Posted on 04/16/2004 3:38:37 PM PDT by NYer
A central question that this investigation raises is the motivation of Uthmân in preparing his redaction of the Qurân. Luxenberg presents the two hadîth traditions recounting how Uthmân came to possess the first manuscript. If Luxenbergs analysis is even in broad outline correct, the content of the Qurân was substantially different at the time of Muhammad and Uthmâns redaction played a part in the misreading of key passages. Were these misreadings intentional or not? The misreadings in general alter the Qurân from a book that is more or less harmonious with the New Testament and Syriac Christian liturgy and literature to one that is distinct, of independent origin.
A fascinating thought; imagine how a Koran that celebrates the eucharistic liturgy, rather than the blood-lust of a crazed warlord, may have changed the course of history.
As to whether Uthman's alterations were intentional, I would say there is no doubt -- the Arabs needed a body of law to govern their conquered subjects and elevate themselves above the dhimmis, and the selective bastardization of a text which may or may not have been written by a mythically heroic Arab warlord at the convenient behest of Allah was just the ticket.
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Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)
All that is ancient in Arabian tradition derived from the Jews
Beyond these periods, Mahometan tradition is entirely worthless. It is not original, but taken at second hand from the Jews. Mahomet having claimed to be of the seed of Ishmael, the Jewish Rabbins who were gained over to his cause endeavoured to confirm the claim from the genealogies of the Old Testament and of rabbinical tradition. In the attempt to reconcile these with the received notions of the Arabs, Joktan (whom they found in Scripture to be an early immigrant into Arabia) became identified with Cahtan, the great ancestor of the southern tribes; while Mahomet's paternal line (which he himself declared could not be followed beyond Adnan, that is, about a century before the Christian era) was nevertheless traced up by fabricated steps, eighteen centuries farther, to Ishmael2. Both the legends and the ethnological assumptions or Mahometans regarding events prior to the Christian era, being thus derived directly from the Jews, possess no value of their own, and as evidence must be entirely rejected. They consist either of simple plagiarism, or they refer to Arabian personages and events of a very modern date, confounded in a rude and even ludicrous manner with the patriarchal characters and stories of the Old Testament2.
http://answering-islam.org.uk/Books/Muir/Life1/chapter2.htm
I need new glasses...
Hell hath no fury greater than a false prophet spurned.
pssst..this thread is from 2004.
most definitely!
Absolutely! I'm truly surprised that more freepes have not participated in this discussion.
My Maronite Catholic pastor is from Lebanon and speaks 8 languages, including Arabic. He also reads Aramaic, Latin, Hebrew and Koine Greek. Earlier this year, he attended a seminar given at a Cathoic College on the topic of Shar'ia. He intentionally brought along another parishioner for support. After the 'convert' finished delivering her presentation to a large audience of Muslims, she asked if there were any questions. My pastor, fully dressed in his clericals, raised his hand. He asked her why the Muslim holy book denied him his right to practice his Catholic faith. She assured him that it did not. He stood there defiantly and read the Sura from the Koran. She blushed and suggested that he had misunderstood it. He assured her that he had not misunderstood anything and then read the same Sura in Arabic. Everyone present turned towards him and then back to her, awaiting her response. Her blush rapidly flared into a violent shade of red. Ignoring his comments, she asked if there were any other questions. Father again raised his hand but she ignored him. He then passed his question to his companion.
Coming from a country where Christians have learned to co-exist with their Muslim neighbors, the Maronite Catholic priests live the words of Jesus Christ. During this summer's 30 day war, Muslims fled north into the Christian villages. There, they were housed, fed, and attended to by the Maronites. They were also invited to attend prayer services at the local Maronite parishes. One of the priests maintains a blog where he posted the most remarkable stories of children asking questions about Jesus. One boy asked him for a cross to wear. The priest told him he would give it to him if his parents gave their permission. They did.
After the cease fire, the Muslims returned to the south but invited the priest to come visit them. He did. On his first visit to their homes, one of the families explained to him that - had the tables been reversed - the Muslims would NEVER have welcomed the Maronite Catholics into their homes. They then proceeded to ply him with questions about Jesus and His teachings.
My pastor often refers to the Muslim faith as a heresy. Heresy, as you know, is a distortion of truth. I believe this German professor has found the key to that heresy but the Imams will fight back from fear of the Truth.
Letter to the Reader
To Muslims
May the Truth Set You Free
Islam is a caustic blend of regurgitated paganism and twisted Bible stories. Muhammad, its lone prophet, conceived his religion solely to satiate his lust for power, sex, and money. He was a terrorist. And if you think these conclusions are shocking, wait until you see the evidence.
The critics of this work will claim that Prophet of Doom is offensive, racist, hatemongering, intolerant, and unnecessarily violent. I agree - but I didn't write those parts. They came directly from Islams scriptures. If you don't like what Muhammad and Allah said, don't blame me. I'm just the messenger.
Others will say that I cherry-picked the worst of Islam to render an unfair verdict. They will charge that I took the Islamic scriptures out of context to smear Muhammad and Allah. But none of that is true. Over the course of these pages, I quote from almost every surah in the Quran - many are presented in their entirety. But more than that, I put each verse in the context of Muhammads life, quoting vociferously from the Sunnah as recorded by Bukhari, Muslim, Ishaq, and Tabari - Islams earliest and more trusted sources. I even arrange all of this material chronologically, from creation to terror.
Predicting what he called the "Day of Doom" was Muhammads most often repeated prophecy. While it did not occur as he foretold in 1110 A.D., it nonetheless came true. Muslims and infidels alike have been doomed by Islam...
http://www.prophetofdoom.net/Prophet_of_Doom_Islams_Terrorist_Dogma_in_Muhammads_Own_Words.Islam
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