Qura'n Needs To Be Re-Interpreted To Reflect The True Spirit Of Islam

Pakistan Today ^ | Friday, April 12, 2002 | Tashbih Sayyed

[besieged]

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Friday, April 12, 2002

Qura'n Needs To Be Re-Interpreted To Reflect The True Spirit Of Islam By: Tashbih Sayyed Osama bin Laden's father Muhammad bin Laden never kept more than four wives at one time because he did not want to violate the sanctions of his faith - Islam - as prescribed in its holy book, the Quran. But his faith did not stop him from marrying more than fifty women. All he had to do is divorce one of his four wives and replace her with a new one whenever he chose. Saudi interpreters of the holy book told him that it was permissible. Recently, a girls school in Mecca caught fire where more than ten girls were killed because the members of the Commission for Promoting Virtue and Preventing Vice (Religious police) forced the girls to stay inside the burning building. These girls were not wearing abayas (black gowns) and head-scarves so they weren't supposed to be in public. The interpretation of the Quran Saudi authorities follow do not allow any exception to the rule. A Videotape in current circulation follows a Palestinian mother preparing her son for a suicide bombing mission and saying that if she had one hundred sons, she would send them all to kill the Jews. The Quran that she has been taught sanctifies suicide and the murder of innocent people. The regional conflicts and territorial disputes in Kashmir, Palestine, Afghanistan etc. are being termed in the Muslim world as Jihad (holy war). The people being dying in its name are being honored as shaheeds (martyrs). This is because the Muslim clergy feels free to interpret Islam's holy book any which way they like to justify their political causes. In Pakistan, minority Shias, Christians, Ahmadis, Hindus and others are murdered every day and places of worship are regularly attacked because the Muslim perpetrators and murderers believe that their holy book commands such barbaric conduct in the name of the Muslim community (ummah). The above snapshots are a small example of recent events in the Muslim world currently intriguing non-Muslims and getting them to ask, "What is Islam?". Westerners do not know that these deeds do not reflect the true spirit of Islam. Rather, that they are the result of an age old effort by a static Muslim clergy, who use the Quran to create narrow-minded populous, which can then be manipulated to achieve their own particular political ends. Pointing the finger at the clergy does not mean that religion can be ignored if the Muslim world is to move in a new direction. We all acknowledge that while the human mind matures, it constantly looks for guidance and tutoring from persons and institutions it considers more learned than itself in matters of moral, cultural and religious affairs. And nowhere does this dependence more glaring than in the matters of religion. Traditionally, there are two ways to seek this guidance, first, directly from the source - the religious documents - and second, from the clergy who have taken upon themselves to authoritatively interpret scripture. But Islam never made room for the clergy. Allah ( God ), wants to have a direct relationship with his creation, without the meddling of the middleman (Clergy). In order to empower the individual, God commanded them to "Read". Iqra or read, was the first word conveyed to the Prophet Muhammad himself. This emphasis on seeking knowledge for human beings was a divine plan meant to free men and women from the clutches of the clergy. Allah knew that the middleman could never convey the real meaning of his divine message because they were working for themselves or their rulers first, not God. The traditional power structures of the Islamic world were rooted in a battle between rulers and clergy vying for influence over the common man. The rulers and clergy joined hands in the end to ensure that the common man could never equip himself with the knowledge to interpret the Allah's message himself. Once the ruler - clergy nexus succeeded in keeping the Muslim masses uneducated, it brainwashed them into believing that not only the holy book is divine but the clergy's interpretation of the holy book is also divine. And anybody not following the interpretation will sure taste hell-fire. In the words of Professor R. B. Perry, "A book does not become a man's "bible" unless it has been the principal quickening influence in his spiritual life and the source of his illumination, so that he returns to it when he needs to reanimate his purposes or confirm his belief." According to this thought a holy book , "is the proved remedy to which a man confidently resorts for the health of his own soul. It becomes associated in his mind with all that he owes to it, and all that he hopes from it; so that it is not only an instrument, but a symbol." But if we look at Muslim actions today it does not seem to be the case. Muslim deeds do not seem to reflect the divine message but are rather products of its misinterpretation. In the Muslim world, men and women, are being misguided by the misinterpretations that have become more sacrosanct than Quraa'n. Until recently, the prevalent corrupted version of Islam was considered a threat only to Muslims, but after September 11, 2002, Muslims came under very tight scrutiny and have become a concern to everyone. Muslims everywhere are a target of scorn, ridicule and contempt. Muslims can deal with the situation in two ways. First, Muslims can continue to blame a "wide spread Judeo-Christian conspiracy" for their sorry state of affairs. Or, second, they can start following the educated and civilized values found in the Quran and Islam itself. As long as the killings of Jews, Christians, Hindus and other Muslim groups are justified by crude interpretations of the Quran, Muslims are letting Islam die. For its sake and for the sake of civilization, Muslims will have to challenge each and every interpretation of the Quran that is in conflict with the values of common decency, respect, and humanity. Never has an interpreter of the Quran been divinely sanctioned, nor any of his interpretations. All interpretations are open to criticism. Only the Quran is divine and divinity can never be in clash with civilization.

[besieged]

Up for discussions! Why are the Muslim voices of sanity so few? There is another cleric in Italy that supports Italy... but that is about it?

Also, where are the Jewish speakers? "If I am not for my self, who is?", no? Where is Spielberg? Where is Geffen? Why do the Jews need to be holier than the Pope?

Why does the Harvard student/acress cause such a stir? Because she is alone in the public with cajones, and she is a girl!!!

[KQQL]

Islam is peace ^@__*^ and Quran was written by a someone who thought /girlswomen should be sex slaves.( Why else would there be 72 virgins in allah's paradise , 4 wives etc

[KQQL]

Islam is peace ^@__*^ and Quran was written by a someone who thought girls/women should be sex slaves.( Why else would there be 72 virgins in allah's paradise , and men allowed 4 wives etc

[SlickWillard]

As long as the killings of Jews, Christians, Hindus and other Muslim groups are justified by crude interpretations of the Quran, Muslims are letting Islam die.

Not much to interpret here, dude:

Medina Suras
The Chapter of Women
[Chapters from the Koran]
The Harvard Classics 1909–14

But if there befalls you grace from God, he would say—as though there were no friendship between you and him—‘O would that I had been with thee to attain this mighty happiness!’ Let those then fight in God’s way who sell this life of the world for the next; and whoso fights in God’s way, then, be he killed or be he victorious, we will give him a mighty hire.

What ails you that ye do not fight in God’s way, and for the weak men and women and children, who say, ‘Lord, bring us out of this town 19 of oppressive folk, and make for us from Thee a patron, and make for us from Thee a help?’

Those who believe fight in the way of God; and those who disbelieve fight in the way of Tâghût; fight ye then against the friends of Satan, verily, Satan’s tricks are weak.

Do ye not see those to whom it is said, ‘Restrain your hands, and be steadfast in prayer and give alms;’ and when it is prescribed for them to fight then a band of them fear men, as though it were the fear of God or a still stronger fear, and they say, ‘O our Lord! why hast thou prescribed for us to fight, couldst thou not let us abide till our near appointed time?’ Say, ‘The enjoyment of this world is but slight, and the next is better for him who fears;’—but they shall not be wronged a straw.

...

Why are ye two parties about the hypocrites, when God hath overturned them for what they earned? Do ye wish to guide those whom God hath led astray? Whoso God hath led astray ye shall not surely find for him a path. They would fain that ye misbelieve as they misbelieve, that ye might be alike; take ye not patrons from among them until they too flee in God’s way; but if they turn their backs, then seize them and kill them wheresoever ye find them, and take from them neither patron nor help,—save those who reach a people betwixt whom and you is an alliance—or who come to you while their bosoms prevent them from fighting you or fighting their own people. But had God pleased He would have given you dominion over them, and they would surely have fought you. But if they retire from you and do not fight you, and offer you peace,—then God hath given you no way against them.

Ye will find others who seek for quarter from you, and quarter from their own people; whenever they return to sedition they shall be overturned therein: but if they retire not from you, nor offer you peace, nor restrain their hands, then seize them and kill them wheresoever ye find them;—over these we have made for you manifest power.

[swarthyguy]

Muslim voices of sanity seem to end up dead. Why did the WhiteHouse invite the radicals of CAIR and AMC over and not some of the other more sane representatives? Granted, there probably aren't too many of them. Also, the voices of Sufism, once prevalent in Pakistan have been brutally shut down. Most of the mosques in the US are Saudi Financed. Clerics appointed by the saudis are immersed in Wahhabism.

[SouthernFreebird]

I spit on islam.......Muhammad is not a prophet....... allah is not God.......

JESUS IS LORD, SON OF GOD

[SkyPilot]

[wafflehouse]

i dont buy this apologist drivel..
actions speak louder than words, and whoever wrote this is by far in the minority..
it sounds like an 'american muslim'.. muslims of other country would eat this person for breakfast.

[KQQL]

The difference is Arabs know what the Quran really says, but non arabs muslims try to put a fool the west by putting a moderate face to Islam/ quran...................................
as far I know...........arabs consider non arab muslims as second class muslims.......so I doubt arabs will give a damn about what non -arabs think

After all , the birth place of islam is Saudi arabia and not Pakistan ..and someone should read what the quran says and not what the word is is or was was....

[KQQL]

allah is a moon god.......now now... even the moon has feelings... so be nice to the moon

[SlickWillard]

Muslim voices of sanity seem to end up dead.

There is no such thing as a Muslim voice of sanity. Islam, like Marxism, is a religion of, by, and for, thieves and murderers.

[Aquinasfan]

No one can "interpret away" the fact that Muhammed married a 6-year-old and consumated the marriage when she was 9.

[backhoe]

Speaking for myself?

Sorry, it's too late.
There was a small window after 911, when, if enough Muslim clerics, spokesmen, and members had come forward and denounced it, I would have listened.

Too late.

My heart is very hard towards these people. Their time has passed....

[swarthyguy]

Yes, Interpreting the spread of islam as Arab imperialism, pure and simple i think is a valid way to go. After all, all converts are required to learn Arabic.

[swarthyguy]

Agreeed; imagine if they had held a Pro-US rally in NYC post 9/11 the way they have for the palestians recently. THe ungratefulness of the Arab/muslim populations in the US towards this country is stupefying.

[Aquinasfan]

The difference is Arabs know what the Quran really says, but non arabs muslims try to put a fool the west by putting a moderate face to Islam

Actually, some Muslims believe that lying to the "infidel" is morally permissible in the cause of advancing the spread of Islam. The practice is called taqija.

[KQQL]

lol......most non -arab muslims I have come across tell me they don't even know arabic....but just learn enough arabic to read the quran,,,,,,,of course most don't have clue what they read........but follow it any ways...

as far as I know, the real face of Islam is in the arab world not in the non-arab muslim nations.

[KQQL]

Hmmmm..thanks for the info...this says it all....

Muhammed did it
Taqija was practised by the Prophet, Mohammed, himself; in negotiations where he fooled his opponents. For that very reason Muslims often enter into agreements intending to break them when they have assumed control of the situation. ( This means , even if the Plo makes peace with Israel, they will still work to destroy Israel

[Cachelot]

Qura'n Needs To Be Re-Interpreted To Reflect The True Spirit Of Islam

Actually, a good beginning could be made by running it through Babelfish and then Google's offensive content filter.