Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was not only a great person in his own time, but is one of the greatest figures of all times for all races, colors, and nationalities. His example was excellent for the 7th-century Arabs and remains excellent for all people living in the 21st century. The Prophet Muhammad was an excellent example for the rich and poor, the young and old, the rulers and subjects, and for intellectuals and ordinary people. Allah sent him as His Prophet for all humanity.


The morality of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was not restricted to just a few moral attributes, but included diverse traits and aspects of life. He was kind, compassionate, caring, generous, and humble, but he was also strong, brave, eloquent, wise, and insightful. He was a great planner, organizer, and thinker while at the same time he was also a man of faith, trust, and devotion to Allah.


He was the most merciful person in all of history. He was merciful to his family, followers, friends, and even enemies. He was merciful to the young and old, to humans and to animals. Those who persecuted him in Makkah and killed his relatives and his followers were later defeated in the battles. When they were captives under the Prophet Muhammad, he forgave them. He did not ever take revenge or retaliate. He was the most forgiving person. Even in times of war, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) never allowed the killing of anyone except those involved in the fighting; he issued clear orders against the killing of civilians, including women, children, and even those who were engaged in worship of any kind. He taught his followers to observe the sanctity of all life while engaged in a just war.


In his response to your question, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states the following:


Hundreds of millions of people all over the world believe in Islam. They come from extremely diverse backgrounds and represent virtually all the known races of humanity. Further, a great number of people, both men and women, convert to Islam regularly. That thousands and thousands of people embrace Islam each year from all around the world should be seen as a testament to the peace, serenity, simplicity, and beauty of the precepts and ideals of our Prophet Muhammad's message. If the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) preached violence, and led a violent life, it does not stand to reason that so many people would continuously flock to Islam on their own free will.


The Qur'an, the most fundamental scripture of Islam, teaches sanctity of life, not violence. It enjoins peace, justice, and compassion as basic tenets for all of humankind and condemns violence and aggression in all forms. [God enjoins justice and compassion and giving freely to the next of kin, and forbids lewdness, wickedness and oppression.He admonishes you so that you may take heed] (An-Nahl 16: 90).


In a society where human dignity was measured by race, ethnicity, color, status, and wealth, the Qur'an stressed the sacred bond of humanity binding all people. [O mankind, We have created you from a single pair of a male and female, and rendered you nations and tribes so that you might know one another. The most honorable of you in the sight of God is the one who is most conscious of Him. God is All-Knowing, All-Aware] (Al-Hujurat 49:13).


Even the concept of holy war is denounced in Islam because in Islam war can only be characterized as either just or unjust, not holy. The Qur'an permits only a just war, a war waged to remove tyranny and oppression, or in self-defense. The Qur'an is categorical in denouncing all wars of aggression.


[And fight in God's cause against those who wage war against you, but do not commit aggression — for, verily, God does not love aggressors.] (Al-Baqarah 2:190)


[Permission [to fight] is given to those against whom war is being wrongfully waged — and, verily, God has indeed the power to succor them.] (Al-Hajj 22:39)


Allah also forbids Muslims from attacking anyone who allows others to live in peace:


[Thus, if they let you be, and do not make war on you, and offer you peace, God does not allow you to harm them.] (An-Nisaa' 4:90)


[Hence, if they do not let you be, and do not offer you peace, and do not stay their hands, seize them and slay them whenever you come upon them: for it is against these that We have clearly empowered you [to make war].] (An-Nisaa' 4:91)


Muhammad, thus, took up arms only in self-defense.


Muhammad was born into a tribal society where the only bond recognized was that of the tribal bond. When he preached about the unity of God and universal brotherhood between all of humankind, the powerful members of his society violently opposed him. They subjected him and his followers to relentless persecution, even to the extent of lynching some of them. They were forced to leave Makkah to immigrate to Abyssinia and then to Madinah. Even in Madinah, he was not left alone to practice his religion. The tribes from his society rallied forces to eliminate him and his followers. Numerous attempts were even made on his life.


It was in this context that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was called to take up arms to defend himself and his followers. While doing so, he never compromised the sacred principle of sanctity of life, as he and his followers were ordered to govern themselves by the firm ethics of just war and clearly defined rules of engagement.


In a milieu where the killing of a single camel unleashed numerous wars costing thousands of lives, Muhammad waged wars that can be described as minor skirmishes as their casualties were kept to a minimum on both sides. This is because nothing was more abhorrent to Muhammad than killing an innocent soul.


In order to better appreciate the ethics of Muhammad's wars, we may do well to compare him with the war heroes of the Old Testament. What we read there is total wars often involving putting entire populations to the sword. To cite a few instances:


In the cities of these nations whose land the Lord your God is giving you as a patrimony, you shall not leave any creature alive. You shall annihilate them — Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, Jebusites — as the Lord your God commanded you. (Deuteronomy 20:16-17)


Go now and fall upon the Amalekites and destroy them, and put their property under ban. Spare no one; put them all to death, men and women, children and babes in arms, herds and flocks, camels, and asses. (1 Samuel 15:2-3)


After the conquest of Jericho: "They devoted the city to the Lord and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it — men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys." (Joshua 6:21)


Contrary to the above, Muhammad never allowed the killing of anyone except those involved in the fighting; he issued clear orders against killing of civilians, including women, children, and even those who were engaged in worship of any kind. He forbade the slaughtering of animals except for food. Unlike some leaders who would order kill everything that breathed to be killed, he taught his warriors not to harm innocent living creatures. He taught his followers how to observe the sanctity of all life while engaged in a just war by narrating the story of an ancient prophet: An ant stung one of the prophets of old and in a fit of anger he ordered an entire anthill to be burned down; Allah then revealed to him, "Just because a single ant stung you, how dare you burn down an entire community which glorifies God!" (Al-Bukhari, Muslim, and Abu Dawud).


We also have traditions wherein Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade his warriors from separating mother birds from their babies.


Those who consider the Old Testament figures to be sacred in spite of their "total-war policies" and their killings of entire populations and yet fail to recognize the prophetic witness of Muhammad, are clearly driven by bias and prejudice rather than objectivity or truth. They should compare Muhammad's general amnesty to the Makkans who had persecuted him and his followers, and waged wars against him for more than a decade with that of Joshua's act of putting the inhabitants of the entire city he conquered to the sword. Compare also Muhammad's interdict against the mutilation of enemy soldiers in combat with the Old Testament narrative of King David's feat of producing two hundred foreskins of Philistines as a trophy to get the hand of King Saul's daughter in marriage.


In quoting these stories of the Old Testament, I must however rush to point out, that I am — God forbid — in no way implying that we are allowed to make a value judgment about the actions of those great heroes or prophetic figures of the past; it would be unfair on our part to judge them by our own standards and laws that have evolved over the centuries. Theirs are to be strictly studied in their own specific milieu and context and must never be extended to that of ours. As the Qur'an says: [Those are a people who have passed away; theirs was what they did, and yours is what you do.You will not be questioned about their actions] (Al-Baqarah 2: 134). Historical actions and events must be judged and analyzed contextually, and this goes for all religions as well.


Now coming back to the issue of Muhammad's wars, I must further add that it is hypocritical to consider Muhammad as a man of war when we know that countless millions have perished over the last few centuries (most of which had nothing to do with Muhammad or any other religion). Indeed millions have perished in our past "enlightened" century in the course of the two world wars and other nationalistic struggles. These include countless men, women, children, and animals who have been killed or maimed or continue to be killed or maimed as a result of the use of depleted uranium, napalm, mines, and nuclear fallout.


Indeed, millions have perished in the name of godless communism and in the pursuit of nationalism, secularism, a country's national interest, and even the pursuit of natural resources. All people of conscience should heed the prophetic witness of Muhammad, when he said, "If even a little sparrow has been killed unjustly, it will appear before the Lord of the worlds crying for justice!"(An-Nasa'i, Ad-Darami, and Ahmad)


Lord alone knows how much accounting the "civilized nations" of the world will have to render for their killing of every breathing creature in the lands invaded in the name of "democracy," "freedom," "preemption," "humanitarian intervention," and even progress. Perhaps the best way to conclude this answer would be by quoting the prophetic words of Jesus (peace be upon him): "Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?" (Luke 6:41-42).


Excerpted, with slight modifications, from www.islam.ca.

there are different ways to prove that the Qur'an is the word of God, which has always been true and has never been subjected to change or distortion. These proofs can be classified into three types: the way the Qur'an was transmitted throughout the centuries, some challenging verses within the Qur'an itself, and the periodic, modern-day discoveries in the universe that were first mentioned in the Qur'an more than fourteen centuries ago.



Unlike the Bible and Old Testament that have been subject to innumerable translations, doubtful and spurious transmissions, and corruptions at the hands of clerics up till now (with the “gender sensitive” versions coming out these days), the Qur'an was transmitted to us in an unprecedented and unique manner according to rigorous rules of transmission. The Qur'an was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) via the angel Gabriel, and the Prophet subsequently memorized the whole scripture.


Thousands of the Companions of the Prophet learned the Qur'an directly from the Prophet (pbuh). They memorized it and were known in Islamic history as huffaadh (the memorizers and preservers of the Qur'an). Moreover, a number of Companions wrote it down during the lifetime of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and it was compiled in its entirety immediately after his death.


The following generation of Muslims learned the Qur’an directly from the Companions. Thus the chain of teaching and learning through direct contact continued systematically, methodically, and meticulously until the present age.


Additionally, several of the Companions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) were appointed as scribes to record the words of the revelation directly from the Prophet himself on parchment, leather, or whatever else was available. The most famous of these scribes was Zayd ibn Thabit, who also memorized the entire Qur’an, and he formed with the others a community of huffaadh that can be compared to academic societies of our present time.


We know the Qur’an was recorded in totality during the lifetime of the Prophet (pbuh) and the different surahs (chapters) personally arranged by him. Many copies of the text were used for study and teaching, even in Mecca before the Hijrah, the migration to Medina.


The entire Qur’an was written down during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad, and trusting the fact that many scholars knew it by heart, it was not collected in one volume. It was personally arranged by him, and the Muslims memorized it in the same order. The companion Uthman reported that whenever a new verse was revealed, the Prophet would immediately call a scribe to record it. He would instruct the person to put the specific verse or verses in a particular chapter.


Furthermore, every year during the month of Ramadan, the Prophet would recite the whole Qur’an from beginning to end in its present-day arrangement, and everyday people could hear it from his own lips in the mosque. Its sequence is no mystery. Many of the Companions not only memorized it completely, they also wrote it down and even added commentary (tafseer) on their own personal copies. When the Prophet passed away, the whole Qur’an was already written down, but it was not yet compiled in book form.


During the rule of the first Caliph Abu Bakr, there was a rebellion among some distant Arab tribes that resulted in a series of fierce battles. In one particular battle, a number Companions who had memorized the Qur’an were killed. The Companion Omar worried that the knowledge of the Qur’an was in danger, thus he convinced Abu Bakr that the Qur’an should be compiled into book form as a means of preserving it once and for all.


Zayd bin Thabit was entrusted with this important task. Zayd followed strict methods in his compilation and had dozens of other huffaadh recheck his work to ensure its accuracy. Abu Bakr, who had also committed the entire Qur’an to memory, approved of the final product. After Abu Bakr passed away, the copy was passed to the Caliph ‘Omar, and then Uthman.


However as the Muslim world expanded into lands where the people spoke Arabic as a second language, the new Muslims had a difficult time learning the correct pronunciation of the text. The Caliph Uthman consulted other Companions, and they agreed that official copies of the Qur’an should be inscribed using only the pronunciation of the Quraysh tribe, the Arabic dialect that the Prophet spoke.


Zayd bin Thabit was again given this assignment, and three other huffaadh were assigned to help him in the task. Together, the four scribes borrowed the original, complete copy of the Qur’an, duplicated it manually many times over, and then distributed them to all of the major Muslim cities within the empire. Two of these copies still exist today: one is in Istanbul and the other in Tashkent.


One must keep in mind that in traditional learning in the Arab world, transmission was based upon an oral tradition as well as a written one; the Arabs (and later all Muslims) excelled in accurately reporting scripture, poetry, aphorisms, etc. through the generations without change. Similarly, the chain of huffaadh was never broken, and thus the Qur'an today has reached us in two forms: the memorized version transmitted through the scholarly chain, and the written version based upon the Companions’ initial recording.


If the Qur’an had been changed, there would be huge discrepancies between these two today, as the Qur’an has reached isolated (and sometimes illiterate) communities through the memorized form of transmission without the written form to correct it. No such discrepancies have ever been recorded or reported. In other words, isolated village A in African Mali and isolated village B in Afghanistan will both produce contemporary huffaadh reciting the same words of the Qur’an, though they did not learn from a similar printing of the scripture nor has there ever been a concerted international effort to rectify would-be discrepancies.


Allah has said in the Qur’an that He alone will protect His book, and indeed He has kept His promise. The Qur’an that we read today contains the same exact words that were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) over 1400 years ago. This is quite a miracle, especially when you consider that no other group of people can say that their book has not been subject to change by the time it reached the present generation.


Only the Qur’an has survived through the centuries unchanged, and the language in which it was revealed, classical Arabic, still enjoys practical usage around the world. While classic English of the 14th century can be understand by very few native English speakers, the Qur’an can be understood by the vast majority of Arabic-speaking Muslims. When compared to other scriptures, the Qur’an is unique in these two respects.


Furthermore, from the prolific arts that have accompanied Qur’anic learning and transmission, we can learn of the auspiciousness and honor with which the Muslims have traditionally held the Qur’an. The visual arts of calligraphy and binding, and the vocal art of recitation represent examples of such arts, and from them we can see that veracity of transmission would be understood as a fundamental aspect of Qur’anic reverence.


As regards the proofs within the Qur'an itself, they can be found in the following Qur’anic challenges:



Surah 4, verse 82:


*{Do they not then meditate on the Qur’an? And if it were from any other than Allah, they would have found in it many a discrepancy.}*


Surah 17, verse 88:


*{Say: If men and jinn should combine together to bring the like of this Quran, they could not bring the like of it, though some of them were aiders of others.}*


And Surah 2, verse 23:


*{And if you are in doubt as to that which We have revealed to Our servant, then produce a chapter like it and call on your witnesses besides Allah if you are truthful.}*


http://www.islamonline.net

Where , what, how and ......


- would all you Islam / mulsim Bashers be


- what your opinons about islam would be, what was your opinion before 911


- How educated you were about islam before 911


- What are your sources of information about islam


- Do you work / live/ interact with muslims closely


It seems People are using 911 as a platform and foundation for 90% of their arguments, just as Jews use the history of the holocast for most of theirs

QURANIC VERSES RELATING ZIKR


1. ‘Therefore remember Me, I will remember you. Give thanks to Me and reject not Me.’


2. Remember thy Lord much, and praise Him in the early hours of night and morning.


3. (Talking of the wise men these are) such as remember Allah, standing, sitting, and reclining, and consider the creation of the Heavens and the Earth, and say, (after deliberation) “Our Lord! Thou has not created this in vain. Glory be to Thee! Preserve us from the doom of Fire.”


4. When ye have performed the act of Salaat, remember Allah, standing, sitting and reclining (We should remember him in all circumstances)


5. Send not away those who call their Lord at morning and evening, seeking His countenance (Pleasure)


6. And call upon Him, making your devotion purely for Him (only)


7. And do thou remember thy Lord within thyself humbly and with awe, below thy breath, at morn and evening. And be thou not of the neglectful.


8. And guideth unto Himself all who turn to Him in penitence; who have believed and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah. Verily in the remembrance of Allah do hearts rest content!


9. Lo! I, even I, am Allah. There is no God save Me. So serve me and establish Salaat for My remembrance. Lo! The Hour is surely coming. But I will keep it hidden, that every soul may be rewarded for that which it striven to achieve.


10. (While talking to the unbeliever on the Day of Judgement, they will be asked whether they remember). Lo! There was a party of My servants who said, “Our Lord! We believe therefore forgive us and have mercy on us, for Thou art best of all who show mercy.”


11. But verily, remembrance of Allah is the most important.


12. (Those) who forsake their beds to call upon their Lord in fear and hope, and spend of what We have bestowed on them. No soul knoweth what joy is kept hidden for them as a reward for what they used to do.


Note: it is mentioned in a hadith that one who prays to Allah in the last portion of the night gains acceptance of Allah. If possible, you should remember Allah at this hour.


13. Verily in the messenger of Allah ye have a good example for him who looketh unto Allah and the Last Day and remembreth Allah much.


14. (while talking of the virtues of the believers) And men who remember Allah much and women who remember; Allah hath prepared for them His forgiveness and a vast reward.


15. O ye who believe! Remember Allah with much remembrance. And glorify Him morning and evening.


16. Then woe unto those whose hearts are hardened against remembrance of Allah. Such are clearly in error


17. Allah hath (now) revealed the most beautiful message of the Qu’ran, a Scripture consistent with itself, repeating (its teaching in various aspects). Whereat doth tremble the skins of those who fear their Lord, so that their flesh and their hearts soften to Allah’s remembrance. Such is Allah’s guidance, wherewith be guideth whom He will.


18. And he whose sight is dim to the remembrance of the Beneficent, We assign unto him a devil who becometh his comrade.


19. O ye who believe! Let not your wealth nor your children distract you from remembrance of Allah. Those who do so, they are the losers. (These things will not last beyond the grave and Allah’s remembrance will prove useful in the Hereafter.)


http://www.beautyofislam.org/Dhikr/Virtues1.htm

1- Muhammad the Womanizer?


Many anti-Islamics give this false claim against our beloved Prophet peace be upon him. Below is a Noble Verse and its description that insha'Allah (if GOD is willing) will shed some light regarding this issue. This Noble Verse is used a lot by the anti-Islamics to try to prove that Muhammad peace be upon him was a womanizer.


"Thou mayest defer (the turn of) any of them that thou pleasest, and thou mayest receive any thou pleasest: and there is no blame on thee if thou invite one whose (turn) thou hadst set aside. This were nigher to the cooling of their eyes, the prevention of their grief, and their satisfaction - that of all of them - with that which thou hast to give them: and God knows (all) that is in your hearts: and God is All-Knowing, Most Forbearing. (The Noble Quran, 33:51)"


The following Saying is a description for the Noble Verse:


Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) reported: "I felt jealous of the women who offered themselves to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) and said: Then when Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, revealed this: 'You may defer any one of them you wish, and take to yourself any you wish; and if you desire any you have set aside (no sin is chargeable to you)' (xxxiii. 51), I ('Aisha.) said: It seems to me that your Lord hastens to satisfy your desire. (Translation of Sahih Muslim, The Book of Marriage (Kitab Al-Nikah), Book 008, Number 3453)"


As we clearly see from the Noble Verse and the Narration of our beloved Prophet's wife, Aisha, may Allah Almighty be pleased with her, our Prophet did not seek women. They used to come to offer themselves to him for marriage. Allah Almighty wanted to make it more comfortable for our Prophet by allowing him to choose only the ones that he desired for marriage.


But the point of our Prophet peace be upon him seeking women and divorcing women as he pleased for his own sexual desire is a complete hoax.


Another false criticism against our beloved Prophet peace be upon him is in this narration:


Narrated 'Abdul 'Aziz: "Anas said, 'When Allah's Apostle invaded Khaibar, we offered the Fajr prayer there yearly in the morning) when it was still dark. The Prophet rode and Abu Talha rode too and I was riding behind Abu Talha. The Prophet passed through the lane of Khaibar quickly and my knee was touching the thigh of the Prophet . He uncovered his thigh and I saw the whiteness of the thigh of the Prophet. When he entered the town, he said, 'Allahu Akbar! Khaibar is ruined. Whenever we approach near a (hostile) nation (to fight) then evil will be the morning of those who have been warned.' He repeated this thrice. The people came out for their jobs and some of them said, 'Muhammad (has come).' (Some of our companions added, "With his army.") We conquered Khaibar, took the captives, and the booty was collected. Dihya came and said, 'O Allah's Prophet! Give me a slave girl from the captives.' The Prophet said, 'Go and take any slave girl.' He took Safiya bint Huyai. A man came to the Prophet and said, 'O Allah's Apostles! You gave Safiya bint Huyai to Dihya and she is the chief mistress of the tribes of Quraiza and An-Nadir and she befits none but you.' So the Prophet said, 'Bring him along with her.' So Dihya came with her and when the Prophet saw her, he said to Dihya, 'Take any slave girl other than her from the captives.' Anas added: The Prophet then manumitted her and married her."


Thabit asked Anas, "O Abu Hamza! What did the Prophet pay her (as Mahr)?" He said, "Her self was her Mahr for he manumitted her and then married her." Anas added, "While on the way, Um Sulaim dressed her for marriage (ceremony) and at night she sent her as a bride to the Prophet . So the Prophet was a bridegroom and he said, 'Whoever has anything (food) should bring it.' He spread out a leather sheet (for the food) and some brought dates and others cooking butter. (I think he (Anas) mentioned As-SawTq). So they prepared a dish of Hais (a kind of meal). And that was Walrma (the marriage banquet) of Allah's Apostle." (Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Prayers (Salat), Volume 1, Book 8, Number 367)"


In this narration, we clearly see that our beloved Prophet peace be upon him:


1- Had the opportunity to keep the woman, Safiya bint Huyai, as a slave, but instead, he honored her, manumitted her, and married her, and she became his honorable wife instead of his slave.


2- Safiya bint Huyai was chief mistress of the tribes of Quraiza and An-Nadir.


Where do you see our beloved Prophet peace be upon him being a womanizer here?


http://www.answering-christianity.com/womanizer.htm

The Bible and the Legitimation of Violence


There's nothing quite so hypocritical as an Evangelical Christian criticizing the Qur'an for (allegedly) advocating indiscriminate violence. In order to participate in this exercise in self-delusion, one not only has to turn a blind-eye to the unambiguous views of 1,400 years of mainstream Islamic scholarship, but it's necessary to pass over quite a number of explicit verses in the Bible and large portions of Christian history as well. This is discussed in a forthright and learned manner by a Yale University scholar in the following article published in the Journal of Biblical Literature:


The Zeal of Phinehas: The Bible and the Legitimation of Violence


However, in spite of the overall merits of this article, it seems that the author couldn't quell the temptation to take a swipe at the scripture of Islam. After informing us of a view that holds that the Bible is the "most dangerous" of all books, the author opines that "…other books, notably the Qur'an, are surely as lethal". Well this statement is "not quite true", regardless of the author's claim, since even though both the Bible and the Qur'an have been abused and misinterpreted, if one looks at history there's no way to justify the statement that the Qur'an is "as lethal". Indeed, in spite of the bloody activities of a vocal and militant fringe element of Islam in recent decades, the violence committed in the name of Islam over the centuries still pales in comparison to the crimes carried out in the name of Christianity. In medieval times, Muslims had nothing on the scale of the Spanish Inquisition or the Wars of Religion that Europe experienced, nor did Muslims ever put the entire population of Jerusalem to the sword or burn large numbers of heretics at the stake. If we look at the post-Enlightenment world after which many formerly Christian and Muslim nations become secularized, the case against the Bible gets even worse. In these years, the Bible was used to justify everything from race-based slavery, colonial imperialism and, until just very recently, racial segregation and apartheid. Even though Muslims have their share of racists and bigots, and ethnic discrimination and rivalries unfortunately aren't unheard of in the Muslim World, these iniquities have never been justified by appeals to the Qur'an. One should also keep in mind that the Holocaust of European Jewry was orchestrated in the same nominally Christian (not Muslim!) country that produced Evangelical Christianity and the Gutenberg Bible. Likewise, Lebanese Philangist Christians, not Muslims, carried out the largest massacre of civilians in the Middle East in recent decades. Similarly, even though Palestinian suicide bombers have caused some to cast a reproachful (albeit ignorant) glance upon the Qur'an, the fact remains that the Bible is the only scripture that contains a God-approved act of suicide in order to kill enemy civilians (Judges 16:26-30).


The true irony in all of this is that the misguided Muslims who have committed horrible acts of violence in the name of Islam in recent years are following a modern Western influenced re-interpretation of Islam which took form during the late colonial period (i.e. after Christian powers invaded Muslim countries and started to exploit them). This undeniable fact has been documented in a number of books and articles, by Muslims and non-Muslims alike.


In the end, the actions of a fanatical minority of Muslims today does not prove that the Qur'an is a "lethal" book, rather it only proves that some Muslims have an interpretation of it that flies in the face of over 1,400 years of competent Islamic scholarship. If the Qur'an advocates indiscriminate violence against civilians, isn't it odd that more than a millennium of scrupulous and God-fearing Muslim memorizers, exegetes and jurists failed to realize it?

Bismillah


as salam alykom


Just for anyone who is lazy enough to read the rules on this board.


I deleted another thread of RT, to make it two, Dan and me.


Ok, before he goes, or any of the other guests start complaining, this is an open ISLAMIC board, we certainly dont mind people crticising Islam, as we never expect non muslims coming here praising and bringing good opinions about Islam. We dont expect this, neither we are here for this. We are surrounded by those who classify themselves as scholars, and have nothing to do but to just criticise Islam. Matter of fact, in many times, I see it differently, I see how they serve Islam and actually stand as proof to Quranic verses, starting from bendict, to Danemark, to any other source of crticism.


But also we will not allow a guest to come over thinking that with his/her attitude, he is actually bringing action into the board. We are not here working on a customer retention basis.


We are here to learn and help others learn. But acting with arrogance and feeling superior to others, will not help. If u feel superior to others, why remain among a group who is not fit to discuss with u? when u even in many situations fail to understand their posts, or more to say have a template that u hasten to use just to fill a space. I m really wondering.


Actually, we grew through many stages, we feel that people like this are all around us, we dont really care to decorate Islam to them, neither we need to call them to Islam. Islam is a gift. We dont beg people to take it. Islamic rituals are Islamic rituals. We dont expect u to agree with them, no. But if u want a platform of your own to slander Islam. Go ahead, u have utube and other sites, just build your own. Dont expect back that there will be any among us who agrees with u, neither we are compelled to compare of how many turkeys are slaghtered for either Christmas or thanksgiving. we are not obliged.


We are more than satisfied with our rituals, fully convinced with them, see nothing wrong with them. But to continue calling every one a name caller, a child, or ..etc. We dont accept this.


Non muslim guests are most welcome on this board, they have always been. What is more important is that we never put a sign on the gate saying either u revert or you are out.


We have quite a number of frequent visitors who made their position quite clear and they are still welcome.


There are those who want to learn how to deal with muslims, others who want to get a first hand info versus what they receive from the media, i m not going to count the motives.


But I think we made a clear point, you need to respect others, and maintain a proper conduct in house.


Hope all is clear.


admin

The Scent of Israeli Racism,


Gideon Levy


26/05/2003


Ha’aretz & PMC


http://www.aljazeerah.info/Opinion%20edito...deon%20Levy.htm


Shock is the proper reaction to the remark of cabinet Minister Gideon Ezra, who explained last week that Arabs should be used as security guards in Israel because only they have "the sense of smell needed to smell other Arabs, more so than guards who are immigrants from the former Soviet Union."


If anyone in Europe dared to say something similar about Jews, the world would be outraged, and rightly so. Another possibility is to ignore what Ezra said: What's the relevance of a low-life utterance from a marginal minister whose level of speech only casts a gloomy light on the institution he came from, the Shin Bet security service, and on his current place at the cabinet table?


On second thought, though, we should be thankful to Ezra: He has provided an apt description of the reality in which we live. We do in fact "sniff out" Arabs, all of whom are suspect in our eyes solely because of their ethnic origins.


We are all racists. Like it or not, we live in a reality of national, not to say racist, separation. A fusion of genuine security distress, the appalling terrorist attacks in the cities, the moral scars we bear as a result of decades of occupation and the faulty education we received has created a day-to-day reality here that can only shock anyone who believes in human rights.


However, we have grown accustomed to the situation and our eyes have become dim. We have grown used to seeing citizens who are made to say something, so that security guards can judge how much danger they pose on the basis of their accent. That has become entirely natural. Racism is here, but we continue to imagine that we live in a highly enlightened and progressive society.


Now Ezra has come and inadvertently held up the mirror in front of us. And what it reflects is ugly. After all, what's the difference between trying to sniff out Arabs as Ezra would do, and making passersby speak in order to see whether they have an Arab accent? An "oriental" look or an Arab accent, dark skin or traditional dress immediately create serious suspicions.


That may be understandable, but we must also be aware of the serious implications of such behavior. A society that classifies its residents according to their origin and is impassive about this behavior cannot be a just society.


The more incendiary manifestations of racism, such as the despicable obscenities you can hear at any soccer game, are the direct and inevitable continuation of this acceptance of the situation. And we haven't yet mentioned the discrimination in budgets and civil rights.


It is very difficult to be an Arab in Israel today, whether a citizen of the state or a resident of the territories.


Every Arab is considered a suspicious object unless he can prove otherwise. A few weeks ago, Dr. Mohammed Darawshe, a citizen of Israel from the Givat Haviva Institute for Advanced Studies, the education center of the Kibbutz Artzi movement, wanted to take a plane from Eilat to Tel Aviv. He had to answer dozens of impertinent and nosy questions about the purpose of his trip - and only because of his ethnic origin. There was no connection between the questions he was asked (Where did you lecture? What was the subject? Why did you come to Eilat?) and any sort of danger that was liable to accrue because of his presence on the plane. But Dr. Darawshe is an Arab, and Arabs have to be interrogated at every opportunity. It is more than likely that Darawshe will not forget the humiliating experience he underwent in Eilat for a long time, even if it's a matter of routine.


Separate lines for Jews and Arabs have long since become second nature here. There is no need to go as far as the occupied territories - where apartheid roads for Jews only and curfew for Arabs only have long been the reality - in order to witness the separation. It's here, within the country.


Under the aegis of the security situation the phenomenon has grown to worrisome proportions, far beyond what's necessary. Arab students find it difficult to rent apartments in Jewish cities solely because of their ethnic origin and without any security justification.


The country's Arab citizens are increasingly loath to venture out of their towns and villages because of the suspiciousness and humiliation they encounter in every contact with Jewish citizens or with the authorities. It is precisely because of the security needs, which sometimes oblige this sort of separation and discrimination, that unnecessary manifestations of discrimination should be reduced as far as possible.


The result is that a Jewish generation has grown up that has no experience or knowledge of contact with Arab society on an equal basis. To this generation, every Arab is only a potential danger that must be fought, and this even before the draft and the corrupting army service in the territories.


At the same time, an Arab generation has grown up that is aware of the apartheid and unwilling to accept it (along with the new generation in the territories, which knows only the armed Israeli who enters his home violently). The Arab-Israeli student, who is thrown out of a discotheque because of his accent or the way he looks, will not soon forget this situation.


In the United States, where there are similar phenomena, the civil rights organizations went mute after September 11, 2001. Now, every person whose name has a Muslim ring to it is a citizen under suspicion. And no one speaks out against this. Quite a few Muslim citizens of the United States have taken American names. In this sphere let us not take an example from the U.S. and let us not abandon ourselves to racism in the name of security.


So we have to be grateful to MK Ezra, who with his crude language, exposed the naked truth. Yes, we do sniff out Arabs.


Earth, a planet hungry for peace


The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers (Ran Cohen, pmc, 5/24/03).


The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers in the West Bank (Ran Cohen, pmc, 5/24/03).

http://www.answering-christianity.com/bass..._a_deciever.htm


Paul says...


2 Corinthians 12:16


Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty (panourgos) fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery (dolos)!


Paul refers to himself as a 'crafty' fellow. The word in Greek is panourgos, which could mean...


1) skilful, clever


a) in a good sense, fit to undertake and accomplish anything, dexterous, wise, sagacious, skilful


B) in a bad sense, crafty, cunning, knavish, treacherous, deceitful


Source: http://www.blueletterbible.org/tmp_dir/wor...69110-6606.html


Obviously Christians will tend to go for definition 'a', which states that it is cleverness in a good sense. However, when we read the rest of the verse...


Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty (panourgos) fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery (dolos)!


The word for trickery here is dolos, which could mean...


1) craft, deceit, guile


Source: http://www.blueletterbible.org/tmp_dir/wor...69203-1025.html


This word is always used in a negative way...


Matthew 26:4


and they plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly (dolos) way and kill him.


Mark 7:22


greed, malice, deceit (dolos) lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.


Mark 14:1


Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some sly (dolos) way to arrest Jesus and kill him.


John 1:47


When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false (dolos)."


Acts 13:10


"You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit (dolos) and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord?


Romans 1:29


They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit (dolos) and malice. They are gossips,


1 Thessalonians 2:3


For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick (dolos) you.


1 Peter 2:1


Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit (dolos) , hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.


1 Peter 2:22


"He committed no sin, and no deceit (dolos) was found in his mouth."


1 Peter 3:10


For, "Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful (dolos) speech.


Revelation 14:5


No lie (dolos) was found in their mouths; they are blameless.


As we can see this word is always being used negatively. This is the very thing that Paul claimed to have done. Does this make Paul guilty of deception? Jesus himself says in Mark 7:22 that it is a sin and that it is something that makes someone unclean from inside (verse 23).

101 Contradictions in the Bible:


101 Clear Contradictions in the Bible


Shabir Ally


1. Who incited David to count the fighting men of Israel?


God did (2 Samuel 24: 1)


Satan did (I Chronicles 2 1:1)


2. In that count how many fighting men were found in Israel?


Eight hundred thousand (2 Samuel 24:9)


One million, one hundred thousand (I Chronicles 21:5)


3. How many fighting men were found in Judah?


Five hundred thousand (2 Samuel 24:9)


Four hundred and seventy thousand (I Chronicles 21:5)


4. God sent his prophet to threaten David with how many years of famine?


Seven (2 Samuel 24:13)


Three (I Chronicles 21:12)


5. How old was Ahaziah when he began to rule over Jerusalem?


Twenty-two (2 Kings 8:26)


Forty-two (2 Chronicles 22:2)


6. How old was Jehoiachin when he became king of Jerusalem?


Eighteen (2 Kings 24:8)


Eight (2 Chronicles 36:9)


7. How long did he rule over Jerusalem?


Three months (2 Kings 24:8)


Three months and ten days (2 Chronicles 36:9)


8. The chief of the mighty men of David lifted up his spear and killed how many men at one time?


Eight hundred (2 Samuel 23:8)


Three hundred (I Chronicles 11: 11)


9. When did David bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem? Before defeating the Philistines or after?


After (2 Samuel 5 and 6)


Before (I Chronicles 13 and 14)


10. How many pairs of clean animals did God tell Noah to take into the Ark?


Two (Genesis 6:19, 20)


Seven (Genesis 7:2). But despite this last instruction only two pairs went into the ark (Genesis 7:8-9)


11. When David defeated the King of Zobah, how many horsemen did he capture?


One thousand and seven hundred (2 Samuel 8:4)


Seven thousand (I Chronicles 18:4)


12. How many stalls for horses did Solomon have?


Forty thousand (I Kings 4:26)


Four thousand (2 chronicles 9:25)


13. In what year of King Asa's reign did Baasha, King of Israel die?


Twenty-sixth year (I Kings 15:33 - 16:8)


Still alive in the thirty-sixth year (2 Chronicles 16:1)


14. How many overseers did Solomon appoint for the work of building the temple?


Three thousand six hundred (2 Chronicles 2:2)


Three thousand three hundred (I Kings 5:16)


15. Solomon built a facility containing how many baths?


Two thousand (1 Kings 7:26)


Over three thousand (2 Chronicles 4:5)


16. Of the Israelites who were freed from the Babylonian captivity, how many were the children of Pahrath-Moab?


Two thousand eight hundred and twelve (Ezra 2:6)


Two thousand eight hundred and eighteen (Nehemiah 7:11)


17. How many were the children of Zattu?


Nine hundred and forty-five (Ezra 2:8)


Eight hundred and forty-five (Nehemiah 7:13)


18. How many were the children of Azgad?


One thousand two hundred and twenty-two (Ezra 2:12)


Two thousand three hundred and twenty-two (Nehemiah 7:17)


19. How many were the children of Adin?


Four hundred and fifty-four (Ezra 2:15)


Six hundred and fifty-five (Nehemiah 7:20)


20. How many were the children of Hashum?


Two hundred and twenty-three (Ezra 2:19)


Three hundred and twenty-eight (Nehemiah 7:22)


21. How many were the children of Bethel and Ai?


Two hundred and twenty-three (Ezra 2:28)


One hundred and twenty-three (Nehemiah 7:32)


22. Ezra 2:64 and Nehemiah 7:66 agree that the total number of the whole assembly was 42,360. Yet the numbers do not add up to anything close. The totals obtained from each book is as follows:


29,818 (Ezra)


31,089 (Nehemiah)


23. How many singers accompanied the assembly?


Two hundred (Ezra 2:65)


Two hundred and forty-five (Nehemiah 7:67)


24. What was the name of King Abijahs mother?


Michaiah, daughter of Uriel of Gibeah (2 Chronicles 13:2)


Maachah, daughter of Absalom (2 Chronicles 11:20) But Absalom had only one daughter whose name was Tamar (2 Samuel 14:27)


25. Did Joshua and the Israelites capture Jerusalem?


Yes (Joshua 10:23, 40)


No (Joshua 15:63)


26. Who was the father of Joseph, husband of Mary?


Jacob (Matthew 1:16)


Hell (Luke 3:23)


27. Jesus descended from which son of David?


Solomon (Matthew 1:6)


Nathan(Luke3:31)


28. Who was the father of Shealtiel?


Jechoniah (Matthew 1:12)


Neri (Luke 3:27)


29. Which son of Zerubbabel was an ancestor of Jesus Christ?


Abiud (Matthew 1: 13)


Rhesa (Luke 3:27) But the seven sons of Zerubbabel are as follows: i.Meshullam, ii. Hananiah, iii. Hashubah, iv. Ohel, v.Berechiah, vi. Hasadiah, viii. Jushabhesed (I Chronicles 3:19, 20). The names Abiud and Rhesa do not fit in anyway.


30. Who was the father of Uzziah?


Joram (Matthew 1:8)


Amaziah (2 Chronicles 26:1)


31. Who was the father of Jechoniah?


Josiah (Matthew 1:11)


Jeholakim (I Chronicles 3:16)


32. How many generations were there from the Babylonian exile until Christ?


Matthew says fourteen (Matthew 1:17)


But a careful count of the generations reveals only thirteen (see Matthew 1: 12-16)


33. Who was the father of Shelah?


Cainan (Luke 3:35-36)


Arphaxad (Genesis II: 12)


34. Was John the Baptist Elijah who was to come?


Yes (Matthew II: 14, 17:10-13)


No (John 1:19-21)


35. Would Jesus inherit Davids throne?


Yes. So said the angel (Luke 1:32)


No, since he is a descendant of Jehoiakim (see Matthew 1: I 1, I Chronicles 3:16). And Jehoiakim was cursed by God so that none of his descendants can sit upon Davids throne (Jeremiah 36:30)


36. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on how many animals?


One - a colt (Mark 11:7; cf Luke 19:3 5). And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments on it; and he sat upon it.


Two - a colt and an ass (Matthew 21:7). They brought the ass and the colt and put their garments on them and he sat thereon.


37. How did Simon Peter find out that Jesus was the Christ?


By a revelation from heaven (Matthew 16:17)


His brother Andrew told him (John 1:41)


38. Where did Jesus first meet Simon Peter and Andrew?


By the sea of Galilee (Matthew 4:18-22)


On the banks of river Jordan (John 1:42). After that, Jesus decided to go to Galilee (John 1:43)


39. When Jesus met Jairus was Jairus daughter already dead?


Yes. Matthew 9:18 quotes him as saying, My daughter has just died.


No. Mark 5:23 quotes him as saying, My little daughter is at the point of death.


40. Did Jesus allow his disciples to keep a staff on their journey?


Yes (Mark 6:8)


No (Matthew 10:9; Luke 9:3)


41. Did Herod think that Jesus was John the Baptist?


Yes (Matthew 14:2; Mark 6:16)


No (Luke 9:9)


42. Did John the Baptist recognize Jesus before his baptism?


Yes (Matthew 3:13-14)


No (John 1:32,33)


43. Did John the Baptist recognize Jesus after his baptism?


Yes (John 1:32, 33)


No (Matthew 11:2)


44. According to the Gospel of John, what did Jesus say about bearing his own witness?


If I bear witness to myself, my testimony is not true (John 5:3 1)


Even if I do bear witness to myself, my testimony is true (John 8:14)


45. When Jesus entered Jerusalem did he cleanse the temple that same day?


Yes (Matthew 21:12)


No. He went into the temple and looked around, but since it was very late he did nothing. Instead, he went to Bethany to spend the night and returned the next morning to cleanse the temple (Mark I 1:1- 17)


46. The Gospels say that Jesus cursed a fig tree. Did the tree wither at once?


Yes. (Matthew 21:19)


No. It withered overnight (Mark II: 20)


47. Did Judas kiss Jesus?


Yes (Matthew 26:48-50)


No. Judas could not get close enough to Jesus to kiss him (John 18:3-12)


48. What did Jesus say about Peters denial?


The cock will not crow till you have denied me three times (John 13:38)


Before the cock crows twice you will deny me three times (Mark 14:30) . When the cock crowed once, the three denials were not yet complete (see Mark 14:72). Therefore prediction (a) failed.


49. Did Jesus bear his own cross?


Yes (John 19:17)


No (Matthew 27:31-32)


50. Did Jesus die before the curtain of the temple was torn?


Yes (Matthew 27:50-51; Mark lS:37-38)


No. After the curtain was torn, then Jesus crying with a loud voice, said, Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit! And having said this he breathed his last (Luke 23:45-46)


51. Did Jesus say anything secretly?


No. I have said nothing secretly (John 18:20)


Yes. He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything (Mark 4:34). The disciples asked him Why do you speak to them in parables? He said, To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given (Matthew 13: 1 0-11)


52. Where was Jesus at the sixth hour on the day of the crucifixion?


On the cross (Mark 15:23)


In Pilates court (John 19:14)


53. The gospels say that two thieves were crucified along with Jesus. Did both thieves mock Jesus?


Yes (Mark 15:32)


No. One of them mocked Jesus, the other defended Jesus (Luke 23:43)


54. Did Jesus ascend to Paradise the same day of the crucifixion?


Yes. He said to the thief who defended him, Today you will be with me in Paradise (Luke 23:43)


No. He said to Mary Magdelene two days later, I have not yet ascended to the Father (John 20:17)


55. When Paul was on the road to Damascus he saw a light and heard a voice. Did those who were with him hear the voice?


Yes (Acts9:7)


No (Acts22:9)


56. When Paul saw the light he fell to the ground. Did his traveling companions also fall to the ground?


Yes (Acts 26:14)


No (Acts 9:7)


57. Did the voice spell out on the spot what Pauls duties were to be?


Yes (Acts 26:16-18)


No. The voice commanded Paul to go into the city of Damascus and there he will be told what he must do. (Acts9:7;22: 10)


58. When the Israelites dwelt in Shittin they committed adultery with the daughters of Moab. God struck them with a plague. How many people died in that plague?


Twenty-four thousand (Numbers 25:1 and 9)


Twenty-three thousand (I Corinthians 10:8)


59. How many members of the house of Jacob came to Egypt?


Seventy souls (Genesis 4 & 27)


Seventy-five souls (Acts 7:14)


60. What did Judas do with the blood money he received for betraying Jesus?


He bought a field (Acts 1: 18)


He threw all of it into the temple and went away. The priests could not put the blood money into the temple treasury, so they used it to buy a field to bury strangers (Matthew 27:5)


61. How did Judas die?


After he threw the money into the temple he went away and hanged himself (Matthew 27:5)


After he bought the field with the price of his evil deed he fell headlong and burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out (Acts 1:18)


62. Why is the field called Field of Blood?


Because the priests bought it with the blood money (Matthew 27:8)


Because of the bloody death of Judas therein (Acts 1:19)


63. Who is a ransom for whom?


The Son of Man came...to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). Christ Jesus who gave himself as a ransom for all... (I Timothy 2:5-6)


The wicked is a ransom for the righteous, and the faithless for the upright (Proverbs 21:18)


64. Is the law of Moses useful?


Yes. All scripture is... profitable... (2 Timothy 3:16)


No. . . . A former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness... (Hebrews 7:18)


65. What was the exact wording on the cross?


This is Jesus the King of the Jews (Matthew 27:37)


The King of the Jews (Mark 15:26)


This is the King of the Jews (Luke 23:38)


Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews (John 19:19)


66. Did Herod want to kill John the Baptist?


Yes (Matthew 14:5)


No. It was Herodias, the wife of Herod who wanted to kill him. But Herod knew that he was a righteous man and kept him safe (Mark 6:20)


67. Who was the tenth disciple of Jesus in the list of twelve?


Thaddaeus (Matthew 10: 1-4; Mark 3:13 -19)


Judas son of James is the corresponding name in Lukes gospel (Luke 6:12-16)


68. Jesus saw a man sitat the tax collectors office and called him to be his disciple. What was his name?


Matthew (Matthew 9:9)


Levi (Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27)


69. Was Jesus crucified on the daytime before the Passover meal or the daytime after?


After (Mark 14:12-17)


Before. Before the feast of the Passover (John 1) Judas went out at night (John 13:30). The other disciples thought he was going out to buy supplies to prepare for the Passover meal (John 13:29). When Jesus was arrested, the Jews did not enter Pilates judgment hail because they wanted to stay clean to eat the Passover (John 18:28). When the judgment was pronounced against Jesus, it was about the sixth hour on the day of Preparation for the Passover (John 19:14)


70. Did Jesus pray to The Father to prevent the crucifixion?


Yes. (Matthew 26:39; Mark 14:36; Luke 22:42)


No. (John 12:27)


71. In the gospels which say that Jesus prayed to avoid the cross, how many times did he move away from his disciples to pray?


Three (Matthew 26:36-46 and Mark 14:32-42)


One. No opening is left for another two times. (Luke 22:39-46)


72. Matthew and Mark agree that Jesus went away and prayed three times. What were the words of the second prayer?


Mark does not give the words but he says that the words were the same as the first prayer (Mark 14:3 9)


Matthew gives us the words, and we can see that they are not the same as in the first (Matthew 26:42)


73. What did the centurion say when Jesus dies?


Certainly this man was innocent (Luke 23:47)


Truly this man was the Son of God (Mark 15:39)


74. When Jesus said My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken Me ? in what language did he speak?


Hebrew: the words are Eloi, Eloi ..(Matthew 27:46)


Aramaic: the words are Eloi, Eloi .. (Mark 15:34)


75. According to the gospels, what were the last words of Jesus before he died?


Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit! (Luke 23:46)


"It is finished" (John 19:30)


76. When Jesus entered Capernaum he healed the slave of a centurion. Did the centurion come personally to request Jesus for this?


Yes (Matthew 8:5)


No. He sent some elders of the Jews and his friends (Luke 7:3,6)


77.


Adam was told that if and when he eats the forbidden fruit he would die the same day (Genesis 2:17)


Adam ate the fruit and went on to live to a ripe old age of 930 years (Genesis 5:5)


78.


God decided that the life-span of humans will be limited to 120 years (Genesis 6:3)


Many people born after that lived longer than 120. Arpachshad lived 438 years. His son Shelah lived 433 years. His son Eber lived 464 years, etc. (Genesis 11:12-16)


79. Apart from Jesus did anyone else ascend to heaven?


No (John 3:13)


Yes. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven (2 Kings 2:11)


80. Who was high priest when David went into the house of God and ate the consecrated bread?


Abiathar (Mark 2:26)


Ahimelech, the father of Abiathar (I Samuel 1:1; 22:20)


81. Was Jesus body wrapped in spices before burial in accordance with Jewish burial customs?


Yes and his female disciples witnessed his burial (John 19:39-40)


No. Jesus was simply wrapped in a linen shroud. Then the women bought and prepared spices so that they may go and anoint him [Jesus) (Mark 16: 1)


82. When did the women buy the spices?


After the Sabbath was past (Mark 16:1)


Before the Sabbath. The women prepared spices and ointments. Then, on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment (Luke 23:55 to 24:1)


83. At what time of day did the women visit the tomb?


Toward the dawn (Matthew 28: 1)


When the sun had risen (Mark 16:2)


84. What was the purpose for which the women went to the tomb?


To anoint Jesus body with spices (Mark 16: 1; Luke 23:55 to 24: 1)


To see the tomb. Nothing about spices here (Matthew 28: 1)


For no specified reason. In this gospel the wrapping with spices had been done before the Sabbath (John 20: 1)


85. A large stone was placed at the entrance of the tomb. Where was the stone when the women arrived?


They saw that the stone was Rolled back (Mark 16:4) They found the stone rolled away from the tomb (Luke 24:2) They saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb (John 20:1)


As the women approached, an angel descended from heaven, rolled away the stone, and conversed with the women. Matthew made the women witness the spectacular rolling away of the stone (Matthew 28:1-6)


86. Did anyone tell the women what happened to Jesus body?


Yes. A young man in a white robe (Mark 16:5). Two men ... in dazzling apparel later described as angels (Luke 24:4 and 24:23). An angel - the one who rolled back the stone (Matthew 16:2). In each case the women were told that Jesus had risen from the dead (Matthew 28:7; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:5 footnote)


No. Mary met no one and returned saying, They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him (John 20:2)


87. When did Mary Magdelene first meet the resurrected Jesus? And how did she react?


Mary and the other women met Jesus on their way back from their first and only visit to the tomb. They took hold of his feet and worshipped him (Matthew 28:9)


On her second visit to the tomb Mary met Jesus just outside the tomb. When she saw Jesus she did not recognize him. She mistook him for the gardener. She still thinks that Jesus body is laid to rest somewhere and she demands to know where. But when Jesus said her name she at once recognized him and called him Teacher. Jesus said to her, Do not hold me... (John 20:11 to 17)


88. What was Jesus instruction for his disciples?


Tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see me (Matthew 2 8: 10)


Go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God (John 20:17)


89. When did the disciples return to Galilee?


Immediately, because when they saw Jesus in Galilee some doubted (Matthew 28:17). This period of uncertainty should not persist


After at least 40 days. That evening the disciples were still in Jerusalem (Luke 24:3 3). Jesus appeared to them there and told them, stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high (Luke 24:49). He was appearing to them during forty days (Acts 1:3), and charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise ... (Acts 1:4)


90. To whom did the Midianites sell Joseph?


To the Ishmaelites (Genesis 37:28)


To Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh (Genesis 37:36)


91. Who brought Joseph to Egypt?


The Ishmaelites bought Joseph and then took Joseph to Egypt (Genesis 37:28)


The Midianites had sold him in Egypt (Genesis 37:36)


Joseph said to his brothers I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt (Genesis 45:4)


92. Does God change his mind?


Yes. The word of the Lord came to Samuel: I repent that I have made Saul King... (I Samuel 15:10 to 11)


No. God will not lie or repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent (I Samuel 15:29)


Yes. And the Lord repented that he had made Saul King over Israel (I Samuel 15:35). Notice that the above three quotes are all from the same chapter of the same book! In addition, the Bible shows that God repented on several other occasions:


i. The Lord was sorry that he made man (Genesis 6:6)


I am sorry that I have made them (Genesis 6:7)


ii. And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do to his people (Exodus 32:14).


iii. (Lots of other such references).


93. The Bible says that for each miracle Moses and Aaron demonstrated the magicians did the same by their secret arts. Then comes the following feat:


Moses and Aaron converted all the available water into blood (Exodus 7:20-21)


The magicians did the same (Exodus 7:22). This is impossible, since there would have been no water left to convert into blood.


94. Who killed Goliath?


David (I Samuel 17:23, 50)


Elhanan (2 Samuel 21:19)


95. Who killed Saul?


Saul took his own sword and fell upon it.... Thus Saul died... (I Samuel 31:4-6)


An Amalekite slew him (2 Samuel 1:1- 16)


96. Does every man sin?


Yes. There is no man who does not sin (I Kings 8:46; see also 2 Chronicles 6:36; Proverbs 20:9; Ecclesiastes 7:20; and I John 1:810)


No. True Christians cannot possibly sin, because they are the children of God. Every one who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God.. (I John 5:1). We should be called children of God; and so we are (I John 3: 1). He who loves is born of God (I John 4:7). No one born of God commits sin; for Gods nature abides in him, and he cannot sin because he is born of God (I John 3:9). But, then again, Yes! If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (I John 1:8)


97. Who will bear whose burden?


Bear one anothers burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2)


Each man will have to bear his own load (Galatians 6:5)


98. How many disciples did Jesus appear to after his resurrection?


Twelve (I Corinthians 15:5)


Eleven (Matthew 27:3-5 and Acts 1:9-26, see also Matthew 28:16; Mark 16:14 footnote; Luke 24:9; Luke 24:3 3)


99. Where was Jesus three days after his baptism?


After his baptism, the spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days ... (Mark 1:12-13)


Next day after the baptism, Jesus selected two disciples. Second day: Jesus went to Galilee - two more disciples. Third day: Jesus was at a wedding feast in Cana in Galilee (see John 1:35; 1:43; 2:1-11)


100. Was baby Jesus life threatened in Jerusalem?


Yes, so Joseph fled with him to Egypt and stayed there until Herod died (Matthew 2:13 23)


No. The family fled nowhere. They calmly presented the child at the Jerusalem temple according to the Jewish customs and returned to Galilee (Luke 2:21-40)


101. When Jesus walked on water how did the disciples respond?


They worshipped him, saying, Truly you are the Son of God (Matthew 14:33)


They were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened (Mark 6:51-52)