Rachid, you opened an interesting discussion!

Submitted by HARRAK (Canada), Mar 12, 2006 at 13:52

Rachid, I have to agree with you on some points here.

The Quran`s classical Arabic form and the fact that most Muslims do not understand it if they read it. Some Suras do not need Tafsir..that I agree also..

My point Mr Rachid by saying Muslims have the original text is to explain to others -you agree with me here- that basic ideas are clear..like one God, Hereafter, Justice, Equality, Peace etc..and did not have to suffer from misinterpretation like in Christianity. All other contents according me should be understood with reference to its original context. Understood within the environment it has occured in. Not just take a Sura and say it is the word of god and good forever..that is actually wrong. That is if we talk about majority Islam.

Now there is the second sect in Islam which is Shiism. Those folks do not even need the Quran as they had throughout 275 years after the death of Muhamad speaking Qurans or infallible Imams talking on behalf of god. Them only are supposed to explain the Quran..without them, the Quran is senseless..They are known even in the Quran as -Rasikhuun fi Ilm- or the deeply knowing.

Two last points to conclude:

1- In Sunnism it is known that Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman first three successors of Muhamad in Power had acted differently than the Quranic teaching and explained their action with the fact that the -Salih el 3aam) or public interest required modifying the Quranic teaching (references and sourses available up on request). That was done and accepted by Sunnites. I have a question to the Sunnite Extreemists which is the following:
If you accepted Umar and Abu Bakr -who went to the washroom just like you and I -modifying the teaching of the Quran for want of public interest, what prevents now modern Muslims from modifying the teachings of the Quran to meet public interest!

2- In Shiism, everything is delegated to the 12th Imam. No war can be declared (except self defence, take Iran as an example) no friday prayer is mandatory, no Islamic internationalism, no death pinalty (here Iran is not too Shiite) , no Jihad etc..except after the comming of the twelfth infallible Imam at the end of the world. Even the religion should be kept at home in form of Taqiyeh and not shown untill the Imam comes. I know you will ask some questions here but I wait untill you ask to make this comment not too long.

Points 1 and 2 explain that Islam is modifiable to meet modernity by excellence. The wave of misinforming about Islam is just a fire that will burn the one who plays with it. Why, because it establishes credibility for extreemism..

I do not know if doctor Pipes knows about the points 1 and 2..and if he agrees or not.

Later,

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