Dear Mr. Alsuezi,
I thank you for your post. In order to respond I would like to start backward from the end, responding to the points you have addressed in your post.
You have indicated that:
+++there is a difference between someone who wants to know what Islam is about and someone who searches the Holy Qur'an in an attempt to find verses that he / she can somehow object to and may be even attack Muslims in their faith…
How would you suggest for me (or anyone) to "KNOW" what Islam is about if he/she does not study the book by which the faith is defined! If I (or anyone) want to understand Islam, we have to have a point of reference and study to know and understand what the religion is all about. Are you implying that Quran does not represent Islam? If so then can you provide another point of reference so people like myself can understand what Islam is all about? Please, before responding (or not responding) think about what I just expressed, and put yourself in a non_Mulsim shoes. You have provided some valuable links on Islam in your introduction post, and my questions came from those very same valuable resources.
You have indicated that:
++++here is what I am thinking of doing... I will try to get a reference that explains in detail the reasons and circumstances of the verses in Qur'an... and I will try to read the Qur'an from end to end marking the verses that may raise some questions... then I will try to find what the reasons / circumstances are and post them here... how is that Mr. Stevenson ? only things is, you will have to bear with me as I tend to take my time in doing things...
I appreciate that very much. Believe me I am not out there to get you or other Moslems, I am just trying to point out what Quran says (which is the ultimate authority in understanding Islam), and then ask why Quran states matters that do not make sense in this day and age, and why people are following what Quran says if it provides a framework to (for example) inflict pain on one's wife (simply because a man feels she is not following Islam the way he wants her to do, without giving the same right to the wife! Or why Moslems are allowed to kill and destroy non-Moslems simply because they do not believe in Allah, or how Islam views God to be, etc.). Once again as honest as I can possibly be I am just trying to find out and understand why Quran says the things I have pointed out. Your help - as a Moslem - who believes in Quran (and therefore must understand it well) is greatly appreciated beyond I can possibly express.
You have indicated that:
+++++++++++Mr. Stevenson, and just briefly, the verse about a man's beating of his wife... why does anyone have to take it that this is what should be practiced ?
Shouldn’t Moslems practice what Quran tells them to do? Or is it that some verses meant to be practiced and some others need to just be ignored? Are you implying a Moslem should use his/her judgment in selectively following certain verses and ignoring others? If so I have 2 problems with this, a) If Quran is the word of God, then how can one ignore some of his words, and follow others, and b) Terrorists such as the Talibans, or Osaman’s network will continue to exist justifying their actions on specific verses of Quran and claiming them to be words from God.
You have indicated that:
+++++++furthermore, how can we know whether that verse is specific for that time period or if it is of the general verses that is supposed to be of the guidelines for Muslims ?
If it is meant to be for that time period, then the statement that Quran is meant to be for all ages and times is not correct, and hence some verses in it need to be taken out, and sanitized, to reflect their relevancy to the current (and future) times and ages.
If it is meant to be a ”general guild line for Moslems as the other alternative might be as you have indicated, then that is also the exact point and question I am trying to understand? Why does Quran provide a framework for a man to beat his wife (wives), and not providing the same right for the woman? What type of a guideline is this that a man can beat his wife if he feels she is not obeying him (in terms of his interpretation of Islam and Quran)? I am sure people like you would not take advantage of this guideline, but can you see how Moslem men can abuse their wives under the umbrella of this specific Islamic guideline?
You have indicated that:
++++++++also, if one happens not to like the reference of a husband beating his wife, but believes that the Qur'an is the word of God... should one then question the wisdom in the verse ?
With all due respect, that is exactly the logic used by the types of Taliban, and Osaman Bin Laden, and other terrorists. They are simply saying that "...yes we know that these things that we are doing maybe bad and may not make sense to the rest of the world, but according to Quran which is the word of God, we are following what it is telling us to do, and we do not question Quran's wisdom for which it is the word of God". You are not implying that what the Taliban, and other Islamic terrorists are doing is correct, are you? Because if you selectively take the verses on killing and destruction of non-Moslems from Quran, they are following what Quran is telling them to do!
You have indicated that:
+++++++++as for posts by In-God-I-Trust, yes, indeed I blocked him from posting here... he raised the same issue of the killing of non-Muslims as per the verse you referenced... and I actually looked up the circumstances of that verse in an abridged explanation of the Holy Qur'an and responded to his post... briefly, this verse is specific to certain events.... it seems that he did not like that as per his subsequent posts... and I did not like what he claimed I was doing...
It is not my nature to work hard trying to convince somebody of a point of view that I am making... so, I opted to block/ignore him along with others...
I did look up your response to IGIT regarding those verses, and yet – with all due respect - failed to see any reasonable meaningful logic with your explanations. That is why he asked them again with further explanations, and at that time you decided to ignore him and block him from posting further comments. That behavior to me indicates that – and again with all due respect to you – that you only wish to hear what you want and desire to hear, and do not want to hear matters - even though being the truth - that go against your beliefs. Hence this comes down to the point I was making earlier. Your belief in Islam may in fact be ego based, rather than genuine belief for reasons that you were born into the religion. As I indicated there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, and most people who are born into their religion feel the same way (including myself)! However I have to admit that following this behavior prevents us from seeking the truth.
In any event, Mr. Alsuezi, I appreciate your kind response and time, and very much looking forward to your help in finding out some reasonable answers to the question I raised in this, and previous 4 posts.
Sincerely,
Mr. S. Stevenson |
