Can one only understand the Quran by just reading it?


what is means of understanding it?

Some will use the following to present Islam as an open, tolerant religion, apologists typically present the famous "no compulsion" part of the Koran...


<i>2:256: "There is no compulsion in religion. The right direction is henceforth distinct from error. And he who rejecteth false deities and believeth in Allah hath grasped a firm handhold which will never break. Allah is Hearer, Knower</i>


However the verse which follows 2:256 seems to convey a different idea when read together...


<i>2:257: "Allah is the protecting guardian of those who believe. He bringeth them out of darkness into light. As for those who disbelieve, their patrons are false deities. They bring them out of light into darkness. Such are the rightful owners of the Fire [of Hell]. They will abide therein [forever]."</i>


Both verses together certainly convey a different message than the typical apologist snippet from 2:256. The pair of complete verses show the Koran's respective policies for Muslims (believers) and non-Muslims (disbelievers). Believers are warned not to slip into disbelief, and disbelievers are warned to become believers — or else. In other words, according to this passage, there is compulsion in Islam, despite the initial "no compulsion" statement. Verse 18:29, itself, bears some similarities to the 2:256-257 pair:


<i>18:29: "Say: (It is) the truth from the Lord of you (all). Then whosoever will, let him believe, and whosoever will, let him disbelieve. Lo! We have prepared for disbelievers Fire. Its tent encloseth them. If they ask for showers, they will be showered with water like to molten lead which burneth the faces. Calamitous the drink and ill the resting-place!" </i>


The policy in the Koran does not appear to be "Believe it or not," but instead is "Believe it or else!" The damnation of disbelievers in 2:257 and 18:29 is consistent with Allah's policy throughout the Koran. There are over 250 separate damnations of disbelievers in the Koran. True believing Muslims, on the other hand, are promised with the reward of Paradise in the Hereafter.


Many verses in the Koran say that believers should strive against the disbelievers universally (e.g., Muslims should ________ the non-Muslims: <i>fight/oppose/shun/strive against/regard as the enemy/never help/never befriend/sever family ties with/never compromise with/never obey/never forgive/chastise/curse/be ruthless toward/be stern toward/etc.</i> [3:118; 3:28, 3:56; 3:87-88, 4:50, 4:63, 4:101, 4:139-140, 4:144, 5:54, 5:57, 8:65, 9:14, 9:23, 9:73-74, 9:123, 25:52, 28:86, 31:7, 33:48, 45:7-8, 48:28-29, 53:29, 58:5, 58:22, 60:1, 60:4, 60:10, 60:13, 63:6, 66:9, 68:8-9, 76:24, 84:24].


No statements in the Koran contradict this policy toward the disbelievers. That is, there are no verses that say "Be genuine friends with the disbelievers," or "Treat the disbelievers kindly, as good as you would treat Muslims").


The Koran repeatedly identifies the disbelievers as the enemy, evil, wicked, wrong-doers, evil-doers, on the side of Satan and fighting against Allah, etc. (16:27, 2:91, 2:99, 80:42, 9:125, 42:45, 2:254, 5:45, 42:44, 4:76-77, 58:19, 7:27, 7:30, 25:55, 63:4). Christians and Jews are also condemned and insulted many times (2:61, 4:48, 4:50, 4:116, 4:47-52, 4:55, 4:157, 4:160, 5:12-5:13, 5:37, 5:51, 5:53, 5:59-60, 5:72-73, 5:79, 18:52, 33:26, 59:14, 98:1).


Religious freedom requires the ability to freely express criticism of a religion. The Koran forbids this (2:2). As everyone now knows, it is not possible to criticize Islam openly without risking being killed by an Islamist who wishes to obey the Koran and follow Mohammad's example.


For example, those who malign the prophet and Allah will be cursed in this world and in the Hereafter (33:57); those who malign Muslims will be doomed (33:58). Those guilty of either hypocrisy, adultery or lechery, or sedition (alarmism; spreading false news), will be seized wherever they are found and slain with a (fierce) slaughter (33:60-62). For those transgressions, a brutal death seems like quite an excessive penalty by our modern standards. Nevertheless, 33:62 states that this harsh penalty had always been in accordance with Allah's law, and that it would remain so.


Seems that there is cumpulsion in Islam.

<i>Islam:Solution to Racism</i>

Bismillah: Assalamo Alikum.


***********************


<i>By Hanan Kamal, IOL Correspondent </i>


IslamOnline.Net


CAIRO — Showing solidarity with the Muslim principal, Christian students in an Egyptian secondary girls school and their parents rushed to defend wearing headscarves in class, insisting they were not coerced but were simply following in the footsteps of Virgin Mary.


"All Christian girls in the school wear headscarves out of their own volition," Merriam Nabil, a student at Al-Ayyat Technical School in the Giza governorate, told IslamOnline.net.


"We have decided to stand by our principal to demonstrate to all that he did not force us to don the headscarf."


A state-owned magazine had reported that the entire 2,700 students of the school, including 55 Christians, cover their hair with white headscarves.


It claimed that the school's principal, Magdy Fikri, coerced the Christian girls into putting on the Muslim head cover.


Accordingly, he was rebuked by the Ministry of Education and transferred along with two teachers from the school.


"We received complaints from some parents and girl students, who said that the principal forced Muslim and Christian girls to wear hijab," Ministry of Education Undersecretary Hussein el-Sheikh told IOL.


Fikri refuses to swallow claims that complaints had been lodged with the ministry from his students.


"I can never believe that a student or one of my Christian colleagues is behind these alleged complaints," he said.


"I have known them for years, they can never behave like this. We, Muslims and Christians, are one and do not bear grudges for one another."


Minister of Education Yousri el-Gamal only backed down after the Christian girls joined hands with their Muslim colleagues in defending their principal.


"The minister was moved by the Muslim-Christian solidarity in the case," el-Sheikh said.


Virgin Mary


Merriam Nabil has been wearing a headscarf since the preliminary grade.


"We wear the headscarves inside and outside the school just like our mothers," said the Christian student.


"I having been covering my hair since the preliminary school. We don't feel offended if we are likened to our Muslim peers."


The disciplinary action against Fikri drew fire from parents of the Christian students and Christian school teachers alike.


The school's deputy principal, Magdy Rasmi, a Christian, defended his colleague.


"Fikri is one of the best people I know," he told IOL. "Injustice has been done to him and we must stand by him."


Lotfi Adly, the father of a Christian student, agreed.


"If our daughters had been really forced to wear hijab, we would have never kept our mouths shut," he told IOL.


"But we are convinced that there is nothing wrong with the headscarf."


The Christian father said the overwhelming majority of Egyptians are devout and conservative.


"Do you think I would be happy seeing my kid's hair uncovered?"


Said Ghobriyal, another father, insisted that the headscarf is all about chastity.


"It really unnerves me to see women on the streets with uncovered hair."


The mother of Fayza Awad, a Christian student, asserted that herself and her daughter were modeling themselves after Virgin Marry.


"I wear a headscarf because Virgin Mary covered her hair. This is all about respect and there is no compulsion."

Salam all


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Salam

I've been waiting to see the news break in any of the Western Media outlets, but was surprised to see no real coverage of the affair.


Not too long ago (about two weeks ago) some French expatriates, living in Riyadh, were killed as they completed a trip to the ancient ruins of Mada'in Salih. They were not too far from Madinah, and it seems that some of them (the Muslims from the group) were going to stop by the Makkah to perform 'Umrah before returning to Riyadh.


They had completed a group camping trip near the ancient ruins. As far as I know they were a group of two families, men and women. There were nine of them in the group and two of those murdered were Father & Son. As they were near the villages outside of Mada'in Salih near the Madinah-Tabuk Road, they seem to have gotten lost and made the mistake of asking too many people for directions. They were soon to find out it was going to cost them their innocent lives.


The group were with another group of expatriates that were also camping with them. The other group of 19 Belgians left for Riyadh earlier. Perhaps the Muslims of this French Group wanted to make 'Umrah before returning (?). It seems somebody overheard them asking for directions when they were lost and decided to follow them and take them out.


As they took a rest along the road, a green Nissan Patrol (SUV) approached them. The men were seperated from the women and children and systematically executed. The women and children were left to watch the execution and to then survive their male relatives. Of the four, three died there at roadside and one was taken to the hospital where he subsequently died of his injuries. The Father & Son couple were muslims and their Janaazah (Funeral Prayer) was prayed at the Prophet's Masjid in Madinah. King Abdullah visited their female survivors and promised to take care of them however they required and to find the criminals that did this.


So far, the area that they were killed in has been on lock-down. There are checkpoints all around and there is an extensive search on for the criminals. There are different search parties from different regions, all using their expertise to find those guilty of the crime.


The Government, having taken testimonies from the female survivors, knows the car that the criminals used. It was a green Nissan Patrol, and they've been searching the Kingdom looking for the car. The government --perhaps through a process of elimination-- named two prime suspects and gave them a chance to hand themselves in:


Abdullah Sayir Mu`awadh Al-Mahmadi


His relative Nasir bin Lateef Al-Balawi


It sees they checked the surrounding area and took account of the men in the area and there are still two men unaccounted for. The government gave these two men a deadline to come in and prove theseves innocent, as they were the prime suspects. Those two men let the deadline pass and have become even more guilty in the eyes of the Government. Anybody aiding them is considered and accessory and a reward of $1.86 Million has been made available for information leading to their arrest.


I haven't seen a worse case of blatant terrorism than this. These people are clearly not enemies, two of them were DEFINITELY Muslims. They came to this country to work and to be of benefit to the people of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Why, after seeing that they are Muslims, would you not only try to harm them, but also to follow them and meticulously single them out for execution? Not that it would have been ANY different were those four French men non-Muslims. No matter what, the leader of the Muslims of this country has given them a promise of safety and we as Muslims are obliged to honor that promise to the best of our ability.


I remember not too many years ago, when this huge campaign by the filthy Khawarij terrorists was launched against Western interests, they used to always tell people they are after the non-Muslims and that they are doing this for Islam.


How in the world does this help Muslims or Islam in any way!?


How will you aswer for Jean-Marc Bonnet and his 17-year-old son Mubarak!?


They're both French-Moroccan Muslims whose blood was spilled!


Not only, do these criminals make extremely audacious promises, but they also end up doing the exact opposite f what they claim. In all the major campaigns that these terrorists have led, they've caused DIRECT harm to the Muslims. In all the bombings, shootouts and kidnappings, it's been a majority of Muslim casualties. They don't care what your religion is, they want to scare the Ambassador or Consul General of the affected nationality.


The Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a memo a week and a half ago, to all the foreign embassies within the Kingdom highlighting the fact that it seems there is a general fear that these people are going to continue targetting foreign nationals. I remember the Minister of Interior, Prince Naif bin Abdil-Azeez sent a warning out to the terrorists a year or two ago, saying that if they didn't stop carrying out these different campaigns against the foreigners, that he would equip all foreigners with adequate arms to protect themself.


Basically, "If you idiots don't quit it, I'm gonna give them the chance to take you out before I take you out."


I hope they do find those murderers and it would be nice to see them get executed for the crime they committed.


If you've seen any foreign coverage of the story, please leave me a comment with a link, I'll update the blog post with the links, insha Allah.

Muhammad


What can I say on your day



When every day is your day ?


O Muhammad ! O Taha ! O shafi’na on the Last Day !


From the day you stood to say :


O Man ! I’m but a man


Sent to save you, sent to tell you


The way that’ll lead you away


From the one who led you astray


To the One Who made you ’n the best way


And gave you beauty and bounty in every way


And will yet give you joy where you’ll stay


For ever and ever, as you say !


From that day,


O Muhammad ! O Taha ! O shafi’na on the Last Day !


Men came to you on foot and horseback ;


They said as you said


And prayed as you prayed


And when attacked, they fought back.


You lived in a shack


While your beauty was brighter than the moon ;


You ate with your hands


While one with your beauty would use a gold spoon ;


You sat on the sands


While one with your glory


Would build himself storey upon storey :


And that’s why your story


Has gone as far as Brunei and Zinjibar


And London and New York


Where people eat with a knife and fork,


They too say as you said


And pray as you prayed


And when wrongly questioned, they answer back.


O Muhammad ! O Taha ! O shafi’na on the Last Day !


What can I say on your day


When every day is your day ?


From just a few those who came to you


Filled every hill, swamped every dale,


They made Time stand still till their tale


Made the mightiest kingdoms frail


And brought the Muslim flag as close as Prague !


The Arabian Nights tells of made-up knights


And of Harun al-Rasheed


Whose life the Truth of your Message


Made eed upon eed !


And yet someone came to draw


A pic of a man whose peer he never saw,


And papers and commentators


Seeking cheap money and fake glory


Made every story


Out of the Story of the man whose glory


Defies all Posts and all Tribunes and all Times !


O Muhammad ! O Taha ! O shafi’na on the Last Day !


What can I say on your day


When every day is your day ?


When your name has brought fame


To a Dane who became insane ?


What can I say on your day


When night and day


Souls repeat your words


As if they were songs of jungle birds !


Peace be upon you and all those who followed your way !


O Muhammad ! O Taha ! O shafi’na on the Last Day !


Mohamed Ali LAGOUADER


Morocco


Copyright ©2007 by Mohammed Lagouader


http://amgoon.alkablog.com/

<b>Surah Momin : Ayah 60</b>


<b>"And your Lord says: Call upon Me, I will answer you; surely those who are too proud for My service shall soon enter hell abased."
</b>


Audio and Video dua by Shaikh Abdur Rahman As-Sudais:


Audio


Video

Question: We have a man with us at work who approves of the celebration of the birthday (i.e. the Prophet’s (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) birthday), and advocates and insists upon this. Should I abandon him for the Sake of Allaah or not? What should I do? …and may Allaah reward you with good.


Response: Celebrating the Prophet’s birthday is an innovation, and whoever pursues this (path) is an innovator (mubtadi’) if he insists on doing so and does not accept the (sincere) advice, (rather, choosing to) continue in calling to (celebrating) the birthday and arousing interest in it. (In this case), then, it is obligatory to abandon him since he is an innovator, and it is not permissible to maintain companionship with an innovator.


Shaykh Ibn Fowzaan


Fataawa tata’allaaq bil-Mawlid an-Nabawee – Page 49, Question 11


Al-Muntaqaa min Fataawa al-Fowzaan – Volume 1, Page 184


More Fataawa on this issue:The celebrating of The Prophets Birthday

Reference: Majallatut-Da’wah No: 1632. 7th Dhul-Qa’dah 1418 A.H. Corresponding to 5th March 1998[/b


A considerable amount of discussion has taken place with regards to ‘Islaamic Nasheeds’; some have given a formal, legal opinion of it being permissible, whilst others hold them to be an alternative to music. What is your opinion with regards to the above, your eminence?


The phrase ‘Islaamic Nasheeds’ is incorrect, because it is a newly invented phrase. Hence, for this reason there are no such things [known as] ‘Islaamic Nasheeds’ in the books of the pious predecessors, and from the rulings of those who are considered and relied upon to be from amongst the people of knowledge.


Rather what is well known is that the Sufis [1] are the ones who have accommodated and incorporated these ‘Islaamic Nasheeds’ into their Deen, and they name this Deen of theirs as (السماع) ‘As Samaa’[2].


In this day and age, when different parties & groups have arisen and increased, this has resulted in all these groups & parties adopting their own fanatical zealous anthems which they have named as ‘Islaamic Nasheeds’. This labelling of ‘Islaamic Nasheeds’ has no authenticity or soundness [in our Deen]. Therefore, it is not permissible to accept these Nasheeds or to circulate and promote them amongst the people.


Allaah is the possessor of all prosperity & success.


------------------------


[1] For a detailed case study on the history of Sufism & their heretic beliefs refer to the English translation of the book ‘The reality of Sufism’ by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Rabee’ ibn Haadee Al- madhkhalee, published by Alhidaayah, Birmingham, U.K. [TN]


[2] A gathering of Sufis who listen & chant songs [with music] about Allaah, [TN]