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The Quran

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‘The Quran’ by Professor Nicolai Sinai at Oxford University, explores the Quran based on the Quran itself. He explores the Quran with a ‘historical-critical’ method with a close reading of the text and other relevant sources of the period when the Quran was revealed.

THE QURAN THAT CONTAINS THE PROOF


The Proof within the Quran was revealed 1400 years after the revelation of the Quran. God distinguishes the Quran from its Proof in 38:1, 36:69 and Sura 98. Although the verifiable Proof does not adorn the corridors of universities yet, it clears up the following predicaments in the book.

Enigmatic or Isolated letters as in 2:1
Becca instead of Mecca in 3:96
Abrogation of proof rather than verse in 2:106
Basmallah omitted in Sura 9
Final arrangement or recension of the Quran
Examining the placement of 74:31
Purified sheets in 98:2

The Proof within the Quran resolves all of the above. The Quran initials in 29 suras are part of the intricate mathematical structure of the Quran. Mecca is spelled as Becca in 3:96 to preserve the count of the letter ‘M’ or ‘Meem’ in the Sura as a multiple of 19. Verse 2:106 refers to abrogation of a proof or miracle rather than abrogation of a verse as the Arabic word ‘ayah’ is a multiple meaning word of either sign, revelation, verse, proof, miracle.


When we abrogate any miracle, or cause it to be forgotten, we produce a better miracle, or at least an equal one. Do you not recognize the fact that GOD is Omnipotent? 2:106


The missing Basmallah while being a component of the miracle of the Quran also is a forewarning that Sura 9 was altered by addition of two false verses 9:128-129. Professor Nicolai Sinai in his discussion on 9:128 points out the verse ‘even attributes to him (Mohammad) the qualities of kindness and mercy that are elsewhere predicated only of God.’ One proof that the two verses are false is ascribing an attribute used exclusively for God to Muhammad.


The proof within the Quran authenticates the final arrangement of the Quran as we have it now. In addition, the Arabic word ‘ummi’ signifies gentiles or people without scripture, rather than illiterate. Prophet Muhammad wrote down the Quran as it was revealed to him. His copy had instructions for the final placement of each verse.


Professor Nicolai Sinai questions the placement of 74:31 next to small verses. Sura 74 deals with the Proof within the Quran. The sura is entitled ‘The Hidden Secret.’ Verse 74:30 states, ‘Over it is 19’ and verse 74:31 gives five reasons for the proof based on the number 19.


Verse 98:2 refers to the messenger (3:81) after all the prophets reciting purified scripture who brought forth the Proof within the Quran and exposed 9:128-129 as false verses inserted in the Quran.

OTHER TOPICS IN THE BOOK

First and third person reference to God


[41:12] Thus, He completed the seven universes in two days, and set up the laws for every universe. And we adorned the lowest universe with lamps, and placed guards around it. Such is the design of the Almighty, the Omniscient.

In the Quran, God gives credit to the angels when carrying out His commands. There are seven universes, with us (the humans and jinns) confined to the lowest universe. Angels carry out duties in the lowest universe and thus the use of ‘we’ in 41:12 is the form used to acknowledge their participation. The seven universes were completed by God alone and thus ‘He’ is utilized. In all the Quran, ‘we’ is used when participation of the angels is involved. Needless to mention, the ‘days’ in the above verse is simply a yardstick.

Creation of Adam

There is a reference in the Quran to events prior to the creation of Adam such as the feud in 38:69.

Abraham’s attempted sacrifice of his son


[37:102] When he grew enough to work with him, he said, “My son, I see in a dream that I am sacrificing you. What do you think?” He said, “O my father, do what you are commanded to do. You will find me, GOD willing, patient.”
[37:103] They both submitted, and he put his forehead down (to sacrifice him).
[37:104] We called him: “O Abraham.
[37:105] “You have believed the dream.” We thus reward the righteous.

The dream was from Satan. God does not advocate evil (7:28) and such a command will not originate from Him. There is nothing in the Quran which supports a point of view that such a command originated from God.

Polemics for Christians and Jews

The Quran is just as polemical to the traditional Muslims as the perception the author has for Christians and Jews. The Quran advocates monotheism and the absolute worship of God alone. The Christians fail to worship God until and unless the name of Jesus is attached to God in some form or fashion. The same applies to traditional Muslims who cannot separate the association of Muhammad next to God in their prayers and religious activities, in defiance of the Quran. Jews uphold the Mishnah and Gamarra instead of the Torah, while traditional Muslims uphold Hadith and Sunnah instead of the Quran. The Quran explicitly forbids upholding any hadith other than the Quran itself.

[39:45] When GOD ALONE is mentioned, the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter shrink with aversion. But when others are mentioned beside Him, they become satisfied.

[17:46] We place shields around their minds, to prevent them from understanding it, and deafness in their ears. And when you preach your Lord, using the Quran alone, they run away in aversion.

[57:14] They will call upon them, “Were we not with you?” They will answer, “Yes, but you cheated your souls, hesitated, doubted, and became misled by wishful thinking, until GOD’s judgment came. You were diverted from GOD by illusions.

Obey God and the messenger

The Quran is a book of law. It is also fully detailed and does not provide freedom to follow any other words as a source of religious law (25:1, 6:112-114, 6:19). Obeying God and the messenger boils down to obeying God whose words are fully detailed in the Quran. The Quran gives examples of mistakes made by Prophet Muhammad as well as other messengers.

Basic law regulating relations with unbelievers

[60:8] GOD does not enjoin you from befriending those who do not fight you because of religion, and do not evict you from your homes. You may befriend them and be equitable towards them. GOD loves the equitable.
[60:9] GOD enjoins you only from befriending those who fight you because of religion, evict you from your homes, and band together with others to banish you. You shall not befriend them. Those who befriend them are the transgressors.

Cutting-off of thief’s hand

The commandment in the Quran is to mark the hand of thief, not cut it off. The same word in 5:38 is used in 12:31 and 12:50. It is obvious that the women did not cut-off their hands.

[5:38] The thief, male or female, you shall mark their hands as a punishment for their crime, and to serve as an example from GOD. GOD is Almighty, Most Wise.

[12:31] When she heard of their gossip, she invited them, prepared for them a comfortable place, and gave each of them a knife. She then said to him, “Enter their room.” When they saw him, they so admired him, that they cut their hands. They said, “Glory be to GOD, this is not a human being; this is an honorable angel.”
[12:50] The king said, “Bring him to me.” When the messenger came to him, he said, “Go back to your lord and ask him to investigate the women who cut their hands. My Lord is fully aware of their schemes.”

[27:76] This Quran settles many issues for the Children of Israel; issues that they are still disputing.

Nicolai Sinai points out the ‘removal’ of Adam’s creation in God’s image. He also points to the preeminence of ‘Inviolable House’ from Jerusalem to Mecca. So too is the case with verses 19:16-33 and other verses about Jesus and Mary of settling issues about them and their appropriate standing.

“Intended Prayer Suras” (last few short Suras)

Although traditional Muslims use these last few Suras in their daily sanctioned prayers, it is not correct, Nicolai Sinai presents one reason in the book. Sura 1 is sanctioned, and its words of prayer are to God. The reasoning presented by the author is that the last few sura’s start with ‘Say’. It makes little sense in a contact (Salat) prayer to God to start with ‘say’ or ‘Proclaim.’

The Real Islam of the University of Chicago’s Fred Donner

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The following is a response to Dr. Stephen M Kirby’s criticism of Dr. Fred Donner’s book, Muhammad and the Believers at the Origins of Islam.

Indeed, Dr. Fred Donner’s book, Muhammad and the Believers at the Origins of Islam, is original in its research and certainly based on the Quran.

Stephen M Kirby’s criticism of Donner’s book can be summarized by the following unsavory facts.

  • Traditional Muslims Sources are not reliable. This is Donner’s truthful assertion.
  • Reliance on the Quran.
  • ‘O you who believe’ in the Quran is directed to anyone who believes in God.
  • The Quran makes a distinction between Christians who follow the Gospel and those who follow the Nicene Creed.
  • The Quran makes distinction between Jews who follow the Torah and those who follow the Talmud.

As we point out in our review of Robert Spencer’s book, The Complete Infidel’s Guide to the Koran:

  • The Koran is the only source of law or the only criterion per 6:114
  • The Koran is a fully detailed scripture per 6:114, 10:37
  • The words of God in the Koran are complete per 6:115
  • No words can abrogate God’s words in the Koran per 6:115 and 10:37
  • Koran is Hadith per 7:185, 12:111, 39:23, 45:6, 52:34, 68:44, 77:50
  • The Koran is the only acceptable Hadith per 77:50, 45:6, 7:185
  • The Arabic word sunnah (system) refers only to God’s sunnah and never as the Prophet’s sunnah per 17:77, 33:62, 48:23
  • That God is the Teacher of the Koran per 55:2

Monotheism

The Quran reminds us of the first commandment throughout the Quran.

[3:18] GOD bears witness that there is no god except He, and so do the angels and those who possess knowledge. Truthfully and equitably, He is the absolute god; there is no god but He, the Almighty, Most Wise.

Numerous verses in the Quran remind us to worship God alone such as 2:112, 3:150, 4:36, 4:146, 7:70, 10:104, 12:39, 22:31, 39:3, 39:17, 39:45, 40:12, 60:4.  This is within the confines of the first commandment and a message preached by all previous messengers including Jesus and Moses.

[ Mark 10:17-18] As he was setting out on a journey a man came running up, knelt down before him and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to share in everlasting life?” Jesus answered, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.’‘

[ Matthew 7:21] “None of those who call me `Lord’ will enter the kingdom of God, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.”

“…Go to my brothers and tell them, `I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” [ John 20:17]

Idolatry – An unforgivable sin in the Quran

The Quran condemns idolatry which, if maintained until death, is an unforgivable sin.

[4:48] GOD does not forgive idolatry, but He forgives lesser offenses for whomever He wills. Anyone who sets up idols beside GOD, has forged a horrendous offense.

[4:116] GOD does not forgive idol worship (if maintained until death), and He forgives lesser offenses for whomever He wills. Anyone who idolizes any idol beside GOD has strayed far astray.

Thus, any Christian who follows the creed of Trinity created centuries after Jesus’s death in Nicene, commits idolatry.

Any Muslim, who upholds Hadith other than the Quran commits idolatry.

Any Jew who upholds the Talmud instead of the Torah is committing idolatry.

[34:53] They have rejected it in the past; they have decided instead to uphold conjecture and guesswork.*

*34:53 People of all religions tend to forsake the word of God and uphold the words of men. The Jews and the Muslims uphold the Mishnah (Hadith) and Gemarrah (Sunna), while the Christians uphold a trinity invented by the Nicene Conference, 325 years after Jesus.

The following examines Dr. Stephen M Kirby’s charge that “Donner had based his book on his unique, personal version of Fantasy Islam.”

“Donner’s ambivalence about the “traditional” sources”

From a historian’s perspective, documentary evidence from that period is exceedingly limited. From the Quranic perspective, we cannot draw any religious conclusions except from the Quran itself (see above).

“This is an eye-opening claim because according to Islamic Doctrine it is blasphemy for a Muslim to lie about Muhammad.”

The various sects in Islam exist not because of disagreements about the Quran but disagreements about Hadith (stories) of Muhammad or lying about Muhammad. Obviously, all the sects are not right about Muhammad in their respective Hadith and thus they differ.

“.. many other authoritative Muslim sources ..”

By authoritative Muslim sources, Stephen M Kirby, means Hadith and Sunnah written centuries after the death of the Prophet and the revelation of the Quran. Each sect has their own authentic Hadith or “… authoritative Muslim sources …” There is a trove of treasure for Western writers like Robert Spencer as well as Eastern writers, in books of Hadith written 200+ years after the revelation of the Koran. These books are fiction and contain all kinds of nonsense which are utilized by Stephen Kirby.

Christians and Jews in general could be “Believers”?

The answer is yes from the Quran:

[2:62, 5:69] Surely, those who believe, those who are Jewish, the Christians, and the converts; anyone who (1) believes in GOD, and (2) believes in the Last Day, and (3) leads a righteous life, will receive their recompense from their Lord. They have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve.

The Jews, the Christians and those who received the Quran are free to follow their own scripture (Torah, Gospel or the Quran) and make judgements based on their scripture.

[5:44] We have sent down the Torah, containing guidance and light. Ruling in accordance with it were the Jewish prophets, as well as the rabbis and the priests, as dictated to them in GOD’s scripture, and as witnessed by them. Therefore, do not reverence human beings; you shall reverence Me instead. And do not trade away My revelations for a cheap price. Those who do not rule in accordance with GOD’s revelations are the disbelievers.

[5:46-47] Subsequent to them, we sent Jesus, the son of Mary, confirming the previous scripture, the Torah. We gave him the Gospel, containing guidance and light, and confirming the previous scriptures, the Torah, and augmenting its guidance and light, and to enlighten the righteous.
The people of the Gospel shall rule in accordance with GOD’s revelations therein. Those who do not rule in accordance with GOD’s revelations are the wicked.

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

“Here are ten Koran verses that specifically stated that Jews and Christians (People of the Book/Scripture) were not “believers” (I have not included the entire verse but have just noted the differentiations being made)”

Here are the complete verses together with verses prior or after for context.

[74:31] We appointed angels to be guardians of Hell, and we assigned their number (19) (1) to disturb the disbelievers, (2) to convince the Christians and Jews (that this is a divine scripture), (3) to strengthen the faith of the faithful, (4) to remove all traces of doubt from the hearts of Christians, Jews, as well as the believers, and (5) to expose those who harbor doubt in their hearts, and the disbelievers; they will say, “What did GOD mean by this allegory?” GOD thus sends astray whomever He wills, and guides whomever He wills. None knows the soldiers of your Lord except He. This is a reminder for the people.

[2:62] Surely, those who believe, those who are Jewish, the Christians, and the converts; anyone who (1) believes in GOD, and (2) believes in the Last Day, and (3) leads a righteous life, will receive their recompense from their Lord. They have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve.

[2:117-121] The Initiator of the heavens and the earth: to have anything done, He simply says to it, “Be,” and it is.
Those who possess no knowledge say, “If only GOD could speak to us, or some miracle could come to us!” Others before them have uttered similar utterances; their minds are similar. We do manifest the miracles for those who have attained certainty.
We have sent you with the truth as a bearer of good news, as well as a warner. You are not answerable for those who incur Hell.
Neither the Jews, nor the Christians, will accept you, unless you follow their religion. Say, “GOD’s guidance is the true guidance.” If you acquiesce to their wishes, despite the knowledge you have received, you will find no ally or supporter to help you against GOD.
Those who received the scripture, and know it as it should be known, will believe in this. As for those who disbelieve, they are the losers.

[3:98-102] Say, “O followers of the scripture, why do you reject these revelations of GOD, when GOD is witnessing everything you do?”
Say, “O followers of the scripture, why do you repel from the path of GOD those who wish to believe, and seek to distort it, even though you are witnesses?” GOD is never unaware of anything you do. O you who believe, if you obey some of those who received the scripture, they will revert you, after having believed, into disbelievers. How can you disbelieve, when these revelations of GOD have been recited to you, and His messenger has come to you? Whoever holds fast to GOD will be guided in the right path. O you who believe, you shall observe GOD as He should be observed, and do not die except as Submitters.

[3:110] You are the best community ever raised among the people: you advocate righteousness and forbid evil, and you believe in GOD. If the followers of the scripture believed, it would be better for them. Some of them do believe, but the majority of them are wicked.

[5:44-46] We have sent down the Torah, containing guidance and light. Ruling in accordance with it were the Jewish prophets, as well as the rabbis and the priests, as dictated to them in GOD’s scripture, and as witnessed by them. Therefore, do not reverence human beings; you shall reverence Me instead. And do not trade away My revelations for a cheap price. Those who do not rule in accordance with GOD’s revelations are the disbelievers.
And we decreed for them in it that: the life for the life, the eye for the eye, the nose for the nose, the ear for the ear, the tooth for the tooth, and an equivalent injury for any injury. If one forfeits what is due to him as a charity, it will atone for his sins. Those who do not rule in accordance with GOD’s revelations are the unjust.
Subsequent to them, we sent Jesus, the son of Mary, confirming the previous scripture, the Torah. We gave him the Gospel, containing guidance and light, and confirming the previous scriptures, the Torah, and augmenting its guidance and light, and to enlighten the righteous.

[5:51] O you who believe, do not take certain Jews and Christians as allies; these are allies of one another. Those among you who ally themselves with these belong with them. GOD does not guide the transgressors.

[60:8-9] GOD does not enjoin you from befriending those who do not fight you because of religion, and do not evict you from your homes. You may befriend them and be equitable towards them. GOD loves the equitable.
GOD enjoins you only from befriending those who fight you because of religion, evict you from your homes, and band together with others to banish you. You shall not befriend them. Those who befriend them are the transgressors.

[5:64-66] The Jews even said, “GOD’s hand is tied down!” It is their hands that are tied down. They are condemned for uttering such a blasphemy. Instead, His hands are wide open, spending as He wills. For certain, your Lord’s revelations to you will cause many of them to plunge deeper into transgression and disbelief. Consequently, we have committed them to animosity and hatred among themselves until the Day of Resurrection. Whenever they ignite the flames of war, GOD puts them out. They roam the earth wickedly, and GOD dislikes the evildoers.
If only the people of the scripture believe and lead a righteous life, we will then remit their sins, and admit them into gardens of bliss.
If only they would uphold the Torah and the Gospel, and what is sent down to them herein from their Lord, they would be showered with blessings from above them and from beneath their feet. Some of them are righteous, but many of them are evildoers.

[5:69] Surely, those who believe, those who are Jewish, the converts, and the Christians; any of them who (1) believe in GOD and (2) believe in the Last Day, and (3) lead a righteous life, have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve.

[5:82-84] You will find that the worst enemies of the believers are the Jews and the idol worshipers. And you will find that the closest people in friendship to the believers are those who say, “We are Christian.” This is because they have priests and monks among them, and they are not arrogant.
When they hear what was revealed to the messenger, you see their eyes flooding with tears as they recognize the truth therein, and they say, “Our Lord, we have believed, so count us among the witnesses.
Why should we not believe in GOD, and in the truth that has come to us, and hope that our Lord may admit us with the righteous people?”

[22:17] Those who believe, those who are Jewish, the converts, the Christians, the Zoroastrians, and the idol worshipers, GOD is the One who will judge among them on the Day of Resurrection. GOD witnesses all things.

“Donner said that the Koran was the best source of information about the early Believers’ movement; with these ten verses we can see that a distinction had been made between the People of the Scripture and the “believers” since the early days of Islam.”

The People of the Scripture in the Quran also includes those who received the Quran. The People of the Scripture include Muslims, Christians and the Jews.

[98:1] Those who disbelieved among the people of the scripture, as well as the idol worshipers, insist on their ways, despite the proof given to them.

[5:19] O people of the scripture, our messenger has come to you, to explain things to you, after a period of time without messengers, lest you say, “We did not receive any preacher or warner.” A preacher and warner has now come to you. GOD is Omnipotent.

[29:46] Do not argue with the people of the scripture (Jews, Christians, and Muslims) except in the nicest possible manner – unless they transgress – and say, “We believe in what was revealed to us and in what was revealed to you, and our god and your god is one and the same; to Him we are submitters.”

“We can see then that the Koran’s rejection of the divinity of Christ began in the very early days of the Believers’ movement, so it is difficult to see how Donner could claim that any Christians maintaining a belief in Christ’s divinity could have actually been a part of that movement.”


There are Christians today who not believe in the divinity of Christ just like Christians at the time of Muhammad. There are Christians today who reject the creation of Trinity by men 300+ years after the death of Jesus in the Nicene Creed.

The verses which Stephen Kirby refers to are reproduced below and they are a warning to those who uphold man-made divinity for Jesus. As pointed out above the Quran is equally strong on idolatry of anyone including Muhammad, Jesus, the saints, or scholars.

[5:72-75] Pagans indeed are those who say that GOD is the Messiah, son of Mary. The Messiah himself said, “O Children of Israel, you shall worship GOD; my Lord and your Lord.” Anyone who sets up any idol beside GOD, GOD has forbidden Paradise for him, and his destiny is Hell. The wicked have no helpers.
Pagans indeed are those who say that GOD is a third of a trinity. There is no god except the one god. Unless they refrain from saying this, those who disbelieve among them will incur a painful retribution.
Would they not repent to GOD, and ask His forgiveness? GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful.
The Messiah, son of Mary, is no more than a messenger like the messengers before him, and his mother was a saint. Both of them used to eat the food. Note how we explain the revelations for them, and note how they still deviate!

[9:30] The Jews said, “Ezra is the son of GOD,” while the Christians said, “Jesus is the son of GOD!” These are blasphemies uttered by their mouths. They thus match the blasphemies of those who have disbelieved in the past. GOD condemns them. They have surely deviated.

[9:31] They have set up their religious leaders and scholars as lords, instead of GOD. Others deified the Messiah, son of Mary. They were all commanded to worship only one god. There is no god except He. Be He glorified, high above having any partners.

[4:48] GOD does not forgive idolatry, but He forgives lesser offenses for whomever He wills. Anyone who sets up idols beside GOD, has forged a horrendous offense.

[4:157-158] And for claiming that they killed the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the messenger of GOD. In fact, they never killed him, they never crucified him – they were made to think that they did. All factions who are disputing in this matter are full of doubt concerning this issue. They possess no knowledge; they only conjecture. For certain, they never killed him.
Instead, GOD raised him to Him; GOD is Almighty, Most Wise.

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[3:49-51] As a messenger to the Children of Israel: “I come to you with a sign from your Lord – I create for you from clay the shape of a bird, then I blow into it, and it becomes a live bird by GOD’s leave. I restore vision to the blind, heal the leprous, and I revive the dead by GOD’s leave. I can tell you what you eat, and what you store in your homes. This should be a proof for you, if you are believers.
“I confirm previous scripture – the Torah – and I revoke certain prohibitions imposed upon you. I come to you with sufficient proof from your Lord. Therefore, you shall observe GOD, and obey me.
“GOD is my Lord and your Lord; you shall worship Him alone. This is the right path.”

[4:171-172]  O people of the scripture, do not transgress the limits of your religion, and do not say about GOD except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was a messenger of GOD, and His word that He had sent to Mary, and a revelation from Him. Therefore, you shall believe in GOD and His messengers. You shall not say, “Trinity.” You shall refrain from this for your own good. GOD is only one god. Be He glorified; He is much too glorious to have a son. To Him belongs everything in the heavens and everything on earth. GOD suffices as Lord and Master. The Messiah would never disdain from being a servant of GOD, nor would the closest angels. Those who disdain from worshiping Him, and are too arrogant to submit, He will summon them all before Him.

[19:29-36] She pointed to him. They said, “How can we talk with an infant in the crib?” (The infant spoke and) said, “I am a servant of GOD. He has given me the scripture, and has appointed me a prophet. “He made me blessed wherever I go, and enjoined me to observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and the obligatory charity (Zakat) for as long as I live. “I am to honor my mother; He did not make me a disobedient rebel. And peace be upon me the day I was born, the day I die, and the day I get resurrected.”
That was Jesus, the son of Mary, and this is the truth of this matter, about which they continue to doubt. It does not befit GOD that He begets a son, be He glorified. To have anything done, He simply says to it, “Be,” and it is. He also proclaimed, “GOD is my Lord and your Lord; you shall worship Him alone. This is the right path.”

[43:57-59] When the son of Mary was cited as an example, your people disregarded it.
They said, “Is it better to worship our gods, or to worship him?” They said this only to argue with you. Indeed, they are people who have joined the opposition.
He was no more than a servant whom we blessed, and we sent him as an example for the Children of Israel.

[61:6] Recall that Jesus, son of Mary, said, “O Children of Israel, I am GOD’s messenger to you, confirming the Torah and bringing good news of a messenger to come after me whose name will be even more praised (Ahmad).” Then, when he showed them the clear proofs, they said, “This is profound magic.”

“What about the Jews? Let’s start off with the first chapter of the Koran, Al-Fatihah. This chapter was revealed in Mecca and was among the first chapters of the Koran to be revealed.”

In his desperation, Stephen Kirby turns completely to fiction. He does refer to some Quran verses reproduced below but relies on “authoritative Muslim scholars.” He has no basis from the Quran. No comment is needed on his “authoritative sources” written centuries after the revelation of the Quran.


[1:1] In the name of GOD, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
[1:2] Praise be to GOD, Lord of the universe.
[1:3] Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
[1:4] Master of the Day of Judgment.
[1:5] You alone we worship; You alone we ask for help.
[1:6] Guide us in the right path;
[1:7] the path of those whom You blessed; not of those who have deserved wrath, nor of the strayers.

[2:61] Recall that you said, “O Moses, we can no longer tolerate one kind of food. Call upon your Lord to produce for us such earthly crops as beans, cucumbers, garlic, lentils, and onions.” He said, “Do you wish to substitute that which is inferior for that which is good? Go down to Egypt, where you can find what you asked for.” They have incurred condemnation, humiliation, and disgrace, and brought upon themselves wrath from GOD. This is because they rejected GOD’s revelations, and killed the prophets unjustly. This is because they disobeyed and transgressed.

[3:110-113] You are the best community ever raised among the people: you advocate righteousness and forbid evil, and you believe in GOD. If the followers of the scripture believed, it would be better for them. Some of them do believe, but the majority of them are wicked.
They can never harm you, beyond insulting you. If they fight you, they will turn around and flee. They can never win.
They shall be humiliated whenever you encounter them, unless they uphold GOD’s covenant, as well as their peace covenants with you. They have incurred wrath from GOD, and, consequently, they are committed to disgrace. This is because they rejected GOD’s revelations, and killed the prophets unjustly. This is because they disobeyed and transgressed.
They are not all the same; among the followers of the scripture, there are those who are righteous. They recite GOD’s revelations through the night, and they fall prostrate.

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[60:13]  O you who believe, do not befriend people with whom GOD is angry, and who are hopelessly stuck in disbelief; they are just as hopeless as the disbelievers who are already in the graves.

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[2:109]  Many followers of the scripture would rather see you revert to disbelief, now that you have believed. This is due to jealousy on their part, after the truth has become evident to them. You shall pardon them, and leave them alone, until GOD issues His judgment. GOD is Omnipotent.

[3:71] O followers of the scripture, why do you confound the truth with falsehood, and conceal the truth, knowingly?

[3:98-100]  Say, “O followers of the scripture, why do you reject these revelations of GOD, when GOD is witnessing everything you do?”
Say, “O followers of the scripture, why do you repel from the path of GOD those who wish to believe, and seek to distort it, even though you are witnesses?” GOD is never unaware of anything you do.
O you who believe, if you obey some of those who received the scripture, they will revert you, after having believed, into disbelievers.

Eckhart Tolle and belief in God

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The New York Times called Eckhart Tolle “the most popular spiritual author in the United States”. His books, “The power of Now” and “Stillness speaks” have sold millions of copies with translations in 33 languages.

TOLLE’S TEACHINGS
[The Quran verses are only given as reference to similar topic]

  • Ego is an illusory sense of self (25:43). It implies unawareness. Our consciousness is based on ego.
  • Thoughts are tormentors in the head (2:284). Voice in head is not who I am.
  • There is a difference between knowing yourself and knowing about yourself. This awareness (where thoughts exist) becomes an agent for change.
  • Having control is an illusion (3:109).
  • Have an honest self-evaluation (17:14) and let go of the past (25:70).
  • Unhappiness is based on your thoughts (28:69). Inner peace is not based on perceived thoughts. Material possessions will not bring happiness (11:15).
  • The present moment or the power of now (rather than the past or future) should be the primary focus of life.

NOW THEN, WHERE WILL YOU GO?
This is a message for all the people.
For those who wish to go straight.
Whatever you will is in accordance with the will of GOD, Lord of the universe. [81:26-29]

There is a perceived value in Tolle’s teachings for quite a few humans as evidenced by the book sales and by other self-help books. Should an individual reach the destination of ‘now’ by following Tolle’s teachings, what happens then?

The answer – oblivion. The absence of God from an individual’s life makes everything else, infinitesimal.

TOLLE’S IDOLATRY

“I have devoted myself absolutely to the One who initiated the heavens and the earth; I will never be an idol worshiper.” [6:79]

  • Like other new-agers, Tolle advocates looking to the universe for guidance, rather than to the Creator of the universe.
  • According to Tolle, Heaven is inner awakening. As we know, there can be no belief in God without belief in the Hereafter.
  • Per Tolle, universe creation is an ongoing process. Per Tolle, an outside agent creates and walks away and there is an evolving god and humans.
  • Tolle makes no distinction between humans and God; and considers both to share divinity.
  • Tolle believes in Pantheism – Pantheism is the belief that reality is identical with divinity, or that all-things compose an all-encompassing, immanent god.

GOD: there is no other god besides Him, the Living, the Eternal. Never a moment of unawareness or slumber overtakes Him. To Him belongs everything in the heavens and everything on earth. Who could intercede with Him, except in accordance with His will? He knows their past, and their future. No one attains any knowledge, except as He wills. His dominion encompasses the heavens and the earth, and ruling them never burdens Him. He is the Most High, the Great. [2:255]

Supporting a point of view by God’s words in the Quran

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CAN YOU SUPPORT YOUR POINT OF VIEW BY GOD’S WORDS IN THE QURAN?

 

Unfortunately, only some submitters adhere to the above, even though the Quran and God’s messenger are clear and explicit about the above.

[6:114] Shall I seek other than GOD as a source of law, when He has revealed to you this book fully detailed? Those who received the scripture recognize that it has been revealed from your Lord, truthfully. You shall not harbor any doubt.
[6:115] The word of your Lord is complete, in truth and justice. Nothing shall abrogate His words. He is the Hearer, the Omniscient.
[18:27] … Nothing shall abrogate His words, and you shall not find any other source beside it.

“We are people who follow the Quran, the whole Quran and nothing but the Quran. Therefore, anybody and this means anybody who brings any information must conform to the Quran, the whole Quran and nothing but the Quran.  And if anyone, I will underline anyone, who comes up with information that is not confirmed by the Quran, we tell him forget it, we don’t accept it. The criterion is preaching, confirming existing scripture, the Quran and nothing else.” – Rashad Khalifa, Khutba announcing his messengership, April 1988.

NEWCOMERS TO SUBMISSION URGED TO VERIFY FROM QURAN

Most of us, when we were first given the message, verified directly from the Quran. Thus, for the correct Shahadah, we would look at the words of 3:18, 47:19 and others similar verses of the Quran. We verified certain aspects the great mathematical miracle of the Quran like number of Suras or the number of letters in the Basmallah or the total number of verses in the Quran. We looked closely at the words of 3:81 to be validate that a messenger will come after all the prophets or 33:40 to ascertain that Muhammad was not the last messenger. Newcomers are encouraged and expected to do their homework of verifying from the Quran.

“THERE IS NO GOD EXCEPT ME; YOU SHALL WORSHIP ME ALONE” [21:25]

Like all previous messengers, the message of the messenger after the prophets was to worship God alone (39:45). The messenger made it clear that we worship God by upholding only God’s words in the Quran (17:46, 25:30). God blessed us by providing proof that every word of the Quran is a Proven Word of God. The messenger brought forth other information embedded within the Quran by God’s leave like the age of 40, the feud in the High Society, etc. In the February 1990 Newsletter, Dr. Khalifa states, “As stated in 3:81 and 46:9, God’s Messenger of the Covenant does not bring anything new; everything I receive and pass on to you is already in the Quran.”

The messenger summarized the embedded information in his English translation of the Quran. Thus, an Introduction gives a Quranic basis to the Religion of Submission and answers the question, “why are we here?” Appendices in the translation give details of the mathematical miracle of the Quran, proof of messengership and other issues of relevance. As an example, in Appendix 9, the messenger explains God’s divine preservation of religious duties from the time of Abraham to now with the Quran correcting all corruptions in religious duties and associated rituals. Neither Muhammad nor Rashad Khalifa were ‘given’ the steps for ‘how to perform salat’.

THE QURAN AND THE MIRACLE DID NOT COME TO US DIRECTLY FROM GOD

Dr. Khalifa states in his Book, Quran, Hadith & Islam:

“Only a little thinking leads us to realize that Quran came to us through Muhammad’s mouth, and DID NOT COME TO US FROM GOD DIRECTLY. Hence the commandment that we shall obey the messenger…for he utters the words of God.

“When we seek “religious” instructions from Muhammad, or any other source beside God, we support Satan in his claim that God needs a partner. Therefore, those who worship God ALONE follow the instructions and teachings of GOD ALONE. As shown throughout this book, God’s teachings are complete, perfect, and fully detailed in Quran.”

Similarly, the delivery of the miracle and embedded information did not come to us directly from God.

RESISTANCE TO SUPPORTING YOUR POINT OF VIEW EXCLUSIVELY BY GOD’S WORDS IN THE QURAN

What is the point when a submitter, who in the process of accepting the message and verifying directly from the Quran (17:36), like the examples given above, transform from a submitter into a potential submitter who seeks “religious” instructions from Rashad and supports Satan in his claim that God needs a partner?

The answer is very simple. It is the point when one gets away from worshipping of God alone (inability to uphold God’s complete words in the Quran), and therefore that person is stripped of common sense. The following are some examples of stripped common sense of those who cannot give a point of view based exclusively on Quran.

–           They cannot define the word Quran. To them, it is something other that the Arabic Quran given to Prophet Muhammad.
–           They cannot accept that God’s words are complete in the Quran per 6:115.
–           They cannot accept that those complete words are the only source of law per 6:114.
–           They cannot accept that God’s words which make up the book (Quran) provide explanations for everything per 16:89
–           They cannot accept that God’s words in the scripture (Quran) contains the message per 21:10.

–           They cannot accept that God’s words in the Quran are called Hadith (a lowly word according to them) and that we cannot accept ANY other Hadith per 77:50, 7:185 and 45:6. Even though God calls His Glorious words in the Quran, Hadith, they are unwilling to call Rashad Khalifa’s words as Hadith.

–           They consider the messenger’s words in footnotes, subheadings, appendices, etc. as same as or ‘at par’ with God’s words in the 6346 verses of the Quran.

–           They consider the messenger, Rashad Khalifa as infallible and uphold his words as a source of law thus establishing a partner with God (under the guise of ‘authorized explanations’).

**

The human messenger imparted the message of worshiping God alone in his human words. The messenger’s words comprise of footnotes, appendices, subheadings, audios, videos, books and newsletters.

We can certainly impart the message by giving a potential believer, Dr. Khalifa’s Translation of the Quran, as it contains embedded information including the miracle of the Quran. We can provide the potential believer access to the audios, videos, books, etc.

However, if you worship God alone, can you support your point of view directly by God’s complete words in the Quran? Or do you need a partner to associate (shirk) with God’s words?

The messenger said, “My Lord, my people have deserted this Quran.” [25:30]

**

None of the above, in any way, means that any of Dr. Khalifa’s work should be cast aside nor does it mean that a thorough study of his should not be done nor does it mean that anyone should be discouraged from study of his works/videos, etc.

It simply means, that when a point of view is advocated, can support from the words of the Quran be provided. The source remains the Quran (Statute Book).  For Statute Law explanations and teachings do not become a source of law.

RELATED LINKS

Admission Test Q&A
Idolatry Q&A
Obey God and His Messenger
Rashad Khalifa on Quran alone
Reversion to Idolatry
Quran Text
Appendices in Rashad Khalifa Translation

Reversion to Idolatry

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In just two decades after the Prophet’s death, the idol worshipers who were defeated by the Prophet in the conquest of Mecca (632 AD) reverted to idolatry. Ironically, this time around their idol was the Prophet himself. Such idol worshipers obviously did not deserve to possess the pure Quran.                                 Dr. Rashad Khalifa, Messenger of God, Appendix 24

In three decades after the death of the Messenger of the Covenant a reversion to idolatry is complete. Like before, the idol is the messenger whose message was – worship God alone by upholding the Quran alone. The reversion to idolatry goes hand in hand with the rejection of the Quran as perfect, complete, fully detailed and the only source of law (2:2, 6:19, 6:114-115).

In their delusion, some of the traditional Muslims do not allow any images or statues, lest they fall prey to idolatry. They are oblivious to another form of idolatry (16:20-21, 3:79, 18:102, 9:31, 9:107) – following as a source of law (6:114-115, 18:27) words other than God’s words in the fully detailed scripture, the Quran. Numerous verses of the Quran point this out with verse 6:19 explicitly stating that following any other words as testimony is idolatry.

Thus, the revertors to idolatry cannot accept that the Quran:

  • Is the Arabic Quran which has 6346 verses
  • Has complete words of God which are the only source of law (6:114-115)
  • Is a Statute Book, bound by Statutory Law and which contains the message (25:1, 21:10)
  • Provides explanations for everything (16:89)
  • Is called Hadith and the only acceptable Hadith (77:50, 7:185, 45:6)

In defiance of God and His Messenger, the revertors equate the messenger’s human words in subheadings, appendices, footnotes, audios, videos, etc. as equivalent to God’s words in the Quran. They take the messenger’s human words as source of law under the guise of ‘obey the messenger’ and ‘authorized explanations’. Thus, they cannot answer the following questions which expose their beliefs and their distinct religion.

QUESTIONS WHICH EXPOSE THE IDOLATRY OF THE REVERTORS

What is your definition of the Quran?
Do you accept that God’s words are complete in the Quran per 6:115?
Do you accept that God’s words in the Quran are the only source of law and fully detailed per 6:114?
Do you accept that the Quran is a Statute Book per 25:1?
Do you accept that the scripture contains the message per 21:10?
Do you accept that the Quran provides explanations for everything per 16:89?
Do you accept that Rashad Khalifa was a human messenger of God?
Do you consider words which make up subheadings, footnotes, appendices, newsletters, books, audios and videos as words of a human or do you consider them as God’s words?
In the AEVQ, do you consider the properly identified words of the translated numbered verses as separate and distinct from footnotes, subheadings, etc.?
Do you consider the subheadings, footnotes, appendices, etc. as a sources of law?
Do you consider the words of subheadings, footnotes, appendices, etc. to be the same or ‘at par’ with the words of God in the Quran?
Do you accept that the Quran is a hadith?
If God’s words in the Glorious Quran can be called hadith, why would Rashad Khalifa’s words in subheadings, footnotes, appendices, newsletters, books, audios and videos; not be called hadith?

Acceptance that God’s words in the Quran are complete, perfect, fully detailed, only source of law and the only hadith leaves no option but to accept that worship of God alone boils down to upholding only His words in the Quran as the only source of law. Indeed, BELIEF in God dictates that we BELIEVE God. This is not acceptable to those who associate (shirk in Arabic) Rashad Khalifa’s words with God words.

OBEY GOD AND HIS MESSENGER

The Mohammedans justify following sources other than Quran under the same guise of ‘obey God and His messenger’. Their sources are called Hadith (narration) and Sunnah (system). The revertors call their additional sources ‘authorized explanations’. They cannot accept the fact that God Himself calls His own words in the Quran, Hadith and admonishes us not to follow any other hadith (45:6).

The following is to demonstrate to the revertors that they don’t obey God, nor do they obey the messenger. This is from the ‘The Great Debate’ video.

Dr. Abdel Rahman Salem: “So, you don’t believe in Hadith and Sunnah. Do you believe in Hadith and Sunnah?”
Dr. Rashad Khalifa: “I believe the Quran is complete, perfect and fully detailed because God said so in the Quran”
Dr. Abdel Rahman Salem: “And we don’t have to use Hadith and Sunnah at all?”
Dr. Rashad Khalifa: “Does not matter – ANY other source”

OBEY GOD AND HIS MESSENGER – IN PRACTICE

When the messenger was alive, the submitters with him would and were expected to treat him as a boss or superior or a person in charge (e.g.: 24:62,63).  The submitters would not take the messenger’s requests lightly. Those wanting to confer with the messenger were obligated to pay to charity before conferring (58:12).  The submitters with the messenger could ask him to judge among their disputes and unhesitatingly accept his judgement. The righteous submitter would readily obey the messenger in mundane daily affairs or not so mundane requests like an invitation to Tucson for a visit.

When it came to religion and worship of God alone, with the messenger, it was always, always the Quran left, right and center. There was never an occasion that we were asked to ‘obey the messenger’ because it was always, ‘what does the Quran say.’ Anyone can verify this from Quran studies and videos. The messenger in various formats including one-to-one talks with submitters consistently reminded us of the following only God’s words in the Quran (6:19, 6:38, 6:114-115, 17:46, 39:45).

FABRICATION AND INNOVATION

As pointed out the messenger, never stated that we should follow him rather than God’s words in the Quran. The revertors have fabricated and innovated the messenger’s words as a source of law calling them ‘authorized explanations’ and under the emblem ‘obey the messenger’.

The revertors then, promptly FAIL to obey the messenger when it comes to the messenger’s own explanations and teachings! Certainly, they have already failed to obey God as pointed out above. (The following is not comprehensive and does not include clear writings by the messenger in the AEVQ, newsletters or his book, “Quran, Hadith & Islam” admonishing us to follow only the words of God in the Quran).

RASHAD KHALIFA ON QURAN ALONE

“We follow God. We follow the word of God alone. The principle is very easy – if it is not in the Quran, we have no consideration for it.
…your criteria is the Quran. If it is not in the Quran don’t believe it, no matter who is talking to you. It is a very simple principle. This is what we follow.
But you must be aware of this principle. It is our principle – if it is not in the Quran, I don’t believe it. It may or may not be correct, but if it is not in the Quran, I am not following it.”- Rashad Khalifa, Friday Sermon, 1989 Conference.

“Quran is the final scripture. It is completion of the message.
The Quran is all you need. In fact, God said the Quran is complete, perfect and fully detailed. If you go to any other source you will be disobeying God.
You devote yourself completely to God alone and devote yourself to the word of God alone, the Quran alone.” – Rashad Khalifa, Essentials of Submission Video.

“We are people who follow the Quran, the whole Quran and nothing but the Quran. Therefore, anybody and this means anybody who brings any information must conform to the Quran, the whole Quran and nothing but the Quran.  And if anyone, I will underline anyone, who comes up with information that is not confirmed by the Quran, we tell him forget it, we don’t accept it. The criterion is preaching, confirming existing scripture, the Quran and nothing else.” – Rashad Khalifa, Khutba announcing his messengership, April 1988.

Additional mentions of Quran alone by Rashad Khalifa.

THE QURANISTS AND THE REVERTORS

The Quranists fail to follow the Quran, since they cannot accept outside the Quran sources such well-established meaning of words and/or distort Arabic words into something alien. They reject what was revealed before the Quran such as religious duties given to Abraham (2:4).

Thus, some of the Quranists believe in 3 salat based on their corruption of the verse 11:114. Their translation of that verse violates Arabic language and word meanings and no other translation supports their translation.

The Quranists have company in their method of fabrication of God’s only acceptable religion. The revertors similarly fail to accept, outside the Quran generally accepted principles, existing for a millennium. They also go one step further.

(1) They outright reject 6:115. They just cannot accept that God’s words are complete in the Quran (if you get them to define the word Quran in the first place).

(2) They reject the Arabic and English grammar rules of “And” vs “OR”

(3) They cannot accept the concept of Statutory law in existence centuries before Jesus. Unlike Common Law, the source always remains the written law in Statutory law. God has explicitly called the Quran, a Statute Book (25:1).

(4) They defy common sense in seeking to obey a dead messenger (while at the same time failing to obey him). There are two major blunders here – they look to the messenger’s words of explanation as a source for religious law in defiance of 6:114-115 (and numerous other verses) and they seek a dead (16:21) messenger to judge in their affairs (4:65).

ABUSED VERSES

The traditional Muslim’s religion is based on the abuse of a handful of verses – 33:56 (praising Mohammad instead of God), 33:21 (Muhammad was a good example and thus you should do what Mohammad did) and 59:7 (Muhammad allows and enjoins).

Christians in a similar fashion abuse a handful verses the most prominent being “only begotten son” written in a later Gospel.

ABUSED VERSES

  1. [81:19] This is the utterance of an honorable messenger.

This verse clearly refers to MOC as the footnote clearly points out and provide mathematical evidence. The abusers focus on the word ‘This’ which clearly refers to the Quran as evidenced by 81:27, 69:40, 69:48, 2:252, 28:59 and 98:2 (A messenger from God, reciting Sacred Scriptures). In defiance of the evidence and common sense the revertors believe the word ‘this’ sanctions them to make the messenger’s words a source of law.

  1. [5:19] O people of the scripture, our messenger has come to you, to explain things to you, after a period of time without messengers, lest you say, “We did not receive any preacher or warner.” A preacher and warner has now come to you. GOD is Omnipotent.

This verse clearly refers to MOC and the abusers focus is on the word ‘explain’.  While the verse clearly states ‘explain things’ rather than ‘explain revelations’ or ‘explain verses’; they set aside the fact that there are 20+ verses which state God explains the revelations (2:230, 2:242, 3:103, 4:26, 5:75, 5:89, 6:46, 6:55, 6:105, 6:126, 7:32, 7:58, 7:174, 9:11, 10:5, 10:24, 13:2, 16:89, 17:12, 24:18, 24:61, 30:28, 57:17, 75:19). God is the only Teacher of the Quran (55:2) and one of God’s means of communication with humans is through inspiration (42:51). God thus explains the Quran to the sincere.

[2:242] [21:61] GOD thus explains His revelations for you, that you may understand.
[3:103] …GOD thus explains His revelations for you, that you may be guided.
[5:75] … Note how we explain the revelations for them and note how they still deviate!
[5:89] …GOD thus explains His revelations to you, that you may be appreciative.
[6:46] … Note how we explain the revelations and note how they still deviate!
[6:55] We thus explain the revelations and point out the ways of the wicked.
[6:65] [57:17] …Note how we explain the revelations, that they may understand.”
[6:105] We thus explain the revelations, to prove that you have received knowledge, and to clarify them for people who know.
[6:126] … We have explained the revelations for people who take heed.
[7:32] [9:11] [10:5] …We thus explain the revelations for people who know.
[7:58] … We thus explain the revelations for people who are appreciative.
[7:174] We thus explain the revelations, to enable the people to redeem themselves.
[10:24] …We thus explain the revelations for people who reflect.
[13:2] … explains the revelations, that you may attain certainty about meeting your Lord.
[24:18] GOD thus explains the revelations for you.
[30:28] …We thus explain the revelations for people who understand.

  1. [98:2] A messenger from GOD is reciting to them sacred instructions.

We don’t hear as much about this verse as the MOC translated it as “A messenger from God, reciting Sacred Scriptures” in appendix two.

  1. [21:27] They never speak on their own, and they strictly follow His commands.

Their obvious focus is on the words, ‘…never speak on their own…’ thus providing themselves the authorization to sanction anything the messenger said as a source of law. The farce here is they promptly disregard numerous teachings of the messenger which do not suit their religion (see above).

  1. [42:51] No human being can communicate with GOD except through inspiration, or from behind a barrier, or by sending a messenger through whom He reveals what He wills. He is the Most High, Most Wise.

This verse informs us that God communicates to a human through inspiration and through a messenger. God’s communication from behind a barrier only applied to Moses since God spoke to him directly. They disregard God’s communication with humans through inspiration and focus solely a ‘sending a messenger through whom He reveals what He wills’. The messenger provided us ‘authorized explanations’, is their proclamation. The ‘authorized explanations’ above by the messenger are promptly set aside together with disobeying God’s words in the Quran.

The following verse makes it clear that the Quran provides all explanations.

[16:89] The day will come when we will raise from every community a witness from among them, and bring you as the witness of these people. We have revealed to you THIS BOOK to provide EXPLANATIONS for EVERYTHING, and guidance, and mercy, and good news for the submitters.

  1. [4:150] Those who DISBELIEVE in GOD and His messengers, and seek to make distinction among GOD and His messengers, and say, “We believe in some and reject some,” and wish to follow a path in between;
    [4:151] these are the REAL DISBELIEVERS. We have prepared for the disbelievers a shameful retribution.

[4:152] As for those who BELIEVE in GOD and His messengers, and make no distinction among them, He will grant them their recompense. GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful.

Believe it or not, the revertors use verse 4:150-151 to state that there should be no distinction between God and His messengers thus giving themselves a free pass to treat the messenger’s words and God’s words in the Glorious Quran as equal. Thus, they join the company of the Muhammadans who make the same claim. Verses 4:150-151 deals with those who disbelieve.

THE CONSEQUENCES OF REVERSION TO IDOLATRY

Admission Test is a central aspect of the Revertors religion and was never a central aspect of the religion when the messenger was alive. This is for the simple reason that the words ‘Admission Test’, ‘Perfect Health’ and ‘Perfect Wealth’ are not words of the Quran nor are those words in the Quran Index in the AEVQ.

Rashad Khalifa provided a conceptual explanation for tests mentioned in the Quran (29:2, 2:155) with his phrase ‘Admission Test’.

Most submitters do not have a problem with Rashad Khalifa’s explanation that new submitters who claim to believe in God alone will be tested per 29:2 and other verses. In his explanation, primarily in the King of Chaos video (one of the earliest videos produced for the free channel of local city channels), he classifies the three stages a new submitter might go through.

However, the revertors have taken Rashad Khalifa’s words and his explanation and attempt to foolishly and abjectly apply his explanation to the whole Quran. The revertors explain the Quran (or certain aspects/parts of the Quran) in light of what the human messenger said in his conceptual explanation. This is absurd and has led the revertors into setting up a partner with God and into the realm of idolatry.

Most certainly, one is stripped of common sense when they set up a partner next to God and thus shift to the dominion of Satan. Thus, the resultant behavior of revertors as subhuman. Dr. Rashad Khalifa’s niece died of cancer under the age of 40. With terminal cancer she attended two conferences. Some, with beliefs of revertors, did not even extend the courtesy of Salam to her, let alone ask her about her health. Dr. Khalifa’s niece was just example of this subhuman behavior. Other examples include other submitters attending the conference (in similar circumstances like Dr. Khalifa’s niece). The revertors had no qualms in passing judgement of the worst in the Hereafter for submitters who passed away, for according to them, ‘they did not pass the admission test.’ This subhuman behavior was magnified with no consideration of the family and loved ones of the departed.

More than likely, this subhuman behavior by these revertors is reserved for those who claim to worship God alone but exempted for their neighbors or office colleagues who are sick or who lose loved ones.

RELATED LINKS

Admission Test Q&A
Idolatry Q&A
Obey God and His Messenger
Rashad Khalifa on Quran alone
Supporting a point of view from the Quran
Quran Text
Appendices in Rashad Khalifa Translation

The Islamic Jesus

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The Islamic Jesus

Mr. Mustafa Akyol, a journalist and moderate Muslim. Quoting the write up in the above write up in Christian Science Monitor, “For starters, all three worship the God of Abraham. This is not breaking news, of course, but author Mustafa Akyol makes the most of this and other commonalities.”

The Quran advocates the absolute worship of God alone (“You shall not worship except God”) and for us not to make distinction among God’s Messengers.

The messenger has believed in what was sent down to him from his Lord, and so did the believers. They believe in GOD, His angels, His scripture, and His messengers: “We make no distinction among any of His messengers.” They say, “We hear, and we obey. Forgive us, our Lord. To You is the ultimate destiny.” [Quran 2:285]

This commandment is repeated in three other verses in the Quran.

The message of all messengers of God including Abraham, Jesus and Muhammad was the same – You shall not worship except God; also known as the First Commandment in the Torah, Gospel and the Quran.

The Arabic word “Islam” translates in English language as “Submission” and thus all messengers including Jesus and Muhammad practiced the Religion of Submission to God.

The Study Quran Translation

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And when God is mentioned alone, the hearts of those who believe not in the Hereafter recoil. But when those apart from him are mentioned, behold, they rejoice. [39:45 – The Study Quran]

The translators of the Quran and the editors of THE STUDY QURAN validate that they do not follow nor observe God’s Words and commandments in the Quran. They demonstrate the condition of the majority of those who call themselves Muslims (the Arabic word Muslim translates in English as Submitter) who have either no knowledge of the Quran or if they do have the knowledge they simply do not obey God’s Words in the Quran.

Their translation (used here) states that the Quran is fully detailed for religious law and the only acceptable Hadith and Sunnah. BELIEF in God dictates that God should be BELIEVED. The editors and translators of this project do not believe nor submit to God’s own Words in the Quran.

QURAN – FULLY DETAILED

Say, “What thing is greatest as testimony?” Say, “God is witness between you and me. And this Quran has been revealed unto me, that thereby I may warn you and whomsoever it may reach. Do you bear witness there are other gods beside God?” say, “I bear no such witness.” Say, “He is only One God, and truly I am quit of that which you ascribe as partners unto him.” [6:19]

. . –We have neglected nothing in the book- . . [6:38]

(Say) “Shall I seek a judge apart from God, when it is He Who has sent down unto you the book, expounded?” Those unto whom We have given the Book know that it has been sent down from thy Lord in truth; so be not among the doubters. [6:114]

The Word of Thy Lord is fulfilled in truth and justice. None alters His Words, and He is the Hearing, the knowing. [6:115]

We have indeed brought them a Book, which We have expounded with knowledge, as a guidance and a mercy for a people who believe. [7:52]

Following a source other than Quran is but idolatry (18:27) as a god other than God is being followed for religious law.

RELIGION OF ABRAHAM

Islam (the Arabic word Islam translates in English as submission) is called the Religion of Abraham in the Quran. We produce the following translated verses from The Study Quran to point out that ours is indeed the Religion (Creed) of Abraham, and to point out that the translators left the Arabic word, a hanif, untranslated. Hanif translates as monotheist.

And who shuns the creed of Abraham, but a foolish soul? We chose him in this world and in the Hereafter he shall be among the righteous. [2:130]

And they say, “Be Jews or Christians and you shall be rightly guided.” Say, “Rather [ours is] the creed of Abraham, a hanif, and he was not of the idolaters,” [2:135]

Say, “Truly my Lord has guided me unto a straight path, an upright religion, the creed of Abraham, a hanif, and he was not of the idolaters.” [6:161]

Then we revealed unto thee, “Follow the creed of Abraham, a hanif, and he was not among the idolaters.” [16:123]

HADITH

Just like the Arabic word Hanif is untranslated above, The Study Quran translators and editors could have left the Arabic Words Hadith and Sunnah untranslated in the following verses. Leaving those two words untranslated would make sense as those words are increasing referred to in the media.

However, had The Study Quran translators and editors left the Arabic Words Hadith and Sunnah untranslated, the bottom would fall out of their entire project. The Quran makes it clear that the only Hadith to be followed is the Quran itself and no Hadith other than the Quran can be followed. We have inserted in the following translated verses the Arabic Word Hadith and the Arabic Word Sunnah.

Certainly in their stories is a lesson for those possessed on intellect. It is not a fabricated account (Hadith); rather, it is a confirmation of that which came before it, and an elaboration of all things, and a guidance and a mercy for a people who believe. [12:111]

So in what discourse (Hadith) after this will they believe? [77:50]

These are the signs of God that we recite unto thee in truth. So in what discourse (Hadith) after God and His signs do they believe? [45:6]

So leave Me with those who deny this discourse (Hadith). We shall lead them on little by little, whence they know not. [68:44]

So in what discourse (Hadith) after this will they believe. [7:185]

And among mankind are those who purchase idle discourse (Hadith) to lead astray from the way of God without knowledge and who take it in mockery; for them there shall be humiliating punishment. [31:6]

God has sent down the most beautiful discourse (Hadith), a Book con-similar, paired, whereat quivers the skin of those who fear their Lord. [39:23]

SUNNAH

Sunnah means system. The Quran only refers to God’s system and never to the Prophet’s system nor the messenger’s system nor to Mohammad’s system.

[That is] the wont (Sunnah) of God that came to pass aforetime; and you will find no alteration in the wont (Sunnah) of God. [48:23]

But their believing benefited them not when they saw Our Might. [That is} the wont (Sunnah) of God which has been passed among His servants; and the disbelievers were then lost. [40:85]

Thou shalt find no alteration in the wont (Sunnah) of God, and thou shalt find no change in the wont (Sunnah) of God. [35:43]

[That is] the wont (Sunnah) of God with those who passed before; and you will find no alteration in the wont (Sunnah) of God. [33:62]

FIRST COMMANDMENT

The first commandment – you shall not worship except God – is central to The Quran, the Torah, the Gospel and the Creed of Abraham.

God bears witness that there is no god but He, as do the angels and the possessors of knowledge, upholding justice. There is no god but He, the Mighty the Wise. [3:18]

Know, then, that there is no god but God, and ask forgiveness for thy sin and for the believing men and believing women. God knows your coming and going, and your abode. [47:19]

Say, “I am only a warner, and there is no god but God, the One, the Paramount. [38:65]

Indeed, when it is said unto them, “There is no god but God,” they waxed arrogant. [38:65]

NO DISTINCTION AMONG MESSENGERS

The Quran forbids us in making any distinction among God’s messengers. The Religion of Submission (In Arabic: Islam) is a Religion of God. It is not a religion about Mohammad, Jesus, Moses, who among others were merely messengers of God.

Say, “We believe in God, and in that which was sent down unto us, and in that which was sent down on Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and in what Moses and Jesus were given, and in what the prophets were given from their Lord. We make no distinction among any of them, and unto him we submit. [2:136]

The messenger believes in what was sent down to him from his Lord, as do the believers. Each believes in God, His Angels, His Books, and His messengers. “We make no distinction between any of His messengers.” And they say, “We hear and obey. Thy forgiveness, our Lord! And unto Thee is the journey’s end.” [2:285]

Say, “We believe in God, and in that which was sent down unto us, and in that which was sent down upon Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and in what Moses, Jesus and the prophets were given from their Lord. We make no distinction among any of them, and unto him we submit. [3:84]

But those who believe in God and His messengers and make no distinction between them – unto them He will give their rewards. God is forgiving, Merciful. [4:152]

DESERTION OF THE QURAN

And the Messenger will say, “O my Lord! Truly my people have taken this Quran for foolishness.” [24:30]

And so too have the translators and editors of The Study Quran taken the Quran as foolishness.

The translation has 1996 pages, sure to turn off anyone seeking a study of the Quran, even though the translation itself covers 1584 pages. Less than 20% of the words in the translation are the actual translated words of the Quran.

The translators and editors of The Study Quran suppress the Words of God in the Quran to the words of humans. They attribute reverence to those human’s words written centuries after the revelation of the Quran. They call those human words Hadith & Sunnah. As the Quran and their own translation states the only acceptable Hadith and the only acceptable Sunnah are the words of the Quran.

The Sunnis, Shias and the various sects in Islam have no differences about the Quran. Each sect has its own “authentic” Hadith. Each sect draws conclusions about various verses of the Quran through the lenses of their Hadith. So too have the translators and editors of The Study Quran. The simple and clear verses and the words of the Quran are drowned by the words of humans. The Creator’s Words are secondary to the words of God’s human creatures to the translators and editors of The Study Quran.

By giving the words of men in Hadith and Sunnah abrogation authority, over the Word of GOD in the Quran the translators and editors of The Study Quran have committed the very thing GOD commanded not to do in verses 6:114-115.

The Hadith and Sunnah literature may be valuable as sources of history but none of them can be used to derive meanings of the Quran. All interpretation and meaning should be derived in light of the Quran.

IN LIGHT OF THE QURAN

O you who believe! Ask not about things which, if they were disclosed to you, would trouble you. And if you ask them while the Quran is being sent down, they will be disclosed to you. God has pardoned this, and God is Forgiving, Clement. [5:101]

**

Obey God and His Messenger.
Where do we find details about Salat in the Quran?

The Study Quran

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Could this Quran curb extremism?

The Study Quran project has a ruinous flaw which is promoted as central to the undertaking – commentary from outside the Quran.

The various sects of Islam have do not attribute their differences to the Quran, but to their own commentary. The commentary is based on sources external to the Quran. These sources known as traditions or Hadith and Sunnah are condemned in the Quran.

The Quran is a fully detailed scripture for religious law. Yes one may comment on the verses, but the comment must be supportable by other verses from the Quran. The source has to be internal rather than external to the Quran. There is a translation which does precisely that.

[Quran 5:101] O you who believe, do not ask about matters which, if revealed to you prematurely, would hurt you. If you ask about them in light of the Quran, they will become obvious to you. GOD has deliberately overlooked them. GOD is Forgiver, Clement.

For any study of a verse, the whole verse should be looked, subsequently verses before and after a particular verse and finally in light of the whole Quran prior to drawing any conclusion.

IN LIGHT OF THE QURAN – FREEDOM OF RELIGION

[2:256] There shall be no compulsion in religion: the right way is now distinct from the wrong way.

IN LIGHT OF THE QURAN – BASIC RULES FOR ALL FIGHTING

[60:8]  GOD does not enjoin you from befriending those who do not fight you because of religion, and do not evict you from your homes. You may befriend them and be equitable towards them. GOD loves the equitable.

[60:9]  GOD enjoins you only from befriending those who fight you because of religion, evict you from your homes, and band together with others to banish you. You shall not befriend them. Those who befriend them are the transgressors.

VERSE 47:4

[4:74] If you encounter (in war) those who disbelieve, you may strike the necks. If you take them as captives you may set them free or ransom them, until the war ends. Had GOD willed, He could have granted you victory, without war. But He thus tests you by one another. As for those who get killed in the cause of GOD, He will never put their sacrifice to waste.

Islamic Reformation

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In “An Open Letter to Moderate Muslims,” Mr. Ali Rizvi ends by saying Islamic reformation needs radicals. We cannot agree more. Here is the radical idea from the Quran.

Quran is the only source of religious law and following any other source for religious law is idolatry (6:114-115; 7:52; 10:37, 6:19; 6:38). Yes this means that we accept the Quran literally, as it is actually written and without any need for metaphorical explanations. This concept within the words of the Quran is alien to ‘Muslim’ scholars, moderate Muslims and Western scholars of Islam.

Almost all contracts have a “The entire agreement clause.” The Quran makes it clear that it is the only source of religious law. No other source including Hadith or Sunnah may be a source of religious law. No outside or parol evidence other than the words of the Quran can be considered for religious law.

Those who call themselves Muslims and indeed the Moderate Muslims have little or no idea what the Quran states. Most who call themselves Muslims have set aside the Quran and go by volumes of Hadith & Sunnah written 250+ years after the revelation of the Quran. The Quran condemns any hadith or Sunnah (system) other than the Quran. The Western Scholars revel at all the nonsense in the books of Hadith/Sunnah and have no hesitation in defining Islam (in English: Submission) based on books other than the Quran.

Absolutely there should be the study of the Quran. Numerous translations are available in the internet for side by side comparisons. Most translators translate (including Western Scholars) through the lens of the books of Hadith/Sunnah. This is a fatal error. The Quran stands on its own and should be studied that way.

Mr. Reza Aslan in his book, “No god but God” narrates that when Abu Bakr was elected as Caliph he proceeded to carry out his duties with the principle, “what would Mohammad do” in a particular situation. The right principle to follow at that time as well as now is “what to do in light of the Quran.”

A study of the Quran and any conclusion should be based on examining the complete verse, looking at preceding/following verses and subsequently in light of the Quran (5:101).

Reading the Quran in Arabic (2:171), ablution before touching the Quran (56:79), prohibiting menstruating women from touching the Quran and carrying out religious duties, Sunni taraweeh in the month of Ramadan, holding the Quran over someone’s head, cutting-off of hand and FGM are not supported in the Quran. All of this, which qualifies as nonsense originates from the man-written and fabricated books of hadith/Sunnah.

[5:38]  The thief, male or female, you shall mark their hands* as a punishment for their crime, and to serve as an example from GOD. GOD is Almighty, Most Wise.

*5:38 The practice of cutting off the thief’s hand, as decreed by the false Muslims, is a satanic practice without Quranic basis. Due to the special importance of this example, God has provided mathematical proof in support of marking the hand of the thief, rather than severing it. Verse 12:31 refers to the women who so admired Joseph that they “cut” their hands. Obviously, they did not “cut off” their hands; nobody can. The sum of sura and verse numbers are the same for 5:38 and 12:31, i.e., 43. It is also the will and mercy of God that this mathematical relationship conforms with the Quran’s 19-based code. Nineteen verses after 12:31, we see the same word (12:50).

[12:31]  When she heard of their gossip, she invited them, prepared for them a comfortable place, and gave each of them a knife. She then said to him, “Enter their room.” When they saw him, they so admired him, that they cut their hands. They said, “Glory be to GOD, this is not a human being; this is an honorable angel.”

IN LIGHT OF THE QURAN – FREEDOM OF RELIGION

[2:256] There shall be no compulsion in religion: the right way is now distinct from the wrong way.

IN LIGHT OF THE QURAN – BASIC RULES FOR ALL FIGHTING

[60:8]  GOD does not enjoin you from befriending those who do not fight you because of religion, and do not evict you from your homes. You may befriend them and be equitable towards them. GOD loves the equitable.

[60:9]  GOD enjoins you only from befriending those who fight you because of religion, evict you from your homes, and band together with others to banish you. You shall not befriend them. Those who befriend them are the transgressors.

VERSES REFERRED BY MR. ALI RIZVI

[4:88-89]  Why should you divide yourselves into two groups regarding hypocrites (among you)? GOD is the one who condemned them because of their own behavior. Do you want to guide those who are sent astray by GOD? Whomever GOD sends astray, you can never find a way to guide them.
They wish that you disbelieve as they have disbelieved, then you become equal. Do not consider them friends, unless they mobilize along with you in the cause of GOD. If they turn against you, you shall fight them, and you may kill them when you encounter them in war. You shall not accept them as friends, or allies.

[4:90-91]  Exempted are those who join people with whom you have signed a peace treaty, and those who come to you wishing not to fight you, nor fight their relatives. Had GOD willed, He could have permitted them to fight against you. Therefore, if they leave you alone, refrain from fighting you, and offer you peace, then GOD gives you no excuse to fight them.
You will find others who wish to make peace with you, and also with their people. However, as soon as war erupts, they fight against you. Unless these people leave you alone, offer you peace, and stop fighting you, you may fight them when you encounter them. Against these, we give you a clear authorization.

Lessons from History

[8:12-13]  Recall that your Lord inspired the angels: “I am with you; so support those who believed. I will throw terror into the hearts of those who disbelieved. You may strike them above the necks, and you may strike even every finger.”
This is what they have justly incurred by fighting GOD and His messenger. For those who fight against GOD and His messenger, GOD’s retribution is severe.

Grossness of Murder

[5:32]  Because of this, we decreed for the Children of Israel that anyone who murders any person who had not committed murder or horrendous crimes, it shall be as if he murdered all the people. And anyone who spares a life, it shall be as if he spared the lives of all the people. Our messengers went to them with clear proofs and revelations, but most of them, after all this, are still transgressing.

Capital Punishment: When is it Justified?

[5:33-34]  The just retribution for those who fight GOD and His messenger, and commit horrendous crimes, is to be killed, or crucified, or to have their hands and feet cut off on alternate sides, or to be banished from the land. This is to humiliate them in this life, then they suffer a far worse retribution in the Hereafter.
Exempted are those who repent before you overcome them. You should know that GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful.

[47:4]  If you encounter (in war) those who disbelieve, you may strike the necks. If you take them as captives you may set them free or ransom them, until the war ends. Had GOD willed, He could have granted you victory, without war. But He thus tests you by one another. As for those who get killed in the cause of GOD, He will never put their sacrifice to waste.

VERSE REFERRED BY OTHERS

[9:4-7]  If the idol worshipers sign a peace treaty with you, and do not violate it, nor band together with others against you, you shall fulfill your treaty with them until the expiration date. GOD loves the righteous.
Once the Sacred Months are past, (and they refuse to make peace) you may kill the idol worshipers when you encounter them, punish them, and resist every move they make. If they repent and observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and give the obligatory charity (Zakat), you shall let them go. GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful.
If one of the idol worshipers sought safe passage with you, you shall grant him safe passage, so that he can hear the word of GOD, then send him back to his place of security. That is because they are people who do not know.
How can the idol worshipers demand any pledge from GOD and from His messenger? Exempted are those who have signed a peace treaty with you at the Sacred Masjid. If they honor and uphold such a treaty, you shall uphold it as well. GOD loves the righteous.

Should we use the word Allah or God

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In as many times as we have been on the internet or in a discussion or a chat group, we almost always run into someone who feels offended that we use the word “God” when we talk about the One and Only God (Allah in Arabic).

It is surprising to notice that most of these Muslim brothers and/or sisters do not know that the word “Allah” is the Arabic word for the word “God”. Many of them believe that “Allah” is the name of the Muslim God. They do not realize that the word “Allah” does not belong exclusively
to the Muslims and that it has always been used before (and after) Islam by the Arabic-speaking Jews and Christians when they speak about God.

Talking to English speaking people about God using the word “Allah” is very much the same like speaking to Arabic speaking people about “Allah” using the word God. It makes all the sense to show respect to the people and their language by speaking to them in the language they use.

Insisting on the use of the word “Allah” which is the Arabic word for God immediately creates the illusion that “Allah” is a whole different deity than God of the whole world. It creates a god that belongs ONLY to the Muslims, and takes the universality of Islam out of it. We found
the comment sent by Abu Iman Robert Squires to be very informative and we re-produced it here.

The word “ALLAH”

A Comment by : Abu Iman Robert Squires

Assalamu Alaikum,

I would like to strongly concur with your observations about the use of the word “Allah” in English and any other language. Both from my conversion experience in America and my experience doing da’wah here in Kuwait, it is definitely 100% – without a shadow of a doubt – better to use the word “God” when making da’wah to English speaking people.

This alone is enough to open many hearts and minds since many people think that Muslims worship a different God. I’ve come across some Arab brothers who insist in using only the word “Allah”. They somehow think that it implies Tawhid while the word “God” implies the Trinity, etc., etc.

You know, the problem with such people is not their knowledge of Arabic, but their ignorance of English. The mushriks (disbelievers) at the time of the Prophet (saws) used the word Allah, and so do Arabic-speaking Christians. The word itself in no way implies tawhid. The reason it implies
tawhid to Muslims is that they’re Muslims. Others use this word in ways that are nothing but shirk.

The word God implies tawhid to me because I have the Islamic concept of Him. It’s all in the concept, but has nothing to do with the word itself. Also, there are statements in some da’wah pamphlets that say “all prophets since Adam used the word Allah” and that “the word Allah is
exactly the same as the Aramaic word Jesus used for God”.

The first statement is baseless and can be proved to be logically incorrect from the Quran. The second statement is incorrect, but the words are only similar, but NOT exactly alike. This whole trend of using “Allah” in English seems to come about rather recently.

Most of the translations and writings done back in the 1940’s and 1950’s used the word “God”, which is a perfectly good translation of the word Allah in Arabic. M.M. Pickthall being the main exception, since he seemed to have used “Allah” in all of the translations that I’ve seen.

The change came, I believe, as a result of Nasserite Arab Nationalism. Many Arabs I know over here still don’t know the difference between Islam and Arab Nationalism! They seem more interesting in defending their pride heritage than really spreading the message. But this is in no way limited to Arabs, I’ve dealt with Pakistanis, Malaysians, Turks and Afghanis that have the same hang-up.

The mentality of some of these brothers almost approaches that of the Bani Isra’il – the “our God vs. your God” mentality! By the way, I’ve never met an English-speaking convert to Islam (or Spanish-speaking, or French-speaking) who disagreed with me on this point. Most them went
through a stage wondering why (some) Muslims insist on using Allah.

I should also add that I know a lot of Muslims that use “God” when speaking English. I find this rather common among most Egyptians that I know. In Morocco, where I visit quite frequently, the also use Dieu when they parlez francais.

Insh’allah, more Muslims will realize this and our da’wah will become more effective. This is a BIG barrier, but many Muslims don’t realize it. Many come up with baseless reasons to justify it (for whatever reason). What do we converts know anyway!!! Ha! Another point before I go…some people like to try to draw exact parallels between English and Arabic words which just don’t fit.

The word “ilah” in Arabic can be used for a false god or for Allah. (Like when God says (paraphrased) the “ilah” of Ibrahim”, and numerous other example.) Anyone who can read the Quran should know this. However, unlike the word “god” in English, which ALWAYS implies a false god. Non- native English speakers sometimes mistakenly believe that “god” and “God” are the same English word, but they are not. They carry completely different meanings. If they doubt this, then they simply don’t know how to speak the English language. And to say that the word “Allah” can only be used for the Supreme Almighty Creator is refuted by the Quran itself.

It clearly says (and I paraphrase here rather liberally) that Christians say that “Allah is Jesus”. There you have it, applying “Allah” to something that isn’t “Allah” right there in the Quran. You see, what people really mean to say is that you SHOULDN’T use “Allah” for anything
except the Almighty Creator, but you still CAN. The same thing goes for the word God.

People can use it in the wrong way, but that doesn’t make it right. The truth is that this word too should only be used for the Almighty Creator. Remember…God has sent prophets to everyone in their OWN LANGUAGE, i.e. a language that they can understand. How many more people
around the world wouldn’t be dying on SHIRK if many Muslims woke up and started making da’wah in a way people can understand? Well, I’ve spoken my peace.

Abu Iman Robert Squires

***

Here is another comment and response by Steven Thomas;

To: BILL H——–

From: STEVEN THOMAS

Sorry Bill, but your sources are dubious at best. Souroush for instance is a evangelical missionary associated with Jimmy Swaggart – great reliability there!

The fact is that Allah does not refer to the moon god or have associates. The linguistic breakdown of Allah is “The/Al God/Lah”. That is why all Christian Arabs (monophysists, Nestorians, Orthodox, Roman, and Protestant (yes, even Mr. Shouroush) use the term Allah to refer to God the Father when they speak Arabic. Lest you wonder where I am coming from, my degrees are Biblical Arch. and Arabic language.

Try again.

Steven.

— The Pitts <c—@centurytel.net> wrote:

The god of the Quran and the God of the bible are completely different. Allah being contrived from AI-Llah the moon god. Please feel free to research it yourself. As your own documentation says,..”don’t mean to offend anyone.”

Peace,

There is no one offended here.

God of the Arabic Bible is called “Allah”. I do not think you believe that there is a god for the English Bible and another god for the Arabic Bible and a third for the Italian bible…etc. It would be too naive.

There is ONLY one God. His name in English is God, in French: un dieu, in Italian: dio, in German: Gott, in Spanish: Dios, in Portuguese: Deus, in Arabic: Allah, and in Aramaic : alaha.

All these are no more than the names of God in different languages To this day the Christian Arabs pray to Allah and talk about Allah. They called Him Allah even before Islam was born and they know they were not worshipping any moon god. Those who still speak Jesus language
(Aramaic/syriac) call God alaha to this day like Jesus did. Jesus did not pray to a moon god but to alaha (Allah), the One and Only God.

The Arabic Bible, use the word Allah for God. If you want any images of the Arabic Bible with the word Allah in it (for God of the Bible), please let me know.

If you want to verify it, call any Arabic church in the USA or any English speaking country and ask them what they call God in their Arabic Bible and whether they still use the word Allah in their Bible or not.

Jewish Arabs also pray to Allah and talk about Allah just like an English person talks about God.

The Origin of the name “Allah”

It seems unlikely that the name Allah comes from al-ilaah “the God”, but rather from the Aramaic/Syriac alaha, meaning ‘God’ or ‘the God’. The final ‘a’ in the name alaha was originally the definite article ‘the’ and is regularly dropped when Syriac words and names are borrowed into Arabic. Middle-eastern Christianity used ‘alah’ and ‘alaha’ frequently, and it would have often been heard.

But in the Aramaic/Syriac language there are two different ‘a’ vowels, one rather like the ‘a’ in English ‘hat’ and the other more like the vowel in ‘ought’. In the case of ‘alah’, the first vowel was like ‘hat’ and the second like ‘ought’. Arabic does not have a vowel like the one in ‘ought’, but it seems to have BORROWED this vowel along with the word ‘alah’. If you know Arabic, then you know that the second vowel in ‘allah’ is unique; it occurs only in that one word in Arabic.

Scholars believe that Jesus spoke mostly Aramaic, although sometimes he spoke Hebrew and he might have spoken Greek on some occasions. If Jesus spoke Aramaic, then he referred to God using basically the same word that is used in Arabic.

From [email protected] (Dr. Christoph Heger)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.islam
Subject: Re: How About That Moon God?
Date: Wed Mar 25 18:59:38 EST 1998
Message-ID: <[email protected]>

Greetings to all,

The theory that Allah had been the name of an old Arabic moon god (or moon goddess?) is not familiar to me and I am not in a position to accept or falsify it. The following remarks only are thought to serve further elucidation of the matter.

The ancient Greek historian Herodotos in the first volume of his historic work “Histories Apodexis”, line 131-132, refers to the religion of the Persians. He writes:

“They sacrifice to the sun and the moon and the earth and the fire and the water and the winds. Only to those they sacrifice of old. In addition they learnt to sacrifice to Urania [=the Celestial one, i.e. Aphrodite; Ch.H.], too. They learnt it from the Assyrians and the Arabs. The
Assyrians call Aphrodite Mylitta [Assyrian: Bilit; Ch.H.], the Arabs Alilat…”

This “Urania”, indeed, in some connections appears as a moon goddess. “Alilat”, of course, is to be related to the Arabic feminine form “al-ilah”, a nomen unitatis which has the meaning of “the (single) deity”.

The etymological derivation of “Allah” as a contraction of “al-ilah”, which was maintained in numerous contributions to sri, too, is “popular” etymology and surely not historic. It would be rather strange that especially the “i” should have been disappeared due to neglect of the
speakers, since the syllable “il” is the most important in “al-ilah”: “il” or “el” is the semitic word for God since times immemorial.

Instead, the word “Allah”, as a lot of other words, especially words of the religious sphere, was imported from the Syriac (Aramaic) language: “alaha” – with three long a-vowels -, is the Aramaic word for the (Christian) unique God. The last (long) “a” characterizes the status absolutus
in the Aramaic language and was duly omitted by the Arabs like case endings in the Arabic vernacular, whereas the understanding of the first syllable of “alaha” as an article was a common misunderstanding like for instance in “al-Iskandar” from Greek “Alexandros” etc. The doubling of the “l” is irrelevant, since the doubling sign is a very late invention of Arabic orthography, centuries after Muhammad.

Kind regards,

Christoph Heger

Even some of the traditional Scholars agree on this one; see this Question and answer from a traditional scholar

The Origin of the Word ‘Allah’…

Question:

What is the derivation of “Allah”? Some scholars say it derives from al+ illah (“the God”), but many Muslim Ulema and translators of the Quran (such as Maulana Muhammad Ali) disagree with this, and say that “Allah” is whole in itself, as a proper name for the Supreme Creator. But is there any philological relationship between Allah and other Semitic terms for “God” such as Eloah (Hebrew) and Alaha (Aramaic/Syriac)?

Thank you.

Peace and blessings of Allah be with you.

Shahid M, USA

Reply

Although a lot has been said about the philology of the word ‘Allah’, however, in my opinion, the former of the two opinions noted by you seems to be closer to the correct one. A detailed discussion compiling the opinions of various scholars of the Arabic language regarding the origin of the word can be seen in “Lisaan al-Arab” under the word “Aliha” (a-l-h). In my opinion, ‘Allah’ is an Arabic word meaning ‘the God’. According to the general principle of making proper nouns from common nouns in the Arabic language, the word “ilah” (common noun) has been converted to “al-ilah”, which became “Allah” due to the turgidity and the slight difficulty of pronunciation of the word “al-ilah”.

The Quran, because its prime and first addressees were the Arabs, used the word “Allah” for the Supreme Being, as that had traditionally been the word used for the Supreme Being in that language. The same had been the case in the older scriptures. Those scriptures, like the Quran, used those words for the Supreme Being, which had already in vogue in those languages, to refer to the Supreme Being.

However, there have been scholars of the Arabic language who ascribe to the opinion that “Allah” is the actual name of the Supreme Being. It is indeed important to the evidence that they have provided into account. Nevertheless, I feel that to give God a name is a requirement of us,
humans. God, being the absolute being is in no need for a name.

May the Almighty guide us all to the path of His liking.