Article Competition

Article competition is here!

This is our first opportunity offer and more subjects will arise in the future, God willing

We would like to see large member participation in this excellent opportunity!  If you are not a member, please register and become one today!

Awards will be given for first, second and third place!

For details, please visit: Article Competition Is Here!

From the Old Testament to the Qur’an

The Old Testament and New Testament are books incorrectly revered by Christians to be the direct words of God. Today’s Jews (the remnant of Israel from the tribe of Judah after the conquest by the Babylonians) know the Old Testament to be the instructions of God put in writing from the memories of ancient scribes. Thusly, came the term ‘the Scriptures’ or ‘the Writings’. The fact is the Jewish admission is more accurate of not only the Old Testament but the New Testament as well. The first five books of today’s version of the OT were written by Ezra in Hebrew upon the rebuilding of the second temple in 400 BC but were later destroyed during the revolt lead by the Maccabbees 167-151 BC. Only Greek translations from outside ancient Israel still existed at this time. Although the Torah (1st 5 books of the OT) was retranslated back into Hebrew the language became a dead language for 1600 years! In the 200’s AD the Torah was compiled with the books named after the Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah etc) and the writings (Psalms, Proverbs, etc.). All of these copies were written by the memories of those thought to be scribes or were completely anonymous according to Jewish scholars. The compilation which now makes up today’s OT was written in part, compiled and edited 1275 years After Moses lead them out of bondage in Egypt.

Read more and post discussion or debate: From the Old Testament to the Qur’an

Or, visit: Islamfactor.org

The Sublime Quran

In this translation the word Idribuhun is translated as “to go away”. The traditional belief is “to beat”.

This is the controversial verse that most women do not like. As all of us know the word is derived from darab. Some other verses in the Quran that uses the same word is below. YOu will see the difference between Beat and the following translations.

Seest thou not how Allah sets forth a parable? – A goodly word like a goodly tree, whose root is firmly fixed, and its branches (reach) to the heavens,- of its Lord. So Allah sets forth parables for men, in order that they may receive admonition.

(Charity is) for those in need, who, in Allah’s cause are restricted (from travel), and cannot move about in the land, seeking (For trade or work): the ignorant man thinks, because of their modesty, that they are free from want. Thou shalt know them by their (Unfailing) mark: They beg not importunately from all the sundry. And whatever of good ye give, be assured Allah knoweth it well.

If thou couldst see, when the angels take the souls of the Unbelievers (at death), (How) they smite their faces and their backs, (saying): “Taste the penalty of the blazing Fire-

Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husband’s) absence what Allah would have them guard. As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (Next), refuse to share their beds, (And last) beat them (lightly); but if they return to obedience, seek not against them Means (of annoyance): For Allah is Most High, great (above you all).

(The translation is by Yusuf Ali)

That way I agree with Sublime Quran. Good work. Translation is from the context of the Quran

Read more and post discussion or debate: The Sublime Quran

Or, visit: Islamfactor.org

Dr. Laleh Mehree Bakhtiar

We have the best compilation of information on the net on Dr. Laleh Mehree Bakhtiar who is the female Islamic scholar who translated the Meanings of the Quran in a work entitled, “The Sublime Quran”

For more information on this Scholar of Islam:  Dr. Laleh Mehree Bakhtiar

Emotional Abuse

The book Im reading calls it an “indirect form of violence” which all of us see in our relationships and often acquiesce under the guise of tolerance. Victims are often unaware of their manipulation as the common techniques of abusers are in innuendo, spiteful allusions, lies and humiliating remarks.

People who get swallowed up in it (the victims) often are blamed for being too weak as their identity is swallowed up in trying to please the abuser (who is rarely satisfied) and the abuser is allowed (tolerated) to go on to victimize other people.

It is effectively possible to destabilize or even destroy someone with the seemingly harmless words and hints, inferences, and unspoken suggestions and usually those close to the situation will not intervene.

A narcissistic abuser grows in stature at the expense of the other as he avoids any inner or spiritual conflict by shifting the responsibility for what is wrong to the other person. Thus, if the other person (victim) is responsible for the problem, wrong-doing, guilt, and suffering don’t exist.

This defines emotional abuse.

Read more and post discussion or debate: Emotional Abuse

Or, visit: Islamfactor.org

Voting is Haram in Islam

Being a Muslim denotes that accepting, promoting and supporting kufr (non-Islam) is contrary to the very belief of Islam. Yet we find Muslim candidates standing up as representatives of various political parties eagerly wanting to become part of the British Parliamentary (Legislative) system. An establishment that rules by the laws constructed from the mind of man, where man is made sovereign and has the exclusive right to legislate, a concept that clearly violates a basic tenant of the Islamic belief, namely that Allah (swt) is the sole legislator and commander (Al-Haakim). Therefore the very foundation of this government contradicts Islam and any support or representation of it is just as much a violation.

What kind on non-sense is this?

This is the problem with extremist Muslims that I have. “Oh, Allah is the supreme legislator so we cannot vote!” How else are Muslims supposed to take control of a government… oh wait, that is right… through violence!

Seems like any idiot can be a cracker jack scholar these days.

Read more and post discussion or debate:  Voting is Haram!

Or, visit: Islamfactor.org

Muhammad Asad, Leopold Weiss

In August 1954, there appeared in America a remarkable book, written by an author named Muhammad Asad and bearing the title The Road to Mecca. The book, a combination of memoir and travelogue, told the story of a convert to Islam who had crossed the spiritual deserts of Europe and the sand deserts of Arabia, on a trek that brought him ultimately to the oasis of Islamic belief. The book immediately won critical acclaim, most notably in the prestige press of New York, where Simon and Schuster had published it. One reviewer, writing in The New York Herald Tribune Book Review, called it an “intensely interesting and moving book.”¹ Another reviewer, on the pages of The New York Times, placed the book in the pantheon of Arabian travel literature: “Not since Freya Stark,” he wrote, “has anyone written so happily about Arabia as the Galician now known as Muhammad Asad.”2

Read his biography and post discussion or debate:  Muhammad Asad, Leopold Weiss

Or, visit: Islamfactor.org

White Muslim Converts acting like Arabs

Question:

I find that a lot of White American Converts try to emulate the Arab culture. They change their names, wear the garb, and want to live in an Arabic country. If I was an Arab I would be insulted. I think it makes a mockery out of Arab Culture. Mostly I see this with High School kids who are “rebelling” against their parents or college students who want to be “different”. I mean I couldn’t just wake up one day and pretend I am Chinese. Has anyone else noticed this?

Response:

Some of it is emulating the Prophet (pbuh).

I think Jon is on to something though. Many of us reverts tend to immerse ourselves in Arabic culture to an extreme extent.

I had a close friend once who did this. He was white American. He went to such an extent that even the Arabs told him to tone it down because he wasnt Arab, it wasn’t his culture.

We can emulate the Prophet (pbuh) without assimilating out of our culture and assimilating into another culture.

It is not required that we change our names (unless our name is a bad, vulgar or false god’s name). We are not required to wear Arabic clothing, eat Arabic food, or speak and think like Arabs.

We can be American and a Muslim or Irish and a Muslim, etc., without leaving our birth culture.

Read more and post discussion or debate: White Muslim Converts acting like Arabs

Or, visit: Islamfactor.org

Islamic Rage Boy Sightings

Sighted at Islamfactor.org!

He has appeared on Islamfactor.  To view this pic and more, register at Islamfactor and visit the Cage section.

Modernizing Islam

Recently, we had a few trolls sign up for the forum with the intent to defame, declare takfir on us for sympathizing with kufar and disrupt the forum.  Alhamdulillah, Allah has protected us from their sin.

In the process, one of the accusation levied against us was that we were “modernist”.  Somehow, being called a “modernist” was a bad thing

We were modernist as opposed to what?  The opposite to “modern” is “primitive”.  So “primitive” is better than “modern”?  By this logic we should be living in a cave as opposed to a house.

What is “modern”?  It is relating to, or having the characteristics of the present or most recent period of development.

So, are we to believe that “primitive”, which is having the characteristics of the past, is better than modern?

Look at the world we live in.  Instead of using a stick we use a toothbrush.  Instead of riding a camel, we use a car.  Instead of hunting and gathering with stone tipped arrows and grass weaved baskets we go to the supermarket.

The hallmark of the Islamic religion is its pliability to the times.  Islamic Law, according to the Quran and Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) allows for this pliability in everything except one thing, the religious components of our lifestyle.  This fact is evident if one studies the seerah of the Prophet (pbuh) over the course of his life and the lives of the sahabbah during the first 100 years of the Islamic Empire, which is the rough timeframe in which our scholars extrapilate much of the rulings of Shariah.  Many more rulings of shariah are directed at the changing times and often do not even have a basis in Quran or Sunnah because the situations in modern times have changed and have not been experienced by the Prophet (pbuh) or the sahabbah.

For example, in modern times, we face issues of the harvesting of human stem cells from new born babies to correct diseases that may exist later in the childs life.  Is this acceptable in Islam?  Well, the Prophet (pbuh) and the Sahabbah did not experience science on this scale and such things were unheard of in their time.  Thus, our scholars work out a morally acceptable shariah on the topic.  They can draw off of what we do know of Quran and Sunnah that is totally unrelated to the topic and apply it to make a ruling.

Islam is not a primitive religion, nor is it meant to be.  Islam is for all time.

People who call us modernists because we stand for progress in society according to Islamic values are missing the purpose of Islam.  Islam is not a religion.  It is an entire way of life that includes religious doctrine.  It regulates much more than religion.  Religion is perhaps 10% of Islam.  The remaining 90% is Economy, Science, Governance, Military, Diplomacy and many many other things.

These “primitive” Muslims make the 10% seem like 90%.  It is these types that wish to rule a country without knowing how to build roads, schools, colleges, using diplomacy to avoid warfare, establishing justice systems for all people (muslim and not), bringing economic prosperity and many other essential aspects of our lives.

I have seen these “primitive” Muslims tout the Taliban as the model Islamic government….

Read more and post discussion or debate:  Modernizing Islam

Or, visit: Islamfactor.org