عامرحريز
13/12/2006, 12:44 PM
السلام عليكم..
أثناء بحثي قبل فترة طويلة في الإنترنت وصلت إلى عدة مواضيع جميلة.. وأظن أنها موثقة
أولها هو A Quick Introduction To Islam
Daniel Masters, Isma'il Kaka and AbdurRahman R.
Squires
The word "Islam" is an Arabic word which means
"submission to the will of God". This word comes from the same root as the Arabic word "salam", which means "peace". As such, the religion of Islam teaches that in order to achieve true peace of mind and surety of heart, one must submit to God and live according to His Divinely revealed Law. The most important truth that God revealed to mankind is that there is nothing divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Almighty God, thus all human beings should submit to Him.
The word "Muslim" means one who submits to the will of God, regardless of their race, nationality or ethnic background. Being a Muslim entails willful submission and active obedience to God, and living in accordance with His message. Some people mistakenly believe that Islam is just a religion for Arabs, but nothing could be further from the truth. Not only are there converts to Islam in every corner of the world, especially in England and America, but by taking a look at the Muslim World from Bosnia to Nigeria, and from Indonesia to Morocco, one can clearly see that Muslims come from many various races, ethnic groups and nationalities. It is also interesting to note that in actuality, more than 80% of all Muslims are not Arabs - there are more Muslims in Indonesia than in the whole Arab World! So though even though it is true that most Arabs are Muslims, the large majority of Muslims are not Arabs. However, anyone who submits completely to God and worships Him alone is a Muslim.
Continuity of the Message:
Islam is not a new religion because "submission to the will of God", i.e. Islam, has always been the only acceptable religion in the sight of God. For this reason, Islam is the true "natural religion", and it is the same eternal message revealed through the ages to all of God's prophets and messengers. Muslims believe that all of God's prophets, which include Abraham, Noah, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, brought the same message of Pure Monotheism. For this reason, the Prophet Muhammad was not the founder of a new religion, as many people mistakenly think, but he was the Final Prophet of Islam. By revealing His final message to Muhammad, which is an eternal and universal message for all of mankind, God finally fulfilled the covenant that He made with Abraham, who was one of the earliest and greatest prophets. Suffice it to say that the way of Islam is the same as the way of the prophet Abraham, because both the Bible and the Qur'an portray Abraham as a towering example of someone who submitted himself completely to God and worshipped Him without intermediaries. Once this is realized, it should be clear that Islam has the most continuous and universal message of any religion, because all prophets and messengers were "Muslims", i.e. those who submitted to God's will, and they preached "Islam", i.e. submission
to the will of Almighty God.
The Oneness of God:
The foundation of the Islamic faith is belief in the Oneness of Almighty God - the God of Abraham, Noah, Moses and Jesus. Islam teaches that a pure belief in One God is intuitive in human beings and thus fulfills the natural inclination of the soul. As such, Islam's
concept of God is straightforward, unambiguous and easy to understand. Islam teaches that the hearts, minds and souls of human beings are fitting receptacles for clear divine revelation, and that
God's revelations to man are not clouded by self-contradictory mysteries or irrational ideas. As such, Islam teaches that even though God cannot be fully comprehended and grasped by our finite human
minds, He also does not expect us to accept absurd or demonstrably false beliefs about Him. According to the teachings of Islam, Almighty God is absolutely One and His Oneness should never be compromised by associating partners with Him - neither in worship nor in belief.
Due to this, Muslims are required to maintain a direct relationship with God, and therefore all intermediaries are absolutely forbidden. From the Islamic standpoint, believing in the Oneness of God means to realize that all prayer and worship should be exclusively for God, and that He alone deserves such titles as "Lord" and "Savior". Some religions, even though they believe on "One God", do not make all of
their worship and prayers for Him alone. Also, they also give the title of "Lord" to beings that are not All-Knowing, All-Powerful and Un-Changing - even according to their own scriptures. Suffice it to say
that according to Islam, it is not enough that people believe that "God is One", but they must actualize this belief by proper conduct. In short, in the Islamic concept of God, which is completely based on
Divine Revelation, there is no ambiguity in divinity - God is God and man is man. Since God is the only Creator and continual Sustainer of the Universe, He is transcendent above His creation - the Creator and the creature never mix. Islam teaches that God has a unique nature and that He is free from gender, human weaknesses and beyond anything which human beings can imagine. The Qur'an teaches that the signs and proofs of God's wisdom, power and existence are evident in the world around us. As such, God calls on man to
ponder over the creation in order to build a better understanding of his Creator. Muslims believe that God is Loving, Compassionate and Merciful, and that He is concerned with the daily affairs of human beings. In this, Islam strikes a unique balance between false religious and philosophical extremes. Some religions and philosophies portray God as just an impersonal "Higher Power" who is uninterested, or unaware, of the life of each individual human. Other religions tend to
give God human qualities and teach that He is present in His creation, by being incarnate in someone, something - or even everything. In Islam, however, Almighty God has clarified the truth by letting mankind know that He is "Compassionate", "Merciful", "Loving" and the "Answerer of Prayers". But He as also emphasized strongly that "there is nothing like unto Him", and that He is high above time, space and His creation. Finally, it should be mentioned that the God
that Muslims worship is the same God that Jews and Christians worship - because there is only one God. It is unfortunate that some people mistakenly believe that Muslims worship a different God than Jews and Christians, and that "Allah" is just the "god of the Arabs". This myth, which has been propagated by the enemies of Islam, is completely false since the word "Allah" is simply the Arabic name for Almighty God. It is the same word for God which is used by Arabic-speaking Jews and Christians. However, it should be clarified that even though Muslims worship the same God as Jews and Christian, their concept of Him differs somewhat from the beliefs of other
religions - mainly because it is based completely on Divine Revelation from God. For example, Muslims reject the Christian belief that God is a Trinity, not only becaue the Qur'an rejects it, but also because if
this was God's true nature, He would have clearly revealed it to Abraham, Noah, Jesus and all of the other prophets.
The Qur'an:
The Arabic world "Al-Qur'an" literally means "the recitation". When used in regards to Islam, the word Qur'an means God's final message to mankind that was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. The Qu'ran, sometimes spelled Koran, is the literal the word of God - as it clearly says time and time again. Unlike other sacred scriptures, the Qur'an has been perfectly preserved in both its words and meaning in a living
language. The Qu'ran is a living miracle in the Arabic language; and is know to be inimitable in its style, form and spiritual impact. God's final revelation to mankind, the Qur'an, was revealed to the Prophet
Muhammad over a period of 23 years. The Qur'an, in contrast to many other religious books, was always thought to be the Word of God by those who believed in it, i.e. it wasn't something decreed by a religious council many years after being written. Also, the Qu'ran was recited publicly in front of both the Muslim and non-Muslim communities during the life of the Prophet Muhammad. The entire Qur'an was also completely written down in lifetime of the Prophet,
and numerous companions of the Prophet memorized the entire Qur'an word-for-word as it was revealed. So unlike other scriptures, the Qur'an was always in the hands of the common believers, it was always thought to be God's word and, due to wide-spread memorization, it was perfectly preserved. In regards to the teachings of the Qur'an - it is a universal scripture, and it is addressed to all of mankind, and not to a particular tribe or "chosen people". The message that it brings is nothing new, but the same message of all
of the prophets - submit to Almighty God and worship Him alone. As such, God's revelation in the Qur'an focuses on teaching human beings the importance of believing in the Unity of God and framing their lives around the guidance which He has sent. Additionally, the Qur'an contains the stories of the previous prophets, such as Abraham, Noah, Moses and Jesus; as well as many commands and prohibitions from God. In modern times in which so many people are caught up in doubt, spiritual despair and "political correctness",
the Qur'anic teachings offer solutions to the emptiness of our lives and the turmoil that is gripping the world today. In short, the Qur'an is the book of guidance par excellence.
The Prophet Muhammad :
Unlike the founders of many religious, the final
prophet of Islam is a real documented and historical
figure. He lived in the full light of history, and the
most minute details of his life are known. Not only do
Muslims have the complete text of God's words that
were revealed to Muhammad, but they have also
preserved his saying and teachings in what is called
"hadith" literature. This having been said, it should
be understood that Muslims believe that the Prophet
Muhammad was only a man chosen by God, and that he is
not divine in any way. In order to avoid the misguided
wish to deify him, the Prophet Muhammad taught Muslims
to refer to him as "God's Messenger and His Slave".
The mission of the last and final prophet of God was
to simply teach that "there is nothing divine or
worthy of being worshipped except for Almighty God",
as well as being a living example of God's revelation.
In simple terms, God sent the revelation to Muhammad,
who in turn taught it , preached it, lived it and put
it into practice. In this way, Muhammad was more that
just a "prophet" in the sense of many of the Biblical
prophets, since he was also a statesman and ruler. He
was a man who lived a humble life in the service of
God, and established an all-encompassing religion and
way of life by showing what it means to be an ideal
friend, husband, teacher, ruler, warrior and judge.
For this reason, Muslims follow him not for his own
sake, but in obedience to God, because Muhammad not
only showed us how to deal with our fellow human
beings, but more importantly, he showed us how to
relate to and worship God, worship Him in the only way
pleasing to Him. Like other prophets, Muhammad faced a
great deal of opposition and persecution during his
mission. However, he was always patient and just, and
he treated his enemies well. The results of his
mission were very successful, and even though his
mission started in one of the most backward and
remotes places on earth, within a hundred years of the
death of Muhammad, Islam had spread from Spain to
China. The Prophet Muhammad was the greatest of all of
God's prophets, not because he had new doctrines or
greater miracles, but because the results of his
mission have broght more human beings into the pure
and proper belief in the One True God than any other
prophet.
The Islamic Way of Life:
In the Holy Qur'an, God teaches human beings that they
were created in order to worship Him, and that the
basis of all true worship is God-consciousness. Since
the teachings of Islamic encompass all aspects of life
and ethics, God-consciousness is encouraged in all
human affairs. Islam makes it clear that all human
acts are acts of worship if they are done for God
alone and in accordance to His Divine Law. As such,
worship in Islam is not limited to religious rituals.
The teachings of Islam act as a mercy and a healing
for the human soul, and such qualities as humility,
sincerity, patience and charity are strongly
encouraged. Additionally, Islam condemns pride and
self-righteousness, since Almighty God is the only
judge of human righteousness. The Islamic view of the
nature of man is also realistic and well-balanced.
Human beings are not believed to be inherently sinful,
but are seen as equally capable of both good and evil.
Islam also teaches that faith and action go
hand-in-hand. God has given people free-will, and the
measure of one's faith is one's deeds and actions.
However, human beings have also been created weak and
regularly fall into sin. This is the nature of the
human being as created by God in His Wisdom, and it is
not inherently "corrupt" or in need of repair. This is
because the avenue of repentance of always open to all
human beings, and Almighty God loves the repentant
sinner more than one who does not sin at all. The true
balance of an Islamic life is established by having a
healthy fear of God as well as a sincere belief in His
infinite Mercy. A life without fear of God leads to
sin and disobedience, while believing that we have
sinned so much that God will not possibly forgive us
only leads to despair. In light of this, Islam teaches
that: only the misguided despair of the Mercy of their
Lord. Additionally, the Holy Qur'an, which was
revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, contains a great
deal of teachings about the life hereafter and the Day
of Judgment. Due to this, Muslims believe that all
human beings will ultimately be judged by God for
their beliefs and actions in their earthly lives. In
judging human beings, Almighty God will be both
Merciful and Just, and people will only be judged for
what they were capable of. Suffice it to say that
Islam teaches that life is a test, and that all human
beings will be accountable before God. A sincere
belief in the life hereafter is key to leading a
well-balanced life and moral. Otherwise, life is
viewed as an end in itself, which causes human beings
to become more selfish, materialistic and immoral.
Islam for a Better Life:
Islam teaches that true happiness can only being obtained by living a life full of God-consciousness and being satisfied with what God has given us. Additionally, true "freedom" is freedom from being controlled by our base human desires and being ruled by man-made ideologies. This stands in stark contrast to the view of many people in the modern world, who consider "freedom" to be the ability to satisfy all of their desires without inhibition. The clear and comprehensive guidance of Islam gives human-beings a well-defined purpose and direction in life. In addition to being members of the human-brotherhood of Islam, its well-balanced and practical teachings are a source of spiritual comfort, guidance and morality. A direct and clear relationship with Almighty God, as well as the sense of purpose and belonging that ones feels as a Muslim, frees a person from the many worries of everyday life. In short, the Islamic way of life is pure and wholesome. It builds self-discipline and self-control thought regular prayer and fasting, and frees human-beings from superstition and all sorts of racial, ethnic and national prejudices. By accepting to live a God-conscious life, and realizing that the only thing that distinguishes people in the sight of God is their consciousness of Him, a person's true human dignity is realized.
عامرحريز
13/12/2006, 01:22 PM
الموضوع الثاني هو
The Amazing Koran
Gary Miller
please read the intro first please
Calling the Koran amazing is not something done only by Muslims, who have an appreciation for the book and who are pleased with it; it has been labeled amazing by non-Muslims as well. In fact, even people who hate Islam very much have still called it amazing.
One thing which surprises non-Muslims who are examining the book very closely is that the Koran does not appear to them to be what they expected. What they assume is that they have an old book which came fourteen centuries ago from the Arabian desert; and they expect that the book should look something like that - an old book from the desert. And then they find out that it does not resemble what they expected at all. Additionally, one of the first things that some people assume is that because it is an old book which comes from the desert, it should talk about the desert. Well the Koran does talk about the desert - some of its imagery describes the desert; but it also talks about the sea - what it's like to be in a storm on the sea.
Some years ago, the story came to us in Toronto about a man who was in the merchant marine and made his living on the sea. A Muslim gave him a translation of the Koran to read. The merchant marine knew nothing aboutMuhammadtory of Islam but was interested in reading the Koran. When he finished reading it, he brought it back to the Muslim and asked, "This MuhMuhammadas he a sailor?" He was impressed at how accurately the Koran describes a storm on a sea. When he was told, Koran's matter of fact, Muhammed lived in the desert," that was enough for him. He embraced Islam on the spot. He was so impressed with the Qur'an's description because he had been in a storm on the sea, and he knew that whoever had written that description had also been in a storm on the sea. The description of "a wave, over it a wave, over it clouds" was not what someone imagining a storm on a sea to be like would have written; rather, it was written by someone who knew what a storm on the sea was like. This is one example of how the Koran is not tied to a certain place and time. Certainly,Muhammad'stific ideas expressed in it also do not seem to originate from the desert fourteen centuries ago.
Many centuries before the onset of Muhammed's prophethood, there was a well-known theory of atomism advanced by the Greek philosopher, Democritus. He and the people who came after him assumed that matter consists of tiny, indestructible, indivisible
particles called atoms. The Arabs too, used to deal in the same concept; in fact, the Arabic word dharrah commonly referred to the smallest particle known to man. Now, modern science has discovered that this smallest unit of matter (i.e., the atom, which has all of the same properties as its element) can be split into its component parts. This is a new idea, a development of the last century; yet, interestingly
enough, this information had already been documented in the Koran which states:
" He [i.e., Allah] is aware of an atom's weight in the heavens and on the earth and even anything smaller than that..."
Undoubtedly, fourteen centuries ago that statement would have looked unusual, even to an Arab. For him, the dharrah was the smallest thing there was. Indeed, this is proof, that the Koran is not outdated.
Another example of what one might expect to find in an "old book" that touches upon the subject of health or medicine is outdated remedies or cures. Various historical sources state that the Prophet gave some advice about health and hygiene, yet most of these pieces of advice are not contained in the Koran. At first glance, to the non-Muslims this appears to be a negligent omission. They cannot understand why Allah would not "include" such helpful information in the Koran. Some Muslims attempt to explain this absence with the following argument: "Although the Prophet's advice was sound and applicable to the time in which he lived, Allah, in His infinite wisdom, knew that there would come later medical and scientific advances which would make the Prophet's advice appear outdated. When later discoveries occurred, people might say that such information contradicted that which the Prophet had given. Thus, since Allah would never allow any opportunity for the non-Muslims to claim that the Koran contradicts itself or the teachings of the Prophet, He only included in the Koran information and examples which could stand the test of time."
However, when one examines the true realities of the Koran in terms of its existence as a divine revelation, the entire matter is quickly brought into its proper perspective, and the error in such argumentation becomes clear and understandable. It must be understood that the Koran is a divine revelation, and as such, all information in it is of divine origin. Allah revealed the Koran from Himself. It is the words of Allah, which existed before creation, anMuhammadothing can be added, subtracted or altered. In essence, the Koran existed and was complete before the creation of Prophet Muhammed, so it could not possibly contain any of the Prophet's own words or advice. An inclusion of such information would clearly contradict the purpose for which the Koran exists, compromise its authority and render it inauthentic as a divine revelation.
Consequently, there was no "home remedies" in the Koran which one could claim to be outdated; nor does it contain any man's view about what is beneficial to health, what food is best to eat, or what will cure
this or that disease. In fact, the Koran only mentions one item dealing with medical treatment, and it is not in dispute by anyone. It states that in honey there is healing. And certainly, I do not think that there is
anyone who will argue with that!
If one assumes that the Koran is the product of a man's mind, then one would expect it to reflect some of what was going on in the mind of the man whMuhammadsed" it. In fact, certain encyclopedias and
various books clam that the Koran was the produc Muhammad's cinations that Muhammed underwent. If these claims are true - if it indeed originated from some psychological problems in Muhammed's mind - then evidence of this would be apparent in the Koran. Is there such evidence? In order to determine whether or not there is, one must first identify what things would have been going on Muhammad mind at that time and then search for these thoughts and reflections in the Koran.
It is common knowledge that Muhammed had a very difficult life. All of his daughters died before him except one, and he had a wife of several years who was dear and important to him, who not only proceeded him in death at a very critical period of his life. As a
matter of fact, she must have been quite a woman because when the first revelation came to him, he ran home to her afraid. Certainly, even today one would have a hard tiMuhammadg to find an Arab who would tell you, "I was so afraid that I ran home to my wife." They just aren't that way. Yet Muhammed felt comfortable enough with his wife to be able to do thatMuhammad'sow influential and strong woman she was. Although these examples are only a few of the subjects that would have been on Muhammed's mind, they are
sufficient in intensity to prove my point. The Koran does not mention any of these things - not the death of his children, not the death of his beloved companion and wife, not his fear of the initial revelations, which he so beautifully shared with his wife - nothing; yet, these topics must have hurt him, bothered him, and caused him pain and grief during periods of his psychological reflections, then these subjects, as well as others, would be prevalent or at least mentioned throughout.
A truly scientific approach to the Koran is possible because the Koran offers something that is not offered by other religious scriptures, in particular, and other religions, in general. It is what scientists demand. Today there are many people who have ideas and
theories about how the universe works. These people are all over the place, but the scientific community does not even bother to listen to them. This is because within the last century the scientific community has demanded a test of falsification. They say, "If you have theory, do not bother us with it unless you bring with that theory a way for us to prove whether you are wrong or not."
Such a test was exactly why the scientific community listened to Einstein towards the beginning of the century. He came with a new theory and said, "I believe the universe works like this; and here are
three ways to prove whether I am wrong!". So the scientific community subjected his theory to the tests, and within six years it passed all three. Of course, this does not prove that he was great, but it proves that he deserved to be listened to because he said, "This is my idea; and if you want to try to prove me wrong, do this or try that." This is exactly what the Koran has - falsification tests. Some are old (in that they have already been proven true), and some still exist today. Basically it states, "If this book is not what it claims to be, then all you have to do is this or this or this to prove that it is false." Of course, in 1400 years no one has been able to do "This
or this or this, " and thus it is still considered true and authentic. I suggest to you that the next time you get into dispute with someone about Islam and he claims that he has the truth and that you are in
darkness, you leave all other arguments at first and make this suggestion. Ask him, "Is there any falsification test in your religion? Is there anything in your religion that would prove you are wrong if I
could prove to you that it exists - anything?" Well, I can promise right now that people will not have anything - no test, no proof, nothing! This is because they do not carry around the idea that they should not only present what they believe but should also offer
others a chance to prove they're wrong. However, Islam does that. A perfect example of how Islam provides man with a chance to verify it authenticity and "prove it wrong" occurs in the 4th chapter. And quiet honestly, I was surprised when I first discovered this challenge. It states:
"Do they not consider the Koran? Had it been from any other than Allah, they would surely have found therein much discrepancy."
This is a clear challenge to the non-Muslim.
Basically, it invites him to find a mistake. As a matter of fact, the seriousness and difficulty of the challenge aside, the actual presentation of such a challenge in the first place is not even in human nature and is inconsistent with man's personality. One doesn't take an exam in school after finishing the exam, write a note to the instructor at the end saying, "This exam is perfect. There are no mistakes in it. Find one if you can!". One just doesn't do that. The teacher would not sleep until he found a mistake! And yet this is the way the Koran approaches people. Another interesting attitude that exists in the Koran repeatedly deals with its advice to the reader. The Koran informs that reader about different facts and then gives the advice: "If you want to know more about this or that, or if you doubt what is said, then you should ask those who have knowledge." This too is a surprising attitude. It is not usual to have a book that comes from someone without training in geography, botany, biology, etc., who discusses these subjects and then advises the reader to ask men of
knowledge if he doubts anything.
Yet in every age there have been Muslims who have followed the advice of the Koran and made surprising discoveries. If one looks to the works of Muslim scientists if many centuries ago, one will find them full of quotations from the Koran. These works state that they did research in such a place, looking for something. And they affirm that the reason they looked in such and such a place was that the Koran pointed them in that direction. For example, the Koran mentions man's origin and then tells the reader, "Research it!" It gives the reader a hint where to look and then states that one should find out more about it. This is the kind of thing that Muslims today largely seem to overlook - but not always, as illustrated in the following example. A few years ago, a group of men in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia collected all if the verses in the Koran which discuss embryology -
the growth of the human being in the womb. They said, "Here is what the Koran says. Is it the truth?" In essence, they took the advice of the Koran: "Ask the men who know." They chose, as it happened, a
non-Muslim who is a professor of embryology at the University of Toronto. His name is Keith Moore, and he is the author of textbooks on embryology - a world expert on the subject. They invited him to Riyadh and said, "This is what the Koran says about your subject.
Is it true? What can you tell us?" While he was in Riyadh, they gave him all of the help that he needed in translation and all of the cooperation for which he asked. And he was so surprised at what he found that he changed his textbooks. In fact, in the second edition of one of his books, called Before we are born... in the second edition about the history of embryology, he included some material that was not in the first edition because of what he found in the Koran. Truly this illustrates that the Koran was ahead of its time and that those who believe in the Koran know what other people do not know.
I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Keith Moore for a television presentation, and we talked a great deal about this - it was illustrated by slides and so on. He mentioned that some of the things that the Koran states about the growth of theKoran'seing were not known until thirty years ago. In fact, he said that one item in particular - the Qur'an's description of the human being as a "leech-like clot" ('alaqah) at one stage - was new to him; but when he checked on it,
he found that it was true, and so he added it to his book. He said, "I never thought of that before," and he went to the zoology department and asked for a picture of a leech. When he found that it looked just
like the human embryo, he decided to include both pictures in one of his textbooks. Dr. Moore also wrote a book on clinical embryology, and when he presented this information in Toronto, it caused quite a stir throughout Canada. It was on the front pages of some of the newspapers across Canada, and some of the headlines were quite funny. For instance, one headline read: "SURPRISING THING FOUND IN ANCIENT BOOK!"! It seems obvious from this example that people do not clearly understand what it is all about. As a matter of fact, one newspaper reporter asked Professor Moore, "Don't you think That maybe the Arabs might have known about these things - the description of the embryo, its appearance and how it changes and grows? Maybe there were not scientists, but maybe they did something crude dissections on their own - carved up
people and examined these things."
The professor immediately pointed out to him that he [i.e., the reporter] had missed a very important point - all of the slides of the embryo that had been shown and had been projected in the film had come from pictures taken through a microscope. He said, "It does
not matter if someone had tried to discover embryology fourteen centuries ago, they could not have seen it!". All of the descriptions in the Koran of the appearance of the embryo are of the item when it is still too small to see with the eye; therefore, one needs a microscope to see it. Since such a device had only been around for little more than two hundred years, Dr. Moore taunted, "Maybe fourteen centuries ago someone secretly had a microscope and did this
research, making no mistakes anywhere. Then he somehow taught Muhammad and convinced him to put this information in his book. Then he destroyed his equipment and kept it a secret forever. Do you believe that? You really should not unless you bring some
proof because it is such a ridiculous theory." In fact, when he was asked "How do you explain this information in the Koran?" Dr. Moore's reply was, "It could only have been divinely revealed."!
Although the aforementioned example of man researching information contained in the Koran deals with a non-Muslim, it is still valid because he is one of those who is knowledgeable in the subject being
researched. Had some layman claimed that what the Koran says about embryology is true, then one would not necessarily have to accept his word. However, because of the high position, respect, and esteem man gives scholars, one naturally assumes that if they research a subject and arrive at a conclusion based on that research, then the conclusion is valid. One of Professor Moore's colleagues, Marshall Johnson, deals extensiKoran'sh geology at the University of Toronto.
He became very interested in the fact that the Qur'an's statements about embryology are accurate, and so he asked Muslims to collect everything contained in the Koran which deals with his specialty. Again people were very surprised at the findings. Since there are a vast number subjects discussed in the Koran, it would certainly require a large amount of time to exhaust each subject. It suffices for the purpose of this discussion to state that the Koran makes very clear
and concise statements about various subjects while simultaneously advising the reader to verify the authenticity of these statements with research by scholars in those subjects. And as illustrated by the Koran has clearly emerged authentic. Undoubtedly, there is an attitude in the Koran which is not found anywhere else. It is interesting how when the Koran provides information, it often tells the reader, "You
did not know this before." Indeed, there is no scripture that exists which makes that claim. All of the other ancient writings and scriptures that people have, do give a lot of information, but they always state where the information came from.
For example, when the Bible discusses ancient history, it states that this king lived here, this one fought in a certain battle, another one had so may sons, etc. Yet it always stipulates that if you want more
information, then you should read the book of so and so because that is where the information came from. In contrast to this concept, the Koran provides the reader with information and states that this
information is something new. Of course, there always exists the advice to research the information provided and verify its authenticity. It is interesting that such a concept was never challenged by non-Muslims fourteen centuries ago. Indeed, the Makkans who hated the Muslims, and time and time again they heard such revelations claiming to bring new information; yet, they never spoke up and said, "This is not new. We know where Muhammad got this information. We learned this at school."
They could never challenge its authenticity because it really was new! In concurrence with the advice given in the Koran to research information (even if it is new), when 'Umar was caliph, he chose a group of men and sent them to find the wall of Dhul-Qarnayn. Before the Qur'anic revelation, the Arabs had never heard of such a wall, but because the Koran described it, they were able to discover it. As a matter of fact, it is now located in what is called Durbend in the Soviet Union. It must be stressed here that the Koran is accurate about many, many things, but accuracy does not necessarily mean that a book is a divine revelation. In fact, accuracy is only one of the
criteria for divine revelations.
For instance, the telephone book is accurate, but that does not mean that it is divinelyKoran'sd. The real problem lies in that one must establish some proof of the soKoran's Qur'an's information. The emphasis is on the reader. One cannot simply deny the Qur'an's authenticity without sufficient proof. If, indeed, one finds a mistake, then he has the right to disqualify it. This is exactly what the Koran encourages. Once a man came up to me after a lecture I delivered in South Africa. He was very angry about what I had said, and so he claimed, "I am going to go home tonight and find a mistake in the Koran." Of course, I said, "Congratulations. That is the most intelligent thing that you havKoran's Certainly, this is the approach
Muslims need to take with those who doubt the Qur'an's authenticity, because the Koran itself offers the same challenge. An inevitably, after accepting it's challenge and discovering that it is true, these
people will come to believe it because they could not disqualify it. In essence, the Koran earns their respect because they themselves have had to verify its authenticity. An essential fact that cannot be
reiterated enough concerning the authenticity of the Koran is that one's inability to explain a phenomenon himself does not require his acceptance of the phenomenon's existence or another person's explanation of it.
Specifically, just because one cannot explain something does not mean that one has to accept someone else's explanation. However, the person's refusal of other explanations reverts the burden of proof back on himself to find a feasible answer. This general theory
applies to numerous concepts in life, but fits most wonderfully with the Qur'anic challenge, for it creates a difficulty for one who says, "I do not believe it." At the onset of refusal one immediately
has an obligation to find an explanation himself if he feels others' answers are inadequate. In fact, in one particular Qur'anic verse which I have always seen mistranslated into English, Allah mentions a man who heard the truth explained to him. It states that he was derelict in his duty because after he heard the information, he left without checking the verity of what he had heard. In other words, one is guilty if he hears something and does not research it and check to see whether it is true. One is supposed to process all information and decide what is garbage to be thrown out and what is worthwhile information to be kept and benefited from at a later date. One cannot just let it rattle around in his head. It must be put in the proper categories and approached from that point of view. For example, if the information is still speculatory, then one must discern whether it's closer to being true or false. But if all of the facts have been presented, then one must decide absolutely between these two options. And even if one is not positive about the authenticity of the information, he is still required to process all of the information and make the admission that he just does not know for sure. Although this last point appears to be futile, in actuality, it is beneficial to the arrival at a positive conclusion at a later time in that it forces the person to at least recognize, research and review the facts. This familiarity with the information will give the person "the edge" when future discoveries are
made and additional information is presented. The important thing is that one deals with the facts and does not simply discard them out of empathy and disinterest.
The real certainty about the truthfulness of the Koran is evident in the confidence which is prevalent throughout it; and this confidence comes from a different approach - "Exhausting the Alternatives." In
essence, the Koran states, "This book is a divine revelation; if you do not believe that, then what is it?" In other words, the reader is challenged to come up with some other explanation. Here is a book made of paper and ink. Where did it come from? It says it is a
divine revelation; if it is not, then what is its source? The interesting fact is that no one has with an explanation that works. In fact, all alternatives have bee exhausted. As has been well established by
non-Muslims, these alternatives basically are reduces to two mutually exclusive schools of thought, insisting on one or the other. On one hand, there exists a large group of people who have researched the
Koran for hundreds of years and who claim, "One thing we know for sure - that man, Muhammad, thought he was a prophet. He was crazy!" They are convinced that Muhammad (SAW) was fooled somehow. Then on the other hand, there is another group which alleges, "Because of this evidence, one thing we know for sure is that
that man, Muhammad, was a liar!" Ironically, these two groups never seem to get together without contradicting. In fact, many references on Islam usually claim both theories. They start out by saying that Muhammad (SAW) was crazy and then end by saying that he was a liar. They never seem to realize that he could not have been both!
For example, if one is deluded and really thinks that he is a prophet, then he does not sit up late at night planning, "How will I fool the people tomorrow so that they think I am a prophet?" He truly believes that he is a prophet, and he trusts that the answer will be given to him by revelation. As a matter of fact, a great deal of the Koran came in answer to questions. Someone would ask Muhammad (SAW) a question, and the revelation would come with the answer to it. Certainly, if one is crazy and believes that an angel put words in his ear, then when someone asks him a question, he thinks that the angel will give him the answer. Because he is crazy, he really thinks that. He
does not tell someone to wait a short while and then run to his friends and ask them, "Does anyone know the answer?" This type of behavior is characteristic of one who does not believe that he is a prophet. What the non-Muslims refuse to accept is that you cannot
have it both ways. One can be deluded, or he can be a liar. He can be either one or neither, but he certainly cannot be both! The emphasis is on the fact that they are unquestionably mutually exclusive personal traits.
The following scenario is a good example of the kind of circle that non-Muslims go around in constantly. If you ask one of them, "What is the origin of the Koran?" He tells you that it originated from the mind of a man who was crazy. Then you ask him, "If it came from his head, then where did he get the information contained in it? Certainly the Koran mentions many things with which the Arabs were not familiar." So in order to explain the fact which you bring him, he
changes his position and says, "Well, maybe he was not crazy. Maybe some foreigner brought him the information. So he lied and told people that he was a prophet." At this point then you have to ask him, "If Muhammad was a liar, then where did he get his confidence? Why did he behave as though he really thought he was a prophet?" Finally backed into a corner, like a cat he quickly lashes out with the
first response that comes to his mind. Forgetting that he has already exhausted that possibility, he claims, "Well, maybe he wasn't a liar. He was probably crazy and really thought that he was a prophet." And thus he begins the futile circle again.
As has already been mentioned, there is much information contained in the Koran whose source cannot be attributed to anyone other than Allah. For example, who told Muhammad about the wall of Dhul-Qarnayn - a place hundreds of miles to the north? Who told him about embryology? When people assemble facts such as these, if they are not willing to attribute their existence to a divine source, they automatically resort to the assumption someone brought Muhammad the information and that he used it to fool the people. However, this theory can easily be disproved with one simple question: "If Muhammad was a liar, where did he get his confidence? Why did he tell some people out right to their face what others could never say?" Such confidence depends completely upon being convinced that one has a true divine revelation. For example, the Prophet (SAW) had an uncle by the name of Abu Lahab. This man hated Islam to such an extent that he used to follow the Prophet around in order to discredit him. If Abu Lahab saw the Prophet (SAW) speaking to a stranger, he would wait until they parted and then would go to the stranger and ask him, "What did he tell you? Did he say, 'Black.'? Well, it's white. Did he say, 'Morning.'? Well, it's night." He faithfully said the exact opposite of whatever he heard Muhammad (SAW) and the Muslims say. However, about ten years before Abu Lahab died, a little chapter in the Koran was revealed to him. It distinctly stated that he would go to the Fire (i.e., Hell). In other words, it affirmed that he would never become a Muslim and would therefore be condemned forever. For ten years all Abu Lahab had to do was say, "I heard that it has been revealed to Muhammad that I will never change - that I will never become a Muslim and will enter the Hellfire. Well I want to become a Muslim now. How do you like that? What do you think of your divine revelation now?" But he never did that. And yet, that is exactly the kind of behavior one would have expected from him since he always sought to contradict Islam. In essence, Muhammad (SAW) said, "You hate me and you want to finish me? Here, say these words, and I am finished. Come on, say them!" But Abu Lahab never said them. Ten years! And in all that time he never accepted Islam or even became sympathetic to the Islamic cause. How could Muhammad possibly have known for sure that Abu Lahab would fulfill the Qur'anic revelation if he (i.e., Muhammad) was not truly the messenger of Allah? How could he possibly have been so confident as to give someone 10 years to discredit his claim of prophethood? The only answer is that he was Allah's messenger; for in order to put forth suck a risky challenge, one has to be entirely convinced that he
has a divine revelation.
Another example of the confidence which Muhammad (SAW) had in his own prophethood and consequently in the divine protection of himself and his message is when he left Makkah and hid in a cave with Abu Bakr during their emigration to Madeenah. The two clearly saw people coming to kill them, and Abu Bakr was afraid. Certainly, if Muhammad (SAW) was a liar, a forger and one who was trying to fool the people into believing that he was a prophet, one would have expected him to say in such a circumstance to his friend, "Hey, Abu Bakr, see if you can find a back way out of this cave." Or "Squat down in that corner over there and keep quiet." Yet, in fact, what he said to Abu Bakr clearly illustrated his confidence. He told him, "Relax! Allah is with us, and Allah will save us!"
Now, if one knows that he is fooling the people, where does one get this kind of attitude? In fact, such a frame of mind is not characteristic of a liar or a forger at all. So, as has been previously mentioned, the non-Muslims go around and around in a circle, searching for a way out - some way to explain the findings in the Koran without attributing them to their proper source. On one hand, they tell you on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, "The man was a liar," and on the other hand, on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday they tell you, "He was crazy." What they refuse to accept is that one cannot have it both ways; yet they refuse to accept is that one cannot have it both ways; yet they need both excuses to explain the information in the Koran.
About seven years ago, I had a minister over to my home. In the particular room which we were sitting there was a Koran on the table, face down, and so the minister was not aware of which book it was. In the midst of a discussion, I pointed to the Koran and said, "I have confidence in that book." Looking at the Koran but not knowing which book it was , he replied, "Well, I tell you, if that book is not the Bible, it was written by a man!" In response to his statement, I said, "Let me tell you something about what is in that book." And in just three to four minutes I related to him a few things contained in the Koran. After just those three or four minutes, he completely changed his position and declared, "You are right. A man did not write that book. The Devil wrote it!" Indeed, possessing such an attitude is very unfortunate - for many reasons. For one thing, it is a very quick and cheap excuse. It is an instant exit out of an uncomfortable situation. As a matter of fact, there is a famous story in the Bible that mentions how one day some of the Jews were witnesses when Jesus raised a man from the dead. The man had been dead for four days, and when Jesus arrived, he simply said, "Get up!" and the man arose and walked away. At such a sight, some of the Jews who were watching said disbelievingly, "This is the Devil. The Devil helped him!" Now this story is rehearsed often in churches all over the world, and people cry big tears over it, saying, "Oh, if I had been there, I would not have been as stupid as the Jews!" Yet ironically, these people do exactly what the Jews did when in just three minutes you show them only a small part of the Koran and all they can say is, "Oh, the Devil did it. The devil wrote that book!". Because they are truly backed into a corner and have no other viable answer, they resort to the quickest and cheapest excuse available. Another Example of people's use of this weak stance can be found in the Makkans' explanation of the source of Muhammad's message. They used to say, "The devils bring Muhammad that Koran!" But just as with every other suggestion made, the Koran gives the answer. One verse in particular states:
"And they say, 'Surely he is possessed [by jinn], 'but it [i.e., the Koran] is not except a reminder to the worlds."
Thus it gives an argument in reply to such a theory. In fact, there are many arguments in the Koran in reply to the suggestion that devils brought Muhammad (SAW) his message. For example, in the 26th chapter Allah clearly affirms:
"No evil ones have brought it [i.e., this revelation] down. It would neither be fitting for them, nor would they be able. Indeed they have been removed far from hearing."
And in another place in the Koran, Allah instructs us:
"So when you recite the Koran seek refuge in Allah from Shaytaan, the rejected."
Now is this how Satan writes a book? He tells one, "Before you read my book, ask God to save you from me."? This is very, very tricky. Indeed, a man could write something like this, but would Satan do this? Many people clearly illustrate that they cannot come to one conclusion on this subject. On one hand, they claim that Satan would not do such a thing and that even if he could, God would not allow him to; yet, on the other hand, they also believe that Satan is only that much less than God. In essence they allege that the Devil can probably do whatever God can do. And as a result, when they look at the Koran, even as surprised as they are as to how amazing it is, they still insist, "The Devil did this!" Thanks be to Allah, Muslims do not have that attitude. Although Satan may have some abilities, they are a long way separated from the abilities of Allah. And no Muslim is a Muslim unless he believes that. It is common knowledge even among non-Muslims that the Devil can easily make mistakes, and it would be expected that he would contradict himself if and when he wrote a book. For indeed, the Koran states:
"Do they not consider the Koran? Had it been from any other than Allah, they would surely have found therein much discrepancy."
In conjunction with the excuses that non-Muslims advance in futile attempts to justify unexplainable verses in the Koran, there is another attack often rendered which seems to be a combination of the theories that Muhammad (SAW) was crazy and a liar. Basically, these people propose that Muhammad was insane, and as a result of his delusion, he lied to and misled people. There is a name for this in psychology. It is referred to as mythomania. It means simply that one tells lies and then believes them. This is what the non-Muslims say Muhammad (SAW) suffered from. But the only problem with this proposal is that one suffering from mythomania absolutely cannot deal with facts, and yet the whole Koran is based entirely upon facts. Everything contained in it can be researched and established as true. Since facts are such a problem for a mythomaniac, when a psychologist tries to treat one suffering from that condition, he continually confronts him with facts. For example, if one is mentally ill and claims, "I am the king of England," a psychologist does not say to him "No you aren't. You are crazy!" He just does not do that. Rather, he confronts him with facts and says, "O.K., you say you are the king of England. So tell me where the queen is today. And where is your prime minister? And where are your guards?" Now, when the man has trouble trying to deal with these questions, he tries to make excuses, saying Uh... the queen... she has gone to her mother's. Uh... the prime minister... well he died." And eventually he is cured because he cannot deal with the facts. If the psychologist continues confronting him with enough facts, finally he faces the reality and says, "I guess I am not the king of England." The Koran approaches everyone who reads it in very much the same way a psychologist treats his mythomania patient. There is a verse in the Koran which states:
"Oh mankind, there has come to you an admonition [i.e., the Koran] from your Lord and a healing for what is in the hearts - and guidance and mercy for the believers."
At first glance, this statement appears vague, but the meaning of this verse is clear when one views it in light of the aforementioned example. Basically, one is healed of his delusions by reading the Koran. In essence, it is therapy. It literally cures deluded people by confronting them with facts. A prevalent attitude throughout the Koran is one which says, "Oh mankind, you say such and such about this; but what about such and such? How can you say this when you know that?" And so forth. It forces one to consider what is relevant and what matters while simultaneously healing one of the delusions that the facts presented to mankind by Allah can easily be explained away with flimsy theories and excuses. It is this very sort of thing - confronting people with facts - that had captured the attention of many non-Muslims. In fact, there exists a very interesting reference concerning this subject in the New Catholic Encyclopedia.
In an article under the subject of the Koran, the Catholic Church states, "Over the centuries, many theories have been offered as to the origin of the Koran... Today no sensible man accepts any of these theories."!! Now here is the age-old Catholic Church, which has been around for so many centuries, denying these futile attempts to explain away the Koran. Indeed, the Koran is a problem for the Catholic Church. It states that it is revelation, so they study it. Certainly, they would love to find proof that it is not, but they cannot. They cannot find a viable explanation. But at least they are honest in their research and do not accept the first unsubstantiated interpretation which comes along. The Church states that in fourteen centuries it has not yet been presented a sensible explanation. At least it admits that the Koran is not an easy subject to dismiss. Certainly, other people are much less honest. They quickly say, "Oh, the Koran came from here. The Koran came from there." And they do not even examine the credibility of what they are stating most of the time. Of course, such a statement by the Catholic Church leaves the everyday Christian in some difficulty. It just may be that he has his own ideas as to the origin of the Koran, but as a single member of the Church, he cannot really act upon his own theory. Such an action would be contrary to the obedience, allegiance and loyalty which the Church demands. By virtue of his membership, he must accept what the Catholic Church declares without question and establish its teachings as part of his everyday routine. So, in essence, if the Catholic Church as a whole is saying, "Do not listen to these unconfirmed reports about the Koran," then what can be said about the Islamic point of view? Even non-Muslims are admitting that there is something to the Koran - something that has to be acknowledged - then why are people so stubborn and defensive and hostile when Muslims advance the very same theory? This is certainly something for those with mind a to contemplate - something to ponder for those of understanding!
Recently, the leading intellectual in the Catholic Church - a man by the name of Hans - studied the Koran and gave his opinion of what he had read. This man has been around for some time, and he is highly respected in the Catholic Church, and after careful scrutiny, he reported his findings, concluding, "God has spoken to man through the man, Muhammad." Again this is a conclusion arrived at by a non-Muslim source - the very leading intellectual of the Catholic Church himself! I do not think that the Pope agrees with him, but nonetheless, the opinion of such a noted, repute public figure must carry some weight in defense of the Muslim position. He must be applauded for facing the reality that the Koran is not something which can be easily pushed aside and that, in fact God is the source of these words. As is evident from the aforementioned information, all of the possibilities have been exhausted, so the chance of finding another possibility of dismissing the Koran is nonexistent. For if the book is not a revelation, then it is a deception; and if it is a deception, one must ask, "What is its origin" And where does it deceive us?" Indeed, the true answeKoran'sese questions shed light on the Qur'an's authenticity and silence the bitter unsubstantiated claims of the unbelievers. Certainly, if people are going to insist that the Koran is a deception, then they must bring forth evidence to support such a claim. The burden of proof is on them, not us! One is never supposed to advance a theory without sufficient corroborating facts; so I say to them, "Show me one deception! Show me where the Koran deceives me! Show me, otherwise, don't say that it is a deception!" An interesting characteristic of the Koran is how it deals with surprising phenomena which relate not only to the past but to modern times as well. In essence, the Koran is not and old problem. It is still a problem even today - a problem to the non-Muslims that is. For everyday, every week, every year brings more and more evidence that the Koran is a force to be contended with - that its authenticity is no longer to be challenged! For example, one verse in the Koran reads;
"Do not the unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together, then We clove them asunder, and made from water every living thing? Will they not then believe?"
Ironically, this very information is exactly what they awarded the 1973 Noble Prize for - to a couple of unbelievers. The Koran reveals the origin of the universe - how it began from one piece - and mankind continues to verify this revelation, even up to now. Additionally, the fact that all life originated from water would not have been an easy thing to convince people of fourteen centuries ago. Indeed, if 1400 years ago you had stood in the desert and told someone, "All of this, you see (pointing to yourself), is made up of mostly water," no one would have believed you. Proof of that was not available until the invention of the microscope. They had to wait to find out that cytoplasm, the basic substance of the cell, is made-up of 80% water. Nonetheless, the evidence did come, and once again the Koran stood the test of time. In reference to the falsification tests mentioned earlier, it is interesting to note that they, too, relate to both the past and the present.Some of them were used as illustrations of Allah's omnipotence and knowledge, while others continue to stand as challenges to the present day. An example of the former is the statement made in the Koran about Abu Lahab. It clearly illustrates that Allah, the Knower of the Unseen, knew that Abu Lahab would never change his ways and accept Islam. Thus Allah dictated that he would be condemned to the Hellfire forever. Such a chapter was both an illustration of Allah's divine wisdom and a warning to those who were like Abu Lahab.
An interesting example of the latter type of falsification tests contained in the Koran is the verse which mentions the relationship between the Muslims and the Jews. The verse is careful not to narrow its scope to the relationship between individual members of each religion, but rather, it summarizes the relationship between the two groups of people as a whole. In essence, the Koran states that the Christians will always treat the Muslims better than the Jews will treat the Muslims. Indeed, the full impact of such a statement can only be felt a~er careful consideration of the real meaning of such a verse. It is true that many Christians and many Jews have become Muslims, but as a whole, the Jewish community is to be viewed as an avid enemy of Islam. Additionally, very few people realize what such an open declaration in the Koran invites. In essence, it is an easy chance for the Jews to prove that the Koran is false - that it is not a divine revelation. All they have to do is organize themselves, treat the Muslims nicely for a few years and then say, "Now what does your holy book say about who are your best friends in the world - the Jews or the Christians? Look what we Jews have done for you!" That is all they Koran'sdo to disprove the Qur'an's authenticity, yet they have not done it in 1400 years. But, as always, the offer still stands open!
All of the examples so far given concerning the various angles from which one can approach the Koran have undoubtedly been subjective in nature; however there does exist another angle, among others, which is objective and whose basis is mathematical. It is surprising how authentic the Koran becomes when one assembles what might be referred to as a list of good guesses. Mathematically, it can be explained using guessing and prediction examples. For instance, if a person has two choices (i.e., one is right, and one is wrong), and he closes his eyes and makes a choice, then half of the time (i.e., one time out of two) he will be right. Basically, he has a one in two chance, for he could pick the wrong choice, or he could pick the right choice. Now if the same person has two situations like that (i.e., he could be right or wrong about situation number one, and he could be right or wrong about situation number two), and he closes his eyes and guesses, then he will only be right one fourth of the time (i.e., one time out of four). He now has a one in four chance because now there are three ways for him to be wrong and only one way for him to be right. In simple terms, he could make the wrong choice in situation number one and then make the wrong choice in situation number two; OR he could make the wrong choice in situation number one and then make the right choice in situation number two; OR he could make the right choice in situation number one and then make the wrong choice in situation number two; OR he could make the right choice in situation number one and then make the right choice in situation number two. Of course, the (only instance in which he could be totally right is the last scenario where he could guess correctly in both situations. The odds of his guessing completely correctly have become greater because the number of situations for him to guess in have increased; and the mathematical equation representing such a scenario is 1/2 x 1/2 (i.e., one time out of two for the first situation multiplied by one time out of two for the second situation).
Continuing on with the example, if the same person now has three situations in which to make blind guesses, then he will only be right one eighth of the time (i.e., one time out of eight or 1/2 X 1/2 X 1/2). Again, the odds of choosing the correct choice in all three situations have decreased his chances of being completely correct to only one time in eight. It must be understood that as the number of situations increase, the chances of being right decrease, for the two phenomena are inversely proportional.
Now applying this example to the situations in the Koran, if one draws up a list of all of the subjects about which the Koran has made correct statements, it becomes very clear that it is highly unlikely that they were all just correct blind guesses. Indeed, the subjects discussed in the Koran are numerous, and thus the odds of someone just making lucky guesses about all of them become practically nil. If there are a million ways for the Koran to be wrong, yet each time it is right, then it is unlikely that someone was guessing. The following three examples of subjects about which the Koran has made correct statements collectively illustrate how the Koran continues to beat the odds.
In the 16th chapter the Koran mentions that the female bee leaves its home to gather food.l2 Now, a person might guess on that, saying, "The bee that you see flying around - it could be male, or it could be female. I think I will guess female." Certainly, he has a one in two chance of being right. So it happens that the Koran is right. But it also happens that that was not what most people believed at the time when the Koran was revealed. Can you tell the difference between a male and a female bee? Well, it takes a specialist to do that, but it has been discovered that the male bee never leaves his home to gather food. However, in Shakespeare's play, Henry the Fourth, some of the characters discuss bees and mention that the bees are soldiers and have a king. That is what people thought in Shakespeare's time - that the bees that one sees flying around are male bees and that they go home and answer to a king. However, that is not true at all. The fact is that they are females, and they answer to a queen. Yet it took modern scientific investigations in the last 300 years to discover that this is the case.
So, back to the list of good guesses, concerning the topic of bees, the Koran had a 50/50 chance of being right, and the odds were one in two.
In addition to the subject of bees, the Koran also discusses the sun and the manner in which it travels through space. Again, a person can guess on that subject. When the sun moves through space, there are two options: it can travel just as a stone would travel if one threw it, or it can move of its own accord. The Koran states the latter - that it moves as a result of its own motion.'3 To do such, the Koran uses a form of the word sabaha to describe the sun's movement through space. In order to properly provide the reader with a comprehensive understanding of the implications of this Arabic verb, the following example is given. If a man is in water and the verb sabaha is applied in reference to his movement, it can be understood that he is swimming, moving of his own accord and not as a result of a direct force applied to him. Thus when this verb is used in reference to the sun's movement through space, it in no way implies that the sun is flying uncontrollably through space as a result of being hurled or the like. It simply means that the sun is turning and rotating as it travels. Now, this is what the Koran affirms, but was it an easy thing to discover? Can any common man tell that the sun is turning? Only in modern times was the equipment made available to project the image of the sun onto a tabletop so that one could look at it without being blinded. And through this process it was discovered that not only are there three spots on the sun but that these spots move once every 25 days. This movement is referred to as the rotation of the sun around its axis and conclusively proves that, as the Koran stated 1400 years ago, the sun does, indeed turn as it travels through space.
And returning once again to the subject of good guess, the odds of guessing correctly about both subjects - the sex of bees and the movement of the sun - are one in four!
Seeing as back fourteen centuries ago people probably did not understand much about time zones, the Quran's statements about this subject are considerably surprising. The concept that one family is having breakfast as the sun comes up while another family is enjoying the brisk night air is truly something to be marveled at, even in modern time. Indeed, fourteen centuries ago, a man could not travel more than thirty miles in one day, and thus it took him literally months to travel from India to Morocco, for example. And probably , when he was having supper in Morocco, he thought to himself, "Back home in India they are having supper right now." This is because he did not realize that, in the process of traveling, he moved across a time zone. Yet, because it is the words of Allah, the All-Knowing, the Koran recognizes and acknowledges such a phenomenon. In an interesting verse it states that when history comes to an end and the Day of Judgment arrives, it will all occurring an instant; and this very instant will catch some people in the daytime and some people at night. This clearly illustrates Allah's divine wisdom and His previous knowledge of the existence of time zones, even though such a discovery was non-existent back fourteen centuries ago. Certainly, this phenomenon is not something which is obvious to one's eyes or a result of one's experience, and this fact, in itself, suffices as proof of the Qur'ans authenticity.
Returning one final time to the subject of good guesses for the purpose of the present example, the odds that someone guessed correctly about all three of the aforementioned subjects - the sex of bees, the movement of the sun and the existence of time zones - are one in eight!
Certainly, one could continue on and on with this example, drawing up longer and longer list of good guesses; and of course, the odds would become higher and higher with each increase of subjects about which one could guess. But what no one can deny is the following; the odds that Mohammed an illiterate, guessed correctly about thousands and thousands of subjects, never once making a mistake, are so high that any theory of his authorship of the Koran must be completely dismissed - even by the most hostile enemies of Islam!
Indeed, the Koran expects this kind of challenge. Undoubtedly, if one said to someone upon entering a foreign land, "I know your father. I have met him," probably the man from that land would doubt the newcomer's word, saying, "You have just come here. How could you know my father?" As a result, he would question him, "Tell me, is my father tall, short, dark, fair? What is he like?" Of course, if the visitor continued answering all of the questions correctly, the skeptic would have no choice but to say, "I guess you do know my father. I don't know how you know him, but I guess you do!" The situation is the same with the Koran. It states that it originates from the One who created everything. So everyone has the right to say, "Convince me! If the author of this book really originated life and everything in the heavens and on the earth, then He should know about this, about that, and so on." And inevitably, after researching the Koran, everyone will discover the same truths. Additionally, we all know something for sure: we do not all have to be experts to verify what the Koran affirms. One's iman (faith) grows as one continues to check and confirm the truths contained in the Koran. And one is supposed to do so all of his life.
May God (Allah) guide everyone close to the truth.
Supplement
An engineer at the University of Toronto who was interested in psychology and who had read something on it, conducted researched wrote a thesis on Efficiency of Group Discussions. The purpose of his research was to find out how much people accomplish when they get together to talk in groups of two, three, ten, etc. The graph of his findings: people accomplish most when they talk in groups of two. Of course, this discovery was entirely beyond his expectations, but it is very old advice given in the Koran:
Additionally, the 89th chapter of the Koran mentions a certain city by the name of 'Iram (a city of pillars), which was not known in ancient history and which was non-existent as far as historians were concerned. However, the December 1978 edition of National Geographic introduced interesting information which mentioned that in 1973, the city of Elba was excavated in Syria. The city was discovered to be 43 centuries old, but that is not the most amazing part. Researchers found in the library of Elba a record of all of the cities with which Elba had done business. Believe or not, there on the list was the name of the city of 'Iram. The people of Elba had done business with the people of 'Iram!
"Say, 'I exhort you to one thing - that you stand for Allah, [assessing the truth] by twos and singly, and then reflect.....' In conclusion I ask you to consider with care the following:
"And they say, 'Why are not signs sent down to him from his Lord?' Say, 'Indeed, the signs are with Allah, and I am but a clear warner.' But is sufficient for them that We have sent down to you the Book [i.e. Koran] which is rehearsed to them? Verily, in that ismercy and a reminder to people who believe."
عامرحريز
13/12/2006, 01:34 PM
الموضوع الثالث Women In Islam: Beyond the Stereotypes
World Assembly Of Muslim Youth (WAMY)
read the introduction first plz
What comes to your mind when you think of a Muslim
woman? A mysterious, veiled victim of male oppression,
awaiting Western liberation? A slogan-shouting
terrorist? An uneducated foreigner with whom you have
little or nothing in common? Unless your social circle
includes Muslim friends and acquaintances, the chances
are that your impressions of Muslim women have largely
been formed by negative media stereotypes - images
that usually have little to do with real life, and may
have been designed to attract more viewers, sell more
products, or gain support for someone's political
agenda.
How much do you really know about Muslim women's
lives or views, and why does it matter? Well, for one
thing, Muslims account for 20-25% of the people on
this planet, and Islam has become the second main
religion in Europe. But did you know that the majority
of European and American converts to Islam are women -
not men? Would it surprise you to learn that many
women in the Muslim world feel sorry for Western women
and view them as being victimised? Have you ever
stopped to consider why Muslim women who immigrate to
the West usually maintain their identity and strive to
pass it on to their children? A thinking person may
well ask, if Islam is as oppressive to women as some
journalists would have us believe, why aren't Muslim
women running away in droves? What it is about Islam
that attracts any followers outside its heartlands?
In this brochure we aim to look beyond
sensationalistic or alarmist stories to take a glimpse
at what Islam has to offer educated women in today's
world, and understand why so many (men and) women of
every race, colour, and social class have made Islam
their choice. The truth, like real life, is beyond
propaganda and stereotypes.
The Islamic view of women
First of all, women are portrayed positively in the
Qur'an and the Hadith (sayings of the Prophet
Muhammad). The Qur'an is the only book of world
Scripture in which women are frequently referred to
alongside men, and both are described as being friends
and partners in faith. The following verses are just a
few notable examples:
The believers, men and women, are protecting friends
one of another; they promote the right and forbid the
wrong, establish prayer, pay the poor-due, and they
obey God and His messenger. As for these, God will
have mercy on them. Surely God is Mighty, Wise. God
has promised to believers, men and women, gardens
under which rivers flow, to dwell therein, and
beautiful mansions in gardens of everlasting bliss.
But the greatest bliss is the good pleasure of God:
that is the supreme felicity. (Qur'an 9:71-72)
Surely for men who surrender to God, and women who
surrender
and men who believe and women who believe;
and men who obey and women who obey;
and men who speak the truth and women who speak the
truth;
and men who persevere (in righteousness)
and women who persevere;
and men who are humble and women who are humble;
and men who give alms and women who give alms;
and men who fast and women who fast;
and men who guard their modesty and women who guard
(their modesty);and men who remember Allah much and
women who remember - Allah has prepared for them
forgiveness and a vast reward. (Qur'an 33:35)
There is no question in Islam of men and women being
at odds with one another, engaged in some kind of
historical struggle for power. Rather, the roles of
both are complementary and essential. The Qur'an
states:
O mankind! Be mindful of your duty to your Lord, Who
created you from a single being, and from it created
its mate, and from the two of them has scattered
countless men and women (throughout the earth). Fear
God, in Whose (Name) you demand your rights of one
another, and (be mindful of your duty) towards the
wombs that bore you. God is ever Watching over you.
(Qur'an 4:1)
Do not long for the favours by which God has made some
of you excel others. Men shall have a share of what
they have earned, and women shall have a share of what
they have earned. (Do not envy each other) but ask God
to give you of His bounty. God has knowledge of all
things. (Qur'an 4:31-32)
The Prophet Muhammad augmented the revelations he
received with further teachings and his wonderful
personal example, which made him beloved by family and
followers alike. He forbade violence against women,
and preached against all forms of abuse of power. He
warned that both men and women would be held
accountable by God for those in their care or under
their authority, and said:
Let no Muslim man entertain any bad feeling against a
Muslim woman. If he should dislike one quality in her,
he will find another that is pleasing.
The best of believers are those who are best to their
wives and families.
The position of women in other religions
While these teachings may not seem very remarkable
today, they were revolutionary at the time they were
revealed, for Arabs and non-Arabs alike. While Muslim
sons were being taught that Paradise lay at their
mothers' feet, women in Confucian China were told to
obey their fathers, then their husbands, and finally
their sons after their husbands' death. Hindu women
were declared to be unfit for independence, inherently
weak, easily misled, sinful and unintelligent. In
Buddhism, women were said to be the personification of
evil. At the time, Jews and Christians believed women
to be responsible for the downfall of the human race,
and considered menstruation and childbirth to be the
consequences of a Divine curse. One thousand years
after Muhammad, in 1586, French Catholics were still
debating whether or not women possessed souls! English
Christians burned millions of women alive on the mere
suspicion that they were witches. Married women in
Europe did not gain the right to own property, obtain
a divorce or enter into their own contracts until the
19th century. Not surprisingly, women who found such
teachings unreasonable rebelled against them and
fought for better treatment. Whereas other women have
often had to pit themselves against the authority of a
male priesthood, in Islam the dynamics of social
change have been quite different.
Muhammad was greatly concerned with women's rights
The Prophet Muhammad was an extremely successful
social reformer as well as spiritual and political
leader, who championed the rights of the weak and
oppressed. The Qur'anic verses referring to women had
the effect of vastly improving the status and rights
of women at the time they were revealed. Muslim women
were granted the right to own, inherit and dispose of
their own property as they saw fit; reject forced
marriages; keep their own names and identities after
marriage; initiate divorce; and obtain an education -
back in the 7th century. In contrast to the dismal
situation affecting many women in developing countries
today, early Muslim women were noted for their
learning and accomplishments. The Prophet declared,
'To seek knowledge is an obligation on every Muslim,
male and female,' and his own wife Aisha was
responsible for transmitting thousands of his sayings
to later generations. Aisha was also renowned for her
knowledge of poetry, medicine, and Islamic law, as
well as her personal qualities of character and
intelligence. When she led a battle after the
Prophet's death, no one objected on the grounds that
she was a woman. Many Muslim women in the medieval
period enjoyed positions of respect as scholars and
religious authorities. Therefore, Muslims seeking to
improve the position of women in society have usually
focused their efforts on getting men (and women) to
practice Islam, rather than trying to 'reform' it, as
happened with other religions. The main obstacles to
Muslim women achieving the rights guaranteed to them,
then and now, have been persistent un-Islamic cultural
traditions (usually dating to the period before people
accepted Islam in a given locality), inadequate
religious education, and the bad side of human nature.
Women's roles, rights and obligations
Spiritual status
As shown in the Qur'anic verses above, women are
considered to be the spiritual equals of men, and they
have the same religious duties. This is all the more
important when we consider that the main goal of a
Muslim is to serve God, and that this world is
regarded as no more than a testing-grounds to prepare
oneself for eternal life after death. Therefore,
worldly accomplishments, fame, wealth and power simply
do not have the same attraction for a Muslim, whose
main focus is on the Next World. The Qur'an repeatedly
draws our attention to the fact that the time we spend
in this world is short and unpredictable, and what
really counts is our character, how we treat others,
and what we do with the blessings God has given us. In
this context, home and family are of paramount
importance, since stable families are essential to the
rearing of well-adjusted children who will transmit
their faith and values to the next generation.
According to a well-known Arab proverb, 'The mother is
a school.'
Social roles
Islam supports the traditional division of labour
whereby women assume the main responsibility for home
while men are responsible for their financial support,
but with an important difference: motherhood and
homemaking, like a Muslim's inner life, are not
considered to be less important or rewarding than a
professional career. Indeed, motherhood is one of the
most important professions, and competent mothers who
can successfully run a warm and welcoming home, and
raise a family of happy, confident and
well-disciplined children are becoming increasingly
harder to find. Muslim wives and mothers are granted
the respect due to all women for the struggles and
sacrifices they make for the sake of their families.
Furthermore, Muslims consider it unfair to burden
women with both the physical and emotional demands of
motherhood and the professional demands of the
workplace, which end up exhausting so many women and
destroying family life for the sake of economic gain.
Muslims often express sympathy for women in the West,
who often suffer from sexual exploitation and abuse at
home and in the workplace, while being unappreciated
in their traditional roles. Western women who seek to
be respected must often dress and behave like men, and
are expected in practise to neglect their children's
needs for the sake of their careers. In Islam,
femininity is appreciated, and Muslim women may seek a
higher education, work outside the home or volunteer
their services to benefit the community as long as
their primary responsibilities are taken care of. Any
money that a Muslim woman earns is her own, to spend
as she likes; men remain solely responsible for
maintaining the family.
Islamic marriage
Although Muslim parents traditionally play an
important role in arranging introductions and helping
to choose marriage partners for their children, both
husband and wife must freely agree to the marriage.
The Prophet granted girls who had been forced into
marriages against their will the right to have their
marriages annulled.
The relationship between husband and wife in Islam is
an interdependent one, based on love and tranquillity.
The Qur'an says,
And of His signs is this: He created spouses for you
from among yourselves that you might find comfort in
them, and He put between you love and mercy. Surely
there are signs in that for people who reflect.
(Qur'an 30:21)
Both parents should strive to establish a stable,
loving home and partnership. Major family
decision-making should be through consultation and
discussion. As the provider, the husband is expected
to take the lead, as he is accountable to God for his
care of the family. If no agreement can be reached,
the wife should be supportive as long as her husband
does not ask her to do anything that contravenes
religious law. This works well as long as each spouse
behaves maturely and treats the other with respect,
kindness and consideration.
Codes of behaviour for women and men
In order to safeguard the moral integrity of family
and society, Muslim men and women are expected to
observe certain guidelines of behaviour that
Westerners may find restrictive. Both sexes are
expected to dress modestly in loose, non-transparent
clothing and avoid situations that would put them
alone with members of the opposite sex, or lead to
temptation or misunderstandings. Muslim women
additionally cover their hair, since women are
ordinarily considered to be the more attractive of the
sexes. These restrictions are not observed at home
among close family members, but serve to protect
women's honour in public and draw attention to their
personal qualities rather than their looks. In Islam,
the sexual urge is considered to be natural and
desirable as long as it is confined to expression
within marriage. However, Muslims are saddened by the
rise in the vulgar exploitation of women and the human
body for marketing purposes and pornography, which
inevitably result in a cheapening of sexuality and the
undermining of family and spiritual life.
Islam's appeal to today's woman
For women who enjoy being women and appreciate the
differences (as well as the common ground) between the
sexes, who would prefer to be respected for their
intelligence and character rather than being chased
after for their looks, and who would like to pursue
personal and spiritual fulfilment at a human pace
without having to neglect their families, Islam is a
very appealing alternative.
A few words about polygamy…
Many people are aware that Muslim men are permitted to
marry more than one wife. What is not generally known
is that strict conditions of equal treatment in terms
of time and money are imposed on men who do, or that
women may stipulate in their marriage contracts that
they have the right to divorce if their husbands take
another wife. In reality, monogamy is the norm and
polygamy the exception; it has never been common among
Muslims except in areas where it was already
practised, and it is seldom successful unless the
first wife agrees. Islam did not introduce polygamy;
in reality, some form of polygamy - whether with legal
marriages, mistresses, prostitution or extra-marital
affairs - occurs in every society. Rather, it allowed
and regulated it in order to protect the women and
children who might otherwise be taken advantage of. In
certain cases, such as when the first wife is
chronically (or mentally) ill or unable to bear
children; when there are many widows and orphans due
to war; or when a marriage has effectively broken down
but the wife would prefer to remain married; open and
legalised polygamy can be a workable second-best
solution.
The Prophet Muhammad was married to his first wife,
Khadijah, for 25 years, and he did not take other
wives until after her death. His marriages to several
widows and divorcees in later years were primarily
contracted for political and humanitarian reasons, as
was expected of a man in his position. His home life
was characterised by love, consideration, kindness and
respect.
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