Answering "answering-islam.org"
Part 1
The web site, "answering-islam.org" has been created for the express purpose of destructive criticism of Islam and the defense of Christianity against the expansion of Islam. It seems that Islam is regarded as a great threat to Christianity.
The criticism of Islam are taken from Christian scholars who see things from their particular angle, from assumptions based on a teachings that differ from those in fundamental ways from those of Jesus - he never taught Trinity, his own divinity, or vicarious atonement and salvation through his crucifixion. They read the Quran with a negative attitude, looking for what they can interpret as flaws in Islam, sometimes twisting the meaning of the verses or inventing contradictions. Or they are taken from atheist scholars who have little idea as to how religious literature should be understood. Such scholars have also criticized Christian scriptures destructively, but this is ignored. Nothing is taken from other or Muslim scholars that is positive, and no effort is made to understand Islam in the same way as they would their own religion. No allowance is made for differences in language, the nature of their words, their grammar, idioms or literary conventions. Much narrow selective reading is done, verses are taken out of their context, and no attempt is made to go beyond the literal. The interpretation of the verses is often embarrassingly unintelligent, naive and simplistic. The instructions as to how the Quran should be read and understood is totally ignored, though the Quran was obviously written to be understood when these conditions are fulfilled. The Quran itself warns that it can only be understood when correctly read (2:121) with a positive and receptive mind (2:1-7), by the inspired heart (29:26, 81:27-29, 68:52), and that it makes some people worse (17:82). But no meditation has been undertaken. These criticisms therefore, are mostly superficial and naive and do not penetrate to the depths where the appeal of the Quran exists, and indeed, where the effects of religion ought to penetrate.
Certainly, there are problems connected with the understanding of the Quran as there are with all religious literature. But a negative attitude is not conducive to a solution. It involves the arrogance that one is intelligent and knowledgeable enough or has made all necessary efforts to understand, so that, if one cannot comprehend something, then it must be false. Such an attitude would also have stopped all science. Much of the problem lies in the desire to apply logical rules or the intellect alone when, in fact, feeling and the experience that comes from disciplined actions is also required. Consciousness and gnosis are necessary and one understands the Quran through the heart rather than the head.
"Nay, but it (the Quran) is a clear revelation in the hearts of those who are endowed with knowledge, and none deny Our revelations save the unjust." 29:24
"And have they not hearts wherewith to understand, and ears wherewith to hear? For, indeed, it is not their eyes that are blind, but it is the hearts which are within their breasts that grow blind." 22:46
"(This is) a Book (the Quran) which We have sent down to you, full of blessings, that they may ponder over its Verses, and that men of understanding may remember." 38:29
As Jesus said "He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God." John 8:47
The Quran says:- "Those unto whom We gave the Scripture recognize (this revelation) as they recognize their sons. But lo! a party of them knowingly conceal the truth." 2:146
No one who genuinely wishes to know about Islam (or anything else) would go to learn about it from people who are hostile to it. Obviously, the idea that such people have of Islam is not the same as the idea that Muslims, those who have accepted it, have of it. These two ideas are mutually exclusive. If Islam is what Muslims accept, understand, present and teach, then what the hostile people present is not Islam but something different.
It is also necessary to consider that there are many levels of intelligence, types of human beings, and many degrees of knowledge, understanding, faith and practice in any religion. There is no justice in comparing the teaching of one religion with the practices of the people of another or the best in one with the worse in another.
It seems a rather perverse obsessional occupation to spend so much time and effort studying the details of the Quran only in order to mount a destructive criticism, ignoring all its spiritual and moral teachings and insulting and demonizing a large section of the world population which follows the religion of Islam. This is particularly so when that religion also honors Jesus, the Prophet and Messenger whom the critics profess to follow. They claim to follow the religion of love but in their action display hatred.
The Quran and Islam are criticized by Christians on the following grounds:-
(1) Criticism:-
The Quran like the Bible is not in its original form. To prove this the history of the way the Quran was originally spoken by the Prophet, how the text was written and collected and compiled into a book is cited. This history is taken from Hadith, early Muslim records, not always reliable or detailed enough to indicate what was meant, but selected to support prejudices. Where evidence is sparse speculation is introduced.
Answer:-
It was certainly not originally a single book, but came in small portions as revelations to the prophet in accordance with the needs of the circumstances. These were written down and memorized by many people. It was originally a recitation with several variations, and the Prophet himself approved them. The way it is recited and the circumstances of the revelation, therefore, are relevant to the meaning and significance of the Quran. Much of the early controversy, as today, refers not to the text but to interpretations of it. There was some controversy as to whether some of the instructions or prayers of the Prophet were to be included in the Quran or not. But these were left out when doubtful, though some people were convinced they ought to be part of the Quran. When written down it did not have diacritical marks, which were added latter.
The Quran was compiled into a single book under the Caliph Osman and has remained the same ever since. There was no great objection to this version by those who had memorized and written it down. Some of the Hadith tell us that somethings, which were thought to be part of the Quran originally, are not in the present version. But there is no evidence that anything exists in the Quran which was not originally a revelation and introduced from outside. As many of the ideas in it are repeated and many people memorized and wrote them down, it makes no difference if something was left out. The Quran also tells us that if something is forgotten God will replace it with something like it or better. It is the Quran itself that states that Allah will preserve the Quran. The Quran must, therefore, be regarded as being in the state in which it was supposed to be. But the promise need not necessarily refer to the written words but to the ideas, the meaning and significance which remains in tact among the righteous followers.
(2) Critic:-
There is a contradiction between the following verses:-
"Strongest among men in enmity to the believers wilt thou find the Jews and Pagans; and nearest among them in love to the believers wilt thou find those who say, 'we are Christians'." 5:82
"Take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends. They (Jews and Christians) are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily Allah guides not an unjust people." 5:51
Answer:-
But they have failed to quote the rest of 5:82 "That is because there are amongst them men devoted to learning (or priests) and men who have renounced the world (or monks), and because they are not proud."
And the next verse:- "And when they hear what has been revealed to the Messenger, you will see their eyes overflow with tears at what they recognize as Truth; and they will say: O our Lord! We believe, so record us amongst the witnesses." 5:83
Or:- "They are not all alike. Of the people of the Book there is an upright community, reciting the revelations of Allah throughout the night, falling prostrate (in Surrender. They believe in Allah, and in the last day, and bid intelligent (or right) conduct, and forbid what is stupid (or wrong), and vie with one another in good works; these are among the righteous." 3:113-114
Or:- "Allah does not forbid you respecting those who have not made war against you on account of your religion, and have not driven you forth from your homes, that you show them kindness and deal with them justly; surely Allah loves the doers of justice. Allah only forbids you respecting those who made war upon you on account of your religion, and drove you forth from your homes and backed up others in your expulsion, that you make friends with them, and whoever makes friends with them, these are the unjust. " 60:8-9
(3) Critic:-
Christians believe that God is constant, but the Quran tells us that Allah can cause some things to be forgotten, abrogate some instructions, and replace them with others.
Answer:-
And yet they believe that Jesus has abrogated the Jewish Law and Christianity supersedes Hebrewism. They continue to change their religion. They have introduced women priests and homosexual marriages and so on. Certainly Jesus abolished divorce (except for adultery), but Christians introduced it. Jesus taught:-
"Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire....
"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell...."
"Again, ye have heard that it has been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these comes of evil...."
"Ye have heard that it has been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away...."
"Ye have heard that it has been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. Ye have heard that it has been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy." Matthew 5:21- 43
Certainly circumstances and conditions of life change and things appropriate at one time are not appropriate for another. There is also development and progress so that even values supersede previous ones.
(4) Critic:-
Arbritariness of Allah:-
"Allah has prescribed for himself as law to act merciful" 6:12. is contradicted in the same Sura: (verses 35-39):
"If it were Allah's will, he would gather them into true guidance.... Whom Allah wills he leaves to wander, whom he wills, he places on the way that is straight" 6:35-3
The Muslim's hope rests on that despairing word: "IF it pleases Allah."
Answer:-
This is a rather unintelligent interpretation. The question is: What is it that pleases Him? This is made abundantly clear in the Quran. It is also the Christian belief that God can do as He likes but that He is Loving. Does not the above verse say that He has prescribed Mercy for himself? So He wills Compassion and it pleases Him. And is it not true that there are evil doers and non-believers in the world? Or is it the Christian claim that God will not punish them or that He is impotent? What about those who misinterpret the scriptures and think they are obeying God but are not? Will people be saved by their belief in the Crucifixion of Jesus without works or will they be saved by obeying the instructions of Jesus in Matthew 7:18-24?
(5) Critic:-
There is a contradiction between the Bible and the Quran. Both cannot be true and from God. The Bible is from God and is true. Therefore, the Quran is not from God and is untrue.
Answer:-
The contradiction exists in the mind of the reader. He may have attachments to a particular view point, terminology and attitude and wants to judge all things from that. This is like a person who sees a house from the front, and denies the truth of any description of the house seen from the back or sides. In fact, examination shows that there is complete agreement between the Quran and the Words of Jesus. But there is a contradiction between the teachings of the church on the one hand and both the Quran and Jesus' teachings on the other. Jesus, for instance, did not teach that he was God, the Trinity, vicarious atonement or salvation by faith alone. See Matthew 7:21-23, John 17:3,12, John 4:21, Matthew 19:17, John 6:30,38,57, 7:16, 8:28, 10:37-38, 12:49 Also 1 Corinthians 8:6, Ephesians 4:6
Jesus knew well the distinction between God and the Messenger:-
"Whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of Man (Jesus) it shall be forgiven him; but unto him that blasphemes against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven." Luke 12:10
Christians tell us that the Quran accepts the Torah and Bible as revealed and yet Muslims reject them. This is not true. The Quran accepts the teachings revealed to Moses and Jesus. These are not necessarily the same as the Old and New Testaments. Nor are the teachings of the Christian Churches or Priests the same as that of the Old and New Testament or as the original teachings.
"Ye People of the Book! Why do ye clothe truth with falsehood and conceal the truth, while ye have knowledge? 3:71.
"There is among them a section who distort the Book with their tongues: you would think it is part of the Book, but it is no part of the Book." 3:78.
Christians quote the following to prove that Christians would not change the Word of God:-
"I warn every one who hears the words of the prophecy of this book; if any one adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if any one takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book." (Revelation 22:18-19).
But this clearly refers to the Book of Revelations. It was included in the NT as other books were excluded by human beings. But it is not necessary to change the written text of scriptures, it is perfectly possible to misinterpret it or teach things it does not contain as if it did.
(6) Critic:-
Some Christians think that the Quran has misunderstood what Christianity teaches. e.g. Christians do not think that Jesus is physically begotten by God. This mistake also makes them misunderstand the Trinity. The Quran supposes that the three are Jesus, his mother Mary and his Father in heaven. Christians believe in One God.
Answer:-
The fact is that some or most Christians did and do understand "begotten" literally, and do think that there are three persons in the Trinity. There are still those who regard Mary as "Mother of God", worship Mary and Jesus, but appear to have forgotten the Father.
(7) Critic:-
There is no confirmation or justification for believing Muhammad that he had revelations. He performed no miracles and did not arrive in fulfillment of Prophecies.
Answer:-
As a matter of fact he was well known as being truthful before his mission began and people were present when he received his revelations. His altered state was seen. He also performed a number of miracles but miracles are not regarded as proof of the truth of teachings. The Quran was the only recognized miracle, and it was to be accepted by understanding the truth in it, and not because of sensationalism and desire for wonders as in the past. He also came in fulfillment of the prophecies in Deuteronomy 18:18 and John 16: 12-15. Christians deny this but this is no different from Jews denying that Jesus came in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies.
(8) Critic:-
Islam contains much that comes from Hebrew, Christian and Pagan sources. It is not original, but a mixture.
Answer:-
The Quran admits that it contains teachings from previous religions and confirms past scriptures. There is but one Truth and it was revealed through a series of Messengers and Prophets in the past. All Human beings do have the faculty for recognizing truth to various degrees. This is not confined to any particular community. God can choose anyone He wishes to convey His Word. It can hardly be regarded as Just and Compassionate of God to confine His guidance to only a section of humanity. All religions are accepted on the same grounds of faith or discernment. But it cannot be denied that the Quran is quite unique in style and has had at least as much affect on the world as any other scripture, and arguably much more.
(9) Critic:-
The punishments for crimes in the Quran are too severe and are incompatible with a benevolent and merciful God. This is specially indicated by the punishment for theft, which is cutting off the hand of the thief. This is a permanent mutilation.
Answer:-
There are several answers:-
(a)This is, of course, only a human judgment. A reading of the Old Testament and the scriptures of other religions shows that God is not only benevolent and merciful, but also Just and severe in punishment. He has a great many attributes and these manifest in nature. An emphasis on only one of these attributes gives a false picture.
(b) The severity of the punishment is an indication of the seriousness with which a crime is regarded and has the educational value of inculcating this seriousness, and this should prevent the crime. The punishment then abolishes the crime and also abolishes itself. Thus the overall harm done is reduced and this is in accord with compassion and wisdom. If as a result of a milder punishment theft continues to flourish and spread then the total amount of harm done to the community is certainly vastly greater than that inflicted by the punishment. Does the critic think that it is "civilized" or compassionate to allow crimes to flourish or to incarcerate thieves in prisons? We do not think so.
(c) The thief knows the punishment and must be presumed to have accepted the risk involved in his crime.
(d) It is also necessary to understand that theft caused by dire necessity e.g. hunger or great need is forgivable. It is the duty of the community to ensure that such dire needs do not arise. This is also what Zakat (obligatory Charity) exists for.
(e) The Quran also teaches Compassion and Wisdom. Compassion could override the severity, but Wisdom might prevent it from doing so.
Much is made of the fact that human lawyers distinguish between theft (sarika), confiscation (khiyana, usurpation (ghasp)and embezzlement (ikhtilas, which leads to injustices. Cutting off of the hand is punishment for stealing property secretly and not for forcible robbery or for stealing from a public place. But there are also punishments for these. It applies to property and not to persons, time, reputations, abilities and so on. There is, however, no such distinction in the Quran and the distinction appears to be made by people desiring to get round the severity of the law. But the critics give no credit for these exceptions. The fact that Western Law made by men is also full of loopholes is ignored. Whereas forcible robbery can be regarded as more serious in some ways, it can be argued that the crime is more obvious and, therefore, less insidious and socially damaging than the furtive crime. Most people can also see the difference between crimes against a person and those that are not.
(10) Critic:-
Islam treats women as inferior to men. Much is quoted from various past Muslim scholars to support this idea while Christian writings are quoted to show that women were honored in Christianity. But there is a great amount Christian literature to show the opposite and this is ignored. The supposed inferiority of women in Islam is deduced from the following:- The wife is required to obey her husband and can be beaten by him if she does not. He can divorce her but she cannot divorce him. Men are allowed up to four wives, but women are allowed only one husband. Men can also have concubines.
Answer:-
These things were also permitted in the Old Testament and Jesus did not abolish them. In fact, there is equality between men and women in Islam but their differences and circumstances are recognized. Justice requires that people should be treated proportionally to their similarities and dissimilarities. Injustice results when differences are not recognized. In the past there were few jobs for women and marriage was their career. Men had economic and political responsibilities for women and in return certain duties were expected from them. The chastisement of wives was a common practice, but the instructions in the Quran were meant to control the practice. It did not condone arbitrary violence but it permitted chastisement for misconduct without inflicting injury. Polygamy was a method of dealing with the widows and orphans resulting from wars. The status of women under Islam was much higher than anywhere else in the world, until very recently. They had property and legal rights denied them elsewhere.
It is also necessary to understand that an Islamic family is an extended one unlike the nuclear Western one. This makes possible much mutual support and reduces the possibilities of abuse. Disputes between husband and wife can therefore be settled by discussion and arbitration between the families, particularly the respected elders.
Here are some quotations from the Quran with respect to the relationship between the sexes:-
"O mankind! Be careful of your duty to your Lord, who created you from one soul, and created therefrom its mate, and scattered from the twain a multitude of men and women. Be careful of your duty towards Allah, in whose name ye claim rights of one another, and the wombs that bore you; verily, Allah is Watcher over you." 4:1
"And of His signs is this: He created for you helpmeets from yourselves that ye might find rest in them, and He ordained between you love and mercy. Lo! herein indeed are portents for folk who reflect." 30:21
"Lawful unto you are all beyond those mentioned, so that ye seek them with your wealth in honest wedlock, not debauchery. And those of whom ye seek content (by marrying them), give unto them their portions as a duty. And there is no sin for you in what ye do by mutual agreement after the duty (hath been done). Lo! Allah is ever Knower, Wise." 4:24
"And covet not the thing in which Allah hath made some of you to excel others. Unto men a fortune from that which they have earned, and unto women a fortune from that which they have earned. Envy not one another but ask Allah for His Bounty. Lo! Allah is ever Knower of all things." 4:32
"Lo! men and women who surrender unto Allah, men and women who believe, men and women who obey, men and women who are true, men and women who persevere, men and women who are humble, men and women who give in charity, men and women who abstain, men and women who guard their chastity, and men and women who remember Allah much, Allah hath prepared for them forgiveness and a vast reward. And it becomes not a believing man or woman, when Allah and His messenger have decided an affair for them, that they should after that claim a say in their affair; and whoso disobeys Allah and His messenger, he is indeed in manifest error." 33:35-36
"They are raiments for you and ye are raiments for them." 2:187
"I suffer not the work of any worker, male or female, to be lost. Ye proceed from one another." 3:195
"And they (women) have rights similar to those of men over them in equity, though men have a degree of responsibilities (or advantages) over them." 2:228
Critic:-
The Bible tells us:-
"Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment." 1 Corinthians 1-7
"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;... So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself." Ephesians 5:25,28
Answer:-
But you have failed to quote:-
"Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing." Ephesians 5:22, 24
"But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God." 1 Corinthians 11:3
"Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law." 1 Corinthians 14:34
(11) Critic:-
In Christianity the love of God is unconditional. He loves the sinners. But according to the Qur'an God only loves the righteous, the godly, the repentant, and those who fight for his sake. But God does not love the wicked, the wasteful, the proud, the infidels, and the ungodly, etc.
Answer:-
There is a misunderstanding or deliberate misrepresentation here. In the Quran Allah has many attributes which include Benevolence, Mercy, Justice, Truth and so on. These are unconditional. He sends all mankind the provisions which sustain them and sent messengers to guide them. He is forgiving. All this implies love for mankind. But he also punishes the sinners if they do not repent, which is also a Christian teaching. This means that he does not love sinners. It is the action, which is being spoken off. On the other hand the punishment, like any other pain or suffering, has an educational purpose and is meant to deter a person from what is harmful or to lead to his reformation. It does not then flout the Benevolence and Mercy of God.
Critic:-
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16
Answer:-
But Jesus also tells us:-
"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." Matthew 7:21-23
"And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemes against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven." Luke 12:10
"And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matthew 8:11-12
"For unto every one that has shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that has not shall be taken away even that which he has. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matthew 25:29
The "only begotten" refers to the Word of God, which is in the bosom of the Father (John 1:18) and must be obeyed, and should be distinguished from the "Son of Man" who came down from Heaven (John 3:13), the Word made flesh (John 1:14) who had the glory As Of the only begotten. Remember that no man has seen God at any time, but the "only begotten" has declared him. The language is symbolic not literal.
The Quran tells us something similar in significance to John 3:16:-
"O ye who believe! Respond unto Allah and His Messenger when He calls you to that which quickens you; and know that Allah comes in between a man and his own heart; and that He it is unto Whom ye shall be gathered." 8:24
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