Dueling Fatwas -reply to Plato

Submitted by Fazal Habib Curmally (Pakistan), Oct 14, 2010 at 23:21

I have read the Gita as I have read Upanishads translated by India's ex President Mr. S. Radhakhrishnan, who was a great and devout man. They are great works. The Gita and the the lesson it teaches is a very worthwhile and it is a great book and I read them as a much younger man. I am looking for a worthwhile translation of the Gita in English. Could you recommend one?

You have quoted Yusufali's translation and the example you gave was "You are the best of people" Have you tried read a modern translation of the Quran e Karim like Irving's, Mohammad Asad or Professor Ahmed Ali's translation? Not being fluent in Arabic, when I read the Quran e Karim, I read 3 or 4 translations to understand the real meaning. Did you do that or are you proficient in the Quran e Karim in Arabic? If you seek the truth and you are studying something in a foreign language it is best to do so by reading more than one translation. here is Professor Ahmed Ali's Translation of 3:110."Of all the communities raised among men you are the best, enjoining the good, forbidding the wrong and believing in God." The Quran e Karim after saying you are best of people then defines what makes a Muslim the best of people.

Now let us refer to the next reference you gave which is 9:28. I am still quoting from Ahmed Ali.

"O believers, the idolaters are unclean.o they should not approach the Holy Mosque after this year. In case you fear indigence(*from stoppage of business with them) then God will enrich you from his bounty, if he will, for God is all knowing and all-wise. AS you may know, Musims perform the wudhu before we pray. The wudhu is a cleaning of your arms, feet face and neck which could be normally exposed to dirt. You perform your wudhu five times a day. Now a non Mujslim is not aware of this and therefore will enter the place of prayer unclean. Do you understand the meaning of the ayat now that you have read it in its complete form.?

You have quoted a part of the whole and a part that suited your purpose.By doing this you destroyed the meaning of the Ayat . To do that is very bad manners because it is selective and shows your intent.

In my first reply I had asked you to lay things aside because of our common history we shared till 1947and the hatred that exists between our countries and religion. We barely tolerate each other. I was born in India -Mumbai to be precise and I know what I am saying. I will not quote from your scriptures to put you on the defensive because that is not my aim.

I wrote initially a comment on Duellng Fatwas and I said that any Mullah or every Mullah is not qualified to read a fatwa and it has turned to be a defense of Islam. Islam, my religion is there and will be there after I am gone to defend it is my duty. I have desisted from maligning anyone's religion because all religions are good and you should respect it and its followers. To put down some one or someone's belief is really not on and bad manners. It goes against the the teachings of my religion (You can refer to Surah Al-Kafirun or he Disbelievers for proof. It is the 109th Surah and is barely six or seven lines long) and the right to belief as is enshrined in the Declaration of Human Rights..

Go in peace, you have great works to inspire you to be a better human being and lead a fuller life. For sure you will not be greater by comparing or misquoting but because you have the courage to believe in what you consider to be the truth. This is what I wish for you.

With Regards

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