Reply: contradicting the Koran

Submitted by Keith Williams (United States), Nov 3, 2008 at 21:27

Hi Plato,

Bottom line up front, we can't interpret the Qur'an, which is 1400 years old, with a 20th Century Arabic to English Dictionary. Secondly, there is no one all encompassing interpretation of the Qur'an. There are some radical and some moderate interpretations out there. You should be careful from whom you get your interpretation from my friend.

The events in the Qur'an happened 1400 years ago so you have to look at those events as they happened back then. Don't take them out of context and don't put them into your own context before you get the meaning of the context that it is talking about originally first. You have to interpret them with the Arabic idioms and meanings from that time and not just today's meaning of those Arabic words. We use the allegory of those stories as a way of helping us today when situations happen to us in principal but not exactly applying them today as it happened back then. The principals are the same and history repeats itself in that respect but the events don't happen exactly the same because we have a different way of life than 1400 years ago therefore we can't use the same tactics, techniques, and procedures as used back then but we can use the same principals such as don't lie, cheat, steal, murder, etc.... How we go about doing that changes but not the principals of doing them. They must be done but not in exactly the same way. For example, in war, we have principals of war and then we have tactics, strategy, techniques, etc... One principal is unity of command where if you don't have a clear chain of command of who is in charge and so on then you will have some serious problems and probably lose if you break that principal. Now how you go about achieving that principal will change from battle to battle based on the situations. You can't keep using the same tactics because why because the enemy will figure it out and beat you but you can't beat a principal. Another is surprise. You want to have surprise against the enemy but not be surprised by him. That is a very good principal huh? Well, how you go about achieving that principal? If you use the exact same tactics, techniques, and procedures then how will you achieve surprise my friend? Now, let me bring you back to principals in Qur'an. The commands given us to love and obey God and his commands is a principal that if you don't follow you go where??? Hellfire. Now, the tactics that you use changes with the times because today we got things like internet, xxx, drugs, crack, which we didn't have 1400 years ago. Sure we had some evil things 1400 years ago to get into but the enemy has new tactics. If you follow God's principals then you will find good tactics to fight against the evil tactics every time. For example, the internet is not evil in itself and can be used to do good and bad. Principal stay away from sin. Technique to stay away from evil? Stay away from the bad sites and seek refuge and help from God to help you stay away. Simple. It may sound hard but it is easy if you have God on your side and seek refuge with him and his power. We can't do it without God. Yep, we are too weak myself included. Yes, I would fail without God. I am very, very, very glad that God has given us Islam and his way. When I was a Christian I was a big time sinner and felt bad inside that I was not able to bust out of it but now with Islam I am strong in faith and power and every day I get closer and strong to God. I felt something missing inside. It didn't seem like it was enough to just go to church once a week and that is it. It didn't seem enough to just believe that I have to do is have faith and my sins are forgiven and I am now saved and don't have to worry about nothing. I felt like a hypocrite. That is why I converted to Islam to get a closer relationship with God and to stir away from evil. I seek refuge with God from the suggestions of the evil ones and I seek refuge with God lest they should come near me. With each prayer it is a recharge and boost of spiritual energy to give me strength for that internal Jihad(struggle) with my own ego. The constant focus on God throughout the day and with everything I do is an awesome reminder that keeps me focused on him and obeying him and knowing that he is watching everything and I want to do everything right for him. It is awesome to know that he is guarding you and loves you and guides your every move and step. Just let go and let him be in charge of your life. We just mess things up when we try to do it. Submit to his will. Accept it and you will get peace just as he promises. It is a tough battle but easier with God's help and I am glad that I have the principals and also the tactics, techniques, and procedures to win.

For example, today when you hear that a man is Gay you think homosexual but 50 years ago it meant that the man was happy. We use the same words but they change meaning over time. So you have to interpret the words as to when it was used and not how we use them today is what I was saying. Then you will be able to determine the Tafsir (meaning) in the Qur'an. Makes sense??? So, if you use an Arabic dictionary to translate the Qur'an to get the meaning you will fall short as the gentlemen like dhimmi and btilly keep trying to translate certain words in which they say that the translators were lying because dhimmi and btilly found a different translation in a 20th century Arabic to English dictionary of the words and thereby interpreting the Qur'an falsely. The words have never changed in the 1400 years in the Qur'an and it is the same Arabic, however, the meaning of those words have to be interpreted for us by a scholar who is familiar with the original meaning from 1400 years and not just by anyone picking up a 20th century Arabic to English dictionary and saying that they found mistakes in Abdul Ali or Pichtall translation. Lastly, the clergy can then teach us how to apply those principal within todays society. I was also making the fact known that I was not a scholar in this area either and must rely on these scholars to give me the Tafsir (meaning) because of this 1400 year gap in the Arabic idioms and meaning back then to what I know and are learning from the meaning of Arabic today.

Now, you should be able to use your common sense with
54:40 YUSUFALI: And We have indeed made the Qur'an easy to understand and remember: then is there any that will receive admonition?

The Qur'an is easy to understand and remember because it is given in a beautiful melody and is easy to remember and recite. The understanding of it is easy for us once we get it translated and interpreted by a knowledgeable scholar. Every 50 or so years we have to get the Bible re-translated in to the colloquial language of what we are using today because words change meaning so much that nobody know what you really mean unless someone re-writes it into todays english do we not??? Now the Qur'an is the exact same Arabic from 1400 years so can't you see that new words have spawn up and old words that used to mean one thing may have fallen out of use or changed meaning based on changes in the way we live thru the ages???

Lastly, the sura about Abu Lahab: The father of flame. was in reference to the uncle of prophet Muhammad(PBUH). He threw some very, very, very hedious insults, injuries to prophet Muhammad and assaults as well as his wife. This sura gives Muhammad comfort that his enemies will be dealt with and justice will be served. "Abu Lahab had a fiery hot temper and ruddy complexion. He was one of the most inveterate enemies of early Islam." and "The lesson the sura conveys is that cruelty ultimately ruins itself. The man who rages against holy things is burnt up in his own rage." paraphrase of Abdulah Yusef Ali translation.

Keith

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