner for his people and the people in surrounding areas, he was not a judge of faith.

And in whatsoever ye differ, the verdict therein belongeth to Allah. Such is my Lord, in Whom I put my trust, and unto Whom I turn. (42:10)

This is why I get so tetchy when people say others are not true to their faith or are going to hell, nobody can judge what a person holds in their heart, this is only for Allah to know and judge.

He hath ordained for you that religion which He commended unto Noah, and that which We inspire in thee (Muhammad), and that which We commended unto Abraham and Moses and Jesus, saying: Establish the religion, and be not divided therein. Dreadful for the idolaters is that unto which thou callest them. Allah chooseth for Himself whom He will, and guideth unto Himself him who turneth (toward Him). (42:13)

And they were not divided until after the knowledge came unto them, through rivalry among themselves; and had it not been for a Word that had already gone forth from thy Lord for an appointed term, it surely had been judged between them. And those who were made to inherit the Scripture after them are verily in hopeless doubt concerning it. (42:14)

This is so important to me. Of course Allah is aware of everything and He knows how mankind is. Through rivalry and the desire to be 'right' each 'group' (Jews Christians and now Muslims) argue and twist their scriptures to suit their argument, this then creates sects. As soon as sects emerge the message is at least watered down and at worst lost altogether. Muslim sects do not usually argue about the Quran but they argue about the hadiths and sunnah, they follow traditions with no basis in the Quran.

Unto this, then, summon (O Muhammad). And be thou upright as thou art commanded, and follow not their lusts, but say: I believe in whatever scripture Allah hath sent down, and I am commanded to be just among you. Allah is our Lord and your Lord. Unto us our works and unto you your works; no argument between us and you. Allah will bring us together, and unto Him is the journeying. (42:15)

Where does it say the whole world must be Muslim? I keep hearing this and yet it goes against the very Word of Allah Himself in the Quran. The Prophet Mohammad is commanded to believe in whatever scripture Allah hath sent down and that includes the Jewish and Christian scriptures. Here we are told that the Jews will do their works (ie follow their faith), the Christians will follow theirs and the Muslims theirs as we are all journeying to Allah. I am often told this refers to Jews and Christians before the revelation of the Quran but I personally see no evidence for this belief in the Quran.

An interesting note here about how sects are formed and by following conjecture lead themselves astray from the true faith held in the Quran (as happened with the faiths before):

The final sermon of the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) was witnessed by thousands of people, yet when we look at the records we find three different versions of the sermon which state:

1) I leave with you Quran and Sunnah.
recorded by Muwatta

2) I leave with you Quran and Ahl al-bayt (meaning the family/house of the Prophet).
recorded by Muslim, ibn hanbal and darimi.

3) I leave for you the Quran alone, you shall uphold it.
recorded by Muslim, ibn Majah and Abu dawud.


Note that Muslim, who is relied upon as one of the most trusted collectors of hadith, records both versions 2 and 3.

So the arguments/disagreements that created the sects were not founded in the Quran but in the hadiths and we can see very clearly here that even something as important as the recording of the final sermon of our Beloved Prophet leaves room for huge conjecture which deeply saddens me as I feel I will never know the truth and must just follow what feels right in my heart.

But if they are averse, We have not sent thee as a warder over them. Thine is only to convey (the message). And lo! when We cause man to taste of mercy from Us he exulteth therefor. And if some evil striketh them because of that which their own hands have sent before, then lo! man is an ingrate. (42:48)

Forced conversions - I don't think so!!

And thus have We, by Our Command, sent inspiration to thee: thou knewest not what was Revelation, and what was Faith; but We have made the Quran a Light, wherewith We guide such of Our servants as We will; and verily thou dost guide to the Straight Way (42:52)

Have no doubts about the things that I say, I do believe that Islam is a right path to Allah and that the Quran teaches this path (as other scriptures have before) but my issues come from men following traditions and conjecture in preference to the Quran, which could then lead me from the straight path.

 

[Muslimwoman]

Sura 43 is called az-zukhruf (ornaments of gold or luxury), it has 89 verses and it does not deal with social issues.

As usual it does have a couple of interesting historical aspects. The chapter deals with the rejection of Prophets and associating partners with Allah. Often it is casually thought this chapter is talking about Christians but it is speaking of the Pagans of Mecca. It raises the question of why they accept that Allah created everything and all they have comes from Him and then they worship 3 daughters of Allah.

Interestingly in a society that did not treat women particularly well they not only worshipped the 3 daughters of Allah but also believed all angels are female ... the chapter asks the question whether the Pagans have seen angels in order to make this statement.

It also deals with the issue of simply practicing a faith that your forefathers have practiced. This is so interesting because of course all children born to Muslim parents are Muslim, so to me this chapter points out that faith is more than simply following rituals your parents follow and you must seek the right path.

As for the rejection of the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) the people of Mecca had said if Allah had sent a Prophet he would be a rich or of high rank and this chapter points out that the Pahroah said the same about Prophet Moses (pbuh).


Sura 44 is called ad-dukhan (smoke) and takes it name from a sign Allah tells to look for, visible smoke from the sky that envelopes mankind. It has 59 verses and deals with a very important Islamic principle.

The chapter talks of the saving of the Children of Israel, chosen purposefully above all others, from Pharoah and the signs that were ignored by the Egyptians. At the time the Muslims in Mecca were being persecuted ferociously and as people did with all other Prophets the Meccans said prove to us by bringing back the dead forefathers.

Allah explains that He did not create the universe for sport and He has an appointed time when all will be resurrected and judged. Following the prayers of the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) a famine hit Mecca and after some time some of the chiefs said to the Prophet if you will pray to Allah to end this famine we will believe and this attitude is compared to the signs given at the time of Moses (pbuh).

The Islamic principle talked about in this chapter is the Day of Judgement. Allah has an appointed time for this day and it may be tomorrow for all we know. As Muslims we must live our lives constantly thinking about this day and the punishment that awaits us for wrong doing.

Does that mean Muslims don't do anything wrong in fear of this day? Of course not because like all people we think we can sneak one by Allah or at least have more time later in life to repent and make amends. Since becoming a Muslim this chapter has had a big effect on me, I still do wrong but now I remember it and try to do some good to balance out the wrong I do because I believe that day will come and I will have to answer for every wrong I have done.

Imagine a world where everyone truly believes in the Day of Judgment, so much so that they think carefully before doing any wrong and they weigh up the punishment that awaits wrong doers .... I wonder what that world would look like?


Anyone reading Sura 45, called al-jathiya (crouching), will be forgiven for feelings of de je vue, it is almost the twin of Suran 44. This chapter has 37 verses.

A fundamental belief of the Meccan Pagans was that upon death the soul simply ceases to exist, this belief was based on the fact that they had never seen the dead come alive again and this chapter corrects that belief.

Again we see the Day of Judgement being discussed and the requests to make the dead rise in order to prove that Allah is guiding the Prophet. Allah assures us that each soul will recieve what is has earned and that a wrongful soul will not receive the same reward as a righteous soul, despite many people fooling themselves that this will happen.


Am just nipping through these sura's as the thread is meant to be about social issues in the Quran but it seems unreasonable to leave out any chapters.

 

[Muslimwoman]

Sura 46, called al-ahqaf (the wind curved dunes) has 35 verses. It is the 7th and last sura of the Ha-Mim series.

This chapter deals with truth and vindication, if the truth is challenged it will be answered and vindicated. It is in the same line as the chapters that have gone before, discussing the pagan attitudes and refusal to accept the truth. It points to previous Prophets and the punishments that Allah sent to those people for rejecting the Prophets and the truth.

my favourite verses in this chapter are:

And when We inclined toward thee (Muhammad) certain of the jinn, who wished to hear the Qur'an and, when they were in its presence, said: Give ear! and, when it was finished, turned back to their people, warning. (46:29)

They said: O our people! Lo! we have heard a scripture which hath been revealed after Moses, confirming that which was before it, guiding unto the truth and a right road. (46:30)

O our people! respond to Allah's summoner and believe in Him. (46:31)

I just love the idea of the jinn listening to the Quran. The jinn are beings made of smokeless fire, neither bad nor good but with free will.


Sura 47 is called Muhammad and has 38 verses. This chapter was revealed at Medina and is designed to prepare the Muslims for war.

The Muslims had fled from Mecca to Medina, many were still homeless and they couldn't even find 1000 fighting men to defend against the pagans of Arabia coming to Medina to wipe out the Muslims. They could not afford the weapons needed and a problem with hypocrites posing as Muslims but conspiring with the pagans .. Allah warns of the treachury to come.

The Muslims are told to use their small economic resources to prepare for the war and that Allah is with the Muslims, the pagans will not win the war so any Muslim being miserly will not change the outcome but will be judged for their attitude.

Allah even instructs not to make a peace agreement, the pagans would not stop until either defeated or until they wiped out the Muslims completely so a peace treaty could not work.

 

[Muslimwoman]

Sura 48 is called al-Fath (meaning Victory), it has just 29 verses.

Given the content of the previous chapter you would be forgiven for thinking this chapter refers to the victory of that battle but it does not, this chapter refers to an indicent a whole year later and there is quite an interesting story that goes with this chapter.

The chapter refers to the Treaty of Hudaibiyah and the victory this treaty gave the Muslims in the long run.

In the year 628 the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) went on Umrah (lesser pilgrimage to Mecca). The Muslims were ordered not to take weapons of war other than a defensive sword which everyone traditionally carried when travelling.They set off with a large caravan and 70 sacrificial camels.

The Pagans of Mecca closed all access to the town in order to stop the Muslims entering Mecca and send a troop of 200 fighters to intercept the caravan, so the Muslims changed their route and camped at Hudaibiyah. When the Quaraysh found out that all the Muslims were in their Ihram (clothes of pilgrims) and had no intention of fighting the Quaraysh began to fret, this was a forbidden month when even enemy tribes in Arabia were not allowed to be stopped from performing their religious rites in Mecca, so if they were seen by other tribes stopping pilgrims entering Mecca they could lose important allies in the area, so they sent a delegation to the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh).

One of the delegation was a man called Urwah bin Mas’ud, an experienced envoy of the Quaraysh tribe. During the talks some of the Quaraysh made sarcastic and rude comments to the Prophet and his people, so Urwah bin Mas'ud was embarrassed by his delegations behaviour and complained to his tribe leaders saying:

"I have been to the courts of the Caesar and Khosroes, and the Negus also, but by God, never have I seen any people so devoted to a king as are the Companions of Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace and blessings) to him. If Muhammad makes his ablutions they would not let the water thereof fall on the ground but would rub it on their bodies and clothes. Now you may decide as to what you should do."

The Quaraysh kept trying surprise attacks on the Muslims but could not provoke them to fight. The Prophet eventually sent an envoy. Hadrat Uthman, to Mecca to explain they would not be turned back from their religious duty. The Qurarysh held he envoy and send word they had killed him. There was now no choice, the Muslims had to fight but were 250 miles from home with no weapons. Of the 1400 men on the pilgrimage all but one swore, despite the odds, to fight to the death (this is known as the pledge of Ridwan).

Before fighting started the Quraysh sent back the envoy and a delegation to negotiate peace with the Muslims.

The Quraysh then made an agreement with the Prophet, known as the Treaty of Hudaibiyah. The Muslims were very unhappy with the treaty, feeling it humiliated them but accepted it at the request of the Prophet. Even Hadrat Umar complained about the agreement to Abu Bakr and then to the Prophet himself, later saying he had never had doubts about the Messenger until that day (after this time he spent years praying and giving alms to the poor for his doubt in the Prophet).

The terms of the treaty were:

“In your name, O Allah. These are the terms of the truce between Muhammad, the son of Abdullah and Suhayl, the son of Amr (of Mecca).

Both parties have agreed to lay down the burden of war for ten years. During this time, each party shall be safe, and neither shall injure the other; no secret damage shall be inflicted, but uprightness and honor shall prevail between them.



The Muslims shall return this year without performing Umrah (the pilgrimage). In the coming year, you may enter it with your companions, staying therein for three days, bearing no arms except the arms of the traveler, with swords remaining in their sheaths.



If a Quraysh person comes to Muhammad (i.e., after accepting Islam) without the permission of his guardian, Muhammad shall return him to them, but if one of the Muhammad’s people come to the Quraysh, he shall not be returned.



Whoever wishes to enter into covenant with Muhammad can do so, and whoever wishes to enter into covenant with the Quraysh can do so.”



The Quaraysh saw this agreement as a great victory, they had turned back the Muslims and any converts would have to be sent back to them.


The Muslims on the other hand had been turned back from Mecca and just to rub salt into their wounds if someone converted to Islam without their guardians permission he had to be returned but if a Muslim returned to Mecca he did not have to be returned to the Muslims ..... this seemed very unfair to the Muslims but the Prophet explained if someone left the Muslims and returned to Mecca what use would they be to the Muslims if forced to return.

To top it all a young man called Abu Jandal, the son of Suhail bin Amr, who had become a Muslim and been imprisoned and beaten by the pagans but escaped and went to the camp of the Muslims. Suhail bin Amr sent word to the Prophet that the treaty had been agreed already, even though not yet written down, so they must return his son to the pagans. The Prophet agreed and returned Abu Jandal, much to the disgruntlement of the Muslims.


After the treaty was signed the Prophet instructed everyone to slaughter the sacrificial animals in that place, shave their heads and remove their pilgrims clothes. However everyone was so dejected they did not comply. Three times the Prophet instructed them but they did not comply. No such thing had ever happened before, so in shick the Prophet went to his tent where his wife, Hadrat Umm Salamah said "You may quietly go and slaughter your own camel and call the barber and have your head shaved. After that the people would automatically do what you did and would understand that whatever decision had been taken would not be changed."This is exactly what happened, everyone quietly followed the example of the Prophet.

The caravan then began it's return journey to Medinah with everyone feeling dejected and depressed. During the journey this chapter of the Quran was revealed to the Prophet, declaring the treaty a great victory and the Prophet called the Musims together to recite the sura to them.

Over time the great victory of this treaty was revelaed. For the first time since the inception of Islam it was agreed that Muslims had the right of pilgrimage and were therefore not anti-religious but were in fact a real recognised religion. It also recognised an Islamic State in Arabia.

The no war for 10 years meant that Islam could strengthen and grow rapidly in Arabia. Two years after the treaty the Quraysh broke the treaty and the Muslims invaded Mecca ... when the treaty was made there were 1400 Muslim men with the Prophet but just 2 years later there were 10,000 Muslim men with the Prophet when he invaded Mecca.


Even the agreement to return people that fled Mecca to join the Muslims turned against the pagans. A man called Abu Basir escaped from Mecca and fled to Medinah but the pagans sent men to bring him back. During the journey back to Mecca he escaped again and made his way to the Red Sea where the pagan trade caravans travelled to and from Syria. Each man that fled Mecca went now to Abu Basir instead of to Medinah and before long there were 70 men. They would attack the Qurayash trade caravans, kiling the men and taking their goods. The Quaraysh themselves eventually asked the Prophet to bring those Muslim men to Medinah ... thus this condition of the treaty was now no longer valid.


So from what appeared at the time to be a humiliating defeat for the Muslims in time the great victory was revealed .... Allah (swt) always keeps His word.

 

[Muslimwoman]

Sura 49 is called al-Hujraat (meaning private apartments), it has 18 verses and is a collection of verses regarding the manners expected of good Muslims.

The first 5 verses refer to behaviour around the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh). An example in verses 4-5 is regarding standing outside the private apartments of the Prophet and calling to him, verse 5 says they should wait for the Prophet to come out of the private apartments before addressing him. This is where the chapter gets it's name from.

Then we have a verse about verifying gossip before taking action:

O ye who believe! If an evil-liver bring you tidings, verify it, lest ye smite some folk in ignorance and afterward repent of what ye did. (49:6)

It is also very important for Muslims to try to make peace between others that are fighting:

And if two parties of believers fall to fighting, then make peace between them. And if one party of them doeth wrong to the other, fight ye that which doeth wrong till it return unto the ordinance of Allah; then, if it return, make peace between them justly, and act equitably. Lo! Allah loveth the equitable. (49:9)

Don't call each other names and don't allow others to back bite someone, only Allah knows who is the better believer and being suspicious or malicious is a sin:

O ye who believe! Let not a folk deride a folk who may be better than they (are), not let women (deride) women who may be better than they are; neither defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames. Bad is the name of lewdness after faith. And whoso turneth not in repentance, such are evil-doers. (49:11)

O ye who believe! Shun much suspicion; for lo! some suspicion is a crime. And spy not, neither backbite one another. Would one of you love to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Ye abhor that (so abhor the other)! And keep your duty (to Allah). Lo! Allah is Relenting, Merciful. (49:12)

DO NOT be full of pride thinking you are better than others by virtue of skin colour, parentage, wealth, etc. All men and women come from a single soul and tribes, races etc are simply a form of recognition not to place a soul above another.

O mankind! Lo! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that ye may know one another. Lo! the noblest of you, in the sight of Allah, is the best in conduct. Lo! Allah is Knower, Aware. (49:13)

Allah knows who believes and who pays lip service. Accept the blessing of your faith and thank Allah for it.

They make it a favour unto thee (Muhammad) that they have surrendered (unto Him). Say: Deem not your Surrender a favour unto me; but Allah doth confer a favour on you, inasmuch as He hath led you to the Faith, if ye are earnest. (49:17)

 

[dailogue is the best]

May Allah be pleased with you, Muslimwoman. I am so proud of you. You are doing an EXCELLENT job.

Why dont you publish it as a book? I m sure it would be the best seller book.

May Allah protects you throghout all your life.

 

[Muslimwoman]

May Allah be pleased with you, Muslimwoman. I am so proud of you. You are doing an EXCELLENT job.

Why dont you publish it as a book? I m sure it would be the best seller book.

May Allah protects you throghout all your life.

salam aleykum sister

Thank you so much for your kind words, I am no scholar but am just trying to show how I personally view the Quran and my faith (plus adding some historical aspects as history is my favourite subject).

I started a childrens book about religious tollerence and Islam but when I lost my c drive I lost the book, in shaa allah I shall begin it again soon and remember to take a backup.

May Allah keep you strong in faith.

 

[Muslimwoman]

Chapter 50 is called Qaf (this is a letter of the Arabic alphabet) and has 45 verses.

This chapter deals with the Day of Judgement and those that will attain heaven or be punished in hell.

This chapter was often recited by the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) during Friday sermons and particularly during Eid (at the end of Ramadan).

It tells us that whether you choose to believe or reject the faith of Islam that cannot and does not alter the truth of it or the promises of Allah for the hereafter.

Remember that the Pagans did not believe in any form of after life, they believed that you died and that was that, you turned to dust. So for them to believe every particle of your body could be gathered together and made whole to be judged went totally against their core beliefs.

This chapter contains a fundamental belief of Muslims ... that of the two guardian angels.

We verily created man and We know what his soul whispereth to him, and We are nearer to him than his jugular vein. (50:16)

When the two Receivers receive (him), seated on the right hand and on the left, (50:17)

He uttereth no word but there is with him an observer ready. (50:18)

And the agony of death cometh in truth. (And it is said unto him): This is that which thou wast wont to shun. (50:19)

And the trumpet is blown. This is the threatened Day. (50:20)

And every soul cometh, along with it a driver and a witness. (50:21)

If you watch Muslims at prayer you will see at the end (when we are kneeling on the floor) we turn to the right and speak and then to the left and speak. Because you generally see on tv men in rows praying most believe they are speaking to the people next to them but in fact when I pray alone at home I do the same thing. This is because I am saying peace be upon you to the angel that sits on my right and my left sides.

From the day of the creation of our soul until the Day of Judgement not only is Allah aware of our every deed and thought but also we have guardian angels that will record every deed, both good and bad.

On the Day of Judgement our eyes will see clearly everything we have done (you know all those things you try to forget or pretend aren't really bad ... woops). We will not be able to deny even the smallest deed.

Try to imagine life being concious every moment of every day that every thought, word and deed is recorded and witnessed ..... makes you think doesn't it but if only we could all be more concious of it the world would be a better place.

 

[Muslimwoman]

The next 2 chapters deal with the mockery of the Prophet and the afterlife, these are both believed to have been revealed in the Meccan period during the early stage when the Prophet was merely mocked or called a magician.

Sura 51 is called adh-dhariyat (meaning winnowing winds), it has 60 verses and deals with the afterlife.

In this chapter Allah explains that the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) is simply a warner and that Allah created mankind and jinns for His worship. It says that Allah need nothing from mankind in the form of "offerings" but only their worship. It recounts the stories of the fates of people that rejected previous Prophets (Noah, Moses, Abraham, (pbut) etc, as a way to demonstrate that retribution in this life can be taken against people that reject His message.

The chapter also comments on the question often asked ...

They ask: When is the Day of Judgment? (51:12)

for those that refuse to believe it is not a day they should hope to come quickly because of the punishments that will be awarded to wrongdoers.

So withdraw from them (O Muhammad), for thou art in no wise blameworthy, (51:54)


Then turn your back upon them for you are not to blame; (51:55)

The Prophet is told to give the message and it is for each person to accept or deny it, the Prophet is not responsible for people's choices only for delivering the message.

Sura 52 is called at-tur (meaning the mount) and has 49 verses.

In mocking the Quran and the Prophets recitation the pagans called the Prophet a soothsayer, a poet, a magician or a madman. In responde Allah says:

Then let them produce speech the like thereof, if they are truthful. (52:34)

This challenge was issued at the time the Quran was revealed and despite many scholarly men attempting to take up the challenge they have never succeeded.

Allah tells the Prophet to basically ignore rejectors and be patient, all will receive reward or punishment for their deeds in this life.

Then let them be (O Muhammad), till they meet their day, in which they will be thunder-stricken, (52:45)

So wait patiently (O Muhammad) for thy Lord's decree, for surely thou art in Our sight; and hymn the praise of thy Lord when thou uprisest, (52:48)

And in the night-time also hymn His praise, and at the setting of the stars. (52:49)

 

[Muslimwoman]

Sura 53 is called an-najm (the star), it has 62 verses and has a fascinating story.

Unlike other sura's the name of this one does not relate to it's subject matter but is a symbol.

This chapter requires prostration at the end, as performed by the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh). It is quite certain that this chapter was revealed during Ramadan of the 5th year of Prophethood.

Up until this time the Prophet had recited the Quran (what he had been given of it so far) to individuals and small private groups, when he tried to recite the Quran publicly he was jeered to the point that nobody could hear him.

However this sura he recited beside the kaaba in Mecca during a public gathering of Meccans during Ramadan. At the end of the chapter the Prophet prostrated and many witnesses to the event stated that everyone except one man also prostrated.

These were pagans and some were the strongest opposers of Islam, the chiefs had banned people from listening to the Quran yet here they were quietly listening to a whole sura and then prostrating. The one man that did not prostrate rubbed dirt on his forehead.

Prior to this time some Muslims, through fear, had emigrated to Abyssinia but on hearing that everyone (believers and non believers) had prostrated they thought the pagans had converted to Islam and returned to Mecca. They found that not only had they not converted but had started opposing Islam more strongly, so they returned to Abyssinia but in greater numbers.

This chapter was a clear message to the pagans of Mecca and deals with some important beliefs of the Meccans.

Have ye thought upon Al-Lat and Al-'Uzza (53:19)

And Manat, the third, the other? (53:20)


These were the three godesses, daughters of the great god, that the pagans prayed to. They also believed that angels are female.



Remember that at the time female infanticide was common practice, female children where seen as shameful by the Meccans, so Allah asks ....


Are yours the males and His the females? (53:21)


this was to demonstrate that they were making a mockery even of their own beliefs and suggesting the great god would have the thing they themselves saw as shameful.


Some try to suggest that there were other verses of this chapter saying it is ok to worship these godesses and this is the reason the pagans prostrated but when you read the content of the chapter you can see it would be impossible .... an example:


Lo! it is those who disbelieve in the Hereafter who name the angels with the names of females. (53:27)

And they have no knowledge thereof. They follow but a guess, and lo! a guess can never take the place of the truth.(53:28)

so how could anyone fit in here verses about it being ok to worship godesses????? The pagans of course did not believe in an afterlife.


The final verse is:


Rather prostrate yourselves before Allah and serve Him.(53:62)

 

[CertifiedHandy]

as salaam aleykum wr wb

I am so tired of being told that my faith teaches hatred and violence and has no ethical core. Whenever Islam is discussed people always ask about verses that mention violence, which is fine and understandable but the discussions rarely touch on the majority of verses of peace and ethics, therefore only one side of the Quran is shown. So this thread is my new project, I shall post here verses of peace, verses that demonstrate the ethical core of Islam (Quran verses will be in red). I shall also post comments from Muslims and non Muslims regarding Islam. I shall use Pickthals translation for the Quran.

This is the Quran through my eyes for anyone that is interested and open minded enough to try to see their is another side to the coin.

The Quran has 114 Surahs (chapters) and 6236 Ayahs) (verses). Let us see over time how many speak of peace and ethics, against those of violence.

The extinction of race consciousness as between Muslims is one of the outstanding moral achievements of Islam, and in the contemporary world there is, as it happens, a crying need for the propagation of this Islamic virtue. The forces of racial toleration, which at present seem to be fighting a losing battle in a spiritual struggle of immense importance to mankind, might still regain the upper hand if any strong influence militating against racial consciousness were now to be thrown into the scales. It is conceivable that the spirit of Islam might be the timely reinforcement which would decide this issue in favor of tolerance and peace. (A. J. Toynbee, Civilization an Trial, Oxford university Press, 1948, pp. 205-6)

Toynbee was an economic historian not a Muslim.

Before I begin I would like to mention one verse, as it is one of my favourites:

O mankind! Be careful of your duty to your Lord Who created you from a single soul and from it created its mate and from them twain hath spread abroad a multitude of men and women. Be careful of your duty toward Allah in Whom ye claim (your rights) of one another, and toward the wombs (that bare you). Lo! Allah hath been a watcher over you. (4:1)

Clearly this means to be mindful of your mother. When asked who we should love, after Allah, the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) replied your mother. Asked again, after your mother then who, again he said your mother. Asked a third time he again responded your mother. The forth time of asking he replied your father. This is the reverence in Islam given to mothers. It goes against the misconception of Islam that men are superior and women are lesser beings.

Salaam

Which came first? Bible or Quran ? From what single soul was man created? As a Christian I reverence no one except God. I Love my family after God, but I reverence only Him because . The Bible says: Psalms 111:9... Holy and reverend is His name my Lord and Saviour Jesus The Christ Amen...

 

[c0de]

Hello CH, welcome to the forums

Which came first? Bible or Quran ?

Which came first, the Old Testament, or the New?

If we started to rank the scriptures based on their
chronological order alone, we would all have to adopt Judaism.